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Horsemanship demo leads off Learner Showcase Print E-mail
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Wednesday, 04 May 2011 00:00

The North Fork Vision Home and Community Program held a Learner Showcase on Thursday, April 28, at Heritage Hall in Hotchkiss. Each year, the learners celebrate with their families and friends the learning that has taken place over the course of the academic year.

"This year's showcase was filled with quality projects, amazing portfolios and displays, interesting demonstrations and musical and artistic performances," explained program director, Teri Kinkade. "At the showcase, we also present awards to our kids and staff that have exemplified one or more of our core qualities that include courage, excellence, communication, truth, sustainability, wisdom, service, inspiration and endurance."

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Photo submitted
Kia Sorensen, a third grader with North Fork Vision HCP, shares his model of the Globe Theatre at the Learner Showcase.
The showcase began with a crowd pleaser as educator Helen Denison's horsemanship classes demonstrated their riding skills. The learners then gathered to share their displays and demonstrations. Outside demonstrations included Joshua Clifford and Clay Carney who both brought jeeps they are rebuilding as part of their auto- mechanics coursework, and the Rose family demonstrated their agricultural studies by displaying animals they are raising. Inside Heritage Hall, sisters Eliya and Ariana Sorensen presented DVDs they produced as part of their extensive research and studies on World War II from the children's perspectives. Fifth grader, Jacob Stucker shared information and gave a speech about his United States learning trip that included highlights from Washington D.C. and New York City. Rikku Lage and Dana Hart both began with North Fork Vision this year as first graders. They shared an impressive accumulation of their work including portfolios and self-portraits that were painted before beginning art classes and another painted after completing these classes. Harry Trickey, who is also in fifth grade, demonstrated science skills through the creation of hydrogen and shared his first batch of homemade cheese he had recently finished as part of his life skills class. Eighth grader Katelan Sinski displayed her science fair project and results that determined placing blinders on a horse actually has a negative effect on the horse. She proved her results through physiologic research. Carter Keegan shared his display about his research into feline leukemia. Carter, who is a junior this year, also shared about his internship completed over spring break at an animal rescue shelter in Utah. Katelynn Russell shared her portfolio of high school work and her college search and acceptance process. She will be attending the University of Montana on scholarship in the fall. Her sister Lyndsay, who is a sophomore, presented her home economics and fiber arts work by showing her preserves and beautiful handmade quilts.

"These examples are just a sampling of the breadth of learning we all celebrated at the showcase," said Melinda Merriam who is the academic coordinator for the program.

Merriam is also the educator consultant in English for the program. She and Jane Vigueria, the program's educator consultant in math, received core quality awards for inspiration. They were nominated by learners who were inspired in their English and math classes. "It was so nice to receive this award for inspiring our kids to learn and like math because that is my passion," shared Vigueria, "and it was great to share in the success the learners demonstrated and the core quality awards they received at the showcase."

A few highlights of the awards included one for excellence going to Jacob Helleckson for his musical abilities as he plays the cello for the Valley Symphony. He was selected and performs with the Western States Orchestra. The high school Destination Imagination team made up of Eliya and Ariana Sorensen, Clay Carney and Elijah Etter was presented awards in excellence for their third place finish at the regional competition which qualified them for the global competition. The program's Academic World Engagement (AWE) coordinator, Dev Carey, and AWE learners Bella Hines, Rowan and Quinn Michelsen-Oleary, Oakley Moore, Chase Small and Taj Arguello-Rabin were recognized for endurance in creation and participation in the new AWE program that offers learning in blocks through integrated, hands-on projects. An award for wisdom was presented to Arthur Harriman who graduates in May and will attend the Naropa University in Boulder this fall to study psychology.

Harriman transitioned the group into the performance section of the showcase as the master of ceremonies. North Fork Vision proudly works with many gifted musicians and enjoyed two hours of their performances. A few performance highlights included high school junior, Theo Wecker playing a Sam Bush song on the mandolin. First grader Elisheva Bosco entertained the crowd with her vocal performance of "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" while accompanied on guitar by her sister Rebekah. A classical violin duet was performed by elementary learners Seth and Avalon Brinton, and younger brother Jedd performed a piano solo. There was also a hard rock performance by senior Randall Tunnell's band that was definitely enjoyed by the high school crowd.

"We have a diverse group of musicians and some strong talent," explained Tony Peters who is a music educator and resource consultant for the program. He added, "The showcase is an opportunity for our learners to demonstrate their progress from year to year and for the rest of us to celebrate that growth while enjoying some good music."

Coordinating director Sara Sharer summarized, "The showcase is always a great place to see what the Vision Home and Community Program is all about. Our kids have amazing opportunities and experiences in learning. The quality and individualized nature of the work is always inspiring."

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