- R J Reynolds High School
- 2009-2010 Scholarship & Teacher of the Year Recipients
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The 2009-2010 RJR Alumni $1,000 Scholarship winners and the 2009-2010 RJR Teacher of the Year:
Allie Mangin (pictured with Principal Art Paschal), the ESL teacher at Reynolds High School, was selected the $1,000 RJR Alumni Teacher of the Year Award winner by her peers.I ventured to Winston Salem from St. Louis, Missouri as a college freshmen attending Wake Forest University. I never imagined that I would subsequently spend the next ten years (and counting) of my life enjoying this thriving town.
At Wake Forest I studied Sociology and Spanish having no idea how the two interests would fit into a future career. I knew I enjoyed working with people from different backgrounds and my summers were spent in a variety of settings working and volunteering with youth from urban environments. I traveled to several Spanish speaking countries and studied abroad in Spain my junior year. When I returned I began to feel drawn to the immigrants living both in the city of St. Louis where I had grown up and in the community of Winston Salem. The struggles that many young immigrants face peaked my interest in social justice, multiculturalism, issues of poverty, and the difficulties of being an outsider in a community.
I sought out some courses at Wake that specifically addressed social inequalities and focused on issues related specifically to youth. That landed me in the education field. I was assigned to observe and assist Dianne Iseman, one of the legendary ESL teachers at Reynolds High School. She transformed my view of education and the ability teachers have to empower their students to achieve. Dianne allowed me to dive in and help some of the students who most recently arrived in North Carolina: one from Honduras, another from Mexico, and the third from Dominican Republic. These students were beginning with the English alphabet and very basic vocabulary. I was stunned that they only had Mrs. Iseman in class for the morning and that right after learning numbers and colors in her class they were sent on to the next period when the bell rang: Biology!
After observing and tutoring, I realized I had never felt so excited to get up and go somewhere than the days I was scheduled to be at Reynolds. I continued pursuing education classes as electives in between the Sociology and Spanish. Once I graduated I went back to St. Louis and taught at an International school for adult immigrants and refugees. I taught ESL and quickly discovered that I loved it. When my husband was accepted back at Wake for graduate school I knew I had to try to teach at Reynolds. That is exactly what happened. I was fortunate enough to come during a year of transition for other teachers and was able to slip into the renowned ESL Department.
I am extremely proud to be working at Reynolds and while some people have a negative perspective on public education, I am able to cite hundreds of examples of what is right about the way our students are learning at Reynolds. The diversity is beautiful and is unmatched anywhere in our city. The privilege we have as educators to work with students representing every demographic in our city is amazing. It speaks to the cry of my heart to interact with different people every day and of course, it always keeps things interesting. Reynolds has a great school spirit and for as much as we feel the weight of responsibility being placed on our shoulders, the staff has a very positive attitude. I attribute much of that to the leadership and an administration that sets an excellent tone within the school.
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Marni Jane Vinluanreceives $1,000
RJR Alumni Scholarship
My name is Marni Jane Vinluan and I was a graduate of Reynolds High School (RJR) in June 2010. I will be moving on to Appalachian State University, but I will never forget my experiences at RJR. I’ve made friends with students and teachers, and based on the amount of time I’ve spent at RJR: found a second home. Reynolds High School is a family that I will always be a part of, and keep warm in my heart.
I’d wake up at 7 in the morning to get to school before the bell rings at 8:45 to get to my first class. The rest of the day is a blur, until the school day would end at 3:40, every weekday. There would always be something keeping me there later. If it wasn’t a club, basketball, or orchestra, it would be friends to linger with and wait for their way home. I didn’t get to drive until my senior year, but I wouldn’t complain about the other years without a car. Even with a car my senior year, I’d still “hangout” after school and talk with friends. I was a Career Center (CC) student part of the time during my senior year. The one thing I’d want to change if I could would be how uninformed most of the RJR students that take English at CC are. Students are informed about most of the events, concerts, due dates, fundraisers, and other school events through their English teachers, and, having English at CC my senior year: I missed out. However, attending Career Center is just another wonderful opportunity that RJR provides, and taking English there wasn’t death.
People say that a person can change in high school, and that statement is true. Changes are for the good and the bad, but for me, RJR was a place that I could grow up and learn…not only academics, but about life. My knowledge wasn’t taught by just teachers but other students, friends, coaches, and guidance counselors…. the whole community of RJR. I spent four years playing varsity basketball at RJR, fought hard on the court, and learned important lessons in life. One of the people I’d thank at RJR is Coach Gray, who was like a father to me. There were times that I loved him, for the care and inspiration he gave to his players. But I hated him, at the same time, for how hard he’d work the team. He pushed me to further develop my skills and built up my confidence on and off the court. I will always commit to memory how far basketball has taken me and how I learned I didn’t just like basketball, but that I love it.
Basketball took a lot of my time during the school year, and parts of it in the summer. Almost everyday I would have workouts or practice, and it was hard to be a part of clubs…but there is always a way. I not only participated on the basketball team, but joined various clubs, and played the viola for the orchestra. If Coach Gray was my dad away from home, my mother would be Mrs. Margaret Lou Rehder (my Orchestra Director). I’ve had her class everyday since 6th grade, because she taught at my middle school, as well as at RJR. I love music, but she showed me an appreciation for music that without her I could never have reached.
I love RJR…through the good times and the bad…through the sweat and tears on the court…and through the heat of the stage light. The friends I’ve made there may not be forever, but will have a lasting affect on my heart. The welcoming students and staff that RJR has were what I looked forward to every morning at 7.
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Justin Floeterreceives $1,000
RJR Alumni Scholarship
My time at RJR has been everything but forgettable. My average school day consisted of waking up at 7am in order to make it to my 1st period class at the Career Center that started at 8:10am. Before lunch I travel back to RJR where I’m in class until 5or5:30pm. Typically my day includes 9 classes due to after school and Career Center classes. After class I go to soccer practice, play rehearsal, chorus rehearsal, or scouts. Often I would return home around 8 or 9pm where I grabbed some dinner and begin the evening’s homework. Usually I’d be able to go to sleep by 11pm. On the weekends I worked two jobs plus chorus rehearsals, homework, and performing on stage.
As busy as I was I loved every day of it. In fact it was the performing arts that allowed me to be so active on and off campus. For all four years I was active with the tech crew, advanced acting and chorus. If I could change anything about RJR it would be to keep the before and after school arts classes. They each provided life changing experiences for me that helped develop time management, leadership, and work skills. Outside of school I was active in church choirs, Boy Scouts (I’m an Eagle Scout), and an Ultimate Frisbee club while working two part time jobs.
My favorite classes at RJR included Seminar Civics with Mr. Bright, AP Environmental Science with Mr. Scott, and Chorus with Mr. Hicks. Each of those classes had teachers who were passionate about their topic and could engage the students. Even in the driest of topics, economics with Mr. Bright, he incorporated games and stories that held the class’s attention and helped teach economics.
This fall I will be attending Appalachian State University with a focus in political science and history. After graduating for Appalachian I plan on continuing onto law school. While at Appalachian I plan on joining choral, Frisbee, and acting groups while taking guitar and piano lessons on top of school and possibly on top of one or two side jobs.