2017-2018 Accomplishments
For our first official year as a competitive team, our Vanguard Rembrandt TAFE team has proven to be a force to be reckoned with! We signed up a total of 55 High school members and 33 eighth graders at the beginning of the year. Of those members, 26 students competed at our regional competition held at Harlingen High School in December. Due to their hard work and awesomeness at regionals, a total of 12 students qualified for the State Competition in 7 different events.
Qualifying for state were:
- In Exploring Support Careers- 10th grader, Kimberly Pena
- In Elementary Bulletin Board Creation- 9th graders, Clarissa Bravo and Angela Cadena
- Qualifying in two events- Public Speaking and Lesson Planning and Delivery Humanities- 10th grader, Jabes Gallardo
- In Chapter Scrapbook Creation- 10th graders, Aileen Galvan and Kayla Espinoza
- In Professional Development- Seniors Giselle and Stephanie Garza
- In Parliamentary Procedure- Sophomores- Ruben Clemente, Jannelly Pena, Aileen Galvan, Maya Baez, and Junior- Eddie Cabrera
The students also left their mark at the State competition sponsored by Sam Houston State University. Aileen Galvan and Kayla Espinoza received a Blue Ribbon for their Chapter Scrapbook. Seniors Giselle and Stephanie Garza placed fifth place in Professional Development. And truly pulling a rabbit out of the hat, was our Parliamentary Procedure team. Our President Ruben Clemente and Vice President Jannelly Pena were unable to attend State due to personal conflicts, but our remaining three members (Eddie, Maya, and Aileen) were not ready to give up. They convinced Senior Giselle Garza to join them in the competition despite her having never practiced with them. With just 15 minutes to prepare as a team, they were able to pull off a 1st Place State Champion Victory!!!
Other accomplishments that our chapter is very proud of this year, is we have started a program where our TAFE members go to our Elementary Campus each day to volunteer with our After-School Arts Program in addition to providing babysitting for our faculty members’ children at every faculty meeting. We have also teamed up with the NHS team and the Palm Valley Animal Shelter to sponsor a “PAWS to READ” literacy event that will take place this March 29th where our elementary students will get to read books to shelter dogs that are up for adoption.
TAFE is doing great things at Vanguard, and we look forward to growing our organization and living up to the pledge that we say at every meeting, to “promote positive attitudes regarding all noble aspects of education, to acknowledge the challenging role of the teaching profession, and to provide service and leadership within [our] school and community.” We’d like to thank Dr. Garcia and Mrs. Martinez and our other administrators for all of your support this year!