Vampire Math Contest

Ms. Llambi and Ms. Daire organized a “Vampire Math Contest”. The prizes were donated by Burger King Corporation.


VAMPIRE MATH :Give it a try. See how well you do.

A North American wolf, or Canis Lupus, weighs approximately 80 pounds and measures an average of 5 feet from its nose to the tip of its tail. Use this information to answer questions # 1 & 2.

1.)When in wolf form, Jake is 3 times the size of a Canis Lupus. How long is he from nose to tail?

2.)How much do you expect Jake to weigh? HINT: The answer is NOT 240 pounds!

3.)Bella, Edward, Alice, and Jasper are sitting around a round table. How many different sitting arrangements can you make if Bella cannot sit next to Jasper?

Use the following assumptions to answer questions # 4 & 5.

Assumptions:
One vampire exists.
That vampire must suck one person’s blood each week to survive.
Once a person is bitten by a vampire, he or she becomes a vampire.

4.)Assuming that none of the vampires die, how many vampires exist after 2 weeks?

5.)How many people will be bitten during Week 4?

Use the following information to answer question # 6

In The Night World series, it is very difficult for a born vampire (called a lamia) or a made vampire to find its soulmate. Suppose a Vampire scholar collected the following data:

Vampire’s Name Age at which Soul Mate was found
James 17 years & 3 months
Ash 18 years & 4 months
Delos 17 years & 1 month
Quinn 18 years and 2 months
Thierry 19 years & 2 months

6.)What is the mean age at which the vampires listed above found their soul mate?

7.)In The House of Night, Zoey dreams of Heath, Erick, Loren, Stark, and even Kalona. Suppose that she dreams of one of them (in that order) once every day starting on New Year’s Day when the Raven Mockers were reborn. Who does she dream of on February 14th?

Use the following information to answer question # 8.

In the Vampire Diaries Book 3: The Fury, Robert E. Lee High is located in Old Creek Road on the other side of the new bridge as shown. There is a tunnel under the bridge that Elena can take to get to the school unseen. The distance BI = 13 and IT = 7.

8.) What could be the length of the bridge (BT) if it is an integer value?
HINT: < BIT is NOT a right angle! Use picture at top of post.

Thanks to the Burger King Corporation for the prizes.

ANSWERS WILL BE POSTED IN JANUARY. How well did you do ?

Communication Academy meets Leonard Pitts

The Communications Academy visited the Book Fair and met Leonard Pitts, Jr. He was there to promote his new book “Before I Forget.” Mrs. Elizabeth Cardenas uses his columns from the Herald and his other book “Forward From This Moment” a collection of his columns from 1994-2009 regularly in her Journalism class. Mr. Pitts is a Pulitzer Prize winner and the kids love his stuff. It was very exciting. They got to hear him talk and they were able to interview him!!! The picture is the one he took with the Communication Academy students.

Viper Art Blog

If you follow or visit my blog you should also visit the Varela Art Blog. Ms. Figuera has done an excellent job at showcasing all the great things happening in the art department. She also posts information on scholarships, competitions and art information.

Visit and see all the great artist works. One day we will wish we could afford to buy them.

For more information about the Varela art department, you can email Mr. Dan Dawes, department chairperson at ddawes@dadeschools.net

Click here to go to Varela Art Blog

David Essner Mathematics Competition

Congratulations to DAKOTA SANTANA for qualifying to represent Felix Varela Sr. at the final round of the David Essner Mathematics competition sponsored by the University of Miami. Dakota scored the highest among many talented Varela Math students on a preliminary competition test last December 3rd.

Viper Grand Prize winner at Orange Bowl Creative Art Contest

I am proud to announce that Dillon Shah, student at Felix Varela Senior High School is the GRAND PRIZE WINNER of the Orange Bowl Creative Arts Contest. Dillon has won a $1,000 Savings Bond, two tickets to the 2010 FedEx Orange Bowl game at Land Shark Stadium, recognition during on-field presentation at the 2010 Orange Bowl and FREE Burritos from Chipolte Grill for one year.

The artwork will be featured in a full page ad in the FedEx Orange Bowl game program !

Congratulations to Dillon and the Viper Art department :)

American Dance Alliance Competition

On December 9th at Killian Sr High, the American Dance Alliance held thier annual competiton. Schools from all of Miami Dade County competed. I was proud to attend to watch the Jazz and Varsity Open Competitions.

The team received Superior ratings for their National routines in the Open and Jazz division. They also received the Best Overall Award, which included best technique, original choreography and superior showmanship. Angelica Sepulveda received 1st place and Liz Padilla received 4th place in the senior solo division. In the duet category, Samantha Perez and Angelica Sepulveda received 1st place and Jacquelyn Lopez and Rebecca Hernandez took 3rd.

Congratulations to the Enchanters, their coaches and the parents.
The Viper family is very proud !!!

Click below to watch excerpts of dances:
Open Dance
Jazz Routine
Solo I
Solo II

Haitian American Leadership Organization

Haitian American Leadership Organization (HALO) offers 6 scholarships for post-secondary education

HALO is offering six scholarships of up to $1,000 to high school seniors of Haitian descent in good academic standing. Applications are now being accepted for the 2010 scholarships and the deadline is December 11, 2009.

The award recipients will be invited to attend HALO's annual gala and award ceremony that will be held on January 16, 2010 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Miami.

You may contact HALO with any questions at (888) 759-0085. You may also visit www.halohaiti.org.

Bright Futures Application

Seniors:
The Bright Futures application is now available online. You may apply at: http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org

FAFSA application will be available as of January 1st. You and your parents may now request a PIN, which will be needed in order to complete and process the FAFSA. The PIN may be requested at: http://www.pin.ed.gov

Thespian Troupe 6162

It is with great pride that that we announce that Felix Varela’s very own Thespian Troupe 6162 has been chosen two years in a row as a critique’s choice out of 27 High Schools that competed in Dade County for their originally written 1 Act The Memoirs of Romeo and Juliet.

Not only did the students attain an overall rating of Superior, but our Thespians also took home the coveted prizes of Best Technical Production as well as one of the highest honors in the district Best Actor through Zack Lopez’s performance as the Narrator.

To let you know the scope of these accomplishments, we have been chosen over such supposed “highly acclaimed schools” such as New World and have the honor of having on of our students be chosen as THE best actor in the district of Miami-Dade County which includes private schools.

Congratulations to all the thespians, to our theater arts teacher Mr. Quintana and Mr. Bode, our stagecraft teacher.


Click to watch openning

Vipers go to college !!

It’s the time of year when many of our student-athletes are deciding where to continue their education. This decision has already been made for one of our Vipers! Johnny Barbato will attend the University of Florida next year, signing a scholarship to play baseball for the Gators! This is a proud day for Johnny and his family whose father is our own baseball coach, John Barbato. Several other Viper Athletes are weighing college scholarship offers and will make their decisions in the coming months. We wish the best of luck to all our athletes as they continue their athletic careers.

Viper Cross Country Team

The Viper Cross Country teams qualified for the State Tournament in Dade City a few weeks ago. Representing the Girls squad was Stephanie Espinosa making her 2nd trip to State. The entire Boys team qualified including: Angelous Serna, Yazid Tejada, Mauricio Raules, Marc McIntyre, Marco Madriaga, Blair Bryce and Martin Tenorio. Congratulations to all of these athletes!

Proration of Student Allocation

The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) plans to prorate the Base Student Allocation for school districts. As a result of this proration, districts througout the state will be penalized. If you recall, our district has experienced a decrease in student enrollment and as such, our revenues have suffered due to lower FTE.

MDSCPS submitted an estimate of 341,627 for the 2009-2010 school year and the state did not accept this estimate. MDCPS had to lower the estimate by an additional 1,400 FTE'S to 340,227 even though there was no disagreement about the validity of the data. As it turned out, the actual FTE for the district will be 342,085. If the Legislature chooses to reduce the Base Student Allocation (BSA) for every student, the results for our district will further erode the budget thus negatively impacting all aspects of school operations including salaries.

I strongly urge you to contact your state legislators to urge them not to reduce the BSA. I have included a list of the Miami-Dade County Legislative Delegation including telephone numbers and email addresses so you can contact them and express your opposition and concern. You should also encourage your stakeholders to do the same.


 2009-2010 MIAMI-DADE COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION

Felix Varela Senior:

State Senator: N. Rich
State Representative: M. Llorente

Viper Vibe Link

An issue of our newspaper is officially up online at ASNE’s website. Don’t forget to visit it. They award the schools with the highest hits every month. Encourage your everyone to give us a look. It is in full color. You can even download a pdf of the full paper.


Viper Vibe Link

Information for Parents about Eating Disorders

Mental Health and Crisis Management Services Information for Parents about Eating Disorders

Did you know?

• The holiday season is a fun time of the year for millions of children throughout the world. Festivities, gathering with family and friends and celebrating often includes increased pressure to indulge in holiday meals and treats.
• For individuals suffering from eating disorders, this can be an extremely difficult time.
• The most common eating disorders, Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia, affect more than 24 million Americans each year, according to The Alliance for Eating Disorder Awareness.

What is an eating disorder?

• Eating disorders -- such as Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge Eating Disorder – include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. Eating disorders are serious emotional and physical problems that can have life-threatening consequences for females and males.

Signs and Symptoms

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.

• Refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for height, body type, age, and activity level
• Intense fear of weight gain or being “fat”
• Feeling “fat” or overweight despite dramatic weight loss
• Loss of menstrual periods in females
• Extreme concern with body weight and shape

Bulimia

Bulimia includes eating large amounts of food (binging) --more than most people would eat in one meal--in short periods of time, then getting rid of the food and calories through vomiting, laxative abuse, or over-exercising (purging).

• Repeated episodes of binging and purging
• Feeling out of control during a binge and eating beyond the point of comfortable fullness
• Purging after a binge, (typically by self-induced vomiting, abuse of laxatives, diet pills and/or diuretics, excessive exercise, or fasting)
• Frequent dieting
• Extreme concern with body weight and shape

Compulsive Eating

Compulsive eating is characterized primarily by periods of uncontrolled, impulsive, or continuous eating beyond the point of feeling comfortably full.

• May be sporadic fasts or repetitive diets and often feelings of shame or self-hatred after a binge.
• May struggle with anxiety, depression, and loneliness, which can contribute to their unhealthy episodes of binge eating.
Body weight may vary from normal to mild, moderate, or severe obesity.

Get Help• If you suspect your child is suffering from an eating disorder, seek treatment immediately. The goal of intervention is to help children develop a healthy outlook about themselves and a positive attitude about food.
• Set a healthy example by serving a variety of nutritious foods and discuss the importance of a balanced diet. Exercise should be encouraged as part of a healthy lifestyle.
• See your family doctor for medical advice and or resources.
• Visit your school counseling professionals for resources in the community.
• Many times individual, group, and family counseling services are found to be very helpful.

Information adapted from http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/nedaDir/files/documents/handouts/WhatIsEd.pdf and http://www.uclahealth.org/workfiles/documents/healthtips/ht0508.pdf.

M-DCPS wishes you and your family a Happy, Healthy Holiday Season!!!!

Mental Health and Crisis Management Services
M-DCPS Crisis Hotline: 305-995-CARE http://mhcms.dadeschools.net/

Varela Feeder Pattern AP of the Year

Congratulations to Ms. Nery Fins, assistant principal at Felix Varela Senior High school who has been nominated the Varela feeder pattern AP of the Year.

Beyond the Bell

BECAUSE LEARNING DOESN’T STOP WHEN THE SCHOOL DAY ENDS.

What does Beyond the Bell provide?

•Supplemental online curriculum content to support student learning
•Individualized student learning paths beyond the school day
•Supplemental learning tools for targeted students in grades 3-11 aligned to their FCAT level
•Resource for students and parents to engage learning using technology
•Updates every nine weeks to the learning paths reflecting the district curriculum focus

Instructional Tools Available:
Grades 3-5
• Ticket To Read

Grades 3-11
Reading Plus
Riverdeep
Destination Math
Destination Reading

Grades 4-11
Gizmos
Mathematics and Science

Grades 6-8
Compass Learning
Language Arts/Reading
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies


How do I access Beyond the Bell? Log in using the M-DCPS Student Portal at
http://myportal.dadeschools.net/student/

Greater Miami Dog Show & South Dade Kennel Club

Dog Show at the Miami Dade County Fair Expo Center
presented by the Greater Miami Dog Club and South Dade Kennel Club
the Felix Varela Sr High Vet students were asked to help with the animals and with the set up.

December 2 - 1:00 PM
Breed Specialty Shows
December 3 - December 5
All Breed Conformation Shows
Junior Showmanship
Obedience and Rally Trials
December 5
Agility Trails

For more information abuot the show, please contact MiamiDogShow@gmail.com

Magnet Fair at Varela Senior High School

We are holding a Magnet Fair for interested parents of 8th graders on Wednesday, December 9th at 6:00 p.m. Our Magnet Programs include Global Studies and Veterinarian Science programs.

FIFA World Cup

Once every four years, the world's premier national soccer teams participate in the FIFA World CUP. Please join me in support of the bid to bring the World Cup to Miami in 2018 or 2022. The participation of the entire Miami-Dade County Public Schools' family will go along way toward ensuring that the world's most prestigious soccer tournament comes to the United States and Miami. Help us obtain the needed 50,000 signatures before any other U.S. city by taking: a moment to sign the online petition in support of this effort. The petition may be found at:

www.gousabid.com/miami

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Miami-Dade County Public School's to join others in our community to welcome the world to South Florida. Thank you for helping to promote our community's participation in this exciting worldwide event.

Parent Resource Guide

Everything you need to know about your Child’s Education
is now at your fingertips! www.dadeschools.net

Todo lo que necesita saber sobre la Educación de su hijo
¡En la punta de sus dedos! www.dadeschools.net

Varela High chasing another state title in boys' soccer

BY ANDRE C. FERNANDEZ
a1fernandez@MiamiHerald.com
After back-to-back state championships and a mythical national title, the Varela boys' soccer team enjoyed its role as an underdog last year.

But the Vipers still were Miami-Dade County's top team, with a surprising return to the Class 6A state final four led by players who were reserves during the championship seasons.

``The bus rides back home after every victory last year were great,'' Varela coach J.C. Gonzalez said. ``Everybody was having a blast because it was a first every time we won another big game for most of them.''

The Vipers won't catch anyone by surprise this season.

With nine seniors returning, including seven starters, Varela will endeavor to recapture the state title and become the second Dade team, joining Gulliver from 1991-1994, to advance to the state tournament four seasons in a row.

``We've got the bull's-eye on us again,'' Gonzalez said. ``The good thing is that these guys have matured a lot and seem to know how to handle the pressure they'll be under this year.''

Varela (1-0) already is off to a good start after beating Westminster Christian, a Class 2A regional finalist last season, in its season-opener. The Vipers' path to state will go through a tough Dade region that includes perennial contenders Killian, Ferguson, Columbus and American.

Varela's main striker, Johnny Vidales, is back after a stellar junior season, and he will try to help the Vipers navigate the tough path back to the state playoffs.

Vidales, who did not play soccer during his first two seasons of high school, scored 23 goals and was named The Miami Herald's Class 6A Player of the Year last season. He hasn't received college scholarship offers yet, but Gonzalez expects them to come soon.

``He's really grown up as a player,'' Gonzalez said. ``His ability to create goals and spread the ball around has improved. Several coaches have expressed interest in him.''

Gonzalez said the Vipers will have more depth and a tougher defensive team this season.

Danny Gonzalez, a 6-foot senior sweeper, became eligible this season and will anchor the defense. Senior Enrique Villa, who broke his toe early last season, also is back on defense.

Villa's brother, Andres, has been the most pleasant surprise so far.

Andres was a third-string goalkeeper last season, behind All-Dade goalie Bryan Medeiros. After Medeiros graduated, the backup goalkeeper moved to New York, giving Andres a chance to start.

He has three shutouts so far, including preseason victories against Hollywood Chaminade and a scoreless tie against Class 3A power Gulliver.

Gonzalez said he has seen major improvement from senior midfielder Victor Cortez, and he expects major contributions from sophomore midfielder Nahuel Medina, who scored in the season-opener.

``We got bigger physically, and our bench is deeper, which is good because I think we kind of ran out of gas toward the end of the season last year,'' Gonzalez said.

``Our concern is not to let the hype get to us, since we're going to have everyone targeting us as the team to beat again.

Miami Herald Story

Ultimate Frisbee

Despite the rain today, Ms. Torre's freshman classes participated in the exciting Ultimate Frisbee Tournament. Every class practiced for a month and the winning team played other teams.

The tournament was moved into the gym due to the weather. Both the boys and girls teams had a wonderful time. I had never seen ultimate frisbee and was thrilled to watch their skills.

The first place boys team was comprised of :
Christina Vivanco
Jesus Rodriguez
Ernesto Artega
Arthur Alcuria
Jonathan Hall
Christian Ortiz
Alejandro Estrada

The first place girls team was comprised of:
Stephanie Martinez
Stephanie Carrasco
Jasmin Salomon
Heba Kazmi
Alexandra Ramirez
Kamley Rodriguez

The champions got medals and will be going on a field trip to the Indian Hammocks Park to continue their frisbee love in the golf frisbee course.

CONGRATULATIONS CHAMPS !

Ms. Noris Tamayo's class Spreads Cheer

Ms. Noris Tamayo, spanish and German teacher at Felix Varela Senior High School and some of her students visited the Margret Facilitites.They shared time with the ederly living there and took a Thanksgiving basket.

The young and old had a great time. They vowed to return.

Viper turns Gator !

Senior student John Barbato Jr signed his letter of intent to attend the University of Florida on a baseball scholarship.

Johnny's mom, sisters and proud dad (also a teacher at Varela) were present during the signing.

We wish Johnny much luck in his baseball career and hope to be cheering him on the major leagues one day.

HOSA pennies are really adding up thanks to all of you. The drive ends in March and they will be transported to Orlando in April where, at the State Conference, they will be donated to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Teachers example is really motivating our students. You’re amazing.

While this is not a race or anything, thank you Ms. Dymond for filling her liter container already. HOSA will clean your room on 01/18/10. Those who requested containers are also doing really well so thanks again and expect the same service, as promised.

Christina Eve Elementary School visits Varela

The students from Chrisitina Eve Elementary School collected pet supplies for Varela's Vet Program. On November 24th, they visited the program.

They visited the barn and saw the goats, bunnies, and turkeys. They viewed the pond with ducks and geese. They, also, tasted homemade butter. YUM !

All students had a great time and the animals and humans appreciated the supplies they donated to the program.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a day set aside to give thanks for our blessings. Second only to Independence Day, Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday.

It was first celebrated in Virginia at Berkeley Plantation, where English colonists first held a Thanksgiving celebration on December 4, 1619, one year and 17 days prior to the landing of the Pilgrims in Massachusetts. This first Thanksgiving occurred when Captain John Woodlief led the newly arrived English colonists to a grassy slope along the James River and instructed them to drop to their knees and pray in thanks to God for a safe arrival to the New World.The first Thanksgiving feast lasted three days providing enough food for 53 pilgrims and 90 Indians. The traditional Thanksgiving menu often features turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. Americans may eat these foods on modern day Thanksgiving, but the first feast did not consist of these items. On the first feast turkey was any type of fowl that the pilgrims hunted. Pumpkin pie wasn't on the menu because there were no ovens for baking, but they did have boiled pumpkin. Cranberries weren't introduced at this time. Due to the diminishing supply of flour there was no bread of any kind. The foods included in the first feast included duck, geese, venison, fish, lobster, clams, swan, berries, dried fruit, pumpkin, squash, and many more vegetables.

This year many families are struggling in our Varela community, the students and faculty with the guidance of Ms. Christin and the student goverment officers were able to feed over 30 needy Varela families.

My wish for you and your family is that this year you are thankful for:

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Army comes to Varela

The Army brought one of their interactive trucks to Varela. Classes were given tours and talks about staying in school and college opportunities.

Everyone including the administration had fun touring the bus and playing the simulations.

Varela Boys Soccer Season

The season for Boys Soccer has begun. On November 19th, they played rivals Killian at the Kendall Soccer Park and beat them with an impressive 5-1 final score.

GO VIPERS !

St Rep Anitere Flores

State Representative Anitere Flores held an Educational Forum at Varela Sr High School. She invivted representatives from the Florida Department of Education, Miami Dade Community College, Florida International University and the College Board.

Many parents and students took advantage to ask questions and get information about college and scholarships.

Scholarships Available

The National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) is offering more than 600 full scholarships to U.S. high school students to study abroad and learn Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, Hindi, Korean, Russian, and Turkish. Programs begin in Summer 2010.

The Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, in cooperation with American Councils for International Education, AFS-USA, iEARN-USA, and Concordia Language Villages, is awarding U.S. government funding to high school and just-graduated students (ages 15 – 18) to participate in summer, one-semester and full-year language programs in countries where these languages are widely spoken. Past participants of the NSLI-Y program are eligible to apply again.

Programs immerse participants in the cultural and political life of their host country, giving them invaluable formal and informal language practice and sparking a lifetime interest in foreign languages and cultures. While abroad, students will have the opportunity to possibly live with a host family, attend intensive language classes or enroll in a local high school, and participate in cultural and community service programs

As program partner, iEARN is administering programs in Korea, Morocco, India, and China. In addition, iEARN will be providing students with access to the Language Lounges -- an online interactive space where students can practice reading and writing their language of study before, during, and after their physical exchange. Through the Language Lounges, NSLI-Y students have access to thousands of native speakers of each of the seven NSLI-Y languages, who are part of the iEARN network around the world.

Students wishing to apply for the scholarship need to:
be U.S. citizens
be between the ages of 15-18 years at the time of departure
be enrolled in high school at the time of application
have at least a 2.5 GPA
Deadline for application is December 4, 2009.

For more information on the NSLI-Y program and to apply, please visit www.NSLIforYouth.org.

Posse Scholar Finalist

Congratulations! Felix Varela Sr High School student, ANGELICA SEPULVEDA has been selected as a Posse Finalist. This year, close to 800 students were nominated for Posse Miami and she is one of 21 students who have been selected to be a Posse Scholarship Finalist for Mount Holyoke College. This is the last stage of the Posse Scholarship recruitment process. From this group, ten students will be chosen to be part of Mount Holyoke Civic Engagement Posse 1. Each Posse Scholar will receive a four-year, full-tuition, merit-leadership scholarship to Mount Holyoke College, worth approximately $100,000.

Good luck Angelica.

The Felix Varela Sr High School Visual Arts Department, faculty and student body congratulates the following students for receiving the M-DCPS Award of Distinction for Art at the Mystical Imagery Exhibition:

Ceramics:
Yadezi Abreu
Michelle Diaz
Bianca Khan
Randol Martinez
Natacha Montoya
Meylin Rojas
Maia Verano

Computer Art:
Sebastina Rayo

The award ceremony takes place Nov. 19th at 6PM.
801 Studios located at:
The Jose Marti Building
801 SW 3rd Avenue
Miami, Florida

Posted picture is award winning Digital art/photoshop by Sebastian Rayo 11th grade, Titled “Brina’s Spell”

Varela's Band of Mystery

At the November 13th football game the Felix Varela's Band of Mystery entertained the crowd and performed their award winning performance at the halftime show.

A special thank you goes out to all the band parents for their unwavering support of their children, the music department and the long hours they dedicate to make the band such a success.

Also, a very heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Chris Illa, band director for his leadership, perseverance, loyalty and love of the his band.

And lastly but most importantly, thank you to the young men and women who make up the Band of Mystery Marching band and Flag Corp. We thank you for the long hours of practice in the hot sun, the entertainment you provide at pep rallies, special occasions and at games, and the pride with which you perform. You are true Vipers! Your sacrifices do not go unseen and unheard. Your superior ratings at competitions are a testament to your greatness.

THANK YOU.

Last Football Game of the Season

Tonight, the Varela Vipers football team played their last game of the season. They beat Coral Park in an astonishing win.

The faculty and student body of Varela is very proud of their team. Congratulations are in order to first year head coach,Matt Dixon,and all of the coaching staff. The parents and families of the players are also to be commended for their dedication to our athletes on and off the field.

We are very proud of you !

Scholarship Opportunity

The Hispanic Heritage Foundation and Colgate-Palmolive Company

You could win:

(1) Grand Prize — $10,000 educational grant
(15) First Prizes — $1,000 educational grant

Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and Washington, D.C., who are high school students 16 years of age or older as of 9/15/09. Additionally, one of entrant's biological parents must consider themselves Hispanic.

Visit www.colgate.com/hazlau and follow the on-screen directions to submit your contest entry.

Essay (500 words or less) on:

HOW CAN EDUCATION IMPACT THE HERITAGE OF HISPANIC GENERATIONS TO COME?

Essays will be judged by The Hispanic Heritage Foundation to determine (1) Grand Prize winner and (15) First Prize winners. All judging will be based on the following 3 criteria: originality and creativity (40%); inspirational quality (40%); and appropriateness to topic (20%).

DEADLINE: Applications are being accepted through 11/30/09.

Burger King Scholarship Opportunity

BURGER KING® Scholars Program criteria

Applicant must be a high school senior who:

Maintains a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher

Works part-time for a minimum of 10 hours per week or 40 weeks per year

Be actively involved in community service activities

Demonstrates financial need (1040 form required)

Plans to enroll in an accredited two/or four-year college, university, or vocational/technical school by Fall of the application year.

The $1,000 awards may be used for educational expenses, such as tuition fees and books, during the first year of college or post-secondary vocational/technical school. For students to qualify, they must be a high school senior and a U.S. or Canada resident that meets our criteria above. To learn more about the program, please visit our website at www.haveityourwayfoudation.org, and click on BURGER KING® Scholars.

Applications are available online Sept. 14, 2009 – Feb. 1, 2010. Applications and all accompanying materials must be postmarked no later than Feb. 1, 2010. Instructions on how students can apply are indicated on the attached flyer and can be posted on your high school’s scholarship bulletin board. Furthermore, if you or the applicants have any questions regarding the program, please contact International Scholarship and Tuition Services (ISTS) at (615) 320-3149 or info@applyists.com or Barby Dorado at (305) 378-3186 or bdorado@whopper.com.

Education Forum Hosted by St Rep Anitere Flores

Florida House of Representatives

Representative Anitere Flores

District 114

WHO: Representatives from the College Board, Florida Department of Education, Florida International University Admissions, and Miami-Dade College Admissions.

WHAT: Education Forum on College Preparedness (information about Florida
International University and Miami-Dade College undergraduate programs, the SAT test registration and preparation, financial aid options, scholarship
opportunities, and general information on preparing for college after high-school graduation).

WHERE: Felix Varela Senior High School
15255 SW 96th Street
Miami, FL 33196

WHEN: Monday, November 16, 2009
6:00PM-8:00PM

State Representative Anitere Flores (R, 114) invites the community to an education forum on college preparedness. The forum will bring together community leaders, educators, students, parents, and others to discuss the importance of a college education and how to prepare, and the future of public education. Participants will provide information about the transition from high school to college.

“This is a great opportunity for students and parents to come learn more about life after high school—applying and getting into college, financial assistance options, and scholarship opportunities,” said Representative Flores. “In today's economy a college education is extremely important, and I want to make sure that our students and parents feel that they have the information available to prepare for that next step after high school graduation.”

Veterans Honored at Varela

This morning faculty, staff and students honored Veterans to commemorate Veterans Day. Once again we had a surviving Tuskegee Airman visit classes and receive a commendation in the name of our school for his bravery.

Mr. Vinat, social studies teacher and Master of Ceremony organized the event. The NJROTC presented the colors and the Varela Band of Mystery played for the assembly. Everyone was moved as TAPS was played dedicated to all our brave men and women who gave their lives for our freedom.

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis

Veteran's Day

There will be no school on Wednesday, November 11th in commemoration of Veteran's Day.

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis

Felix Varela Senior High

Veterans Day Ceremony 2009

Tuesday Nov. 10

8:45am

Open Courtyard

The NJROTC along with the Social Studies Department will recognize the dedication and service of our men and women in uniform.

Veterans at our school include:

Walter Koppel, US Air Force- 4 Years

Ernesto Lorenzo- US Air Force- 6 Years

Ralph Flores- US Army- First Infantry

Ernesto Marquez-Reyes (Son of Graciela Reyes) - Staff Sergeant- US Army- 82nd Airborne at Ft. Bragg, NC- 4 ½ Years- Army Reserve

Carl Stephen Norton (Late Husband of Nicole Townsend) - US Army- Ft Drum NY

Charles Leo- Commander- US Navy (Retired) - 26 Years

Eduardo Lowe- Gunnery Sergeant- US Marine Corps (Retired) - 20 Years

Rafael Camacho- Electronic Technician- 1st Class- US Navy- 20 Years

Homecoming Game Alumni and Faculty Reunion

November 6th was a special night for Felix Varela Sr High. During our homecoming football game, alumni, former and current faculty attended the game to celebrate the school's 10th anniversary.

It was a wonderful night when we all saw friends and former students. All alumni and faculty were treated to a special halftime salute ! You could feel the Viper family love.

The anniversary committee is to be commended for getting the word out and a heartfelt thank you to all the former faculty, administrators and students who attended and made it such a wonderful night.

Spooky Shadows

On October 28, Varela sponsored its annual Spooky Shadows. Children from the neighborhood were treated to candy, games and fun.

A big SHOUT OUT goes to Ms. Felicia Christin for organizing it and all the club sponsors and students who made this annual event such a success.

Survey of Federally Connected Students

On November 9, 2009, all schools will participate in a Title VIII survey to determine the number of federally connected students in M-DCPS for each "eligible student." An eligible student is defined to mean a student who lives with a parent/guardian that meets one or more of the following criteria.

- Is in the uniformed services which includes the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, Commissioned Geodetic Survey, or Public Health Service; or
- Is both an accredited foreign government official and foreign military officer; or
- Is a civilian employee who works at one of the federal properties (list at the end)
- Is a migratory worker residing in: Everglades Village, Redland Labor camp, or South Dade Labor Camp.

Properties Certified Eligible Under Title VIII

Air Defense Support Facility HM01 (Perrine)
Army Reserve Center (11700 NW 27 Ave
Army Reserve Center (5600 San Amaro Dr)
Army Reserve Center (Richmond Field)
Biscayne National Monument (Homestead)
Coast Guard Air Station
Coast Guard Base
Coast Guard Miami radio Station
Coast Guard Richmond Heights Housing
Engineers Sub-Office
Everglades National Park - WORK ON
FAA Air International Flight Station
FAA Air Route Traffic Control Center
Federal Office Bldg
Homestead Air Force Base LIVE ON OR WORK ON
Metro Correctional Center
National Guard Homestead
Naval Observatory Substation
Naval Reserve Training Center
Naval Security Group (Old Card Sound Rd.)
Nike Hercules Site #69 / Site #95
NOAA
Plant introduction Garden (Cutler Rd-Chapman Field)
Post Office & Courthouse (300 NE 1st Ave)
Richmond Air Force Station
Veterans Hospital (1201 NW 16 st)

A federal law, Title VIII, provides reimbursement for each child whose parent or guardian qualififes. Please have your child return the form to the attendance office on or before November 18, 2009.

Varela Students share their Artwork with the World!

Miami, FL -- Move Over Famous Artists! Felix Varela Senior High School artists are taking over the spotlight! Felix Varela Visual Arts Department, has teamed up with Artsonia, www.artsonia.com -- the world's largest online kid's art museum -- to display the students' artwork.

Anyone can view the school gallery online at: www.artsonia.com/schools/felix2 . Visitors can browse the artwork in the school gallery by grade level, or by specific exhibits. Felix Varela Senior High School students join thousands of students from over 100 countries whose artwork is showcased on Artsonia.

All of Artsonia's artwork (nearly 5 million and counting!) are viewable online, and any teacher or parent can create an online art gallery for their child or school. Artsonia provides several online features such as fan clubs and personal guestbooks, as a way for families to encourage the creativity and imaginations of their young artists. In addition, family members can purchase keepsakes imprinted with the child's artwork, with Artsonia donating 15 percent of their annual product revenue back to school art programs.

Headquartered in Gurnee, Ill., Artsonia was established in 2000 as an online kid's art museum providing free, educational resources for kids, families and schools to create art projects. Since its inception, Artsonia continues to integrate technology in the classroom, develop multi-cultural understanding through art and increase family involvement in children's education. To find out more, visit www.artsonia.com .

Spooky Shadows Night

Bring your children to Felix Varela's Safe Spooky Shadows for Halloween fun today from 4 pm - 7 pm. Admission is 2 cans of non perishable food. Children will be treated to games, candy and a costume contest.

Ana Rivas Logan Town Hall Meeting

Please join School Board Member Ana Rivas Logan
Town Hall Meeting
Thursday, November 5, 2009
6:00 - 7:30 p.m.

Terra Environmental Research Institute
11005 S.W. 84th Street
Miami, Florida

Free vision screenings, free health information, participate in a FREE financial informational presentation, job fair, express your concerns

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GET A JUMP ON A CAREER IN OPTOMETRY

.....AND HELP THEIR CLASSMATES TO BETTER VISION

balonso@MiamiHerald.com

Students at Felix Varela High School in Kendall have no excuses when they cannot read what the teacher writes on the board.

Because in a corner classroom on the first floor, 60 students and one enthusiastic teacher are eager to make them a free pair of eyeglasses in 15 minutes or less.

The students are enrolled in the Optometric Assisting program, one of the four programs that make up the school's Academy of Health Science and Medicine.

Led by David Thomas, who operated an optometric office in South Miami for 20 years before joining Varela's teaching staff nine years ago, the Optometric Assisting program extensively prepares students for a career in optometry.

The students are provided with the opportunity to learn how to operate just about every machine needed for a basic eye exam.

And the machines get used. Thomas' large classroom has been transformed into a full-fledged laboratory with a sign-in desk at the front, a small examination room in the back and rows of different machines used to test color vision, check for glaucoma or shave the edges off a glass lens, just to name a few.

While they always recommend a professional eye exam, the students work diligently testing the vision of their peers as part of their ``campaign to have every student at Varela see well,'' Thomas said.

Since the school year began, they have created and distributed glasses to about 40 students, and they are equipped for many more.

``It feels really great,'' said 18-year-old senior Melissa Crespo, who enrolled in the program her freshman year. ``Last year, a girl came to us who couldn't see at all. When we gave [the glasses] to her, she was super excited and now, she's always wearing them.''

Their campaign for better vision does not stop at the doors of the school.

For the last four years, the students of the Optical Assisting program have sent at least 200 pairs of eyeglasses collectively to South Africa, Ghana, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and this year, India.

The glasses are distributed by the nonprofit organization, Unified for Global Healing, as they work to provide health care and social services around the world.

A large photo of an older South African woman wearing her first pair of eyeglasses and smiling from ear to ear sits in Thomas' classroom and constantly reminds the students how much their work is worth.

``It's really heartwarming,'' said 16-year-old Edwin Gaitan, a junior who said his lifelong dream of becoming a surgeon has been changing since he enrolled in Optical Assisting.

According to Thomas, that is one of his only goals.

``Most [students] come into the Academy already wanting to be in the medical profession, but if we can just get a few students to go into the optical field, then that's great,'' he said.

Lady Vipers Volleyball Team

The Lady Viper Volleyball team competed in a tri-match last night at Braddock HS. The event was set up to raise money for breast cancer research through the DIG Pink Foundation. It was a great success with not only good volleyball matches, but contests and prizes that helped to raise over $800 for the cause!!

Title I District Advisory Council General Meeting

Title I District Advisory Council (DAC)

GENERAL MEETING

Parents and Families Are Invited!


Date: Thursday, October 22, 2009
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Place: West Miami Middle School
7525 S.W. 24th Street
Miami, Florida 33155
Agenda:

Student Services Update
CAP Information

Remember: Title I DAC General Meetings are scheduled for you to receive Title I updates, M-DCPS information and community resources. Spanish and Haitian Creole translation services are provided at the meeting.
SEE YOU THERE!

MDC Honors College Open House

MDC Honors College will be hosting an Open House today, Thursday, October 22, 2009, at 3:30 p.m. in the Kendall Campus. Interested students and parents should go to Bldg. # 3, Second Floor.

Requirements to the Honors College are a 3.7 GPA or 1200 SAT or 26 ACT.

GMAC Diving Champion

Varela has a new GMAC Champion in diving!! Amanda Kleyla who is a new student here from the Orlando area did 11 dives yesterday and won the gold medal. Amanda has only done 6 dives in competition before and yesterday was told that in championship meets she needed 11 dives. She did 5 dives that she has never done before and received her highest scores in each one of these new dives. A fabulous win for her and we are proud to have the first GMAC Champion in diving. Congratulations Amanda!!

Varela art students leave their mark on school walls

KENDALLGAZETTE One of Miami’s Community Newspapers Phone: 305-669-7355
www.communitynewspapers.com SEPTEMBER 22 - 28, 2009

Since the opening of the school during the 2000-01 academic year Felix Varela High School art students have been leaving their mark in more ways than one. The advanced Drawing and Painting and ceramics students have adorned the walls from the opening breezeway, welcoming students as they walk into the building, all the way through the corridors of the media center on the second floor of Varela’s main building.

Pictured with the Athletics Mural completed in June are (l-r) Solangel Rodriguez, Sean Cruz, Jhoan Diaz and Jonathan Chuck.

Principal for the Day

On Wednesday, October 21 will be the Principal for the Day in all Dade County Public Schools. Felix Varela Sr students are super excited to have DJ Laz from Power 96 be their principal.

He will speak to the Mass Media and Communications Academy students in a question and answer forum on how the music and radio business work.

Winter Sports Try Outs

Our winter sports season is about to get underway. There are 5 sports that make up the winter season including: Girls and Boys Soccer, Girls and Boys basketball and Wrestling. Contact the head coaches for more information.

Tryout dates:

• Girls soccer - Coach Torre - October 12
• Boys soccer - Coach Gonzalez - October 19
• Wrestling - Coach Alvarez - October 26
• Girls Basketball -Coach Schneider - October 26
• Boys Basketball - Coach Lacaci - November 2
  

Communication Academy

Please join me in congratulating all the students in the Communications Academy at Varela Senior High School.

On Saturday, October 3rd they participated in the Florida Scholastic Press Association's Journalism Day Conference at FIU and they received first place in every contest they entered.

The WVHS News Program was voted #1 in Miami- Dade County in the Carry in News Program Competition.

Viper Vibe (newspaper) students received first place in the On The Spot Newspaper Competition.

Vox Vipera (literary magazine) students received first place in the On The Spot Liz Mag Competition.

WVHS News students received First Place in the On the Spot News Reporting.

See the CBS4 news clip
http://cbs4.com/video/?id=84213@wfor.dayport.com

H1N1 Town Hall Meetings

Join the Miami-Dade County Health Department and Community Leaders in Town Hall Meetings to discuss preventive measures.

Schedule at http://tinyurl.com/ng8493

Please see www.dadehealth.org for updates.

Florida FLU information Line 1-877-352-3581

www.MyFluSafety.com

Town Hall Meeting

Univision Radio, WQBA 1140 AM, in conjunction with Florida International University, Miami Dade College and Miami-Dade County Public Schools will hold an Education Town Hall on September 30, 2009, entitled: Education in South Florida, Challenges and Solutions. This town hall will be the first of its kind presenting South Florida's education leaders as they interact with students, concerned parents, and members of the media. Educational leaders will share their ideas on how to work together to breach the gap between the needs of our community and the funding available.
Panelists will include:
• Mr. Alberto Carvalho, Superintendent, Miami-Dade County Public Schools
• Dr. Eduardo J. Padron, President of Miami-Dade College
• Dr. Mark Rosenberg, President of Florida International University
The moderator for the event will be WQBA 1140 AM journalist, Mr. Oscar Haza.
• Time: 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. on Wednesday, September 30, 2009
• Place: Miami Dade College, Wolfson Campus, Chapman Conference Center,
300 N.E. 2nd Avenue, Miami

• Free Admission
Transportation will be available from Miami Coral Park and Hialeah Adult Centers and the Town Hall will be transmitted simultaneously via WQBA 1140 AM.

Felix Varela Sr. Open House

September 22, 2009
6 pm - Community Fair in the Gym
7 pm - Class Visits


15255 SW 96 st
Miami, Florida

www.varelahs.com



It takes.... community

Job Opportunitites

Please announce to all students ages 17-21 who are actively seeking a job. Adults Mankind Organization a 501c3 nonprofit organization offers assistance to young adults who are having difficulty securing a job. They work with local business and have variety job openings in our area for interested students. Students must be 17-21 years of age and be US citizens, legal residents, or have a valid work permit to apply. Students also need to have a picture ID, resume, and original social security card in order to apply. Interested students need to contact a career advisor at 305-445-6655 to make an appointment.


This is the organization which secures the work grants for the Vet Academy Students every year. To date my students have earned 30,000.00 in internship grants. Encourage your students to take advantage of this opportunity.

Black Venom Pep Rally

September 17 we held our first pep rally. It was called "The Black Venom" Pep Rally. Students had to wear all black and be at school between 6:30 am and 7:20 am to get a wrist band.

It was the best pep rally we have had in a long time. Kudos to Mr. Vinat who organized it and worked so hard to make it a success.

The teams that were introduced were: the varsity football team, the swim team, the bowling team, the cross country team, the golf team and the ladys volleyball team.

Vox Vipera

SIPA is the Southern Interscholastic Press Association. It is made up of journalism publications from states in the Southeast (Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia).

Every year, publications entered into its evaluation process are judged and the highest award is All-Southern.

Vox Vipera, Varela's Literary Magazine won the All-Southern Award.

Congratulations to Kristina Garcia, faculty advisor; Cristina Poschl, Editor-in Chief; Carlos Valdez, Junior Editor-in_chief; Alexa Serrano, Poetry Editor; Kraig Chang, Non-Fiction Editor; Jonathan Cuartas, Fiction Editor; and Sean Cruz, Art Editor.

Swim Team

The boy's and girl's swim team finally had an opportunity to swim last night competitively against our rivals, Killian. The boy's swam to a 134-116 victory with 7 first place wins. Steven Miguel set a new school record in the 500 freestyle breaking the old record from 2004 by over 18 seconds!! Mauricio Gomez took first place in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke. Gus Rodriquez took first place in the 50 free and Captain Luis Luces took first place in the 100 back.

The girl's were barely defeated with only a two point loss. Jordana Broche took first place in the 200 free and Ariel Figueroa took first place in the 100 fly. We have only 5 returning swimmers from last year so the team swam extremely well for their first time in competition.

Congratulations to both teams who showed a lot of heart.

Lady Viper Volleyball

The Lady Viper Volleyball team crushed the Cudas of Coral Reef last night 25-10, 25-16, 25-12. Leading the way for the Vipers was Barbara Cadet with 15 kills and 7 digs, Mary Medina with 10 kills, and Christina Martinez and Jarelys Archilla combining for 30 assists.

A special thank you goes out to all the students, coaches, and teachers that attended the game and made the crowd electrifying!

The Vipers are now 4-1 and will play in the Viper Pit again next Wednesday against the defending State Qualifiers, the Palmetto Panthers!!

Beyond the Bell

Miami-Dade County Public Schools is dedicated to providing all students with experiences to enhance their education. The Superintendent has a new initiative for the 2009-2010 school year entitled Beyond the Bell. This initiative will provide students in grades 3-11 with access to instructional programs in the areas of Language Arts, Reading, Mathematics, and Science. Students will be able to access these programs beyond the school day via the Internet.

Beyond the Bell is accessed via the web through the Miami Dade County Public School Student Portal located at http://myportal.dadeschools.net/student/. Once students log into the portal, specific learning paths have been identified and are aligned to FCAT levels.

The content focus of these programs is aligned to the District curriculum plan and is modified each nine weeks.

Access to your child’s specific learning path(s) is available via the web in the M-DCPS Student Portal at http://myportal.dadeschools.net/student/. Once your child has logged into the portal, an individualized learning path is linked to grade-level, appropriate software programs. All curriculum paths were designed to target instruction based on FCAT performance and aligned to District curriculum.

We encourage you to participate with your child to support their learning beyond the bell. Recognizing that all students may not have access to computers with internet connectivity, you are encouraged to visit public libraries and community centers, which may provide internet access free of charge.

The following programs are available:

Compass Learning
Grade Level(s):6-8
Content: Language Arts/Reading, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies

Gizmos
Grade Level(s):4-11
Content: Mathematics and Science

Reading Plus
Grade Level(s):6-12
Content:Reading

Riverdeep
Grade Level(s):3-11
Content: Language Arts/Reading, Mathematics and Science

Ticket To Read
Grade Level(s):3-5
Content:Reading

This supplemental program will not be graded nor will it be assigned for homework. The purpose of Beyond the Bell is to permit students and parents to work together using engaging learning activities.

Vipers in the News

In the most recent Burger King Corporation Newsletter, Chairman and CEO John Chidsey posted a picture of his visit to Varela Senior High.

The students in Ms. Sandra Daire's class enjoyed his candid talk and the question/answer session with him. This is the second year in a row he visits Varela and it is commendable that he takes the time to show his commitment to education.

We look forward to his next visit.

Hispanic Heritage Month 2009 Schedule of Events

1. Felix Varela Foundation Hispanic Heritage Essay Contest

All entries must be in by October 15 to Mr. Vinat room 157
This is open to any Varela student
The essay must cover the following topic:
As Felix Varela Senior turns 10 years old, we celebrate a decade of excellence, which of Father Felix Varela’s achievements do you believe is most evident in our school’s mission.

Con el décimo aniversario de Félix Varela Senior High, celebramos una década de excelencia, qual de los logros del Padre Félix Varela cree usted que es más evidente en la missión de nuestra escuela.

The winning Essay in English and Spanish will win a $100 CASH prize

2. Felix Varela Foundation Hispanic Heritage Art Contest
All entries must be in by October 15 to Mr. Vinat room 157
This is open to any Varela student
Artwork can be in the form of a poster, sculpture, mosaic, picture, original artwork
Entries must include Father Felix Varela in some fashion.
The artwork must pertain to the following theme:
Father Felix Varela: His Mission and Our School

Padre Félix Varela: Su Misión and Nuestra Ecuela

The winning entry in English and Spanish will win a $100 CASH prize

3. Hispanic Heritage Culinary Arts Contest
The event will be October 7 during both lunches
Students must bring in a typical Hispanic dish along with an information card
Students will be judged on taste, presentation and information.
Winners will receive Hispanic themed cookbooks.

4. Media Center Display- All month long
The library will display books by prominent Hispanic authors as well as student work related to Hispanic Heritage
The Library display case will exhibit student work as well as authentic Hispanic artifacts
Teachers will receive a recommended book list of book by Hispanic Authors to share with their students

5. Hispanic Film Festival
Teachers will receive a schedule of movies, along with a synopsis
With each movie, activities related to one of the FCAT Reading benchmarks will be e-mailed to be used as supplemental material.

6. Regional Music- All month long
Will be played on WVHS throughout the month (with commentary)

7. Periodic E-mails
E-mails will highlight important Hispanic Heritage Facts as well as Resources, Miami Events, Contests and Web Sites related to this celebration.

8. Hispanic Heritage Curriculum Guide
Available to all faculty and staff, this interdisciplinary curriculum guide includes guided readings, lesson ideas and reproducible handouts that can be used in any class.

9. Hispanic Heritage Gala
The annual show will take place on October 12 and 13 during period 1,2, 5,6

Service Academy Day

You are invited to attend a Service Academy Day

Hosted by Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart

Saturday, September 26, 2009
8:30am
Homestead Air Reserve Base
29050 Coral Sea Blvd.
Homestead, Florida 33039

Please contact Gloria Amor at
305-225-6866 by September 21st to reserve your seat!

On this day representatives from the US Naval, Air Force, Military, Merchant Marine, and Coast Guard Academies will be there to inform perspective students about the opportunities offered by attending these academies.