POWER MENU: CHOICE SESSIONS

October 17-21, 2016

Title for PWR session: Amusement Park Physics
Name of Facilitator(s): John Sullivan and Colin DeGroot Credit Earned: .25 Science
Description of PWR session:Students will construct their own amusement park ride based on the following:
  1. Visiting Elitch Gardens and collecting data while on rides
  2. Doing video analysis of the motion of amusement park rides
  3. Completing labs involving physics concepts
Intended Audience: 9– 12 grades
Location(s) of PWR session: Rm 1521, Elitch Gardens Dates of PWR session:Oct. 17-21 Times of PWR session: 8:25a-3:15p Fee: $25+Elitch ticket
Title for PWR session:Media and Current Events/Politics
Name of Facilitator(s): Amber Scott and Maggie Chappo Credit Earned:.25 Social Studies
Description of PWR session: With the upcoming election, students will analyze how media (music, news, social media) influence public opinion on current events and politics. Understanding the relationship between media and current affairs, students will leave this PoWeR session with the skills necessary to be informed citizens. In the end, students will utilize speech and media skills to create a campaign for a cause that interests them.
Intended Audience:AP Gov students; Any student interested in current events and media. 9-12 grades.
Location(s) of PWR session: Rm 1411 and 1404 Dates of PWR session:Oct 17-21 Times of PWR session:8:25a – 3:15p Fee: None
Title for PWR session:The Geology of Adventure
Name of Facilitator(s): Hannah Aslin, Sarah Palaich, Lisa Sixbery Credit Earned: .25 Science
Description of PWR session:This PoWeR session allows students to explore Colorado’s beautiful landscapes and learn about the geologic processes that created them. We will go on two field trips to allow students to explore the connections between our daily adventures and stores of the landscapes themselves. Students will have a sense of being connected to a much bigger picture and much longer tale.
Intended Audience:9-12 grades
Location(s) of PWR session:Rm 1601, Field trips Dates of PWR session:Oct. 17-21 Times of PWR session:MWF 8a-12p T/Th 8:25a-3:15p Fee: $25
Title for PWR session:The Vista PEAK Dance Experiment
Name of Facilitator(s): Veronica Ramos and Katie Sheffler Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR session: Students will learn and practice dance basics and choreography styles. In addition, high school and elementary students will learn dances and create a dance performance recital at the end of the week!
Intended Audience: K-12th grades (Exploratory and Prep)
Location(s) of PWR session: Vista Peak PrepDance Rm and Stage Dates of PWR session:Oct, 17-21 Times of PWR session: 8:25a – 3:15p Fee: $25
Title for PWR session:Creating a Personal Website
Name of Facilitator(s): Meagan Clark and Crystal Bui Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR session:Ever wanted to have your own website? Do you need volunteer or community outreach experience to help you shine on those college applications? Do you want to try to start a business of your own through an online presence? Through this power session, you will be creating your own personal website that will help you to promote yourself to potential colleges, scholarship committees, and employers or you can choose to support a business in need and create a personalized website for them in order to add to your volunteer and community outreach experience. Leave this PoWeR session with a website that proves how skilled and capable you are to anyone that sees it!
Intended Audience: 9-12 grades
Location(s) of PWR session:1507 Dates of PWR session: Oct. 17-21 Times of PWR session: 8:25a-3:15p Fee: None
Title for PWR session:Cook Like a Chef
Name of Facilitator(s): Christopher Danchik and Nick Nowell Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR session: Under the supervision of a professionally trained chef, students will learn the skills necessary to pursue a career in culinary arts. Students will learn and apply domain specific vocabulary, learn about food and safety regulations as they pertain to culinary work, discober unique and helpful ways to eliminate waste and increase production, hone their food presentation skills, design and execute recipes and prepare a delicious multi-course meal for staff during which they apply all of their newly found skills and knowledge. Each student will learn about the different important jobs in a restaurant, from preparation to service.
Intended Audience: 9-12 grades, 20 student cap.
Location(s) of PWR session:VPP kitchen, Rm 1501 Dates of PWR session: Oct. 17-21 Times of PWR session: 8:25a-3:15p Fee: $30
Title for PWR session:Power UP!
Name of Facilitator(s): Ashley Ely and Andy Hwang Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR session:Students will explore the components of different games and how they use skills to help in today’s world. Students will play games that enhance teamwork, communication, and a little competitive spirit. We will take this experience further by designing and developing games that will push anyone to power up to the next level.
Intended Audience: 9-12 grades, students with a love for interactive games.
Location(s) of PWR session: Rm 2505 Dates of PWR session:Oct.17-21 Times of PWR session: 8:25a – 3:15p Fee: $40
Title for PWR session:So you wanna be an Elite Athlete?
Name of Facilitator(s):David Benedict and Jason LePera Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR session:Do you wanna be an Olympian or a professional athlete? If so, this session is for YOU! In the course of this session, you will learn about the components of competing at an elite level in sports. This includes nutrition, performance testing, specific sport adaptations to training, psychology, and injury/rehab. During this session you will also be able to observe, and speak to professionals about what it takes to be in the 1%!
Intended Audience: 9th-12th grades, 13 student cap.
Location(s) of PWR session: Rm 1602, Field Trip Dates of PWR session:Oct. 17-21 Times of PWR session: 8:25a – 3:15p Fee:$25
Title for PWR session: Career Exploration and Engagement
Name of Facilitator(s): Jessica Johnson, Kristy Hartley, and Megan Rietveld Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR session: Students will spend the week meeting various members of the community and learning about their profession/careers. The team will bring in 2 community members per day to meet and engage in presentations and discussions with about their professions.
Intended Audience: 9th-12th grade
Location(s) of PWR session: Rm 1502 Dates of PWR session: Oct. 17-21 Times of PWR session: 8:25a-3:15p Fee: None
Title for PWR session: Creating Your Own Business With Custom Fashion and Designs
Name of Facilitator(s): Brian Keeley and Natalie Johnson Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR session:Students will learn how to create industry standard graphic designs, apply it to a tangible medium and learn what it takes to start up your own business.
Intended Audience:9-12 grades
Location(s) of PWR session:Rm 2403 & 2202 Dates of PWR session: Oct. 17-21 Times of PWR session: 8a-11a, 12p-3p Fee: $20
Title for PWR session: CPR/First Aid Certification (American Red Cross)
Name of Facilitator(s): TJ Brancato Credit Earned: No Credit
Description of PWR Session: Student will receive CPR/AED/First Aid Certification upon successful completion of this course. There will be 4 Saturday sessions available: Oct 22, Nov 5, Feb 25, May 6th. Students will only need to attend one course. STUDENTS WILL NOT RECEIVE CREDIT FOR THIS COURSE, CERTIFICATION ONLY.
Intended Audience: 8-12 grades
Location(s) of PWR session: Health Room 2201 Dates of PWR session: Oct 22, Nov 5, Feb 25, May 6 Times of PWR session: 8am-1pm Fee: $30
Title for PWR session: Costa Rica Summer Trip FUNDRAISER
*Please see Summer Sessions for trip information*
Name of Facilitator(s): Elizabeth Truskin and Elizabeth Weiland Credit Earned: No Credit
Description of PWR Session: Students will sign up for the trip (if they haven’t done so already), participate in a pledge fundraiser all day Thursday and brainstorm fundraisers to do in the future. Because this is not for credit, full 5 days is not required.
Intended Audience: 9-12 grades interested in Summer Costa Rica Trip.
Location(s) of PWR Session: Rm 1505 Dates of PWR Session:Oct. 17-20 Times of PWR session: 8:25a-3:15p
Fees:$2,525.00 per student for the trip (includes airfare, hotel, transportation, 2 meals a day and entrance fees to attractions.
Title for PWR session: Community Outreach and Activism
Name of Facilitator(s): Kauline Sidinger, Katie Zieba, Amber Swain Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR Session: Students will engage in various outreach opportunities throughout Aurora and Denver in order to develop a lens toward identifying and addressing community needs.
Intended Audience: 9-12 grades
Location(s) of PWR Session: Rm 1405 and 1421 Dates of PWR Session: Oct 17-21 Times of PWR Session: 8:25a-3:15p Fee: $25
Title for PWR session: The Emerging Era of Professional Gaming
Name of Facilitator(s): Mark Kimball and Eva Valentine Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR Session: Professional gaming and gaming related careers are starting to attract more and more mainstream media attention. As this trend continues, careers or money making opportunities related to gaming are on the rise. Students will spend this week analyzing the current state of professional gaming. They will research the current ways to make money and start assessing the feasibility of gaming as a career. During this week students will be responsible for individual research, critically watching documentaries, analyzing statistics (both financial and game related), assessing their interest and choosing a specific role within professional gaming that they feel they could make money in. During this session, students will also experience what it is like to play games as a profession versus playing games for recreation. This will include strategy meetings, statistics over views, and of course, playing the games. By the end of our session, students will present what aspect of professional gaming they think they will be most successful and why. This presentation will include a sample video where they demonstrate what their participation in this emerging profession will/could look like (gameplay videos, streaming video, game-casting, or another field within esports with legitimate career opportunities).
Intended Audience: 9-12 grades
Location(s) of PWR Session: Rm 1409 Dates of PWR Session: Oct. 17-21 Times of PWR Session: 8:25a-3:15p Fee: None

Title for PWR session: Community Strong

Name of Facilitator(s): Chris Magrin and Craig Lyle Credit Earned: .25 Elective

Description of PWR Session: Members of this PWR session will work with Habitat for Humanity to learn about affordable housing in the metro area. Members will support almost every facet of Habitat’s program and are critical to helping build homes, change lives, and transform our community. Members of this PWR session will bond over the course of a week in a fulfilling pursuit of giving back to the community.

Intended Audience:Students 16 years of age or older.

Location(s) of PWR Session:VPP, location change throughout week. Dates of PWR Session: Oct. 17-21 Times of PWR Session: 8:25a-3:15p Fee: None

Title for PWR session: Design Your Life: Artfully embellish your clothes and everyday items

Name of Facilitator(s): Erin Chan and Angie Willsea Credit Earned: .25 Elective

Description of PWR Session:Do you have a passion for fashion? Do you like to have stuff in your life that reflects your style? Students in this PWR session will have the opportunity to learn techniques such as screen printing, needle felting, fabric dying, and photo transfer to add a creative flair to clothes and everyday objects. Participants will also have the opportunity to make items from scratch using traditional or unconventional materials (duct tape, recycles materials, etc).

Intended Audience:9-12 grades

Location(s) of PWR Session:Rm 2412 & 2413 Dates of PWR Session: Oct. 17-21 Times of PWR Session: 8:25a-3:15p Fee: $25

Title for PWR session: The Dangers and Consequences of Marijuana

Name of Facilitator(s): Yvette Moye and Viviana Martinez Credit Earned: No Credit

Description of PWR Session:PoWeR workshop for Spanish-Speaking parents where they will be able to know what we as individuals and communities can do to prevent adolescents from being harmed by marijuana use.

Intended Audience:Spanish-Speaking Parents of VPP Students

Location(s) of PWR Session:Rm 1506 Dates of PWR Session: Oct. 17-21 Times of PWR Session: 9a-12p Fee: None

POWER MENU: CHOICE SESSIONS

April 3-7, 2017

Title for PWR session:Sports Biomechanical Skill Analysis
Name of Facilitator(s): Simon Morwood and Bailey Roy Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR session:Student athletes will study and observe the biomechanics of their chosen sport by comparing their individual skills with professionals in that sport. A comprehensive self-analysis (using video and coaching apps) of skills for the chosen sport will be made, followed by self-recommendations for ways to improve.
Intended Audience: 9-12 grade
Location(s) of PWR session:Gym and Health Room Dates of PWR session:April 3-7 Times of PWR session: 8:25a-11:30a Fee: $30
Title for PWR session: Play Like a Girl: Women in Sports
Name of Facilitator(s): Lindsay Tabaka and Laura Klein Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR session:STRONG, DRIVEN WOMEN this PWR session is for you! Do you feel the image of female athletes in our society needs to change? With us you will have the chance to examine the perceived image of strong females, and prove those standards wrong! Whether you have athletic experience or not, you NEED to join Coach Tabaka and Coach Klein for this PoWeR session! Get ready to have fun through sports and activities all week!
Intended Audience: 9-12 gradeFemale athletes, or anyone interested in learning about the status of women in sports.
Location(s) of PWR session:Rm 1508, 1503, gym, track, & Manitou Springs Dates of PWR session:April 3-7 Times of PWR session: 8:25a – 3:15p Fee:$13
Title for PWR session:Make a Short Film
Name of Facilitator(s): Jason Burchard and Heathe Stecklein Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR session: Performing arts and filmmaking students will work together to adapt a short fiction piece into a short film.
Intended Audience: 9-12 Grades
Location(s) of PWR session: Rm 1206 Dates of PWR session:April 3-7 Times of PWR session: 8:25a – 3:15p Fee: None
Title for PWR session: Out of Your Comfort Zone: Creating Real World Leaders
Name of Facilitator(s):Carissa Cline and RJ Moser Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR session:Ever wanted to push your boundaries beyond your normal daily routine? Get our of your comfort zone, and join us on a ropes course and in an escape room. When pushed to your limits you can learn how to work as team. Whether at school or later in life at a job, teamwork is very important and can help improve a project by being able to understand what your specific role in a team atmosphere is. Whether you are a shaper, coordinator, or monitor-evaluator, join us in team building through a ropes course and escaping a trap room!
Grade level: 9th-12th grades
Location(s) of PWR session: VPP & Genesee Park Dates of PWR session: April 3-7 Times of PWR session: 8:15a-3:15p
Fee: $80 ($50 for ropes course, $30 for Escape Room)
Title for PWR session: Girl Power!
Name of Facilitator(s): Lauren Houser and Andrea Hite Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR session: This girls only session will focus on female empowerment, building self-esteem, setting personal goals and building healthy relationships.
Intended Audience: 9-12 grade girls.
Location(s) of PWR session: Rm 1410, Dance Rm Dates of PWR session: April 3-7 Times of PWR session: 8:25a-3:15p Fee: $15
Title for PWR Session: Writing in the World
Name of Facilitator(s): Trina Shamburg and Heather Price Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR Session: Students will experiment with different types of writing, using real-world locations and encounters as their inspiration. We will travel on short field trips outside of school for students to immerse themselves in a variety of settings and experiences in order to create authentic texts in multiple genres. This session will culminate in a published anthology created by and for the students.
Intended Audience: 9-12 grades
Location(s) of PWR Session: Rm 1509, 1512, several nearby locations Dates of PWR Session: Oct.17-21 Times of PWR Session: 8:25a-3:15p Fee: $25

POWER MENU: CHOICE SESSIONS

June 8-14, 2017

Title for PWR session: Help Your Friends! Be a Peer Mentor!
Name of Facilitator(s): Lisa Skoglund Credit Earned: .25 Elective
Description of PWR Session: Tired of the day-to-day drama? Think you can make VPP better? Want to leave your mark before you graduate? Become a Peer Mentor and learn how to help build healthy, positive relationships, and diffuse negativity and drama before it becomes toxic to your school. The skills you learn will last a lifetime.
Intended Audience: Rising 10th-12th graders, interested in helping to create and support a positive, restorative culture at VPP.
Location(s) of PWR Session: Rm 2501 Dates of PWR Session:June 8-14 Times of PWR Session: 8:25a-3:15p Fee: None

Title for PWR session: Aerospace Engineering

Name of Facilitator(s): Jeffrey Spencer and Jeffrey Cramer Credit Earned: .25 Elective

Description of PWR Session:This PoWeR session is designed to give students an opportunity to learn about, design, model, and build their aeronautical devices. Students will learn about the forces that allow for flight, the behavior of gases and how combustion reactions are used to propel rockets. Students will solve problems related to vector analysis and the analysis of flight.

Intended Audience:9-12 grades

Location(s) of PWR Session:Rm 1603 Dates of PWR Session: June 8-14 Times of PWR Session: 8:25a-3:15p Fee: $25

Title for PWR session: Costa Rica Summer Trip

Name of Facilitator(s): Elizabeth Truskin and Elizabeth Weiland Credit Earned: .25 Elective

Description of PWR Session:Students will embark on a once in a lifetime journey to expand their knowledge of culture and travel to Costa Rica! Students will have the chance to go white water rafting, zip-lining, and rainforest hiking through the jungles and communities of Costa Rica. This incredible opportunity will help students develop a love of travel, practice Spanish, and learn more about the culture of the country and South America.