Birchwood receives two grants for the Preschool

Thanks to Director of Advancement Michelle Ehlert, The Bruening Foundation and The Hershey Foundation each awarded Birchwood a $10,000 grant for our preschool. The Bruening grant enabled us to design and furnish the classroom, and the Hershey grant made it possible to construct and equip the preschool playground. Our thanks to Rhonda Franklin for her invaluable help with the interior design and furniture, our maintenance staff for construction and painting, Ben Shumway for landscape support, Peter Debelak for landscape design research, and for Kathleen’s expert work out tting the room, and Christine’s endless research and design decisions.

Broadcom Masters Semifinalist

Congratulations go to Dhweeja D. This is the second year in a
row that she was chosen as a Broadcom Master seminalist.
Seminalists were selected from more than 1,460 applicants.
Dhweeja qualied to enter the Broadcom MASTERS by placing
in the top 10 percent of the participants at the Northeastern Ohio
Science and Engineering Fair (NEOSEF) at Cleveland State
University (CSU).

PBS Kids Go Writing Contest

Ehren C’s story Tacky Turkey’s Big Adventure placed 3rd in
the nation in the 2012 PBS Kids Go rst grade writing contest.
Way to go Ehren!

Governor's Thomas Edison Award for third consecutive year

Once again Birchwood School received the Governor’s Thomas
Edison Award for Excellence in STEM education along with
Birchwood’s science and math teachers Linda Brown  and
Charles Debelak respectively for the third consecutive year.
They were Greater Cleveland’s sole recipients of the award for
their accomplishments during the 2011-2012 school year. Great
job Birchwood, Ms. Brown and Mr. D.

Presidential Physical Fitness Testing

Twenty five students scored at or above the 85th percentile
on each of the five test items of the President’s Challenge
Physical Fitness Test and were awarded with the Presidential
Award. These students are Arjun B, Channin M, Layla N,
Annessa W, Abby M, Grace X, Christine B, Joan C, Sachi
G, Katelyn V, Sofia R, Marissa B, Abeedah H, Nurah N,
Alex D, Maide S, Haley Y, Grace C, Megan P, Maya F, John
H, Mihir S, Keyvan R, Anika R, and Ben L. Twenty eight
students scored at or above the 50th percentile on the fitness
testing and received the National Award. These students are
Mehr B, Sofia B, Amara B, Niah B, Mark K,  James M,
Morgan S, Leah S, Farah S, Isabella D, Anjali K, Tejal P,
Paul A, Dalilia P, Peter P, Josh S, Sylvia B, Tony L, Sean
M, Sami S, Jaden S, Van W, Nikhita K, Sahej B, Vinny K,
Cameron S, Prathna K, and Jorgen K. Great job athletes!

National History Day National Level

On June 10, nine Birchwood students traveled to The
University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland to compete
in the national level of the National History Day competition.
These nine students excelled at the state level and were up
against state winners from all 50 states, Guam, American
Samoa, and the International Schools of Central Asia and
Southeast Asia. Our students had a phenomenal showing.
Joan C  and Sachi G  placed third in the group website
category with their website on the Hough Riots in Cleveland
in 1966. Nate C and Clive C also advanced to the final round
with their group website on the Microchip, placing 13th. Anna
H advanced to the final round with her individual exhibit on
the book Silent Spring by Rachel Carson and placed 14th.
Congratulations to these students for their accomplishments!

WVIZ/PBS Kids Go! Writers Contest

Congratulations to Ehren C for winning first place in WVIZ’s
PBS Kids Go! Writers Contest in the first grade division! His
story, Tacky Turkey’s  Big Adventure, has been sent to the
national level of competition. It can be viewed at
www.ideastream.org/education/writers.
PBS Kids Go! Writers Contest is a national contest designed
to promote the advancement of children’s reading skills by
encouraging students in kindergarten to third grade to create
orginal illustrated stories for submission.