xbot robotics, the 501c3 founded to bring STEM to the students of Southeast Seattle, and sustaining organization for the Franklin High School robotics team, is looking for volunteers for the fall program. Students meet Tuesday and Thursday afternoons at FHS/S. McClellan office and Saturdays at Microsoft Research. Experience working with high school students mandatory. Experience with designing scoring mechanisms, JAVA, FIRST robotics organization is a plus.
FHS team xbot designs, builds and programs (JAVA) a robot September – December for the annual game challenge. Visit www.xbotrobotics.org to find out more information on this nationally recognized high school robotics team. Contact dylew@teamxbot.org for more information. — Donna Lew, Beacon Hill resident (many years), founder and Executive Director of xbot robotics
Lion dancer photo courtesy of Elizabeth Lowry.Elizabeth Lowry, co-chair of the Franklin High School Arts Festival, sends this announcement:
Imagination. Swagger. Creativity. Culture. Intensity. Irony. Empathy. Everything comes together in the visual art and performances that Franklin High School students will present this week during the school’s yearly arts festival and talent show.
“The Mt. Baker Quakermaker Shaker†is the theme of this year’s festival, which begins with an art opening at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, May 16, at Mioposto, 3601 S. McClellan St. The FHS talent show is the main attraction Friday, May 17, starting at 7 p.m. in the school’s auditorium, 3013 S. Mount Baker Blvd. The arts festival will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 18, on the plaza in front of FHS.
The events, which are open to the public, bring together students, their families, teachers and staff and Mount Baker neighbors. The festival raises money to benefit Franklin’s art, drama and music programs and student clubs, while the talent show raises money for the senior class of 2015. Tickets to the talent show are $3 for FHS students and $5 for others. The art opening and the arts festival are free.
The festival will feature student performances, including the steel drum band, fashion club, jazz band, Quaker band and lion dancers, along with displays of visual art, ceramics and wood arts. Student clubs will sell heirloom tomato and vegetable plants, treats and handmade crafts. Also for sale are woodcrafts, such as cutting boards, created by students and notecards featuring student art. Vietnamese sandwiches, chips and soft drinks also will be for sale. 

The arts festival is sponsored by the Franklin High School PTSA and the Franklin High student body.


First I want to wish the entire Community a Happy Holiday Season. My return to the area as the Head Volleyball Coach at Franklin HS has been wonderful!!
We are looking for a Coach to work with our JV and C team programs. My first choice is to fill the position from within the community. We are looking for candidates with some background in the game, and a positive experience teaching or coaching 15 and 16 year old young women.
New coaches will attend the Gold Medal Squared coaching clinic in May. This is the premier coaching training program in the country, and covers the methods we use to teach fundamental skills. So a little dust on the scrapbook is ok!
I know it sounds early, but the School District process can be lengthy and I hope to have the staff in place for the Summer program. If you, or anyone you know might be interested, contact me at jphardy@email.com or through the team’s Facebook page.
Photo by Lexie Flickinger via Creative Commons/Flickr.
Several teachers at Beacon Hill schools are using the DonorsChoose.org online charity website to appeal for donations from the community for supplies needed in their classrooms.
“iPads are transforming education at the primary grades! Children being able to connect with math, writing, and reading just through the touch of their hands is incredible! Sadly, my district’s budget has not kept up with advances in technology (i.e. iPads) – our computers are 10+ years old and slow.
“…This year 3 primary grade classrooms at our school have been using iPads every day. It has been eye-opening to observe how this incredible technology has transformed the way children are learning – it’s a whole new ball game! I want my students to be able to hit a home run with their learning – an iPad and protective cover will engage my ‘team’ and increase their academic achievement to Major League levels! Won’t you step up to the plate and help us be in a league of our own?”
The amount remaining is $940 for a 64G New iPad with cover, sales taxes, fees, and an optional $148 donation to help support DonorsChoose.org.
Over at Beacon Hill International School, BHIS Art Specialist Mary Howard Logel is requesting donations for art supplies: watercolor paints, brushes, permanent black markers, watercolor paper, and a portable drying rack. The project totals $835, with $333 remaining to raise. An anonymous donor is matching donations to the project.
Logel says:
“This project will provide painting materials for a whole year for my students as well as a drying rack that will be used for many years to come. Art increases student confidence, motivation, and critical thinking skills while allowing them to express their learning in diverse ways.”
At Van Asselt Elementary School, Laila Henderson’s fifth grade class needs two Dell netbooks. She explains:
“Students in this low-socioeconomic area come to my 5th grade class with limited typing and research skills. With the proper resources such as these laptops, they will engage in hands-on projects in reading, writing, math, science, and social studies.”
High school teachers are also in need of supplies. At Franklin High School, Melissa Anne Povey is raising funds for 31 science books, including Women in Science, The Joy of Chemistry, The Physics of Baseball, and more.
Station 13 as it was in 2010. Celebrate its new renovation at a community open house this Saturday. Photo by Jason Simpson.
It’s a busy weekend this week, particularly on Saturday morning. Take your pick from several events, including:
Saturday:
The Seven Hills Seattle and Scandinavian history walk starts on Queen Anne Hill at 9 a.m. and finishes right here on Beacon Hill. Information here.
Fire Station #13 Open House from 11-1 p.m. will celebrate the station’s reopening after renovation. All are welcome. Information here.
Franklin Arts Festival from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m will feature music, art, and food for the whole family. Information here.
Beacon Hill animator Tess Martin’s short, Hula Hoop, will play at SIFF Cinema Uptown at 10 a.m. as part of the Seattle Times and SIFF 3 Minute Masterpiece contest. Admission is free. Information here.
Sunday:
All are invited to a Lewis Park work party to assist in improving the park. These volunteer events are every first and third Sunday, starting at 10 a.m. at the park, 12th Ave S and Golf Dr S. Tools, gloves, water, and refreshments are provided.
A bit later in the day is a cooking demo at El Centro de la Raza with chef Vincent Rivera of Jazz Alley, who will demonstrate how to cook carnitas, pozole, and ceviche. Information here.
And finally, the ROCKiT Community Arts board meeting is Sunday from 1-3 p.m. at the Garden House, 2336 15th Ave. S. The meeting is open to the public.
Painting by Franklin student Aren Roberson, courtesy of Franklin PTSA.
Just down the hill, the annual Franklin Arts Festival returns this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Franklin High School, 3013 Mount Baker Blvd. The festival will feature student performances including the steel drum band, kung fu team, jazz band, Quaker band, and lion dancers, along with displays of visual art, ceramics, and wood arts. Franklin High School is celebrating its centennial this year; it opened in September 1912 as the second purpose-built high school in Seattle.
Student clubs will sell a variety of items including heirloom tomato and vegetable plants, woodcrafts, notecards featuring student art, and original ceramic “Quaker cups” hand-thrown and fired by Franklin alum and artist Francis Roque and glazed by Franklin students. Refreshments will also be for sale.
The festival raises funds to benefit Franklin’s art, drama, and music programs and student clubs.
Two Beacon Hill schools were among 21 Seattle schools honored by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education with 2011 Washington Achievement Awards.
Maple Elementary School was one of the eight schools recognized for overall excellence at the elementary level.
Asa Mercer Middle School was one of five schools recognized for overall excellence at the K-8, 6-8, or 9-12 levels. Mercer was also recognized for outstanding achievement in mathematics and outstanding achievement in science.
The Seattle honorees were among 186 Washington schools to be recognized for their performance on the “Achievement Index,” which measures schools’ performance over time. (Find out more about the Index and the Achievement Awards here.) The 21 schools honored for 2011 are up from 13 in 2010 and seven in 2009.
The schools will be recognized during a ceremony on April 25 at Mariner High School in Everett.
Ron Santo at "Fergie and Friends" baseball game, 2009. Photo by Barbara Moore via Flickr/Creative Commons.Former Chicago Cubs third baseman and Seattle native Ron Santo has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the veterans’ committee. Southeast Seattleites may be forgiven for feeling some extra pride at this long-overdue achievement; Santo, a three-sport star (football, baseball, and basketball) at Franklin High School, grew up in the nearby Italian “garlic gulch,” within sight of the lights of Sicks’ Stadium (which was located on the current site of Lowe’s, at Rainier and McClellan).
As a boy, Santo worked for the Seattle Rainiers in various roles including bat boy and clubhouse helper. He signed with the Cubs out of high school for a $20,000 signing bonus, and went on to a career as a nine-time All-Star, with five Gold Gloves and 342 home runs.
We heard that some folks showed up to buy heirloom tomato starts on Sunday and were disappointed, because the tomato sellers from Feed were already gone. However, we hear they will be back at 19th and Lander from 2-4 pm this Sunday with more tomatoes, but you should check their website for the latest info.
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Steel drummers will play at the Franklin High School Arts Festival on May 14. Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Lowry. Heirloom tomato plants are also one of the attractions to be found at this weekend’s Franklin High School Arts Festival, on Saturday, May 14 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Elizabeth Lowry writes:
This year, Francis Roque, a Franklin alum and ceramicist, has worked with FHS art students to create approximately 100 mugs called Quaker Cups, which we will sell at the festival for just $15 each. And, Principal Dr. Jennifer Wiley’s steel drum band will perform, along with the lion dancers, jazz band and other groups. Habesha, a group of East African students, will present a fashion show.
The National Honor Society will sell heirloom tomato plants (the best deal in town!), and other student clubs will have games, rummage sales, sno cones and so on.
May 14 also is the Orca Plant Sale and the open house for Fire Station 30 just down the street from Franklin – oh, and the Mt. Baker yard sales! Big weekend!
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A quick reminder—save the date of June 4 on your calendar for the Beacon Hill Festival at Jefferson Park, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. As usual, there will be music and other entertainment, food, booths showcasing local groups, and more. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
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You should also save a date for the annual Beacon Hill Piñata Party, which is scheduled for Saturday, July 16 from 12-3 p.m. at Stevens Place Park (sometimes known as Triangle Park). The event will include live entertainment, music, food, dancing, and piñatas. All ages are welcome. The event is free. Please stay tuned for more information as the date approaches.
The event organizers are seeking neighbors to make or donate six piñatas for the event. If you would like to be a part of the planning process or have a donation, please contact Jon Gould at: jon@childrensalliance.org.
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Hello Bicycle at 3067 Beacon Ave. S. has recently remodeled, so they are having a Grand Re-opening sale throughout this week. To celebrate, they are giving out free ice cream on Saturday, May 14 (while it lasts). The folks there also want you to know that the shop’s hours are changing; they will be closed on Mondays instead of Tuesdays, but open every other day from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Victrola is looking for a "Barista w/BeaHill love & skills." Is that you? Photo by Wendi.Beacon Hill International School is hosting their annual Beacon Bazaar on Saturday, June 12 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, on the 14th Avenue South sidewalk in front of the school. If you would like to rent a table to sell items, you can find a registration form at the above link.
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Also in Beacon Hill International School news, two members of the school’s Chess Club competed in the 2010 Washington State Elementary Chess Championships on April 24 in Tacoma. Congratulations to first-grader Jay Zinschlag and fourth-grader Paul Wickward who each won two of five games in their tournament.
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Victrola recently posted a help wanted ad for a barista, and said “interests in coffee processing, roasting and cupping and the BeaHill/SouthSeattle area are important.” Know your way around an espresso machine and Beacon Hill? See the ad for more info.
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The Seattle school district has been awarded grants totaling $5.76 million over three years for three schools under the School Improvement Grant program, including Cleveland High School on Beacon Hill. The three-year grants, awarded by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) with funding from the federal stimulus package, will support school improvement plans at Cleveland as well as at Hawthorne and West Seattle elementary schools.
The additional resources will be used to support the transformation of Cleveland High School into a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) school.
Joaquin Uy writes, “A few of us were wondering what happened to the giant teepee that used to be seen driving down McClellan. I believe there were protest signs by the teepee too.” Anyone know?
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Franklin High School is taking it to the streets for the Franklin Arts Festival on Saturday, May 15 from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm in front of Franklin High School, 3013 South Mount Baker Boulevard. There will be music by the Nyamuziwa Marimba Ensemble. Franklin’s Marching Band, Lion Dancers, and other talented student groups will be there too, and there will be displays of the visual arts and crafts including ceramics, drawing, woodworking and painting. The event is free.
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The City of Seattle Office of City Auditor is conducting a review of the City’s response to graffiti, and has set up a questionnaire to help gather information from individuals, businesses, and organizations about how graffiti affects them.
