GTA7 Update

On Tuesday, November 10th and Wednesday, November 11th, our 7th grade students will visit the Eternal Gandhi Museum (EGM) to learn about the life and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi in preparation for the annual Be the Change Expo hosted by GTA7 students in the second semester.

While at the museum, students will experience interactive exhibits that showcase Gandhi’s principles of nonviolence, peace, truth, and self-discipline, and they will learn and think about the historic impact Gandhi’s philosophy has had for generations thereafter.

Afterwards, students will eat lunch at Buffalo Run Park before returning to campus at approximately 2:00 pm. Upon returning to campus, under the guidance of their teachers, students will discuss, process, and use their experience at the museum as a catalyst to thinking about how they themselves can “be the change.”

They will then form and choose groups with whom, over the next few months in ELA, they will read and annotate literature, conduct research on an emergent real world problem or issue of social justice, and plan, develop, and create an exhibit for the Be the Change Expo.

SEE THE LIST ATTACHED BELOW TO KNOW WHICH DAY YOUR CHILD WILL LEAVE CAMPUS.

• Wear the GTA7 t-shirt and meet all FBISD dress code standards.
• Bring a sack lunch and a refillable water bottle or more than one disposable water bottle.
• Bring a string bag for on the field experience.
• Bring his/her laptop. Laptops will be used when students return to campus. They will be locked in a secure location in the morning and retrieved when needed upon our return to campus. This means students may bring their regular backpacks to hold their computers if needed.

For the day students are on campus, they will follow their regular schedules.

Join the GTA Booster Club now, and you can help your child and his/her advisory class win a PIZZA PARTY! Each new membership during the drive will help your child's advisory class have a chance to win. The grade level advisory with the most new memberships will win, and there will be a separate pizza party for EACH grade level.

This amazing initiative, sponsored by our GTA6 ELA classes, seeks to connect literature to a meaningful real world cause. All the items collected will be sorted and packed by GTA6 students along with student-created art and cards for refugee families in Houston. They will then be delivered to Houston Interfaith Ministries by GTA6 parent volunteers and distributed to families in need.

THE ITEMS BELOW ARE STILL NEEDED

26 2-packs of liter size shampoo

26 2-packs of liter size conditioner

3 Clorox wipes

10 hairbrushes

4 2-packs of toothpaste

10 4-packs of bar soap

4 dish soap

19 deodorant (1 man, 1 woman)

25 laundry baskets

14 2-packs of paper towels

The 2027 I Am Texas contest is being rebranded for one year only as “I Am America” to celebrate America 250. We’ve partnered with the National Medal of Honor Museum, iWRITE, and the creators of the Ordinary People Change the World book series to honor Americans who have displayed the Medal of Honor Vaues of Courage, Sacrifice, Commitment, Integrity, Citizenship, and Patriotism. There are extra ways to enter the contest this year and extra prizes for including a Texas connection in your entry. Go to www.iamamericacontest.org for all the details. The deadline for entry is February 15, 2027.

Joseph Bernhart

Academy Coordinator

Gifted and Talented Academy

Quail Valley Middle School

joseph.bernhart@fortbendisd.gov

(281) 634-6687