On Nov. 7, the Gabrielino advanced art students got to experience the sprawling hills, lush nature, and rich history found at Eaton Canyon. A field trip whose impact is more than meets the eye.
This immersive field trip brought two distinct age groups together; the Gabrielino students and the Coolidge Elementary School students. Emmett Suess, a Gabrielino art teacher, spoke about the importance of bridging the gap between these two groups.
Beyond a simple trip, this outing connects to the values of the entire district. Suess shares the importance of integrating the Portrait of a Graduate (POG) into everyday school life and how this field trip accomplished that.
Suess explains that “The Portrait of a Graduate is the North Star of the district.” This is what guides the San Gabriel Unified School District through its student-centric decisions.
The ultimate goal is to help all students reach their utmost potential. The core values included in the POG are meant to follow students throughout their academic journey, remaining constant.
Suess shares that this field trip “…wasn’t just about hiking and being outdoors. It was about the real world and career pathways.” By focusing on the ideas presented in the POG, much more can be accomplished with these excursions.
Students were able to connect to one another and share knowledge by forming a connection that didn’t previously exist. Suess adds, “we could create that environment where the older students are sharing information with the little kids and the little kids are being inspired by the older students…”
Melanie Kha, a fifth grader at Coolidge, shares about her time with a Gabrielino student: “We walked around the trail and drew some pictures of a desert scene and painted cacti and pointy plants with watercolor. We presented about what we drew and what we did together.”
Sabrinna Lozano, sophomore shares that high school students along with Coolidge students learned about the Tonvga history and foliage around them.
Learning about Gabrielino Tongva’s history and creating art based on it gave the students a creative space where they could connect.
Combining history, art, and collaboration was the main idea of this trip. It was more than just an opportunity to connect. It provided space to connect, bridging gaps between previously separate age groups.
Suess overall emphasizes the importance of the Portrait of a Graduate and how crucial it is to integrate its ideas into every classroom, maintaining consistency throughout students’ academic careers.
