Indian Valley students celebrate Thankful Day

Indian Valley students celebrate Thankful Day
Posted on 12/04/2019
Thankful Day actorsAccording to tradition, Plumas Charter students of all ages focused on what they are thankful for during Thanksgiving week in Indian Valley.

Both the Greenville Learning Center (kindergarten–sixth grade on Pine Street in Greenville) and Indian Valley Academy (seventh–12th grades in Taylorsville) hosted Thankful Day festivities including food, contests, workshops, and performances.

By teaching the history of the Thanksgiving holiday; combining it with skills such as poetry, music, cooking, gardening, and recitation; and then encouraging students to reflect on what they themselves are grateful for, Plumas Charter School is combining academic subjects with personal growth and community service. This is all part of the school’s mission to provide personalized learning in the communities it serves, said Executive Director Taletha Washburn.

Greenville Learning Center
GLC held its Thankful Day during the evening of Nov. 21 at the Indian Valley Community Center. Students in grades K–6 participated in the performance portion of the evening. They offered songs, a skit about the history of Thanksgiving, and acrostic poetry (poems in which the first letters of the lines also spell words).

After the performance, GLC students, teachers, staff, families, and community members gathered for a potluck dinner.

“The 2019 Thankful Day event was a huge success,” said GLC Site Coordinator Andre Essue. “We enjoyed sharing this special night with our students, parents/guardians, and community members.”

Teacher Jennifer Van Acker agreed: “It was a great event. I’m so proud to be a part of this school.”

Indian Valley Academy
A full schedule of Thankful Day activities was slated for IVA students Nov. 22. During the morning, students gathered at the Indian Valley Museum’s Gem and Mineral Building for workshops on time management, the educational mindset, and staying curious about learning, reported IVA administrative assistant Pam Lyman.

After the workshops, students dispersed to plant 1,000 daffodil bulbs, donated by Denise Battagin, in honor of Carol Kingdon, a longtime Indian Valley resident who served as the Taylorsville postmistress and planted bulbs all around the valley.

While students were off planting, local judges sampled 11 pies in the IVA student pie contest, and adult volunteers prepared a donated soup and bread lunch.

On their way back to the Gem and Mineral Building for lunch, students cleaned up trash in the community.

Why does IVA do Thankful Day? “It came about a few years ago that our students spent zero to very little time being thankful,” said Lyman. “We thought Thanksgiving is the perfect time of year to ask what we are grateful for. The event has grown and we all love it! This is the fifth year of the event and the best one yet!”

For Lyman, one of this year’s highlights was “the pure willingness of the students to eagerly participate in something for their community.”

Plumas Charter School operates learning centers in Chester and Quincy as well as Indian Valley. To learn more about PCS, including current enrollment openings, call (530) 283-3851.

By Ingrid Burke, Public Relations Specialist
[email protected]


Indian Valley Academy pie contest winners
Taste
First place: Zach Yolton
Second place: Aubrie Schramel
Third place: Jacob Cook

Appearance
First place: Ben Cassol
Second place: Ciera Hymas
Third place: Madi Goss

In the photo: The third- and fourth-grade cast of the Readers Theater “History of Thanksgiving” skit line up during their Thankful Day performance Nov. 21. Plumas Charter School’s Greenville Learning Center offered a special show and potluck dinner for families and community members. From left: Lucy Bentz, Sophie Bruce, Bella Schramel, Lilliaine Rhodes, Jura Lunder, Amaiya Beatty, Jaycee Pew, Sparrow Prince, Jewell Van Acker, Philip Cunningham, and Aleah Lehman. Photo courtesy Greenville Learning Center

    Just a quick taste of the Greenville Learning Center rendition of the Readers Theater piece on the history of Thanksgiving!