SCHOOL NOTES

COMPILED BY JUN STARKEY | COURTESY PHOTOS

CHS Muses to perform “Brigadoon”

The Carpinteria High School Muses will perform “Lerner and Loewe’s Brigadoon” – a fable set in the Scottish highlands – as its spring musical, and will hold its opening night on Wednesday, May 24. The Muses group, a longtime Carpinteria High School Performing Arts theater production class, has been a part of the high school since 1981.

“Brigadoon” premiered on Broadway in 1947. The story blends fairy tales with the modern-day story of American tourists in Scotland who stumble on a village that only lives once every 100 years.

“With well-known hits such as ‘Almost Like Being in Love,’ ‘Heather on The Hill’ and ‘I’ll Go Home With Bonnie Jean,’ this musical is sure to delight audiences of all ages,” said Elise Unruh, teacher and director of the play, in a press release.

The production will premiere on Wednesday, May 24, with subsequent performances on Thursday, May 25; Friday, May 26; and Saturday May 27. Tickets may be ordered in advance by emailing eunruh@cusd.net, and will also be available for purchase at the door starting at 6:30 p.m. the night of each performance. Admission prices are $10 reserved, $8 for general admission for adults and $5 general admission for students and seniors.

County honors top Carpinteria educator

The Santa Barbara County Education Office (SBCEO) honored the county’s top educators Thursday at the 2023 Education Celebration, including Canalino Elementary School teacher Sonia Aguila. Aguila recently received both the California and National Bilingual Teacher of the Year awards.

The outgoing and incoming Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year Award winners were also recognized, and Joanna Hendrix, who received the award for the 2022-23 year, welcomed the newest awardee, Greg Wolf of Santa Ynez Union High School.

The event highlighted more than 100 grant winners from throughout the county. The recipients were selected by the SBCEO’s Teachers Network; grants were received by individual teachers and by teams of teachers from different schools who have collaborated on new instructional strategies to support innovative learning initiatives in all subject areas.

“The exceptional educators recognized tonight reaffirm for us all that there is so much to memorialize and celebrate in education across Santa Barbara County,” said Santa Barbara County Superintendent of Schools Susan Salcido. “Teachers are the number one factor in student learning and motivation, and we know that they can’t do what they do alone.”

Carpinteria Middle School students chosen for the UC Santa Barbara Tech Trek camp are, from left, Samantha Sanchez, Mariah Galvez, Callie Balch and Evelyn Aviles-Moreno.

CMS students chosen for Tech Trek camp

Four Carpinteria Middle School students were selected to attend the UC Santa Barbara Summer Tech Trek Camp: Samantha Sanchez, Mariah Galvez, Callie Balch and Evelyn Aviles-Moreno. “CMS would love to recognize these four scientists who have been selected for the prestigious UCSB Summer Tech Trek Camp,” Principal Lisa O’Shea told CVN.

CHS students discuss Rotary youth retreat

Four Carpinteria High School students participated in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) retreat in Ojai from April 20 to April 23, and recounted their experiences to the Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning on May 10. The Rotary Club of Carpinteria Morning had sponsored the four students to attend.

The students – which included Anna Lucan, Mika Mullikin, Evelyn Calkins and Sara Fakinos – worked alongside more than 200 other students from San Luis Obispo to Agoura Hills. The four-day retreat included workshops and other courses to help develop students’ leadership skills.

“In just a few days at RYLA, I have made lifelong friends and have had the chance to work on my leadership skills and goals for the future,” Calkins told club members. “I am so excited to take what I have experienced and use it to better my community!”

CFS holds all-school production of “Finding Nemo Jr.”

Students from Carpinteria Family School participated in an all-school performance of “Finding Nemo Jr.,” on Friday, May 12, and Saturday, May 13 at Carpinteria

School. The 60-minute production is an adaptation of the 2003 Pixar film

PHOTOS BY ROBIN KARLSSON

This year’s Carpinteria and Summerland Artists Studio Tour exhibit – organized through the Carpinteria Arts Center – featured more than 23 artists across the area. Visitors were given a map of local artists’ studios to check out during Mother’s Day weekend, on May 13 and May 14, between 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; using the map, they explored the area, checking out local art and talking with local artists. This year’s tour, held every year on Mother’s Day weekend, was the first tour held in full since 2019.