HMS Art Highlights
Mrs. Effert’s 5th grade Art program provides the students with opportunities to become artists. The art students in 5th grade will explore a variety of art mediums, techniques and art history. They will study different cultures, artists and 2 and 3 dimensional work. Students explore and create artwork through a variety of mediums. Students will develop art through imagination, interpersonal connections with peers, critical thinking skills and problem solving. Students will use their personal expression to individualize their artwork while keeping with the necessary principles and elements of design. A student will develop pride and self esteem as well as an appreciation for the work of others.
At Blackhawk, artistic talent and dedication is supported and respected K-12.
Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 work in a standards based approach that includes art production, art history, art criticism, and art aesthetics. The students look at many facets of art, various media and techniques to use in art production, and development of problem solving abilities and thinking skills such as analyzing, synthesizing, evaluation and collaboration.
Themes can also include interdisciplinary connections. Students also use and reinforce their writing and math skills in relation to their art.
The pieces above are 8th grade hand built sculptural forms based on circles. There was strong focus on vocabulary based on geometry in relation to circles. Pieces had to meet specific structural goals that were engineering related in addition to aesthetically related. Also, successful hand building techniques were a must, as all pieces had to be able to stand on their own.
Cosmetology Club
Students in Highland Middle School’s Cosmetology Club have the opportunity to pamper themselves with manicures and body scrubs, but they also take time to give back. Recently they created pom-pom facial scrubbers to donate to the Women’s Center of Beaver County. Along with the scrubbers, they also donated and packaged small toiletries for the ladies at the center.
Hockey Scholar – Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation STEAM Field Trip
Students from 6th Grade Math Class were invited to participate in a Hockey Scholar field trip at the Mario Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, PA. Ms. Oliver’s math class completed the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Foundation “Hockey Scholar” Math and Science online program and were offered a chance to visit and experience STEAM in action. Students were given the opportunity to ice skate, tour the facility, and try out the “Rapid Shot” training Machine at the complex. Students solved “real world” math problems at the facility and learned about careers in STEAM. It was a wonderful opportunity for the students!
Forensics Public Speaking Competition
The Forensics Public Speaking Competition was held at Riverside High School on February 12, 2019. Students from Blackhawk as well as other Beaver County Schools attended and competed in this event. Blackhawk students represented the district very well. The results for Blackhawk students are as follows:
Extemporaneous Junior High
Second Place: Quinn Borroni
Third Place: Andrew Woods
Extemporaneous Senior High
Third Place: Luke Martin
Deliberation
Third Place: Quinn Borroni
Passion Speech Junior High
Third Place: Madison White
Passion Speech Senior High
Third Place: Kayla Adams
Duo Impromptu Junior High
First Place: Quinn Borroni
Second Place: Noel Shackelford
Third Place: Kendall Coddington
Duo Impromptu Senior High
First Place: Brenna Graham and Kayla Adams
Second Place: Madysn Tusick
Third Place: Kayla Adams
