Grand opening of Mesa View auditorium...

Grand opening of Mesa View auditorium today

Mesa View Middle School will celebrate the opening of its new

gymnasium today with a gym kick off and pep rally. Mesa view is one

of the four middle schools in the Ocean View School District to get

new gymnasiums/auditoriums. Construction on the facility began in

March 2002 and finished this January. The cost came to just under $4

million.

The doors officially opened one month ago, but today will mark a

special occasion.

“This [event] is the first time all the students will be in one

building together,” said Shawn Bruckler, a teacher and the leader of

the Associated Student Body.

As a part of the celebrations, the boys seventh and eighth-grade

basketball teams will be honored for their undefeated season. The

Mesa View jazz band will perform on stage. Principal Lon Hyland will

announce the contents of a time capsule that will be buried in front

of the gym and reopened in 25 years.

Some neighbors protested the new gym fearing that it might be used

for community events and cause traffic congestion, said Bruckler. The

issue was taken to court, which delayed the process, but it did not

stop the gym and the students are happy about it.

In addition to being a place the students can go on a rainy day or

for school lunches and activities, the school is already preparing

for a Valentine’s Day dance, another first.

Arts program is accepting applications

Huntington Beach High School’s Academy for the Performing Arts is

accepting applications for the 2003-04 school year.

The academy offers training in dance, instrumental music, musical

theater, technical theater, acting and vocal music.

Students in grades nine through 12 are selected through a

competitive admissions process that takes academic achievement,

recommendations, auditions, goals and dedication into account.

Applications may be picked up at the office at 1905 Main St.,

Building M, Huntington Beach, at the Huntington Beach High School

main office or at local middle schools. Students will be assigned an

audition time.

For more information, call (714) 536-2514, Ext. 302.

District announces spelling bee winners

The results are in for the Huntington Beach City School District

spelling bee, held on Jan. 15. Winners included fourth-grader Dominic

Candelaria from Kettler Elementary School, fifth-grader Dmitri

Sedykin from Smith Elementary School, sixth-grader Alex Syiek from

Dwyer Middle School, seventh-grader Jacob Jaffe from Sowers Middle

School and eighth-grader Ryan Dick from Dwyer.

Tracey Gaglio and Jana Kasler from Educational Services

coordinated the event with help from retired teachers JoAnn Conte and

Judy Francis. The students will receive awards from the board of

trustees at an upcoming meeting.

Rennick Palley nabs Pegasus geographic bee

Seventh-grade student Rennick Palley won the Pegasus School

Geographic Bee by answering an oral question on geography. The next

step for Palley will include a written test and then the state bee

and a chance to win a $25,000 college scholarship.

For students who wish to test their own geography skills, an

online quiz is at www.nationalgeographic.com/ geobee. Five questions

a day from previous National Geographic bees are posted.

-- compiled by Coral Wilson