Happy New Year

May this New Year bring many opportunities your way, to explore every joy of life and may your resolutions for the days ahead stay firm, turning all your dreams into reality and all your efforts into great achievements.

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