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(San Francisco)- Students from James Denman Middle School and the San Miguel Child Development Center will be labeling 200 native trees with their art as part of environmental learning project. Over 33,000 square feet of asphalt and concrete will be transformed into an environmental learning facility at the San Miguel Child Development Center in the Excelsior. A Living Library, sponsored by Life Frames, Inc. a non-profit organization will be kicking off the renovation project with children’s artwork, a garden tour, the unveiling of a dragon sculpture, and other activities. The kickoff will take place on Saturday, June 7, 2003 from 10 am –1 pm at the San Miguel Child Development Center. Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval and other representatives from the City will make appearances in support of the project.
San Miguel Child Development Center, one of thirty-five San Francisco Unified School District’s child development centers is located at 300 Seneca Avenue. Over two hundred students attend the center, which is headed by site manager, Richard Henderson.
“This collaboration is an example of one of the goals of our academic plan, Excellence for All,” said Dr. Mary Marin, Interim-Executive Director of the SFUSD Child Development Programs. The goal of “Accountability for All” is brought to life in the teamwork that is resulting in this project that will serve our children for years to come.”
The transformation from asphalt to rich natural landscaping will require comments and input from the community. The proposed plan is to have an outdoor/indoor learning center where students and the community can gain hands-on experience in art, ecology, math, science, and history. This unique location was once the epicenter of the Muwekma Ohlone, a tribe indigenous to the area. The new landscaping will include a monarch butterfly meadow, a multicultural play station, a native urban forest, and much more. The renovation is scheduled to break ground in early July.
Artist and environmental architect Bonnie Ora Sherk is the founder and director of A Living Library, a community project of Life Frames Inc. The program strives to celebrate artistic expression and environmental stewardship among children, families and communities. A Living Library fosters education and interaction in the multicultural diversity of the neighborhood through garden cultivation, the arts, digital technology and natural resources training. Other Branch Living Libraries are also underway in South Bernal Heights and in Roosevelt Island, New York City.
For more information log onto www.alivinglibrary.org or http://www.sfusd.edu/
Media Contact: Office of Public Engagement at 415 241-6565 or Bonnie Sherk (415) 206-9710, Luz De Leon (415) 254-8416.
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