Thursday, April 29, 2010
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Amazing Grace tall ship sets sail on Mission Bay and the sails powering you along — it’s really a beautiful experience.” The waters of Mission Bay are in for a Amazing Grace resembles schooners blast from the past this summer. The used against the British in the War of 1800s-style tall ship Amazing Grace Independence and the War of 1812. But began sailing in March and will set sail the ship itself is only 20 years old, affordtwice daily starting Memorial Day. ing modern conveniences such as an “It is a step back in time and it kind of engine and navigation that make it easopens your mind to the history of sail- ier to get around smaller areas like ing,” said Janis Denton, who operates Mariner’s Cove. Amazing Grace along with her husband, “Even being so big, we’re still very Steve, and son, Peter. “Being in such a natural environment with just the wind SEE SHIP, Page 8 BY ANTHONY GENTILE | BEACH & BAY PRESS
ABOVE: Amazing Grace sails through Mission Bay. RIGHT: Peter Denton (from left), Chip PAUL HANSEN | Beach & Bay Press Pitkin and Janis Denton sail the tall ship during a recent excursion.
PBMS students learn lessons from community munity and service as one of its five major focus areas, and the school has teamed up with a variety of commuReading, writing and arithmetic nity organizations to create opportuare all well and good, but for Pacific nities for learning and interaction. Beach Middle School students, edu“It really extends our curriculum cation extends well beyond the class- to the real world, and that’s what we room. are trying to do — get the kids to see As an authorized International that everything is connected. EveryBaccalaureate (IB) school, PBMS thing they learn has a purpose,” said teaches students to think about their Jenny Sims, PBMS’s IB coordinator. broader roles as world citizens. To SEE PBMS, Page 8 that end, the school emphasizes comBY HILLARY SCHULER-JONES BEACH & BAY PRESS
PBMS IN ACTION Last year, Pacific Beach Middle School students performed 11,140 hours of community service. This year, students are working to surpass that goal through a variety of activities lead by students themselves. Activities include: • Trick-or-treating for donations for UNICEF • Running a “Pennies for Peace” drive to raise funds for schools in Pakistan • Visiting a teen homeless shelter every month • Hosting beach cleanup days • Funding micro-loans for people around the world through Kiva.org • Collecting soda tabs for kidney dialysis • Raising money for earthquake-damaged Mexicali and Calexico • Planning an eco-friendly garden
PBMS student leaders Norma Gutierrez and Hunter Ketchum stand in front of a map that displays the many service projects students have taken on this year to benefit people around HILLARY SCHULER-JONES I Beach & Bay Press the world.