THE CHALKBOARD: Youth talent on display at Petaluma Arts Center

The Petaluma Arts Center presents “Art Shapes The World: 6th Youth Arts Exhibition” featuring artwork created by Petaluma’s youth, K-12th grades. This installation showcases artwork of students in a variety of mediums, demonstrating the power and beauty of children’s artwork of all ages, according to the Art Center staff. The opening reception featured rock and jazz melodies by Lauren Brierley and Sebastian Tzannes of St. Vincent de Paul High School.

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La Tercera Elementary School students, families and community members trudged through the pouring rain to learn about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) through hands-on activities, shares teacher Kristi Corbett. “This STEM community event featured clubs from Sonoma State, SRJC, Petaluma High School, Casa Grande High School, local businesses, and community organizations,” she said. La Tercera Elementary is the first elementary school in Sonoma County with a STEM focus. More than 100 people attended this event, with every participating organization engaging students of all ages. The whale bone observation and creating a paper whale delighted many of the youngest attendees. Students were able to create a bead abacus with the Sonoma State Math Club and many enjoyed the delicious marshmallow engineering activity brought to the attendees by Lambda Kappa Phi. “This is the best night ever!” remarked a transitional kindergarten student. “I am inspired in our bright future as I watch the interaction between the young adult volunteers and our young students,” stated event organizer Corbett.

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Students at Spring Hill School Middle School will be visiting their friends at the Volcanes Community Education Project in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico this June. While there, Spring Hill students will be meeting friends they’ve only conversed with in Spanish via Skype. They will also be volunteering at a local veterinarian clinic that offers a variety of free medical procedures and supplies for local pet owners as part of the trip’s focus. Middle School lead teacher Megan Gallagher is creating opportunities for the group to raise donations to buy worm, flea and tick medications as well as funds to offset the cost of free spaying and neutering the animals.

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Kenilworth Junior High School’s Laura Bradley reports she is teaming up with PBS/KQED next year through the school’s Design Lab. This year, students in the program piloted KQEDLearn, a new online platform where they learned to collaborate on research investigations and create media to demonstrate their learning. “My students chose their own topics to research and then coded computer games to show what they learned. I will be working with PBS and other PBS Digital Innovator teachers for two years to create learning materials for teachers and students that take advantage of the many resources that PBS offers,” Bradley explained. She will be attending an international conference for technology in education thanks to KQED. From the library at KJHS, the new librarian, Lauren Parnes, is hosting her first Copperfield’s author event on campus on April 27. The author is Jen Petro-Roy, who will discuss her new novel, “P.S. I Miss You,” with the group.

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Harvest Christian School is the recipient of the Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant. The Whole Kids Foundation sent the school a $2,000 check and a box of goodies including garden gloves, gardening tools, and a selection of seeds for students to use when working in their outdoor learning environment. “We are so thankful for the Whole Kids Foundation, and all that they do for schools and for our own community,” says Principal Jon Wraith. “We are excited to expand the gardening program for our students in TK-8th grades.”

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The Petaluma Area Chamber of Commerce 2018 Leadership Class toured several local school campuses as part of the program’s Education Day. Included in the day-long agenda was a stop at Kenilworth Junior High to see a taping of KTV, a tour of the fish hatchery at Casa Grande High, a stop at Santa Rosa Junior College for an overview of the campus’ history and upcoming events, followed by a visit to Meadow Elementary School’s M Studio high tech maker lab. The day ended with a presentation at the Petaluma High Wildlife Museum. It was an action packed day full of learning for these local business people.

(Maureen Highland is a Petaluma mother and executive director for the Petaluma Educational Foundation. She can be reached at schools@arguscourier.com)