Incoming freshmen invited to summer transition program

The PHHS counselors know that starting high school can be both an exciting and nervous time for students. That’s why the counselors have organized a two-day program called Propelling to Patriot Power on Aug. 20-21 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Lewis Middle School.

This two-day experience is designed to give students the opportunity to get familiar with the high school experience, make new friends, meet their counselors and teachers, and prepare for the first semester of high school.

By attending the two-day program, incoming ninth-graders will be assigned a success team made up of continuing students, teachers and staff to help guide them through the first semester. Students will be introduced to resources that are designed to support them as unique individual learners and will gain a head start on the semester.

On the first day of the Propelling to Patriot Power, Aug. 20, there will be a special workshop for all family members from 8:30 to 10 a.m. so everyone can learn about the transition into high school.

On the second day a special session will be held for any student who had academic challenges in middle school; these students will learn about additional support and strategies that will continue throughout the 2015/16 school year.

New students to Patrick Henry will also meet again for Patriot Camp, sponsored by the PHHS Link Crew, on Aug. 28 at 9 a.m.

Save the date for important upcoming events

New student enrollment is Tuesday, Aug. 25 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. or Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. (New student enrollment dates and times are subject to change.) Stop by the attendance counter at the PHHS office for a new student enrollment packet.

Freshmen orientation, for students with last names beginning with the letters A through L, is Wednesday, Aug. 26 from 8 to 11 a.m.

Freshman orientation for students with last names beginning with the letters M through Z is Thursday, Aug. 27 from 8 to 11 a.m.

Sophomore orientation is Friday, Aug. 28 from 8 to 11 a.m.

Link Crew’s Patriot Camp is Friday, Aug. 28 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Junior orientation is Monday, Aug. 31 from 8 to 11 a.m.

Senior orientation is Tuesday, Sept. 1 from 8 to 11 a.m.

For more information and forms, visit the school website at sandi.net/Henry or email the principal’s administrative assistant at [email protected].

PHHS is an energy-saving champion

PHHS earned second place in the San Diego Unified School District’s energy conservation competition, decreasing our overall usage between April 22 and May 12. The Environmental Club accepted the $625 check on behalf of the school.

JROTC places third in the district

On Saturday, May 16, hundreds of Junior ROTC cadets, parents, district administrators and members from various San Diego veteran groups participated in the 69th annual JROTC awards ceremony and change of command at the Kearny High School auditorium. This ceremony is designed to recognize the individual, team and unit achievements in the areas of academic excellence, physical fitness and precision drill competitions.

Throughout the school year, JROTC students participate in numerous competitive events that award placement points. The overall unit recognition awards and final standings were determined by assessing the most cumulative points attained by each unit during the year-long brigade competitions. Patrick Henry High School came in third this year, surpassed only by Scripps Ranch and Morse high schools, who took first and second, respectively.

Conservation posters now up around town

Look for Mara Fiorentini’s winning conservation poster all around the PHHS community. The Grantville-Allied Gardens Kiwanis Club recognizes all 24 of the students that entered and awarded the top prize of $100 to Fiorentini. Second place went to Alexis Handler and third to Kalos Chu. Honorable mentions went to Joey Tran, Chante’ Butler and Brianna Pinto.

Students win college book awards

Book awards are presented by various college alumni groups and given to high schools to select the best fit candidate from their top junior students based on each college’s special criteria. They are designed to stimulate interest among our top junior students toward very these selective colleges. They are very prestigious selections and do not require an early acceptance or enrollment in the college making the award. They often come with a merit scholarship promise should the student decide to attend the college.

This year’s book awards went to: Will Mason (Yale Book Award), Hannah Reidy (Wellesley Book Award), Jabril King-Mahdi (University of Rochester Bausch & Lomb Award), Nicholas Armenta (University of Rochester George Eastman Award), Diwash Shrestha (University of Rochester Frederick Douglas Award), Ian Rodney (Rennselear Medalist), Leann Hua (Rachel Carson Book Award), Emily Helmke (Pepperdine YCS Award), Brandon Kennedy (Williams College Award).

Patriot athletes named to 2015 Spring All-CIF teams

Congratulations to the following athletes: senior Sierra Altmeyer, sophomore Madison James and sophomore Cristiona Caccamise in softball; senior Tristan Zawadzki in pole vaulting; junior Matthew Moonjian and sophomore Donald Kay in golf; and senior Amanda Sumrow in swimming.