Intersession was a great time of year for almost everyone. Students and teachers alike got to explore something they loved, or in many cases, something totally new. People never really got a chance to see what the intersessions they weren't in did, though. Luckily, students from a few of the intersessions were generous enough to share their experiences! Here they are!
Beautifying the Boulevard Intersession
Ryan Ackles
In the “Beautifying the Boulevard” Intersession, each student was first assigned to come up with a hero or inspiration from the San Diego County area. Further steps to reach this final goal were designing an eye-catching image of your hero through Photoshop, tracing this image onto the magnet, and painting the magnet. Our end goal was to paint these heroes on magnets that would stick onto many of the utility boxes lining San Marcos Boulevard in an attempt to brighten up our community. Through peer feedback and help from a professional, students in this Intersession were able to create beautiful work and that will be placed on the utility boxes this week.
Ryan Ackles
In the “Beautifying the Boulevard” Intersession, each student was first assigned to come up with a hero or inspiration from the San Diego County area. Further steps to reach this final goal were designing an eye-catching image of your hero through Photoshop, tracing this image onto the magnet, and painting the magnet. Our end goal was to paint these heroes on magnets that would stick onto many of the utility boxes lining San Marcos Boulevard in an attempt to brighten up our community. Through peer feedback and help from a professional, students in this Intersession were able to create beautiful work and that will be placed on the utility boxes this week.
Coast to Crest Intersession
Sarah Olson
The Coast to Crest intersession spent their week hiking the San Diego "Coast to Crest" trail leading from the top of Julian's Volcan Mountain to the San Dieguito Lagoon. Rangers led the intersession through hikes and into museums to explore the natural history of San Diego and glimpse the lives of humans who lived here up to 10,000 years ago. The students got up close and personal with animal tracks and the animals themselves, including catching rattlesnakes and lizards with a herpetologist at Lake Sutherland. Other activities included experiencing life at the Sikes Adobe Homestead in Escondido, where students churned butter, hand-washed clothes, and planted a garden like the original farmers from the 1800's.
Sarah Olson
The Coast to Crest intersession spent their week hiking the San Diego "Coast to Crest" trail leading from the top of Julian's Volcan Mountain to the San Dieguito Lagoon. Rangers led the intersession through hikes and into museums to explore the natural history of San Diego and glimpse the lives of humans who lived here up to 10,000 years ago. The students got up close and personal with animal tracks and the animals themselves, including catching rattlesnakes and lizards with a herpetologist at Lake Sutherland. Other activities included experiencing life at the Sikes Adobe Homestead in Escondido, where students churned butter, hand-washed clothes, and planted a garden like the original farmers from the 1800's.
The Gentrification of San Diego Intersession
Robby Ackles
For the week of Intersession, I explored culture around North County by going on trips to Oceanside, Escondido and walking about the streets of San Marcos to learn about gentrification. According to the dictionary, gentrification is “the buying and renovation of houses and stores in deteriorated urban neighborhoods by upper- or middle-income families or individuals...” This basically means that a neighborhood is getting a makeover. To highlight some of our experiences, we had to write in a journal, so here is an excerpt from one of my pages.
“Based on my observations, it seems as if gentrification is already in the process of happening in Oceanside, or has mostly already happened. All of the shops along the coast by the beach in Oceanside have been recently renovated, or they have kept the tradition that existed a while back. Because of the beach access near the Oceanside streets, it has been imperative that the businesses reflect the ocean. However, I believe that in Escondido, gentrification is yet to occur. While many of the companies are nicer, there seems to be a greater gap between the low-income and the wealthy. This could be shown through the abundance of homeless people around town.”
Robby Ackles
For the week of Intersession, I explored culture around North County by going on trips to Oceanside, Escondido and walking about the streets of San Marcos to learn about gentrification. According to the dictionary, gentrification is “the buying and renovation of houses and stores in deteriorated urban neighborhoods by upper- or middle-income families or individuals...” This basically means that a neighborhood is getting a makeover. To highlight some of our experiences, we had to write in a journal, so here is an excerpt from one of my pages.
“Based on my observations, it seems as if gentrification is already in the process of happening in Oceanside, or has mostly already happened. All of the shops along the coast by the beach in Oceanside have been recently renovated, or they have kept the tradition that existed a while back. Because of the beach access near the Oceanside streets, it has been imperative that the businesses reflect the ocean. However, I believe that in Escondido, gentrification is yet to occur. While many of the companies are nicer, there seems to be a greater gap between the low-income and the wealthy. This could be shown through the abundance of homeless people around town.”
Foodies for Change Intersession
Diana Rothman
The Foodies for Change Intersession, mainly freshmen with four sophomores, one junior, and a senior, started off watching a documentary covering the modern face of hunger in the U.S. While this may not have been the original plan, it inspired a four day food drive from March 24th to the 27th.
Throughout the week, students worked on an affordable, international cookbook. Recipe's total costs approximated to ten dollars or less. Other endeavors included a guide to affordable, healthy restaurants, local food banks, and planting in the garden. Cooking demos were given first thing, with teaching students a variety of techniques from cubing onions to cutting basil (chiffonade). An ounce of fun: “checking” if the capellini was cooked through, or, in other words, throwing strands of pasta at the wall. The majority was saved for eating.
Competitions between student groups were held daily, starting Tuesday. Group names were Salami, Fabiiiiii, Rainbow, Eyebrows, Univision, The Cardoons, and Little Einsteins. Acknowledgments were for taste, affordability, nutritional value, presentation, and creativity. A final competition, reminiscent of popular TV show "Chopped", was planned for Friday.
A trip to the Oceanside Farmers Market was set up for Thursday and collaborating with the elementary became a capital goal. Students gained experience in cooking, group work, and planning, and most importantly, they got to eat. I don’t think a “foodie” could have been happier.
Diana Rothman
The Foodies for Change Intersession, mainly freshmen with four sophomores, one junior, and a senior, started off watching a documentary covering the modern face of hunger in the U.S. While this may not have been the original plan, it inspired a four day food drive from March 24th to the 27th.
Throughout the week, students worked on an affordable, international cookbook. Recipe's total costs approximated to ten dollars or less. Other endeavors included a guide to affordable, healthy restaurants, local food banks, and planting in the garden. Cooking demos were given first thing, with teaching students a variety of techniques from cubing onions to cutting basil (chiffonade). An ounce of fun: “checking” if the capellini was cooked through, or, in other words, throwing strands of pasta at the wall. The majority was saved for eating.
Competitions between student groups were held daily, starting Tuesday. Group names were Salami, Fabiiiiii, Rainbow, Eyebrows, Univision, The Cardoons, and Little Einsteins. Acknowledgments were for taste, affordability, nutritional value, presentation, and creativity. A final competition, reminiscent of popular TV show "Chopped", was planned for Friday.
A trip to the Oceanside Farmers Market was set up for Thursday and collaborating with the elementary became a capital goal. Students gained experience in cooking, group work, and planning, and most importantly, they got to eat. I don’t think a “foodie” could have been happier.
Creative Writing and Storytelling Intersession
Kirsten Zornado
In the Creative Writing intersession, led by Mrs. M and Mr. Gooch, members wrote creative nonfiction stories about themselves, then said them out loud during a Friday afternoon trip to the Old Cal Coffee House. You may have seen members of this Intersession typing on computers in Mrs. M's room, practicing reading their stories aloud outside, or walking to the coffee house.
Kirsten Zornado
In the Creative Writing intersession, led by Mrs. M and Mr. Gooch, members wrote creative nonfiction stories about themselves, then said them out loud during a Friday afternoon trip to the Old Cal Coffee House. You may have seen members of this Intersession typing on computers in Mrs. M's room, practicing reading their stories aloud outside, or walking to the coffee house.
Serving San Diego Intersession
Leily Rezvani
Doctor Cate and Doctor Cochran led a group of heroes without capes to serve the community. Students cut trees in Elfin Forest while others preserved them by Batiquitos Lagoon. Other activities involved students helping the elderly order at In-N-Out, worked with Coastkeepers to clean Moonlight Beach, and made and delivered lunches to immigrants along with the Border Angles. These Raptors gave back to the people who gave to them in the Serving San Diego Intersession.
Leily Rezvani
Doctor Cate and Doctor Cochran led a group of heroes without capes to serve the community. Students cut trees in Elfin Forest while others preserved them by Batiquitos Lagoon. Other activities involved students helping the elderly order at In-N-Out, worked with Coastkeepers to clean Moonlight Beach, and made and delivered lunches to immigrants along with the Border Angles. These Raptors gave back to the people who gave to them in the Serving San Diego Intersession.
Compiled by Kirsten Zornado