Forensics Students Experience Clemson University

On Thursday February 23, 2012, several science teachers (C. Tilson, P. Smallwood, J. Krusen, J. Lyerly, and E. McShane) accompanied forty students to the South Carolina DNA Learning Center at Clemson University for a Forensic Science Field Study. Students will be learning cutting edge skills with the latest technology currently being practiced in the field forensic science in addition to solving an actual crime. This is an amazing experience for our students.

DFHS Spirit Night at Chick-fil-A

On Wednesday, February 22 the Chick-fil-A in Columbiana Centre will be hosting a DFHS Spirit Night. Our school is in a competition with Irmo High School. If we win, everyone in the building (students, faculty, and staff) will win a Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich. We must have a minimum of 75 transactions in order to be eligible to win. For us to get credit, all guests must SAY that they are with DFHS at the time of the transaction. Spirit Night will begin at 4:00 and will last until 8:00 pm that night. Whichever school has the most transactions will win! So encourage your students, friends, children, parents, spouses, siblings, neighbors, etc to come... Invite everyone you know!

Let's beat Irmo!

Asset Testing

Attention: Juniors and Seniors who plan to attend Midlands Technical College. The ASSET test will be given on our campus Tuesday, February 21st in the auditorium. You must register in Guidance by Feb. 14th (registration will be complete when you have submitted the online application at http://www.midlandstech.edu and paid the $35 application fee).

Seven Students Named National Merit Finalists at Dutch Fork High

Dutch Fork High School is proud to announce that the following seven students have been named finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program.

B. Aaron, N. Kowalski, A. Leaman, J. Moore, E. Walker, J. Wang, Z. Wang

They are now among an elite group of 15,000 students from across the country that are eligible for various award categories from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

The National Merit^® Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT^®)–a test which serves as an initial screen of more than 1.5 million entrants each year–and by meeting published program entry/participation requirements.

Student Entry Requirements

To participate in the National Merit^® Scholarship Program, a student must:

1.       take the PSAT/NMSQT^® in the specified year of the high school program and no later than the third year in grades 9 through 12, regardless of grade classification or educational pattern;

2.       be enrolled as a high school student, progressing normally toward graduation or completion of high school, and planning to enroll full time in college no later than the fall following completion of high school; and

3.       be a citizen of the United States; or be a U.S. lawful permanent resident (or have applied for permanent residence, the application for which has not been denied) and intend to become a U.S. citizen at the earliest opportunity allowed by law.

The student's responses to items on the PSAT/NMSQT answer sheet that are specific to NMSC program entry determine whether the individual meets requirements to participate in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Click here to see NMSC program entry items on the PSAT/NMSQT answer sheet. Score reports provided for test takers and their schools indicate whether the student meets program entry requirements. 

We are certainly proud of these students for their accomplishments and wish them good luck in their academic endeavors. 

PowerScore SAT Workshop

Interested in improving SAT scores? Sign up for our PowerScore SAT Weekend Workshop February 18th and 19th. The workshop guarantees a 150 point score increase which may be just what you need to qualify for scholarships or get into your college of choice! To register call 1-800-545-1750 and mention that you're a DFHS student to get the discounted rate/$150. Happy Testing!!

Bridgette Wellslager has been Chosen to Attend the Washington Youth Summit on the Environment

Source: http://goo.gl/znnxl

Irmo, South Carolina -- Bridgette Wellslager, a student at Dutch Fork High School has been selected to represent South Carolina as a National Youth Delegate to the 2012 Washington Youth Summit on the Environment at George Mason University.

Bridgette joins a select group of only 250 students from all over the country honored with the opportunity for an intensive study of leadership in environmental science and conservation.  Wellslager was chosen based on academic accomplishments and a demonstrated interest and excellence in leadership in the sciences and conservation studies.

George Mason University along with partners, the National Geographic Society and the National Zoo will host the nation’s leading youth scholars from June 22-29, 2012.   With distinguished faculty, guest speakers, and direct access to elite D.C. practitioners, The Washington Youth Summit on the Environment offers scholars and student leaders an unparalleled experience.  The week long program, held at George Mason University’s state-of-the-art campus, will encourage and inspire young leaders from across the country who desire a unique experience focused on successful careers in this dynamic and important field.

About George Mason University

Named the #1 national university to watch in the 2009 rankings of U.S.
News & World Report, George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., Mason provides students access to diverse cultural experiences and the most sought-after internships and employers in the country. Mason offers strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering and information technology, organizational psychology, health care and visual and performing arts. With Mason professors conducting groundbreaking research in areas such as climate change, public policy and the biosciences, George Mason University is a leading example of the modern, public university.

About the 2012 Washington Youth Summit on the Environment

The Washington Youth Summit on the Environment (WYSE) is a unique student leadership conference designed to develop and encourage future leaders in the important field of environmental studies and conservation in the 21st century.  The Advisory Board, is chaired by Mark Bauman, Executive Vice President of National Geographic Television and co-chaired by Joe Sacco, Educational Director for the National Zoo.  Additional members include world renowned scholars, distinguished scientists and award winning university faculty, such as Dr. Tom Lovejoy, noted environmentalist and former executive vice president of the World Wildlife Fund.  Delegates gain an insider look at environmental science, policy and conservation issues.  Distinguished past speakers include Inés R. Triay, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management (appointed by the President) and Dr. Marcia McNutt, Director of the US Geological Survey.  For more information visit us online at wyse.gmu.edu.

Debbie Gascon and Jessica Thur Have Article Published in South Carolina Council of Teachers of English Journal

English Teachers Debbie Gascon and Jessica Thur have entered the realm of professional writing to enhance and extend their commitment to continuous professional learning and collaboration. In the Fall 2011 Journal of the South Carolina Council of Teachers of English, they have an article entitled, It's Not About the Book: Finding Ways to Make Canonical Literature Approachable. It is a phenomenal article that speaks to the manner in which a teacher can find many strategies or methods to reach all learners. An excerpt from the article epitomizes this very notion:

"It's not about picking a perfect novel or choosing the right excerpts from the textbook; it's about teaching strategies that will allow students to feel successful when they approach any text."

Mrs. Gascon is a National Board Certified teacher who has taught middle and high school English for 16 years. She also teaches journalism, is a Master Journalism Educator, and advises the yearbook. She has earned several Fulbright and National Endowment for the Humanities' grants that have taken her all of the world, including a year-long Fulbright grant in Aiud, Romania to teach English.

Mrs. Thur is a National Board Certified teacher who has been teaching for thirteen years. She also has worked with the University of South Carolina's Professional Development School and has been an instructor for South Carolina's Program of Alternative Certification for Educators (P.A.C.E.). Between 2003-2005, Jessica has worked with South Carolina's Department of Education and Dr. Janet Allen to pilot a revised curriculum for tenth grade English and continues to be a Senior Developer for Dr. Allen's Plugged in to Reading.

We are so proud of these awesome teachers!

By: Robert S. Jackson, Ed.S., Assistant Principal for Instruction