What does Enrichment Day mean at Huntsville Intermediate School?

What does Enrichment Day mean at Huntsville Intermediate School?  Well it depends on who you ask!

Looking through a microscope is cool!

Ask the fifth and sixth grade students, and they'll tell you it's one of the most fun days of the year, and not just because it's the Friday before Spring Break!

Instructional Technologist Ruth Hutchison with a bunch of fifth graders!
During one of the stops along the geocaching scavenger hunt, students had to take a photo of themselves-
here they are posing for that mandatory "Us-ie"

Ask the teachers and staff, and they'll  tell you it's a lot of planning, a lot of craziness,  a lot of fun AND one of the days that you can guarantee yourself a goodnight's sleep at the end of the day!

The next hidden cache is----------that way!!

Ask the more than a dozen community members that come to Huntsville Intermediate School to present, lead and guide the countless sessions, and they will tell you it is an opportunity to share their profession, their passion and their expertise to hundreds of fifth and sixth graders.

These guys are chillaxin' on a break.  (Do people still say "chillaxing"?)

It's a day that Huntsville Intermediate School looks forward to every year, and it never disappoints.  Mr. Gedelian led the charge this year, and we thank him, and everyone else who pitched in to make this a great day of fun...and learning! (Of course- Learning! lots of learning! :-))

Author Reading:
Judy Phillips is the counselor at Samuel Walker Houston Elementary School
 and a childrens' book author.

Please scroll down to see the complete list of presenters that donated their time, effort and expertise for the benefit of our children at Huntsville Intermediate School!

What better way to learn about Australia than from an Australian?!
Here, Mr Lloyd Hinton holds a woomera, which is an Australian Aboriginal spear throwing device.

She's cuddled up with a hide in Mr. Hinton's session.

Mr. Garcia says, "Get to know about these- they are called checks, and
you need to know how these work!"

Members of the High School Mountain Bike Team presented on- you guessed it- mountain biking!

Maybe a few future mountain bikers?

These guys are saying, "What's Up?" from Enrichment Day!

Winner of Lady Dubois and Miss Black and Gold are in the house, representing the Boys & Girls Club 

This is a highly visual way to be reminded that electricity can be dangerous, and to be careful around it!

That's a lot of pelts!

Getting a closer look...

That doesn't feel the way you thought it would.

Happy to be here!

Weird and cool.

View from above- We did not see any bees in there, thank goodness!

Never held one of these before!

Can you find these very cool amphibians?

F

My folks aren't going to believe this, better take a pic!

Mr. Pete from the Boys and Girls Club.

How about Enrichment Days, like fifty, instead of just one?

Microscopes are a new window to the world.

SHSU Honor Biology Students came to  share their love of science.

Somebody say Legos???

Everybody- and I mean EVERYBODY was there- Abe Lincoln & a guy in a chicken costume included!

Coach Didier (right) and members of the Huntsville High School Mountain Bike Team enjoy the lunch spread.
The Staff and Faculty of HIS provided all the spread- making salads, desserts, etc.  It was a team effort!

Living in China sounds pretty wild!

Mr. Bill West, though you may know him as "Coach West," came back to share his love of urban archaeology.
In his hand is a radiator cap from an old Ford Model-T type car he found near his place.

Living in pioneer times sounds hard!

They are making their first candles!

Huntsville Intermediate Art Teacher Mrs. McKinley is
in charge of wax.

Cason is a Huntsville Intermediate Student AND a presenter,
 as he raises prize winning rabbits and was asked to share.

Any more questions?

It looks like a can, but it works as a stove!

I have never seen that!

Up close and personal.

How does your garden grow?

Dr. Hudson loves gardening, don't ya' know!

Smells good!

Welcome to the cafetorium, I mean dojo!

In Karate:  OK, stay in that pose and we will come back in three hours!

Mr. Luebbe brought the stars down here to us.

Give her a few minutes, and you'll be making flowers out of ribbon!

Recording the action at the Ballet Folklorico.

OK, everybody line up.

Where to next?

Let's figure this out together.

Wha?  There are riddles, too?!

It's a good day.

Are you takin' my picture?

Girl Power:  Taking care of business with GPS!

They think they are getting the hang of this!

She knows she is getting the hang of this!

All is right with the world.

Who's this for?  Me? No?  (Ok, that's cool....) 

The dancing was fun!

Meet the Talented Young Ladies of the Ballet Folklorico!

Again, thank all of our community members coming to Huntsville Intermediate School to share your passion and expertise with our fifth and sixth graders!!

Dr. Joan Hudson, SHSU Professor presented on Gardening.

Mrs. Michelle Rush, Huntsville Intermediate Teacher and Robotics Team Coach, presented on Legos.

Mr. Lloyd Hinton, presented on the Aboriginal people of his home country Australia.

Mr. Robert McBee, Huntsville Intermediate Teacher, on China 

and his and his family's extended time living there.

Mrs. Judy Phillips, school counselor at Samuel Walker Houston Elementary, and children's book author read from her series, Beauregard Le'Moose and discussed being an author.

Mr. Kevin Smith, Boy Scout Leader of Huntsville's Troop 114,  presented on the basics of camping.

Mrs. Mary Gedelian, of Houston ISD's Outdoor Education Center taught folk dancing.

Mrs. Lisa Gregg, Miss Ruth Hutchison, Mrs. Karen Pascal & Mrs. Melissa Thornton, 

from Instructional Technology and

Mr. Rob Kennedy, Mrs. Rebecca Turner and  Mr. Ben Stubbs from Technology

worked together to present and participate on GeoCaching.

Mr. Steve Kelly and Mr. Mark Short of the Walker County Bee Keepers Association 

presented on Bee Keeping. 

Cynamon Simmons, Nia Young & Mr. Brandon Pete, SHSU college students and Boys & Girls club staff, presented on Boys & Girls club activities.

Mrs. Dalia Harrelson, retired teacher from Huntsville ISD, presented on the folk art tradition of ribbon flower making.

Coach Bill West, retired from Huntsville ISD,  presented on local archaeology.

Coach Brad Didier, Huntsville Intermediate PE teacher and the High School Mountain Bike Team presented on the High School Mountain Bike Racing

Huntsville Intermediate School's very own Cason Moorman presented on Rabbit Raising.

Mr. Mike Beumel from Sam Houston Electrical presented on how electricity works 

and how to keep yourself safe around power lines.

Ms. Whitney Heckler, Educator at the Ellen Trout Zoo in Lufkin, presented on cool amphibians.

Mr. Karl Luebbe, from Houston ISD's Outdoor Education Center, presented on Astronomy and Star Gazing via the Star Lab.

Ms. Jessica Gross and volunteer Mr. Don Chronister from Huntsville State Park presented on area wildlife, and brought pelts and skeletons.

Ms. Hannah Johnson, Ms. Michelle Harrel, Mr. Matthew Breuer, and Mr. Travis Tate, of the SHSU chapter of Tri-Beta, the Biological Honors Society presented on microscopes 

Mrs. Deborah McKee, Huntsville Intermediate Sixth Grade Art Teacher,

presented on Pioneer Life and Candle Making. Mrs. Kasidy McKinley, our Huntsville Intermediate School  Fifth GradeArt Teacher helped her.

Mr. Jordan Herrin, a forester at the Texas A&M Forest Service, presented on trees.

Mr. Andy Hyvl, of the Huntsville School of Karate, along with HISD students that include Austin Artho, Koen Dunbar along with Hannah Prouty, presented on Karate.

Mr. Eric Garcia, a financial advisor from BBVA Compass Bank, presented on financial literary

Anita Escobeda, and student participants performed traditional Mexican Folk Dancing 

(Ballet Folklorico)  Mia Vasquez, Diana Gallegos, Dane Thomason, Gloria Rodriguez, Sarah Rodriguez, Monserrat Rodriquez, Emily Torres, Jasmin Esturba, Anita Lugo, Brisa Gallegos.  Elizabeth Garcia, Noemy Perez, Arlette Garcia, Daniela Arriaga, Jailyn Thomas, Samantha Banuelos, Valerie Rocha, Evelyn Puente, Anai Zamora, Alejandra Arriaga, Tania Gonzales,

Josline Petron, and Jennifer Gallegos