By Elizabeth Gillingham

JV girls’ basketball reaches perfection

Every sports team dreams of having that perfect season, though most never achieve that lofty goal. However, the Patrick Henry junior varsity girls’ basketball team did just that, wrapping up a perfect 20-0 season Feb. 19 with a 46-31 home victory over league rival Serra.

Playing a smothering defense, the Lady Patriots defeated many of their opponents by large margins this season. Some of their opponents even went so far as to bring varsity players to the junior varsity squad in an attempt to knock the Patriots from the unbeaten ranks. Yet, each time, the Patriots more than met the challenge, collecting win after win all winter long.

But the Serra Conquistadors posed a serious challenge, having lost to PHHS by only three points in their first matchup at Serra High School. It was the Patriots’ closest game of the season.

In the rematch — a contest that was played in front of the largest home crowd of the year — the season finale was shaping up to be another closely-contested battle. The Patriots led by just six points, 30-24, before outscoring their visitors 16-7 over the final eight minutes, putting the exclamation point on their perfect season.

“This season, I saw a group of young ladies realize that this season was not about one person but it was about the team getting it done. They built a culture of accountability, trust and discipline. I’m so proud of them,” said coach Deon Spear.

“Utilizing a high-energy style of play, the girls played their hearts out this season,” said coach Kelly Crampton. “The best part of this team, though, has been their love of the game and care for one another.” So congratulations to the 2015-16 Lady Patriots on what was truly a remarkable and memorable season.

Student of the Month
Lily Suarez was nominated for PHHS’s Student of the Month because of all the amazing work she has done with our students who have disabilities on campus. She is a peer tutor for students with moderate-to-severe disabilities.

Suarez volunteers to show up early every morning to assist students at the bus area helping them get to class on time.  She also goes out of her way to help wherever needed in the classroom without being asked or told to do so. She sees a need, asks questions, gives suggestions, or tries to accommodate the students’ needs to the best of her ability.

Suarez will go out of her to stop and say hello to the students if she sees them in the hallways. She even included them in her senior parking space artwork. If you walk through the parking lot, you will see each student’s handprint and name on her senior spot.

When she left the moderate-to-severe classroom for her next teaching rotation Suarez knew they would be sad, so she took a picture with each one of them individually, framed it, and wrote them uplifting letters.

Suarez arranged to have the drum line come out at lunch and made a huge banner (and decorated cupcakes) to ask one of our students with disabilities to the winter formal. He has never been to a dance before and Suarez said she wanted to ensure he would go to at least one dance before she left PHHS. She also volunteered to take a student shopping for a formal dress. This student always felt left out due to her disability but Suarez changed her perspective and she now feels accepted at school.

Suarez is a prime example of the pillars we teach and encourage at PHHS.

PHHS student performs for the All State Honor Ensemble

On Feb. 13, Alex Cagle, a sophomore at Patrick Henry High School, performed the world premiere of “California” by renowned composer David Maslanka. Cagle was the only student from Patrick Henry selected to participate in the All-State Honor Ensembles and one of 10 trumpet players to make it into the wind symphony, the top all-state ensemble. They performed under the direction of Dr. Mallory Thompson from the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University. Maslanka attended rehearsals and was in the audience during the performance.

“To be able to receive instruction from such an accomplished and spirited conductor as Dr. Thompson and to be able to deliver the first-ever performance of ‘California’ to Maslanka himself was truly an honor,” Cagle said. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and something I will never forget.”

—Elizabeth Gillingham is principal of Patrick Henry High School.