Broward County High School Salutes 2016 Co-Valedictorians

Broward County’s Top Private High School Salutes it’s 2016 Co-Valedictorians

We couldn’t be prouder of our 2016 co-valedictorians and our salutatorian. We wish them the best as the head off to college!

From Left to Right: Kavya Narendra-Babu, Aleeza Kessler, Braedon Villano

Kavya Narendra Babu

Weighted GPA: 5.16

Outstanding Achievements:

Co-Valedictorian, National Merit Scholarship winner, All-State Flutist (9^th & 12^th), All-County Flutist (9^th, 10^th & 12^th), AP Scholar with Honor, President of Music Honor Society (11^th & 12^th), Concertmaster of FYO’s flute orchestra (11^th & 12^th)

Accepted to:

UCLA, UC Berkeley, UCSD, UM, UF, BU, NYU

Will Attend:

UC Berkeley

Career Goal:

Neurosurgeon

Favorite Teachers:

Dr. Oganezov, Mr. Roe, Mr. Leip and Ms. Gronberg

Favorite High School Memory:

Performing at the Broward Center with the Youth Pride Band and performing at Mizner Park with FYO on the same day 

Favorite Quote:

“To define is to limit.” ―Oscar Wilde

Aleeza Kessler

Weighted GPA: 5.16

Outstanding Achievements:

Co-Valedictorian, National Honor Society President, Lead Student Ambassador, Congressional School and Community Service Award winner, AP Scholar with Honor, National Merit Scholar Finalist, Science National Honor Society Vice President, SGA Secretary, Varsity Cheerleading Co-Captain, IMACS graduate, UF Honors Program participant

Accepted to:

Brandeis University, Boston College, University of Toronto, Queens University, University Of Central Florida and University of Florida

Will Attend:

UF Honors

Career Goal:

Dermatologist

Favorite Teachers:

Dr. Oganezov, Ms. Sponnoble, Mr. Leip and Mr. Roe

Favorite High School Memory:

Dancing at Battle of the Grades

Favorite Quote:

"Even Achilles was only as strong as his heel." ―Frank Underwood

Braedon Villano

Weighted GPA: 5.13

Outstanding Achievements:

Salutatorian, Varsity Soccer Captain, Senior Class President, Georgia Tech Provost Scholar, AP Venture Scholar, Junior Travel Award Spanish Scholar, National Honor Society Tutoring Chair, Spanish National Honor Society Vice President, two-time Literary Fair Winner, Harvard Merit Scholar

Accepted to:

Columbia, Harvard, Duke, Yale, Georgia Tech, Northwestern, Swarthmore, University of Florida, University of Central Florida, Butler University and Fordham University

Will Attend:

Harvard 

Career Goal:

CEO of a start up company 

Favorite Teachers:

Ms. Sponnoble, Mr. Leip, Dr. Dennis, Dr. Oganezov and Mr. Roe

Favorite High School Memory:

Playing soccer with my best friends

Favorite Quote:

"If you don't like how the table is set, turn over the table." ―Frank Underwood

Weston Middle School “Message in a Bottle” Found

Our Weston Middle School’s “Image in a Bottle Project” Floats Ashore in Spain Two Years Later

Sagemont School student Maria Paredes washes up on the shore of Spain!

Well…her bottle did, anyway.

In the spring of 2014, approximately 80 students created collages of their lives, wrote a “letters to the world”, sealed them in bottles they decorated which were sent out to sea from Ft. Lauderdale. The project was called “Image in a Bottle” which middle school art teacher Scott Hemeon conceived to challenge his students to consider how they wanted to project their image to a global community…a virtual concept delivered in an old-fashioned way.

Two years later, and an ocean away, one of those bottles washed ashore where a fisherman found it encrusted in shells on a remote stretch of beach near Bilbao, in northern Spain. A newspaper reporter from El Correo newspaper was contacted to investigate the find. Using contact information in the bottle, he reached across the ocean to The Sagemont School where he learned of the project and the lucky girl whose bottle was found, and provided us with the details of the extraordinary discovery.

Summer School in Weston Reimagined

Here’s Part 1 of our interview in the March 2016 issue of Our City of Weston Magazine.

BY STACEY BOMSER

Camp Sagemont is known for offering a wide variety of camp programs that appeal to children of all ages and interests, ranging from a traditional day camp program for preschoolers and younger students to a travel camp for teenagers. This summer, Camp Sagemont is unveiling new educational camp programs designed to supplement lessons learned throughout the school year and allow children to explore new interests.

Camp Sagemont Director Danielle Guski shares more about what’s in store this summer at Camp Sagemont.

What are some of the new programs available this summer?

Academic Advantage Plus, formerly known as Summer School, now offers campers the choice to focus on specific subject areas. It also includes a daily Reading Rocks! Session. We’re also introducing a Spanish Immersion Plus camp and Cooking Up Math & Science Plus camp, where children will learn the math and science behind cooking and baking.

Why is Camp Sagemont adding new academic-based camps to its menu?

We have seen that parents are looking for fun and enriching academic-based activities to keep their children’s minds active through the summer. In addition, research indicates that students who keep their minds actively engaged throughout the summer do not display summer regression upon returning to the classroom. The goal to increase student knowledge is especially important for English language learning students who have the greatest probability for regression, not only in content but overall English language development. Camp Sagemont strives to answer the global demand to provide a continuous and fun academic learning experience during the summer.

If you’re looking for a summer academic programs for your kids register for Camp Sagemont online today.

This blog post originally appeared here: http://www.campsagemont.com/summer-school-weston-2016/ 

Weston Elementary School Luncheon

Weston’s Sagemont Elementary School Hosts Empty Bowls Luncheon

Recently, Sagemont hosted its seventh annual Empty Bowls spaghetti and meatball luncheon. Our fourth and fifth grade students created a ceramic bowl as a reminder of the empty bowls around the world. The Empty Bowls Project is an international, art-based movement aimed at ending world hunger. Since it was started in 1990, the Empty Bowls Project has raised millions of dollars towards fighting hunger. All proceeds were donated to the LifeNet4Families food bank organization and will help feed children and families in our local community.

Weston Preschool Creates Process Artwork

Sagemont’s Weston Preschool Creates Process Artwork

Sagemont preschool students worked collaboratively to create large-scale, safari-themed, process artwork. They worked as a team with one common goal, while learning to appreciate differences of others and developing a sense of community and confidence. During the weeklong process, students gained knowledge about Africa and safari animals, as well as, rich academic preschool concepts and skills.

Weston’s Sagemont Elementary School Hosts Students from China

Weston’s Sagemont Elementary School Hosts Cultural Art Exchange with Students from China

As reported in Our City of Weston Magazine By Stacey Bomser

The Sagemont School recently welcomed several special guests for a cultural art exchange. These students were not only from another school, but another country. Three elementary-age students and the director of the Ruopu Art School in Wuhan, China, took part in the program which included an art show and contest, classroom comparisons, and advanced art lessons.

Ruopu is a museum-like art school which allows children from ages three to 15 to explore their creative side. The school focuses on fine detail and expression through careful interpretation of traditional Chinese art.

“While ‘Folk Art’ is very important to the people of China, it is beginning to fade with fewer and fewer artists practicing the trade,” explains Beth McMahon, Sagemont’s Director of Admissions and International Programs, who coordinated the cultural exchange. “Training young students may help preserve the traditions.”Mrs. McMahon says the purpose of the art exchange event was to provide students with a platform to break down language barriers and learn about one another through art. “Not only was the artwork spectacular, but Sagemont students from both the Upper and Lower School Campuses were able to learn about the children’s lives through their art, which was the subject matter of the paintings.”Ninety-one pieces of artwork by the Chinese students were on display in the Sagemont Lower School Campus cafeteria for all to enjoy. Upper School AP and Honors art students served as judges, under the guidance of art teacher Darcy Hildlebidle. The students carefully selected three  winning pieces; one from each age category: 5-6 years, 7-8 years, and 9-10 years and older.“From this, the Sagemont students experienced how to look and value art, not by whether they liked it or not, but rather by breaking down the art into five categories via a rubric,” explains Mrs. McMahon. “They enjoyed discussing their perspective on the work to the Chinese instructors who were greatly impressed with the knowledge and interest that our students demonstrated.”On the second day of the visit, the young Chinese students spent time with Sagemont second graders. The Sagemont students shared their American culture and education with the special guests by performing songs, giving them a tour of the school, and demonstrating and discussing what they learn in their classes, including art, music, physical education, media technology, Spanish and swimming.

“It was interesting that the three Sagemont teachers were able to include the young Chinese children in the classroom lessons simply by using computer programs and the internet on their white boards that translated the lesson for them,” shared Mrs. McMahon. “The Chinese students answered questions on the white board using Chinese characters.”

She cites an experience with Yibo, one of the Chinese students, during a math lesson on temperature. “Since he did not speak English at all, and was very shy, we looked up how to say numbers in Chinese and our students repeated the numbers in his language while the teacher pointed to the board. Then Yibo pronounced the words for us to repeat after him.”

Fortunately, there were no language barriers in PE or on the playground. Mrs. McMahon says the Chinese students told her recess was their favorite time of day, as they enjoyed playing freely with their new friends. “Sagemont showed the Chinese that in America, students are fortunate to have the arts and athletics as part of the curricular day. Studying is important, but being able to express themselves with music, art and fitness all in one day was pretty impressive.”

Sagemont second grader Paula Pulgar said she liked spending time with Yibo. The two shared a common love of art. “I would like to go to an art school like his because I would learn more about art. I want to be a fashion designer and you need to know art for that as well.”

The culture exchange between the two schools also included art lessons. Sagemont art instructors Darcy Hildebidle and Scott Hemeon gave a class to the young students and the Ruopu Art School’s director taught the Sagemont students about art education in China.

After the culture exchange, a few of the pieces of artwork, including the winning pieces in each age category, were moved to the Young At Art Museum in Davie. Mrs. McMahon says plans are already in the works for future exhibitions to rotate between the two communities, along with teachers actually exchanging art instruction. She says the first lesson may be exchanged over the internet, with travel between the schools likely to happen.

Preschool Broward | VPK Weston | Davie

Weston VPK Program at is Almost Here!

VPK stands for the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program. If you live in Florida, and your child turns 4 four years of age by September 1, your child is eligible to participate in Florida's FREE Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) education program.

That’s right VPK is FREE to All 4-Year Olds!

We are excited to announce the start of VPK (Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program) at The Sagemont School pending approval. This entitles each student to 540 hours of instruction (8:30am to 11:45am, Monday to Friday) at no cost to you.

VPK Wrap-Around programs are offered for those interested in extended hours. Fees for Wrap-Around programs for 2016-2017 are:

*Wrap-Around program includes more specials and enrichment activities that complement the half-day instruction. 

The Curriculum focuses on reading, writing and social skills

Prepares children to be ready for kindergarten.

Why Choose Sagemont for VPK?

• Sagemont was voted Best Private School in Weston
• Sagemont VPK implements Links to Learning Curriculum
• Nurturing environment
• Embraces cultural diversity
• Wrap-Around program for extended day
• Enrichment programs included
• Check out our great summer camp at www.CampSagemont.com

Enroll Today for the 2016-2017 school year!

For more information about Free VPK, visit Sagemont.com/vpk