Posted inEducation

The Care Academy

Ruby G. by Ruby G.

The Care Academy Program offers activities every day to help students “Become more independent.”

Starting from 18, students stay at an apartment-like building to learn the necessities needed to help their parents at home. By teaching the students how to do floral, cooking, and baking, students can think about potential future careers they could be interested in.

“We see them follow picture instruction recipes, programming themselves to see what is a teaspoon or a tablespoon. The same thing goes with the floral arrangements; they see the vision and want to copy it, sort of like Copycat Syndrome,” said Gustavo Sifuentes, one of the care academy instructors.

Because of the various learning levels, these students have due to their disabilities, teachers “Go to their level and bring them out.” With teachers bringing these students out of their shells to teach them new things, students can get a taste of what they like and what they can see themselves doing in the future.

“We do on-the-job training with students, but as if now because of COVID-19, we are not allowed to leave. Students clean and set up tables or whatever the restaurant tells them to do; they’ll go in and do it. I have students who enjoy doing certain things, and they see themselves doing such things in the future,” said Sifuentes.

With the growth of students doing these activities daily, they are getting closer to reaching their goals, moving one step forward closer to independence!

Posted inEducation

‘Students Need Different Food Options’

Francisca O. by Francisca O.

Students at Jimmy Carter Early College High School raise concerns about possible food waste.

“I think it’s pretty healthy, but I do know it’s hard for some students to eat it cuz they don’t like how it tastes,” Carolina Amador said.

Sophomore Kevin Martinez shared that on most days, he ends up throwing the food away. Students then progress through the day without appropriate nutrition or calories to maintain them.

“I will often find myself falling asleep in class cus’ I don’t have enough energy,” Martinez said.

“It does; I tend to get headaches after not eating, so what I do is just bring something from home,” Amador added.

“I think it’s a good idea because it’s kinda what kids eat at home, so if it’s available at school, I’m sure they’ll eat it in place of what they don’t know what to eat,” Amador said.

“Pues si se puede, nada mas que ahorita por la pandemia y todo eso, estamos enfocadas en un solo menú,” lunch staff said.

Posted inEducation, Community, Culture

Carter Holds Domestic Violence Awareness Vigil

by Ivan Silva

Student council hosts domestic violence awareness vigil.
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), October has been the designated month to promote and raise awareness for victims of domestic violence. The movement was officially launched in 1997.
“Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) was launched nationwide to connect and unite individuals and organizations working on domestic violence issues while raising awareness for those issues,” NCADV said.
The vigil held this morning involved students lighting candles during the ceremony as they listened to a speaker provide facts and statistics regarding domestic violence. Over fifty students gathered in the student union as they watched and listen to their council.
“I was glad we had a very good turn out, Mr. Bernal thought we would not have that turn out,” Daniela Flores, student council secretary said. “I was very glad that we were able to attract so many people. I am for sure that many kids have experienced or seen it. All of us have at least on a TV show.”
STUCO vice-president Domingo Bazan said that the event was focused on providing facts, statistics and observing a moment of silence to honor and pay respect to those “lights that have gone out”.
“I have had close relatives who have gone through that and I wanted to be respectful to those people that have gone through that,” junior Sebastion Marceliano said. “I saw a bunch of people holding candles and wearing a ribbon that symbolized that October is for Domestic Violence Awareness.”

Posted inCommunity, Photography

Small Class Sizes

by Ivan Silva

In this picture, you can see the number of kids there could be in a classroom. In this case, the teacher only has to give the lesson to that side of the room without worrying about other students being on the other side since there are only that many students. So what makes Carter good is the number of students on campus. Being a small number of people benefits teachers in managing things.

By: Oscar Vargas

Posted inSchool Pride, Community, Culture, Carter Update

Education and TAFE students at Jimmy Carter Early College High School are inspired and taking action as they return to on-campus instruction.

by Ivan Silva

Education and TAFE students at Jimmy Carter Early College High School are inspired and taking action as they return to on-campus instruction. There is no time to waste.
In September, senior Luis Aguilar, who serves as the Texas Association of Future Educators Area 1 Secretary, represented the school as Area 1 Officers gathered at Texas A & M University International in Laredo to plan for the Fall Conference, in which students will compete for an opportunity to advance to State and National levels in a variety of events which showcase skills which will help them in their teaching careers.
“As the Area Secretary, there has been plenty of debate whether the area one conference would be hosted virtually or in-person,” Aguilar said. “Recently, our state director, Donita Garza, passed away from Covid-19. This was a game-changer when we first heard the news, and it gave us area officers to make this year’s conference virtual due to the risk of Covid-19.”
Aguilar’s position allows him to organize the area, composed of school districts from Laredo to Brownsville and up to Corpus Christi. TAFE is a state-recognized CTO created to enable young men and women an opportunity to explore the teaching profession. The organization was created in 1984 to provide the best and brightest high school and middle school students in Texas with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions about pursuing careers in education.
“In our school chapter, we still plan to do all the traditional events such appreciation, service, and fundraising projects. We are encouraging the student body to join our program to explore the teaching profession, especially to those who are undecided in what career they want to pursue,” Aguilar said.

This visit was also an excellent opportunity for the officers to explore the campus and meet with faculty in the Education Department.
The opportunity that we allow members is to use many valuable skills such as communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.

Posted inCarter Update, Education, Culture

Jimmy Carter ECHS opts for PRIDE as a school-wide Carter Core Values program and integrates Carter Connect, a mentoring program for all students.

by Ivan Silva

Jimmy Carter ECHS opts for PRIDE as a school-wide Carter Core Values program and integrates Carter Connect, a mentoring program for all students.
As the school continues to grow and refine its message for students, community, and personnel, a shift in focus towards internal motivation and the core of what moves students was the apt choice for the campus. Carter initiated a campus-wide core values program integrated into the first-period advisory and Path to College Success curriculum. RedWolves have PRIDE ties together the values of perseverance, respect, integrity, discipline, and excellence, which build on the district mission and PBIS rules of being safe, responsible, and respectful.
This program rolled out this academic year as students returned to in-person instruction. Students have been away from the classroom for almost two years.
“It seems like a year or two is nothing, but to our kids, being out of the classroom and disconnected from the community and campus was rough. They lost the practice of engaging with others and how to interact in a classroom. PRIDE is helping the school reintegrate core values that we all feel are important to our community,” dual enrollment instructor Ivan Silva said.
The core values program came about through teacher input and feedback from the last several years in which the campus discussed what the students needed to work on and build on to leverage their academic pursuits in the near future. JCECHS took on how we get our students to take ownership of their learning and actions.
“The values are what the Carter family should display at all times. We have perseverance. We have respect. We have integrity. We have discipline. We are excellence.” Ms. Yesenia Torres said.
Additionally, the campus has also started a mentoring program called Carter Connect. Every student has been paired with an adult on campus who will serve as a mentor when the student is at Carter. For freshmen students, that means that they will have the opportunity to build a solid and committed relationship with an adult mentor over the next four years.
“Carter Connect has been a great way to make connections in an informal way that is more conducive to building relationships,” Mr. Agustin Arias said. “It makes it easier for teachers to be school teachers and not just classroom teachers.”
Carter Connect will foster relationship building, small group dialogue and allow students to discuss things they are concerned about with one person they can reach out to outside of the traditional curriculum conversations.
“It is beneficial especially for seniors who have questions about what to study and get opinions from an adult to talk about the future and careers. It is good to have solid and mature advice from an adult,” senior Patricia Puente said.
Carter students are engaging in conversations about their values and what it means to live them. The program rollout included a booklet and graphics that define each value and provide examples of the values in activities related to student life. Each of the values is closely integrated into PBIS rules. The idea was to add something that would be accessible to students and teachers. Students bring so much knowledge and experience from home, but teachers are tasked with making the connections to the real world that bring value to the students’ lives.
“The program is something that is needed,” senior Carlos Montes said.

Posted inSchool Pride, Education, Community, Carter Update

Jimmy Carter Early College High School has won a College Success Award – Gold

by Ivan Silva

JCECHS has received GreatSchools.org’s inaugural College Success Award – Gold!

As a recipient of the College Success Award in 2021, 2020, and 2019, Carter received the first-ever College Success Award – Gold distinction for a multi-year track record of preparing students to enroll and succeed in college. Carter is among 1,770 high schools in 26 states to receive the Gold Award.

“I feel like we have accomplished a lot and just proving that most Hispanics who come from low incomes and higher incomes can come together and graduate and be successful,” sophomore Mariana Alanis said.

The school’s community at Carter works at coming together and offering opportunities to all students to bridge the gap between high school and college coursework. Although the school is unlike a comprehensive school and its primary focus is academics, Carter faculty and staff make it a primary objective to create unique experiences that students will remember and make them experience high school as a right of passage that they have fond feelings for.

“I like that we include everyone at the campus. Not many schools do that. They just focus on a specific part of the group. I know my sister does not participate in many things, and they don’t include her in stuff. I like that our school is inclusive of everyone and that everyone feels welcome and free to be who they are,” Sophomore Class Vice-President Valeria Segovia said.

In its fourth year, the College Success Award program evaluates public schools based on data that show how well our school prepares students to succeed after graduation, including whether they enroll in college, are ready for college-level coursework, and persist into their second year.

“It’s good that the school continually pushes the idea of success. The point is that it is for our benefit and future. Jimmy Carter does a good job of reminding us what we need to do and to be ready for our future,” senior Oscar Vargas said.

Carter is set to continue its commitment to school with PRIDE: Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Discipline, and Excellence to ensure that all students are prepared for their success today and tomorrow.

Posted inSchool Pride, Education, Leo’s Club

Leo’s Club

Adamaris O. by Adamaris O.

One of the many clubs our school has for students of all grade levels. Not requiring much to join other than a bit of time to help out in our community.

The Leos Club is sponsored and run by Yesenia Torres stating, “The Leo’s club is a program where young people serve as positive agents of change for their community.” She was more than willing to share more information about the club so that more students got the idea of what this club was about.

Students are encouraged to join the club, so that they may help out within their community.

Why should students join the Leos club one might ask, well it is like Mark Islas said, “you get to put smiles on people’s faces.” Islas, a three-year veteran in The Leo’s club is no stranger to helping in making a change.

It is known that change cannot happen without one person doing something. Islas said he has learned to serve his community in many different aspects and it not only involved himself but others as well.

Besides helping out the community, students are able to earn community service hours.

Student Pedro Rodriguez mentioned one of the reasons for joining the club was to earn community service, while helping out the community. It was a win-win situation: helping out his community and earning hours for school.

Like Torres said, “Besides the students getting volunteer hours they get to serve their community, get to know what is going on in the city, and make change in their community.” Being informed about what is happening within your community and city will always be the Leos club mission.

Change is the Leo’s Club mission and by having students volunteer it makes it easier to do so.

Like Rodrigues said, “I have achieved a better understanding with helping and I am more social with people than before.”

Becoming a Leo opens opportunities for students to show their leadership skills while having fun helping out in their community.