Fifth-Graders Liven Up Their History Studies

It may seem an impossible feat to gather Ben Franklin, Christopher Columbus, Harriet Tubman and John Glenn together for some heady conversation, but the students and parents at the Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies recently caught up with them and other historical figures at the school’s second annual “Living Museum of American History.”

After weeks of researching and writing, the 230 fifth-graders at the Reseda school assumed the identities--including period costumes--of their research subjects and shared what they had learned. The event lasted three days.

“This project made history much more real and meaningful,” said teacher Steven Brooks. “They’ll never forget this experience.”

PROGRAM NOTES

Parent Education:Students aren’t the only ones hitting the books at Valley Alternative Magnet School. The newly opened parent center is attracting a number of adults eager to further their education, beginning with an eight-week seminar on parenting skills. The school will also offer classes on pedestrian and bicycle safety, sponsored by the Los Angeles Department of Transportation’s Safe Moves program. The parents refurbished and decorated a long-empty classroom on the Van Nuys campus to create a comfortable gathering place.

“Now they have a place to hang out, have a cup of coffee and take classes too,” said magnet school coordinator Rhona Feldman.

Celebrating Books: Book lovers from all walks of life shared their passion for reading at Mitchell Elementary School’s “Celebrity Readers” event recently. Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, actor Billy Barty and KNBC reporter Rick Chambers joined 25 other notable bibliophiles for breakfast at the Canyon Country school, followed by an assembly at which all the guests were introduced. The visiting bookworms then fanned out to classrooms to read aloud to the students.

KUDOS

Flying High: Lindero Canyon Middle School art student Janet Lin, 12, reached for the stars and came out a winner in Northwest Airlines’ “Bridging the Pacific” art competition. Her drawing of an eagle on the American flag was selected, along with the works of 18 other young artists worldwide, to be enlarged and displayed on the hulls of the international carrier’s aircraft that travel the Pacific route.

The Agoura Hills student was awarded $5,000, which she turned over to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants wishes to terminally ill children.

Posting a Win: No one’s raining on Jacquie Schaeffer’s parade after the fourth-grader designed a winning poster for the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District’s annual water awareness contest. The Willow Elementary School student, one of 10 local finalists announced recently, created whimsical, pastel-colored clouds that pour out a wet reminder to conserve water. The winning posters will compete for a spot on the district’s 1998 calendar, which will be distributed throughout Southern California.

Leading the Way: The Bureau of Jewish Education recently presented Temple Judea’s education director, Bruce Raff, with the second annual Sara and Simha Lainer Distinguished Educator Award. The Woodland Hills resident and two other Los Angeles honorees received $2,500 each for their efforts to perpetuate Jewish traditions and values in their students’ lives.

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