Local news in the classroom: Weekly roundup 10/21/25
The subject of community comes up in various ways this week. “No Kings” protests saw a significant turnout in Santa Cruz and Watsonville, including an address by 95 year old labor leader Dolores Huerta, and the Nickelodeon Theatre remains closed making residents wonder if independent cinema culture will ever return to Santa Cruz. Read this week’s highlighted stories and some discussion questions you may want to use with your students.
Also, it’s (still) that time of year…Digital Citizenship Week! The goal of this annually recognized week is to help students navigate a technology and media dominated world. Use our new “News Detective” media literacy lesson to help students practice critical media habits with a local news story, and check out more resources linked below from CommonSense Media and the California Department of Education.
This week’s highlighted stories
Why it matters: On Saturday October 18,000 protestors showed in downtown Santa Cruz and Watsonville at “No Kings” rallies where they expressed dissent against various federal policies, especially National Guards troops being deployed in various cities across the U.S. This peaceful political protest was part of a nationwide “Day of Defiance.”
In the classroom: Ask students what their initial reactions to the news are. Are they surprised to hear how many people showed up? How are the protestors using art and costume to make a point?
Why it matters: In downtown Santa Cruz, the Nickelodeon Theatre has remained closed since 2020. The theater used to be a staple for arthouse cinema (foreign, independent, avant-garde films), drawing crowds and lively film discussions. Its absence prompts consideration for the possibility of indie film and cinema to thrive in Santa Cruz again.
In the classroom: Challenges to arthouse cinema include: expensive digitization, home streaming, funds going towards mainstream blockbusters, and the pandemic shifting movie-watcher habits away from theaters. Drawing inspiration from the examples explored in the article (such as the Roxie theater in San Francisco), what are some creative ways smaller theaters are drawing audiences or could potentially draw audiences?
Interested in more stories? Browse all our recent coverage here.
LOCAL NEWS
Developer New Leaf assures Watsonville officials its battery storage project would meet safety standards
By Tania Ortiz
Massachusetts-based New Leaf Energy briefed the Watsonville City Council this week on details of its proposed $200 million battery storage facility, saying the project would meet all local and statewide requirements. The informational presentation comes amid ongoing concerns following January’s fire at a battery storage facility in Moss Landing.
UC Santa Cruz posts $95 million budget deficit, despite boost from state funding and investment grants
By Hillary Ojeda
UC Santa Cruz reported a $95 million deficit for the 2025 fiscal year, exceeding spring estimates by $14 million but falling below initial projections, due largely to one-time funding sources. With reserves nearly depleted and ongoing structural budget issues, university officials say cost-cutting and revenue-generating measures are underway as they brace for another $80 million shortfall in 2026.
PVUSD’s ‘controversial issues’ policy isn’t about neutrality–it’s about silence, fear, and control
By Pajaro Valley Federation of Teachers
Pajaro Valley Unified School District’s proposed “controversial issues” policy pretends to protect balance, but instead threatens to silence teachers and sanitize truth, writes the Pajaro Valley Teachers Federation.
NATIONAL NEWS
Millions take to streets across U.S. in ‘No Kings’ anti-Trump protests
By Ashley Murray / Oregon Capital Chronicle
Thousands upon thousands showed up for the second organized “No Kings” events in America’s largest cities from Atlanta, New York and Chicago to smaller metro areas and towns including Greensburg, Pennsylvania; Bismarck, North Dakota; and Hammond, Louisiana.
EDUCATOR RESOURCES
Second Nature: New Digital Series Highlights Gen Z Efforts to Protect the Environment
From PBS News Student Reporting Labs, this is a three-part digital series about what young people are doing to fight climate change, created in part by nine college students doing a fellowship with the PBS News Student Reporting Labs.
Digital Citizenship Week
Check out CommonSense Media’s main page about Digital Citizenship Week that offers elementary, middle school, and high school specific calendars with themes for each day (e.g. Critical Thinking, Creativity, Healthy Habits), related lesson options, and resources to share with families. There are similar resources created and shared by the California Department of Education.
Book a class visit with Lookout Santa Cruz
We’d love to visit your classroom! Lookout staff can come to your classroom and lead a workshop about various different things from journalism to elections. These workshops last the length of one class period and are a great way to get your students engaged in different aspects of learning. Reach out if you are interested.
- You can find more resources on our Educator Page, including a media literacy guide, specific new quizzes and more.
Educators, thank you for all that you do helping to mold younger generations into well-informed, empathetic, and engaged democratic citizens. If you’d like to learn more about our school programs, get involved, or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at interns@lookoutlocal.com or my mentor Jamie Garfield (Director of Student and Community Engagement) at jamie@lookoutlocal.com
Best,
Ava Salinas
Educational Program Assistant
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