Local news in the classroom: Weekly roundup March 24 – April 1
Good afternoon,
Spring Break is just around the corner, so these are the final few months before the end of the school year to integrate Lookout into your classroom. Review our education services/recourses here.
We have officially announced and published all of the student’s Unsung Heroes stories, which are a part of our Journalism Scholarship. The Journalism Scholarship is an opportunity for high school students across the county to interview and write a news article about an Unsung Hero in their community. This year, we have 85 submissions, our most successful year yet! There are 10 overall winners; the top 3 get a $500 scholarship and get their story published to our website, and the other 7 finalists get their story published as well, making the top 10 all officially published authors. Our editing team and I reviewed each submission and gave professional-level edits to the top 10 stories. These were the winners:
3 winners: Sarah Cobos – Soquel High School, Samara Cortazzo – Santa Cruz High School, Max Goodwin – Soquel High School.
7 Finalists: Jared Esquivel – Watsonville High School, Sofia Heitmeyer – Soquel High School, Brady Evans – Soquel High School, Dylan Turzak – Scotts Valley High School, Grace Ramsey – Soquel High School, Talula Garcia – Soquel High School, Adrian Espindola – Diamond Technology Institute.
Click here to read all of the stories now!
Finally, I want to thank all the teachers and other educators who shared this opportunity with your students. Without you all, we would not have gotten so many amazing stories.
Current events to use in your classroom
Explore the linked lesson plans below for simple ways to facilitate reflection on these local events. Interested in more stories? Browse all our recent coverage here.
LOCAL NEWS
‘I thought I would retire here’: PVUSD teachers face final days in the classroom as pink slips arrive
By Hillary Ojeda
Dozens of Pajaro Valley Unified School District teachers face an uncertain future after receiving layoff notices, threatening popular programs in video production, theater arts and ethnic studies amid budget constraints. Several teachers who spoke to Lookout say they’re devastated at the prospect of losing their jobs.
PVUSD revives debate over controversial ethnic studies program at Friday meeting
By Hillary Ojeda
Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s governing board will hold a special study session Friday about the district’s ethnic studies curriculum. The trustees won’t be making any decisions Friday, but might vote on a new contract for a consultant in May.
Ask Lookout’s guide to Santa Cruz County’s most intriguing questions
By Wallace Baine
Ask Lookout is Lookout’s own forum for investigating and exploring the questions that locals might wonder about: Was the “Cement Ship” a party boat? What’s the story with the “door to nowhere” on Front Street? Did the Virgin Mary visit Watsonville?
Tourism drives February job growth in Santa Cruz County, but federal policies cast shadow
By Lookout Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz County added 700 jobs in February, the first full month of the new Trump administration. But the region’s tourism shows warning signs as hotel revenue drops and forecasters predict a decline in international travelers to the U.S.
The Train Is Dead: Will someone please tell the RTC?
By Bud Colligan
The long-sought train in Santa Cruz County will never be built because it is too expensive, writes local philanthropist Bud Colligan, who has studied the train issue for more than 10 years. Colligan thinks the Regional Transportation Commission staff needs to be more publicly open about the financial realities of the train plan. “There is no way taxpayers will support a $4 billion price tag for this train boondoggle,” he writes.
CALIFORNIA NEWS
California farmworker communities win right to be notified of pesticide applications in advance
By Liza Gross / Inside Climate News
After decades of pressure from farmworkers and their allies, California launched a statewide system to warn communities before they’re exposed to toxic pesticides. But health concerns remain.
California snowpack below average — what does this mean for water supplies?
By Alastair Bland / CalMatters
At 90% of the state historical average in a measurement Friday, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is far better than last year. But it’s nothing like the record-smashing 2023.
Student Opportunities
Student Stories
Student Stories is a place for students to have their voices heard by the community and the rest of Santa Cruz County. It is designed to showcase stories, events, clubs, and opinions authored by students in Santa Cruz County. Students can either submit ideas or completed stories. Learn more here and reach out if you have any questions.
EDUCATOR RESOURCES
Current Event Discussion Guide
- Our current event discussion guide is a great activity to engage with local news and can be used for any article. Below is the lesson plan and the bilingual guide.
- Current Event Discussion Guide Lesson Plan (PDF)
- Bilingual Current Event Discussion Guide (PDF)
Educator Page
- You can find more resources on our Educator Page, including a media literacy guide, specific new quizzes and more.
Reminder on student access
- If any of your students are having trouble with their free access, have them sign up for their free student membership with their personal email address at this link.
Thank you for all the hard work you do in the community and for supporting our educational programs, helping the younger generations learn media literacy skills, and become invested community members and democratic citizens. If you’d like to learn more about our school programs, get more involved or have any questions, please reach out.
Best,
Eetai