Page 7 - Reedley Exponent 7-26-18 E-edition

The Reedley Exponent BPanorama
Section | Thursday, July 26, 2018 www.reedleyexponent.com
City of Reedley wraps up final week of swim lessons at RHS pool See B8
Reedley (Fresno County) CA 93654
School supply
drive
Staff Report
United Methodist Women of Reedley is conducting a school supply drive to benefit students at Lincoln Elementary School.
Items can be dropped off at Resurrected Books, a used book store located at the First United Methodist Church of Reedley, 1461 11th St. The book store is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays.
Amanda Bulls Stephens, presi- dent of United Methodist Women, said the drive will run through the first day of school, Aug. 15.
“We’re a very mission-focused church,” said Bulls Stephens. “This is another way for us to reach out to the community.”
Donated items must be new and unwrapped, with the excep- tion of backpacks, which can be “gently used.” Bulls Stephens said donations include crayons, pencils, scissors, glue sticks, paper and other school supplies.
Bulls Stephens said the school supply drive initially was started several years ago to benefit a women’s shelter in Reedley operat- ed by the Marjaree Mason Center in Fresno. When the shelter closed in 2016, Bulls Stephens said United Methodist Women began donating the items to Lincoln School.
“It’s all about taking care of children and making sure they have the tools they need to suc- ceed,” she said.
All donations are tax deduct- ible. For every item donated, do- nors will receive a “book buck” that is good for $1 credit at Resur- rected Books.
Nancy and Peter Goodell of Reedley donated three bags of school supplies to United Method- ist Women.
“We’re just trying to help out,” Peter Goodell said. “It’s a very small thing. It’s an opportunity for our youth to have a better educa- tion.”
In the meantime, United Meth- odist Women is also accepting do- nations to help local families in need. The group is in the process of assembling boxes of food that will feed a family of six. Items can be dropped off at Resurrect- ed Books. For more information, please call (559) 638-2142.
Silas Bartsch Class of 2018
Staff Report
Silas Bartsch K-8 School con- ducted the promotion ceremony for its Class of 2018 eighth grade students on June 7.
The names in this story are as they appeared in the promotion program.
Silas Bartsch honored three valedictorians. The students are Noe Leon, Larissa Renteria, and AlexisTristan. Thesalutatorianis Daisy Bravo, who was also a stu- dent speaker. Two other student speakers were Dalia Padilla, and Larissa Renteria.
Twelve students were recog- nized as Block "B" Silas Scholars. The students are Bethanie Braun, Daisy Bravo, Berenis Calderon- Salazar, Gabriela Flores Hernan- dez, Alyssa Garcia, Alejandra Gonzalez Piceno, Katiana Jimenez Cortez, Noe Leon, Angel Mata, Da- lia Padilla, Larissa Renteria, and Alexis Tristan.
Students who received a 4.0 grade point average for the last three years are Berenis Calderon- Salazar, Noe Leon, Larissa Rent- eria, and Alexis Tristan.
Here are the members of the Class of 2018:
Esmeralda Aguilar Ruiz, Ga- briel Amezcua Moya, Michael Are- valo Reyes, Issac Arriola, Julian Benitez Munoz, Bethanie Braun, Daisy Bravo, Berenis Calderon-
See SILAS page B8
Library adventures
Discovery Center brings live animal show to Reedley
By Jodie Reyna
Mid Valley Publishing
The Reedley Library came to life on Wednesday, July 11, when The Discovery Center presented a live animal show to a packed room of children and adults.
The Discovery Center is an edu- cational history and science center located in Fresno.
Ian Goudelock, an instructor with The Discovery Center, spoke about different types of animals, in- cluding a boa constrictor and Mada- gascar hissing cockroaches.
“None of the animals that I brought with me today are danger- ous or venomous,” Goudelock said. “So, you don’t need to worry.”
The presentation was part of a series of children’s programs of- fered at the Reedley Library this summer, sponsored by the Fresno County Public Library system.
Some of those in attendance in- cluded 26 children from St. La Salle Catholic School’s summer day camp and children from Kids Corner Day- care from Chapter One Preschool.
“I didn’t know they had different things like this at the library,” said Adriana Silva, one of the summer camp leaders at St. La Salle.
She said The Discovery Center program aligns with the summer camp’s theme of sea animals.
During the show, Goudelock walked up and down the rows of children seated on the floor, allowing them pet each animal “gently and on their back.”
Ten-year-old Kyra Pena said she liked the rabbit the best.
“It was fluffy and very cute,” she said. “I like that we got to see new things and learn more information.”
Natalie Ensz, 5, said the rabbit felt like a “soft ball.”
“I like that we got to see all the animals and pet them,” she said.
Her two brothers, however, liked the boa constrictor.
“It was scaly and long,” Koen Ensz, 10, said.
Mackenzie Gode, 7, said her fa- vorite animals were the Madagascar hissing cockroaches. She said the show was “so much fun.”
Goudelock began by talking about reptiles, noting that they have scales, are cold-blooded, and hatch from an egg. He said humans are not reptiles.
“Look at our hands and arms. Do we have scales?” he asked. “Hope- fully not.”
Goudelock asked the audience to rub their hands together quickly.
“How does that feel? Hot, warm?”hesaid. “That’sbecausewe are warm-blooded.”
Goudelock introduced the audi-
Jodie Reyna/The Exponent
ABOVE: IanGoudelock(left),aninstructorfromTheDiscoveryCenterinFresno,holdsalargeboaconstrictornamed"Snick- ers." HebroughtSnickersandotheranimalstotheReedleyLibraryonJuly11. Goudelockwalkedaroundtheroom,letting children pet the snake one at a time. The Discovery Center show was part of a series of children's shows presented at the Reedley Library this summer sponsored by the Fresno County Public Library system.
BELOW: StudentsfromSt.LaSalleCatholicSchooltaketurnspettingabeardeddragonnamed"Elsa."
ence to a reptile - a bearded dragon named “Elsa.”
“She is called a bearded dragon because it almost looks like she has a beard,” he said.
When Elsa gets scared, Goude- lock said her “beard” turns black and puffs out, and she starts to bob her head to scare away predators.
Next, Goudelock opened an orange container, reached in and grabbed a large boa constrictor named “Snickers.” Goudelock wrapped Snickers around his shoul- ders and proceeded to explain that Snickers’ diet consists of rats and mice. Snickers eats only once a
See LIBRARY page B8
Community service, hands-on learning part of Washington's summer afterschool program
By Jodie Reyna
Mid Valley Publishing
First-graders in the summer afterschool program at Washington Elementary School presented the Reedley Vietnam Veterans organi- zation with a handmade flag at a ceremony on July 12 in the school’s multi-purpose building.
Parents were invited to the event which marked the end of the summer afterschool program sponsored by the city of Reedley and Kings Canyon Unified School District.
“Thank you. This means a lot to us,” said Ralph Urbano, Vietnam veteran. “We will proudly display this at the Reedley National Guard Armory. We salute you for your generosity and hard work.”
The first-graders sang a song before presenting the flag – which was made out of red, white and blue construction paper – to Urbano and Vietnam veteran Joe Navarro.
The flag was one of many proj- ects that students worked on in Washington’s afterschool program this summer where more than 100 students took part.
Students also made kits for Reedley police officers and “thank you” buckets for local firefighters.
Fourth and fifth-graders raised $83.93 in pennies that they donated toFeedingAmerica. Otherstudents held a bake sale and raised $100 to purchase books for the school li- brary.
See SCHOOL page B2
Jodie Reyna/The Exponent
ABOVE: On July 12, First-graders in Washington Elementary School's summer afterschool program presented the Reedley Vietnam Veterans with a flag made of paper in appreciation of their service. Back row (from left): Vietnam veteran Joe Navarro, teacher Eddie Vasquez, teacher Crystal Perez, and Vietnam veteran Ralph Urbano. Front row (from left): First-graders Abraham Rincon-Moran, Mi- chelle Flores, Isabella Fausto, and Ethan Tovar.
ABOVE LEFT: Lizbeth Cuevas, 8, displays a birdhouse that she built and painted during Washington Elementary School's summer afterschool program.