By Amanda Casanova 

North Hills Preparatory has been ranked as the 10^th best public school in the nation, according to a report by Newsweek and The Washington Post.

The school, whose first graduating class in 2002 boasted only 18 seniors, now serves close to 1,500 kindergarten through 12^th grade students with another roughly 2,000 on the waiting list to get into the highly-ranked program.

The Newsweek and The Washington Post rankings were measured based on six components, including graduation rate, college matriculation rate, Advanced Placement/International Baccalaureate/Advanced International Certificate of Education tests taken per student, average SAT/ACT scores, average AP/IB/AICE scores, and AP courses offered per student.

According to the rankings, college-prep school students at the charter school in Irving earn an average AP score of 2.7 and SAT scores average at about 1830 of a total possible 2400.

The school also boasts a 100 percent graduation rate with all of the graduates attending college.

The charter school serves students from Coppell, Dallas, Denton, Grapevine-Colleyville, Carrollton-Farmers Branch, Irving and Lewisville school districts.

By Amanda Casanova 

Attendees at the 22^nd Annual Great Harvest raised their hands to bid as the auctioneer rattled off facts about a Port Aransas condo being auctioned for a weeklong trip. The condo was one of several live auction items being sold on Sep. 28 at the Great Harvest, a fundraiser for Irving Cares.

“We are in the business of serving others,” Teddie Story, Irving Cares chief executive officer, saidAttendees talk about making a bid at the Irving Cares annual Great Harvest on Friday, Sept. 28 at the Four Seasons Resort and Club in Irving. of the organization that provides thousands with services such as employment help, transportation and rent assistance.

“We have one big fundraiser a year and we’re just thankful for the community support and the donations of time and money,” Story said. “We could not be more proud.”

Story hoped the event would raise about $200,000.

“You are here because you want to help,” she told guests at the Four Seasons Resort and Club before the auction.

An attendee looks at some of the jewelry being auctioned at the Irving Caresannual Great Harvest on Friday, Sept. 28 at the Four Seasons Resort and Club in Irving.Live auction items included a guided hog or duck hunt near Mineola, a 4-night stay in Canada, a hot crawfish boil for 50, a chef dinner for 10 and a Texas Rangers Ballpark baseball suite. The items ranged in value from $2,000 to $5,000.

Guests of the event were served dinner and just before the live auction they were able to browse silent auction tables, where signed Rangers merchandise, jewelry and date nights were being sold.

“Remember how far your money will go and how it will help people,” Larry Clements, community volunteer, told attendees.

Last year, the event raised more than $200,000 for Irving residents in need.

In 2009, Irving launched a one-of-a-kind health care program called Irving Wellness Incentive Now (I Win). Four years later, Irving employees have shed nearly 4,000 pounds and more than half the employee population participates. The incentive-based program encourages employees to take charge of their health. By doing so, they can earn points through physical fitness or biometric testing. The points staff earns can result in up to $150 a month extra and additional days off.

“When I took my first biometric test, they told me to go to my doctor—as it turns out, I was diabetic. I probably would have figured it out after a while, but I don’t have any problems now, and I’ve lost 115 pounds,” said Code Enforcement Inspector Joseph Soto. “The I Win program gives you incentives, opportunities to learn how to be healthy and helps you monitor your health.”

Employees earn wellness points by participating in annual biometric testing to measure blood pressure, cholesterol, triglyceride level, body fat, glucose and other health indicators. Points also are earned by exercising, participating in philanthropic walks and fun-runs, and attending city-sponsored wellness forums on a variety of topics.

“The I Win program helps city employees plan for a healthier future,” said Irving City Manager Tommy Gonzalez. “The bottom line is we have healthier employees who are earning up to $150 more a month while we also are saving taxpayers $25 million over the next 25 years in cost containment.”

The City of Irving also has garnered national recognition for its one-of-a-kind wellness program including the American Heart Association Platinum Award, and Irving was the only city to be recognized as one of the Dallas Business Journal’s Healthiest Employers in North Texas in 2012.

“In the beginning it was about the money and getting the extra day off but after seeing the difference in my health, I have a healthy feeling that has encouraged me to maintain my weight and the healthy feeling I have now, I don’t want to let it go,” said Soto.

Source: City of Irving

The National Forensic League (NFL) recognized the Creekview High School Speech and Debate program for earning more than 100 degrees last year, placing the program in the top 10 percent of NFL chapters nationwide. The recognition earns membership in the NFL’s prestigious 100 Club. NFL Executive Director, J. Scott Wunn, stated that, “Such a milestone is remarkable because it demonstrates outstanding commitment to teacher students essential life skills – including communication, research, listening, writing and organization.”

Source: CFBISD