Certified Nursing Assistant

Nearly every afternoon, Amando Alvarado is working toward his future and loving every moment of it. Rather than spend time on campus, he has earned the right to be employed while at Woodward Academy. He works with the Alzheimer’s unit at Madrid Home, a local assisted living environment for the elderly. This is not just any job, it was one that will help prepare him for the future.
   
Amando earned his Hi-SET high school equivalent in the summer of 2016. Shortly after that, he applied for an opening at the Madrid Home and was one of two students who started working there. It was an entry level position where he worked as an assistant to the staff there; passing out snacks, playing games, and just “keeping them busy.” This part of the job was not overly rewarding, but Amando found that he enjoyed the environment and helping those who lived there. He started asking questions of how he could get more involved, and eventually talked with the personnel at the administrative office who agreed to help him get his CNA to become a certified nursing assistant. Because of the work that he was doing, the Madrid Home agreed to pay for the schooling. Emily York, a nurse at Woodward Academy, noted that this is a mandatory first step to becoming a full time nurse. She helped him study for his tests and offered some helpful tips such as word associations to look for. After three weeks of classes, Amando earned his CNA from Signature Health Care in Waukee, Iowa.
     
Once Amando earned his CNA, more responsibility moved his way at the Madrid Home. He worked with many of the patrons one-on-one, and truly got to know them even when that notion was not reciprocated. Working with Alzheimer patients can be challenging, but Amando’s immensely compassionate heart and amazing patience makes him the perfect candidate for nursing. “I really enjoy it. It is almost like here [at Woodward Academy], you are teaching them everything over again. Sometimes they don’t always cooperate, or always know who you are, but they recognize you and I feel good about that.”
     
Amando’s experience at the Madrid Home has solidified his desire to continue to pursue nursing as a profession. The Madrid Home has offered Amando a $1,000 a semester scholarship to continue his education at the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC). What Amando does matters, and he is making a difference in many people’s lives.

     

Amando is a great example of taking an opportunity and making it his own. He was given the chance to apply for this job, and once he was accepted and experienced what it takes to work in this field, his dreams unfolded in front of him. He was not simply content with this current, entry level role, and took the initiative to change his situation for the better. He worked hard at his job, did what was asked and expected of him, he never complained, and formed a positive relationship with his supervisor. Once he established that he was a trustworthy and honest worker, he earned the opportunity to further his career and become a Certified Nursing Assistant. 

Gardening Extracurricular

Extracurricular activities are a great way for staff members to teach their areas of passion outside of the school day, and for students to be a part of some life long learning opportunities. For many people, summer time fun equals gardening. Spending afternoons in the sun with their hands in the soil is a great way to connect with the earth. Months later, your efforts are pulled from the ground and end up on your dining room table. For Ray Olson, teacher at Woodward Academy, exposing students to the finer art of gardening is a life skill worth exploring

Thanks to a $2,000 grant received from Whole Foods grocery stores, the gardening extracurricular was able to have a plentiful harvest this fall. With the money, they purchased some great gardening equipment and fencing, with the rest allocated toward landscaping. In all, they planted 9 different vegetables and have been reaping the rewards for weeks. With a lifelong agricultural background, Olson hopes to extend this extracurricular beyond the fall harvest. He noted that during the winter, students could do some indoor planting and learn more about weed identification, fertilization, and soil testing. He will also be exploring the possibilities of additional grants next year.

Exec Leadership

Nacona was recently given the distinct honor of being a Lifetime Executive Knight, an honor that few Woodward Academy students receive. But what does this mean? On the surface, it means that he is one of only 8 students to have received this honor since 2012 when the title was first introduced. The process to become a Lifetime Exec is not concrete and does not include a checklist of skills that can be marked off. Each recipient was chosen because they stood above the rest of the student population. The vagueness and ambiguity of this honor is what makes it special and distinct, and that much more meaningful to each Knight who receives it.

Each Lifetime Exec started the same way on campus: as a new peer who didn't have a full understanding of the Woodward Academy way. Over the course of their stay on campus, they picked up on the student culture, learned from their student leaders, and formed their own leadership style. All of these Execs took on a mentoring role on their dorms, and spoke their mind and offered feedback to other student leaders (some who they may have befriended). They had to be the bearer of bad news at times, but were also the beneficiary of Knights privileges. Their role shifted with the pulse of campus, but they knew that and always accepted the challenge because it was in them to lead… and they embraced it.

The honor is a reflection of what they did on campus. I would be remiss to say that receiving the Lifetime Executive Knight honor is a guarantee for success. It is not. As a school, we equipped these students to distinguish themselves as leaders amongst their peers, and then they leave and put into practice what they have learned. Some check in periodically to offer updates on how they are doing. One is entering his junior year at college on the east coast, doing exceptionally well. Another I had the benefit of running into at Target of all places. As we were both getting household essentials, we locked eyes at the same time, but he was the first to draw his hand for a gentleman's handshake. We exchanged pleasantries, he introduced me to his girlfriend, and assured me he was doing well. He was getting stuff for his apartment. After two minutes, we parted ways and I left knowing he was still a Knight inside. It should not have surprised me, he is a Lifetime Executive Knight after all.

Construction Careers and Education Expo

Last week, several students attended the Construction Careers and Education Expo, presented by the Central Iowa Apprenticeship Coordinating Committee. The two-day event was held in Des Moines at the Iron Workers Training Center and was designed to be an exposure opportunity for high school students interested in the construction industry. Unlike other career fairs with booths and pamphlets, this expo had hands-on equipment that students could operate from a variety of different trades. Students tested their skills on an excavator by picking up propped up tennis balls and even jack hammered solid rock. One of the more impressive exhibitions was a virtual reality auto painting training station. The participants got immediate feedback on how well they covered the simulated car as a way to gauge their skill level and interest in a career.

The four staff members responsible for getting students to participate in the expo were Education Liaison Aric Rush, Testing Coordinator Don Teague, who works with Hi-SET students, Vocations Director Ken Hageman, and Treatment Operations Coordinator Joel Porter, who also runs the World to Work extracurricular activity. The three of them identified students who would benefit the most from this exposure. Typical high school students are not fully aware of what they want to do when they enter the workforce, which makes this type of exposure to the construction industry beneficial. It can help inspire them to enter this field, or at the very least provide an appreciation for the demands that construction careers require.

The Sixth Man on the Court

Woodward Academy's student body section is big and loud, and they certainly make an impact on the basketball court every game. With chants like K-N-I-G-H-T-S and D-Fence!, the cheering section is the sixth man on the floor, often propelling the Knights to better play and being a distraction for our opponents.

From a student's perspective, attending basketball games is an escape from the routine. It is time away from campus that offers a sense of normalcy. For most regular season games, a handful of students from each dorm get to attend, which often adds up to about 40-50 students. During this week's first round district playoff game, over 200 students and staff attended the game, outnumbering the other team's cheering section 20 to 1. And they made a significant impact on the outcome!

From a staff's perspective, it is fun to watch the students. They love to be loud and cheer for the players that they know, walk the halls of school with, and in some cases share a dorm with. Our student body makes their presence felt in the best way possible. Every season, we get letters from parents and members of the community of the opposing team, and every letter touches on our sportsmanship and school pride. Here is an example from a couple weeks ago from a parent from the opposing team:

As a parent and also an educator, I want to commend your players and your entire cheering section on their fantastic performance last night. 

Your student section was amazing. They were "loud and proud" and cheering for their team. They used positive cheers and never did I hear a negative comment or cheer. 

The young men on your team exhibited great sportsmanship and restraint, even when they may have felt a call was not a good call. My son commented when he got home that they exhibited the best sportsmanship of all the teams he has played this year. 

I just wanted to share a positive with you and your staff! Thank you for all you do to work with these young men!

As a basketball team and athletic program, we practice and compete to win. But this is an example of winning in life and that is what it means to be a Woodward Academy Knight.

"A New Man" // A Songwriting Video Project

Trayvon Carter, a 17 year old student from Houston, had an interest and a simple idea: to write lyrics. The initial inspiration started at home, but really gained momentum from being a part of the Knights Club on campus and attending monthly assemblies (that all students attend) and the Knights Club meetings every week. For the past several years, these meetings have been given an extra boost from Jeremy Hilbert, principal at Woodward Academy. As a DJ on the side, each assembly is filled with bumping music and is run like a monthly pep rally. The students get loud and crazy and Tray, along with fellow student Chris Delasbour, found that the music moved them. So one afternoon they approached William Terry, Lead Teacher, with their idea.

William has always had an interest in hip hop music and over the past two years, has performed live at assemblies on campus. He writes when time allows, so when Tray and Chris approached him with the idea, he found it not only as a good way to work with these students, but as a creative outlet for himself. Tray and Chris chose an instrumental version of Drake's Tuscan Leather as their soundtrack, and the three went to work. Their goal was to write, and their lyrics came from campus and the behavioral change that they felt from being a Woodward Academy Knight.

The three worked for several months, writing and rehearsing the song. When complete, they approached Eric Smidt, Communications Director, to record the track. Once he heard the song, he quickly realized that more needed to be done. A New Man is Woodward Academy's first music video, written and recorded by students and staff on campus. You can check out the video above.

Besides highlighting the three stars of the song, it also showcases the campus pride that is evident in all students. This student idea became a collaboration effort that turned into an awesome music video… Go Knights!

WCAC Art Show

This year, 11 students submitted pieces for competition at the West Central Activities Conference (WCAC) art show. The event was held on May 4 at West Central Valley high school and saw high school artists present their artwork in 30 different categories. This year's art show was huge and the competition impressive with many categories having over 30 entries in them.

The Knights saw two students place with two more earning honorable mention for their work. John Smothers earned 2nd place for his paper swan in the Small Sculpture category. John Escobar's desk top earned 5th place in the Graphics Hand-Done category. Beyond those two, Daniel Laurie's India Ink and water color drawing earned an honorable mention in the 2D Mix Media category, while Yerko Mena earned an honorable mention in the Black and White Drawing Objective category. Other submitted pieces from WA students included print making, self portraits, and acrylic painting.

Most of the students were able to make the trip to the art show to see their pieces on display. In addition to the competition, the day involved art workshops, and a feature presentation from local airbrush artists, Shawn Palak. Students were particularly impressed with his work and some were able to try out his equipment. You can see images of the students and their artwork on our Knight Pics website.

Thanksgiving Break

Thanksgiving break marks the beginning of a holiday season where students think about their families and home life more than usual. These weekends are also used to make that desire to see loved ones a reality. This past weekend, many students received home passes and ate Thanksgiving dinner with their families. In fact, some dorms sent 1/3 of their students home for at least part of the weekend. Home passes are earned by the students based on how well they are performing on the dorm. Even then, some students stayed on campus because they preferred a home pass over Christmas break.

For the students who stayed on campus, all was not lost and a lot of activities were planned to help keep them busy. Holiday weekend are often less structured than typical ones. There was a lot of football being watched and board games being played. On Thanksgiving day, a lot of staff helped cook meals and some of them were full on feasts. Nothing can replace spending a weekend at home, but it is amazing what a good, home cooked meal can do.

GUIDE Status

To Ankoma Riddick, a Guide "is someone you can look up to, respect, get along with, and trust." On Woodward Academy's campus, it is one of the highest positions that a student can achieve and something that does not come along very often. Obtaining Guide status is reserved for students on Delta Company, the highly structured dorm on campus. "A Guide is a leader wherever he goes and people know it right away. He leads in everything he does… and carries himself with a positive attitude." In many ways, Ankoma is referring to modeling the behaviors that he wants to see in other students, and he's been doing it since first attending Woodward Academy.

Ankoma is the Executive Knight on his dorm and one of the top Knights across campus. But gaining Guide status was never a given. In fact, it has been 4 years since Delta Company produced their last Guide. With his new found status, Ankoma is given much more freedom to move across campus and gets additional privileges on his dorm. These are all things that Ankoma has earned since he's done a great job being a leader on campus. He understands that even though he has earned a title that very few students have received, his work is not done. "When I got Guide status, I was happy and honored to be recognized for doing my job. But I need to make sure my dorm is the best on campus. I know I can take on any challenge that is thrown my way and I will be a good Exec." 

Rock Band // Weekend Activities

During the week, students attend school all day and after that participate in either extracurricular activities or high school athletics before heading back to the dorm for group. Their daily schedule is packed and needless to say, they are busy. But what do they do on the weekend?

Most weekends are just as scheduled as during the week. In fact, schedules for the weekend are organized throughout and approved by each dorm's Program Director before Friday afternoon hits. Dorm repair projects, community service activities, family visits, and organized competitions are common on the weekend. In addition to those things, a lot of weekends are themed, as was the case in May when Saturday night brought out the 80's hair band in everyone. Students did their best rock band impressions as Guns 'N Roses, Warrant, and Def Leppard blared throughout the gymnasium. Weekend activities have proven to be a great way to get students involved in campus life and can often times serve as great distractions from any stressors they may be experiencing. You can see more pictures from the Rock Band weekend on our Knight Pics website by clicking here.

Graduation 2014 // Video

The Woodward Academy commencement ceremony took place on Wednesday, May 21 and celebrated the end of a journey for the Class of 2014. This academic school year saw 47 students either earn their high school diploma or GED certificate while attending WA.

The student body erupted once the graduates entered the gymnasium, setting the stage for the rest of the ceremony that consisted of two seniors being awarded financial help from the Lifetime Commitment Fund, two senior speeches, and the keynote address from Iowa Senator Steve Sodders of the 36th District. Read more after the jump and watch a video of the senior speeches.

Juggling

Have you ever thought about juggling? Perhaps you should think about it in the near future. Here is a link to an article that outlines the Benefits of Juggling. Some of the reasons include that it's a great portable workout, makes you smarter, and increases your focus and concentration. But really, it's just kind of cool to be able to do the trick on command.

Recently, WA students spent a day in P.E. getting the basics of juggling and of course they loved it. A special thanks goes out to Bruce Kelley, President and CEO of EMC Insurance Companies who connected WA with Bunny Bruning, tennis pro at the Wakonda Country Club who donated over 200 tennis balls for the activity.

Governor's Scholar Recipient // Claudio Maciel

On Sunday, April 28, Claudio Maciel (pictured in blue) was honored for his academic performance at the Governor's Scholar Recognition Ceremony held in Des Moines. This is the 11th annual ceremony that is put on by the Governor's Office, the Iowa High School Athletic Association, and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.

Claudio was selected for the award based on his high academic achieving as a member of the class of 2014. Additionally, he participates in a variety of school activities and is a leader on this year's track team. Beyond those things, he is also a member of Woodward Academy's student government, being an Executive Knight on campus. After receiving the award, Claudio posed for a picture with Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds and celebrated with his fellow Phase 5 roommates and key educational staff that have supported him at the reception.

Nae Nae Dance Craze Invades WA

During spring break, each dorm organized and videotaped their best version of the popular Nae Nae dance. If you're wondering what the Nae Nae is, click here for a breakdown of it. It's the hottest dance craze right now and even Iowa State University men's head basketball coach Fred Hoiberg broke it out while celebrating the Cyclones going to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament.

The video below is a compilation of each dorm. Before watching, imagine what a video would look like if you told a bunch of teenaged boys to dance like crazy for the camera. You'll see some real personalities in the video and the students completely loved it.

Conference Academic Bowl

Five WA students recently competed in the West Central Activities Conference Academic Bowl. Annually held at Des Moines Christian High School, the Academic Bowl pits schools against each other in a competition of academic knowledge. The Knight's team was chosen after they completed and scored well in a preliminary test administered on campus. The team represented themselves well in the competition and as a team, scored better than previous years. This is the third consecutive year that the Knights have entered the competition.

WWE Smackdown in Des Moines

About once a year, the WWE show comes to central Iowa, and this week some select students were able to attend the WWE Smackdown wrestling event in Des Moines, Iowa with Program Director Bill Badgley. The students who were able to attend loved it. It was teenaged boys at a wrestling event, so that seems obvious. But beyond the entertainment value of it, it is important to understand that these students have earned that opportunity to go. They spend a lot of their time helping to improve the dorm, the campus, and their individual programs. So for these students, it was a night away from campus and a chance to have some normalcy.

Roller Skating Unit // Video

The P.E. class offered a new unit this semester that they had never done before: roller skating. The teachers felt very confident that the students would love the unit, and they were not disappointed. Skating is a special skill that not all individuals have, so after the skates were rented, one of the first lessons taught was how to fall properly. From there, other basics of how to balance themselves and to shift their weight to move were also taught, which turned the gymnasium turned into a roller skating rink. The students found the unit to be a lot of fun, and for some staff who also participated, it was a blast to years ago when skating was more in vogue. Below is a video showing the students in action.

Macklemore in Concert!

Macklemore is one is the hottest musical artists right now, and some WA students actually got to meet him last week! The songwriting combo of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are responsible for top hits such as "Thrift Shop" and "Can't Hold Us"and their current U.S. tour made a stop in Des Moines on October 30. So how did they actually get to meet Macklemore?

The short version is the result of pure determination and persistence. Ms. Geha, a WA teacher, reached out to Macklemore's team through email and Facebook asking if he could speak at WA while in Iowa. Although he could not speak, he did offer some free tickets and back stage passes to some students. What?? Macklemore is a very socially conscience artist and chooses important topics to tackle through his music. After hearing about WA, he was excited to spend some time with the students. He is a recovering drug-addict who is proud of his sobriety and in an interview, expressed that music is his creative outlet and he wants to talk about issues that are important and have value to him.

Pictured are some students with Macklemore and producer Ryan Lewis along with Ms. Geha who obtained the tickets.

Get Pink

October is breast cancer awareness month and Woodward Academy got into the pink spirit in this big campus picture. As an annual national campaign to raise awareness of the disease, pink is everywhere these days ranging from NFL jerseys to people sporting it as they participate in Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure events. This campus picture was taken earlier this week as a corporate initiative to raise awareness and as a friendly competition between sister schools of Woodward Academy. Educational programming was also a part of the Get Pink program across all of the campuses.

Knights Club: Dorm Report

The Knights Club is the positive student leadership organization at Woodward Academy. It is a primary component of our success on campus and every student is expected to be a member of it. When students come on campus, they are considered a "peer." While demonstrating consistent positive behavior, they earn their pledge packet and over the next couple week, work to earn their Knight status. For many, however, that is not the end of their rise in the Knightly ranks.

Each dorm (there are 8 of them) have student government positions and many of those students attend a weekly "Dorm Report" meeting where they summarize how their dorm is functioning. It is student run and serves as a powerful communication piece for the Knights. It is one time during the week where all of the student leaders on campus are together in one room to talk about how the campus is running. They hold each other accountable for their dorms and come up with plans to fix any problems. It also allows them to get on the same page and to come up with the campus focus for each week.