October 9, 2019 Using brains at Brandeis is all part of lesson Some people see a gelatin mold of the brain and think Halloween. A psychology teacher sees it and thinks of the possibilities for an engaging lesson. Bettina Melton’s AP Psychology class at Brandeis HS is studying structures of the brain and what areas are responsible for different brain functions. Students recently teamed up and used gelatin molds to color and label the different parts of the brain. “Psychology is all about the brain and how it makes us who we are,” says Melton. “The novelty of using a 3D item, rather than just a flat image, will help my students remember the information when they have to apply it to an AP test.” Pictured are AP Psychology students Raegan Schott, Mia Walthour, and Radhika Kannan. Two NISD students took the top awards in the Society of Animal Artists Scholarship competition. Tabata Castro, an art student at Stevens HS; and Sierra Dreamkowski, a student at Jay HS, placed first and second respectively in the contest. The pair are recent graduates. Not only did they receive cash prizes, their schools also received $1,000 each. Pictured are Stevens HS Art Teacher Ambra Hernandez, Tabata Castro, Sierra Dreamkowski, Jay HS Art Teacher Carol Weissler, and a representative from the competition. Students experience “Ag in Action” Each fall, O’Connor HS hosts “Ag in Action” for more than1,400 elementary school students. High school students serve as tour guides and presenters, showing the younger students different facets of agriculture. Every 15 minutes fourth grade classes rotate to new stations to learn about different aspects of agriculture – from horticulture, nutrition, and agriculture mechanics to sessions that bring students into contact with steer, goats, swine, sheep, and poultry. The unique three-day event provides elementary school students with an opportunity to learn about agriculture in a meaningful, real-world setting and make connections with curriculum including science, math, and geography. This year, the Advanced Plant and Soil Sciences classes developed a presentation with the district science specialists relating to the elementary science curriculum. O’Connor is the only NISD high school to offer an agriculture science program. Since 1998, almost 40,000 fourth graders and 8,200 high school students have participated in Ag in Action. Other partners sharing their expertise as presenters include the Texas Farm Bureau and Southwest Dairy Association. Pictured is fourth grader Alexander Sarmiento from Galm ES with a new feathery friend. PERK OF THE WEEK Get your scream on at Six Flags and SeaWorld Six Flags Fiesta Texas’ Fright Fest and SeaWorld San Antonio’s Howl- O-Scream are terrifyingly fun. Get into the spirit by purchasing tickets through the Northside Education Foundation (NEF). Six Flags single-day tickets are only $40 and SeaWorld single-day tickets are only $45. A portion of the proceeds benefit NEF.