Jfk Times Fall 2008

1STEVEN C.MARTNEZ

Cover Story

Feature Story

STRIKE UPTHE JFK

SYMPHONICBAND!

JOHN F. KENNEDY THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF QUERTARO

2 1

FALL 2008

Mirtha Stappung M.ed., Ma General Director

Charles Weiss M.ed., Ma assistant superintenDent

Denise Humphries Ma pre-school principal

Mark Dunn M.ed., Ma elementary school principal

Tara Fitzgerald Cruz Ed. Admin., MS miDDle school principal

Adrian Leece Ma, BSc, FRMtS hiGh school principal

Prof. Arturo Bustamante athletic Department Director

C.p. Josefina Morgan M. Admon. y Finanzas

Financial Director

Ing. Julian Urquiza, President, Jeffrey Lewis M.i.m, Treasurer, Lic. Norma Rosado, Secretary,

Ing. Carlos Perera, Lic. Roberto Loyola, M. Ad., Arq. Elmo Ceretti, Ing. Angel de

Lope Friedeberg, Act. Mara del Mar Snchez Rull, Arq. Rodolfo Vega Fricke

BoarD oF Directors

Lic. Mnica Duarte eDitor in chieF,

chair oF the eDitorial BoarD

Magdalena Chapa, Sarah Devries, Dorothy Gerhart, Adrian Leece, Felicia

Lyons, Karla Ros, Charles WeisseDitorial BoarD

Hctor Muoz DesiGn

Victor Ortega, Karla Ros photoGraphy

Magdalena Chapa, Sarah Devries, Mnica Duarte, Graciela Fernndez, Erika Lastra, Adrian Leece, Felicia Lyons, Karla

Ros, Mirtha Stappung, Mauricio Soto. Writers

alumni aFFairs

Lic. Mnica Duarte Lic. Ricardo Vzquez

aDvertisinG sales

Lic. Karla Ros (442) 218 00 75 ext. 1010

[email protected]

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Letter from the General

Director

ACADEMIC CORNERcolleGe

counselinG at JFK

ECOCLUB NEWS

STRIKE

UPTHE

BAND

FEATURE

STORYTalk about School Uniforms

Connecting with Alumni

REUNIONS & SNAPSHOTS

Steven C. Martnez Class of '04AEROSPACE ENGINEER

COVER STORY

Be your best Do your best

2 3

Mirtha Stappung M.Ed., MAGeneral Director

Letter from the General

DirectorWe are excited about this second edition of the JFK Times! Many of our people have been involved as a team to come up with these interesting articles, the design and pictures for this issue. We thank the Editorial Committee and know that their efforts help to unite our community.

Our school is a very busy place with wonderful things happen-ing in each section on a daily basis. I am sure that those who are alumni will recall many celebrations and special events from their time here. This magazine is also building memories for the future for our current students.

We are very proud of our alumni. This edition features an alumni from the class of 04 who is working through his studies with The National Aero-nautic and Space Administration (NASA). His story

is an interesting one, as are the stories of all of our other alumni who are living in all parts of our small planet. Hopefully, you will find the JFK Times to be a good vehicle to come back to visit. We have a goal of contacting all of you to keep in

touch and hopefully keep alive your memories and connections with the

school. Another exciting project that

you will find of interest is our new alumni network. This site http://alumni.jfk.edu.mx is a special gathering place for you

to reconnect with classmates and let everyone know of

your whereabouts. Life becomes richer when

we relive our memo-ries of the good old days at JFK!

Sincerely,

Academic

One of the most exciting (and on occasions ter-rifying) decisions a High School student has to make is what career they would like to pursue and where they would like to go to college or university. There are so many options! While it is true that some students know from a very young age that they want to be a doctor, a law-yer, an engineer, an artist or a politician many are still trying to discover how they fit into this world and what role they would like to play. As a College Counselor I am here to help students in this self-discovery phase, guide them in finding the best college match, and hopefully get them on the right track to a successful and happy future.

Parent involvement in college related deci-sions is a key to success, and many times begins with conversations at the kitchen table. Students look to their parents for guidance and reference. One of the best parts of being a College Counselor is having the privilege of taking part in some of those discussions with both parents and students. Parents should always be informed and should keep a watch-ful eye on their childs progress in the college admission process.

At JFK we try to look for different ways of getting our students engaged and excited about choosing their career and university. We are constantly looking for opportunities

College Counseling At JFK

CornerOUTSTANDING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS BY OUR FACULTY OR STUDENTS

By Erika Lastra

The JFK Times is published in two editions per year; once in the spring and once in the fall. We will be happy to mail a copy of the JFK Times to you if you will provide us with your address. You can also see a virtual copy of the JFK Times on the alumni site http://alumni.jfk.edu.mx.

Thanks for your interest in our publication and we hope that you will enjoy it and that it sparks good memories for you of your time on campus. Do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours truly, Monica Duarte, Editor in Chief.

F R O M T H E E D I T O R

4 5

that will encourage our students to explore college options by means of workshops, confer-ences, special programs, campus visits, College Fairs, etc.

Our College Fair is a wonderful venue for stu-dents and parents to learn about different col-leges and universities and to learn about career options and scholarship opportunities. Not only do our students have the chance to talk face-to-face with many Admissions Officers but they also get to attend different workshops offered by the universities. Of course anyone can read a book on what colleges are looking for, what to do to increase their chances of get-ting accepted at certain schools, or how to look for scholarships. But imagine how fortunate our students are to be able to receive first-hand information about this from many of the very same people who are part of the Admissions Committees of these schools. This is an oppor-tunity that students elsewhere seldom have.

This year we hosted over seventy Universities at our Ninth Annual College Fair. Top schools from Mexico and around the world partici-

pated. Mexican schools such as the Tec de Monterrey, ITAM, UDLA, Ibero and Anhuac; American schools such as Michigan State University, University of San Diego, Embry Riddle University, Rice University, Wesleyan University and Pepperdine University; Cana-dian Schools such as the University of Alberta and the University of British Columbia; and European Universities such as the Ecole Htelire Lausanne and Le Roches attended. While some of our students are still in the pro-cess of organizing and understanding all the information they received, others have started the admissions process at one or more of the schools they learned about at the Fair.

We have received many compliments from universities regarding how well prepared and focused our students are when they meet with them. They praise them for the depth of their questions and the exceptional manner in which they present themselves. Many have com-mented on how the JFK student profile is such a good match with what they are looking for and how very interested they are in recruiting

I always send this

message to students:

Success is in the plan-

ning. The future is yours to

build. The opportuni-

ties are yours to

take.

Of course, not all is

about falling in

love with a program or

a college but also

about finding a

way to pay for it.

our students. Of course, not all is about falling in love with

a program or a college but also about finding a way to pay for it. College budget conversa-tions are probably one of the most stressful discussions they will have as a family. Parents should have open and honest conversations with their children on how much money is available for college. With this information students will be able to plan for financial aid. Judging from the past, it is safe to say that there is a decent chance that most of our stu-dents can get a scholarship. Last year, approxi-mately one in every four JFK students of the Class of 2008 received financial aid of some sort from a university. A lump sum of over six million pesos was awarded in scholarships by both national and foreign universities. What they need to know about scholarships is that they are out there. But, students need to work very hard to qualify for one. In many cases the decisions students make as early as in ninth and tenth grade will have a direct impact on their eligibility.

examples of students from the class of 08 who were awarded scholarships

Andrs Terrazas 100% Switzerland Ecole Hoteliere Lausanne

Bachelors of Science in International Hospitality Management

Tanya Rodrguez 100% Quertaro Universidad Anhuac

Bachelors in Tourism Management

Marissa Ojeda 100% Quertaro Universidad Anhuac

Bachelors in Tourism Management

Lourdes Zamanillo 40%Monterrey ITESM

Medicine

Marisol Garibay 90%Quertaro ITESM Bachelors in Industrial Engineering

Eli Arenas 40%Monterrey Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM)

Medicine

Gabriela Mesta merit Based scholarshipCanada University of AlbertaBachelors in International Business

Diego Hentschel 60%Mxico, D.F. ITAM Bachelors in Business Engineering

Santiago Molina merit Based scholarshipUSA University of ChicagoBachelors of Science in Mo-lecular Biology

6 7

THE JFK SPIRIT

Building

The Ecoclub of the John F. Kennedy School consists of students from first grade to twelve grade. It is an enjoyable group with a common goal, to Work together for our planet.

Luza Arredondo is the Coordinator of the JFK Ecoclub. Recently she traveled to Guatemala for a conference. In an interview, we asked her about her trip.

As the person in charge of the coordination of the JFK Ecoclub, why did you travel to Guatemala? I was invited by the International Committee to participate in the Encuentro Regional de Facilitadores de la Regin which is a coalition from Mexico, Central American and the Carib-bean. I was the representative for Mexico in this event.

Community

Ecoclub NewsBy Graciela Fernndez

What countries were represented in this Conference and why did they come? Mxico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panam were rep-resented. There were twenty-two representa-tives at the event.

The main objectives of this conference were to1. Plan all 2009 activities for Ecoclubs in the countries that we represented. 2. To participate in Coordinators workshops. 3. To share the work being done by Ecoclub associated with the organization.

4. We also were able to work on a project to re-forest part of La Tigrilla, a protected natural environment. We planted trees which provide food for the famous quetzal birds.

How did this trip contribute to the projects of the International Ecoclubs Organization and our school program? This encounter was important because we were able to unify the actions to be taken to move forward with an ecological worldwide agenda.

A declaration was created, and signed by all the countries represented, in which we ad-dressed outstanding issues and regional chal-lenges. This declaration will form a part of one unified declaration from all regions including Europe, Africa and South America.

Participation enriched, in remarkable ways, the work of each country. Ideas and action plans were evaluated by the group in order to increase our chances for success in all of the work we do with our students.

What we did there will also contribute to our future projects within the school.

Have there been any other International meetings in which the JFK Ecoclub has recently participated? Isabel Compa a HS student and a distin-guished member of our Ecoclub, attended the Water and Youth International Journeys Meet-ing in Zaragoza, Spain on July 16 19, 2008. Isabel returned very motivated from this trip to start a Mexicos Youth National Water Commit-tee. We wish her luck in this endeavor.

8 9

What Do You Think About School Uniforms?

By Malena Chapa

Uniforms are widely used in schools in count-less countries as they provide a focus upon equality, uniformity and school pride. Uniforms reduce expenses, competition and pressure to purchase extra clothing to follow the latest style.

One thing common in all schools is a lively discussion about uniforms. Some students in

our school like our uniform and style just as it is; while others have creative ideas for change.

Students from Pre-school through Middle School wear uniforms two to three days per week for athletic classes and assemblies. They also wear uniforms on all field trips. On other days they wear clothing of their own choosing.

We surveyed elementary students, both girls and boys, to get some idea of their thinking on this perennial topic. Students, in nearly equal percentages, like and find issues with uniforms.

Nearly half were very positive. I like the uniform it has my favorite colors. Its modern, cool, and comfortable. It is fun to wear. It is creative and represents our school. It comes with both shorts and pantsit feels good!

The others shared ideas for change. Some would like to wear their own cloths every day, or did not like the present colors. Style and fit were also mentioned as issues. Some would like the uniform to include skirts for girls.

Creative ideas for new colors included; black, or orange, red, or greeneven silver or gold or pinkthe shirt should be white or blue. Some suggested change to a jacket that wassofterno zippersdifferent cottonmore creative designs, like Aber-crombie or Nikeinclude Jaguars on the pantslarge flags on the back of the jacket.

Students always have lively debate about uniform use. This being said, dont look for drastic change from our uniform traditions in the near future-nor a switch to pink! We are quite proud of the red, white and blue and will incorporate them into future design changes.

By Malena Chapa

OurStudents

THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY

10 11

WHAT ARE WE UP TO?

On The MoveJFK

popular around the JFK Community!The menu, which is served cafeteria style, in-

cludes chilaquiles, eggs, quesadillas, molletes, tortas, and a variety of fruits. Complete meals include a salad, soup, and a choice from many delicious main dishes.

Having lunch at school with your children and friendsThe chef has also been thinking about fami-lies and others that gather together in the afternoon for a meal at school. His menu now includes a complete formal meal that you can enjoy with your kids or other visitors after school.

Take away serviceIn the near future, the cafeteria will also have take away in which dishes will be sold by weight.

Hurray for the change!!

If you were to be on campus lately you would have noticed that there has been a lot of construction and change in the cafeteria area. What you may not know is that it is all for the best! Recently, I interviewed Chef Alfredo Morales Alvarez who is responsible for part of this change. He informed us that his theme is: Healthier and More Wholesome Nutrition. His menu does not include sodas and potatoes chips, but does include a few types of candies, at certain times, to satisfy everyones sweet tooth.

Chef Alfredo is a graduate of the Escuela Mexicana de Turismo and has been involved in the food industry for more than twenty years. He has worked in hotels, restaurants, special events and schools. Children are great, he says. "They know what they want and they understand the benefits of having nutri-tious meals offered in the cafeteria. Chef Alfre-do and his eight member team, are becoming

A Healthier Life Style for All of UsBy Felisa Lyons

The chef has also been think-ing about families and others that gather together in the after-noon for a meal at school.

12 13

PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR OUR MODELOF EDUCATIONSPORTSMartial Arts ProgramTae Kwon Do is a very firmly established dis-cipline in our school with ten years of classes to prove it! The number of students enrolling grows by the year.

Students from three to sixteen years-old develop increased control of their mind and body, increased coordination and a greater physical conditioning from their Tae Kwon Do work. Discipline and respect form an important element of the classes.

Their teachers, Orlando Rodrguez, Agustn Palacios and Joel Rangel feel very proud of our students as they have achieved regional, State and International championship awards. For example, during the recent International Championships, held in Dallas Texas, our students constantly placed within the top ten and in a recent International Championship tournament held in Queretaro they won a fourth place award.

This is a program that has great future pos-sibilities in our school. We have no doubt that our students will continue to benefit from this program and gain continued honors for their efforts

By Karla Ros

14 15

SPORTS SPORTS

Tennis & Golf

Track &Field

Volleyball

Volleyball

Soccer

Soccer

Soccer

Soccer

Soccer

Soccer

Soccer

SPORT

HS

Boys & GirlsES, MS, HS

Juvenile A Girls (MS)

Juvenile Girls (MS & HS)

Juvenile C Minor Girls (HS)

Infantile Girls (ES)

Juvenile C Girls (HS)

Juvenile C Minor Boys(HS)

Juvenile C Boys (HS)

Juvenile B Girls (MS & HS)

Infantile Minor Boys (ES)

AGE GROUP

2 Gold Medals & Sports Spirit Trophy

15 Gold - 9 Silver - 7 Bronze - 1 Honesty

2nd Place

3rd Place

1st Place

1st Place

2nd Place

2nd Place

3rd Place

3rd Place

3rd Place

ACHIEVEMENT2006-2007

Soccer

Soccer

Soccer

Soccer

Tennis

Golf

Volleyball

Volleyball

Volleyball

Volleyball

Track & Field

Basketball

Basketball

SPORT




Juvenile C Minor Girls (HS)

(MS & HS)

(MS & HS)





Boys & Girls (ES, MS & HS)

Juvenile B Boys (MS & HS)


AGE GROUP

1st Place & Sports Spirit Trophy

2nd Place & Sports Spirit Trophy

3rd Place & Sports Spirit Trophy

3rd Place

3 Gold Medals

2 Gold Medals

1st Place

2nd Place & Sports Spirit Trophy

2nd Place

2nd Place

31 Gold - 11 Silver - 21 Bronze

Sports Spirit Trophy



SPORTS

Tenis & Golf

Basketball

Volleyball

Volleyball

Soccer

Soccer

Soccer

Soccer

SPORT

MS








AGE GROUP

1 Gold Medal & Sports Spirit Trophy


2nd Place

3rd Place

1st Place

2nd Place

3rd Place

3rd Place & Sports Spirit Trophy


The JFK Athletic Program is a very important element of our educational process. It contributes to the physical, social, emotional and academic well being of our students. It offers multiple opportunities to support character development, self control, teamwork and a healthy life-style.

We proudly share the achievements of our student-athletes from the last three school cycles of American Schools of Mexico (asomex) Tournaments.

Be Your Best Do Your Best

16 17

An Upbeat InterviewTell us about your musical background? I came from Mexico City where I was, among other things, the French horn teacher at the National School of Music (unam), the Principal Horn with the Mexico National Symphony and for the last four years, one of the Directors of a Band program at a well-known private school in Mexico City. That gave me the experience and knowledge that I needed to begin a large project like this. I also teach in the U.S.A. during the summers at the Hartwick College Summer Music Festival, located in up-state New York. I have been doing that for the past ten years. The association with the Music Festival also has given me an insight as to how this kind of program is implemented in the United States.

What is a Symphonic Band? A symphonic band (also called a wind band, concert band, or wind ensemble) is a perform-ing group consisting of several members of the woodwind, brass and percussion instrument families. One can also include electric bass, electric guitar and keyboards as well.

An Inte

rview w

ith our J

FK

Sympho

nic Ban

d Direc

tor

Mauricio

Soto

Layo

ut in

spire

d by

Her

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18 19

of the support needed in terms of infrastruc-ture, specific needs for a large group, etc. She is really the master-mind behind all of this. She thinks that instrumental music, along with the rest of the visual and performing arts are a fundamental element of a good academic program.

Who else is part of this project? First of all, I want to acknowledge all of the music teachers at JFK. They have been really supportive of this project and are doing a terrif-ic job of teaching the students the foundations of music as an art. Mr. Weiss, our Assistant Superintendent is always there to lend a hand. Almost all of the students that we auditioned for the group in the past four weeks are coming with an appreciation for music that has been developed by these teachers.

Related to the instrumental part of it, we are bringing some of the finest musicians in Queretaro to teach our Band members in small groups. All of these teachers are musicians from the Quertaro Philharmonic. We offer small group lessons on campus to the students once a week. An integral part of our philoso-phy is to offer them the tools to improve as a musician and as a symphonic band member.

We are also providing six scholarships to fine young musicians from Queretaro (ages 16-19) who are coming from public schools, so that they can benefit from the experience of playing in a large performing group like this. At the same time our students can benefit from play-ing next to more experienced musicians

The only dif-ference between

a symphonic band and an orchestra is that the band

does not use stringed instruments such as the violin, cello, or other plucked or

bowed instruments.

Who are the members of this Band? The JFK Band is a group of instrumental student musicians from grades five to twelve. We have twenty - five members so far! Roughly ninety percent of them NEVER played an instrument before. Our first rehearsal, so to speak, took place on September 11 of this year. We are planning to present a Christmas Con-cert as our first introduction to the community in the JFK Auditorium during the first part of December. This is quite an ambitious project, but a project that I am very enthusiastic about.

I am very happy with all of the charter members of the JFK Band. They are really nice people, good students, very talented as musi-cians and they have a clear understanding of what team spirit is. This will help them to move quickly to develop their talents.

What kind of music does the JFK Band play? We are going to include original wind com-positions in our repertoire, arranged classical items, light music, and popular tunes (such as Christmas Songs). We have already commis-sioned to have several arrangements made by some of the finest musicians in the State. One arranger is Fausto Cerda, the Director of the Ixchel Ensemble. These arrangements are especially made for our group, given the very specific need of our students in terms of adapting the music to the level of the musi-cians in the group.

Who came up with the idea of having a Symphonic Band here at JFK? To have a high quality performing group has been a long time dream of our General Director, Mirtha Stap-pung. She has provided me with all

The Band is a lot of fun.

Juan Pablo Hinojosa, grade 6, Clarinet

i love the Band. We are all m

aking our best ef ort.

Rodrigo, grade 5, Alto Saxophone

i expect that the Band will be a success. i hope w

e can give our f rst concert in Decem

ber.

Luis Pia, grade 8, Alto Saxophone

This is a great opportunity to learn music.

Paulina Gracia, grade 12, Clarinet

The JFK Band is fabulous. I like it very m

uch and I fell proud to be a part of it. I am learning to play the Saxophone.

Luis Manuel H

ernndez, grade 6, Alto Saxophone

Flor Campillo, grade 10, Oboe

20 21

AlumniCONNECTING WITH ALUMNI

Official Launch of the JFK Virtual CommunityA Shared Project for Alumni and the SchoolWe have had more than two thousand alumni who have attended the school and thirty-eight graduating classes. They are successful men and women living very diverse lives. Our alumni represent valuable human capital and are connected to all of our lives in some very important ways. We now have an official sys-tem of re-connecting with them and we encour-age you to join the network. We have a lot to contribute, celebrate and to sharelets do it!

The Project Begins!After nearly a year of research, analysis, design and programming, our new JFK Alumni Web Site was ready for presentation. This site ensures security and privacy and yet is easy for our alumni to use. On September 20, 2008 a breakfast was held for a particular group of alumni who are now parents of current students. The purpose of the meeting was to launch our Virtual Community with this first

pilot test group. We also have registered the entire class of 09 who will begin to use the site upon graduation.

To access the JFK Virtual CommunityTo discover what this site has to offer you as an alumni, contact [email protected] to obtain your username and password. Once you have what you need you can access the site and start using it at http://alumni.jfk.edu.mx

The Virtual Community Dream Begins to Take ShapeOne of the main objectives guiding this project has been the desire to use the internet as a way of connecting alumni from all graduat-ing classes with each other, as well as with the school. We hope to continue enriching the site by receiving feedback from our users.

Original Interface DesignThe interface is simple, graphically attractive, and just as easy to use for digital amateurs as

it is for cyberspace experts. Achieving this was not easy; 56 different alumni sites from all over the world,and of every possible style (from the most formal to the most casual) were analyzed.

SECURITY No one can enter but authorized members.

FLEXIBILITY Users decide upon what to share.

INNOVATIONDeveloped after a year of research and planning.

Immersion and InteractivityThe sensation of immersion that the site provides is an innovation that was exclusively designed for JFK. From the first screen, the us-ers can see themselves inside their graduating class and can identify their classmates; with just a click, they can see the network among all graduating classes and can look for old friends and classmates. The virtual experience is ex-actly for this purpose: to help reunite alumni.

The sensa-tion of

immersion that the

site pro-vides is an innovation

that was exclusively

designed for JFK.

22 23

The IndicatorsFour Colors Identify The Status Of Each Alumni:

Red The information needs to be verified by the alumniYellow A third party has given information about an alumniGreen Information has been validated by the alumniBlue The alumni has created a personal page

Functions of the Site

News, Search, and E-mail These three functions will allow us to be in contact with each other all year long, to access precise information from the school, and to reconnect with each other to share achievements and experiencesall in a secure environment.

Official Class and Official News Class News is a space designed for alumni to publish and share their own news with others. In the area of Official News you will find news from the school.

Search Using the Find box can take you directly to the person you are looking for if they are registered in the system.

E-mails Acting as our own webmaster, we monitor the site to ensure maximum confidentiality and security. You can get in contact with registered users through our e-mail center.

Questions? There are three ways to receive guidance for the site. Access the Help or FAQs menus, or contact the JFK Alumni Office if you require further information.

24 25

Alumni Feature

Steven C. Martnez

aerospace engineer( S O O N )

CLASS OF 2004

I remember the day when my family was sitting in front of a black and white TV set watching the event of the year or, better to say, of the century the arrival of men to the moon. Those images, and my adventurous spirit, made me think of someday becoming an astronaut. Although this did not happen, it still seems to me to be a fascinating profession.

When I heard that Steven C. Martnez 04 was studying to re-ceive his B.A. in Aerospace Engineering with an eye to becom-ing an astronaut, I did not hesitate to ask him for this interview.

Steven studied at JFK from Pre-School through High School and is now studying in the United States at Auburn University.

Why did you choose Auburn University and Aerospace Engineering for a major?Ive always been interested in airplanes and space. Ive always loved flying and I felt that I wanted to be either a Pilot or an Engineer. The legendary astronauts have been either one or the other. Several known astronauts are graduates from Auburn University.

Have you ever dreamed as a child of becoming a pilot or an astronaut? I did.

An interview by our Editor in Chief

26 27

How do you think JFK helped you prepare and decide upon a career?I remember when I was in Middle School that we used to have a subject called talleres. We had one called Aeromodelismo, where we built airplanes. That was a lot of fun.

I also think that the way High School is orga-nized is very good. It gives you an experience of how college life will be. Ever since I came to Auburn I have realized that working through projects is not so difficult and I think this is because at JFK we had to complete many proj-ects per week.

There are fellow students here that, upon ar-rival, dont know how to write and essay; at JFK you learn that from the very beginning

In which special programs are you involved at Auburn University?Currently I have been working with Auburn Universitys Student Space Program which is funded by The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (nasa).

I serve as a Systems Engineer and part of my responsibilities in this program is to make sure that when we are building something that will be sent to the outer levels of the atmosphere (right at the edge of space), its built to specifi-cations, built using on time scheduling and that all materials do not conflict with other liquids or other components.

Additionally to that, this semester I have been working with a person who is in charge of a structure that will be strapped to a science balloon from which we will be able to track

diverse information, photograph the curvature of the earth and analyze radiation and weather data. This project is possible through an ad-ditional connection of NASA with Auburn University.

Can you share some experiences with the Reduce Gravity Program?I am working with the Reduced Gravity Pro-gram from the Johnson Space Center which fo-cuses upon all human activities in space. Last year I was the student in charge of the Reduced Gravity Team.

We looked at a problem that astronauts have with water in space. This problem is because water acts differently there than on Earth; it forms into a circular sphere and gets air bubbles in it. One of the astronauts problems

...we used to have a subject called talleres. We had Aeromode-lismo, where we built airplanes.

I am working with the Reduced Gravity Program from the Johnson Space Center

is to remove these air bubbles from it; they have to grab the water and spin it by hand to get the air out of it.

We designed a system that could go on board the International Space Station or the Space Shuttle, even though it will soon be retired. This system will now solve the problem as it frees the astronauts from the mundane task of having to remove air from water and therefore be able to concentrate on more important things.

We have tested this system aboard the nasa plane which replicates a zero gravity environ-ment for short periods of time. This plane has been used to train all astronauts from the 1950s until now.

What are your future plans?I am planning on several things. Maybe I will work towards getting a Masters Degree involv-ing some branch of Aero Space Engineering. I have also been looking at a college that is managed by the European Space Agency and offers two Masters Degree Programs related to Space Systems Engineering.

Once I get out of school my goal will be to get involved with Spacecraft Science. I am not interested in the field of building a spacecraft, airplane, or space shuttle; but much more in what astronauts actually face and do in order to keep alive while in space. I am interested in these systems because they will be part of the fleet of NASAs new spacecraft. These are vehi-cles that will take astronauts back to the moon.

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A couple of days ago I attended a seminar where it was said that the newest estimate for us to have a human mission to Mars will be around the year 2040. So, hopefully I will be able to get a good job in this area for a few more years, and then apply for the Astronaut Training Program

Any advice for future JFK graduates? Yes. I was one of those students that thought that the IB Program was too much hard work. Now I know it was worth the effort. I encourage JFK students to complete the entire program.

I also remember Professor Rogers words: You might meet a lot of teachers out there in college that will tell you that you are wrong, but if you truly believe you are right, dont back up from your ideas.

College is about independence, its about self direction, and its about knowing what you want to do. You can learn about these concepts

I was one of those students that thought that the IB Program was too much hard work.

starting from ninth grade at JFK.Another thing about NASA is that they dont just grab people

from anywhere to work with them. You have to be persistent and insist constantly to have a chance; you have to be a com-mitted person. Most astronauts are not selected until they are thirty-eight or forty years old and they spend years trying to become astronauts.

You have to enjoy your work, do the best you can, be happy and persistent. These values are taught at JFK.

In your opinion what makes JFK unique? It is the exposure to an International Community and also, the way it prepares students to be responsible individuals. In my opinion JFK guides you year after year, so that once you gradu-ate you pretty much know what you want to do.

With a Kennedy student you can discuss everything from history to politics to economics, and when you are in College, people are impressed about your background. I had an Ethics class at Auburn University and when the teacher asked how many of us had studied ethics before, I was the only one who raised my hand.

At JFK, they taught me how to work in a team, how to be a leader and how to handle projects to their completion. I remem-ber teachers such as Roger Duran and Peter Kelly; they taught me to believe in myself and in my ideas.

Are you still in touch with friends from JFK?Whenever I go back to Quertaro I always try to contact people. I keep in touch with my closer friends and with younger stu-dents from when I used to be a Tae Kwan Do teacher in the JFK after-school program.

I am glad to be part of the JFK Alumni Community. The vir-tual site is a great tool to get in touch with old classmates and with the school.

I keep in touch with my closer friends and with younger stu-dents from when I used to be a Tae Kwan Do teacher in the JFK after-school program.

WHAT ARE WE DOING NOW?Class Notes

Steve on a recent visit to the school Steve and his JFK soccer team

Time CapsulesThroughout history people have left buried treasure and hidden messages with the hope that some future generation will find them and gain something from the past. This attractive idea led us to design special time capsules for our own graduating students to fill on their last day of school.

The project was finished this summer and both the graduating classes of 2007 and 2008 have now filled their capsules. There were no instructions as to what was to be included, but each student was given waterproof bags to fill. Some included items such as favorite pens and notebooks. Most included pho-tographs from their school days, and many have written letters to them-selves with promises of what they will achieve in life, and how they will improve their own attitudes towards life. Some parents have also written to their children and these letters are also inside the capsules, and I am sure there is more than one dec-laration of love to boyfriends and girlfriends!

These capsules will be opened on the fifth anniversary of their gradu-ation at a special ceremony to bring each class of friends back to the school once more.

Memory is a way of holding onto

the things you love, the things

you are, thethings you never

want to lose. May the dreams of

your past be the reality of your

future.

By Adrian Leece

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Welcome to our Alumni Virtual Community

The school has opened up a virtual community for all those who have attended or graduated from the school. Alumni simply find their class by graduation year and join the community! This site will be used for you to enter updates for the community.Some future class notes will be shared later in this publication.

Green LevelAlumni that have validated their personal information.

Jaime Antonio Lpez Urquiaga

Beatriz de la Cuadra Couln

Mara Elena Guerra Villagomez

Beatriz Eugenia Gonzlez Garciancira

Ma. Teresa Chacon Herrera

Gabriela Prigmore Faras

Lucy Huber Herrera

Gabriela Lecuna Maltes

Blue LevelAlumni that have created their personal page.

Juan Manuel Fraga Sastras

Ricardo Vzquez Barrera

Emmanuel Vzquez Barrera

Ana Luisa Torres Visoso

Michelle Ducloux de Landa

94

96

97

98

98

68

80

80

85

85

87

87

92

Yellow Level Indicates that a third party has given information about them.

Bernardo Lastra Fallas

Jillian Stoltzfus Beck

Jorge Vega Torres

Miguel Alejandro Booth Parra

Xavier Balestra Ordaz

Mariloli Gonzlez Reynoso

Valeria Fagiolani de la Madrid

Leticia Marroqun Gmez

Luisa Lillian Mccullough Durn

Anibal Alejandro Alcocer Ochoa

Berenice Rodrguez Aguayo

Eduardo Jacobo Crdova Lucas

Mara Del Pilar Gonzlez Fausto

Olga Burillo Almada

Sandra Pia Cota

Ceyrine Mara Pellikaan Camon

96

96

96

96

96

98

98

82

93

96

96

96

96

96

96

98

Red Level They have contacted us but their personal information needs to be completed.

Rosario Malagn de Len

Mnica Barrera Villagomez

Marc Oliver Rau Hartmann

Roco Presa Ampudia

Emilio Castelazo Dvalos

Jos Eduardo Vega Borgio

Rafael Landn Snchez

Horacio Temelo Ledesma

Juan Gabriel Ballesteros Martnez

Jessica Surez

Luis Alberto Vega Ricoy

Mariana Novoa Barrios

Andrea Cristina Berrondo Daz

Alejandro Dvila Sainz

Issa Plancarte Mujica

Guillermo Astorga Peralta

Viridiana Ilse Hernndez Briseo

79

80

81

82

83

83

83

84

84

87

87

88

93

96

98

02

05

http://alumni.jfk.edumx

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REUNIONS & SNAPSHOTS

80Jose ramn velaVisits the school.

96Berenice lpez aguayoVisits the school.

05Reunion The class of 05, along with other graduates and friends met in July for a reunion with lots of support from some of the group!

98Grand Reunion! The class of 98 & 99 and their families got together again for their 8th annual reunion. What a grand tradition!

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07michelle Bowles & alberto padillaVisit the school.

87anel BaolsFrancisco carreranuria Doranteslucy huberlaura luquemiss pat mc neil. art teacher Gabriela prigmore Gustavo ruzmarco ZamudioA school photo to share from class '87 Can you name the missing boy?

98/'99

05

07

87

80 96

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82Reunion Celebrating 25 years after graduation from JFK

MIxED ALUMNI EVENT

Reunion A reunion at the school with alumni that are former parents of JFK Students.

During the breakfast, Mr. Dobarganes was able to solve a puzzle for us. Until then we had not been able to identify the students in one particularly interesting photograph of the school. Mr. Dobarganes recognized his own im-age in the picture and was also able to identify several others of his former classmates who were founding students of JFK.

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ANUNCIO DEL IMPRESOR

Documents

Jfk Times Fall 2008