Latest news with #UrbanaHighSchool
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Urbana High graduate, special education advocate looks ahead to Harvard University
After two years of advocating for students living with disabilities in Frederick County Public Schools, a new graduate of Urbana High School is on his way to Harvard University. Jake Kamnikar, 18, joined the Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee (SECAC) during the 2023-24 school year. The committee, while technically a part of the Frederick County Board of Education, is a mandated committee by the Maryland State Department of Education. Committee members include faculty from the special education department at FCPS, community members, parents, other FCPS faculty members and students. Kamnikar was diagnosed with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy at 18 months old, which creates muscle tightness in his lower body as well as hand tremors. He said in an interview that his first year on the committee was 'super interesting,' and that he had never been a part of something like that before. Kamnikar added that while the committee has had student members in the past, 'the year I applied was the first time in a while that they had students back.' 'My cerebral palsy historically has been a hard thing for me to talk about,' he said. 'I wasn't really a big advocate in elementary and middle. Not many kids are. They're little. They're learning about themselves.' Kamnikar's mom, Buffy Kamnikar, said she served on SECAC as a parent when Jake was in kindergarten. 'It was an awesome experience for me as a parent, and they weren't offering a student role at that time,' she said. Buffy Kamnikar said she received an email about the committee accepting student members and showed it to her son. Jake Kamnikar said his mom, dad and family members pushed him to use his voice to advocate for others. 'I know a lot of families are confused or overwhelmed at times with the process of special education, and every kid is different. Their needs vary widely, and a lot of kids aren't able to advocate for themselves,' he said. 'So, if I can make that process easier for students and their families, that's why I wanted to do it.' Jake Kamnikar said his role in the committee was to see firsthand how school board policy affected students living with disabilities. 'My friends in special education programs — how are my general education peers interacting with those students?' he said. 'And what can we do to make improvements and make the school lives, the day-to-day lives, of our students easier?' Jake Kamnikar said elementary and middle school students have a hard time discussing what makes their educational experience difficult. He added that 'the desire is truly there' to help students, but case managers often have a heavy workload and another role within the school system, and sometimes struggle to dedicate enough individualized time working with special education students. 'If you can put a name and a friendly face to whoever you're talking to [about] your disability or your accommodation, that, I think, would go a long way,' he said. 'It would've gone a long way for me.' Jamie Shopland, the chair of SECAC, said Individualized Education Plans are meant to best support students individually, 'and it's different for everyone.' While on SECAC for his junior and senior year, Jake Kamnikar helped create the Student Voices Subcommittee and hosted a Q&A for students living with disabilities and their families. Buffy Kamnikar said the event was nice, and that parents asked questions about special education resources and experiences in the school system. She added that her son is 'probably the most dedicated, hardworking individual I've ever met in my life.' 'He always conducts himself in a way of, how can I be better so the other people around me can be better?' Buffy Kamnikar said. 'I couldn't be more proud.' Shopland said the student perspective on the committee is 'extremely important' to understand how the school board's policies affect students daily. 'If you can understand where people are coming from, then you can connect with them on a different level and in a different way, and be more inclusive and really understand what it means to belong,' she said. Jake Kamnikar said the committee is always looking to increase the number of student voices at the monthly meetings. He added that he had a great time at Urbana High School, and that his favorite topic was economics. Jake Kamnikar said he applied to four Ivy League universities — Yale, Brown, Cornell and Harvard. He said he opened the decision responses from the schools in front of his family, and that after getting rejected from Yale and Cornell and waitlisted at Brown, he opened the Harvard decision and 'couldn't believe what I was reading.' 'It said, 'Jake, we'd love to have you,'' he said. 'I was in shock. I wasn't overly loud or anything — I was just staring at the screen. Mom and Dad were screaming.' Jake Kamnikar said one piece of advice he has for students is to 'trust yourself.' 'The opinions of others are not end-all be-all,' he said. 'There's definitely opportunities for you to work on yourself and grow as a person, and the right people are going to notice you for that and not what they think defines you.'
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Urbana High graduates 'slay the dragon' to finish high school
In a speech to her Urbana High School graduating classmates on Friday, Kaela Zamora compared completing high school to slaying the final boss of the video game 'Minecraft.' 'It was time to defeat our Ender Dragon, also known as our senior year,' Zamora told Urbana's graduates, all dressed in blue robes with white stoles. The Ender Dragon is an enemy that players can battle in 'Minecraft.' Urbana's graduates, she said, faced many challenges along the way. 'We unveiled our not-so-literal enchanted swords and plunged at this dragon,' she said. 'Slash after slash, we charged, attempting to avoid our worst tendencies: procrastination, cramming until 2 a.m. and scrolling on our phones.' Students in her class came into high school after the COVID-19 pandemic, while being further behind academically and needing to work past social awkwardness, she said. 'Then, somehow, we slayed the dragon, won the battle and successfully — or even just barely — finished high school,' Zamora said. Zamora plans to attend the University of Maryland to study economics. The graduation, held at Knott Arena at Mount St. Mary's University, was the school's 27th annual commencement ceremony, graduate William Knepper said in a speech to the class. Knepper was the class president. There were 475 graduates in the Class of 2025. Luc Lugez and Doyoon Seol played the national anthem on violins. The graduation also featured performances from the school's choir and band. 'Today is more than just a celebration,' graduate Daniel Solomon said in a speech. 'It's a moment that asks us to pause, take a breath and to really look at how far we've come.' High school was about 'stepping into our identity,' said Solomon, who plans to study aerospace engineering at the University of Maryland. 'Be yourself,' Solomon told his fellow graduates. Urbana Principal Donna Clabaugh encouraged her former students to seek the life they desire. 'Up until now, much of what you have done and determined for yourselves has been very limited, and that is what really changes when you leave this ceremony today,' Clabaugh said. 'That is simultaneously amazing and overwhelming, and it is rarely easy.' Graduate Owen Barkley said he felt great after the graduation. Though he will miss hanging out with his friends, he said he is excited for the future. Barkley said he was planning on getting a job in retail, with a goal of attending Frederick Community College and one day becoming a scientist. 'There are a lot of good people at Urbana,' graduate Megan Lawrence said, describing her school experience as good. Now, Lawrence is set to go to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to study elementary education. She said programs at Urbana allowed her to get experience teaching kids, and she wants to continue afterward. Her favorite time in school, she said, in her film studies class. 'I'm going to miss seeing my friends every day,' she said. Tristan Thompson said his favorite part of school was playing basketball. He plans on playing at St. Mary's College of Maryland. He said that 10 years from now, he wants to be 'living in my own house, with my wife, as a millionaire.' He added that he wants to play basketball professionally, too. 'Well, you know how I said Minecraft's end goal was just to defeat the Ender Dragon?' Zamora asked. 'That's just the tip of the iceberg.' Just like the game, she said, high school is about taking agency beyond defeating the final boss.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
'When it happened, it was bedlam. They were so happy.'
Apr. 23—URBANA — In the fall of 2022, two Urbana High School freshmen approached biology teacher Jeff Birdsley with an idea: They wanted to enter the Science Olympiad. And they wanted Birdsley as their coach. Birdsley's initial response: "What's that?' Because it wasn't a thing when I was a student." They explained it, and Birdsely said, "No." He had plenty on his plate already, with teaching and coaching Urbana's swim teams. "I just didn't have time." But within a few weeks, Birdsley stepped down from the boys' swim program, freeing up time for Science Olympiad. Good thing. After failing to qualify for the state finals the first year in 2023, Urbana finished 13th in '24. That set up one of the best finishes ever by an Urbana High School team in any activity: a second-place finish on April 12. Lisle High School won the competition. "We had a goal this year to place top five at state, thought that was realistic," Birdsley said. "The second-place finish was unexpected. Kind of a roller-coaster. When it happened, it was bedlam. They were so happy. The camaraderie was so fantastic." Urbana had six gold medalists in their events: * Colin Guth and Elliot Anderson, wind power. * Elliot Anderson and Natalie Pociask, helicopter. * Natalie Pociask and JJ Lee, materials science. * JJ Lee and Colin Guth, robot tour. * Cecelia Birdsley and Sydney Goeddel, entomology. Urbana's additional state medalists included: * Neha Bhargava and Mia Schroeder, optics. * Mia Schroeder and Natalie Pociask, forensics. * Cecelia Birdsley and Sydney Goeddel, bungee drop. The late-afternoon awards ceremony was held at historic Huff Hall. "It's just great for the culture at Urbana High School," Birdsley said, "Many thanks to my athletic director (Steve Waller) and principal (Jesse Guzman) for supporting us through this. They obviously know the value of having extra-curriculars." The second-place trophy will be going into the case at Urbana High School. And the final step to No. 1 seems like a good bet in 2026. Most of the team returns, including the core group of 11 freshmen who got the ball rolling back in '22. "I tell the kids, 'You absolutely have a chance to win a state championship next year,'" Birdsley said. Urbana competes in Division IA. Schools are seeded. Among the schools in Urbana's division were Palatine, Barrington, Urbana University High, Champaign Central and Centennial. Uni High finished fourth, and St. Thomas More finished in eighth place. "That marks the first time Urbana has ever come out ahead of Uni in the Science Olympiad," Birdsley said. "The kids were just as proud of that as the second-place finish." The stage The Science Olympiad is an annual state competition held on the University of Illinois campus. Teams of 15 students compete in 23 events. Every branch of science and engineering is represented: creating towers, bridges, helicopters, planes and ping-pong cannons on the building side. Most of the events are test-taking in various science disciplines. Fans and coaches were allowed to watch the building events. But the tests are students-only. To reach state, schools advance from a local competition. Urbana was at Parkland College this year, where it finished second and earned a spot in the state finals. Uni High won the local competition. It is a lot of work for the students. Nights and weekends. "Many, many, many hours of studying and preparing," Birdsley said. "They go home and make themselves experts on insects or build the best ping-pong air cannon that they could possibly build." The Urbana team had meetings before and after school, talking about goals. Looking ahead, the team will reconvene in September. A list of events for the 2026 Olympiad will be announced and the Tigers will start preparation. "I try to get kids into something they are going to get passionate about," Birdsley said. Background check Urbana had a Science Olympiad program in the 1990s and early 2000s. There are several regional trophies at the high school, but no state trophies. Until now. The school celebrated the accomplishments, with daily announcements the following week. Birdsley carried the trophy around the school. Birdsley has been a teacher at Urbana High School since 2020. He and his wife, Becky Fuller, who is on the UI faculty, have lived in Urbana for 20 years. Their son Sam is an Urbana High School graduate. Their daughter Cecelia has been a member of Science Olympiad from the start and is also an Urbana swimmer. This year, fellow Urbana High School biology teacher Alex Riley, a UI graduate, joined the team as a co-coach. His first year at the school was in 2023. "This was Alex's year to learn how Science Olympiad works and how to coach it," Birdsley said. "I'm still learning how to coach it." Birdsley and Riley welcome any student interested in participating.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Urbana high schoolers take part in Earth Day cleanup
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — High schoolers in Urbana celebrated Earth Day on Tuesday with a mass cleanup spearheaded by students themselves. Clean-up efforts focused on Blair and Carle Parks along with the area surrounding Urbana High School. Champaign's Eggstravaganza keeps Easter celebrations going Around 40 student volunteers led the initiative and walked the areas with garbage bags and trash grabbers. One student said cleaning up his community brings him a sense of pride. 'It's something that everyone can do, and it's just a little bit of work and it has such a big impact.' said sophomore Colin Guth. And now thanks to students at Urbana High School — their efforts are making their home just a little bit cleaner this Earth Day. 'It's really nice — like a community builder,' Guth said. 'There's not as many opportunities to do something like this, so it's really nice to come out here and do that with, first of all, people I know.' Students also improved the area surrounding their school not just by subtracting trash but also by adding art. They installed a 'peace pole' in the school garden. From the Farm: Science and Spirits 'This peace pole in particular really contains a lot of languages to represent our diverse community.' said Kanittha Fay. Fay is the Parent Teacher Student Association Director of Student Engagement. She said the pole was created by 50 to 60 ag and art students over the last year. 'We want to let everybody know that they're seen, they're heard and they are equal,' Fay said. 'This is what students got together and presented to the community.' Jennifer Ivory-Tatum is the Urbana Schools Superintendent. 'We really are pushing community pride and our students take pride in being or being Urbana Tigers,' Ivory-Tatum said. And she said it's because of that pride that students are leading the way for a better and cleaner tomorrow. 'And so, I think it says a lot that they show up,' Ivory-Tatum added. 'We've been out here in the rain before and cold, and today it's absolutely beautiful. But their commitment to service and to making our community better is really evident.' Organizers said they're looking forward to continuing the event again next year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Three new principals approved by Urbana School District 116
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — The Urbana School District 116 will welcome three new employees in principal positions this July. Parkland College welding lab evacuated due to smoke Tuesday evening, the school district's Board of Education unanimously approved the employment of the following administrators for the 2025-26 school year: Sean Smith Assistant Principal at Urbana High School effective July 1, 2025 (replacing Melissa Kearns) Derek Ely Associate Principal at Urbana Middle School effective July 1, 2025 (replacing Imani Carr) Lidiya Wang Principal, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School tentatively effective July 23, 2025, pending approval of the 2025-26 school year calendar (replacing Michelle Turner) Smith graduated from Urbana High School in 2010 and started his career in education as a paraprofessional at Jefferson Middle School in 2017. He earned a master's degree in special education and transitioned to Edison Middle School as a special education teacher in 2019. In 2023, Smith became the Dean of Students and Athletic Director at Edison. He then began his role as Associate Principal there and earned a master's degree in educational leadership in 2024. AgTech Week underway in Champaign-Urbana Ely currently serves as an Assistant Principal at Champaign Central High School. He previously served as the Dean of Students at Champaign Central and as a physical education and health teacher at the READY Program school in Champaign. Wang previously served as the Principal of the Pavilion Foundation School for three years. Before that, she was an Assistant Principal at Circle Academy in Urbana. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
