From L.P Card celebrants show off the big card: (back row) Pasadena ISD Education Foundation members Dana Philibert, Tom Hancock, Rudy Ayles and Linda Lukaszewski; Morgan Meador of Meador Staffing; Pat Gregory of the Education Foundation; Sarah Wrobleski, principal of L.P. Card; and (front row): Pharmacy Tech student Sicily Caraballo; Jaynie Mitchell, representing mini-grant sponsor San Jacinto College; Darla Haygood of Meador Staffing; and Carrie Geier, L.P. Card teacher and mini-grant writer.

Five seniors from L.P. Card were awarded Rotary Club scholarships to pursue their career goals. The students are (pictured below) Crystal Davila (Hospitality, Pasadena High), HoangVu Tran Pham (Pharmacy Tech, Dobie High), Jose Nicholson (Computer Tech, Dobie), Ryan Plaisance (Welding, Memorial High) and Kelly Gartner (Pharmacy Tech, Dobie.) All five plan to attend San Jacinto College.

A pair of criminal justice students -- Tiffany Pooley from Pasadena High and Brice Horrigan from Memorial High -- placed third in competition at the SKILLSUSA Regionals earlier this month. The two competed in the Felony Traffic Stop event. The third-place finish allows the two L.P. Card students to advance to state.

Pasadena police officer Jose Martinez visited L.P. Card recently to set up a simulated crime scene as an investigation exercise for students. (Below left) Criminal Justice teacher Shawn Mulligan watches as students pick up clues from the staged crime scene; (below right) Criminal Justice teacher Danny Steffenauer instructs Janet Bui on how to sketch a crime scene; (bottom) Officer Martinez gives instructions as students listen attentively.

Students at the L.P. Card Career Center competed in a Gingerbread House Contest for the fourth consecutive year and the winning entries matched craving with creativity. Pasadena ISD Superintendent Kirk Lewis (below) and other adminstration officials were on hand to judge the entries. Taking first place was Ralph Garza's Technology entry (bottom left). Second was Carrie Geier's entry from Pharmacy Technology (bottom middle). Third was Chris Wasson's entry from Automotive Technology (bottom right).

Welding students from L.P. Card took a field trip to North Shore Supply Company recently. The students, from Ezequiel Garcia's class, saw a variety or production processes, including fabrication, plate-processing and steel burning. Event photos follow. 

L.P. Card teachers Rafael Garza and Jane Dickerson were awarded a mini-grant for their proposal to unleash students with an interest in computers on "oldies but goodies," washed-up computers in need of repair. The Shell Federal Credit Union
Mini-Grant of $4,410 will be used to fund an after-school program to restore these computers. Potential students will be asked to prepare an essay explaining their interest. Students who successfully complete a restoration project will be allowed to keep the computer.

Garza flashes his mini-grant check with presenters Cindy Parmer, the Pasadena ISD's Director of Community Relations; Rosie Prusz, Associate Superintendent for Instructional Leadership; Education Foundation representatives Jay Bain and Chris Bezdek; and Gallegos.

Students in the L.P. Card Electrical and HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) programs took a behind-the-scenes tour of the operations that provide heating, cooling and electricity at Minute Maid Park. The tour was the first of its kind for the Astros staff. In the photos below students from Lupe Garza's classes meet with Astros operations directors.

The DECA program at L.P. Card continues to take the initiatiovefor campus recyling. The organization sees to the purchase of new receptacles on campus and makes announcements twice a month to remind students about the benefits of recycling. (Below left:) Alexis Castillo and Kelsey Goode, both Memorial High students, load up the paper recycle bin. (Below right): Hector Campos (South Houston High), Monica Vela (South Houston) and Crystal Davila (Pasadena High) gather plastic bottles for recycling.

The DECA chapter at L.P. Card has erected its first "Giving Tree." Two families of students who attend the school have been "adopted" this holiday season. The families were asked to submit needed items and the names of those items were placed on tags that now adorn the tree. Students and staff are selecting items to purchase for the families. Photos follow.

The DECA chapter at L.P. Card will conduct a food drive the week of Nov. 29 through Dec. 3. All donations will go to the Houston Food Bank. Donation receptables have been placed in every classroom. The class with the most donated items per student will receive a free breakfast or lunch. (Below) Cinthya Silva (Sam Rayburn High), Kelsey Goode (Memorial High) and Norma Estrada (Pasadena High) prepare to deliver donation boxes.

DECA students at L.P. Card hosted a Scholarship Day recently. More than 80 students attended the event. Dora Trevino, counselor from San Jacinto College, talked with the students about college preparations, scholarships and financial aid. Students received assistance in filling out college and scholarship applications. DECA will also host a Financial Aid Day in March. (Below) DECA members Abel Naranjo, Alexis Castillo and Fernando Obregon, all from Memorial High, display signs to advertise Scholarship Day.

State Rep. Ken Legler visited L.P. Card Career and Technical Center this week to meet with criminal justice and welding students. Legler addressed the importance of voting and also gave an explanation of his role in state government. (Below) Rep. Legler (center) meets with L.P. Card students.

Students from Computer Maintenance and Networking program took a behind-the-scenes tour of the technology that goes into staging a baseball game at Minute Maid Park. The tour was the first of its kind for the Astros staff. (Below right) Fidencio Alanis, Keith Yuen, Gregory Martinez and Jefferson Corrales listened to their host explain how some of the computer technology works. (Bottom photo) Steve Reese, the Astros' technology director, gives a lesson in ball park technology to Casey Smith, Jefferson Corrales, Emanuel Vasquez, Keith Yuen and Samuel Bedingfield.