Briefly In Education

‘Mad Masker’ wins in costume contest

Laguna College of Art & Design senior Aubriana Zurilgen received a $2,500 first-place award in the Muckenthaler Cultural Center’s annual Moonlight Masquerade Gala on Oct. 25 for her Mad Masker costume.

Zurilgen and friend Paul Howell “” dubbed the “Wolf Couple” by judges and fans at the event for their “Shaard the Shattered One and Shaman” costume duo “” received the accolade of first place among a pool of 300 contestants that had been narrowed down to 25 finalists.

Each entrant’s skill and design was critiqued by a panel of judges, comprised of fashion and design instructors, as well as industry professionals.

The production of the costumes, which combined Zurilgen’s creative vision with Howell’s animatronic talent, took more than a month.

Zurilgen is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in illustration and animation. While at LCAD, she decided to take her love of costuming to the next level. She joined local engineering and effects designer Chimerical Creations and has several upcoming projects to showcase her creative skills, including a full-body creature costume.

Her goal is to become a cinema and theatrical costumer, prop maker and creature artist.

Her work can be seen at themadmasker.com.

Team LEGOna Beach to compete

Seven students from Top of the World Elementary and Thurston Middle School have formed Team LEGOna Beach under the First LEGO league, an international program that encourages teamwork, robotics skill and presentation talent.

Team members Michael Bue, Perry Cheves, JP Debarber, Jack Fast, Chad Kanner, Cody Powell and Michael Wogulis will attend the regional competition Saturday at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana.

The two-part challenge includes a presentation of the local transportation problem/solution and collaboration in the Robot Game. The team will need to demonstrate their skills in LEGO robot building and programming while following a strict set of rules before advancing to the next competition in LEGOLAND in December.

In its first year, Team LEGOna has met weekly since September to solve its first challenge “” transportation in the local community. The fruits of labor are demonstrated at regional competitions each year where thousands of kids show their projects and tackle robotics challenges.

Teams must work hard to describe their community, identify a specific problem and develop a creative solution.

The team focused on the summer traffic problem in Laguna Canyon. Using LEGO bricks and appropriate LEGO Star Wars characters, it composed an entertaining movie to communicate their innovative “Tram-n-Zipline” solution to disperse traffic and carry tourists from Aliso Viejo to the Top of the World neighborhood and down to the beaches.

Coach Brendon Cheves praised the program and experience.

“This league gives kids a chance to share their interest and talent in engineering and robotics at an early age,” he said. “It’s been thrilling to watch different kids rise to the occasion at different parts of the project.”

For more information, visit www.usfirst.org.

Weichman to speak at Coffee Break

Jerry Weichman, a clinical psychologist specializing in middle schoolers and teenagers, will speak at the Parent Teacher Assn.-sponsored Coffee Break from 8:15 to 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Surf and Sand Hotel in Laguna Beach.

Known for his expertise on dealing with the impact of social networking sites, Weichman will discuss the realities that kids face in today’s multimedia-driven culture.

Topics will include why staying “virtually connected” is so addictive to kids; how to deal with drama of friends, teasing and rejection among cliques; and how to help with body image and self-acceptance.

Weichman’s “tool belt” approach arms parents with practical tools to help kids develop better solutions for these challenges.

Cost is $5, including refreshments. For more information, contact drjza@drjudithanderson.com or (949) 494”“0447.

High school starts holiday sale

The juniors and seniors at Laguna Beach High School are hosting their annual holiday sale to raise funds for the school’s “Safe Graduation Night” events.

Fresh holiday greens, including mixed evergreen wreaths and cedar garlands and an array of fudges from the Chocolate Soldier in Dana Point can be purchased through Nov. 20.

Orders will be available for pick-up from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 5 through 12 at the School District parking lot.

To place an order, call (949) 422-5211 or e-mail Kathy Selevan at kselevan@cox.net.

Principal Chef Challenge a success

Everyone was a winner at the SchoolPower Austin vs. Culverhouse Chef Challenge Monday at the Lumberyard.

Owner Cary Redfearn offered his restaurant for the event, where the two principals enjoyed a friendly competition that became a sold-out success for Laguna schools.

One hundred forty-seven patrons enjoyed a five-course meal; the selections were chosen by Thurston Middle School Principal Joanne Culverhouse and Laguna Beach High School Principal Don Austin, but prepared by the chef Armando Ortega.

At stake was the pride of victory and the loser having to wash the winner’s car.

After tummies were full and the ballots turned in, Austin was presented with some very nice cleaning products for Culverhouse’s car.

Culverhouse was gracious, doing only two victory laps around the restaurant.

SchoolPower is an education foundation that raises money for all four public schools in Laguna Beach.

For more information, call (949) 494-6811 or visit www.lbschoolpower.org.

Palette contest entries due

Children ages 5 to 17 who live or go to a school or art program in Laguna Beach are invited to enter the Children’s Holiday Palette Exhibition. Entries must be delivered by 4 p.m. Nov. 20 to the Cultural Arts Department, 505 Forest Ave.

Entries must be original designs celebrating the holiday season, painted or drawn on quality paper representing a palette shape.