Summer Study Session Goes Swimmingly

There’s regular summer school, and there’s summer school in Belize, where eight Viewpoint School students recently spent two weeks snorkeling around pristine barrier reefs and hiking in a mangrove ecosystem.

“It was absolutely incredible. I’ve never seen so many exotic fish in my life,” said Peter Calloway, 16. “I’ve also never worked so hard in such a short period of time.”

The purpose of the science trip, led by Viewpoint teacher Jay Buckley and his wife, Lori Buckley, a Moorpark College instructor, was to study fish species to determine their numbers and preferred habitats.

The students, who were required to read texts and take tests during their stay in the Central American country, received academic credit for the course.

“I had never thought of marine biology as a field of study,” said Sheila Nathan, 16, “but now I’m interested.”

KUDOS

Capitol Idea: While many of his Campbell Hall buddies were talking about Washington politics last week, Adam Abrams, 16, got to hang around Congress to catch the action firsthand.

The high school senior, along with 350 other outstanding students nationwide, participated in the National Young Leaders Conference, a program in which the students visited foreign embassies, attended policy briefings by government officials and met with their senators’ staff members.

The Woodland Hills resident also participated in a model Congress, in which he played the role of a lobbyist.

Boost From Business: The California Women Business Owners have awarded scholarships to five area students interested in business careers.

Lynn Eller, Rauinder Shadde and Susan Brown, students at the North Valley Occupational Center, each received $750. West Valley Occupational Center student Julie Porter and Pierce College’s Mino Barnieh each received $100 grants from the Valley-based nonprofit organization.

Shining Bright: Amy Morrow, 19, is interested in universal subjects--such as astronomy and astrophysics. The College of the Canyons student, who hopes one day to earn a Caltech graduate degree in one of those fields, has received a Jet Propulsion Laboratory Undergraduate Scholar award of $500. The prestigious scholarship was awarded to 25 outstanding community college students.

The straight-A student, an Acton resident, is heading to London this fall to study Shakespeare and English literature at the University of London.

PROGRAM NOTES

Never Too Young: Cal State Northridge recently played host to 450 elementary school students who participated in the university’s five-week Summer Academic Program. The “Wall Street Kids” established an International Marketplace, where the students bought and sold items with currency they created in the business-oriented course. English and journalism students showed off their poetry, a newspaper and books at their Authors’ Fair, and drama students performed at a talent show.

Life Skills: To help students focus on career goals beyond high school, more than 115 teachers from the Burbank, Glendale and La Canada school districts recently participated in the Verdugo School-to-Career curriculum development program.

The educators designed career awareness and employability programs, such as school visits and lectures by business leaders, and shadow programs, in which students observe professionals on the job.

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