Pictures from the S.E.E. Event 2013!
Parents, PTAs, Teachers and Principals came to the STAR Resource Station from all around Los Angeles to find out more about everything STAR Education has to offer! Here are some of our favorite pictures from the day…
Children’s Earth Day is Right Around the Corner!
40,000 PEOPLE CELEBRATE EARTH DAY AT STAR ECO STATION’S
13TH ANNUAL CHILDREN’S EARTH DAY –
THE LARGEST EARTH DAY EVENT IN LOS ANGELES
“The Earth Day Pick” – Los Angeles Times “Best Children’s Earth Day.” – LA Parent Magazine
Featuring Special Performances and Exhibits by Children, Environmental Organizations and Celebrity Guests, Food, Eco-Friendly Vendors, Crafts, Games and More!
SUNDAY, APRIL 21st FROM 10AM-4PM
Culver City, CA – Celebrate Planet Earth the way no one else can at STAR Eco Station’s 13th Annual CHILDREN’S EARTH DAY, April 21st, 10am-4pm. Featuring live entertainment, eco-themed games, food, crafts, prizes, vendors, environmental organizations, face painting, and more – nothing in the LA area comes close! Nearly 40,000 people attended last year’s LA Times’, “Best Earth Day Pick” and LA Parent Magazine’s “Best Children’s Earth Day.”
Join STAR Eco Station, the cast of Disney Channel’s A.N.T. Farm, Radio Disney’s Daphne Blunt, and the Chi-Town Finest Breakers/Monster Kids (X Factor, The Oprah Show) as we promote green consciousness. Radio Disney AM1110, part of the #1 radio network for kids, tweens and families, will be on-site with the latest hits from Radio Disney. The Radio Disney AM 1110 Road Crew will also provide interactive entertainment and prizes for the whole family. With the help of solar power, the event will also feature visits from more celebrity guests, performances by over a thousand kids from the greater Los Angeles area, exciting food trucks, environmental organizations, leaders in community service, and community leaders. This year, come play in the toddler area, race through the recycle-themed maze, make some noise in the awe-inspiring drum circle, and meet over 200 rescued exotic animals!
Everyone at Children’s Earth Day can learn to be green! Be a part of STAR’s Bring Back Flower Power Campaign helping children plant over a million indigenous Californian flowers. Learn how you can get involved from environmental organizations like the STAR Eco Station, Heal the Bay, Surfrider Foundation, Orangutan Foundation International and more! Event admission is FREE, with discounted tours of the STAR Eco Station available for $5 per person.
For a full list of celebrity guests, environmental and animal non-profits, eco-friendly vendors, and festival food, please visit www.childrensearthday.org!
S.T.E.A.M.Topia!
There was plenty of fun to go around at STAR Education’s 2nd S.T.E.A.M.Topia! Over 150 young innovators showed up for a day of hands-on learning, experimenting, and exploration! Focused on the S.T.E.A.M. disciplines of Science, Technlogy, Engineering, Art, and Math, S.T.E.A.M.Topia is designed to show how S.T.E.A.M. disciplines work together to illuminate principles behind fascinating phenomena in the human experience, and how these subjects are easily applicable in the real world.
Elementary and middle school children were able to test their engineering abilities by designing the car of the future, discover the math behind wilderness survival skills, explore the technology behind artificial intelligence through Turing tests, build a survival dome to withstand the elements, craft high-flying rockets, design 3D forced perspective art, study electric circuitry, and learn the behind-the-scenes of toy making!
Students from the STAR LEGO© Robotics program also competed in the Battle of the Brains! Battle of the Brains is an opportunity for students to battle their Mindstorm sumo-bots that they have spent 12 weeks designing, building, and programming using mechanical engineering, computer programming, special reasoning, teamwork, aesthetic and functional design and other S.T.E.A.M. based skills.
The action didn’t stop there – students also had the opportunity to ride a real hovercraft, experience the science of break-dancing and hula hooping, build at the LEGO© booth, put on a sumo suit to explore the physics behind sumo-wrestling, engage in interactive technology exhibits, and so much more!
The STAR S.T.E.A.M. Initiative (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) has introduced thousands of students to cutting edge and innovative programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. S.T.E.A.M. utilizes specialized, multidisciplinary curricula propelled by problem solving, discovery, and exploratory learning, which encourage students to actively engage in a situation in order to find its solution. STAR S.T.E.A.M. programs aim to engage students to solve real world challenges and ignite their interest in college and future careers. S.T.E.A.M.topia is part of STAR Education’s initiative to support the growing trend in education to stress practical, hands-on, and innovative curricula. STAR is an active member of the S.T.E.M. Education Coalition and is at the forefront of promoting S.T.E.A.M. programs in California.
The Votes Are In – STAR Education is THE BEST Choice for LA Parents!
Student at our Castle Heights Early Childhood Program.
Experiment at our Science Family Nights! Learning is fun with our Language Arts instructors!
Art can be fun and practical and it’s always YOU! Learn to compete at our annual Shoot for the STARs Basketball Tournament! Our Galaxy programs are head and shoulders above the average after school child care program. We were rated the Best Educational and Tutoring Program because we give every STAR child specially designated time to do their homework and our college educated staff is there ready and excited to help. “Parents rave about the professionalism and caring of the staff, convenience and affordability of the program, and the fun their kids have. They also enjoy that STAR gives kids a head-start on homework. ‘My child begs to stay every day after school,’ says Jillion Weisberg of Los Angeles. ‘I have to limit her to two classes a day because I miss her. She has taken everything from dance to gardening to science.’”* There’s organized sports activities, as well as built-in enrichment classes at every school site. In 2011, we were voted the Best Sports Program in LA Parent as well! It’s not just about theatricality at STAR – it’s about self-esteem too! Our RockSTARs perform on LA’s and the nation’s most famous stages! We are dedicated to making our students STARs! In the last year our events have become even bigger powerhouses with our first RockSTAR WinterFest on the Sunset Strip giving our STAR kids the chance to rock out on professional stages TWICE in one year, including our 7th Annual Battle of the Bands at the House of Blues. We had two original plays: A Cinderella Tale taught students and audiences important lessons about preventing bullying during the winter session and My Favorite Alien, a technological and astronomical extravaganza inspired by Cirque du Soleil, brought STAR families to their feet in the spring. Our 12th Annual Children’s Earth Day at the STAR Eco Station not only featured performances by all of our STAR kids, but special appearances by local politicians like Culver City Mayor Andrew Weissman and former Mayor Micheál O’Leary, environmental organizations such as Heal the Bay and the Surfrider Foundation and the cast of Disney’s A.N.T. Farm! Founder and Executive Director Katya Bozzi on stage with former Culver City Mayor Micheál O’Leary The cast of Disney’s A.N.T. Farm supporting environmental awareness at STAR Eco Station’s Children’s Earth Day Counselors at our new Roller Coaster Mania Summer Camp *“Best of 2012 Readers’ Choice Awards.” LA Parent August 1, 2012: 18-31.
STAR’s Head Skater Makes His Mark on the Art Scene
For Carson Cornett, Head of SkateSTAR-STAR’s skateboarding department, skateboarding and art have always gone hand in hand. Over the years he has successfully combined his love for both art forms, each fueling the other and the combination propelling him to further heights. His artwork has been exhibited in galleries across the country, but his career reached a new milestone when he was approached to participate in the Skate Art Show at the Somos Media Gallery in Old Town Salinas, California.
The June 1st show focused on local artists, highlighting skateboarding legends Jimbo Phillips and Steve Caballero as well as Carson’s own pieces. Jimbo Phillips has continued the tradition of his father’s art which defined the Santa Cruz Skateboard brand in the eighties and was instrumental in the movement combining skateboards with visual art. Steve Caballero is a renowned professional skateboarder and musician with decades on the national scene. For Carson, having his work in a show with these two artists was a thrill. After such an inspiring public recognition of his work, we wanted to recognize Carson here as well and asked him to spend some time with us reflecting on his journey and success.
Skateboarding has always been a way of life for Carson, one he is excited to be able to share with the kids at STAR. As SkateSTAR director for the past two years, he is in a unique position to share his passion about the lifestyle with the next generation, educating kids about safety and skill while getting them as excited about the sport as he is. Skateboarding is a sport you can pursue throughout your life, and having an outlet like skate can make all the difference.
Carson reflected on how far skateboarding has come and how STAR plays a part in making a change, “We need to raise awareness that we’re teaching this at schools, from Watts to Yermo to San Diego. We need to just get the word out that we’re making this sport accessible and safe for kids at the actual schools. When I was a kid, I had deal with talking to the Sheriff every time I wanted to skate.”
Carson has been a freelance illustrator for skate and action apparel brands for several years. He has worked extensively with the “Razor for the Phase 2″ brand, specializing in scooter graphics and designs. The goal of the line is to bring their scooters more in line with skateboarding art. In March Carson’s work was displayed at a Chicago art show put on by Luke Pelletier. He was in the show with West Humpston, a legend in the skate art community who pioneered skateboard art. “These were people I looked up to as a kid and it’s great to see that skating is remembering its past and paying tribute to the seventies and eighties where in the nineties it forgot about it.”
The pull toward skating and art has been as natural a fit for Carson as sharing those passions through STAR, “Skating is a lifestyle, you don’t have a career and then you quit. It’s just a part of your life.”
Celebrate STAR’s 12th Annual African American Art Festival!
Come celebrate America’s rich and diverse culture at the 12th Annual STAR African American Art Festival – A Celebration of African American Heritage on Saturday, February 11th from 11am-4pm. Free to enter, and fun for the whole family, this entertaining and educational event features LIVE African dance and musical performances and highlights contemporary artwork by established and emerging artists and performers. Held at the internationally renowned STAR Eco Station, tours will be available along with:
- Live Music
- Exhilarating Dance Performances
- Ceramics
- Paintings
- Food
- Jewelry & Clothing Vendors
- Crafts
- Games
- And So Much More!
The STAR Eco Station is located at 10101 Jefferson Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232.
For more information please call (310) 842-8040 x133 or x116.
Artwork from the festival will be on display from February 11th until February 28th.
The Wonders of Westwood Woodworking
Campers at Westwood STAR picked out their tools and began building outrageous and original woodworking pieces, with all-new projects this summer!
How Much Wood Can A Camper Love?
Campers found out all about craftsmanship, design and workshop safety as they constructed their wooden creations, discovering tricks of the woodworking trade from expert sculptors, graphic designers, and makers of musical instruments.
They even explored ways to save the planet one piece of wood at a time – all while having the time of their lives!
Building Treasure Boxes, Building Brain Power!
“This Camp is 100% Awesome!” said Lucas, a 3rd grade STAR Camper. ”I love that it’s here at my school! It’s like I know where everything is and I get to make new friends! And at the end of the project we get to free build!”
“I love that I get to use real tools!” said Ezekiel, a 1st grade STAR Camper.
There are still many more STAR Camps available throughout the rest of the summer! To find out more please visit www.starcamps.org
STAR Children’s Art Festival Another Masterpiece
The artwork of over 2,500 pint-sized Picassos was on display when STAR Education hosted its annual Children’s Art Festival on Saturday, May 21st in the STAR Convention Center. Students in STAR Education’s Art Program created amazing pieces that incorporated all manner of media, from acrylic paint to pastels, from sculpture to beadwork, from minimalism to murals.
STAR Kids Paint Treasure Boxes!
Young artists received their own official “Artist” I.D. badge. Over a thousand students, parents and other community members were in attendance and placed their votes for the best in show. First place honors went to Hannah Smith of Overland STAR, who won $100 in art supplies.
STAR Kids and Parents Check Out The Art!
Everyone at STAR was a winner as they celebrated the art of their peers and participated in workshops that exposed them to cutting-edge artistic techniques. The festival was a great success, and we look forward to seeing you next year for more art appreciation and creation!