Activities Pay Tribute to Dr. Seuss

Book enthusiasts of all stripes celebrated what would have been Dr. Seuss’ 95th birthday Tuesday, with educational activities as varied as the acclaimed author’s books. Burbank’s Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School hosted a school pajama party, at which bedtime stories were read, and Justice Street Elementary School students exchanged books at a classroom book swap. The West Hills students also cooked--what else--green eggs and ham.

Vintage Math, Science and Technology Magnet School in North Hills treated parents, teachers and students to guest-read interpretations of Dr. Seuss’ rhymed verse, and Hart Street Elementary School students in Canoga Park blew out 95 candles before dining on a Dr. Seuss-themed birthday cake.

Valencia’s College of the Canyons Supt. Dianne Van Hook read to students at Valley View Elementary School in Santa Clarita, while Los Angeles School Board Member Julie Korenstein read to San Jose Street School students in Mission Hills.

The reading activities were part of the Read Across America program, a nationwide literacy effort.

PROGRAM NOTES

Trekkers: Sierra Canyon School’s student body embarked on the second leg of their “Base Camp: Planet Earth” journey Monday. The trekkers, who visited several ecology stations on the Chatsworth campus’ six acres, stopped at a petting zoo to check out some indigenous chaparral animals and observed a birds-of-prey demonstration by master falconer Phil Jones.

The yearlong interdisciplinary study of the environment gives the kindergarten to eighth-graders hands-on experience while they’re learning about the characteristics and life cycles of a number of ecosystems.

Music Festival: The 29th annual Dorothy B. Chandler Children’s Festival is underway at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion downtown this week, and scores of fifth-grade Valley students are being treated to a show featuring previous Music Center Spotlight Award winners. The artists are performing ballet, jazz and modern dance, and classical and jazz instrumental music.

EVENTS

On the Road: The Lawrence Middle School Concert Band will perform at the California League of Middle Schools conference in San Diego Saturday. The award-winning Chatsworth band, under the direction of Jeremy Chung, is the first Los Angeles Unified School District band to perform at the conference and will be the sole performers at the event.

Tofu Party: The 1,100 middle school students looking forward to cake and ice cream at the celebration marking the 150th birthday of Luther Burbank on Monday are in for a big surprise. The Burbank Unified School District, in conjunction with the American Cancer Society, will serve tofu blender drinks instead at a tree-planting and garden dedication at Luther Burbank Middle School. Touted by some nutritionists as the miracle food of the ‘90s, the district hopes to introduce preteen soda-lovers to the benefits of the protein-rich food.

KUDOS

Posting a Win: Three local elementary school students designed the winning posters in the Encino-Tarzana Hospital Foundation art contest held recently. Olivia Cohen, 6, from Castlemont School in Woodland Hills, took first place, with a sea-themed work that will be permanently displayed at the hospital. Second- and third-place prizes were handed out to Armine Galstyan, 8, and Christopher Piliguian, 7, respectively, from Merdinian Armenian Evangelical School in Sherman Oaks.