By Stephanie Kistner, Senior Education & Programs Associate
For the fourth summer in a row, P.S. ARTS and the Paramount Farming Company came together to provide 6 weeks of arts instruction to students participating in the Summer Science Camp at Kettleman City Elementary, Avenal Elementary, and Tamarack Elementary in the Reef-Sunset Unified School District. The Summer Science Camp, funded by the Paramount Farming Company, is something that schools, students, and our Teaching Artists look forward to each year.
This year, instruction at the Science Camp focused on natural habitats. Students learned about the desert, the Arctic, oceans, and the rainforest. P.S. ARTS provided students at each school with a daily visual arts class that used arts integration as a tool to reinforce ideas and concepts that students were learning about. For example, when students learned about the desert, they created beautiful images of saguaros, a type of cactus native to the Sonoran Desert. During the oceans unit, students learned about octopi and made colorful renditions of these ocean creatures. Students also had the opportunity to sculpt different types of cacti, design vessels for exploring our oceans, and draw colorful renditions of animals found in the rainforest!
P.S. ARTS’ Theater Teaching Artist Pedro Rivas spent his summer working with students at the Paramount Bard Academy in Delano, CA. Students in Mr. Rivas’ classes explored concepts in drama, including: writing, expressing emotions, improvisation and performance basics. Students were challenged and inspired by Mr. Rivas’ coursework and dedication to his craft.
It’s hard to believe that Summer Camp has already come to a close, but we’re looking forward to continuing our work with students in the Reef-Sunset Unified School District this upcoming school year. A big thank you goes out to the Paramount Farming Company for making this engaging, educational, and fun summer program possible!
