September- 2022- Latino Heritage Month
Autism Acceptance Month
AAM Events and Resources for Staff
Student Art Exhibition: Accepting Difference. April 4th – April 29th
Created by students with autism and those supporting autism acceptance.
Discover artwork hung in unconventional places on the AV campus.
Autism Acceptance Assembly featuring Audrey’s Autism Story film.
Educational Materials: Selected slides from the assembly, and extras, to review and learn more about autism and supporting those with autism. Special thanks to all who donated towards the film project!
Art Cart Infinite Landscape
Draw and display the AV landscape, inspired by artist Stephen Wiltshire.
April 11th – 15th during recess
Light it Up Gold:
Celebrate Autism Acceptance Month by wearing gold/yellow on Wednesday, April 20th.
Chalk the Campus Gold
Celebrate Autism Acceptance Month by decorating parts of the campus with gold/yellow chalk. Wednesday, April 27th
Autism Acceptance Month Library Program with Selena Baydaline
These books are on display and being read to students during classroom
library visits this month.
April 4th – 29th, 2022
1) Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayo
2) Different – A Great Thing to Be! by Heather Avis
3) The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin by Julia
Finley Mosca
4) Who Is Temple Grandin? by Patricia Brennan Demuth
5) My Brother Charlie by Denene Millner, Holly Robinson Peete, and Ryan
Elizabeth Peete
6) The Color Monster by Anna Llenas
Black History Month
We are so proud to be celebrating Black History Month here at Arroyo Vista. While we have honored tremendous figures like Martin Luther King Jr and Harriet Tubman in past years, this is the first year where we are celebrating the Black leaders of today as well as recognizing the past. The members of AV Equity Committee have joined forces to put together several ways we can all appreciate and honor the Black community.
The AV campus is decorated in Pan African colors with banners and posters both inside and outside of our gates. Each of the posters admire 8 Black leaders in Arts and Sciences who are making strides in our world today. If you were able to attend our presentation during the assembly on the 4th of February, you heard that we are using this month to not only honor these amazing figures, but to also educate and celebrate Black achievement in many other ways. The library has a Black History Month book display with books featuring our leaders as well as books created by Black authors and illustrators. Make sure to check it out.
Our Art Docents have put together two collaborative art projects. The younger classes will be crafting a quilt out of construction paper inspired by the women in Gee’s Bend Alabama’s multipatterned creations they have been making since the 19th century. Grades 3rd-5th will be working with yarn and paper to create works inspired by vibrant fiber artists like Xenobia Bailey and Nick Cave. Both grades work will be displayed thru March on campus.
The Equity Committee has put together resource lists to spotlight local Black-owned businesses as well as a book donation program for our AV library thru a local bookseller. Thank you to Mrs. Baydaline for your support in creating a display that not only features historical figures, but also books with black main characters as well as Black authors.
Another way our community can celebrate Black History Month is through a book donation to our AV library. We have partnered with local bookstore, “Once Upon A Time,” to put together a list of books families are able to purchase online. Click the link below to be linked directly to the wish list. There are a variety of books for different age groups; all books have been vetted by the Equity Committee. This list can also be used to augment your library at home.
AV Equity would not be able to do the works they do without the vibrant parents who gave their time and services to create something educational, memorable and enduring. Roxsann Barry and O’ryan McKinney-Bruskin, who took the lead on this month’s program, Sheldon Fuller, Madeline and Matt Horton, Catherine Kelly, Taynora Lee, Jessica Liu, Chiyo Takarabe, Leslie Bradford, Wende and Rob Lee from the Print Shop – We could not be more thankful! Everything from their research to the creation of materials allowed us to bring something in which we feel truly proud
Latino/Hispanic Heritage Month
Our very own AV Equity Committee put on an informative and engaging presentation to kick off Latino/Hispanic Heritage month.
This month we’re celebrating the contributions and impact of Latinos just as the nation also gears up to celebrate national Latino/Hispanic Heritage month (which runs from September 15 – October 15). Latinos represent people whose lineage traces from Mexico, to people from the Caribbean, South America, and Central America.
Did you know? At AV, about 1 out of every 4 of our students identify with family members from one of these countries!
In case you missed it, you can view the full presentation here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vSD_7JWwDfSo2ywnl_ehdrToAdVIQB_f7YTO9sgTG6gm5CI6P6xXg8hVfK7FKfc2g/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000
There is bonus footage provided by the owners of our very own Republic of Lucha store in South Pasadena with scenes and insights about Lucha Libre. (A special note for parents – please watch the video before sharing with young kids – while the video is informative and entertaining, there are live wrestling scenes and images with tight or revealing costumes). A huge thank you to Javier and everyone at Republic of Lucha!
A very big thank you to Patti Urzua, Janis Ortega, and the AV Equity Committee for putting on an amazing presentation!
Keep a look out for special Instagram features, art projects and service opportunities to come! A special thanks to everyone that helped pull together the resources for the Equity Committee presentation, Roxann Berry, Vivan Tran, Xochi Castro, Roberto Gonzalez, Amber Jaeger, Jen Wang, Erin Bonz, and Cassandra Kaldor.
If you have any questions/concerns or thoughts you’d like to share please reach out to us at [email protected]
-AV Equity Committee Co-Chairs, Patti Urzua, Andy Perry, Amber Jaeger