Petaluma
High School's "The Downtown Project,"
coordinated by metals manufacturing teacher Dan Sunia,
is this year’s
recipient of the Jack London Award for Educational Innovation.
The award is given annually to an outstanding, innovative
K-12 public school program by the School of Education.
Suria runs a machine shop program for high school students
that manfuactured bike racks, benches, and other items
for the streets of downtown Petaluma. It was seen to have
re-invigorated the vocational education effort in the district.
Three other outstanding programs were also selected
as finalists for this year’s
award by the judges who were SSU professors:
After School Sports Program at Windsor
Middle School, Windsor
Unified School District
Coordinator: Loren Barker, Phil Callero
Program Goal: Opening the door for hundreds
of students to get involved and reap all the benefits of participating
on team sports by offering after school sports to every Windsor
Middle School student.
La Escuelita at McDowell Elementary School, Petaluma
City School District
Coordinator: Delia Tamayo
Program Goal: Case Grande students assist
McDowell second language learners with their homework and at
the same time are providing them with a positive role model.
3rd Grade Math Fair at Rincon Valley District, Rincon Valley
Unified School District
Coordinator: Merritt Booster and Carol Newman
Program Goal: To provide interesting and creative
ways of both developing the skills of highly able fifth and
sixth graders and provide alternative ways to educate third
graders in mathematics.
The Jack London Award for Educational Innovation is sponsored
by the Sonoma State University School of Education, Sonoma
State University Office of the President, Sonoma County Office
of Education, California Faculty Association and Sonoma County
Educators Council CTA/NEA. MORE
Above, is Education School Dean Mary Gendernalik-Cooper
with Dan Suria and Greta Viguie of the Petauma School District
Superintenent.