The American Civil Rights Movement was brought to life inside the Milpitas High School Theater on Wednesday, January 18 as a group of talented musician-historians, called At the Table with Dr. King, led a live performance documenting the life of Martin Luther King Jr.
“The music was awesome, great singers, very inspirational,” said Milpitas HS freshman Allie Klaydman, 14. Milpitas HS senior Kenneth Tsau, 18, agreed: “I thought the show was great. It was really powerful how they mixed music with the words of Dr. King.” The hour-long learning experience sets out to teach students about the American Civil Rights Movement and valuable lessons of equality and respect. Through music, poetry, historical video footage and Dr. King’s own words, At the Table also challenges students to engage in creative acts of service and leadership in their communities. “The message really resonated with me: You’ve got to do something or nothing will happen,” said 17-year-old senior Hanna Lum, who participated twice in Wednesday’s three sessions by At the Table with Dr. King. “I thought it was really well done,” shared MHS senior Nitin Ramesh, 17. “It certainly made an impression on me about standing up for yourself and what you believe in no matter what comes your way.” Senior Elle Leabres, 18, the president of the MHS TrueColors Club, was inspired by the call to action “to promote equality in all communities and minority groups that do not have a strong voice.” “It was very impactful on how they conveyed their message through music, imagery and quotes from Dr. King,” Leabres said. “It really encouraged me as a leader of a club to push for equality even further.” Weller Elementary School's 2nd to 4th grade classes, as well as students from Rose Elementary School, were able to attend the afternoon session at MHS. “We greatly appreciated this opportunity to learn about Dr. King and all his contributions. Students loved learning through song and engaging with the performers on stage,” said Weller Principal Deanna Elzey. “We sometimes forget how powerful music can be in our instruction. It was a joy to see the students clapping and dancing, as they embraced Dr. King's legacy and lasting impact on us all.” Milpitas Adult Education learner Xueyan “Amy” Guo’s educational goal is to earn a Master’s degree in Computer Science in five years. Guo was one of a trio of adult learners who were honored at the MAE Mid-Year Promotion Ceremony on January 13 before an audience of district and school leaders, adult educators and fellow adult learners. “It takes tenacity and persistence to study English,” said Guo, who was promoted to Advanced English As a Second Language after showing her grasp of ESL4. “I want to say thanks to Milpitas Adult School. It has offered us a chance to transition into American society successfully.” Guo’s instructor Hongyan Zheng gushed over Guo’s work ethic, perfect attendance, attentiveness and dedication to reaching her goals while still finding time to help her classmates along the way. “Amy has shown full dedication, diligence and commitment to learning English,” said Zheng. “She has very active participation in classroom activities–collaborative work and independent work–and helping others. …She has performed excellently on our assessments.” The on-site celebration, hosted by MAE Principal Giuliuna Brahim, highlighted the academic achievements of students who have made significant measurable skill gains in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, and are eligible to promote to the next level of ESL and or exit our ESL program. “It's very important that we recognize these three students because their efforts are very important in reading, writing, speaking and listening,” Brahim said. Along with Guo’s promotion, ESL2 learners Liji Zeng and Tuyet-Minh Long were recognized for their advancement to the next level. Instructor Vinita Jain praised Zeng and Long for their achievement. “They have acquired the necessary skills to move to the next level,” Zeng said. “I congratulate them on their achievement and wish them the very best as they move forward.” Zeng returned praises to her teacher for guiding her and her fellow adult learners in their educational journey. “I like ESL2. I like my teacher. She is a very good teacher,” Zeng shared. “She teaches me a lot of vocabulary, grammar, sentences and articles. I will miss everyone and look forward to going to ESL3.” Board of Education President Chris Norwood, Board Clerk Kelly Yip-Chuan and Board Trustee Anu Nakka, as well as Assistant Superintendent of Human Relations Jonathon Brunson and Director of Secondary Education Maurissa Koide, were in attendance for Friday’s special recognition ceremony. “We are always excited to hear the news and celebrate the successes of our adult learners,” said Norwood, who complimented the adult learners for making the leap into ESL and urged them to share their experiences with future generations. “We look forward to helping you find ways to get into the workforce in this area…because you are Milpitas, you are part of our family and, as we always say, ‘We are MUSD and we continue to move forward together.’” Milpitas native and Milpitas Unified School District alumna Vanessa Espitia was announced as the new Coordinator of Early Childhood Education and Family Engagement at the January 10, 2023 meeting.
Espitia attended Rose Elementary School, Rancho Milpitas Middle School and Milpitas High School. Her grandparents moved to Milpitas in the 1950s and her mother attended MUSD schools as well. They all still reside here in Milpitas. “Today is a big day for me. I’m humbled and honored to be able to serve my community, to live in my community,” said Espitia, who currently serves as the Assistant Principal at Sinnott Elementary School. “I’m Milpitas through and through, and I’m so excited to be the next coordinator for early childhood development, to move forward our youngest learners, to be able to work on family engagement in our district.” Eighth through 12th grade students from Rancho Milpitas Middle School, Thomas Russell Middle School, Milpitas High School and Calaveras Hills High School were invited to a tour of the facilities at Pipes Trades Training Center this week.
At the Pipe Trades Training Center, students learned about exciting career opportunities in Commercial Plumbing, Steam Fitting, and HVACR (heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration). Students received in-depth knowledge of the programs at the training center, a step-by-step walkthrough of the application process, and heard firsthand experiences from current apprentices. The visit ended with a tour of their 102,000 square foot facility featuring 45 classrooms and numerous hands-on labs. This was an exciting opportunity for our students as they learned of alternate career paths that could provide them with lucrative career opportunities. Apprentices shared that they were able to afford homes in San Jose due to the exceptional salary and benefits packages provided in their prospective fields. |
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING:
The governing board of Milpitas Unified School District will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, June 28, 2022. Media ResourcesArchives
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