Riverside Community Connection
Week of October 31st
Assessing the Health of Bear Creek with Century Students and Fifth Grade!
Community Artists You Should Know
Like so many beautiful things in life, this is a that journey began with happenstance, community and collaboration.
Our principal, Matt Ruzek was introduced to Marisol Rodriguez and Briseida Santiago by friend, Lisa Webber last spring at a galla. Of course it came up that Marisol is a talented artist who had been on a bit of a painting hiatus. When Mr. Ruzek saw photos of her work he instinctively asked if she would be interested in using Riverside's pillars as her canvas. "We asked if he had any jobs for artists in the building. I showed him a picture of my work." The two exchanged contact information. "If I was able to work, it would start in August. He showed me the pillars and asked me what I would do."
In late August, cousins Marisol and Briseida along with friend, Carlos began carefully prepping and planning their vision under the leadership of Marisol. "I was like, I don't think I can do this all myself?" Marisol says. "We do the simple work. She does more detail work." Brisedes says. And they haven't turned back. "The first pillar is the community schools design. I just put my own spin on it."
As for the second pillar, "I just walked around and it seemed like a fish tank. The space was too small to add something big. So I thought a fish tank would be cool." Assistant Principal Heidi Howe mentioned that 5th grade was working with Trout in the Classroom and Century High School to study fish and habitat. Marisol had never painted fish before so it was a new challenge. "It was important to us that the idea was something from school. Something that people can recognize and connect to."
For the last pillar, "I was thinking that we would tell four stories. The first idea was the large piano because of the music program here. We really hope to get a touch sensor so that kids can interact with the piano. I also kept hearing kids ask if there was something sports related. So we added a basketball hoop. And it's facing the gym. When kids walk by they do a swish with their hands. To us that means that kids are thinking about the art. They are interacting with it, which is what we hoped would happen."
Tom, Riverside's lead engineer, says that he says he sees the kids act different when they see the pillars. "They slow down to look and see what's new. They are more focused when they walk by."
"People are just so amazed every time they come by and they have job openings immediately for us. It feels really cool. It makes me think that we are doing something really amazing, that's catching their attention and they want it to spread. It's pretty cool." Says Marisol.
When I asked what the project has done for them Marisol says, "For me, I feel like it's helped me come out more. People know me more in the public area. I haven't painted in a long time. And coming back to this is bringing me back into what I like to do."
She adds, "Coming back to art is waking me up. Coming to Riverside makes us open our eyes more. Realizing there is a lot more than just painting possibilities. There's a part of us in Riverside."
"I guess I hope some sense of accomplishment comes from this project. Kind of having the students, staff and community feel good about our art and be able to see themselves it." Marisol concludes.
In addition to splashing color, joy and thoughtfulness beyond simply the walls of Riverside, these three leaders continue to pursue academia, work and still find to channel their passions in community groups. One specific passion all three share is working to protect the DREAM Act at a time when its future is uncertain. Please come see them and their work at Riverside!
My Grant Speech from Operation Round-Up!
By Ms. Kyloni Davenport
I wrote the speech with my friend Mya. Then I prepared to read this speech. I read it to lots of people. I was prepared but I was a little nervous, but I did it and I had fun. I can't wait to do something like this again.
Green Card Youth Voices
By Catharina and Lawrence, 4th Grade
One example was about this one boy that came to the USA because his family was struggling. A lot of the people the teacher's said wanted to go back to their home. But he didn't because he felt safer in the USA than where he was originally from.
There were also these two twins. I think they were from Somalia. They came to the USA because their family was struggling and they really wanted to go back to their home. First they wanted to become doctors to help their countries to survive the war and the bombings.
My name is Lawrence from Riverside and I was born in Kenya. I was thinking when I went to see Green Card voices about how it was really hard for them to get here. It takes a lot of checking and it costs a lot of money. I know this because my family went through that. For us, my uncle was already in the United States. He helped us get here. We are planning to go back to our country to see the beaches and have our memories. Hopefully there's not any terrorizers. When I'm in college we'll go back to Kenya. For now, I'm happy here in Rochester.
Yesterday, Mohamed visited us at Riverside. Like the people from Green Card Voices, his family were also refugees. He said that he was a refugee from Somalia. But he was never in Somalia. His parents moved to Saudi Arabia just before he was born because there was war all around his family. He grew up in Saudi Arabia and learned Arabic. He had to move to Jordan because it was very hard to get into school because it took a lot of money. To get to Jordan they traveled by bus. Then he went on one airplane to get to the USA. When I asked him how hard it was to get here from Somalia. He said it was very hard to get here. He's been in the USA for six years. This is his first year of not having a green card because he became a United States Citizen. Right now Mohamed is in college at the University of Minnesota Rochester. He wants to be a doctor.
For us it was important because we learned about others got to the USA. It was important to learn about because it taught us that a lot of people are struggling in different places around the world. They need to get to a safer place in the USA.
Riverside Works to Become a School Forest!
From the DNR Website:
A school forest is an outdoor classroom. Students learn and apply math, art, science, language arts, and social studies while gaining an appreciation and awareness of natural resources.
For students, School Forests develop and provide:
- self-esteem
- sense of community
- skills
- knowledge base
- life-long critical thinking
- real-life situations in their forest
- frequent, enjoyable outdoor experiences
- engagement in learning
For schools, the School Forest program provides:
- great program benefits
- outdoor and environmental education assistance and resources
- land management assistance and other support services
For more information see Post Bulletin Article, above.
5th Grade and Eagle Bluff!
Last week our 5th grade teachers organized and executed an incredibly well-organized three day, two night trip to Eagle Bluff Educational Center. The kids had a ball and the teachers, well, as usual, they did whatever it takes to provide the safest, most meaningful learning experience for the people who they serve every day.
Photo at right was taken in the wee hours as teachers Beth Markert, Chelsey Dietrich and Guy Simmons ensured that their students drifted off to sleep in their bunks.
This poem reminds me of this photo.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
And miles to go before I sleep.
-Robert Frost
Riverside Event, THIS WEEK!
Riverside Community School (Riverside Central Elementary)
Check out what's current more about what's current at Riverside CE Community School at #RVgratitude on twitter.
Email: licasper@rochester.k12.mn.us
Location: 506 5th Ave SE, Rochester, MN 55904, United States
Phone: 507-328-3690
Twitter: @lida_casper