It’s a Small Lesson in Nurturing Nature

LITTLE GREEN THUMBS: Thanks to the efforts of a combination class of third- and fourth-graders at Edison Elementary School in the Torrance Unified School District, four Australian evergreen saplings now grace the kindergartners’ playground.

The students and their teacher, Janie Gillies, applied for the trees through the Green City Grant program, which is sponsored by the California Arboretum

Foundation and the Oak Tree Foundation.

A total of 60 schools and youth organizations, including Grand View Elementary in Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Valley School in Hermosa Beach, Parent Elementary in Inglewood, Tulita School in Redondo Beach and Victor Elementary in Torrance, received trees from the program.

To qualify, Gillies and the students had to explain why they needed the trees, where they would be planted and how they would care for them.

“The kids thought that when the trees are bigger, they would provide a little noise protection, shelter and shade between the street and the playground,” Gillies said.

The students helped shovel in dirt during the planting last month and take turns watering the trees every week.

“I told them one day when they’re older, like in high school, and the trees are big and shady, they will be able to walk by knowing they helped plant them,” Gillies said.

CHILDREN AGAINST ABUSE: Jim Velasquez, a sixth-grader at Jefferson School in the Redondo Beach City School District, was among 18 young artists who each won a $250 savings bond for posters that speak out against child abuse.

The annual poster contest, sponsored by the Inter-Agency Council on Child Abuse and Neglect (ICAN), drew more than 2,300 entries from Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and Ventura counties.

“The poster contest helps convey what a child needs to be safe and healthy, who to call and rules they can follow,” said Beverly Kurtz, an ICAN board member and chairwoman of the poster contest.

Jim’s poster, titled “Kids Have Feelings Too,” showed a child huddling in the corner of a room while a man with a belt hovers above him. Underneath are the words, “Why does he do this to me?”

Three other students in Jim’s class, Vanessa Enne, Jasmine Jakubowski and Frank Lu, were among 65 finalists in the competition.

The winning posters will be on display at the state Capitol in Sacramento for two weeks before returning to Los Angeles County, where they will appear at local libraries and the Los Angeles County Office of Education in Downey.

BRAVO THESPIANS: The theater department at El Camino Community College last week had its first drama festival for student thespians.

The all-day festival, which drew 300 students from 12 high schools, featured drama workshops and an acting competition that was judged by about 30 professionals in the entertainment industry.

Student actors and actresses at West High in the Torrance Unified School District took home the largest number of awards. They included Kristina Kaur for set design, Josh Waggonerfor male humorous monologue, Sean Livingston for male dramatic monologue, Jennifer Harmatz and Agatha Ibranossian for classical ensemble, and Chris Roussin for male musical solo.

Harmatz tied with Sara Wells of South High in the Torrance Unified School District for best female musical solo.

Other winners included Kantresa Montgomerey of Leuzinger High in the Centinela Valley Union High School District for female dramatic monologue, and Naomi Herrera and Arrash Jalali of San Pedro High in the Los Angeles Unified School District for contemporary dramatic ensemble.

Michelle Sidon and Wendy Mulling of Manhattan Beach’s Mira Costa High in the South Bay Union High School District shared honors for outstanding performance in a one-act play with Lin-Ann Ching of Narbonne High in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Items for the weekly Class Notes column can be mailed to The Times South Bay office, 23133 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 200, Torrance, CA 90505, or faxed to (310) 373-5753 to the attention of staff reporter Kim Kowsky.