Author: May S Ruiz

A Noise Within’s ‘A Christmas Carol’ is a Glorious Production

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 8 December 2016 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly

The joyful observance of the holiday season isn’t complete without annual traditions one remembers with nostalgia. At A Noise Within (ANW), the classical repertory theatre company in Pasadena, it means a restaging of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. 

Celebrating its  25th anniversary and its fifth production of this time-honored tale, ANW will have 16 performances of A Christmas Carol starting Friday, December 2 and closing Friday, December 23, 2016. Producing Artistic Directors Geoff Elliott (who adapted the play from the novella) and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott co-direct this masterpiece about the redemptive power of love.       

Much like ANW’s ardent followers, the company’s resident artists look forward to this year-end event with anticipation. “Remounting our acclaimed presentation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol allows families to once again take a supremely theatrical journey, and celebrate the transformative power of forgiveness during the holidays,” says Elliott. She adds, “Ebenezer Scrooge’s rebirth from miserly curmudgeon to the epitome of love and generosity affirms our faith in the potent goodness of humanity during this beloved time of year.”   

“The beauty of going back to these great works is that you have a history with it – because they are in your muscle memory, you have the opportunity to discover new things,” explains Rodriguez-Elliott. “You don’t have the same pressure of having to create something for the first time; it’s very lived in.”

“For me there’s a unique aspect every year  – I can see something from a different perspective because I’m a year older,” Rodriguez-Elliott continues. “There are elements of a particular play that have altered because of where we are personally and where we are as a country. It takes on a different meaning for everyone, depending on where one is in life at that time.”

But wherever one finds himself in life, when the entire ensemble belts out Ego Plum’s majestic song ‘Glorious’ at the close, one will understand why it was undeniably worth the wait and coming back for. ANW’s A Christmas Carol is like aged wine – its flavor gets deeper and richer with each year. One could never have too much of it.               

One thing that will change annually is the casting of the Cratchit children. As Rodriguez-Elliott relates, “Last year, resident artist Freddy Douglas’s son, Eli, was too young but we knew at some point he would be right for Tiny Tim. He has a little sister who is in the wings getting ready for her turn. She knows all the songs and sings them in my ear during rehearsals.”

Ashlyn Woo, an eighth grader in Suzanne Middle School, plays Belinda Cratchit this year. She has previously attended the Fine Arts Academy of Dance and Summer with Shakespeare to prepare her for stage acting. While she has been in other shows, including the Nutcracker, this is her first professional performance in an ANW production. 

Enthuses Woo, “I found out I have been picked to play Belinda and be a part of the ensemble on a Friday after school. I read A Christmas Carol in seventh grade and now I’m a character in a production of it! How amazing is that!”

“To be in the show, I’ve had to do my homework in the car and sometimes during rehearsals,” Woo confides. “But it’s so worth it.”   

The Cratchits | Image taken from A Noise Within’s website

Another young actor debuting on A Christmas Carol as a Cratchit child is Samuel Genghis Christian. A sixth grader at Blair Middle School in Pasadena, he also trained at Summer with Shakespeare and Youth Conservatory at ANW.

Christian reveals, “I knew I wanted to perform on stage when I saw A Christmas Carol for the first time two years ago. It was one of the most exciting experiences of my life besides watching Harry Potter and the 2015 Super Bowl!”

“It was easy for me to get into the role once rehearsals started because I had seen the production before; I knew what it was going to be like,” adds Christian. “It’s such a wonderful show and I invited all my classmates and teachers to see it. My English class is coming to a student matinee.”

Of his time on the set of A Christmas Carol, Christian exclaims, “Everybody has been super nice to me and I feel really at home. It’s fantastalicious!”  Being in the company of talented ANW performers must produce such an incredible feeling if the experience moves one to invent words.

For Freddy Douglas, who is once more narrating, this year’s A Christmas Carol has greater significance as he shares the stage for the first time with his son, Eli Stuart. According to Douglas, Stuart hadn’t really shown an interest in acting until last year.

Says Douglas, “Eli saw A Christmas Carol last year and started singing ‘Glorious’, the final musical number on the show. Then seeing Apollo Dukakis in The Imaginary Invalid  caught his imagination and he agreed to have a go at Tiny Tim.”

Stuart is seven years old and attends second grade at Ivanhoe in Silverlake. Douglas states, “His teacher is working with us, helping him juggle the demands of school with that of the production.  He does extra reading on two show days.”

Douglas refrains from giving unsolicited advice to his young aspiring thespians. He discloses, “I just tell them to enjoy it and don’t bump into the furniture. However, this morning his four-year-old sister sang ‘The Charwoman Song’ about 50 times so he gets pointers from her.”

According to Stuart, “Working with my dad is a thrill; it feels special. I saw him on this show last year and I wanted to be on stage with him.” On the other hand, it was Douglas who was concerned. He confesses, “I was wondering if I might get very emotional after this song but so far I’ve managed to hold it together.”   

Sentiments like these are one of the reasons why ANW puts on A Christmas Carol every year.  As Rodriguez-Elliott points out, “It takes on a different meaning depending on where one is in life at that time.” 

Altadena Library Programs Reflect Multi-Ethnic Community

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 24 November 2016 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly

On the second Saturday of every month (at least from October through June), the Altadena Library turns into a hopping and noisy place – descriptions few people would associate with the word library. And that’s by design.

A brainchild of Mindy Kittay, Director of the Altadena Library District, Second Saturday began about a year and a half ago. She explains, “I felt we needed to do something to bring the community into the library for reasons besides checking out a book. We want to provide opportunities for people to create, imagine, and be motivated to learn, grow, and enjoy music, dancing, food, and drink.”

“From 6:30 to 8:30 pm every month, Second Saturday features a band to provide music people can dance to while they eat, drink, mingle and talk,” continues Kittay. “In October we partnered with ‘Next Door’, an online social network for communities. Altadena ‘Next Door’ reaches 4,000 members and they wanted to celebrate in a meet-and-greet where they can see face-to-face the people they’ve been talking to online. So we invited them to our community center for that purpose. About 50 or 60 ‘Next Door’ people came that Saturday then they headed upstairs to eat, drink, listen to music, and dance.”

Image taken from the Altadena Library website

Kittay makes it a point to present a diverse offering. This month, Second Saturday (which will be held on a first Saturday, December 3, because the Christmas Tree Lane lighting is scheduled for December 10) will feature Young Dempsey. Band members Drewin Young, Josh Jones, Matt Lake and Marc Doten will play music from the 50s to 80s to evoke hot-rodded nostalgic doo wop and country sound.  

This month’s Second Saturday event will coincide with the Open Studios Tour weekend which will kick-off with a reception on Friday, December 2 from 6 to 9 pm. The library will be open on Saturday, December 3, from 10 am to 6 pm and on Sunday, December 4, from 11 am to 5 pm.

“The library hasn’t opened on a Sunday in several years but it will be this weekend for Open Studios. It’s where their tours will start, for people to pick up the brochures, maps, and information for the self-guided tour to 23 locations hosting a total of 53 artists,” Kittay says.

Unlike a typical gallery show, the Open Studios Tour provides an intimate view into the artist’s life and studio; it shows where and how ideas are conceived and developed. Visitors get a glimpse of the creative process, which makes for an individualized experience.                          

From January through June, Second Saturday concerts will showcase multi-cultural musical performers: Todd Washington Trio (blues, folk, rock, soul and gospel); Louis Van Taylor Quintet (jazz); DeRumba (Spanish guitar to the beat of the gypsy rumba); Splish Splash Band (folk ‘n blues);  Michael Haggins Band  (funk and smooth jazz); and The Satisfaction Band (dance music Top 40, Latin rock, R&B, cumbias, and oldies).

A project Kittay is currently working on is called Community Conversations. She describes, “Using the Harwood Process, we will reach out to every corner of Altadena between now and mid-March, and have a series of fifteen conversations. We want to represent everyone in the community regardless of race, religion, financial standing, or sexual orientation. We want to ask them their aspirations for themselves and the community; their challenges; and how they felt they can help with those challenges.”

“We will compile our findings and create a report which we will present to the Altadena Chamber of Commerce, Town Council, Board of Supervisors, churches, schools, and service  organizations including the Rotary Club,” Kittay says further. “From this process we expect three specific things. First: connections – we will learn about organizations, people and opportunities, and who needs what so we can effectively connect people. Second: partnerships – this will help eliminate duplication of effort. We can partner with someone to provide what we need instead of us reinventing the wheel to fill that requirement. Third: a plan – our strategic plan expires in 2017. We’ll use the information we gather to help us decide how we can better serve our community.”

Image taken from Altadena Library website

Kittay came on board in November of 2014 to lead a staff of 32, and run the main library, which occupies a 10,000 sq. ft. mid-century building on East Mariposa Street, and a branch library, a 1,500 sq. ft. structure on Ventura and Lincoln in west Altadena. She was responsible for the many changes the main library has undergone since. Without spending a dime, she supervised moving around shelves and area partitions to create spaces for specific functions and users. She got rid of books which no one has checked out in years and reorganized the physical area to make it easier for people to locate what they’re looking for.

And there’s much to find. The Altadena Library has over 80,000 items for people to borrow including books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, books on CDs and video games. It has ebooks and eaudiobooks that can be checked out and downloaded from home.

There are 20 laptops and 12 chromebooks available for patrons to checkout for the full day at the main library (but cannot leave the premises). The branch library has three laptops and three chromebooks. Both library sites have 1G WiFi.

Users have access to computers, printers, scanners, and copiers (color and B&W), 3D printers and Virtual Reality equipment by appointment. The libraries have online programs to help with homework and job skills as well as research. Librarians can help with questions and research needs. All the services at both libraries are free except for photocopying, faxing, and printing.  

A community room is available to the public for use as a small meeting or collaboration space.  There is a water conservation garden for people to enjoy on site as well.

According to Kittay, Altadena has about 55,000 residents and has also seen several changes since the Altadena Library opened its doors in 1967. Its population used to be 30 percent African Americans and 10 percent Latinos, the number has reversed to 30 percent Latinos and 10 percent African Americans.

It is Kittay’s job to make sure the library adapts to the shifting needs of the community. But she is undoubtedly up to the task. After all, she gained an excellent experience at her previous job as the Finance Director at Any Think Libraries in Colorado. During the five years she worked there, it went from what the Denver Post decried ‘the worst library in the state’ to winning an IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services) Library of the Year award, the highest honor it can achieve. “We reinvented what a library could be,” she declares. 

In the two years since taking the helm at the Altadena Library, Kittay has redefined its functions.  She has created a library that is responsive to the needs of the community – “outward-facing,” she says.

With Kittay steering the wheel at the Altadena Library District, it will assuredly head in the direction where it had never gone before.                                                                                      

Farmscaping Takes Root

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 3 November 2016 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly

Farmscape, which started out as a small company offering backyard vegetable growing service to Pasadena residents, is slowly spreading the urban farming concept to large businesses whose names most people recognize. 

This evolution has been an organic process which began when a handful of young college students collaborated on what seemed like an ambitious project.  

When Dan Allen was 21 years old, one of his old high school pals was writing an analysis paper for Pomona College about environmental challenges to the biosphere. It just happens that this friend is also a day trader, has made a great deal of money, and would like to do something about it.  

Relates Allen, “He wanted to identify the problem and solve it which, looking back, is a naïve and noble objective at once. But we were 20, maybe 21 years old so that made sense at the time; we were young idealists and optimists who wanted to make the world a better place. I moved from where I was then staying in D.C. out to California, and together with two other childhood buddies from Iowa, we turned a school paper into a business plan and created Farmscape in 2009.”         

Seven years later, Farmscape has a staff of 30 and operates from an office in Eagle Rock that has an outdoor space for growing produce. It maintains urban farms for 30 public and private schools, several restaurants, and a multitude of residential clients in the Los Angeles area. It also has branched out to Northern California which caters to a mostly corporate clientele that counts the San Francisco 49ers ball club, the Giants stadium, and Oracle as customers. And Allen is all of 31 years old.

Says Allen, “Our clients enjoyed the vegetable garden experience with their kids; our subsequent expansion into schools, therefore, was an organic growth. The most satisfying aspect of this business endeavor is the experiential part. It’s working with partners or clients who are inspired by the garden in some way.  Our educational program instills in young children a love of the outdoors and nature. I make it a point to hire people who have backgrounds and skills specific to the project they’re working on. Farmscape’s horticulturist, Melissa Gutierrez, has a great speaking and teaching style. She’s able to build rapport with young kindergartners and get them to taste what they’re growing in the al fresco classrooms.” 

Farmscape teachers hold workshops at 30 L.A. area schools including Clairbourn, an independent pre-K to eighth grade institution in San Gabriel; Valentine Elementary in the San Marino Unified District; and Oak Knoll Kinderhouse Montessori in Pasadena.

Continues Allen, “Then some restaurateurs heard about Farmscape and reached out to us. One them is Chef Niki Nakayama, who used to live in San Gabriel, but has since moved closer to her restaurant, n/naka, in Culver City. She grows the vegetables she uses on her upscale Japanese tasting menus in her backyard garden. Another client is Providence, Chef Michael Cimarusti’s innovative seafood restaurant  in Melrose. 

The Jonathan Club in downtown L.A. is also a client. It has a 5th floor rooftop garden from which the chef and sous chef harvest their vegetables every morning. Farmscape also has raised beds at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) which provide extraordinary seasonal fare for its Ray’s and Stark Bar.”          

“It’s great to work with varied clients because they’re the ones pushing us on to different approaches to growing produce,” claims Allen. With homes and schools, our farmers emphasize that ‘it tastes amazing’ – they don’t lecture on the health benefits. But it’s the restaurants who push us on flavors – they want great tasting produce than what they might otherwise have access to.”                

Now the Los Angeles office is extending its reach to include multi-housing projects and Allen works with several developers in the area to include vegetable garden amenities in their buildings. Farmscape currently maintains a vegetable garden at the Abbot Lofts (in Abbot Kinney) in Venice. The company’s garden is also on display for clients to enjoy at the Traina Developers office in Northridge.    

A most inspired move proved to be opening a Farmscape branch in Oakland, California in February 2014. Lara Hermanson, who declares she’s the company’s second hire, heads that division which currently has eight employees. She is responsible for generating all new business  for Northern California and beyond. Once she lands a project, she brings it back to the office and the install team takes over. From there, the maintenance crew takes care of the garden’s weekly maintenance.      

Hermanson says it was her idea to expand, “I pushed to open in Northern California because I thought it made good financial sense and would lead to more interesting work. There’s a real energy and commitment to innovation; people here like having cool stuff. This has proven true for us – we have more leeway to do better, more creative projects. While L.A. is committed to healthy eating and living, the conversation here is further along. People are past vegetable gardens, they’re into improved water systems, they’re ready to live completely off the grid. It’s easier to close deals here because I don’t have to sell the concept.”

“Most of our Oakland business is corporate,” Hermanson reveals. “Our largest client is Levi Stadium where the San Francisco 49ers play. It has a 4,500 sq. ft. rooftop farm from which the kitchen harvests the produce that’s divided among its various restaurants.”

While she has accomplished quite a lot in the short time she’s been in the Northern California office, Hermanson has her sights on some big names in the area. “I use Apple and Google all day so it would be really awesome if they can be Farmscape clients,” she says.

That wish isn’t too farfetched. As Allen has said, Farmscape’s growth has been very organic. It has taken root and, in time, it will spread far and wide.                                  

The Huntington Offers Outstanding Dining to Match its World-Class Reputation

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 17 November 2016 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly

Laura Skandera-Trombley took over as president of The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens, in San Marino, in July of last year and put into motion several initiatives almost as soon as she walked in her office. One of her first undertakings was to ensure that visitors’ dining experience at The Huntington matches its reputation as a world-class institution.

Eight months ago, Skandera-Trombley led a committee composed of Huntington staff, overseers and trustees on what she describes as a “food quest”. They reviewed proposals and interviewed 14 prospective catering operators who will work with them to usher in a new era in destination dining at The Huntington.  

On October 5, The Huntington announced that it has contracted with Bon Appetit Management Company based in Palo Alto. As part of this partnership, The Huntington and Bon Appetit have invited Border Grill cofounders, Mary Sue Milliken and Sue Feniger, and Blue Window co-owner, Kajsa Alger, to launch several new dining concepts on its historic grounds.               

It is a perfect partnership according to Skandera-Trombley, “The introduction of world-class dining at The Huntington is a natural extension of who and what we are. We are home to a 6,5000-volume historic cookbook collection, including the first known printed cookbook – dating to 1475. Specially prepared good food beautifully matches our commitment to authenticity, quality and culture. And, for that reason, we couldn’t be more excited to have Susan, Mary Sue, and Kajsa joining us at this time.”

Says Skandera-Trombly on their choice of Bon Appetit, “Standout features of the Bon Appetit proposal included their commitment to quality, taste, and sustainability. We consider sustainability to be of key importance at The Huntington – whether we are considering how to lower our water use, narrow our carbon footprint, or determine what types of seafood we serve.” 

Bon Appetit CEO and co-founder Fedele Bauccio, who has been recognized for his work in sustainability before it became a household word, says, “I am thrilled to bring our focus on sustainability and fresh, seasonally driven food to The Huntington.”       

Feniger, who also cofounded Blue Window with Alger, enthuses, “In the heart of the San Gabriel Valley, surrounded by breathtaking botanical gardens, art collections, and renowned library holdings, and serving flavorful foods that reflect Southern California’s growing multi-cultural population, we hope to transform The Huntington into a place that inspires all the senses!”

The Celebration Garden | Image taken from The Huntington’s website

The celebrated chefs are offering their signature fares befitting the various destinations at The Huntington. The main café, newly renamed 1919 for the year The Huntington was founded, features different dining concepts to please visitors. The Border Grill taqueria, a smaller version of Feniger’s and Milliken’s Border Grill restaurants, serves the chefs’ signature modern Mexican cuisine like tacos on handmade corn tortillas with organic rice and beans, quesadillas, ceviche, and seasonal aguas frescas. At The Bar, Alger creates freshly made sushi – rolls, nigiri, and bowls; or small plates of global fare for pairing with beer, wine, and sake – or whimsical craft cocktails inspired by the setting.    

Alger and Feniger are offering at the Chinese Garden’s Freshwater Dumpling and Noodle House authentic dumplings, noodles, and rice dishes drawn from China, Nepal and Mongolia. The chefs will take their food inspiration as the surrounding garden changes with the season.

“The Huntington has always been this little oasis within the city, a place where you can come and feel tranquil among the chaos,” proclaims Alger. “We’re thrilled to be at the center of the Chinese Garden and to offer the simple dishes and flavors that I grew up with, spanning the regions of China.”

At the casual Patio Grill, adjacent to The Huntington’s Shakespeare Garden and American art galleries, weekend visitors can savor Feniger’s and Milliken’s global-meets-local flavors. The rotating seasonal menus will highlight the rich culinary heritage from the various communities in Los Angeles like griddled Cubano sandwiches; grilled corn with smoky aioli and cheese; a roasted yam, quinoa, and kale salad; and seasonal aguas frescas.

A tour of The Huntington wouldn’t be complete without stopping at the Rose Garden Tea Room.  Currently under renovation, it will reopen on November 16 to once again be the venue for an elegant and memorable experience, inspired by the English tradition of afternoon tea with a distinctive California twist. Visitors can indulge on crumpets and scones, delicate finger sandwiches, caviar-topped blinis, and decadent desserts with their choice of herbal and Fair Trade teas or sparkling wine.       

“At a time when cuisine has become key to every type of cultural experience – from museum-going to concert-watching – we believe it’s critically important to have dining here reflect the high quality that is The Huntington standard,” declares Skandera-Trombley. “Food is no longer incidental – it is part of our culture. And, according to some, it is everything. We want wonderful, memorable food to be part of the greater Huntington experience. 

With the most respected names in food creation and catering all working together, Skandera-Trombley’s wish to make people think of The Huntington as a food destination in an incomparable setting is now a triumphant reality.               

Major League Baseball Wonder is a Local Sports Mentor

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 10 November 2016 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly

In the early 1960s a determined high school athlete from Michigan named John Paciorek set his sights on a successful Major League baseball career and was, by all indications, on his way there.  But chronic back problems and a subsequent spinal surgery quelled that ambition and led him in a far different direction from where he started.  

The rise and fall of this once promising baseball star was recounted in a biographical book titled ‘Perfect’ written by Steven Wagner in 2014. Paciorek’s experience was hailed as  “… a tantalizing story of hope and inspiration for young players aspiring to greatness.”

Paciorek’s story began in Detroit, where he was born the eldest of eight children to a father who worked at an automotive factory and a stay-at-home mother. They were so poor they had no money to spend on entertainment, and there were times when they had to rely on government welfare assistance.

However, Paciorek’s father made it a point to play some sport with his children after a long and arduous day as an assembly-line employee at Chrysler-Plymouth.  He also instilled in them the importance of spirituality and value of education; he sent all his kids to Catholic schools.

Says Paciorek, “I think I was too young for my class. Coupled with that, I must have been dyslexic because I had a hard time reading. Fortunately, sports offered another avenue for me to do well at something. In high school I was an excellent athlete and, coming from a poor family, I dreamed of getting out from poverty through sports. That dream became a reality when I was recruited by the Houston Colt .45s (which later became the Houston Astros) in 1962. I was a 17-year-old kid and was supremely confident that I was meant to be in the Major League!”

While Paciorek didn’t receive an extraordinarily huge amount in the way of signing money, the contract included a college scholarship that his father insisted on. That, in hindsight, proved to be a stroke of genius. From that bonus, he gave his family $15,000 and bought himself a brand new Chevrolet Malibu convertible. And he was off to what he anticipated would be a long  professional baseball career.  

September 29, 1963 was a memorable day for Paciorek. The Colt .45s, fielding a team of eight rookies, played against the New York Mets at Colt Park. Right fielder Paciorek made history when he had three hits, two walks, scored four runs and three RBIs. He had a perfect game.

It should have been a foreshadowing of a magnificent career but instead it turned out to be the only game Paciorek would ever play in Major League baseball. The persistent back problems he’d suffered from since childhood, exacerbated by a rigorous regimen, landed him in the minors.   

Eager to get better once and for all, Paciorek underwent a spinal fusion surgery. He spent a year in a back brace and missed two baseball seasons. While recovering, he pursued a degree in physical education at the University of Houston. There, he happened upon the Christian Science Reading Room and learned about the teachings of its founder, Mary Baker Eddy. 

“I was raised Catholic but converted to Christian Science. I discovered in it an expression of everything I felt but which had never been articulated.” Paciorek explains. He hadn’t known it at the time but that singular decision was the pivotal point in his career and his life.     

Paciorek graduated from the University of Houston and later worked as a physical educator at the Jewish Community Center. “It was then that I heard about a school in San Gabriel, California needing a Christian Scientist P.E. teacher,” Paciorek relates. “I had been out in California during baseball practice and I liked it. So I applied and got the job.”

Randall Hall at Clairbourn School | Image taken from Clairbourn School’s website

“It has turned out to be an ideal post for me,” says Paciorek four decades later. “Clairbourn School has a beautiful field and a large area where we can simulate seasonal sports. In the fall we have boys’ football and girls’ volleyball; next season, we’ll have boys’ soccer and girls’ basketball and the reverse after that. Track season begins in mid-February through the end of March; our final season is boys’ volleyball and girls softball.”

“We belong to the Middle School Independent League (Pasadena Area). Our teams play against Chandler, Mayfield, Poly and Prep and we’ve had championships in all sports,” Paciorek says proudly.

But championships and trophies aren’t top of mind for Paciorek. More than wining, he instills in students a love for outdoor activity and playing for fun. He can motivate even the least athletic kids to be the best they can be; he is their Number One supporter and cheerleader. He is a coach and mentor who truly cares about children’s development, academically, and athletically.         

While the school has successfully won trophies, Paciorek doesn’t emphasize winning. As his wife, Karen, who is Clairbourn’s lower school director, points out, “John teaches basic skills and he sees the potential in every single student. He has a true connection with children and you can see that in his interaction with them. But at the same time, he bonds with parents.” 

“It’s rare for us to go somewhere and not see someone he remembers from school,” Karen recounts. “And each time we do, he would recall all the children’s, parents’ and even the dogs’ names. He would have an exchange with the parents and get caught up on how the kids are doing in high school or college. It’s as if he’s on an ongoing conversation all along and is just picking up from where he left off. It’s pretty amazing.” 

Clairbourn School’s East Hall walkway | Photo courtesy of Clairbourn School

“The kids also have fond memories of John. Several years after they’ve left Clairbourn, they would remember the nickname that he gave them when they were students,” Karen continues.  “John gets letters and notes from former students who are now fathers, who say they use the same life lessons they learned from him to teach their children.”   

A lesser man would have become bitter after such an auspicious start in professional sports then end up teaching P.E. But not Paciorek; he has remained sanguine through his disappointment. 

Karen says, “I have never heard or seen any bitterness from John on what he might have become had back injuries not sidelined him. At the time he achieved what he did, he didn’t know he had done something remarkable. But even after he found out, he wasn’t overly excited. Momentous as it was, that event was just a small part of his experience. He’s always expressed gratitude for finding his way to Christian Science and Clairbourn.”

Dr. Robert Nafie, headmaster of Clairbourn School, describes Paciorek’s impression on the school and the community, “John Paciorek took over a physical education and interscholastic sports program that was lacking direction and vitality in 1976. Through his leadership and vision he has inspired multiple generations of Clairbourn students and San Marino-area young people to see physical conditioning and competitive sports as a life-long pursuit.” 

“More than any other faculty member, John Paciorek is the most sought-after educator from Clairbourn alumni when returning to campus,” Nafie adds. “He has touched the lives of thousands of young people through his professional level of instruction and guidance, and his personal life-long example of high spiritual and ethical values.”

“We are very grateful for what John has brought to the school, the knowledge and skills he shared with our students. Indeed, Major League Baseball’s loss has been Clairbourn’s gain. And while he won’t be a daily presence on campus after this school year, his impact will forever linger,” Nafie concludes.

Paciorek will be retiring in June of 2017, after 41 years of dedicated service to Clairbourn. In his honor, the school will construct an aptly named Coach Paciorek Bat 1.000 Batting Cage. It will be at once a symbol of his lasting influence on Clairbourn and the school community’s loving tribute to him.       

Clairbourn students aren’t aware that he is an important Major League baseball figure. To them,  he is Coach Paciorek, a teacher who has provided as much encouragement as he did training while they navigated elementary and middle school. 

John Paciorek’s imprint will be etched for ages not only in the minds of kids aspiring to greatness but of all the young people he inspired to reach for a dream. It may be a legacy far more significant than a record of a perfect game in The Baseball Encyclopedia.                                                      

My Family’s Independent School Experience

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published as the introduction to Beacon Media’s Education Guide which appeared in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly on 27 October 2016

Having children is a lifelong commitment that brings with it tremendous joy as it begets vast responsibilities. One of every parent’s primary concerns when raising kids is ensuring them an education that not only teaches reading, writing, math, and science but also prepares them for life beyond school.

My husband and I decided to give our daughter a private school education and that journey began when she was only two years old. I enrolled her in a co-op where parents are expected to work alongside a teacher and an assistant teacher in class.

It turned out to be a really fun experience for both of us. My daughter and I enjoyed being at school two mornings during the week. She learned to draw and sing; I handed out snacks and drinks, cleaned after the little kids and took them to the potty.

My daughter stayed at the co-op for only one year. The following school year, she attended a Montessori school. It was there that she learned reading, writing, and math. Having helped out in the classroom the previous year, I had become adept at assisting so I helped the teacher and her aide. 

By the time my daughter was four years old, she had outgrown the Montessori system. She was ready for traditional education and our quest for the right independent school commenced.  

Pasadena has several outstanding private schools but the competition to get accepted to one of them is fierce. We went on countless campus tours and applied to six schools; she was waitlisted on all but one, and it was in La Canada. Like in her previous two schools, she did extremely well in class, was adored by teachers, and was well-liked by her classmates.  

Private schools are completely funded by parents and tuition only covers a portion of what’s needed to run them; it falls on the parents’ association to raise funds for enrichment programs.  To fill the library or add books to its current offering, for instance, the association holds book fairs. So in addition to driving kids on field trips, I also volunteered for the book fair. I got braver and chaired the spring auction the following year. This benefit gala is usually a school’s largest fundraiser and proceeds from it are used for field trips, or to buy computers for the classrooms.  

Image taken from Pasadena Now

The drive from Pasadena to La Canada, though, got too tiring for both of us after two years.  Fortunately, I had kept in touch with the admissions director at one of the private schools where she had been waitlisted. My daughter reapplied and got accepted when a family had to relocate and leave the school. I was ecstatic – the school is a mile away from our house! 

My daughter excelled in class, even played the piano for the entire school during morning assembly. I was again involved in the parent association. One year I managed the school store which carried snacks and drinks for after-school sports, provided pizza and drinks for dances, and even sold school uniforms, sports clothing and gym bags. 

I was immersed in school activities, found friends, and felt comfortable there. I had found a community where I belonged. My daughter, however, felt quite the opposite so we decided to find another school. 

    

St Mary’s College, University of St Andrews, Scotland (UK) | Photo by May S. Ruiz

In the first ten years of my daughter’s life, she had attended four different schools. In all of them students were expected to excel in academics, have a passion for artistic expression, and possess an athletic ability.  Besides raising funds, parents were counted on to be partners in their children’s education – making certain that the kids came to school prepared to do the work.      

In middle and high school, my daughter attended THE school of all schools in Pasadena. Every student and parent for miles around want to be there, and applying to it is sport. I found out that its culture is vastly different from all the ones she previously attended when I signed up for the book fair. I was very excited to sit in the very first meeting and had a lot of ideas, only to be told it wasn’t a fund-raising event. In fact, this school had no other fund-raising activity besides the annual fund and parents weren’t needed on campus

My daughter was there for seven years, the longest she had ever stayed in one school, and had the best time. She found like-minded friends, was challenged by the vigorous curriculum, and earned the admiration of teachers. 

While my experience hadn’t been pleasant, my daughter spent several happy years there and received an outstanding education. And, at end of the day, that was what mattered.    

Two years ago, my daughter graduated from high school. Today she is a third-year student at the third-ranked university in the United Kingdom. She’s thriving in a very active campus life and enjoying being self-reliant – skills she has successfully learned. Her private school education is certainly serving her well.    

ANW’s  ‘The Imaginary Invalid’ Makes for Uproarious Entertainment

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 20 October 2016 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly

Moliere’s ‘The Imaginary Invalid’ opened at A Noise Within (ANW) over the weekend, a fitting final production of the fall in the repertory company’s 25th anniversary season. Long-time resident artists, Apollo Dukakis as Argan, and Debora Strang as Toinette, face off in this raucously hysterical play. At the helm is ANW co-producing director Julia Rodriguez-Elliott.    

On stage until the 19th of November, ‘The Imaginary Invalid’ tells the story of Argan, a man obsessed with his health and the lengths to which he will go to ensure that he will have a doctor to diagnose and cure his ailments. It’s a high comedy that calls for much sparring among the characters which the resident artists pull off with dexterity and aplomb.           

Rodriguez-Elliott says of working on the show with resident performers, “It usually isn’t until the third week of production that people begin to have a sense of each other and by week five it’s over. But here, we get right down to the task on the very first day of rehearsal so that the work becomes so much richer. I’ve observed guest artists begin to relax as they see the vocabulary of the place.” 

Strang immediately pipes in, “Apollo and I have played opposite each other on the stage so many times but as I look back on them I think we’ve had the same kind of relationship every single time.”

“It’s part of being in a company, as long-time colleagues we have such a familiarity and that instant connection. We’re there for each other,” Dukakis adds.

Dukakis has played ‘The Imaginary Invalid’s’ lead character, Argan, four times previously; the first one was 16 years ago. This time around, he was originally cast as the doctor but the actor who was to have played Argan had an emergency medical surgery one week into rehearsal.  Without too much preamble, Rodriguez-Elliott asked him to replace the lead and Dukakis graciously agreed.

ANW has produced Moliere and Shakespeare plays more than any other playwright’s.  

Molière as Argan in his play ‘Le Malade Imaginaire’. Illustration from Liebig collectible card series (‘Auteurs dramatiques comme Acteurs’/ ‘Famous Actor Playwrights’), 1921. M: (Real name Jan-Baptiste Poquelin) – portrait. French dramatist, comic playwright, and theatre director, 1646 – 1673 (Photo by Culture Club/Getty Images)

Rodriguez-Elliott rationalizes, “Moliere’s characters are people who are extremes; watching what happens when we’re obsessed fascinates me. His works give us the opportunity to play the characters with a humanity. It’s the same with Shakespeare when he writes ‘a street’ and you have no idea what that looks like and you have to create what the language of that particular production is going to be.”

“I find it interesting that both Moliere and Shakespeare wrote for repertory companies,” observes Strang. “I think every single character in their plays is rich and full-bodied because they had particular actors in mind. The fact they had repertory companies made them much stronger writers.”

Interjects Rodriguez-Elliott, “Even if Moliere and Shakespeare just had a sketch, they throw it to the repertory and they fill it out. That’s the power of having a company. It’s in that same vein that I was able to ask Apollo to fill in for the original actor playing Argan; I was very confident that we have resident artists who can handle the role. It was seamless, we moved the different actors to play the various characters. We didn’t have to scramble around to find someone.”

Rodriguez-Elliott says of ‘The Imaginary Invalid’, “This individual is in the throes of mental illness. The brilliance of Moliere is that he’s turned this destructive isolation into a sparkling, effervescent romp! So much of the comedy is about how oblivious Argan is to the vultures that are taking advantage of him, and the lengths in which people in his life navigate his neurosis.”                             

“It’s slapstick hilarity to watch the characters go right to the brink of insanity, but there is an underlying basis of reality – we are all blinded by our own behaviors,” Rodriguez-Elliott observes. “At the end of the play, Argan overcomes it all. What’s most interesting to me is his trajectory and his journey. It’s up to the audience to figure out if he ultimately finds enlightenment and takes ownership of his life as he becomes a doctor himself.” 

“I can have some high and mighty notion of what I think the audience should take away with them. But given what’s going on in the world right now it’s really great to be in a room with everyone just laughing hysterically … being together and having a really good time where we’re not dealing with complex issues, or things that are taxing and stressful,”  Rodriguez-Elliott concludes.

‘The Imaginary Invalid’ provides the perfect last fall production of ANW’s ‘Beyond our Wildest Dreams’ 2016-2017 season. It’s a blast of a play!

Orange County School of the Arts Expands to the San Gabriel Valley

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 13 October 2016 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly

Duarte Unified School District’s (DUSD) commitment to arts programs will have its most tangible proof yet when the California School of the Arts-San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV) opens its doors next year as a public charter school of the DUSD, operating from the current Northview Intermediate School campus. The first sister school to the Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) in Santa Ana, CSArts-SGV is a partnership that is expected to benefit children in Duarte and the surrounding region.

“The choice of housing CSArts-SGV at Northview was based on the interest of our community to support the concept of neighborhood schools,” declares DUSD superintendent, Dr. Allan Mucerino. “In addition, we identified grades 7-8 as the point in time when 70% of our students of residence who transferred out of our district exited DUSD. As a result, we chose to reconfigure from K-6 to K-8 schools. That provided us the opportunity to repurpose Northview by entering into a license agreement with OCSA to create CSArts-SGV.”

This grade level reconfiguration will also necessitate a bit of relocation for current students.  Mucerino explains, “Starting in the 2017-2018 school year current sixth graders will remain on their present campus for seventh grade. Current 7th grade students will be housed in a satellite 8th grade facility between the existing Northview campus and Duarte High School for one year. In 2018-2019, the conversion to K-8 will be complete.”            

Dr. Ralph Opacic, who founded OCSA in 1987, explains the decision to expand to the San Gabriel Valley. “The OCSA is celebrating its 30th anniversary and we are now at capacity at 2,200 students. We attract 3,000 applicants each year for 400 spots from cities not only in Orange County, but also from adjacent Los Angeles, Riverside and San Diego counties. And so we began looking at areas where our program will have an appeal. The San Gabriel Valley quickly came to our attention as we know it will draw from the entire region. We’re likewise having conversations with school districts in the South Bay, at El Segundo, and the San Fernando Valley.”

“This is the first sister school of OCSA and is modeled after it,” continues Opacic. “Our goal is in ten years to be able to provide 10,000 kids who are passionate for the arts with a transformational experience. We want to offer a culture where they are surrounded by like-minded students; to afford them an academic preparation combined with an arts curriculum so they can continue on a path. But it isn’t a program to educate talented students to become future artists. Rather, it’s an innovative school environment that graduates highly engaged, creative young leaders who are well-equipped for meaningful, successful lives at the college of their choice and in any career they select. ”

Opacic describes, “Students will have the academic portion of their day from 8 am to 2 pm consisting of three 90-minute classes and a 30-minute tutorial block. CSArts-SGV will offer college preparatory, honors and advanced placement courses taught by fully credentialed faculty members, with the majority of them holding advanced degrees.

Image taken from CSArts-SGV website

Then high school arts students will be attending their choice of art course from 2:30 to 5 pm.  Conservatory for students in the 7th and 8th grade is scheduled prior to the high school conservatory. We’ll be offering ten arts classes – acting, classical and contemporary dance, classical voice, commercial dance, creative writing, instrumental music, integrated arts, musical theatre, production and design, and visual arts.”     

The opening of CSArts-SGV will bring in more jobs into the city. Opacic reveals, “We currently have job postings for the eight full-time arts teachers and will be interviewing within the next four to six weeks. We will be hiring academic and arts instructors after March 1st next year when we have an idea of what our enrollment will be. We hope to open grades seven to ten at 200 students per grade level. We staff our academic programs at 30:1 so we’ll probably have 20 – 27 academic educators and we staff the arts programs at 20:1 and we’ll probably have 40 arts teachers in the afternoon conservatory.”

According to Mucerino, the presence of CSArts-SGV in Duarte will infuse additional funding.  He says of the amount of Average Daily Attendance (ADA) revenue generated by 1,200 students in grades 9-12, three percent will go towards DUSD.       

Opacic will serve as the executive director of the California School of the Arts, which is the umbrella company for all schools they open going forward. As a charter school, CSArts-SGV will have its own board of directors, independent of Duarte Unified School District (DUSD), which is its sponsoring agency.

CSArts-SGV’s first principal will be Dr. William Wallace, who was Dean of Facilities and Supervision at OCSA, where he oversaw the expansion of the school from 1,800 students to its current size of nearly 2,200. He also assisted in supervising the construction of OCSA’s premier dance, music and science building, which was inaugurated in August of 2015; he also served as OCSA’s Assistant Principal of Student Services.

Image taken from CSArts-SGV website

Abbe Levine will come on board as the Dean of Arts Conservatories, having served as Director of Arts Environment and Program Expansion at OCSA. She has been teaching at OCSA since 2004 until she became Co-Director of the Creative Writing Conservatory. In that post she implemented innovative community programming and collaborative arts projects.

Mucerino has been an ardent supporter of arts programs and this partnership is the culmination of his months-long search for a genuine alliance. He says, “OCSA has created the blueprint for an innovative school that has proven that arts and creative educational experiences transform schools and communities. The evidence is powerful: children of all social and economic levels who experience high levels of art engagement have more positive outcomes in virtually every achievement indicator, compared to students who are not as lucky. Creative thinking and innovation are at the core of advancement in today’s globalized world. This unique public school/charter school partnership is an example of how historically polarized forces can work together to challenge the status quo and create exceptional and flourishing learning environments.

Over 1,000 people have already signed up for the first preview day on October 22. Judging from that level of interest, it’s going to be as popular as the original Orange County School of the Arts.  But what’s truly unique about this partnership is that it includes an opportunity for students in grades seven and eight to attend DUSD K-8 schools to prepare for CSArts-SGV by participating in the same conservatory program currently delivered to 7th and 8th graders in OCSA. The conservatory for 7th to 8th grade students will be on the CSArts-SGV campus in the same facility used for the 9-12 conservatory program and taught by the same instructors.”         

Students in Duarte and in the entire San Gabriel Valley are the fortunate recipients of education leaders’ out-of-the-box approach to teaching. Mucerino says it best when he quips, “There’s never been a better time to be a kid in Duarte.”

Temple City Alternative School Offers Different Learning Methods

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 6 October 2016 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly

High schools are usually multi-level structures that are populated by two thousand teen-agers hurrying from one classroom to another. While most kids enjoy this daily interaction with classmates and lectures with teachers, there are some to whom this schedule isn’t the right fit for their needs. 

The Temple City Unified School District (TCUSD) is one of the few districts offering students and their families some options for getting a high school education using a different delivery method – the Dr. Doug Sears Learning Center (DDSLC) and the Alternative School.

According to Chris Sewell, principal, “While both are alternative schools, they are two separate institutions, having different accreditations and curricula. The DDSLC is a continuation school serving 10th to 12th graders from TCUSD who might need credit recovery and for those who may not have passed some classes but weren’t able to attend summer school. Students could recoup and maintain credits to be able to transfer back to the high school and graduate on time.”

“Our enrollment fluctuates from one year to the next,” Sewell says. “At one time we had as many as 80 students; we currently have fewer than 50, with four full-time teachers and a counselor. Several things have changed over the years in terms of intervention at the high school so fewer kids are sent to remedial school. The district altered and added services to support students before they reach the point of failing a course.”          

Sewell explains, “DDSLC is also another option for students who feel that a comprehensive high school schedule interferes with other things going on in their lives. Some of our students are 18 years old and are working; they would like to pick up more hours and a traditional school doesn’t allow for that. Still some who come here already know they want to start at Pasadena City College (PCC) so this schedule allows them to take a class or two at PCC.”

“The Temple City Alternative School (TCAS), on the other hand, offers online independent study for 9th to 12th grade students,” adds Sewell. “It has the same academic requirements for graduation as a comprehensive high school – four years of English; three years of history and government; two years of science; three years of math and economics; three years of physical education; four years of electives. Those who are planning on applying to UC/CSU have to complete the A-G requirements.”

“The only difference is the delivery method – we have a digital curriculum using APEX Learning. Students have access to their online course 24 hours day; they study at home at a convenient time to do so. Students are required to come in only for an hour once a week to meet face-to-face with Shannon Findley, the supervising teacher,” Sewell says further.

Findley, who came on board during the 2015-2016 schoolyear, says, “I supervise and approve student coursework designed to meet their individual needs and levels. I meet with them regularly to assess their work, discuss progress on an ongoing basis, and revise individual instruction plans when called for. If necessary, I provide mediation which can mean either teaching or counseling. I also have an open computer lab to serve as additional resource for one-on-one tutoring and technology, and to furnish an absorbing learning environment or workplace.”   

To explain how she combines APEX Learning and teacher instruction, Findley describes, “The digital curriculum keeps students actively engaged and attentive as they are required to read, watch, listen, inquire, write, discuss, and manipulate. Embedded in the program are multimedia tutorials which give students the opportunity to explore and understand new concepts at their own pace. Whenever necessary, I provide direct instruction or I modify material and assignments to help them become proficient with the concepts.”               

With technology a pervasive tool in today’s world, online schools have gained wider acceptance. Sewell points out, “Ten years ago, if someone said he or she was taking a class online, people gave a knowing smile. With more and more prestigious schools offering online courses, the stigma attached to digital study has disappeared. The truth of the matter is that the digital classes can be as rigorous as, if not more rigorous than, coming on campus listening to a lecture and taking notes.”

Kids who attend an alternative school have unique needs that cannot be filled by traditional institutions. Sewell illustrates, “We have students who are serious athletes and their training schedule doesn’t allow them to go to Lemon Avenue (where Temple City High is located) from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm but they want to obtain a high school diploma. The district has given much support – the school is open daily so students can come in and leave any time between 8:00 and 3:00; laptops are available and they can sit in coffee shop-style chairs; the lab is open for them to use. A math teacher comes in from 3:30 to 5:00 twice a week to provide extra help.”

“The 12 students currently attending have direct access to a full-time teacher and a counselor. They can still participate in all the events at Temple City High, like grad night or the homecoming. They can go to the college fair the high school hosts, with the advantage of getting individual and personal attention from the counselor. They are, in fact, better off than the 500 seniors at the traditional high school,” Sewell observes.   

Raul Acevedo, who has been the school counselor since 2004, ensures that he provides a welcoming environment for all newcomers, “Each students enrolls into the independent study program due to a variety of reasons – often, although not always, after some challenging experience. Because students have very few adults to interact with, it is important that each interaction is a positive one. So building that initial rapport is key.”

Pasadena City College Photo taken online

“Within three domain areas – academic, personal/social, and college/career – I give students the support they need towards attaining knowledge, setting goals, and follow-through for individual success. While the majority of our alternative school students are on a college prep track, some may not be. The challenge then is to develop the college and career readiness mindset and behavior within those students,” Acevedo expounds.

“I provide orientation; schedule classes based on students’ transcript review, grade level, and oral interest survey to select elective courses; monitor progress throughout the term; check-in and follow up with students on their goals and plans. I make sure I know if they intend to stay in independent study or transfer back to the high school; if they have post-secondary plans, including attending Pasadena City College (PCC). 

“During our first few interactions, college counseling occurs when I ask students about their goals. But the process begins in earnest in junior year and culminates in senior year. I assist in their school research, relative to the courses they have in mind; I guide them through the college and financial aid (FAFSA) applications, and I help find scholarships.

“Being the counselor for DDSLC, I combine certain activities with our alternative program students, like visiting local community colleges. I usually take students in my car and visit PCC and Citrus College; another teacher drives his own car to take more students, when needed.

“Our students also attend fairs including: PCC Career Technical Education Fair; the annual Citrus College Theatre Performing Arts Open House; and the National Hispanic College Fair, which provides a platform for dozens of colleges and universities nationwide to connect with students (last year’s fair was at Loyola Marymount University).

“During the 2015-2016 school year, three seniors graduated and are now attending community colleges – Brandon Johnson is at Citrus College and plans to major in accounting with the hope of becoming an FBI accountant; Charles Osborne is pursuing a political science degree at PCC on a full tuition scholarship from AJ Wang; and Lu Jiang is currently at PCC but intends to transfer to the Art Center of Pasadena,” Acevedo says.     

Everyone who comes through their doors is expected to do well and succeed, “The onus is on the student to have self-motivation and drive because they have more independence – it’s so easy to be a slacker,” Sewell warns. “But if they can manage this well, it will serve as a skill that helps them transition to college, to a career, and to life.” From that perspective, an alternative school offers some very attractive reasons for students to deviate from traditional learning. But as Sewell enthusiastically proclaims, “In the year 2016, what’s traditional? Technology has changed all that.” Indeed it has!                       

Beatrix Potter Inspires Pre-School Workshop at The Huntington

/ May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 22 September 2016 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, Monrovia Weekly, and Sierra Madre Weekly

Who, as a young child growing up, hadn’t enjoyed reading the adventures of the mischievous Peter Rabbit and his sisters, Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail? Kids everywhere recognize this long-eared mammal, in the blue jacket with brass buttons, being chased by the ornery Mr. McGregor. He is one of the many delightful animal characters created by Beatrix Potter.

To commemorate the sesquicentennial birth anniversary of Beatrix Potter, The Huntington held a series of preschool workshops this month through the institution’s Youth and Family Programs.

Through four two-hour morning sessions, artist and educator, Paisley Callow, led a group of three- to five-year-olds around The Huntington gardens and immersed them in the make-believe world of Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck, and friends.

Callow, herself an avid collector of Beatrix Potter memorabilia, says she pitched a few workshop ideas for preschoolers. She relates, “Every year growing up, my grandparents gave me a Beatrix Potter figurine for my birthdays and at Christmas. So when The Huntington asked me to do this theme class, I was excited to be able to integrate my collection in the lessons.

“We did scavenger hunts in the gardens, where children and their parents weaved around the various plants at The Huntington. We read ‘The Pie and the Patty Pan’, and created our own mixed media pies. Because three-year-olds are learning their letter sounds, we crowned a pre-school ‘Prince or Princess of P’, who would hold up the letter P every time we said a P word, like ‘pie’, in our Potter’s Porcelain Animal Art class.

The Chinese Garden at The Huntington | Photo by Brianna Chu

“In one session we checked out the porcelain tea cups in The Huntington’s European Gallery; fashioned our own cups; and had a tea party for Beatrix Potter’s 150th birthday in the Rose Garden. Our potter class took us to story time in the lily pond where we read Jeremy Fischer, a frog who fishes on a lily pad. Using simple mold making, we crafted our own Lilies and Fish,” Callow expounds.

A graduate of UCLA’s School of Arts and Architecture, Callow also held one Saturday class on a temporary Huntington exhibition, Ishimoto Architects. Seven- to 12-year-olds and their parents viewed the works of California architects, Charles and Henry Greene, who were inspired by Japanese structures. Photographer, Yasuhiro Ishimoto, took a series of black and white photos of Greene & Greene houses, which are on display through October 3, 2016 at the Susan and Stephen Chandler Wing of the Virginia Steele Scott Galleries of American Art. The kids then designed their own architecture during the three-hour hands-on workshop.

Having lived in Asia, North America, and the Middle East with her diplomat parents during her childhood years, Callow shares her knowledge about world culture and arts with the children she teaches. In November, she will offer a Mini International Architects class for preschoolers and their parents. She explains, “In this class, the kids will look at exhibits and gardens as they relate to architecture around the globe. They will build Saudi Arabian castles, Iceland ice hotels using popsicle paint, and western skyscraper with recyclables. They will learn the letters I and C when they study two Greek columns – Ionian and Corinthian.  I incorporate literacy, math and science in my preschool art classes.”                       

“As a certified Montessori educator, I know that children learn best by creating something they make themselves, especially at preschool age. They’ll never forget their cool colors when they’re painting snow with their cold blue popsicle paint,” Callow concludes.

The European Gallery | Photo taken from The Huntington’s website

The preschool classes are an ongoing program at The Huntington. According to Julianne Johnston, senior coordinator, Youth and Family Programs and Community Engagement, “Over the past ten years, we have offered at least one in the spring and another in the fall. The Preschool Series offers an introduction to museum education programs through The Huntington’s collections.”

Johnston states further, “ Because it is usually children’s first experiences at The Huntington, each series is designed to include stories, a visit to a garden or gallery, and a hands-on activity to reinforce the theme or lesson. Each day in the series is centered on early education and discovery-based learning to develop both their motor skills and a love and appreciation for learning in a museum setting.”

“The public program is planned and designed anywhere from three months to a year in advance,” Johnston adds. “We try to take advantage of our many temporary exhibitions (such as Van Gogh and Friends, or The National Parks), as well as highlight our permanent collections – whether they are Library, Art, or Gardens. We collaborate with content specialists within our division and curators throughout our institution to ensure accurate interpretation of the different areas of discipline. We also work with contracted experts and professional informal instructors to lead these workshops and programs.”                     

Popular themes and literary favorites, like Beatrix Potter, are occasionally repeated as workshop classes. And this year, in celebration of the beloved author’s 150th birth anniversary, Dale Schafer from the Beatrix Potter Society attended the workshop’s last session for the fun activities and stories. Peter Rabbit and his friends would have enjoyed that too.