Category: School Events

Facing Dragons at TIA

One hundred and fifty high school students and their teachers from TIA attended the annual two day Facing Dragons event led by life coach Brodie Whitney.

What is Facing Dragons About?

Facing Dragons is about transforming fears, challenges, stress and problems into available energy and power. The students attend the event to find their vision and purpose for their life and learn a new mindset. The goal is to help the students separate themselves from all the noise, distractions, stresses, judgements and violence that they face each day. In order to give them some perspective on why all that happens and how it can actually help them grow. They find out who they really are, what they really want, why they are really here - to wake them up enough so that when they walk out the door, they will take these tools with them and continue to use them for the rest of their lives.

What Others Had to Say About the Facing Dragons Event

Lynette Rodriguez – “Coach Brodie is a great leader and I feel like he has opened my eyes to believe in myself, to be more confident and be able to talk to people so that I can succeed in life.” Dr J. - “We are excited to have Coach Brodie here with us again. He has come here to really work on the mindset because our goal here at TIA is to provide the opportunity for the kids to go to college. So to go to college, they need academics, financing and they also need a mindset that is going to help them be successful in college. That is what we are working on today. The mindset takes a little bit of digging. You have to first find out why do I feel bad about myself in this area? Why am I not able to turn in an assignment? Why don’t I finish things on time? And if they can get a hold of that at this point in their life, as they get older, it will just get easier to hit that report deadline, turn in that qualifying document for their job and to succeed in all that they dream to do. So we are really excited to have this mindset portion be available to TIA students.” Doroteo Mendoza – “Learning what fear is and what I have to do to overcome that so that I can go and help other people do the same thing. This is a tool that I can use to help my friends and family as well as myself.” Bruce Manuel IV – “I feel like I’ve gained my confidence. I hate public speaking but this time I was on the microphone talking to my senior friends. I was really nervous but I feel this was really helpful for me. If you’re willing to try something, it can instantly change your state of mind. Learning these tools will help me the rest of my life.” Robert Hasson – “Facing Dragons is basically finding your fears that you have and facing it so that you can overcome it and come out stronger on the other side. Generally, as a high schooler you’re typically reserved but this is about breaking those boundaries. If you go in there wanting to have a good time and expecting to be improved, then you will find something far better than if you decide to resist what’s going on.”

Coach Brodie - Face Your Dragons, Then Everything Changes

“Any fear you have is just energy. We are training the kids to turn that fear really quickly into available energy that they can use to channel for their purpose, vision, goals and dreams. When they come to a places in their lives where they feel stuck, depressed, lost or confused, they have a way out. They can have a life of passion, purpose, and create the life they want. Fear shows up in many ways as challenges, stresses, and tragedies. If they face that dragon, that fear, that is trying to help them grow, if they get curious and lean in and use the tools we are helping them learn here at this Facing Dragons event, then everything changes.”

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Star Party at TIA – What is it All About?

This year’s Star Party at TIA was held on Jan 16th, 2018 at West campus with an attendance of about 350 people.

What is the Star Party about?

Every two years when the high school is studying earth science, the whole K-12 school will do a unit study on anything related to the universe, galaxy and solar system. This allows for each teacher to teach something age appropriate in earth science. The students create presentations for their particular subject matter and bring them to one spot (West Campus) to share with all the parents and other students from all campuses. It’s called the Star Party. TIA is such a small school that they cannot offer the opportunity for students to choose what classes they want to take when they’re in high school so in order to meet the state standards and the college standards in regard to required science classes, those classes are on a 4 year rotation plan. One year they have earth science for 9th and 10th grade and the next year it is biology.

School Themes at the Star Party

Each school campus has a theme for the Star Party, and was assigned one room at West Campus to set up all their students’ projects. Everyone at the Star Party could explore the different rooms, enjoying the projects and learning about the various subjects. Midvale Campus theme was the galaxy. They had projects about black holes, explanations of the Big Bang Theory, and much more. It was about things that could happen in the big picture in comparison with the Solar System. One student brought a PS4 game that has a simulations of the Mars Rover and kids had the opportunity to see what it would be like to drive on Mars. Broadway Campus theme was technology and research throughout the years for Space Exploration. A maze in the room took guests past all the different projects the students had made. They started with the older civilizations such as the Mayans, Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans explaining how they studied the skies, how they implemented different things and what they knew about the equinoxes. Then they moved on to the Middle Ages where students presented, from the points of view of scientists of that era, theories about how the universe was created and how the universe looked.  From there, the next station was early exploration from the 1920s to the 1970s, and the race for lunar exploration, the Moon landing, and satellites sent into space. Next was current technology like the Mars Rover and Voyagers, and how they are taking pictures in space and sending them back to earth. Last was future technology, coming up with ideas of what future space technology may look like by comparing Star Wars and Star Trek. West Campus theme was the solar system. The students created paper-mâché replicas of the planets. Science projects of the planets were displayed on poster boards and they also had a star projection light display. East Campus theme was the exploration of space. Many students replicated experiments that had led to the exploration of space, and on the physics behind the technology that allows people to do space-related research. Some of the students were in the room demonstrating their experiments, many of which were hands-on. For example, they had a box with sand and they would simulate what the landing of a meteorite looks like.  They would drop a rock inside the box and you could see the marks it would leave behind. This explains how scientists can tell how large meteorites were that landed on Earth, by looking at patterns of their landings. The older students were working on demonstrating how sound waves can be used to move certain items.

Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (TAAA)

Every year at the Star Party, TIA invites the local Amateur Astronomy Association to come with  their very expensive high powered telescopes which they set up for the kids to view stars, different constellations and planets. The Star Party is held on an evening of the new moon because the sky is darker and everyone has a better chance of seeing things more clearly in space. Unfortunately this year the weather was extremely cloudy and the TAAA canceled since there was no point in bringing out their equipment if nothing could be seen with it. But all was not lost.

Close Up View of U of A With a Telescope

TIA did have access to one telescope which they decided to point at the University of Arizona campus. This turned out to be a good teaching moment for the younger students to understand how a telescope really works as the U of A is something they are familiar with. They know it’s there, far off in the distance. With the telescope pointed at it, they could see the U and A, they could see the light stands pointing at the stadium. Being able to see the U of A was very real and they went away with a better understanding of how a telescope works as a very powerful magnifier.

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16 de Septiembre: Mexican Independence Day at TIA

For the last 15 years TIA has been having 16 de Septiembre celebrations at each campus which takes place during National Hispanic Heritage month. They commemorate this event because the majority of the students that attend TIA are of Hispanic/Mexican heritage. The children learn more about their ancestry and come away with a sense of pride in their background and those not of Hispanic/Mexican roots learn more about the history of Mexico.

What is the 16 de Septiembre about?

Every year the 16 de Septiember is celebrated in Mexico to commemorate the continued independence of the Mexican nation. People watch parades, attend fairs, dancing, and fireworks. These events are similar to the 4th of July celebrations in the U.S.  The Mexican celebration is a great display of national pride and enjoyed by all members of the nation. It reminds the people of the origins of their country and those that fought and died so that Mexico may be free.

Each TIA Campus Celebrates 16 de Septiembre Separately

Each TIA campus celebrates 16 de Septiembre separately because each school has its own unique flavor, feel and atmosphere. Students get to show off what they are learning by making decorations that reflect the Hispanic/Mexican culture. Each grade performs skits, and dances, sings songs, recites poems and "El Grito" (re-enactment of Dolores) and so much more.

What is the El Grito?

The Grito commemorates 16 de Septiembre 1810, when a parish priest in the town of Dolores in the State of Guanajuato rang the church bells and called his parishioners to fight for independence. Every year on the 16th of September the President of Mexico addresses the Mexican people from the balcony of the National Palace with the modern version of the famous Grito de Dolores. He shouts “Vivas!” to the leaders of the Mexican Revolution and ends with a cheer echoed three times by the huge crowds that have gathered: “Viva México!”

The Best Parts for All at TIA

The students’ favorite part is getting ready for the event. They get to practice in front of their school friends and make all the fun decorations for the event. The teachers learn along with the students about the language and culture. The parents participate by coming to see their children perform. Everyone breaks out in smiles when they watch the Kindergarten class perform the "Chicken Dance" (pajaritos a volar) and 4/5th grade class perform "La danza de los viejitos" (cultural dance). There's nothing in the world like seeing proud parents at these events.

At these celebrations, each campus also has a salsa and chili contest that the parents participate in. Everyone gets to try out the different recipes and pick their favorites.

Why Spanish Language is Part of TIA Curriculum

Spanish language is part of TIA Curriculum (along with Chinese). If you speak English, Chinese and Spanish you can communicate with 80% of the world. Spanish is the second most studied language and second language in international communication. Also, as a native language, Spanish is second only to Mandarin Chinese. Even more compelling is the fact that about half of the population in the Western hemisphere speaks Spanish, making it the primary language for as many people as English in this region of the world. We are looking at roughly over 500 million people speaking Spanish.

TIA is at the forefront of preparing their students to be global citizens and good communicators through language and learning about other cultures.

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Where excellence in teaching is the standard.

16 de Septiembre at TIA

Junior Senior Banquet – Time to Pass the Torch

Another amazing year and another TIA class of graduating seniors have all been accepted to colleges and universities! TIA’s Junior Senior Banquet is a time to honor the graduating seniors and show off the things they've done over the course of their schooling at TIA and the scholarships the students have attained. The graduating seniors share which colleges they are going to and their career goals. It is also a time for the seniors to pass the torch to the juniors and let them know what to expect in their senior year at TIA. Comments from some students, parents, and principals at TIA Student Christian Narrow - "I remember coming to this last year and getting a lot of good tips from the seniors that graduated....One of the amazing things we did this year was we got to tour colleges, get the behind-the-scenes tour of the colleges and dorms, and see the Grand Canyon." Parent Claudia Narrow - "If you're going to do something in this life, it's important to get an education." Student Nicolas Cavazos - "This is your class, your friends, you watch out for one another, don't let bullying occur, this is your family... My biggest advice would be to get involved in organizations and clubs... TIA really focuses on the students individually. They wanted me to apply to a leadership program, which I would never have thought to apply to. I got in and it has been one of the best experiences of my life, going to that leadership institute." Parent Deloris Cavazos - "Just having a high school diploma isn't going to allow you to be successful anymore. You do need to have a degree. They make time during the classroom to sign up for scholarships. They allow them to go visit other colleges so they can see what is out there. They allow them to see what the future has, what the possibilities are...Our goal as a parent is to see your kids be successful. It's a huge accomplishment and I'm so proud of them. ..It just proves that with the support of family, parents, the school and everybody around them, that the positive feedback you give your kids is really going to determine how successful they are going to be." Vice principal, teacher and coach Mr Basurto - "To wake up in the morning and say I am so excited to teach these kids, not just because I see them making a difference in the world, but very rarely, especially for myself, do you see kids that change your heart. I've got 6 seniors graduating this year and each one of them have changed my heart individually and helped me become the educator and leader that I need to be for the other students coming up at TIA." Student Savannah - “They push us because they want to make sure we’re ready when it’s time. I am ready. I am ready to go to college!” Student Axlen Yanez - "I'm the first senior in my family to graduate high school. I feel happy that I'm actually able to leave and start a new road for my younger cousins. I will be attending Grand Canyon University for 4 years and studying forensics. Then medical school for another 4 years, then back to Tucson for another 2 years to proceed to become a medical examiner." Principal Mr Montemayor - "A lot of our students come from a background where the parents are low income and don't graduate from high school. They bring their students to us because they know that we are going to support them and help them accomplish those goals. And we tell our students that they can do better than that, you can graduate not only from high school but you can go on to college, or university or go into a trade program or join the army. The sky is the limit as to what they can do if they set their goals to do it... It gives the teaches and myself a great feeling of accomplishment...I am very proud of my students. Some of them call me dad for the same reason and it's the most beautiful feeling to have."

Congratulations to the Class of 2017 and the graduating seniors!

These are the colleges they were accepted at; 7 Northern Arizona University 9 University of Arizona 3 Arizona State University 5 Grand Canyon University 1 Carrington College https://youtu.be/a5p9_S0ZO3w  

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2017 Career Fair Creates Job Opportunity Awareness

This spring, TIA students had the exciting opportunity to attend the TIA Career Fair. Booths from a variety of professionals from all sorts of career fields sent representatives to give talks, as small groups of students rotated from booth to booth to get a hands-on idea of what great career paths are available to them. All too often high school graduates have ideas of what they would like to pursue for a career, but they also have many uncertainties.  To start college and decide to change a major can cause wasted time and money. This was true for Randy Harris, who had a booth at this year’s career fair. In high school he loved math and science and wanted to be an engineer but had no idea what kind. After his first semester at the University of Arizona, he realized he was in the wrong place. Now a civil engineer, Mr. Harris went on to say, “What I want to do for these kids is to show them the different kinds of engineers that are out there, so they don’t make the same mistake that I did. To help these kids get a feel for what they want ahead of time.” Not Just a Job, But a Life-Long Vocation The students perform hands-on activities. They spend quality time at each booth with real professionals who work in the real world. They learn about what careers are out there for young people, which is the key goal for TIA in putting on this fair each year. As Officer Heather Mau puts it, “I like working with the students. Whether they work in law enforcement or not, they are our future. Here, they can learn anything. There are options.” Heather has been with the Tucson Police Department for over 10 years now and has participated in the TIA career fair for 6 years, putting on an impressive display of law enforcement personnel, vehicles, and equipment. She fully understands the importance of a hands-on, shoulder-to-shoulder experience for students. Officer Mau explained, “I didn’t plan on being an officer. The way TIA sets this up gives students huge options to go and learn all that they can ahead of time."  Knowing is Half the Battle Francisco, a client relations representative with Arizona Bilingual News shared, “It’s about the opportunities that TIA brings. They put these careers in front of you and you can match your goals with those. Most of us didn’t get those options, at least not where I am from in Mexico. It’s wonderful what TIA is doing for these students.” TIA’s plan for career day is that the kids come to the booths in small groups for a good taste of all that is out there. Students have a lot of opportunities to see a wide variety of careers. One career fair veteran was asked why he thought TIA stood out and why he’s been willing to host a booth every year since the beginning. “Their emphasis is on college prep," he said. "They cater to people who sometimes don’t know that they have the options for a good education.” It’s a Family Another Tucson United School District retiree and a regular at the TIA career fair said, “As an outsider, I can see that TIA has a special caring connection, a family feel to it. There’s a one-to-one relationship between the teachers, faculty and students.” When asked why he valued the job opportunity options students get at TIA, he responded, “The value comes down to these real applications. It’s not abstract, not academia. These are real examples. When the kids see these tables, they realize these people are doing real things in life and they get excited about it.”

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Athletics at TIA: a path to being a better student and maybe to a sports scholarship

When it comes to preparing students for college, TIA is at the top of its game. TIA volleyball teams were given the opportunity to get some skills- building time with 25 year veteran head University of Arizona Volleyball coach, Dave Rubio.  Coach Rubio has led the UofA to nineteen NCAA appearances with thirteen 20-win seasons, including guiding Arizona to its first ever Pac-10 title. With a history and reputation like that, it’s no wonder the exclusive free clinic for TIA created some excitement among our students as they lined up to enter the courts to start playing and learning. Many Midvale students explained that this is their first year playing, and had no idea what fun it was, or what opportunities athletics could provide for a future college education. In fact, for TIA’s west campus girls’ volleyball team, who are champs this year, several were already being observed by coach Rubio for possible future roles on the UofA team. Exciting! This goes to show that if you work hard and are disciplined, anything is possible. Sports scholarship opportunities “After this year, I wasn’t going to play volleyball. But when I learned how many benefits there are… ok, I got this!” said Jocelyn at Midvale campus. Jocelyn went on to say that getting to meet volleyball players from the UofA was the most exciting thing about the experience. I’m sure it was, as one UofA’s freshmen players said, “there’s a lot of money to go to school for women’s volleyball.” Desereè, TIA student and player who was also being viewed by coach Rubio, shared that she was looking forward to the clinic to see what opportunities were available to some day attend the UofA on sports scholarship. According to scholarshipstats.com, the national average volleyball sports scholarships awarded each year is about 13 per team. That’s an average of $31,000 per sports scholarship per team! Coached by our very own, DR J! Dr J explained that at TIA, it’s very important that kids stay motivated to do well in their academics, not just pass and finish, but excel. The research shows that sports are the number one way to help TIA students do this, as a fit and disciplined body helps build a more focused mind. “If kids can be motivated to do their best, if they can be motivated to discipline themselves and be fit physically, then they will be mentally fit.” Dr. J went on to share her high school experience playing varsity volleyball, “I’m short, I’m not your typical volleyball person, but I found my niche and served well.” Now Dr J coaches girls’ volleyball and shared how all TIA coaches went through extensive coaching training to be the best coaches they can be. Students learn to work together; they learn strategy and teamwork which translates to invaluable life experience. So, even if your goal is not to get a college sports scholarship, athletics plays a vital role in the heartbeat of a healthy school, and Dr J is there to see that TIA remains as vibrant as possible. Link to video on Facebook of TIA student Jocelyn sharing about the event

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TIA Students Find Bowling League to be Right Up Their Alley!

Tucson International Academy’s participation in a bowling league this year that has been extremely fun and successful. Especially designed for middle school students who aren’t eligible for high school sport teams yet, the Youth Bowling League has been a huge hit! And let’s face it, a sport that’s done in an air conditioned bowling alley, rather than outside in Tucson’s 112-degree heat, sounds downright appealing! Beginning last fall, students from TIA’s West Campus teamed up with Tucson’s Cactus Bowl to participate in the youth bowling program. Initially, seven students joined the league, but after hearing how much fun it was, four more students joined for the spring season, bringing the TIA’s Bobcat Bowling team to eleven players.

Instructions with Trained and Certified Bowling Coaches

The 6th, 7th, and 8th grade boys and girls practice on Wednesdays and bowl 3 league games every Saturday. The students are given instruction by trained, certified bowling coaches every week. Bowling was a brand new activity for many of the students, but through excellent coaching and weekly practice, even novice players have vastly improved their games.

Students and Parents Dedicated and Consistent

Arlene Canez, TIA’s sponsor of the Bobcat Bowling team, shared that the students have been amazingly dedicated and consistent with attending the hour-long weekly practices and participating in the Saturday league games. The parents have been very supportive and helpful transporting the students to practice and games. According to Arlene, they just participated in the city tournament, competing with other teams in their age and skill brackets. Bobcat Bowlers placed in the top 10! They also have qualified for, and will compete in, the state tournament to be held in April--which is amazing for first time bowlers. Through the league, the kids have been provided high-quality bowling shirts with their names embroidered on the back. Adult bowling leagues have also donated shoes and bowling balls. They will even redrill the holes in the balls to fit the kids’ fingers.

Bowling Improved Math and Team Building Skills

Arlene stated that not only have the kids improved in their bowling skills, but they have also improved their team building skills and peer support. Witnessing this has been delightful! The team members hold each other accountable in the classroom as well, since only students with a C or better average and good behavior are eligible to participate. As an added bonus, Arlene noted that the kids’ math skills are improving as they learn how to score the games! The cost of the program is $11 weekly; $3 for the one hour of practice each Wednesday and $8 for the 3 league games on Saturday. These costs include all equipment, shirts, and lane fees.

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Start Spreading the News TIA heading off to Boston & New York in March

 

Please come to Boston for the Springtime I'm stayin' here with some friends and they've got lots of room You can sell your paintings on the sidewalk By a café where I hope to be workin' soon….

These song lyrics are from way back in 1974, but seem apropos as some TIA folks prepare to head to Boston this March. Or since the trip also includes New York City they might also be heard singing…

Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today I want to be a part of it, New York, New York These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray Right through the very heart of it, New York, New York

There Are Still Openings for This Incredible Trip!

There are still openings available for this incredible trip to these two amazing cities planned for March 21st thru March 25th. The cost of the trip is $1500 per person and includes so much! Not only does the cost include airfare to and from, but it also includes hotel, all meals except lunches and the cost of some amazing activities in each city.

Boston Itinerary 

The trip to Boston will be rich with history. Travelers will experience a step back in time as they visit such historical sites as Beacon Hill, Paul Revere House, Bunker Hill Monument and the USS Constitution known as “Old Ironsides”. They will also get to see the city from atop the Prudential Center at the Skywalk Observatory. And that’s just the first day! Day two the travelers will head to Lexington and Concord to visit Monroe House, Lexington Green and Hancock Tavern.

New York Itinerary

Then they will head off to New York City where they will get to have dinner in Times Square and see the sites from the Top of the Rock Observatory. On day two in New York the group will visit the 9/11 Memorial, China Town, Wall Street, and Greenwich Village. Night two in New York will be capped off with a Broadway show! On the last day, the group will visit Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty as the Brooklyn Bridge before heading to the airport to come home to Tucson. This amazing trip to two of America’s most dynamic and historically rich cities is sure to be a once in a lifetime opportunity for all that go. For more information about the trip, or to sign up, contact Mr. Peter Meehan.

Tucson International Academy ~ Where the world is your child’s classroom! Enroll today!

  "Please Come to Boston" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Dave Loggins. "Theme from New York, New York" (or "New York, New York") is the theme song from the Martin Scorsese film New York, New York (1977), composed by John Kander, with lyrics by Fred Ebb. It was performed in the film by Liza Minnelli.

TIA Holiday Decorated Door Contest

The very first Holiday Decorated Door Contest is going on right now at all four TIA campuses. The teachers, students, principals and some of the office staff have participated by decorating their classroom or office doors to show their holiday and school spirit. All the door themes are very creative. Pictures of the doors were taken by the TIA Yearbook staff and then posted on the TIA Facebook page.  

How to Vote for Your Favorite Holiday Decorated Door?

You are encouraged to vote for your favorite door by logging into TIA’s Facebook page and checking out the pictures, then vote by clicking on the “Like” feature for the picture of the holiday door you think is the best. Many people are asking their friends and family to vote too, by “sharing” the contest posting or their favorite picture. The picture with the most “Like” votes by December 14th, wins the contest! The winner will be announced at the Winterfest celebration on December 15th.

Where Did the Holiday Decorated Door Contest Come from?

The holiday decorated door contest idea sprang from TIA’s student council. This year all the students on the student council from each campus got together to come up with ideas to help promote school spirit. They also hoped that it would get out the word about TIA as a school in general by getting parents and friends of the students more involved. This is the first of many contests they are planning.

So get out and vote for your favorite decorated door now!!

Click here to see the photos on TIA’s Facebook page

 

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TIA Holiday Decorated Door Contest pictures

TIA Winterfest 2016

The annual TIA Winterfest celebration is almost upon us. This is a great time for holiday fun for grades K-12 and their whole families…with all four campuses under one roof this year! There will be lots of delicious food, singing, presentations by all classes, games, prizes, raffles and so much more. In previous years, some of the activities included the ring toss, basketball toss, video game soccer, balloon popping, face painting, pie throwing contest, and a photo booth! This year we will see a return of all the favorites. We will be having our Winterfest at a new location this year and it will be great! We will have all of our activities inside a huge convention center behind the Lexus Hotel on Grant and 1-10 (Event Center, 1365 W. Grant Rd).

We Need Your Help

Please come and support our school and your student! We will need some donations and of course a lot of parent volunteers to help this event be a great success! Thank you! Call the administrative office for more information. Phone: (520) 792-3255

TIA Winterfest Info

When: Winterfest is a night of fun for all on December 15th Time: 5:00-8:00 Where: Event Center 1365 W. Grant Rd (behind the Lexus Hotel on Grant & 1 -10)

Previous Winterfest Quotes From Students

“My favorite part of winterfest was getting second place in the non-sweet tamale contest. The secret was my grandmother’s recipe.”  Marcus Favorite part of Winterfest was winning the sweet tamale contest. It took us a day to make them. I liked the pie toss and the ring throwing.” Fernando

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Girls from TIA Winterfest 2015 performanceTIA Pie Throwing Contest 2015Winterfest Gift BasketTIA Winterfest 2015