Leon Hicks knows exactly when he decided to start making the most of his school experience.
\r\nHalfway through ninth grade, he knew he needed a reset. Now a senior at Heritage High School, Hicks has participated in activities and connected with people at every opportunity.
\r\nKnowing he had not made his best use of middle school and losing his father between ninth and tenth grades led him to choose to be a student leader in every way.
\r\n\"That really affected me and that really told me that things are getting real,\" Hicks said. \"I need to stop acting the way I'm acting and start getting my act together. So overall my attitude has definitely changed.\"
\r\nHis mother was always there for him, while Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps sponsors Eric Tyson and Sampson Edmonds in Heritage's Naval Science department played big roles.
\r\n\"Commander Tyson and Senior Chief Edmonds really helped me to change my attitude so that I see more positively the school and life in general,\" Hicks said.
\r\n\"And one thing that was told to me that really sticks with me is: 'This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.' You can take that any way you want to. But I'll take it as coming in with a good attitude, smiling every day, saying Hi to people. Even if it's a bad day; it's coming in with positivity.\"
\r\nHicks is senior class president, actively involved as a student ambassador and heavily involved in NJROTC and DECA. He is described as a well-rounded student who models what it takes to be a Hurricane as he's always ready and willing to serve the school and community.
\r\n\"I take a lot of pride in NJROTC because not only does it teach you everything about military, it also teaches you about being a person in a business in general,\" Hicks said. \"I really love that and that's really what changed me. Commander Tyson's help has really uplifted me both as a leader and a person.\"
\r\nWanting to promote Heritage and stoke school spirit has Hicks wearing every school logoed thing he can get his hands on to positively represent the Hurricanes community. He recommends that students do their part to contribute, making good use of their time in the present.
\r\nOutside of school, Hicks participates in community service projects with his church and works two jobs. He will attend Norfolk State University on an Army scholarship, planning to major in mechanical engineering and go into the Army's officer training program after graduation.
\r\nHe has left his mark on Heritage.
\r\n\"Do something unique that sets you apart,\" Hicks said. \"Talk to one person who sits alone.\"
","body2":"Visit Student Spotlights on the Newport News Public Schools website.
","publish_date":"Apr 30, 2024","image_1_path":"240430095712412_Leon.jpg","image_1_caption":"","image_2_path":"240430095712412_HicksLeon.jpg","image_2_caption":"Visit Student Spotlights on the Newport News Public Schools website.","image_3_path":"","image_3_caption":"","image_4_path":"","image_4_caption":"","image_5_path":"","image_5_caption":"","no_link":"","url":"https://sbo.nn.k12.va.us/news/archive/2024-04-30_STUDENT-SPOTLIGHT--Heritage-Senior-Leon-Hicks.html","news_id":"4081"},{"headline":"Career pathways event showcases STEM fields for students","blurb":"","description":"Career pathways event showcases STEM fields for students","body":"A helicopter circled above Heritage High School, made a few maneuvers and then hovered before landing on the football practice field.
\r\nThis was the dramatic opening to a morning of career pathways explanations and demonstrations by the Celebrate Freedom Foundation and Virginia Natural Gas on April 24.
\r\nStudents in the Governor's STEM Academy and NJROTC programs at Heritage learned about various career possibilities as they cycled through stations of guest presentations. The foundation had two helicopters and a Hunter Drone for students to see and learn about working with, and VNG used three stations with trucks, equipment and materials displayed to help tell its story of working to serve the community's natural gas needs.
\r\nNumerous students filmed the opening helicopter landing with their phones as they got ready to learn about these STEM workforce opportunities and the education required to do so.
\r\n\"NJROTC cadets who are part of our aerial drone team were able to help assemble the Hunter Drone,\" said Lenise Cowling, program administrator for the Governor's STEM Academy. \"Our engineering drone team will probably help disassemble the Hunter Drone. Virginia Natural Gas is sponsoring the event and showcasing career paths that students can take.\"
\r\nCelebrate Freedom Foundation, which is located in South Carolina, is a nonprofit education and historical organization created to further education efforts as well as \"to honor past aviation pioneers and inspire future space and aviation pioneers,\" according to its website. The foundation focuses on education with a STEM-Science, Technology, Engineering and Math-education outreach program primarily for K-12 students.
","body2":"","publish_date":"Apr 24, 2024","image_1_path":"","image_1_caption":"","image_2_path":"240424013943443_2024-careerpathways1.jpg","image_2_caption":"","image_3_path":"240424013943443_2024-careerpathways2.jpg","image_3_caption":"","image_4_path":"240424013943443_2024-careerpathways3.jpg","image_4_caption":"","image_5_path":"","image_5_caption":"","no_link":"","url":"https://sbo.nn.k12.va.us/news/archive/2024-04-24_Career-pathways-event-showcases-STEM-fields-for-students.html","news_id":"4076"},{"headline":"April Newsletter","blurb":"","description":"Newsletter","body":"null","body2":"","publish_date":"Apr 19, 2024","image_1_path":"","image_1_caption":"","image_2_path":"","image_2_caption":"","image_3_path":"","image_3_caption":"","image_4_path":"","image_4_caption":"","image_5_path":"","image_5_caption":"","no_link":"","url":"http://heritage.nn.k12.va.us/doc/newsletter.pdf","news_id":"3916"},{"headline":"NNPS Secondary STAR awards honor students, organizations","blurb":"","description":"The Newport News Public Schools Youth Development Department held its annual STAR Awards recognition event for students and student organizations that exemplify the characteristics of student leadership and volunteerism.","body":"The Newport News Public Schools Youth Development Department held its annual recognition for students and student organizations that exemplify the characteristics of student leadership and volunteerism. The STAR - Students Taking Action and Responsibility - Awards are given each year.
\r\nDuring the Secondary STAR Awards Banquet on April 18, 120 middle and high school students representing 41 clubs and organizations were honored for their leadership and volunteerism.
\r\nTeniyah Corprew, a senior at Achievable Dream High School and the Boys & Girls Clubs Youth of the Year for the Virginia Peninsula, served as mistress of ceremonies. School Board member Rebecca Aman gave opening remarks and provided the introduction.
\r\n\"Our honorees, representing various clubs, represents thousands of students in our schools who are sharpening their leadership skills and making a positive difference,\" Aman said. \"Thank you, our honorees, for your initiative, service and heart for others. Your character and dedication have certainly distinguished you and your club or organization as leaders.\"
\r\nAttendees included Delegate Shelly Simonds, Newport News City Council member Tina Vick, Acting Assistant City Manager David Freeman, School Board member Gary Hunter and Rob Coleman, Chief Operating Officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Virginia Peninsula.
\r\nFeatured students who presented the awards were Marlie Kane, an eighth grader at Gildersleeve Middle School; Malechi Whitaker, an eighth grader at Passage Middle School; and Marlena Krizmencic, a junior at Warwick High School.
\r\nMusic was provided by the Menchville High School and Crittenden Middle School choirs.
\r\n\"Honorees, I do want to thank you for what you do; you truly do serve as role models,\" Superintendent Dr. Michele Mitchell said in her closing remarks. \"It really is a pleasure to acknowledge all that you have each individually achieved and collectively achieved this year through your service to our schools and our community. You make every one of us in this room proud.\"
","body2":"","publish_date":"Apr 19, 2024","image_1_path":"","image_1_caption":"","image_2_path":"240419082127427_starmiddle.jpg","image_2_caption":"","image_3_path":"240419082127427_starhigh.jpg","image_3_caption":"","image_4_path":"240419082127427_Star.jpg","image_4_caption":"","image_5_path":"240419082127427_Star-2.jpg","image_5_caption":"","no_link":"","url":"https://sbo.nn.k12.va.us/news/archive/2024-04-19_NNPS-Secondary-STAR-awards-honor-students--organizations.html","news_id":"4074"},{"headline":"NNPS Magnet and Specialty Programs","blurb":"","description":"NNPS Magnet and Specialty Programs","body":"null","body2":"","publish_date":"Feb 01, 2023","image_1_path":"","image_1_caption":"","image_2_path":"","image_2_caption":"","image_3_path":"","image_3_caption":"","image_4_path":"","image_4_caption":"","image_5_path":"","image_5_caption":"","no_link":"","url":"https://sbo.nn.k12.va.us/magnet/","news_id":"3961"},{"headline":"High School at NNPS","blurb":"","description":"High School at NNPS","body":"","body2":"","publish_date":"Jan 02, 2023","image_1_path":"","image_1_caption":"","image_2_path":"","image_2_caption":"","image_3_path":"","image_3_caption":"","image_4_path":"","image_4_caption":"","image_5_path":"","image_5_caption":"","no_link":"","url":"https://sbo.nn.k12.va.us/highschool/","news_id":"3963"},]);