Jeanette Zamora, Director of Communications and Marketing – Page 2

March 28, 2022April 1, 2022

Through hard work and discipline, Clairbourn students gained the true essence of what it means to be a scholar and leader with heart.

This year our C.A.S.T. (Clairbourn After School Theatre) had an opportunity to work with the art director from Centre Stage, Keely Milliken. Mrs. Milliken brought to us her 20 years of passion for the theatre and dedication to teaching performing arts. Our C.A.S.T. actors and Centre Stage were proud to present our 2022 theatre production, The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon!

The Brothers Grimm began publishing fairy tales in 1812. Almost every child knows their stories, which include Cinderella, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. You may recognize those stories as big Disney blockbusters with a fairy tale ending, but they are actually part of Germany’s folk heritage recorded by two brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.

The play consisted of six scenes of several well-known tales including Rapunzel, Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, and more. Each scene not only was performed as an individual story, but it was also portrayed as several stories woven together. When asked about choosing this approach, Mrs. Milliken replied, “We want as many students to participate as possible. We know some younger middle school students have never done a play before, so it’s important for each of them to get an opportunity to try something new.”

Classic stories were brilliantly depicted with a modern twist and sprinkled with lots of humor! You may or may not know the Disney endings of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales are not how they were originally written. The original stories often had a “grim” ending. In our production, performers and narrators kept the original endings to create a contrast with the comedy. This kept the audience laughing from the beginning to the end!

When the students started rehearsing in January, they had to learn acting etiquette, memorize countless lines, and follow theatre directions. It was eye-opening for the students to see what a play entails and how much preparation is required. In ten weeks, our students made their characters come alive as individuals and as a team.

Our C.A.S.T. actors came away from this experience knowing their hard work and determination paid off. Exposing our students to performing arts allows them to discover their whole self. They gained the true essence of what it means to be a scholar and leader with heart. We hope you enjoyed the play as much as we did. Well done, Cougars!

March 16, 2022March 28, 2022

Many Experiences, One Clairbourn

It is hard to believe 117 days of school have gone by! That is 936 hours of learning and 56,160 minutes of growing! It passed by so quickly, especially when we were enjoying learning and teaching each day!

Our youngest students made many discoveries this quarter including exploration of symmetry and a vet clinic unit. They had a visit from a vet technician to talk about X-rays, animal behaviors and more. Elementary students worked on their public speaking skills and further developed their math, reading and writing abilities. They continued their science exploration with units on weather, engineering challenge experiments and the solar system. Older students had several engaging collaborative projects as well as many hands-on science opportunities, including dissecting chicken legs. They also successfully represented Clairbourn in a math competition.

Middle schoolers even took their learning outdoors and really utilized our amazing 8.5 acres of campus. Besides talking about physical fitness in PE, wellness and health were also addressed. Students flourished physically, spiritually and emotionally. They developed their confidence by trying new experiences and developed their social skills on team collaborations. Our students know the importance of gratitude, honesty, empathy, compassion, and respect, and they got to practice these values every day at school.

We not only witnessed our students’ significant growth, our community showed strong support as well. In quarter three, we reached 100% Annual Fund community participation. We are grateful to see such a strong commitment from all constituents of the school. Parent volunteers continue to be a vibrant part of our community. Thank you for supporting the school where our children learn to grow as scholars and leaders with heart.

Let’s keep moving forward!

February 25, 2022March 2, 2022

Fluid and Boundless Education: Open your door to Spanish, one word at a time!

A Clairbourn parent once said, “Clairbourn learning is fluid and boundless. Both of my children learn not only through textbooks, but also from the daily conversations they have with their teachers and their interactions with their peers. It’s amazing how every moment is a learning moment at Clairbourn!” When we think about our lower school Spanish program, this is the perfect description: Every moment is a learning moment!

When you walk by our lower school Spanish classroom, you are immediately drawn to a festive door — the gateway to the world of Spanish! You hear conversations and singing in Spanish and Mrs. Rubio talking about Hispanic culture.

This program is offered from kindergarten to fifth grade. Different teaching approaches are incorporated to keep students engaged. Sensory exploration is a big part of our learning experience. Students run their fingers through orange rice and count the pieces of black bowtie pasta they find in the tray. They practice their vocabulary by singing La Araña pequeñita (Itsy Bitsy Spider) while busy freeing a plastic glow-in-the dark spider from a block of frozen ice. “This is so much fun! I love Spanish class!” a first grader said with such excitement.

The rich culture and history of Spanish speaking countries is also brought to life in this language program. Students listen to stories and taste various Hispanic dishes. They even got to make both sweet and savory tamales which were a big hit! Students stay motivated and learn through a wide range of hands-on activities. To strengthen vocabulary, students toss balls in the air while shouting out Spanish words and then they construct these words into complete sentences. Technology is also used as a supporting tool for students to expand and review their understanding of Spanish.

Currently, students are learning how to make orugüitas (caterpillars) while memorizing a Spanish song called Dos Oruguitas. Mrs. Rubio helps students gain confidence by analyzing the lyrics and using strategies to make the task managable. It is a joy to walk by the classroom and hear the students sing fluently in a second language. At Clairbourn, each classroom is alive and learning is boundless!

February 24, 2022March 1, 2022

Clairbourn middle school students lead the way to embrace and celebrate diversity.

There is inspiration everywhere we go. It could be something a friend said at a moment we needed to hear it. It could be a phrase we read in a book or from a fortune cookie. It could even be found in a quiet corner of the campus. Clairbourn Student Council has planned five diversity and inclusion presentations for the community this year and the inspiration they have brought to us is profound and motivating.

We kicked off the series with a Hispanic Heritage Celebration at the beginning of the school year. Students learned how Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina Supreme Court Justice, stayed resilient and earned her degrees from Princeton and Yale. She has been a part of 3,000 Supreme Court decisions and is an inspiration for many others to pursue their dream. She shows a leader’s courage which Clairbourn embraces.

Next, we recognized the rich and diverse culture, traditions, and contributions of Native Americans. Students listened to stories of a physicist named Jerry Elliott, who was the first Native Americans to work at NASA. He is known for his contribution as the lead retrofire officer during Apollo 13, where his actions helped save the lives of the three astronauts on board. Elliott’s work awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest civilian honor awarded by the President. He shows a scholar’s dedication that Clairbourn encourages.

This month, Clairbourn continues to recognize achievements by celebrating Black History Month. We learned about poet and writer, Langston Hughes, and how poetry including American poet Vashel Lindsay inspired him in his early years! Hughes wrote many influential poems and novels which portray black life in American from the twenties through the sixties. He shows a heart full of passion which Clairbourn values!

We will honor the women in our history next month and then end our diversity and inclusion series with an Asian Pacific American presentation. Fostering diversity is a community effort and we are proud of our Student Council for leading the way. They are “Scholars and Leaders with Heart,” helping the community achieve a goal of fostering diversity and embracing achievement from everyone!

February 22, 2022February 22, 2022

Clairbourn Board Member – Bhart Manwani, Clairbourn Parent

Since 2006, the Manwani family has been an important part of the Clairbourn community. Bhart Manwani fell in love with Clairbourn while searching for the perfect school for his older child, Vicky, who started Clairbourn in JPK and graduated in 2017.

Bhart recalled Vicky’s transformation during her 11 years at Clairbourn: “Vicky came to school as a timid young girl. When she was in the lower school, the Door of Hope experience and the constant opportunities to speak in front of a big audience at Morning Assembly helped her overcome her shyness. Since then, she has developed and grown into a confident young adult. We are grateful to Clairbourn for helping her blossom into the person she is today.” Vicky is now attending USC majoring in communications and is a writer for the USC Daily Trojan.

In 2019, Bhart’s younger child, Laksh, started Clairbourn in JPK. Even during the pandemic, Laksh continued to thrive academically and developmentally. Bhart credits Laksh’s love for learning to Clairbourn and is grateful he is engaged and motivated. Bhart and his wife Diana love to support the school by volunteering at various events. They have been known to stop by the Book Fair on the last day and buy whatever was left!

Born in Nigeria, Bhart relocated to California during his youth. He graduated from Cal Poly Pomona and has extensive experience in the general merchandise industry and information technology. He runs a textile company and regularly donates his merchandise to Clairbourn.

Bhart is excited to be on the board to continue giving back to the community he loves.

January 29, 2021January 29, 2021

Pillow Forts: Adapting the Annual Engineering Design Challenge for 2021

Students at Clairbourn are on an exciting journey of self-discovery and risk-taking made possible by a team of supportive teachers, a kind community, and an inspiring and safe environment. Children learn to discover their abilities in math, science, art, drama, music, and sports thanks to the cultivation of a growth mindset which keeps them motivated and moving forward in the face of setbacks encountered along their learning journey.

Clairbourn Students build pillow forts at home for the annual Engineering Design Challenge.

STEM activities like those found in Clairbourn’s annual Engineering Design Challenge are a big part of that journey. It is where students learn to believe in their abilities as designers and problem-solvers, and self-identify as engineers. To continue this school-wide activity during the Pandemic, with learning taking place at home, called for some serious re-imagining on the part of the school to make sure students didn’t miss out on this important learning milestone.

January 14, 2021January 23, 2021

Exploring Mobile App Design: Clairbourn Alumnae Caroline Kwan & Nina Luo “Dishcover” a Great Idea

For elementary school students, early technology training, a growth mindset, and teamwork skills can help them make the most of opportunities that come later in life. Former Clairbourn School students Nina Luo and Caroline Kwan, from the Class of 2018, exemplify this perfectly. The following article describes their new app, “Dishcovery,” and how Clairbourn School provided early educational advantages that helped them to take on this later technology challenge.

Nina Luo and Caroline Kwan, creators of the Dishcovery app. Both young women are Clairbourn School alumnae.

Anytime an interactive tool or device is created, there is a lot to learn and accomplish. Having an ability to think conceptually as well analytically is key to generating the initial idea, the plan, and the steps for development and deployment. When busy high school students Nina Luo and Caroline Kwan set out to create an app for their summer computer class at Coding Minds Academy, they didn’t flinch when faced with the mountain of work involved. They chose to invest their precious free time, both in and outside of class, to make an app that had meaning and value for their everyday life.

As food enthusiasts who frequently eat out and enjoy discovering new dishes, Nina and Caroline realized they wanted a way to quickly identify the customers’ favorite items on restaurant menus. Both of them were aware of Yelp.com but felt that reading through multiple posts and clarifying what was worth ordering was too time consuming. So they decided to build an app that could determine the preferred items mentioned in user reviews and then list the top ten dishes at restaurants.

December 8, 2020December 14, 2020

Pooh Play Tradition Goes Virtual for 2020

Thanks to some clever video editing by drama teacher Paul Barker and lots of creativity and heart, middle school students at Clairbourn found a new way to perform their annual Pooh Play while in remote-learning mode.

This year’s play featured a fresh story concept developed by Mr. Barker inspired by A. A. Milne’s characters from the Winnie the Pooh series. In the play, Roo and Tigger get into lots of trouble, including becoming stuck in the tree-tops, while other characters have crossed-path adventures throughout the Hundred Acre Wood.

Pooh Play Tradition Goes Virtual – 30 Second Clip
Clairbourn middle school students in the drama elective found a way to perform their annual Pooh Play for the younger students, while in remote-learning mode, thanks to clever coordination and editing of filmed clips by drama and computer teacher Paul Barker. Here is a 30 second teaser of the 20 minute play from December of 2020.

Watch this teaser clip from the full 20-minute play shown in December of 2020. Cast Members: Sarah I. as Winnie the Pooh, Vanessa H. as Piglet, Jake J. as Owl, Parisa B. as Rabbit, Anthony C. Eeyore, Faith C. as Kanga, Natalie A. as Roo and Mikey F. as Tigger.

December 1, 2020December 16, 2020

Your Student Can Do Great Things: Giving Matters

Part six of this six-part series offers insights into Clairbourn’s educational philosophy and the elements of the program which have led to noteworthy accomplishments by its alums.

Clairbourn alumnae Christie and Kathryn Huang raising funds for Children’s Hospital through their foundation Madhatter Knits.

When people are inspired to give, it flows from their conviction that such acts will be worth their time, attention, and investment. Cultivating that kind of conviction in others is no easy task, and it is often determined by the quality of the messages imparted combined with the skills and influence of the messenger. Consequently, fundraisers or leaders of causes need to be fearless, passionate, articulate, and well informed. They need social awareness to adapt their message to a wide variety of audiences and they need to know how to offer fluid methods of giving, donating, or participating.

Although that skillset sounds complicated, it’s quite naturally acquired when it is a part of a student’s early educational experience. In developing the whole child, Clairbourn combines academic rigor with social skills, community activities, and public speaking. All of these necessary elements to rally a community can be seen in the work of Clairbourn alumnae Tiffany and Kimberly Chang, Christie and Kathryn Huang, and Sara Lowin who serve as executive directors of Madhatter Knits.

Sara Lowin and Tiffany Chang (center), shown here in third grade at Clairbourn School, went on to found the nonprofit foundation Madhatter Knits to benefit premature infants.

December 1, 2020December 16, 2020

Your Student Can Do Great Things: Public Speaking Matters

Part five of this six-part series offers insights into Clairbourn’s educational philosophy and the foundational elements of the program which have led to noteworthy accomplishments by its alums.

As many people soon find out, having a great point of view, idea, or service is only as good as one’s ability to effectively get the word out. There has to be consideration for compelling messaging combined with finding one’s audience and engaging them to respond with their time, attention, and money.

Kimberly Chang, Christie Huang, Tiffany Chang, and Kathryn Huang – Clairbourn alumae & founders of Madhatter Knits.

Those abilities are in evidence among the Clairbourn alumnae who started the Madhatter Knits foundation in 2014 when a fourth grade knitting lesson led them to create a nonprofit for making premature baby hats to donate to hospitals.

Except for Tiffany Chang and Sara Lowin who were in the same grade together, the other executive directors of the foundation, including Kimberly Chang and Christie & Kathryn Huang, were in different grades ranging from first up to high school freshman. But all of them had early exposure in finding their voice as a result of Clairbourn’s public speaking program.