Key Club
On Sunday, Feb. 12th, 6 members of the Clarksville Academy Key Club attend the Division 15 Spring Rally at First Baptist Church. Clubs elected a new Lieutenant Governor for the District, participated in a group service project for the Vanderbilt NICU Unit, and enjoyed socializing with members of other area clubs. During the Rally, our own Mackenzie Sawyer represented Clarksville Academy for Outstanding Key Clubber of the year. She had to compete in an interview with 8 other school club members. A member of the APSU Circle K was chosen. We are very proud of the hard work and dedication Mackenzie has put into being the Hours Secretary and a club member. At the Rally several awards were given out to clubs based on their service work.
CA was presented with the following Awards:
- We Are Family – for service work done with members of the Kiwanis, Circle K, and Builders Clubs
- Good Kentenner Award – given for participation in events within Division 15, such as Officer training, Fall Rally, and District Convention
- Challenge Award, Silver Level – for participation in the activities of Spring Rally
- Good Neighbor Award – for organizing and participating in service projects that benefit the community
Congratulations to all our Key Club Members!
National Honor Society
Clarksville Academy’s National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society’s Induction Ceremony will be held on Thursday, February 16, 2017, at 9:30 A.M. in Clarksville Academy’s Activities Center.
Reminders
Basketball District Tournament play begins at home this week! Check out All School News for more information!
No School for Winter Break February 17-20.
Honors Zoology
Honors Zoology wrapped up their unit on Simple Invertebrates last week. Students have collected water samples and conducted an inquiry microscope lab with those samples. They also worked through several anatomy and physiology identification activities. They conducted a virtual lab about feeding habits and a web quest about the behaviors of these organisms. The students also looked at prepared specimens of jellyfish, sponges, sea anemones, hydras, and fluke worms. The photos below are of our water collection field trip.
This week we will begin a new unit covering the Echinoderms. This group contains starfish, sand dollars, and sea urchins. I plan for the students to dissect a starfish. Stay tune for more updates on this process.
AP Biology
AP Biology students have been studying the chemical process of Cellular Respiration. Last week they began with a with a Tennis Ball Muscle Fatigue Lab, in which students were able to experience the effects of low oxygen and lactic acid production during Respiration. Lactic Acids build up is what causes us to experience muscle cramps and pains. Then students conducted a teacher designed Yeast and Alcoholic Fermentation Lab. Students used balloons to measure the amount of Carbon Dioxide produced by yeast during anaerobic respiration. The students were then asked to create their own lab by changing one of 3 possible variables in the lab. The students have conducted their labs and written a formal lab report on their experience.
Honors Biology
Honors Biology began their unit on Macromolecules last week The students used marshmallows and toothpicks to create chemical structure models of the 4 groups discussed during lecture. Then students used a graphic organizer to review the notes and had a hands-on lab called Kaleidoscope Milk. This lab was designed to show the interactions of various types of milk fat with detergents.
Piano
On Tuesday, Class Piano went to First Baptist Church to learn about and played the grand pianos! They first viewed a 5 1/2 foot grand and checked out how the inside mechanism works. Then we went and looked at a 10 ft. grand piano. The students were very impressed with the size of this professional instrument. We had a lesson on using the 3 pedals that are on a piano, talked about prepared piano pieces where you would add paper to the strings or lay items on the strings to change the sound, and then we all took turns playing a few of the songs we have learned in class. Afterward we discussed the differences in the feel of the piano and our classroom keyboards. The students were impressed with the size of the pianos and what they are capable of doing. They were attentive, asked great questions and really seemed to enjoy this change of pace!
Art
On Wednesday, February 8, 2017, Mr. Neitzke’s Calligraphy class took a field trip to Centennial Art Center, in Centennial Park, in Nashville, to view the Nashville Calligrapher’s Guild Biennial Calligraphy Exhibit.
English
Dr. Mickey Wadia, Shakespeare Scholar and Professor at APSU, lectured on the Life and Times of William Shakespeare to our freshmen students in Honors English I.
Shakespeare Contest
On Thursday, February 9, fourteen Upper School students participated in the school-wide Shakespeare Monologue Competition. Clarksville Academy participates in the National Shakespeare Competition each year, and this competition is the stage in which our school representative is chosen to move on to the Regional Competition in Nashville. This year’s contestant pool was one of the strongest yet, posing a very difficult challenge for our esteemed judges. Nonetheless, Dr. Mickey Wadia (Shakespeare Professor at APSU), Professor Darren Michael (Theatre Professor at APSU), and Mrs. Amanda Pitt (Drama Instructor at Clarksville Academy), identified the top three performers. In third place, Maggie Clark was tremendous in her portrayal of the Jailor’s Daughter from The Two Noble Kinsmen. In second place, DJ McDowell gave a powerful performance as the fiery title character in Coriolanus. The strongest performance came from our 2017 school champion, Cheyenne Deibert, who gave a memorable portrayal of Lady Anne in Richard III. Cheyenne will move on to the Regional Competition at Belmont University on Saturday, March 4, where she will compete against other school winners from around the mid-state for a chance to move on to the National Competition in New York City. Congratulations, Cheyenne!
Dance
Varsity Dance – All girls interested in trying out for the Varsity Dance Team need to attend one or both days of the upcoming Varsity Dance Clinic. The clinic will be Tuesday, Feb 21 and Thursday, Feb 23, from 3:15-4:30 in the Aux Gym. There will be dancers, dance teachers and dance coaches to help teach technique and skills needed for tryouts. Please email Theresia Burchett, tbburchett@aol.com if you are interested or to ask questions.
FCA
FCA meets weekly on Wednesdays at 7:15AM in Coach Williams’ room. We invite all US students to attend.
Box Tops
This is a reminder that CA collects Box Tops through our CAA. The money raised from this project funds various school improvement projects. Last year we raised over $2000 through the Box Tops program alone! Please turn yours into your child’s teacher or Ms. Turnage in the front office.
Social Media
Please like us on Facebook—Clarksville Academy; and follow us on Twitter—CACougarsTN.
Sometimes you have to be willing to get in the boat and sometimes you have to be willing to jump out and push.
What a life lesson! Sometimes it’s good to hop in the boat and ride the peaceful current. However sometimes one gets stuck. To continue “running the motor” deeper in the mud is like to continue digging oneself deeper in the “proverbial ditch” thinking that it will help. Sometimes you have to make a different decision. Sometimes one has to jump out and challenge the norms and potential threats to rescue oneself from the current situation or problem.
