en-us Copyright 2008 - All Rights Reserved. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:18:00 GMT 15 By Candese Charles
Departments and Small Learning Communities came together in various rooms to display the achievements of the Wildcat Nation during a revamped Open House on April 30 that drew record numbers with the Health Fair that started at 5 p.m. Displays of academic, visual, technical, and performing arts were exhibited during the three-hour event to showcase student accomplishments. The night began with a show by the Rhythm Squad and Drum Line. They performed two pieces along with the dance team, grabbing the attention of parents as they entered the Main Building.     In the theater area, Lacey Stanley, drama teacher, previewed scenes from the spring play Guys and Dolls. Stivelman Theater was packed with parents and curious students hoping to see the big show. Excerpts were performed every 30 minutes with intermissions in between. The art department exhibited various student work. Pieces were priced and sold based on how much the students requested. Beautiful artwork was displayed throughout he night outside of the theater Various academies included Video, Illustration, and Multimedia (VIM), Business, Law, International Relations, Social Justice (BLISS) / Finance and Health. A health and fitness fair was presented in the East Gym. Organized by the Health Academy, the fair included doctors, graduate students and health organizations. Though the sex education table drew in a lot of curious teens, the table with the most buzz displayed a human brain bought by UCLA graduate student Nanthia Suthan. There was also a body-conditioning booth that piqued the interest of onlookers. Each of the academic departments displayed the best work they have collected from their students over the years. The history department exhibited works from History Day and assignments from World History and U.S. History. The pieces were displayed with pride in the cafeteria, along with a few senior portfolios that many parents could take a look at to help their seniors make the next deadline. The English department displayed work in the library. Teachers were on site ready to answer questions for families who were interested. Reflections contest essay winners from Olga Kokino’s classes were also on display. The French and Spanish classes showcased their skills and knowledge in songs and poems they recited every hour on a stage built between the G buildings. Fred Jacob’s French 2 class sang a song while students from Dale Fuqua-Caballero’s Spanish 2 and 3 classes recited poems and scenes from the winter bilingual play Don Juan. Students also sponsored club booths that they hope will help support any funding needed. The night ended well with astronomy demonstrations at the main entrance.  Though the night was long it was informative, and is said to be one of the best Open House events, attracting 250-300 participants.   ]]> Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:39:13 GMT