Exciting 2015 APR Scores!

S ARING
UNIVERSITY ACADEMY
WINTER 2016
University Academy Celebrates
96.1
2015
2014
Exciting 2015
APR Scores!
90.7
UA’s 2015 APR SCORE
RANKED 6TH IN
JACKSON COUNTY
We are pleased to share with you the University Academy 2015 Academic Performance
Report (APR)*.
University Academy scored a 96.1%, which is one of the highest scores in the Kansas City
area and among the best in the state! UA boasts a 6% increase over 2014 and has goals to
surpass this score in 2016.
This is the result of students, teachers, parents, administrators, and staff all working together.
We thank all for their hard work and dedication.
1st
1st
UA RANKS
IN
ENGLISH OUT OF
ALL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS FROM 2014-15 SCHOOL YEAR
• District APR rose from 90.7 to 96.1%
• Upper School scored the highest in Math and English
End of Course Exams among ALL Jackson County public high schools
• $3,020,000 in total scholarships (new school record)
IN JACKSON COUNTY
UA RANKS
IN
Continued with more detailed information on page 11.
*APR = Annual Performance Report
This score is determined by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
It calculates the percentage of points earned divided by the total points possible.
Factors include test scores, subgroup achievement, attendance, college and career
readiness, and graduation rates.
MATH OUT OF
ALL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS
IN JACKSON COUNTY
CLASS OF 2015
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
$3,020,000
Superintendent
TABLE OF CONTENTS
3 Superintendent’s Letter
4 Lower School
TONY KLINE
5 Middle School
6 Upper School
7 Gala Invitation
8 UA Highlights
10 Friends of UA
11 Cover Story Continued
12 Gryphon Times
14 Athletics
University Academy
Families and Friends,
As the first semester comes to a close, I would like to share some of the many incredible things that have happened at
University Academy since August.
The State released test scores from the 2014-15 school year and University Academy performed incredibly well. We were one
of the top performing schools in both the Kansas City metro area and the state as a whole. (A full breakdown of our scores
can be seen on pages 1 and 11.)
The Lower School has gotten off to a great start. As we wind down the month of December, our K-5 students are
approximately two full months ahead of last year’s pace. That means we are getting deeper into the curriculum and
demonstrating more understanding than in previous years. I really want to applaud the students, teachers and administrators
for working together in our collective push for more rigor and academic excellence.
The Middle School has been doing a great job of offering more support and opportunities for students. The new Advisory
period has allowed teachers to work with more students. The Debate team is on fire, sweeping 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place honors
at multiple tournaments. In addition, the Middle School has taken on culture-building activities like the Advisory Kickball
Tournament, and college door decorating contests.
The Upper School is being led by the strong class of 2016. Seniors have been
receiving college acceptance letters since October and we really look
forward to seeing each one of them choose their college later this spring. We
are also in the process of planning a unique field trip in collaboration
with Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, which will send approximately
20-30 students from each school on a Civil Rights field trip during Spring
Break. Students will visit key landmarks in Atlanta, Birmingham, Selma and
Montgomery to learn more about the events from the 1960’s movement.
One thing we have focused on this year is reducing tardies. I’m happy to
announce we have lowered tardies by over 300 comparing October 2014
to October 2015. However, we still have room to improve. While our parking lot
does get crowded from 7:20 am – 7:30 am, it is not nearly as busy from 7:00 am –
7:20 am. If you are driving your student to school, please give yourself a little
extra time so that your student is not late by the tardy bell at 7:30 am.
Finally, I want to comment on something very positive that I see just about
every week in the community, which is University Academy students working
part-time jobs. If you have been to places like Panera Bread, TopGolf, Off
Broadway Shoes, and Waterway, chances are you have seen a Gryphon
working. These students have great work ethic and have been developing
their resumés and interviewing skills. Employers, just like colleges, are taking
notice of University Academy students.
Sincerely,
2
Tony Kline
Superintendent
Application Deadline
The application window for the 2015-16 school year
opened on October 1, 2015. Families can apply online
via the school website, www.univeristyacademy.
org. Students who currently attend UA do not need to
reapply. The application window closes on January
29, 2015. The lottery will be held on February 12, 2015.
A Note from
Mrs. Phillips
As we near colder weather, please contact
Mrs. Phillips if you are in need of any assistance.
She can help connect families to area agencies for
utility assistance and other needs. We also have a
limited number of coats that have been donated.
If your child does not have a warm winter coat this
season, she may be able to help.
3
Staff
Highlight:
NAKISHA THATCHER:
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (LOWER SCHOOL)
The Lower School Administrative staff has chosen to feature Ms. Thatcher for her
dedication to our students and staff. One of her colleagues wrote, she is “caring,
accommodating, encouraging, and dedicated to the students and staff. She is joyful
at all times and willing to go beyond what is required.” She has truly found her calling in
working with the students, parents and staff of UA.
Family: I was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri and I am the youngest of three girls. I
have a wonderful 12 year old daughter in the 7th grade who attends University Academy.
I am also proud to be an aunt of 10 nieces and nephews.
Educational Background: I have my Associates Degree in Business from the University of
Phoenix.
Experience: I worked for 4 years at City Hall before coming to University Academy in 2007.
I have been at University Academy for 7 years in a variety of different positions, but none
have been as satisfying as the position that I hold now as the Lower School Administrative
Assistant. The time that I have spent a UA has been a wonderful experience so far. I can
say that I am a person that loves what I do and I enjoy coming to work everyday. Being
at the school, has taught me many different things about our children, their learning
strategies and different personalities. Every day at UA is filled with new challenges and I
embrace the opportunities to meet the needs of our students and families with a sense of
true fulfillment.
Staff
Highlight:
JEAN MEYER
Lower School
a note from the principal
We have had a busy first semester in the Lower School. We have
been encouraging students to take control of their learning,
parents and teachers to connect through school activities, and
celebrating the accomplishments of our school.
We have been encouraging our students to become better
readers through reading more and they rose to the challenge.
The 5000 Book Challenge concluded with the K-State team
winning. All the students were winners as the Lower School read
12,591 books in the first quarter of the school year! Our latest
challenge in the Lower School is based on attendance. To date,
team KU is winning with a average daily attendance rate of
97.47%. We know that students who come to school on time tend
to have higher achievement scores and build lasting habits that
will help them be successful in life.
We have started benchmark testing for the 3rd cycle and the
results show an upward trend in data. We are thrilled to see
consistent growth through each benchmarking cycle.
4
We have hosted five after school events and had tremendous
turn outs for each event. We have brought over 1000 people
in to the school for these events and have had opportunities to
connect with parents and students on a different platform each
time. Some of the events have had educational information to
share, while others have been fun events to build community.
We look forward to continuing success with these community
outreach events.
The Parent/Teacher Conferences were widely attended with 90%
of all our parents coming to meet with their child’s teacher to
discuss progress and share in their accomplishments. This shows
that our parents and teachers work together as a team for the
success of their child.
Students anticipated the holiday break and spending time with
their families for the extended break. I was also excited about
spending time with friends and family in a warmer climate. I
hope that you enjoyed the holiday season with your family and
cherished your children while making memories that will pass the
tests of time.
Middle School
a note from the principal
Interests: Hairstylist, Sunday School Teacher, ladies church group
I think that these sentiments are felt by our staff at UA, “Thatcher helps make the Lower
School run! She is extremely knowledgeable and has great relationships with the families
of our students! If you need something done quickly, she can do it! She is extremely caring
when it comes to staff and is able to make everyone smile!
STACY GRAFF
JOE BARRY
Hi everyone! My name is Joe Barry and
I am the new Middle School Social Studies
teacher at UA. This is my first year at University
Academy, and my 10th year teaching
overall. My wife Clea and I have two children
– Ella is 2 and Max is 7 months old – so I’m
busy at school and at home! In my free
time, I enjoy fishing, skiing and rooting for my
beloved Green Bay Packers.
My family and I moved to Kansas City
so that my wife could work for her family
business, the Louisburg Cider Mill in Louisburg,
Kansas. She grew up in this area. I love
teaching at UA and enjoy finding ways
to connect Social Studies and what is
going on in the world to my student’s lives.
Talking
Gryphons
Debate Team
The Talking Gryphons have had an
incredible year! From the Debate KC
Tournament at Smith Hale to the DKC
Lincoln Tournament and all other events in
between, the team has had huge success!
December brings the end of the first semester and after school activities are in full
swing. Students currently have the opportunity to participate in Girls Basketball,
Boys Basketball, Science Olympiad, Cheerleading, Debate, and National Junior
Honor Society. We have been tracking the GPA of our students who participate
in activities. It is no surprise that these students have an average GPA almost .35
percentage points higher than the group of students who are not participating.
Our Debate team is off to a great start with three first place finishes from their Policy
Debate team while also earning the top speaker award in each meet! Check out
their results on our Facebook page. We would encourage your child to become
involved in an after school activity and help support our mission of preparing
students for college and as leaders in our society.
Semester grades are an average of first and second quarter grades for those
semester long classes. Please take time to review your child’s grades on Power
School and then make sure they understand the requirements for promotion that
are listed in the Handbook. We do weekly grade checks with a number of students,
so there should not be any surprises for students or parents. Please let us know if
you have questions or concerns at any time. If you have not signed up to receive
automatic grade notifications through Power School, please contact Ms. Amerison
at 816-412-5900 to request this notification via email on a daily, weekly, or monthly
occurrence. I want to thank everyone who has already signed up for these
notifications. I would like for 100% of our parents to have this option to help us stay
connected in regard to student progress.
Our after school policy requires that all students be under the
direct supervision of an adult by 3:20 if they are staying after school
(this includes tutoring). If your child is not staying, please make
arrangements for them to be picked up no later than 3:30. This is
very important as the weather gets colder since we do not have
the supervision for students not in a program such as ASP, tutoring,
or basketball. If students are found loitering after school, we will
be contacting parents to notify them of the issue. When we host
basketball games, students will need to leave the building and will
be permitted back in approximately 15 minutes before game time
(3:45).
Thanks for all you do in partnering with our school to promote student growth and
accountability. We truly enjoy working with your student and want you to be an
integral part of your child’s education at all times. If there is anything we can do
to promote your child’s growth, please don’t hesitate to contact School Counselor
Ms. Engler, Assistant Principal Ms. Amerison, or myself to let us know of any concerns
or suggestions! We are proud to be Gryphons!
5
FRIENDS OF UNIVERSITY ACADEMY GALA • APRIL 16, 2016
CLEM UKAOMA
Upper School
a note from the principal
1. Upper School Juniors and Seniors recently concluded the school’s 15th Annual Harvesters Food Drive. This
year’s drive netted over 300 grocery bags of can goods and other household staples. As in the previous
14 years, this drive helps to restock food pantries in three midtown Kansas City churches: St. Francis Xavier
Catholic Church, St. James United Methodist Church, and St. Therese Little Flower Catholic Church. This is
the designated community service activity for Upper School Juniors and Seniors.
2. Mr. Burdette, our College Counselor, took 37 juniors on their annual college visit on December 8, 2015. This
year, the juniors visited two universities: University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri and University of
Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas.
3. Following his command performance at last year’s Upper School Commencement, Dr. Seabrooks, President
of Penn Valley Community College, returned to the Upper School to speak with the Class of 2017 on
December 10, 2015. His presentation, titled “I Got Bills: Five Things College Students Get Twisted,” was a
reprise of his Commencement Talk and was delivered to Juniors in the Mayerberg Hall.
4. The Debate Team, billed the “Talking Gryphons” by their incomparable teacher, Ms. Rinehart is currently
preparing for the Dowling Debate Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa.
5. To date, representatives from 24 colleges and universities have visited seniors during their Senior Seminar
classes.
100% college acceptance rate since 2004,
a free Children’s Mercy Health clinic and UMKC Dental clinic available to all University Academy students,
Bronze Medal Award Winner for four years running from U.S. News and World Report…
all of this and more is thanks to your support through the Friends of University Academy Annual Gala.
Please join us as we celebrate University Academy students and alumni at the 14th Annual Gala - Passport to Success.
The Gala will take place on Saturday, April 16th at University Academy. The wonderfully creative Nancy Valentine
will serve as Event Chair. Honorary Chairs will be faithful Friends of UA supporters, Vicki and Bill Reisler. We’re very excited
to announce that the Benefactor Party will take place at the extraordinary home of Christy and Bill Gautreaux.
Cocktail Hour- 6:30pm
Dinner- 7:30pm (delish! Catering)
Live Music- 8:30pm-11:00pm
Lounge-9:00-11:00pm (The Roasterie Cappuccino Bar)
“Travel Attire” is the theme for the evening which may include a scarf and beret from your honeymoon trip
to Paris or perhaps a vintage flight attendant uniform from yesteryear. Creativity is encouraged!
Funds raised at the gala pay for numerous special educational opportunities and programs for students and alumni,
with an emphasis on summer learning opportunities for Upper School students such as National Outdoor Leadership
Staff Highlight:
School, Experiment in International Living, Student Diplomacy Corps and a number of “sleep away” camps for our
JAMES JENNINGS
An 11 year veteran of the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, police force, Mr. Jennings joined the
Upper School in 2007 as its In-School Suspension Supervisor.
Middle School students. Your support makes a huge, positive impact on the lives of UA students and alumni.
Individual tickets for the Gala are $150.
PARENTS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE GALA
Please contact Maria Dickson for more information and tickets, 816-561-7602 or maria@friendsofua.org.
Additionally, he has been the head coach for our Boy’s Basketball teams for nine
seasons. Along the way, he also assisted with Football for four seasons.
Some have described him as a “gentle giant,” because he is a strong believer in letting
students find their own way in the world. He says his philosophy of life is “Live and let live,”
which is apropos because he subscribes to the Upper School dictum of responsibility with
a premium on internal locus of control.
Friends of University Academy
6
4049 Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 400 Kansas City, MO 64111
www.FriendsofUA.org
7
UA Highlights
KINDERGARTEN AUTHOR PROGRAM
BINGO FOR BOOKS
Kindergarten students are invited to view a presentation from an author each
month in the Mayerberg Hall at University Academy. Through a partnership with
Friends of University Academy and The Reading Reptile, students are given the
book that the author/illustrator presents to take home with them. Thank you to
Mrs. King and Mrs. Birkby for coordinating this program for our studenst!
The Lower School held it’s Annual Bingo for Books coordinated by Mrs. Birkby
and Mrs. King, Title 1 Reading teachers. The event was a huge success as always!
Many families enjoyed an evening of fellowship, playing bingo, and taking
home a book!
PERSLEY RECEIVES GRANT
Mr. Persley Wins for Students at Teacher Shark Tank
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS EXHIBIT
Students in all three schools have created a collaborative exhibit for Día de los
Muertos or Day of the Dead. Students enrolled in Art and in Spanish have created
decorations associated with the holiday. Spanish Class students have created
plaques for the exhibit to explain the meaning behind each item. A Memory Wall
is in place to remember loved ones who have passed.
RANGER AWARD
This award is presented to the student who consistently demonstrates high
achievement in academics, creativity, critical thinking, community involvement and
other behaviors that contribute to excellence in scholarship. This award recipient
exemplifies leadership, with a strong work ethic and commitment to being involved
in the Urban Ranger Corps program and his community.
Frenklyn Pigge is a Senior at University Academy and will graduate in May 2016.
Frenklyn, who has been a Ranger for the last three years, plans to enroll in college
to pursue a degree in Physical Therapy. “This program has molded me as a person. I
think every young man should be in this program no matter their race. The program
has prepared me for future careers. Also, it gave me memories that I will never
forget. This program really forces you to grow up and act like a mature young man.”
Mr. Persley, Upper School Math and Coding teacher, participated in the first
ever Teacher Shark Tank and secured $2,000 to take Coding students to the
University of Wisconsin, where they will participate in a Hack-a-thon and get to
meet practicing professionals in the careers of Computer Science. Students will
make the trip in spring of 2016. The Teacher Shark Tank was sponsored by Teach
for America and the Hallmark Foundation. He pitched to the sharks (Mayor Sly
James, Shirley Helzberg, Dan Nilsen, and Debby Ballard) and was awarded his
full asking price. A sizeable crowd of UA staff were on hand to cheer him on.
Congrats, Mr. Persley and congrats to the Coding class students!
COINS FOR THE CABINET
UA participated for the third year in the Annual KC Medicine Coins for the
Cabinet coin drive. Each year, we have raised nearly $1,000 for the Kansas
City Medicince Cabinet. Funds raised go towards helping local people in
need, providing them with medical equipment, eyeglasses and medication
that they may not be able to purchase for themselves. Thank you, UA
families, for helping our community!
UA is very proud of Frenklyn and expects great things from him in the future.
8
9
ALUMNI
COVER STORY CONTINUED • 2015 TEST SCORES
96.1 1st
UA RANKS
FRIENDS OF UA EVENT
The transition from high school to college is a critical
moment in the life of any student. For some, it is a
moment of insurmountable challenge. Friends of UA
programs prepare students to meet that challenge
successfully and to persist through college graduation
toward gratifying lives beyond. This is an event every
UA supporter should attend to learn more about
the ways UA students and graduates
are facing challenge and succeeding.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
AMER I CAN ASCENT SCR EENI NG – 2/2 5 /1 6
“The nation’s wild places from national and state parks to
national forests, preserves, and wilderness areas belong to all
Americans. But not all of us use these resources equally. Minority
populations are much less likely to seek recreation, adventure,
and solace in our wilderness spaces… This is important
because as our country grows increasingly multicultural, our
natural legacy will need the devotion of people of all races
and ethnicities to steward its care.” This excerpt from The
Adventure Gap by James Edward Mills lays the groundwork for
the importance of the film, An American Ascent. It highlights
the value in the opportunities students have to explore the
wilderness through Friends of UA scholarships to attend the
National Outdoor Leadership School.
Join other UA supporters for a private screening of An American
Ascent on February 25, 2016. You’ll learn firsthand from the
author, film producer, climbers, and UA students and alumni
who have bridged the gap.
Patrick Corley
UA’s 2015 APR SCORE
RANKED 6TH IN
JACKSON COUNTY
IN
1st
UA RANKS
ENGLISH OUT OF
IN
ALL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS
ENGLISH OUT OF
ALL PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS
IN JACKSON COUNTY
IN JACKSON COUNTY
#1 BLUE SPRINGS
#1 UNIVERSITY ACADEMY-UPPER
95.5
#1 UNIVERSITY ACADEMY-UPPER
#2 CROSSROADS ACADEMY
#2 LEE’S SUMMIT WEST HIGH
92.3
#2 FRONTIER SCHL OF EXCELLENCE-U85.7
#3 OAK GROVE
#3 LINCOLN COLLEGE PREP
90.7
#3 ALTA VISTA CHARTER SCHOOL
80.8
#4 LEE’S SUMMIT
#4 FRONTIER-UPPER87.5
#4 LEE’S SUMMIT WEST HIGH
79.8
#5 LONE JACK
#5 FRONTIER STEM HIGH SCHOOL
85.7
#5 BLUE SPRINGS SOUTH HIGH
76.8
#6 UNIVERSITY ACADEMY
#6 BLUE SPRINGS HIGH
85.2
#6 LEE’S SUMMIT NORTH HIGH
74.7
#7 ACADEMIE LAFAYETTE
#7 GRAIN VALLEY HIGH
85.1
#7 BLUE SPRINGS HIGH
73.8
#8 FRONTIER
#8 LEE’S SUMMIT NORTH HIGH
84.4
#8 CENTER SR. HIGH
72.9
#9 GRAIN VALLEY
#9 HOGAN PREPARATORY ACADEMY 84.3
#9 LEE’S SUMMIT SR. HIGH
72.7
#10 EWING MARION KAUFFMAN
#10 BLUE SPRINGS SOUTH
#10 TRUMAN HIGH
60.2
82.7
87.3
Numbers represent percentage of students scoring Advanced/Proficient on the EOC.
UA Class of 2009
College: DePauw University (’09-’13)
Advanced Degree: Currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts at Northwestern University
I graduated from DePauw University with a degree in English, which isn’t the most
practical degree to earn. With a lot of encouragement and guidance from David
Rucker at Friends of UA, I landed a spot in Northwestern University’s MFA program
for Writing for Stage and Screen (which is even less practical). I’ve now completed
three wonderful internships in Hollywood, and met some really cool people who
will soon become my colleagues if this all works out. And if it doesn’t work out, well,
maybe I can teach. That’s where the money is.
In the meantime, I get to watch movies for homework, I tutor high school students
part-time, and I recently had an essay published in my favorite literary magazine,
Full Stop. For that and the other stuff, I am grateful for the hauntingly difficult classes
of Mr. Freeman and Ms. Mahoney, who in one way or another inspired me to think
critically about every single thing, and the vigilant alumni support that somehow
kept me motivated from 400 miles away.
10
In the last year or so I have really come to value the gap between undergrad and
graduate school. I got to take a year to recharge my academic batteries and focus
in on what it was I wanted to do for the foreseeable future. Plus I got to work at
Kansas City’s #1 Pakistani restaurant, Chai Shai, which serves the best chicken I have
had and will ever have.
APR SCORECARD - UNIVERSITY ACADEMY 2015
MSIP 5 STANDARDS
POINTS POSSIBLE
POINTS EARNED
Academic Acheivement
56.0
52.0
92.9%
Subgroup Acheivement
14.0
13.0
92.9%
College and Career Ready (CCR)
30.0
29.5
98.3%
Attendance
10.010.0
100.0%
Graduation Rate
30.0
100.0%
TOTAL
PERCENTAGE EARNED
30.0
140.0134.5
96.1%
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11
GRYPHON TIMES
GRYPHON TIMES
The following are articles taken from the Upper School Gryphon Times publication by our student journalists.
Student Represents KC Teens on
Kansas City Youth Commission
BY: CHRISTEN HILL
Many of you know Junior Jordan Sanders as “The Bishop” or the
school’s drum major, but few know he is part of the selective
Youth Commission for Kansas City.
Sanders said the main goal of the Youth Commission is to
discuss problems and possible solutions for the young people of
Kansas City and to present ideas to the Mayor and City Council.
Sanders said he has learned decision making, persuading, and
leadership skills through his involvement on the Youth Commission. Sanders was asked to be part of the program by Chantell
Garrett, the Program Director of the Mayor’s Youth Commission,
when he was trying to propose his own program ideas for the
growth and development of Kansas City’s youth last summer.
Recently, Sanders was elected Vice Chairman of the Youth
Commission.
Sanders said the coolest part of being on the Youth Commission
is having an access badge.
Students Represent
the Americas with Art
BY: ALIYAH HUNTER
This year, several high school classes have taken on a new project.
Students have been designing banners that represent countries in North,
Central, and South America.
Students in Mr. Sheehan’s African American Studies class, Mrs. Nurrenbern’s
Spanish classes, and Ms. Hammond’s Drawing and Painting class will be
competing against other high schoolers in the Kansas City area.
The Pan American Association of Kansas City, members of the Nelson
Atkins and Kemper Museum and local teachers, including Ms. Hammond,
came together to organize the competition. The judges will choose two
pieces of student artwork that represent each country along Grand
Boulevard. The artwork will be printed as a banner and will be displayed
along with the student’s name and the school’s name, for a minimum of 5
years on Grand Boulevard.
Ms. Hammond said she thought this would be a “wonderful cross-curricular
opportunity for students to learn about the Americas.”
Students had to do research on the cultures of each country before
they could design their banner, so they could properly represent those
countries.
Sophomore Tateanna Gravely-Moss said she really enjoyed this project.
She said it gave her “freedom without limitations,” because she was able
to pick what she wanted to do and pick the art medium.
Catching Up with the Class of 2015
Mexico
1st: Sophomore James Woodruff
2nd: Junior Shyriahana Ward
Ecuador
1st: Junior JaSean Bowens
2nd: Junior Mya Garrett
Guyana
1st: Senior Arion Hewitt
2nd: Freshman Ezekiel Boyce
Dominica
1st: Sophomore Tateanna Gravely-Moss
2nd: Freshman Kenath Mitchell
First place drawing by sophomore James Woodruff.
The drawing depicts an Aztec chief and represents
the country of Mexico.
The regional winners will be announced in January.
Upper School faculty and staff voted on the top two UA winners for the
Grand Boulevard Student Art Competition.
BY: AALIYAH JEAN BAPTISTE
The transition between high school and college can be a difficult
one, as students become freshmen all over again in a brand new
environment. Three alumni from the Class of 2015 recently shared
their experiences from their first semester of college.
Jasmine Johnson, who attends Howard University in Washington
DC, said that her transition from high school to college wasn’t
easy.
“My first semester has been a real struggle,” said Johnson. “UA
helped me with the fundamentals needed for college, but here
at Howard University they want you to expand that.”
Johnson said that she had some trouble balancing her social
life and academics, but she eventually learned to adjust her
schedule to fit both.
Nosa Eke said his transition went fairly smoothly at the University of
Missouri-Columbia.
“It was definitely an adjustment, but I got the hang of it early on,”
Eke said.
Eke said that his first semester at Mizzou has been indescribable.
12
“After the recent events that have gone on here at Mizzou, I
can’t even explain how this semester has been,” he said. “It has
definitely been an eye opener for me and has allowed me to
continue growing.”
Khadija Amin, attending Coe College in Iowa, said she has
enjoyed college so far, but she isn’t doing as well as she usually
does.
“My transition from high school wasn’t bad, because I went to a
small college, so it reminds me of UA,” she said.
Johnson said her favorite part of college has been the
relationships she’s built on campus. She said she really enjoys the
“family vibes” that are present at Howard University.
Eke said that what he’s enjoyed most is the social aspect.
“The best times are when I’m able to sit around with friends and
have intellectual conversations, and have it end up being a
humorous conversation two hours later,” said Eke.
Amin said that her favorite part has been meeting international
students and learning about new cultures.
As seniors near graduation, Eke said they should take the college
application process seriously. “As you approach graduation, you’re not only approaching the
end of a journey, but also the beginning of a new one,” Eke said.
‘Twas the Night Before Finals
BY: ALEXIS TOLBERT
‘Twas the night before finals and all through the town
Not a student was sleeping, not even laying down.
They’d been studying all night, without a break or a nap
Because the last time they checked PowerSchool,
all they could say was “oh crap…”
With their phones on “don’t disturb” and their earphones tucked tight,
They knew full well it’d be a very long night.
Everyone’s face was deep in their books,
Reading the very few notes they actually took.
Then the students thought back to the weeks that had passed,
When instead of studying, they were out making some cash.
(at Top Golf, of course)
If not at Top Golf, they were out at some other place,
Or maybe sitting home, staring off into space.
Regardless of what they were doing, school was last on their minds,
But it was now 2 a.m. and they were running out of time.
So they studied on because they couldn’t afford to fail,
because they knew their moms would be gettin’ in ’dem tails.
So they worked and worked until their eyes turned red,
And once they did all they could, they finally went to bed.
Everyone’s brain was worn out from all that thinking,
But right before they fell asleep, they heard a voice speaking:
“Finals when you wake up, hip hip horray!
You’ve worked so hard and tomorrow is the day!
It’s been a long year and you put up a good fight,
So good luck to all, and to all a good night.
13
GRYPHON ATHLETIC HONORS
GRYPHON BASKETBALL
All-Conference All-District Football
Volleyball
DOMINIQUE WILLIAMS
Dominique Moss is a junior. She has attended
UA for 10 years. She has played volleyball
for three years and was a cheerleader
her freshman year. She would like to study
elementary education when she graduates.
This is her first year receiving this award and she
was very excited and feels like her hard work
over the summer really paid off.
At publication, the Varsity Boys are 4-4, the JV boys are 3-3; the Varsity Girls are 6-3;
the Junior Varsity girls are 0-2; the Middle School Boys are 6-1; and the Middle School Girls are 6-1.
Congratulations on your hard work.
ROMELLO
ABERCROMBIE
DAVID
ROBINSON
DARIUS
PORTER
A Junior at UA, Romello plays
football and also runs track and is
proud to be an All-District athlete.
David Robinson is a senior. He has
attended UA for 10 years. He has
plays football and runs track. This is
the second time he has received
this award. After graduating he
would like to attend Benedictine
to study Business.
Darius Porter is a sophomore and
has attended UA for eight years.
He plays football and baseball.
This is his first time receiving 2nd
team All District and he is very
happy.
Academic All-State Football
OMO EKE
CHE’ WILLIAMS
Omobude Eke is a junior and has attended
University Academy for six years. He has
participated in football and track in the Upper
School for three years. He received Academic
All State in football this year and last year as well
All District in football this year. Omo would like to
attend Mizzou and study Bio-Chemistry.
Che’ has been attending UA for 5 years and is
a junior. He is involved in football and basketball
and he also plays baseball. Che’ is a member
of the Academic Decathlon.
14
MALIK DICKERSON-M c KINNEY
Malik has been at UA 11 years. He played
basketball and football throughout middle
school. Malik is now a sophomore continuing
football and basketball.
A Note from Mr. Gresham
Welcome to another year of Gryphon’s Winter
Sports!! The boys and girls high school basketball
teams have been practicing hard to get ready for
another successful campaign. The UA Gryphons
boy’s team is led by James Jennings. The team
opened up in the Center Jamboree and now have a
4-4 start to the season. They will be led by a group of
seniors looking to build on last year’s success.
The Lady Gryphons are led by Shane O’Neal. The
girls, hoping to rebound from last year, have a
successful start and currently showcase a 6-3 record.
The Lady Gryphons have a good group of younger
girls to round out the team led by two seniors. The
first home game for both teams was on December
14th against conference rival Maranatha. The Middle
School teams led by Calvin Davis and Christiana
Lewis have also worked hard preparing for the
2015-16 season. They opened their seasons against
Northgate on December 1st.
The boys host Northgate while the girls travel there.
The Elementary Basketball season is also right around
the corner. The program is headed by Brian Tolbert
who will also be coaching the 6th grade team. They
begin their practice on November 30th with their
season beginning in January. Lots of luck to all the
Gryphon basketball teams!!!
A Note from
15
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Lower School
Family Fit Night!
FAMILY FUN AND FIT NIGHT WITH
LOWER SCHOOL FAMILIES WAS
A HUGE SUCCESS! OVER
250 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE
EVENT OCTOBER 6, 2015 AT
UA. A BIG THANK YOU TO
COACH GASSEN
AS WELL AS MS. THATCHER
AND MS. MEYER!