Wednesday, March 31, 2021

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

  • Patsy Matsu Takemoto Mink was born on December 6th of 1927 in Paia, Hawaii. Mink was elected as class president of her highschool, graduated as the 1944 valedictorian, and went on to attend Wilson College and the University of Nebraska. But after experiencing racial discrimmination at these schools, Mink transferred to the University of Hawaii where she studied in hopes of pursuing a career as a doctor. After graduating, she decided to head to law school instead, and attended the University of Chicago. In 1954, after much difficulty finding a job due to her interracial marriage, Mink decided to start her own practice and founded Oahu Young Democrats. Patsy Mink became the first Japanese-American woman to practice law in Hawaii, the first woman of color elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, the first Asian-American woman to serve in Congress, and the first Asian-American to run for U.S. President. In addition to much more, Mink spent her time in politics fighting for gender and racial equality, affordable childcare, and bilingual education. After her death, the “Title IX law” -- a civil rights law in the Education Act -- was renamed the “Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity In Education Act.”

    WRC Women’s History Month presented by Selma Keochakian

  • This is a reminder that Mr. Sadiq will be hosting a Google Meet today from 12:00 - 1:00 to discuss ways the school can work with students to raise awareness about the escalation of violence and hate crimes against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI), and create support for that community. This meeting is open to all students and adults interested in doing this work. Please join us for all or part of the meeting.

  • Its Wellness Wednesday

    Today's Tip is: Get Connected!

    Are you feeling a bit unmotivated to connect with friends lately? Are you tired of zoom/facetime calls? Are the social distance/pandemic limitations for connecting feeling more frustrating lately? We are all feeling the effects of our connections being limited, different and sometimes even feeling stressful (due to worries about safety). The impact of this can cause us to feel more tired, less motivated and at times, even hopeless. 


    If/When you notice it.. Allow yourself to feel it. Don’t avoid it!  It's real. It matters. Give yourself more practice to sit with this discomfort so you can better figure out how to cope with it. Talk about it. Write about it. Just like with a tough math problem, or if you get lost, you’ve got to sit with it, understand it better before you can figure out your next move. 


    What are some ways you are staying connected during these challenging times? Share them with us on the wellness Wednesday challenge this week! Here are a few ideas to consider, too! 


    • Write Letters! Not emails, not texts, not Instagram messages. Get some paper and write a letter to someone you care about. Get creative! Draw, write a quote, a funny memory or share something with someone that you are grateful for. Everyone LOVES getting mail, right? 


    • Schedule some connections. It's not as easy these days to just run into friends and hang out. Putting some scheduled time on your schedule for a phone date, a video call or a socially distant walk or hike (if you can) helps us have anchor points in our week to look forward to. 


    • Try a new hobby or activity! Did you used to enjoy puzzles or games? Are you looking for a book to read for pleasure? Interested in spring sports at school? Have you wanted to learn to make a certain recipe? Chances are, there are others in your circle (or groups you could find online that can help you get into it! Share your interest! Again, make time for this by putting it on your schedule. 


    • Do some good! Helping others or our community is a meaningful way to connect! Can you help a friend with homework? Join a club at school! Can you record yourself reading a kids book to a friend or family member? Is there a project in  your neighborhood or community that you could get involved in? Look into it, ask us for ideas 


    • GET OUTSIDE! Its getting warmer out! Spring is beautiful! Go for a walk, take some photos of what you see, smell the air, feel the trees/the grass. Find a good spot to sit, to read/draw/think/nap, etc!

  • High School Spring Sports Registration is now open! Register today

  • Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work: Be Anti-Racist (Ages 11-17)
    Tuesday, April 13, 2021, 4-5pm

    The anti-bias, anti-racist educator, activist, and #1 New York Times bestselling author Tiffany Jewell will lead this anti-racism webinar for our community. Intended for youth ages 11-17, it will last approximately 60 minutes, including 15 minutes for a Q&A.

  • Imagine spending several hours of each upcoming week this spring surrounded by smiling faces, singing people, bad jokes, and frequent use of power tools.  Chances are, you're imagining your life with the Theater Company this spring as we prepare two outdoor productions: The Student-Written Play Festival and our musical, The Sound of Music.  AUDITIONS and TECH SIGNUPS are this week - learn everything here: bit.ly/arhssom21