Members of the Jackson Varsity Orchestra recently competed at the University Interscholastic League's annual Region XIX concert and sight reading competition which was held at Beverley Hills Intermediate.  The Jackson Varsity Orchestra has had continued success, and now received it's fifth-straight first division rating at UIL competition. 
  Pictured below are: (First row): Melissa Lucatero, Bianca Guerrero, Daisy Salazar, Suzanne Perez, Julia Pineda, Samantha Pena, Gabby Medina and Maria Perez. (Second row): Vianay Prieto, Jocelyn Lozoya, Melonie Prince, Jessica Zamorano, Giselle Reyes, Kayla Elizalde, Jennifer Ruelas and Jency Cruz. (Third row): Assistant Principal Edgar Lopez, Nick Rodriguez, Sarah Juarez, Jasmin Vasquez, Cynthia Nunez, Orchestra Director Bradley Jacob, Shakyra Wing, Ruben Gonzalez, David Prado, Brittany Madrigal and Assistant Principal Monica Guerra.

Jackson held its Academic Excellence Ceremony last week with pins awarded to high-achieving students. Below: Eighth-grader Lesly Banuelas with her father, Jose Banuelas. Bottom left: Eighth-grader Cristian Garcia with his mother, Maria Garcia. Bottom right: Eighth-grader Vanessa Lara with her mother, Maria Lara.

Jackson held its Family Literacy night this week. Students and family members played Lingo Bingo, Categories, Main Idea Swat, Zoom Sequence and conducted a book raffle. Below: Eighth-grader Eduardo Luna with his mother, Margarita Villalobos. Bottom: Eighth-graders Kevin Quach (left) and Diego Rodriguez show off their raffle prizes.

Nurses, military personnel, lawyers, firefighters, and plant workers were among the many professionals who participated in Career Day at Jackson this week. Below left: Gery Riojas, an arson investigator with the Houston Fire Department, speaks to students. Below right: Dennis Davidson, an engineer at NASA, gives his presentation.

Officials from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo visited Jackson this week to address students about the opportunity to earn a free day at the rodeo as a reward for good grades, good attendance and good conduct. The program, called "Rodeo Your Way to Success," was launched last year at Queens Intermediate and South Houston Intermediate. It has been expanded this year to include Jackson and Miller Intermediate: Below left: Rodeo clown "Wildfire" dances with Suzanne Smith, Jackson's peer facilitator. Below right: Rodeo clown "Peri Winkle" entertains Jackson students.

Jackson students received $100 in gift cards to Academy through the Community in Schools program. Students learned money management skills during the Academy shopping spree. Below left: Eduardo Luna is all smiles as he goes through the checkout line. Below right: Students and parents express the joy of a shopping trip to Academy.

  Female flyweight boxer Marlen Esparza paid a visit to campus last week. A Pasadena High graduate, Esparza won a gold medal in the 2008 Pan American Games and owns six national titles. Her visit was arranged by the school's corporate sponsor, the Albemarle Corporation.
  Below left: Esparza signs an autograph for seventh-grader Leroy Saldana with peer facilitator Suzanne Smith on the left and mentor Brenda Yerger in the background; bottom right: Esparza with Assistant Principal Edgar Lopez, Principal Paula Sword and Assistant Principal Monica Guerra.
  Bottom left: Principal Sword introduces Esparza to the class; bottom right: Esparza with eighth-graders Mauricio Ramirez and Ruben Nunez.

Jackson hosted Science Night earlier this month. Event photos follow.

Students in Elizabeth Lewis's seventh-grade history class assembled a history trunk "from the Alamo." The trunk contained items that would have been used daily by early Texas settlers. Items included clothing, dishes, tools and food. Pictured at top: (left) Carin Gusman; (right) Gerald Edmond, Mariana Guajardo and Mariela Montes; (bottom left) Adrian Gutierrez, Alonso Garcia and Johnathan Morales; and (bottom right) Anayeli Alfaro.

Parents, students and faculty packed the cafeteria and then fanned out across the school recently for Jackson's Open House. (Below) Eighth-graders Josseline Solis and Fred Cruz greet visitors at the cafeteria door.

Thanks to a 21st Century Grant, after-school programs at Jackson are in full swing. (Below, left) Parents of Jackson students watch a video on after-school activities; (below, right) eighth-graders Aracely Castro, Elizabeth Rodriguez and Jasmine Moreno get tutorial help from Javier Sifuentes. (Bottom) Students participate in an after-school soccer tournament.

The Jackson student body raised the spirits of the football team during a pep rally last month. Event photos follow.

Eighth-grade football players, volleyball players, cheerleaders and coaches assemble for a picture.

Eighth-grade cheerleaders (back) Cynthia Nunez, Viridiana Yanez, Crystal Mermella, Wildcat mascot, Brenda Tobon, Daisy Salazar and Jasmine Moreno; (front) Liliana Garza, Belinda Lopez and Karina Mireles.

(Left) Band members set the tempo for the pep rally; (right) Monica Guerra, seventh-grade assistant principal, pumps up seventh-graders to yell for the spirit stick.  

Jackson Intermediate Principal Paula Sword graciously accepts a $10,000 grant from Albemarle's Human Resource Manager Rick Schriever. 

  Students at Jackson Intermediate received a $10,000 check on Wednesday from Albemarle Corporation, a leading chemical company in Pasadena and an important contributor to the Pasadena ISD. 
  Jackson Principal Paula Sword said that the school plans to use the money to incorporate technology into the performing arts, band, choir and orchestra. 
  "This will also provide our students with a chance to attend academically-based field trips that they may not otherwise get to participate in due to financial reasons," Sword said. 
  "Looking to the future, we would like to improve our nature center in the atrium and purchase graphing calculators for our math and science classes."
  School officials are also planning to create a computer lab for parents to monitor their child's academic progress online and stay informed on upcoming events at the school. 
  Albemarle's partnership with the Pasadena ISD goes back 15 years. Company representatives have played an integral role in supporting mentor programs, tutoring, anti-gang programs and drug-education programs. 
  "It has just grown to where people at Albemarle are very familiar with Jackson," said Rick Schriever, human resources manager for Albemarle. "We take guidance from the staff here at Jackson to give us direction on what we can do to help and be more accessible to students."
  The unique partnership between Jackson and Albemarle has allowed students to give back to the company through various volunteer opportunities, such as providing entertainment for guests at the company's Christmas parties and babysitting for parents at company picnics.
  "For 15 years Albemarle has shown a tremendous amount of commitment from its company and employees," said Sword. "They are making a difference and investing in the lives of the students and families. And we couldn't be more thankful."