Hopewell High choirs have banner year
Attitude, determination and a willingness to push yourself to be the best are all traits that personify this year's Hopewell High School choral groups. The school has the awards to prove it.
In 2010-11 alone, they earned 18 trophies, 10 superior ratings, one grand championship, and a mixed show group that went undefeated in competition.
"We were underdogs but, when we got up on stage, (our competitors') mouths dropped. It was a very big victory for us," said India Dale, this year's dance captain and vocal captain for sopranos.
Many in the choir have worked together since they were freshmen. "What made them special is that they wanted to do well and worked really hard to become a cohesive group," said choral director Jennifer Allen. "They really met the challenge this year. Vocally, they were very strong."
The groups are made up of many seniors. Fifteen of 35 students graduated this year, but the core returning group is strong and looking forward to next year, Allen said.
Two Henrico schools earn LEED certification
Glen Allen High School and Holman Middle School in Henrico County have earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification as verified by the Green Building Certification Institute.
Glen Allen High School recently achieved LEED certification at the gold level. The school features an abundance of natural light and, through efficiencies in the building's roof and wall construction, lighting systems and mechanical system, it is modeled to require 28 percent less energy than a minimally code-compliant design.
A 50,000-gallon cistern collects stormwater from the roof, which is reused for flushing. This cistern, combined with low-flow plumbing fixtures, results in an 80 percent water use reduction versus a school using standard plumbing systems.
Holman Middle School received certification at the silver level and features efficient mechanical equipment and high-performance lighting systems, which are estimated to reduce the facility's energy use by 30 percent (compared to a minimally code-compliant baseline design) as well as low-flow plumbing fixtures that reduce water use by about 40 percent compared to standard fixtures.
Richmond becomes green computing district
The Richmond school system's efforts to save electricity and reduce the impact of computers and technology on the environment have resulted in the district's earning a Green Computing Certification from the Consortium for School Networking.
Richmond is the first school system in the state to earn the certification, according to Cassandra Harris, technical manager of services and data operations for the school system.
During 2011, the district has completed several projects to reduce the greenhouse effects caused by computer usage and other technologies.
The projects include: replacing old UPS units with more efficient units; the purchase of Energy Star-rated computers and printers; replacing CRT monitors with more energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly LCD monitors; recycling and disposing of e-waste with a certified recycling company; and turning computers off in mass areas at night.
From staff and wire reports
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement