Boys Tennis Tryouts

Boys tennis tryouts will begin next Monday, March 1st. Tryouts will be held at the MHHS tennis courts. Tryouts will run from 3:45- 5:15 on the dates below:
3/1 
3/3 
3/5 
3/10 
3/12 
All students will need to be cleared through the athletic clearance process prior to participating. To access the athletic clearance page please visit athleticclearance.com.

MHHS Common Sense Education School Recognition

Mountain House High School is proud to announce that we have been recognized for the 5th year in a row as a Common Sense School.  This means that wecontinue our excellence in digital citizenship education through our partnership with Common Sense Education.  Throughout their 4 years at Mountain House High School, students consistently receive instruction in their Advisory classes in regards to how to become better digital citizens.  For more information about what we teach students, visit the Common Sense Education website here:  https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/digital-citizenship

Girls Golf WIN vs. Byer High School

MHHS Lady Mustangs Golf won their first contest this year vs. the Patriots.  Coach Grant Davis tells the story the best:

"The 1st ever COVID-19 Open was held in Modesto yesterday and it was just thrilling as you would have thought! The Patriots of Beyer came out with both Clubs Blasting and jumped to an early lead in their 4 person initial pairing. In the next group Senior Lia Hernandez who was playing in just her 1st ever tournament was drilling her drives down the fairway and posted the best ever 1st time player round, BUT it was the final pairing where I* strategically place the 'red hot' Sofia Thrower who would fire a best ever final round that took the Mighty Mustangs from a 6 shot deficit to a 15 shot Victory(for those of you not Math teachers, this is a 21 shot swing). Attached are actual pictures of Sofia's Golf Balls, one White ball so hot it literally melted as it reached terminal velocity in the air, the other Orange ball hit so hard that it came apart as it was hit off the club head. What was most impressive on the day was the way the Lady Mustang Duffers* handled Victory by quietly congratulating each other and not making an unsportsmanlike display of enthusiasm (think NFL player making a Sack on the Quarterback). 

We will be back in action next week Tuesday & Thursday.

*Golf Coaching Genius

*a person experienced at something, especially at playing golf"

Congratulations Lady Mustangs Golf!

Girls Tennis WINS vs. Tracy

Congratulations to our Girls Tennis Team in their first competition of the year.  As they went head-to-head against the Tracy Bulldogs, our girls came out victorious with 9 wins and 0 losses!  What a great start to the season with our first sports competition of the year. 

Speech and Debate

This past weekend, the MHHS Speech & Debate team competed in two different virtual tournaments.  The competition was tough, with over 200 teams competing from around the country.
Please help me in celebrating the achievements of these amazing, hard-working, and talented students:

At the Robert Clark Invitational  

•    Reaching the final round and placing second overall in Informative Speaking:  Ananya Domala
•    Reaching the final round and placing third overall in Humorous Interpretation:  Vishnu Matta

At the CAL Invitational, UC Berkeley

• Reaching the semi-final round in Humorous Interpretation:  Vishnu Matta

With numerous competitions and success over the past two weekends, the following students have earned special recognition from the National Speech and Debate Association, the National Forensic League Honor Society:

• Ananya Domala, for reaching 500 merit points:  Special Distinction
• Saksham Madaan, for reaching 750 merit points:  Superior Distinction
•  Elizabeth Su, for reaching 1000 merit points:  Outstanding Distinction

Senior Superlatives

Hey Seniors!

Don't forget to vote for your Senior Superlatives (senior bests). We will do this in two rounds. This round is for nominations. Please write in one person you would like to nominate for each of the categories on the form. 

Voting will be closed on TODAY at 3:30PM.  Check your email for a link to the form!

ASB Elections for 2021-2022

It is time for ASB elections!! Your candidates participated in a town hall where they answered your questions. The link for the town hall is here: https://tinyurl.com/mhhstownhall

The election form can be found here: tinyurl.com/MHHSASB21

The voting will close tonight!

Black History Moment--Barack Obama

On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States; he is the first African American to hold that office. The product of an interracial marriage—his father grew up in a small village in Kenya, his mother in Kansas—Obama grew up in Hawaii but discovered his civic calling in Chicago, where he worked for several years as a community organizer on the city’s largely Black South Side.
After studying at Harvard Law School and practicing constitutional law in Chicago, he began his political career in 1996 in the Illinois State Senate and in 2004 announced his candidacy for a newly vacant seat in the U.S. Senate. He delivered a rousing keynote speech at that year’s Democratic National Convention, attracting national attention with his eloquent call for national unity and cooperation across party lines. In February 2007, just months after he became only the third African American elected to the U.S. Senate since Reconstruction, Obama announced his candidacy for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.
After withstanding a tight Democratic primary battle with Hillary Clinton, the New York senator and former first lady, Obama defeated Senator John McCain of Arizona in the general election that November. Obama’s appearances in both the primaries and the general election drew impressive crowds, and his message of hope and change—embodied by the slogan “Yes We Can”—inspired thousands of new voters, many young and Black, to cast their vote for the first time in the historic election. He was reelected in 2012.

Black History Moment--Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity

Since 1976, every American president has designated February as Black History Month and endorsed a specific theme.  The Black History Month 2021 theme, "Black Family:  Representation, Identity and Diversity" explores the African diaspora, and the spread of Black families across the United States.

Black History Moment--Live Check In

All month long, the free online radio app Radio.com will be celebrating Black History Month by speaking with activists, politicians, historians, musicians, athletes, and more to highlight the history and contributions Black individuals have made to the culture of the United States.  Listen to conversations with Cory Booker, Nupol Kiazolu, Ritchie Torres, Jason DeRulo, Andra Day, and more.  From supporting the continued fight for racial justice, bring awareness to issues facing society today, and educate on the vast history of Black individuals in America, these in-depth conversations will provide an avenue to engage and celebrate Black History Month.  For a full schedule of the LIVE Check In series celebrating Black History Month CLICK HERE. (from Radio.com)

Black History Moment--Unity March 2020

While the history of Mountain House started in 2001 with the first homes being built, and the first residents moving in, Mountain House does have its own Black History.  In March of 2020, our town responded to the social unrest surrounding the death of George Floyd in May of 2019.  Community organizers Ronna Green and T'Gia Clay invited members of the Mountain House community, as well as government and political leaders to join in a Unity March.  Speakers at the Unity march focused on what we can do as a community to combat racism and hate.  Organizer Ronna Green spoke encouraged marchers to "stand up for righteousness and for peace."  Bernice King Tingle, MHCSD board member told the crowd that "the first step was to change attitudes and behavior toward those from other ethnic and cultural backgrounds.  In essence, get to know your neighbor....we are a very diverse community and diversity is value."  Former MHHS student Nyila Johnson spoke on behalf of the Youth Action Committee by saying the recent deaths of Floyd and other people of color sparked anger, but also need a change in how people perceive each other.  She suggested that the way we can do that is to "...create a community of thinkers and innovators.  We create peace among one another.  We create equality.  We create solutions that not only benefit us but also the next generation."  (Source:  Tracy Press)

Black History Moment--"Who I Am"

"Who I Am" is a celebration of African American heritage, a play that includes personal short stories from African American artists. Lessons learned from their grandparents and older relatives about growing up African American. What Black History Month means to these artists? How the events of 2020 changed what it means to be African American in America. Presented on Theatre West’s website and also its YouTube channel. 

Academic All-American--Shania Dhanaraj

Please join us in congratulating Senior Shania Dhanaraj for becoming a National Speech and Debate Association Academic All-American.  This award is given to less that 2% of students nationwide and recognizes for students who have earned the degree of Superior Distinction in the Speech and Debate arena.  Students who receive this award also must have demonstrated outstanding character and leadership, and must have earned a GPA of over 3.7.  Congratulations Shania!

Senior Deadlines Coming Up

Seniors, some important deadlines are coming up for the Senior Class.  Please pay close attention to the following: 

• Cap/Gown/Tassel-  To purchase your cap/gown/tassel please click here.
• Seal of Biliteracy- Application deadline is February 19th: Seal of Biliteracy Application
• Outside Awards and Recognitions-  March 23 is the deadline to complete the form to submit information about outside awards and recognitions that seniors have received (this information is for the senior awards ceremony):   Outside Awards and Recognitions
• Pathway Recognitions-  March 23 is the deadline to Apply for Pathway Recognition for graduation:  Pathway Recognition    
• Community Service- March 23 is the deadline to submit community service in aeries.  

Glee Club Post-Valentine's Concert

Join MHHS Glee Club for their post-Valentine's virtual concert. 

 Visit @mhhsgleeclub for more info and bit.ly/pvtdconcertupdates for event reminders. 

Black History Moment--Brigadier General Hazel W. Johnson-Brown

Hazel Johnson-Brown's dream was to become a nurse.  She attended the Harlem School of Nursing.  Her career began at Harlem Hospital as an operating nurse after completing her studies.  In 1955, seven years after President Truman eliminated segregation in the military, Hazel W. Johnson-Brown made the decision to enlist in the U.S. Army.  She impressed her superiors with her incredible talent and multiple assignments across the world.  She made history after being promoted in 1979 to brigadier general.  With that promotion she took charge of 7,000 nurses in the Army Nurse Corps, making her the first Black woman general officer to hold that post.  When Johnson-Brown received her promotion, she said, “Race is an incidence of birth .... I hope the criterion for selection did not include race but competence.” Brig. Gen. Johnson-Brown served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1983, receiving multiple awards and decorations. (from Radio.com)

Black History Moment--Moses Rodgers

Moses Rodgers was born a slave in Kentucky and came to California during the Gold Rush in 1849.  He became prominent during the Gold Rush as a successful mining engineer who made a career out of excavating gold in mines he owned in Mariposa County.  His intelligence and professional opinion was sought out by all in the area, and he was known as an expert in mining all over the state.  Moses Rodgers built a home in Stockton in 1898 and it is registered on the National Register of Historic Places.  

AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award

Congratulations to our Computer Science teacher Tracey Lewis for her hard work in the Computer Science Pathway.  Because of her work, Mountain House High School has been awarded the AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for expanding young women's access to AP Computer Science A.  Our school is in the top 1% of schools nationwide to be recognized for achieving this important result.  We congratulate Mrs. Lewis and our computer science students for the outstanding work they are doing in the world of computer science education.

Speech and Debate Success

This past weekend, students from MHHS competed in a variety of virtual invitational Speech & Debate tournaments as independent entries.  This is a unique but exciting year in that students have the opportunity to participate in multiple competitions on any given weekend given the virtual format.  These kids had a crazy busy but successful weekend!!!

Please help us congratulate the following students:

At the Canyon Swing:

Finals in Informative Speaking:  Elizabeth Su

Finals in Humorous Interpretation:  Vishnu Matta

At the Tascosa Swing:
Finals in Informative Speaking:  Elizabeth Su

At the Thomas Foley Memorial Invitational:
Finals and placing 2nd overall in Humorous Interpretation:  Vishnu Matta

At the Claremont Wolfpack Invitational:

Finals in Parliamentary Debate and placing 2nd overall:  Saksham Madaan and Udit Karthik
Finals in Humorous Interpretation and placing 4th overall:  Vishnu Matta
Finals in Impromptu speaking:  Chandra Kamaraj 

Semi-Finals in Impromptu Speaking:  Saksham Madaan

Semi-Finals in Original Oratory Speaking:  Rithanya Sivasubramanian
Octo-Finals in Lincoln-Douglas Debate:  Elizabeth Su

Essay and Visual Arts Scholarship--Armenian Genocide Awareness

The California Armenian Legislative Caucus is holding two scholarship contests for the 2021 commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. California high school students in ninth through twelfth grade are invited to participate in an essay contest and/or a visual arts contest to increase greater awareness of the Armenian Genocide. The submission deadline for both contests is Friday, April 9, 2021.

All winners will be awarded scholarships and a trip to Sacramento to be acknowledged at the California Armenian Legislative Caucus’ annual Armenian Advocacy Day during a press conference on April 26, 2021. (Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this may not be an in-person event. Final details will be determined closer to the event date.) Winners will be contacted directly and announced to mainstream and Armenian media by the California Armenian Legislative Caucus on April 16, 2021. Original artwork will be requested from visual arts applicants if selected as a finalist for possible display in the California State Capitol. Scholarship awards are $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place, and $500 for third place in each contest.

Instructions and criteria for the contests are in the news release available at https://tinyurl.com/armenia-scholarship . Students may enter both contests, but submissions must be entered separately.

If you have any questions, please contact Grace Dikho, Legislative Assistant, Office of Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, at 916-319-2046 or Grace.Dikho@asm.ca.gov.

Valentine Ad in the School Newspaper

 

Black History Moment--Freedom Summer

Freedom Summer, or the Mississippi Summer Project, was a 1964 voter registration drive aimed at increasing the number of registered Black voters in Mississippi. Over 700 mostly white volunteers joined African Americans in Mississippi to fight against voter intimidation and discrimination at the polls. The movement was organized by civil rights organizations like the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) and the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and run by the local Council of Federated Organizations (COFO). Freedom Summer volunteers were met with violent resistance from the Ku Klux Klan and members of state and local law enforcement. News coverage of beatings, false arrests and even murder drew international attention to the civil rights movement. The increased awareness it brought to voter discrimination helped pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. (From history.com) 

Black History Moment--African American Historical & Cultural Museum of the San Joaquin Valley

In 1989, the African American Historical & Cultural Museum of the San Joaquin Valley was established to provide a vehicle for African Americans that had made significant contributions to the richness of the San Joaquin Valley.  Visit their website and learn more about African American history and culture right here where we live:  https://www.aahcmsjv.com/

Black History Moment--The Civil Rights Movement

The civil rights movement was a struggle for social justice that took place mainly during the 1950s and 1960s for Black Americans to gain equal rights under the law in the United States. The Civil War had officially abolished slavery, but it didn’t end discrimination against Black people—they continued to endure the devastating effects of racism, especially in the South. By the mid-20th century, Black Americans had had more than enough of prejudice and violence against them. They, along with many white Americans, mobilized and began an unprecedented fight for equality that spanned two decades. (From History.com) 

GoGuardian Parent Portal App

Did you know that MHHS uses a network monitoring tool for all of our school devices and accounts?  The application is called GoGuardian, and they have a new parent portal app that you can download on your phone.  The app will allow you to control the school owned device and accounts from your phone, check internet traffic on their device, and review what your students are doing online.  

Download the App today on iPhone or Android by searching for GoGuardian Parent App.  To sign in, you'll need to use the parent email that is listed in your Aeries account, and then verify your address.  As soon as you take these steps, you'll have full access to your student's account.

Big Future Virtual College Fairs

College Board is hosting their first-ever series of virtual college fairs called BigFuture™ Days. They encourage sophomores and juniors to sign up for a chance to connect directly with college admissions representatives and current college students. You'll have a chance to explore colleges in a way that's not overwhelming, ask questions about topics you want to learn about, and take action on key college planning steps.

Student should sign up at cb.org/bigfuturedays

Several dates will be held with schools in four different regions.  Please see the map below for dates that these events will be happening.  Students can attend any and all events for free!

BigFuture Day West + Southwest
Saturday, February 6

BigFuture Day Southeast

Tuesday, February 23

BigFuture Day Northeast
Sunday, March 7
BigFuture Day Midwest
Thursday, March 11

Black History Moment--African American Chamber of Commerce

The African American Chamber of Commerce is an organization right here in San Joaquin County that was established to promote commerce and industry for the advancement of economic vitality within the African American community in San Joaquin County.  The AACC provides educational outreach to entrepreneurs, recognizes outstanding members of the community, provides networking opportunities, and educates young people through an annual conference where students learn life, career, and entrepreneurship skills.  The AACC is a part of the ongoing Black History of our local community.  

Counselor Feature--Mrs. Karen Friesen

 

Black History Moment-Joseph Rainey

Born enslaved, Joseph Rainey was the first African American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, the first to preside over the House, and the longest-serving Black lawmaker in Congress during Reconstruction. Like many Representatives of the era, Rainey introduced few bills, but he was one of the House’s most able orators and labored tirelessly in committee. During his more than eight years in the House, Rainey worked to pass civil rights legislation, fund public schools, and guarantee equal protection under the law. Throughout, he sought to use his position to advocate for the concerns of African Americans on the House Floor. “I can only raise my voice,” Rainey said in 1877, “and I would do it if it were the last time I ever did it, in defense of my rights and in the interests of my oppressed people.” (history.house.gov)

February is Career Technical Education (CTE) Month

 

DECA NorCal Competition Winners

Over 80 students in the Business Pathway at Mountain House High School participated in the DECA NorCal virtual competition.  Over 60 of these students placed in the top 10 in their competitive categories.  This is a huge achievement for our chapter since we are so new, and we compete with some of the strongest and well established DECA chapters in the state and the region.  With these results, our DECA chapter hopes for great things to come at the State competition this year.  Here are a few highlights of the winners:

• Arush Sheth - Principles of Business Management Administration - Exam winner - 1st place 
• Samarth Ramesh - Principles of Finance - 2nd place overall winner 
• Manas Matri - Principles of Hospitality and Tourism - Exam winner - 1st place
• Shambhavi Sisodiya - Business Law and Ethics - Team Decision Making - Exam winner - 3rd place
• Pranuthi Thota - Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making - Exam winner - 2nd place
• Pranuthi Thota and Sahithi Chekuri -  Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making - 4th place overall
• Dominic Arokiaraj and Uzair Dabhoiwala - Financial Services Team Decision Making - Case Study - 2nd place; 3rd place overall
• Mahit Namburu - Accounting Applications Series - 4th place overall; 4th place in exam, 3rd place in role play 1
• Sreeram Ranga - Automotive Series Marketing - 4th place overall; 3rd place for role play 2
• Aarush Sharma - Hotel and Lodging Management - #4 overall and #4 in role play 2
• Shivani Nandakumar -  Hotel and Lodging Management - #3 in role play 1
• Jenny Su - Restaurant and Food Services Management - #3 place overall; #2 in role play 2
• Gautam Chintalapati - Sports and Entertainment Marketing - #3 in role play 1
• Om Pandharipande - Personal Finance Literacy - #2 place in exam
• Shuv Chakravarty and Ameya Puranik - Finance Operations Research - 4th place overall
• Harnoor Manjal and Shambhavi Sisodiya - Innovation Plan - #3 place overall
• Sreeram Ranga and Komal Vij - Start-up Business Plan - #4 place overall
• Jasmine Tadros - Start-up Business Plan - #2 place overall 
• Manikantanagasai Harshit Illuri and Mehil Tailang - Business Growth Plan - 3rd place overall
• Pari Sharma and Snehal Chopra - Franchise Business Plan - 4th place overall

Counselor Feature--Ms. Amanda Foote

 

Black History Moment--Allensworth California

Allensworth California was the first and only city in California entirely "founded, financed, built, and governed by African Americans."  (Fresno Bee, 2/7/2020)  Allensworth State Historic Park now preserves the history of this town where people from all over the country came to escape the Jim Crow laws of the south. Allensworth was founded by Colonel Allen Allensworth, a former slave, who eventually made Allensworth thrive.  The community of Allensworth was founded in 1908 and eventually boasted over 300 residents who enjoyed social events, church meetings, musical performances, and a thriving civic life.  Eventually, Allensworth declined with them moving of a train station, water diversion, and the death of the founder of the town.  Allensworth State Historic Park stands as a reminder of Black History in the San Joaquin Valley.  

Counselor Feature--Mrs. Adrianna Dooner

 

Course Selection DEADLINE

MUSTANG OHANA!!!  Don't forget that Wednesday 02/03/21 at 11:59 P.M. is the deadline for all course requests for next school year.  Visit our course selection website for more information:  https://tinyurl.com/MHHSCourseSelect

Career Technical Education

Did you know that Mountain House High school has 8 fully developed CTE pathways?

Career Technical Education (CTE) provides students of all ages with the academic and technical skills, knowledge, and training necessary to succeed in future college and careers. 

Why would I want to take CTE classes?  What makes them special?

• Focus on academic and workplace skills
• Hands-on learning  
• Real-world connections 
• Embedded career exploration
• Work based learning experiences like field trips, working with industry professionals, and internships

Many of the CTE pathways include industry certifications and courses where students can earn college credit by completing the pathway.

Students must follow the CTE course sequence in order to fully benefit from the courses and to be considered a pathway completer, which also brings its own distinction and recognition at the graduation ceremony.

MHHS offers the following CTE Pathways:

• Biomedical Sciences
• Business & Finance
• Computer Science
• Culinary Arts
• Dance
• Digital Arts
• Engineering
• Media Arts

If you are interested in taking one of these classes, take a look at the information about each of these programs in our virtual curriculum fair. You can make changes to your course selections in Aeries until 11:59pm on Wednesday, 2/3/21

Black History Moment--Bernice King Tingle

This year as we celebrate Black History Month we want to celebrate international, national, and local Black History.  As such, today's Black History Moment honors Bernice King Tingle, a current Mountain House CSD Board Member.  Ms. Tingle has been a long-time resident of Mountain House, and has been a volunteer in her community since she was a teenager.  From that young age, Ms. Tingle had a keen interest in helping young people as an English and math tutor.  Her desire to help young people continues today as she established and helps oversee Mountain House's Youth Advisory Council (YAC), and teaches young teens the importance of money management through the Young Women's Empowerment Project.

Counselor Feature--Mrs. Wajma Aslami

 

Black History Month 2021

Did you know that February is Black History Month?  Americans have recognized black history annually since 1926.  We owe the celebration of Black History Month to Dr. Carter G. Woodson.  Dr. Woodson was born to parents who were former slaves, and he spent his childhood working in the Kentucky coal mines and enrolled in high school at age 20.  He graduated within two years and later went on to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard.  The scholar was disturbed to find in his studies that history books largely ignored the Black American population.  Dr. Woodson decided to take on the challenge of writing black Americans into the nation's history.  He established the Association for the Study of Afro-American Life and History in 1915, and later founded a widely respected journal of African American History.  Mountain House High School remembers and thanks Dr. Woodson for his contributions as we celebrate Black History Month.

Counselor Feature--Mrs. Valerie Myers