May 18, 2023
Today we are bringing you stories from Pacific Union College Elementary School (PUCE) and Los Angeles Adventist Academy (LAAA) in California. PUCE is incredibly active through their strings program and their outdoor education activities. Meanwhile, LAAA recently celebrated 100 years of Adventist education.
Pacific Union College Elementary
Strings Program
One very special aspect of PUCE is its strings program. All students, from kindergarten through eighth grade, choose between violin, viola, and cello. Under the expert guidance of strings teacher Linda Marks, who has taught at PUCE since 2014, students hone their musical skills. Ms. Marks teaches them proper technique and theory with surprising speed and proficiency. They learn performance skills and concert etiquette. More than that, students learn the joy and value of music in their lives. Students truly enjoy learning to play their instruments and are often able to give input about the songs they learn. They are given opportunities to play at school concerts, for church, and even at exciting venues such as the St. Helena Farmers Market.
“The strings program has helped me build my violin skills because I’ve been in it since first grade. It gives me the opportunity to perform at other places beyond the school as well,” said eighth-grader Madelyn Setterlund.
In addition to all grades attending strings class three times a week, Ms. Marks also leads optional after-school string ensembles for three different age groups. These groups hold concerts several times per year and often play at off-campus locations.
This year, the PUCE String Ensemble, made up of many of the school’s seventh- and eighth-graders as well as a handful of students from other schools, played at the NCC Constituency Meeting, several churches, the local American Legion, the Kiwanis Club, and the Silverado Orchards Retirement Community in St. Helena. This summer, the group will spend two weeks touring in Australia!
Outdoor Ed Trips at PUCE
In February, grades five and six journeyed to Monterey for their outdoor education experience. They stayed in the bunkhouse at Monterey Bay Academy, and day trips included the Monterey Bay Aquarium, birdwatching at Elkhorn Slough, sighting Monarchs in hibernation at Natural Bridges, activities at the Seymour Marine Discovery Center, a close encounter with a young bull sea elephant at Ano Nuevo, and a visit to the Tech Museum on the way home. Dan Wyrick led and Chaplain Jonathan Arroyo provided worships. “I really liked hanging out with my friends and learning about science,” said fifth-grader Scout Kyle.
Also in February, the third- through fifth-grade classes were able to experience life as immigrants at Fort Ross. Students and their parents were given Russian names and carried out duties as cooks, artisans, hunters, and shop owners. Third-grader Kal Nebiyou said, “I got to cook, and it was fun dressing up!”
In line with the school theme for this year, “Taking Care of God’s Earth,” seventh- and eighth-grade students from PUCE headed to the Mendocino Outdoor Science School in northern California. From April 26-28, 20 students dove into an interactive educational curriculum that had them hiking through the coastal woodlands, studying plants and critters, learning about nature conservation, and engaging in team building activities. The program not only taught the kids how to be mindful about nature through observation and preservation but how to also be grateful for the wonders of God’s creation.
“All of our students had a great time. We’ve been talking about how to be good stewards of God’s earth all school year, but I think this experience helped to solidify their appreciation for nature and how they play an important role in caring for the world around them,” said Maleah Merrills, PUCE’s seventh- and eighth-grade teacher.
Los Angeles Adventist Academy
Celebrating 100 Years of Adventist Christian Education
Since its start as a one-teacher school in 1923 and its expansion 23 years later to offer grades 1-12, LAAA has had a rich history. Over the course of 100 years, challenges have come up, as they inevitably do; however, through it all, the school has stayed committed to the quality, life-changing education it was founded to provide.
The centennial celebration this March consisted of an entire weekend packed with activities, kicking off with a career day and concluding with a golf tournament.
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