March activities abound

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Warren Jr. High’s Brian Lu had to be in tune as hundreds of singers, including (from left) Kassidy Hale, Lizboa Martinez, Amanda Self and Gabriella Molina, followed his violin solo lead at the Honor Music Festival.

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Sunset School student Alejandro Corona got an up close and personal inspection of his catch on Take A Kid Fishing Day at Hart Park.

March has been filled with educational activities and events for Kern County students and employees who work for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS).

Dr. Seuss was on the lips of hundreds of younger students in the county, as they sat in on Read Across America activities, honoring the legendary writer of children’s books with literacy activities throughout the week of March 1-8. KernCorps AmeriCorps Program members, who tutor young children as part of a year in service to their community, had celebrity readers, crafts and many other fun activities for children in Bakersfield, Lamont, and Shafter during the week. Students in KCSOS special needs classes at Centennial Elementary had Kern County Superintendent of Schools Larry E. Reider stop by to read and many other county office employees also read to children at the Claude W. Richardson Child Development Center in Bakersfield.

Kern Kiwanians could not have asked for better weather for their annual Take A Kid Fishing Day at Bakersfield’s Hart Park on March 4. Each year the Kern Kiwanis Club, East Bakersfield High Junior Kiwanis Club and the Kern County Parks and Recreation Department, cordon off a small portion of the large pond at the park so that special needs students, attending classes operated by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, can experience the joys of fishing. Every student catches at least one trout and then has their picture taken with their prize catch and enjoys a barbecued lunch prepared by the club. The outdoor outing offers plenty of educational experiences for the students by offering them a chance to get out in public, socialize and develop fine and gross motor skills.

Two days later, on March 6, 400 of the best junior high and middle school musicians in the county combined their considerable band, orchestral and choir talents to present the annual Honor Music Festival in Bakersfield’s Rabobank Convention Center. Students had to prove themselves in demanding auditions and maintain perfect attendance during three weeks of intense rehearsals for the thrill of performing the best known works of the some of the great past and contemporary composers before a large theater audience. The annual event was presented by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools, Kern County Music Educators Association in cooperation with the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District.

Twice during the month of March, high school students learning vocational skills through the KCSOS Kern County Regional Occupational Program (KCROP) were able to showcase their talents at both the Mojave High School Skills Celebration on March 13 and the Muroc Unified School District ROP Skills Recognition Night at Desert High on March 19. Local business people who helped judge both events were very impressed. In fact, representatives from JT3, an aircraft related business on Edwards Air Force Base, called KCROP officials to say they would like to hire some of the students in the Computer Repair program for the summer.


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