DEAN'S ACADEMY SPEAKS AT DELTA SIGMA THETA ACADEMY'S GRADUATION

ON MAY 8, 2007, STUDENTS FROM THE DEAN'S ACADEMY WERE INVITED BY MRS. BARRI McMILLON-SMITH TO THEIR GRADUATING CLASS OF DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY ACADEMY...THEIR ACADEMY FOCUSES ON EMPOWERING YOUNG WOMEN IN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL TO ACHIEVE GREATNESS THROUGH LIFE SKILLS WITH A SPECIAL EMPHESIS ON EDUCATION... A COUPLE OF THE SAME INGREDIENTS WE USE HERE AT DEAN'S ACADEMY ON OUR YOUNG MEN. FOR THIS SPECIAL EVENING IVORY McFARLAND DID HIS VERSION OF "STILL I RISE" AND SHAMAL ATKINSON TURNED IT OUT WITH "PHENOMENAL WOMAN", BOTH POEMS BY DR. MAYA ANGELOU. THE SPECIAL EVENT OF THE EVENING WAS CHRIS LASPRILLA WHO INSTEAD OF READING ANOTHER POEM BY MS. ANGELOU, ELECTED TO READ A POEM THAT HE WROTE EARLIER IN THE DAY. HIS SELF PENNED "FOR THE LOVE OF OUR WOMEN" RECIEVED A THUNDEROUS STANDING OVATION BY ALL IN ATTENDANCE. ALL THREE YOUNG MEN BROUGHT THEIR OWN FLAVOR AND ZEST TO THIS VERY SPECIAL EVENT. THE DEAN'S ACADEMY IS EXTREMELY PROUD OF OUR YOUNG MEN FOR ONCE AGAIN, THEY STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE, AND KNOCKED THE BALL WAAAAAY OUT OF THE PARK!!!

SALUTE TO WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCES 2007 FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY HELD A DINNER GALA TO SALUTE WOMEN IN ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCES ON MAY 5, 2007 AT THEIR SOUTH MIAMI CAMPUS. STUDENTS FROM THE DEAN'S ACADEMY WERE INVITED TO THE EVENT BY MISS STEPHANIE STRANGE, HEAD RECRUITER FOR ENGINEERING STUDENTS AT SAID COLLEGE. THE YOUNG MEN FROM THE DEAN'S ACADEMY WERE THE ONLY MALES INVITED TO THE SALUTE SO THEY WERE SURE TO BRING THEIR OWN PRAISES AND ADMIRATIONS FOR SMART, SELF-ASSURED WOMEN. FOR ME, THE FOUNDER OF THE ACADEMY, THIS DATE RANKS RIGHT UP THERE WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO...TO GET YOUNG MEN TO SEE WOMEN AS PEOPLE. INDIVIDUALS. HUMAN BEINGS. THE STUDENTS BROUGHT THEIR OWN TALENTS TO THE EVENT. PAUL MADISON PLAYED CLASSICAL PIECES ON HIS PIANO, AND JAZZ PIECES ON HIS HORN. REGGIE GORDON WELCOMED THE YOUNG WOMEN TO THE EVENT. IVORY McFARLAND READ "STILL I RISE", CHRIS LASPRILLA READ "WONDERFUL WEEKEND", AND SHAMAL ATKINSON CLOSED WITH "PHENOMENAL WOMAN" WHICH BROUGHT THE CAPACITY ROOM TO ITS FEET! ALL POEMS WERE WRITTEN BY MAYA ANGELOU. AFTER TOURING THE COLLEGE CAMPUS AND DOING THEIR BEST AT THE GALA, THE STUDENTS FELT, IN THE WORDS OF PAUL MADISON "LIKE I'M ON CLOUD NINE!". THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN SEEING A YOUNG MAN SEE HIS POTENTIAL COME TO FRUITATION AFTER DOING SOMETHING THEY SO FEARED, AND DOING IT SO WELL!!

CALVARY CHAPEL CORAL SPRINGS

STUDENTS FROM THE DEAN'S ACADEMY ATTENDED CHURCH SERVICES AT CALVARY CHAPEL IN CORAL SPRINGS ON APRIL 22, 2007. REVEREND DEAN SPOKE TO THE CONGREGATION ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR YOUTH ACTIVITIES AND KEEPING OUR YOUTH ACTIVE IN THE LORD AND HIS MISSION. THE DEAN'S ACADEMY WILL BE HOLDING IT'S SUMMER YOUTH PROGRAM OUT OF CALVARY CHAPEL SO IT WAS A GREAT DAY FOR THE YOUTH TO MEET THE CONGREGANTS AND FOR THE CONGREGANTS TO MEET OUR YOUTH. THE CONGREGATION RESPONDED WITH RESOUNDING HOSANNAS ABOUT OUR DEVOTION TO THE YOUTH OF BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA. THE STUDENTS AND THE STAFF OF THE DEAN'S ACADEMY WOULD LIKE TO SEND OUR HEART-FELT THANKS TO PASTOR GUS FLORES AND PASTOR ORLANDO ARGUILLES FOR THEIR INVALUABLE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT!!!

SPRING BREAK 2007

BOWLING WITH MR SPISIAK, AND PLAYING FOOTBALL UNDER THE FLORIDA SUN.

IMPROV ACTING AND AT THE MOVIES

STUDY HALL AND AT UNIVERSITY FITNESS

POOL PARTY AT MRS. RODRIGUEZ'S

SPRING BREAK 2007 WAS HELD FROM MARCH 30-APRIL 10, 2007. DURING THAT TIME THE STUDENTS AT THE DEANS ACADEMY ENJOYED A PLETHORA OF EVENTS...OF COURSE, HOMEWORK, STUDY HALL AND TUTORING WAS FIRST AND FOREMOST ON OUR LIST, BUT BOWLING, POOL PARTIES, FOOTBALL, THE MOVIES, THE GYM, AND IMPROV ACTING WAS ALSO OFFERED. THE STUDENTS WERE ALSO ASSIGNED THE BOOK "SLAM" FOR READING AND WRITING A BOOK REPORT ON...A GREAT, GREAT TIME WAS TRULY HAD BY ALL.

FLORIDA LIBRARY DAYS 2007

ON MARCH 19-21, 2007, REVEREND DEAN JOURNEYED BACK UP TO TALLAHASSEE WITH THE FRIENDS OF BROWARD COUNTY LIBRARIES FOR LIBRARY DAYS...WE WERE SEEKING ADDITIONAL FUNDINGS FOR OUR LIBRARIES AND OUR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, BOTH VITAL FOR THE YOUTH AND ADULTS OF BROWARD COUNTY. REVERNED DEAN AND THE FRIENDS OF THE BROWARD COUNTY LIBRARIES MET WITH SENATOR JEREMY RING (1ST PIC), REPRESENTATIVE JAVIER GARCIA (2ND PIC), REPRESENTATIVE PERRY E. THURSTON, JR (3RD PIC), AND REPRESENTATIVE ARI PORTH. WITH THE POPULATION OF BROWARD GROWING EVERYDAY, THE LAST THING WE NEED ARE CUTS TO OUR FANTASTIC LIBRARIES AND OUR MUCH NEEDED AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS...BUT ALAS, WITH PPROPERTY TAXES BEING CUT (FROM WHICH LIBRARIES AND AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS GET THEIR FUNDINGS) IT APPEARS THAT OUR PROGRAMING BUDGETS WILL BE CUT. BUT GOD IS GREAT AND WILL SEE US THRU!

DEANS ACADEMYS PAUL MADISON IN CONCERT

PAUL MADISON, A STUDENT IN THE DEANS ACADEMY WAS IN CONCERT WITH MISS DONNA CUTLER AT A NETWORKING SEMINAR AT A TASTE OF INDIA RESTAURANT IN SUNRISE FLORIDA IN JANUARY 2007. PAUL PLAYS TRUMPET IN HIS BAND AT SILVER LAKES MIDDLE SCHOOL IN NORTH LAUDERDALE, BUT HE TAUGHT HIMSELF TO PLAY PIANO AND GUITAR. WHILE DONNA CUTLER BROUGHT THE ROCK AND ROLL, PAUL BROUGHT THE JAZZ OF LOUIS ARMSTRONG AND THE ELECTRICITY OF JIMI HENDRIX. AND WHEN THEY DID THEIR DUETS, THEY BROUGHT THE HOUSE DOWN! THANKS TO MISS DONNA CUTLER FOR INVITING OUR STUDENT TO JAM WITH HER! A GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL!!!

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY ENGINEERING GALA 2007

ON FEBRUARY 22, 2007 THE STUDENTS OF THE DEANS ACADEMY FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW VENTURED DOWN SOUTH TO THE ENGINEERING GALA HELD AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY. STUDENTS COME FROM THE TRI COUNTY AREA TO SEE THE LATEST SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES AND TO SEE THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE. THIS YEAR IT WAS A HANDS ON LEARNING EXPERIENCE AS THE STUDENTS TOUCHED HEART VALVES AND STINTS, MARVELLED AT SOLAR POWER HOMES AND CARS, AND AGAIN SAW THE LAB MICE WITH THE HUMAN EARS GROWING OUT OF THEIR BACKS FOR TRANSPLANTING ONTO BURN VICTIMS, PEOPLE BORN WITHOUT EARS, OR FOR THOSE WHO LOST THEM IN ACCIDENTS. AGAIN, THE STUDENTS WOULD LIKE TO THANK MISS STEPHANIE STRANGE FOR OUR THIRD INVITATION TO A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND FOR THE GREAT PIZZA PARTY !!!

ANTI PREDATOR SEMINAR WITH BROWARD SHERIFFS OFFICE

MARCH 8, 2007 THE DEANS ACADEMY'S STUDENTS WERE TAUGHT THE PERILS AND DANGERS OF THE INTERNET BY BROWARD SHERIFFS STRATEGIC INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION DETECTIVE NICOLE ROSSINI. DETECTIVE ROSSINI SHOWED THE STUDENTS JUST HOW VULNERABLE THEY ARE WHEN THEY ARE ONLINE. SHE BROUGHT ALONG VIDEOS AND HELD A POWER POINT PRESENTATION, ILLUSTRATING HOW ADULTS PREY ON CHILDREN AND HOW EASY IT IS FOR A PREDATOR TO FIND OUT WHO THEY ARE, WHERE THEY LIVE AND WHERE THEY GO TO SCHOOL. THE STUDENTS WHO THOUGHT THEY COULD SPOT A PREDATOR WERE HORRIFIED BY WHAT THEY LEARNED, AND WERE SHOCKED AT THE EASE AND LENGTH A PREDATOR WILL GO TO ENTER THEIR WORLD. MANY THANKS TO DETECTIVE ROSSINI AND THE BROWARD SHERIFFS OFFICE FOR HER TIRELESS EFFORTS TO EDUCATE AND PROTECT THE STUDENTS ON THIS PRESSING PROBLEM.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

IN THE FIRST PICTURE REVEREND DEAN POSES WITH FLORIDA STATE SENATOR GWEN MARGOLIS AT THE 2006 SEFLIN AWARDS. IN THE SECOND PICTURE REVEREND DEAN POSES WITH EVELYN GROOMS, PRESIDENT OF THE BROWARD COUNTY LIBRARY FRIENDS AND ROBERT CANON BROWARD COUNTY LIBRARY DIRECTOR AT THE 2006 SEFLIN AWARDS. THE FRIENDS OF BROWARD COUNTY WON AN AWARD FOR OUR TIRELESS EFFORTS TO RAISE MONIES FOR OUR LIBRARIES, BE IT FOR SUPPLIES OR AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS, WE'RE OUT THERE RAISING FUNDS FOR OUR COUNTY RESIDENTS! IN THE LAST PICTURE REVEREND DEAN POSES WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM PROJECT HOPE AND RECEIVES AN AWARD OF APPRECIATION FOR HIS EFFORTS IN HELPING OVER 80 FAMILIES IN BROWARD COUNTY WITH RENTAL ASSISSTANCE, CAR REPAIRS AND FOOD AFTER HURRICANE WILMA BLEW THRU BROWRD COUNTY WITH DEVASTATING AND DAMAGING WINDS.