CEI-PEA’s annual gala will be held on Tuesday November 11, 2014 at The Pierre. More information to follow.

 

A ‘Boost’ for Bronx kids! State funds get kids out of the classroom and out in the field

They’re bringing the field trip back to students in the East Bronx.

Project Boost — the acronym for “Building Options and Opportunities for Students” — uses state dollars to provide students with cultural experiences outside the classroom that tight school budgets often don’t allow, and now 25 Bronx schools can get in (or out) on the action thanks to $500,000 a local state senator helped secure for the program.

“Delivering a quality education means providing a whole educational experience that offers learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom,” said state Sen. Jeff Klein (D–Throggs Neck), who worked behind the scenes to get the dollars.

Read more >>

For the 10th Consecutive Year, The Francis Lewis HS Patriot Battalion Drill Team Swept the NYC Area Drill Competition!

On Saturday, February 8, 2014, the NYC Drill League championship was held at Francis Lewis High School in Fresh Meadows, New York. Francis Lewis, Xavier, Theodore Roosevelt, Long Island City, Uniondale, Morris, Wyandanch, and Fort Hamilton High School faced each other in the annual competition.

For ten consecutive years, the Armed and Unarmed drill teams at Francis Lewis have claimed victory in the Drill League Competition. The Competition is held to give schools a chance to demonstrate their best routines and abilities in Armed and Unarmed Regulation, Armed and Unarmed Exhibition, Armed and Unarmed inspection, and Armed and Unarmed Color guard.

The competition has four different events; Inspection, Color Guard, Regulation Drill, and Exhibition Drill.  Francis Lewis High School has an Armed Drill Team, Patriot Guard, and an Unarmed Drill Team, Patriot Pride. At the first event, unarmed inspection, judges ask and inspect the cadets. The cadets have to adequately respond in the proper manner. The room boomed with loud and confident voices of the FLHS cadets. Up next was the Color Guard. Both Patriot Guard and Patriot Pride performed perfectly with the colors standing proudly. The Armed Inspection platoon came soon after all of the Color Guard performances were completed. This was similar to the Unarmed Inspection platoon, except for the fact that each cadet had a rifle and had to know rifle commands.

In the afternoon, Patriot Guard and Patriot Pride showed off their perfect drill movements. Patriot Guard and Patriot Pride performed perfectly, with each movement very sharp and in sync with each other. After these two events had taken place, the Exhibition round began. Patriot Pride rocked the floors with their sharp, synchronized movements as Patriot Guard spun and banged the floors with their rifles loudly and proudly, making each difficult movement seem simple.

Both Francis Lewis High School Patriot Guard and Patriot Pride swept the board and took 1st place!

Go Patriots!

From the Wall Street Journal (December 2, 2013):

“Students at MS 534 in Brooklyn faced an unusual assignment in their photography class: They had to build their own cameras.

The pilot program in the public school is part of a growing national push to blend science and the arts—subjects that, at times, have seemed locked in a zero-sum game for school funding.

Now, a coalition of educators, artists and scientists are proposing a different approach to science, technology, engineering and math education, commonly known as STEM: Add the arts and make it STEAM…”

Read the full article >>

Watch video from WSJ about MS 534 >>

Fifty Project BOOST students attended Blue Man Group (https://www.blueman.com/) on Friday October 11, 2013 with Early Stages at CEI’s Live Theater program. Harry S. Truman High School (https://www.bxtrumanhighschool.com/) and IS 151X (https://www.is151.org/) both traveled via the subway from the Bronx to Astor Place Theatre in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. For over three quarters of the students, this was not only their first Off-Broadway show but their first live performance!

Early Stages at CEI works with Project BOOST to provide culturally enriching experiences for students who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity. These after-school and out-of-school-time programs foster cross-grade collaboration and provide bonding and mentoring opportunities as the students explore the city. Evan, an 8^th grader from IS 151X wrote that he “thought Blue Man was only going to be about music but it was funny and entertaining with lots of jokes and tricks. I really think that this was the best moment in my life to be able to see and share this performance with all my classmates.”

Here are what some of the other students had to say about their Off-Broadway experience:

“Blue Man Group surprised me by how it was so strange and exciting. Everything from the show will stick with me because it was one of the best times of my life and now I know why so many people like to go to the theater!” – Alexis, 7^th grade, IS 151X

“What will stick with me from Blue Man Group is the fact that even though they didn’t use words to communicate, they still conveyed their point of view and goals.” – Jodie Ann, 10th grade, Harry S. Truman High School

“Blue Man Group related to my own life with the iPhones and how people don’t talk anymore, they just text.” – Maridalia, 11th grade, Harry S. Truman High School

“The Blue Man Group reminded me of clowns but their own type of clowns. I will most remember how fun the music was. Seeing the show live and in person gave me that first-hand experience. I like how they made the whole audience part of the performance. The experience of going to see a live show will stick with me and it makes me want to go to more shows like the Blue Man Group!” – Kevin B., 7^th grade, IS 151X

“What will stick with me from Blue Man Group is the new knowledge of all the science facts.” –Nafeesa, 10th grade, Harry S. Truman High School

“What I learned from Blue Man Group is that you can make music out of your surroundings.” –Najee, 12th grade, Harry S. Truman High School