THE FALCON
April 27, 2024
PRINCIPAL'S PARAGRAPH
Dear AHS Community,
Now that we are in the final quarter of the school year, I am delighted to reflect on the many achievements and successes that have defined our time together this year. From academic accomplishments to extracurricular triumphs, our students have continued to demonstrate dedication, resilience, and creativity in pursuit of their goals. As we prepare to close out the last six weeks of school, let's take a moment to celebrate all the great things happening at AHS.
Our students have excelled in their academic pursuits, demonstrating a commitment to learning and a thirst for knowledge. Whether it's achieving top scores on standardized tests, earning prestigious scholarships, or participating in rigorous academic competitions (two of our engineering students Gilroy McCalla and Griffin Jackson won an honorable mention in the NASA Hunch competition for their badge holder prototype ), our students have showcased their intellectual curiosity and academic prowess. We are currently ranked as the #12 school in CT according to the US News Report. The rankings are based on demonstration of outstanding outcomes above expectations in math, reading and science state assessments, earning qualifying scores on an array of college-level exams, and graduation rate. While student achievement is important, at AHS we are also proud of the opportunities our students have to explore their interests and develop into incredible human beings.
Beyond the classroom, our students have shone brightly in a variety of extracurricular activities and competitions. From winning competitions on the courts and fields (see two of our students excelling in Volleyball below) and stage (see pictures below of our theater program), to showcasing their talents in the arts (see pictures from the Frosted Falcons below), and sciences (pictures below of our Science Olympiad), our students have demonstrated excellence and dedication in all their endeavors. Whether it's through athletics, performing arts, student government, or community service, our students have made a positive impact and represented AHS with pride.
Our school community has come together to make a difference both locally and globally. Through service projects (pictures below from the Interact Club and Climate Action Club), fundraisers (pictures below from the Health for Humanity Club), and volunteer efforts (see pictures below of the Red Cross Club, Animal Welfare Club and Achieve Internship program), our students have demonstrated compassion, empathy, and a commitment to social justice. From organizing drives to participating in environmental clean-up initiatives, our students have shown that they are not only scholars but also responsible citizens who care deeply about making a positive impact on the world around them.
As we look ahead to the final weeks of the school year, let's continue to support and encourage one another as we work towards our goals. Whether it's finishing strong in our classes, preparing for graduation, or embarking on new adventures, let's approach the remainder of the school year with enthusiasm, determination, and a spirit of collaboration.
With Pride,
Dr. Lockhart
ANNOUNCEMENTS
GENERAL
AHS will be collecting donations for families affected by the Avonwood fire. An envelope for cash or gift cards will be located in the Main Office all week. Proceeds will be given to Avon Social Services for distribution.
COUNSELING
CT STATE ON-SITE ADMISSION SESSION: Please note there is a change of date for the CT STATE on-site admission session, the new date is May 29th. Stop into the counseling office to sign up for the on-site admission event. Students will hear from a representative from CT STATE about how to apply and attend community college for free.
Seniors, pay attention to Scholarship opportunities listed in Naviance. You are encouraged to sign into Naviance and search for scholarships you qualify for. Please continue to check as more become available. (Your parents will thank you )
The GHAA Late Lottery Application has opened! If you have a keen interest in Dance, Music, Musical Theater, Theater, Design & Production, and Visual Arts, they want you. See the flyer for more details.
CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES
Student Gov is hosting a Spring Pep Rally and Spirit Week! Our Spirit Day schedule goes as follows:
Monday: PJ day
Tuesday: Rhyme without reason
Wednesday: USA day
Thursday: Twin/Group day
Friday: Pep Rally day so Freshman wear neon yellow, Sophomores wear neon blue, Juniors wear neon orange, and Seniors wear black. Please look on social media or in person for posters regarding more information and get excited for the pep rally!
Help support women and girls suffering from the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza strip. Circles Club and Muslim Student Association will be collecting monetary donations outside lunch waves starting on Monday, April 29th until Friday, May 3rd.
Beauty and the Beast tickets are now on sale. Buy your tickets here
Prom tickets are being sold during lunch waves for $100 each. You may pay by cash, check, or use the QR code to pay by credit card There is a $4 fee per ticket if you use the QR code. No matter how you pay, you must see Mrs. Davis during your lunch wave for table assignments. Please bring a list of people you would like to sit with. There is a max of 10 per table. QR CODE HAS BEEN UPDATED AS OF APRIL 23, 2024 TO ALLOW FOR MORE PURCHASES.
Interested in writing, reading, editing, or want to showcase your artistic skills? Joining the Writing Center NOVA Newspaper Club in helping us create a new school newspaper. Meetings are on Tuesdays afterschool from 2:15-3:00 in Mrs. Kraner's room N211. Contact Mirthigaa Kannan or Zaeda Reid for any questions or further information. We hope to see you there!
CONTESTS
It's time for Project Graduation Raffle! All proceeds will benefit the seniors and their last celebration at AHS. Please see the raffle calendar on the attachment for prizes to Amazon, Sephora, Starbucks, and more! Use the QR code on the flyer to buy your tickets.
ATHLETICS
INTERNSHIP OFFICE & OTHER STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES
Click here for Enrichment and Scholarship Opportunities.
PAY FOR YOUR PROM TICKET
FYI: There is a $4 processing fee when paying for your ticket via credit card.
The Achieve Internship Program is growing, growing, growing and looking for new mentors. Please contact Internship Coordinator, Maria Mascoli, if your company/organization might be interested in hosting a 60 hour internship opportunity for a junior or senior. This is a wonderful opportunity to serve as a career exploration mentor.
PICTURES
A handful of the “Beauty and the Beast” cast members visited RBS, PGS, and TBS today to give the kids a fun Friday glimpse into the show that opens next week.
Getting the set ready for the Spring Musical: Beauty and the Beast!
Members of the Stagecraft crew mixing the colors for the set.
The theater crew putting finishing touches on the show which is set to open next weekend!
Food Science and food preservation in Chemistry class.
Mr. Tinker's Environmental Science students studying the AHS Courtyard ecosystem.
Some members of the AHS Science Olympiad Team (Mridhula Rajagopal, William Zheng, Michael Zheng, Liya Tang, Vishnu Muttu, Ray Hu, Michael Chen, Gabo Frenkel, Sreetama Kushari, Angela Zhou, Julia Maia-Zuckerman, Theja Suresh Nagan, Spoorthi Hanumanthu, Jagruti Tirunagari).
Some members of the AHS Science Olympiad Team visit the UCONN Dairy Barn after their successful competition. UCONN Dairy Barn visit linked here (Students PICTURED: Michael Zheng, William Zheng, Mridhula Rajagopa, Liya Tang, Angela Zhou, Julia Maia-Zuckerman, Theja Suresh Nagan, Sreetama Kushari, Michael Chen, Vishnu Muttu, Ray Hu, Gabo Frenkel)
The AHS Science Olympiad team placed 9th overall in competition with 40 other teams from around CT. Special acknowledgement goes to those who earned a medal if they placed in the top 4 for their specific events, they are:
Theja Suresh Nagan & Vishnu Mukku: Anatomy & Physiology (4th place medal), Ray Hu: Flight (3rd place medal), Liya Tang & Jyotsna Venkat: Scrambler (4th place medal). SciOly Coaches (Greg Dunford, Jessie Shaw, Andrea Galuska & our guest judge Athena Kosinski for helping at UCONN in a pinch and our room parent: Joyce Chen (Michael Chen's mom)
Interact Club recently hosted Jolly Lux, the Executive Director for Guiding Light Orphans to learn about how the club can support their clean water initiatives.
Former Achieve Interns shared their internship experiences with a recent Advisory group
Over Spring Break 30 students traveled to Munich and Nuremberg in Germany; Vienna, Austria; and Budapest, Hungary on a 'Freedom Tour' arranged by Mr. Abrams.
Health for Humanity Club held a fundraiser for St. Jude's Hospital for Cancer Research. They raised $1,239.16, which can be used to fund 25 bone marrow transplant needles. The support of the Avon community enabled Avon Health For Humanity to be a “Partner in Hope", making a difference in the lives of St. Jude's patients.
Thanks to the generosity of our AHS students and staff, Interact Club shipped a care package to an RBS student receiving treatment at St. Judes in Memphis, and will present a welcome home package to him when he returns to Avon.
These students had the opportunity to participate in a Junior Achievement sponsored field trip to Triumph to learn about various engineering/manufacturing careers.
The Achieve Internship Program recently welcomed a new partner, Hoffman Auto Group!
The frosted falcons club attended a cake decorating class at the Cake Gypsy to learn baking and decorating skills and they created delicious pieces of spring art!
AHS Animal Welfare Club (Natalie Ith (Club leader), Tanvi Saxena (Club leader), Andrew Kim, Lizzie Lagasse, Piper Kimball, and Ying-Ying Cheng) volunteering at a Dog Star adoption event to help clean the kennels that housed about 30 dogs that had just arrived. Students enjoyed spending time with the dogs and experiencing the adoption process and celebrating rescue adoption.
Students from the AHS Climate Action Club shared their work with attendees at the Earth Day conference at UConn Law School.
School Counselors hosted a Lunch & Learn session on Deconstructing the Common Application this past week. Students assumed the role of an admission officer and learned about the elements that make up a great application by reviewing a completed sample Common Application. This program was made possible by a grant from the AHS PTO.
Isabela Escobar Garcia, and Madison VanValkenburgh, both sophomores, recently participated in the Syracuse Smash 2024 tournament as part of the Husky 16 Northeast Black volleyball team and achieved a remarkable feat by securing the silver medal in the Gold Bracket. Congratulations girls, thank you for showcase the talent and commitment of our students beyond the classroom.
The Red Cross club hosted their second Blood Drive of the year on April 17th. The total blood collection for two drives was 49 pints of blood, saving up to 147 lives!
Earlier this month Avon Grad Lisa Mayer (class of 2001) spoke with our 9th and 10th graders about entrepreneurship. Lisa is the co-founder & CEO of Boss Beauties, a media and entertainment brand that inspires & elevates the next generation of women & girls to be everything they want to be.