Character Counts at Sequoia School
Students and staff at Sequoia Charter School engaged in a week of Character Counts activities and curriculum designed by the nation’s most popular and effective character education program. Activities were led by the Student Council and members of student government. Each day focused on one of the six pillars of character, including trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship. The staff celebrated the program with T-shirts provided by one of the school’s community partners, Reviation Graphic Design and Printing.
Seventeen Students Aim for Marathon
A record number of 17 students from Golden Valley High School and Academy of the Canyons have enrolled in the Santa Clarita Track Club’s Students Off and Running (SOAR) program with a goal of completing the Los Angeles Marathon in 2010. The SOAR program reaches out to at-risk youth in the Santa Clarita Valley through intense no-cost athletic training with a finite goal. The SOAR program provides all registration fees, direct coaching support, two pairs of running shoes, uniforms and weekly training supplies during this year’s 22-week, 350-mile training season. Kevin Sarkissian in the Hart District’s Career Visions Center coordinates the effort and currently is seeking financial support for the program.
Saugus Students Receive Sensitivity Training
Did you know that 99 percent of Americans will be officially labeled “disabled” by a doctor before they die? Saugus High School observed Disability Awareness Month in October with a number of activities. Career Transition Advisor Louise Willard and Career Visions teacher Kevin Miner presented lessons explaining disabilities – both visible and invisible – and how they affect people differently. Willard stressed that students should learn to separate people from their disabilities in order to recognize their accomplishments without an inappropriate focus on their disability. “It’s always humbling,” said Miner, “for students to experience – even for a short period of time — what disabled students go through on a daily basis.”
Shwayze Visits Bowman Campus
Fans of the rock group Shwayze at Bowman High School were treated to a visit from the hit group during a recent tour of Hart District schools to raise awareness for the 2010 Summer Meltdown Autism Awareness Concert. Shwayze will be just one of the bands scheduled to appear at this year’s Meltdown Concert, planned for May 8 at Golden Valley High School. Bowman students heard cuts from the band’s new album, collected autographs and posed for photos with two of the group’s musicians.
Young Entrepreneur Wins Honor
Peter Yahiayan, a senior at Golden Valley High School and a student in the Virtual Enterprise class through the Hart District’s Regional Occupational Center, has been named Outstanding Entrepreneur of the Year by the California Small Business Development Center’s youth program. His classmates in the Virtual Enterprise class attended the Young Entrepreneur Conference to watch their classmate receive the honor. Peter is CEO of the VE class’ company, Acoustic Cakes & Apparel, which also exhibited at the conference.
Learning, Service Go Hand in Hand
It’s hard to imagine a more hands-on career-oriented course than the Basics in Forestry and Trail Construction class offered by the Hart District’s Regional Occupational Program. Students enrolled in the course are taught principles of outdoor safety, emergency response, navigation, trail construction and environmental stewardship. At the same time, students are completing more than 100 hours of local service in the areas of wilderness resource management and conservation. The unique partnership with various federal and local agencies also offers paid training and internship opportunities to participating students.
Hart Cheerleader Named Miss Teen Newhall
Congratulations to Kelsie Leach, a member of the junior varsity cheer squad and a sophomore at Hart High School, who was recently named Miss Teen Newhall for the second year in a row as part of the Miss SCV Scholarship Fund program. Kelsie has performed over 300 hours of community service as part of her pageant title, supporting such organizations as Special Olympics, Michael Hoefflin Foundation, Relay For Life and the SCV Chamber of Commerce. Kelsie most recently volunteered at the Diabetes Walk at Bridgeport Park as both a Hart cheerleader and as Miss Teen Newhall.
Jones Keynote Speaker at Fall Institute
Erum Jones, principal of the Hart District’s former Early College High School, was practitioner keynote speaker for the Foundation for California Community College Fall Institute for Peer Learning recently in San Diego. She spoke to the entire group of principals, college liaisons, counselors and faculty for both high schools and colleges, and also addressed a separate group of college presidents and superintendents. Jones brought a motivating message of how others can have similar results as her Early College High School students, who outperformed all other early college high schools in the network. Those students are now part of the district’s Academy of the Canyons middle college high school.
Saugus Band Members Selected for Rose Parade
Four members of the Saugus High School Band and Color Guard have been selected for the Tournament of Roses Honor Band. The four will join exceptional high school musicians from across Southern California who will march in the Rose Parade in Pasadena on New Year’s Day. Saugus members, selected by audition, include Thomas Callier, trumpet; Aaron Huffman, tuba; Michael Taylor, alto sax: and Akaila Ballard, color guard. The Honor Band auditions over 600 high school students for the 200-plus positions in the band and pageantry. Robert Gibson is the faculty director of the band at Saugus High.
Bowman Students Visit ‘Land of Dreams’
Students at Bowman High School were captivated by a special interactive assembly designed to inspire optimism and goal-setting activities. The one-woman show was presented by the Mary Pickford Institute Outreach Program and told the inspirational story of “America’s Sweetheart,” actress Mary Pickford. The play included valuable insight into the birth of the film industry and to the first female actress to earn one million dollars in a single year!
Kellar Discusses Politics in Santa Clarita
Members of the Political Students Club at Canyon High School spent their lunch time with City Councilman and former Mayor Bob Kellar, talking about politics in Santa Clarita over the past 12 years. Some 50 students attended to hear Kellar discuss the various roles and responsibilities of local elected officials and the path he took to get into local politics. He also discussed the past and future growth of the Santa Clarita Valley and answered student questions.
STRIVE Group Spreads Diversity Message
The Valencia High School STRIVE program (Students Teaching Respect, Inclusion, Values and Equity!), under guidance of counselor Iyashema Redd, visited all of Northpark Elementary School’s sixth grade classrooms to lead the students through a tolerance and respect education program. After visiting the school to witness the program in action, the district office’s Greg Lee spoke with the teachers and their new principal, and reported that “they were very enthusiastic about the benefits of the program. Despite the break from instructional time, the teachers I spoke with said they still felt this was time well invested for smoother relations as the year moves on.” The VHS STRIVE members look forward to many more sixth grade class visits throughout the year.
Breakfast Prepares Students for Exam
More than 200 Bowman High School students were provided with a healthful breakfast before taking the California High School Exit Exam earlier this month. Student leaders from ASB arrived at school before 7:15 a.m. to prepare platters of bagels with cream cheese, granola bars, cereal, fruit and milk. Donations were provided by local businesses Western Bagel and Sam’s Club, and also by a generous individual donation from Bowman community supporter Kira Fortner.
