TRINITY HIGH SCHOOL Vol. 9 No. 3
January 2006
International Baccalaureate News Happy
New
Year!
Get Ready to Recharge!
It’s hard to believe the third block has begun! The freshmen are now familiar with a
routine while the seniors are dreaming of summer and next year’s adventures. Before
we get lost in reverie, it is well to remember that we still have about five months to go.
Now that final exams for session one are over, IB juniors and seniors may focus on a number of other
tasks, namely, Biology notebooks, extended essays, English World Literature papers, Math
and ITGS projects, artwork, foreign language orals and TOK conundrums. Cooperative
learning, critical thinking, research, writing, and close reading skills have all been
applied to these various tasks. The first components to be mailed in early March to
international examiners are the Extended Essays and World Literature Papers along with
the Spanish A2 Written Tasks and Theory of Knowledge essays. Let’s look ahead with
confidence and inspiration as we meet the challenges of 2006 with renewed energy.
The Growth of a Program
IB Class of 2005 Celebration
Recently Chicago Tribune writer Ann Martin
featured a story on the incredible growth of the
IB Program in the Chicago area. A respected
leader in the field of education, IB encourages
students to be active learners, well-rounded
individuals, and engaged world citizens. This
melds perfectly with Trinity’s mission. We were
the second school in Illinois and the first
Catholic school in the state to adopt this stellar
program. Founded in 1968, IBO currently works
with 1717 schools in 122 countries to develop
and offer three challenging programs to more
than 200, 000 students aged 3-19 years. It offers
a continuum of high quality education that
promotes global awareness and a positive
attitude to learning. For these reasons, the
Diploma Program is recognized by the world’s
leading universities. Standards are maintained
by actively training and supporting teachers and
by evaluating schools regularly. Trinity is indeed
proud to be affiliated with the organization since
1994 when we became an IB World School.
Our annual winter celebration of the recent IB
graduating class took place on Jan. 5th at 6 p.m.
in a festive Trinity cafeteria. The informal event
was a warm gathering of the Class of 2005 along
with their parents, teachers and administration.
Those well-earned documents, the IB diplomas
and certificates, were presented to the alumnae
who shared stories about their latest doings. The
Diploma Class of 2005 is now Trinity’s fourth
IB class to receive a 100% passing rate for the
diploma. Although many students were unable
to attend the event, those present fondly
reminisced and feel fortunate to have had a rich
academic background which prepared them well
for college. Speaking eloquently about their
experiences were Megan Cannella, Femia
Lukose, and Mr. Walter Harris, father of Jessica
Harris. All noted that the demands of the
program yielded the rewards of strong character
as well as a solid academic foundation. What a
beautiful group of beaming scholars of whom
we are extremely proud!
A Bright New Look: www.ibo.org The IBO public website has been rejuvenated.
Now featuring an attractive layout and design, it is truly user friendly. Visit this site for
details about the curriculum, university recognition policies and other valuable items.
The Final Draft
Kudos to our senior diploma candidates as
they put the final flourish on their extended essays
due Feb. 1. Twenty-one candidates worked with
nine faculty mentors to complete this momentous
research undertaking. The topics were as varied as
the personalities of the students. In the area of the
arts students showcased their interests with film
noir and pop art; Language A1 included Filippino
poetry, archetypes in the novels of Anita Desai,
the use of “rememory” in Beloved, and religious
symbolism in the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R.
Tolkien. Social studies featured diverse topics
such as the Warsaw uprising, the Bolshevik
Revolution, Puerto Rico and statehood, Legacy
Charter School, the Rawandan genocide, women
in science, mass media and anorexia nervosa, the
uses of graphology, East and West Berlin, Truman
and the Atomic Bomb, female circumcision, and
Lincoln’s depression. Science included dyslexia
and stress, the Green Belt Movement and research
on MS.
Spotlight on a Star
Juggling academics and cocurriculars is a special
talent of our most accomplished students. Senior
certificate candidate Nicole Petrarca knows this
fact well. Since the age of three, Nicole has been
an active skater, specializing in synchronized
skating. With the inspiration of her family, all of
whom are skaters, and the support of her uncle,
Mr. Mike Nardella, founder of Chicago Jazz, a
U.S. premier synchronized skating organization,
Nicole is a superb performer. She practices twice
a week mastering moves such as jumps, spins,
step sequences and ice dancing. Nicole is looking
forward to competing in the World Synchronized
Skating Championship to be held this month in
the Czech Republic. Being athletic, focused,
dedicated, organized and passionate are qualities
that Nicole cites as indispensable to success in this
demanding sport. You can see Nicole skate on
Feb. 4, from 11:30-1:00 pm at the West Meadows
Ice Rink in Rolling Meadows. We wish her much
joy as she pursues her favorite pastime!
Nurturing the Soul
The long months of hard work, stress, late hours,
and unhealthy eating habits may have caught up
with many of us! Here are a few tips for getting
into prime mental, physical and spiritual condition
with spring (and IB exams) just around the corner:
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Get a good night’s rest (eight hours)
Snack on your favorite fruits and nuts
Indulge yourself in a luxurious bath
Meditate for a few minutes every day
Write a heart-to-heart letter to a friend
Read an inspirational poem
Work on a crossword or jigsaw puzzle
Make popcorn and watch a classic movie
Take a long walk in a safe and scenic area
Mentor a younger student in your best subject
“We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, then, is not an act,
but a habit.” --Aristotle
The First IB Testing Sessions
begin in mid-March:
Visual Arts Exam
Film Study Oral Presentation
For more information about the
International Baccalaureate Program
please contact:
Ms. Rose Crnkovich
IB Coordinator
Trinity High School
7574 W. Division St.
River Forest, IL 60305
Phone: (708) 453-8392
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.ibo.org