"You Could Make a Masterpiece"

Of Starry Nights, Mona Lisa's Eyes, and the Next Picasso

"Whenever you look at that painting," says Bridges Academy 5th-grader Sabrina, "it seems like her eyes are moving and always watching out."

Sabrina and her classmates Cristian, Joan, and Gemma are deep into a discussion of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Channeling the 16th-century masterpiece, Gemma strikes the subject's enigmatic, enduring gaze. "That's why it's famous!" says Cristian. They all nod.

"I've actually seen her move her eyes," offers Joan.

Bridges Academy's 5th-grade artists Gemma, Joan, Cristian, and Sabrina
with their portrait projects

"Well, it seems like they move because you see her looking at you," muses Gemma, momentarily breaking her Mona Lisa pose. "But that's the thing: It's all in your imagination. [The painting] really gets in your mind."

Art is clearly in the minds of Bridges students, both their own and that of legends like da Vinci, Van Gogh, and Andy Warhol. "We drew a picture that this famous guy Van Gogh painted," says Joan. "Starry Night. It's awesome. Beautiful."

"The wind," says Gemma. "He looked out his window and he painted it, that swirly wind."

Sabrina's rendering of Van Gogh's Starry Night

(Note: You can click on the images to see larger versions.)

"It's cool with all the stars," says Sabrina. "We did hatching with pastels [to recreate Van Gogh's technique]. Making art is important because you can show your feelings and express yourself. If it's your own art, then you're not copying anyone and they're going to think it's cool that you created something all by yourself, just out of your own thoughts."

"Art gives students an outlet for expressing themselves and a chance to be creative in a way they might not normally have during the school day," says the kids' teacher, Jessica Jung.

"It's fun times when you're doing art," says Gemma. "You feel excited about how it's going to turn out, and then when it's done you're proud of it."

"Some kids learn better through art or music, or social studies or science, and these all work together to create a full education," Jung says. In that spirit, she and fellow Bridges teachers connect art to standards in math, English, and other areas whenever they can. When her class studied Van Gogh's Starry Night, she tied it to an astronomy lesson, and building dioramas became an opportunity to explore history as the kids constructed scenes of different colonial regions. "It's all a way to process information in different and more entertaining ways," she explains. "They're not just writing and answering questions, but showing a real understanding by creating this scene."

"Art is important," says Cristian, "because some kids can draw their feelings on a piece of paper, and if they're happy they could draw the world, and their neighborhood, and houses, and they can inspire people."

"Art is a way of exploring the world," reflects Sabrina.

Joan agrees. "If some people see your picture of New York, they might like and want to go to New York."

"It might also make them want to do something creative like us," adds Gemma.

"Art gives students a chance to succeed in their own way," says Jung. "Particularly kids with behavior issues or who aren't as successful academically, other students can say, 'Wow, this student did a really beautiful job.' It's an opportunity for every student to feel successful in one way or another in class, and we see different parts of their character come out when they're doing certain projects."

"When I draw," explains Joan, "I think in my mind that one day I will become an artist. It's so cool. I might create the beautiful sea, a picture of New York, or my face in a self-portrait."

"Like a Picasso," adds Sabrina. "But instead of it being a Picasso, it will be a Joan."

With art, you could do anything you want," says Cristian. "You could make a masterpiece."

A Taste of Spring: Garden Club and Farmers Market Build Health and Wellness Efforts at MCS

A welcome appearance during a rain-soaked month of March, the sun found a rare opening in the clouds on a recent Wednesday, spotlighting a scene of green unfolding on the Manzanita Community School (MCS) campus.

Garden Coordinator Louisa Hartigan and 1st-graders
studying in the garden

Out on the yard, the school garden's plants and flowers were lush after the rains, and nearby the Farmers Market – a weekly fixture every Wednesday – was loaded with fruits and vegetables and drawing a crowd.

(Note: You can click on the photos to see larger versions.)

In the MCS garden, AmeriCorps volunteer and Manzanita Garden Coordinator Louisa Hartigan was teaching 1st-graders in our "outdoor classroom." The class intently drew the garden's plants and flowers and observed the insects hovering around them while discussing pollination, seed dispersal, and other science concepts. (While this lesson featured art and science, the outdoor classroom also integrates math and English whenever possible.)

The hands-on, interactive garden learning "really challenges them to think in a way they're not always used to," says Hartigan. "It's exciting for them to learn about nature and the world around them."

Garden Club 1st-graders studying the parts of a flower

Mariah, a student in Christina Wells' 4th-grade class, has clearly absorbed the science concepts at work in the garden: "We get to learn about plants and fruits. I liked seeing the holes in the lemon leaf that the gases come in and out of -- the carbon dioxide and the oxygen."

The kids are also putting their green thumbs to practical use, in the kitchen. They recently assembled a salad of several lettuce varieties, herbs, spring onions, and edible flowers (nasturtium and calendula) – all straight from the garden. "Salad is not always a food that kids embrace," notes Hartigan, "but because they had grown the food themselves and prepared it together, they were excited about eating it."

Hartigan also introduced them to kale, a vegetable most kids were skeptical about until adding it to cheese quesadillas, a perennial favorite. "Adding an unfamiliar vegetable to a familiar and well-loved food helped de-mystify the kale," she says.

A Greener Garden!

As Hartigan puts, we have seen the garden "pull the school community together and build a sense of pride around the school grounds." In that spirit, we hosted a Comcast Cares Day on Saturday, April 30. Comcast provided breakfast and lunch and t-shirts for all volunteers. Thanks to all who made it out for this community-building event!

"What I like about the garden is that you can plant what you like to eat or see and you can cook what you like for dinner," says Juan, also in Wells' 4th-grade class.


Exposure to new foods from the garden has also led students to be more adventurous in sampling items from the salad bar at lunch. Overall, says Hartigan, the garden has been a springboard for the school's health and wellness initiatives. "By making things more familiar, we're helping them explore what makes up a healthy diet."

Support Manzanita Community School!
State cuts have put many of our wellness programs at risk, including the ever-popular Playworks fitness program (covered in our Fall 2009 newsletter). You can help! You can donate online here (be sure to choose "Manzanita Community School" in the Pick Your School pull-down) or by check to: "OSF/MCS," PO Box 20238, Oakland, CA 94620.

Students line up for fresh produce at the Farmers Market

Over at the Farmers Market, volunteer Haydee Jimenez was busy fielding orders from parents, students, and MCS neighbors. Now in its second year, the mostly-organic Market has become a regular stop for those seeking healthy, reasonably priced produce. "We have a lot of people from the outside community come in," says Jimenez. "They drive by on their way to the grocery store, and end up shopping here because we're organic and the prices are lower. We now have loyal customers who even place their orders ahead of time."

Ultimately, though, it's MCS students who benefit most from this weekly presence of produce. The school has officially become a "no-chip" campus, and Jimenez says the Market is indicative of a school-wide dedication to health and wellness, bolstered by the Garden Club and our Playworks program that promotes positive recess activity among students.

"We hear them say, 'Oh, we're eating organic, this is better than regular fruit!'" Jimenez says. "Many of them never ate organics until the Farmers Market came along. We're doing it to show kids there are healthy choices they can make."

Jimenez, who has two children attending MCS, shops for her own family at the Market. "My kids love it. They really look forward to Wednesdays."

Parents and community members shop at the Farmers Market

Learning Without Limits Drummers Perform at Target's Oakland Grand Opening

To learn more about Learning Without Limits Elementary's rousing drum team, check out the lead story in the school's recent Learning Territory newsletter.

For Frick’s Kings and Queens, College and Character Count

“Every single time I enter the AVID room, I feel like I just passed through time and I am in college.”

These were the words of 7th-grader Jesus when asked about AVID, which stands for “Advancement Via Individual Determination.” AVID is designed to “close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society.” It often supports socio-economically disadvantaged kids in the academic “middle” who will be the first in their family to attend college, and it’s only available at two Oakland middle schools. Frick is excited to be one of them.

“Kids here have really taken ownership and bought into the idea that ‘Yes, I’m going to college and I’m making good choices,’” says Frick Teacher Darcel Sanders, who runs the AVID program. “That’s been awesome to see.”

Through AVID, students are doing a year-long project researching different colleges: first a California State University, then the UCs and the Ivy Leagues, and eventually any school of their choice.

“Writing about the college (Fresno State) made me think about what college I want to go to,” reflects 7th-grader Edith.”I have to start thinking about my future and what opportunities are best for me.”

“Writing about Sonoma State,” says 8th-grader Brenda, “helped me focus on college as a future goal because it helped me learn more about my college options.”

Assuming they fulfill its requirements, students stay with AVID through 12th grade. Along the way, says Sanders, “they’re given access to resources and experiences they might not normally get.” Inside the classroom, kids get college tutors and learn specific college-prep practices like the Cornell note-taking system, but the experience extends off-campus as well, with students being connected with community service projects. “Those experiences will make them more competitive in high school,” says Sanders, “since community service is a huge part of college applications.”

College tours are another key piece of the program. “The college field trip experience helped me realize there were more choices besides Cal and Mills because I got to see public and private schools that I didn’t know about before I started AVID,” reflects 8th-grader Rajean.

The tours bring college into clearer focus for the kids. “We get to see classrooms and what college students do in their spare time,” adds 8th-grader Marissa.

Data, too, is backing up AVID’s success. Writing test scores have improved, and last year all but three of 50 8th-graders had a C or better in Algebra. AVID, says Sanders, has been partly responsible for the improvement.

“Participating in AVID makes me always want to participate in all of my classes,” reflects 7th-grader Malia.

“[Because of AVID], now I am more on top of things and I feel that I have matured since the beginning of the school year,” says her classmate Monique.

“I feel that AVID is really helping me prepare for college,” says Sierra. “[Ms. Sanders tells us] that we can do anything, we can succeed, and all these positive things she says make me feel successful. I’ve never experienced a class that is so college-like.”

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Frick Today - Winter 2010