By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer
Family Science Night at Valley of Enchantment Elementary School in Crestline on Thursday, April 24 was not only fun, but educational, as well. From 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. hundreds of students, teachers, parents and other family members met on the school’s playground to witness some fun science experiments and demonstrations, such as jumping through a hula hoop soaked in glycerin “to change the surface tension into bigger and better bubbles,” explained kindergarten/preschool teacher Sydney McCook.
Rim school board member William Mellinger and District Superintendent Dr. Paul Sevillano spoke highly of the district’s staff and the students’ academic accomplishments. (Photo by Douglas W. Motley)
Something more practical was taking place over in the portable classroom section of the playground, where the focus was on an energy transfer machine, which transfers potential energy into kinetic energy of motion, which was used to inflate a balloon that propelled a small object across a table.
Meanwhile, at the ELOP (Expanded Opportunities Learning Program) portable, teacher Victoria Wulfman explained that this state-mandated program offers funding for afterschool and summer enrichment for students in transitional kindergarten through sixth grade. The program offers up to nine hours of hands-on learning experiences that give social and academic support for English language learners, if they are living below the poverty level.
Rim of the World Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Paul Sevillano, who was encountered on the playground, was asked how important events like this one are. “It is extremely important for parents to see students’ products,” he said. In agreement was Crestline pastor and school board member William Mellinger, who commented, “There are experiences here for everybody: students, staff, parents and the entire community.”
The second-graders created and displayed dioramas of sea life. (Photo by Mary-Justine Lanyon)
Drawing a great deal of attention on the far end of the playground was an exotic (and loud) muscle car from the Rim High School Auto Technology class. Auto Shop Instructor Dave Meigide was impressed by the number of students who showed an interest in the auto shop program. “Some wanted to know how fast it can go and how much horsepower it has,” he said adding, “There are plenty of jobs for car and truck manufacturers in this country, and the price of used vehicles is climbing.”
The second-grade classroom wing was adorned with student-made sea animal projects, many of which were dangling from the ceiling while others were displayed on classroom tables with written descriptions of what they eat, where they live and how long they live.
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