Local news in the classroom: Weekly roundup Jan. 1 – 7
Good afternoon,
I hope everyone had a great holiday break and a fantastic New Year. If you read our last newsletter of 2024, you know that I, Eetai Shwartz, will be curating this newsletter for some time while Jamie Garfield, Director of Student and Community Engagement, is on parental leave. I’m excited to get the opportunity to reach out to you, our county’s teachers, each week and supply you all with great educational materials and stories. A little about me is that this is my second year working for Lookout as the Education Programs Assistant. I am a 4th year at UCSC double majoring in history and philosophy and I aspire to be a high school teacher after graduating. If you’re interested in reading a bit more about me check out this page. I will also be scheduling and leading our classroom visits, so if you have any questions about scheduling a workshop, discussion, or career panel please feel free to reach out to me at eetai@lookoutlocal.com
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 surfed a 150-foot gun’: City worker who survived Santa Cruz Wharf collapse recounts narrow escape
By Christopher Neely
When a record swell ripped through the Santa Cruz Wharf on Dec. 23, Norm Daly found himself on a collapsing deck, swept into a dramatic fight for survival. With waves crashing and a multi-ton crane teetering nearby, Daly narrowly made it out. He tells Lookout, “I’m just glad to be here.”
Many expect big things in Zach Friend’s post-Santa Cruz County supervisor act. Where will he go?
By Christopher Neely
What’s next for former Santa Cruz County supervisor Zach Friend? After years of balancing family in Southern California and public service up north, Friend steps into an undefined future.
It’s 2025 — have pity on the poor social studies teacher
By Wallace Baine
If the 2024 election finally extinguished ideas of American exceptionalism, from what framework can America’s history teachers now make their lesson plans? Wallace Baine wants Santa Cruz County educators to tell him about their approach.
O’Neill Surf Shop to close downtown Santa Cruz store after 25 years
By Hillary Ojeda
O’Neill Surf Shop will be closing one of its five Santa Cruz County locations this month. The last day of business for the downtown Santa Cruz store is Jan. 14.
Possibly the most intense Santa Cruz water rescue never seen – hooray for our brave lifeguards
By Thomas Pickett
Thomas Pickett and his wife, who recently returned from 40 years in the restaurant business on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, watched a spectacular water rescue at Mitchell’s Cove, off West Cliff Drive, just before the end of the Santa Cruz Wharf collapsed about a mile away. Two guards on jet skis saved two surfers from huge waves that he says were “whole category bigger than the 15- to 20-footers these guys had been chasing.” He recounts the drama here and applauds the heroism of our local part-time lifeguards.
CALIFORNIA NEWS
Can California keep ICE away from schools? Lawmakers want to try as crackdowns loom
By Carolyn Jones / CalMatters
California legislators want to limit deportation actions at schools, but they can’t ban immigration officials.
New law inspired by ex-lawmaker’s DUI adds to alcohol education in California schools
By Ryan Sabalow / CalMatters
California public schools will expand alcohol education in 2025 thanks to a new law. The law’s author, Wendy Carrillo, wrote the legislation following her arrest for driving under the influence, saying she didn’t want students to make the same mistakes she did.
California almost legalized psychedelics. Now, supporters are looking for a good test case
By Ana B. Ibarra / CalMatters
Two states legalized psychedelic therapies since 2020 and President Biden signed a law supporting studies of how they might help veterans. Proposals like those keep dying in California.
Student Journalism
Journalism Scholarship
Our annual Journalism Scholarship is back! Lookout’s Journalism Scholarship invites all high school students in Santa Cruz County to apply. The top three winners will each receive $500, and the top 10 will be featured on our site. Students can enter individually or as part of a class project if you want to learn more click here. Teachers interested in having their class participate this year should contact me, Eetai Shwartz, at eetai@lookoutlocal.com
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. I look forward to working with you for the remainder of this school year.
Best,
Eetai