Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, December 16, 2017

Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 16, 2017 EDUCATION & YOUTH 7 Mountain Views-News Saturday, December 16, 2017 EDUCATION & YOUTH 7 
CONGRATULATIONS TO SIERRA MADRE MIDDLE 
SCHOOL GIRLS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL TEAM!!! 
THEY WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP!! 


CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS – SAN 
GABRIEL VALLEY DEBUTS ITS FIRST ALL-SCHOOL 
MUSICAL: AN ORIGINAL, STEAMPUNK-INSPIRED 
PRODUCTION OF “PIPPIN” 

“Pippin” runs Jan. 11-13, 2018 at the Arcadia Performing Arts Center 

SCHOOL DIRECTORY 
Alverno Heights Academy200 N. Michillinda Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 
(626) 355-3463 Head of School: Julia V. FanaraE-mail address: jfanara@alvernoheights.org 
Arcadia High School180 Campus Drive Arcadia, CA 91007Phone: (626) 821-8370, Principal: Brent Forseebforsee@ausd.net 
Arroyo Pacific Academy41 W. Santa Clara St. Arcadia, Ca, 
(626) 294-0661 Principal: Phil ClarkeE-mail address: pclarke@arroyopacific.org 
Barnhart School 
240 W. Colorado Blvd Arcadia, Ca. 91007 
(626) 446-5588 Head of School: EthanWilliamson 
Kindergarten - 8th gradewebsite: www.barnhartschool.org 
Bethany Christian School93 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024(626) 355-3527Preschool-TK-8th Grade 
Principal: Dr. William Walnerwebsite: www. bcslions.org 
Clairbourn School 
8400 Huntington DriveSan Gabriel, CA 91775Phone: 626-286-3108 ext. 172 
FAX: 626-286-1528 
E-mail: jhawes@clairbourn.org 
Foothill Oaks Academy822 Bradbourne Ave., Duarte, CA 91010 
(626) 301-9809Co-Principals Nancy Lopez and Diane Kieffaberinfo@foothilloaksacademy.orgpreschool@foothilloaksacademy.org 
Frostig School971 N. Altadena Drive Pasadena, CA 91107(626) 791-1255Head of School: Jenny Janetzke 
Email: jenny@frostig.org 
The Gooden School 
192 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024(626) 355-2410Head of School, Carl Parke 
website: www.goodenschool.org 
High Point Academy1720 Kinneloa Canyon Road Pasadena, Ca. 
91107 
Head of School: Gary Stern 626-798-8989 
website: www.highpointacademy.org 
La Salle High School3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 
(626) 351-8951 website: www.lasallehs.org 
Principal Mrs. Courtney Kassakhian 
Monrovia High School325 East Huntington Drive, Monrovia, CA 91016(626) 471-2800 Principal Darvin JacksonEmail: schools@monrovia.k12.ca.us 
Odyssey Charter School725 W. Altadena Dr. Altadena, Ca. 91001 
(626) 229-0993 Head of School: Lauren O’Neillwebsite: www.odysseycharterschool.org 
Pasadena High School2925 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 
(626) 396-5880 Principal: Roberto Hernandezwebsite: http://phs.pusd.us 
St. Rita Catholic School 
322 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 
Principal Joan Harabedian (626) 355-9028website: www.st-rita.org 
Sierra Madre Elementary School141 W. Highland Ave, Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 
(626) 355-1428 Principal: Lindsay LewisE-mail address: lewis.lindsay@pusd.us 
Sierra Madre Middle School 
160 N. Canon Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 
(626) 836-2947 Principal: Garrett NewsomE-mail address: newsom.garrett@pusd.us 
Walden School 
74 S San Gabriel Blvd 
Pasadena, CA 91107 (626) 792-6166www.waldenschool.net 
Weizmann Day School1434 N. Altadena Dr. Pasadena, Ca. 91107 
(626) 797-0204Lisa Feldman: Head of School 
Wilson Middle School 
300 S. Madre St. Pasadena, Ca. 91107 
(626) 449-7390 Principal: Ruth EsselnE-mail address: resseln@pusd.us 
Pasadena Unified School District 
351 S. Hudson Ave., Pasadena, Ca. 91109 
(626) 396-3600 Website: www.pusd@pusd.usrcadia Unified School District 
234 Campus Dr., Arcadia, Ca. 91007 
(626) 821-8300 Website: www.ausd.net 
Monrovia Unified School District 
325 E. Huntington Dr., Monrovia, Ca. 91016 
(626) 471-2000 Website: www.monroviaschools. 
net 
Duarte Unified School District 
1620 Huntington Dr., Duarte, Ca. 91010 
(626)599-5000 Website: www.duarte.k12.ca.us 
Duarte, Calif. – Dec. 12, 2017 – California School 
of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV) 
continues its inaugural year with a charismatic, 
all-school performance of the esteemed musical 
“Pippin.” Filled with dance, humor and soaring 
songs by Stephen Schwartz (“Corner of the Sky,” 
“Magic to Do” and “Glory”), “Pippin” tells the 
story of a young person’s journey to find his place 
in the world. The ensemble cast offers growth 
and performance opportunities for the school’s 
many talented young actors, dancers, musicians 
and singers across the school’s conservatories. 
This original production is set with a unique 
and imaginative steampunk aesthetic, offering a 
relevant edge and visceral quality that will leave 
the audience questioning what it truly means to be 
extraordinary. “Pippin” runs Jan. 11-13, 2018, at the 
1,163-seat Arcadia Performing Arts Center.

CSArts-SGV brings together its own collaborative 
team of talented artists to lead the production, 
including co-directors Jay Wallace, chair of theatre, 
and Megan Mekjian, English teacher and graduate 
of sister-school Orange County School of the Arts’ 
Musical Theatre Conservatory. The team also 
includes Alison Dambach, chair of dance; Jeffrey 
de Seriere, director of the Instrumental Music 
Conservatory; Graham Jackson, Musical Theatre 
Conservatory teacher; and Kimberly Mitchell, 
director of the Production & Design Conservatory.
Students have the exclusive opportunity to learn 
from Erik Altemus, an original cast member of 
the 2013 Tony Award-winning Broadway revival 
of “Pippin,” during a master class and rehearsals 
leading up to the show.

Co-director Wallace says “Pippin” was selected as 
the school’s first musical because it offers a chance 
for originality, freshness and creative opportunity. 
“I wanted something with a bit of flare and energy, 
but that also has an undercurrent of substance and 

GOLDENWORDS: 


Dr. Dan’s College Corner 

relevance. To a certain extent, ‘Pippin’ is a blank 
canvas. This show allows us to craft our own unique 
impression and perspective of the universal story of 
the search for one’s voice and purpose in life.” 
CSArts-SGV frames the musical through the 
lens of steampunk, which began as a subgenre of 
science fiction/fantasy that featured 19th century 
steam-powered technology being used during 
Victorian times. Set during modern day, the 
show incorporates core elements of steampunk 
to conceptualize character and the world of the 
acting troupe at the center of the show. The play’s 
exploration continues a year-long study of the 
steampunk genre, offering artistic opportunities 
for students in every conservatory. Students were 
introduced to the genre during a master class by 
its originators Tim Powers and James Blaylock. In 
addition to the performers onstage, Visual Arts 
Conservatory students participate in a steampunk 
art exhibit in the lobby and Production & Design 
Conservatory students create the costumes, props, 
lighting and set design for the show. The program 
book includes steampunk letters written by Creative 
Writing Conservatory students.

“The performance reflects the mission of the 
Musical Theatre Conservatory to be an “ensemble 
growing together as artists and individuals,” says 
Wallace. “We are challenging students from all 
conservatories to experience a distinct level of 
growth throughout the process, both as performers 
and leaders. We want to instill and nurture 
an appreciation of professionalism as well as 
risk-taking.” 

“Pippin” takes place Thursday - Saturday, Jan. 1113, 
2018 at 7 p.m. at the Arcadia Performing Arts 
Center, 88 Campus Dr., Arcadia, CA 91007. Tickets 
are $25 online and $27 at the door. Student tickets 
are $18 online and $20 at the door. To purchase, 
visit sgv.csarts.net/boxoffice. 

LEARNING FROM COLE SLAW, OR 
HOW AND WHY TO LEARN FROM 


ALL YOUR EXPERIENCES. 


I’ll save the Cole Slaw story for the end of this column, andinstead first lobby students in high school and college toexplore ways to apply real-world experience to the academictheories and skills they build in their studies. Become anintegrated learner!

There has been a growing trend in recent decades ineducation towards melding field experiences, communityservice and internships into the curriculum. Why? Prettysimple answer--research shows that classes with fieldcomponents help students master academic knowledgesquicker and deeper, and hold onto those knowledgeslonger. The same can be said for the many non-academicactivities that students undertake--sports involvement,
participation in and leadership of clubs and organizations,
jobs, volunteering and interning to explore careers.

Whether you do things as part of a graded classexperience or take them up on your own, a student canextract more meaning and value from any activity if theypose a few questions to themselves in advance: WHY am I 
undertaking this activity? WHAT KINDS OF LEARNING 
might I accomplish? HOW WILL I USE this learning as Imove forward in my life?

These three questions help to build a reflective frameworkaround most any experience and can make one’s learningmore purposeful, deeper.
If something’s worth doing (or you’re being required to doit), you’ll get more out of it with reflection activity before,
during and afterwards.

In fact, as poet Archibald Macleish once said, “there is onlyone thing more painful than learning from an experience,
and that is NOT learning from an experience.” 

Another technique to maximize learning from yourexperiences is to take what I call a “zonal” approach. Four 
zonal questions to pose--what am I learning about myself,
about the organization, about how this experience mightlink to my career interests and, when applicable, how theexperience connects to my academic learning? You might 

keep an experientialjournal or blog to trackall of this reflecting 
you’re doing.

OK, so what about 
the Cole Slaw story, 
anyhow? My first job in


college was doing salad prep. 6 AM would find me washing,
cutting, dicing, shredding all manner of vegetables and fruits.
I worked alongside an older gentleman with a difficult-todiscern 
foreign accent, whose knife skills were magnificent(this is pre-food processor era, by the way). He workedwith poetical grace and precision, lopping apart many hugecabbages as we prepped pounds and pounds of Cole Slaw, forinstance. 

He once halved a red cabbage and held it up to showme the intricate folds and layers, exclaiming, “beauty ofnature, no?” Turns out this man was a political refugee fromHungary, a surgeon now relegated to a minimum wage jobin a college kitchen, finding the beautiful in the mundanereality of vegetables. He was full of pithy phrases aboutveggies and life, and my time with him taught me knifework,
botany, philosophy and more, all in the guise of a campusjob. I also now can spot a Hungarian accent, a surprisinglyuseful skill! 

Try to learn from everything, connecting what you learninside the classroom to your experiences, and achieve whatthe educational theorists call PRAXIS, the integration oftheory and field activities. 

Dr. Dan Golden was the founding director of Life Planningat the Vistamar School in El Segundo. He was a professor,
program director and Dean for Work & Service-Learning atWheaton College (MA), and now consults with individuals,
schools and educational districts on college access, postgraduate 
study and career planning issues. He can be reachedat dangolden0@gmail.com. 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com