Campers in the Summer@Oakwood program had the opportunity to interact with and learn about a variety of animals during camp last week. Each day different guest animals were brought to Oakwood. The students met a pig, goat, French lop rabbit, chinchilla, ball python snake, and some chickens. With each visit a guest speaker educated the children about the animal's particular needs, proper care, and a few fun facts. Campers enthusiastically asked questions as they petted and held these exciting creatures and also shared experiences with their own pets.

During Oakwood's week-long Artapalooza Camp, students explored many different mediums of art. They created personalized ceramic mugs, and many of the campers opted for an animal theme. They spent time over a few days creating pillows by tie-dying cloth, stamping designs, and sewing them by hand. The campers also created Japanese marbled paper, designed dragon eyes from clay, tackled drawing experiments, and undertook other mediums as time allowed.This camp was an incredible experience for the students enabling them to test their creativity during each project. The final art pieces displayed the unique individuality of these young artists.

Aiden Huang, an Oakwood High School student, had the incredible opportunity to play his violin at Carnegie Hall in New York City this past May at the International Piano and String Competition 2019 Winner Recital. Aiden was invited to play by American Protégé after being chosen as an Honorable Mention Winner for the Junior category of the competition. He decided to perform "The Boy Paganini" by Mollenhauer. Aiden has participated in the San Jose Youth Symphony for the past six years. He enjoys playing violin in the orchestra setting; however, after watching his sister perform at Carnegie Hall last summer, Aiden was inspired to see if he was capable of playing solo; therefore he entered this year's competition. It was an exhilarating moment for Aiden, especially after seeing many great musicians perform on the stage. During the Winner Recital, musicians needed to deliver their performance successfully to receive the award. It was indeed a fantastic experience for Aiden. He not only was allowed to travel to New York City and play on the iconic stage but also met new friends who are also very talented violinists.

On Thursday, May 30th, the Oakwood community, family, and friends came to witness the Oakwood Middle School Promotion Ceremony. The Harmonettes performed "Over the Rainbow" and students Jillian Bogosian, Wyatt Goldman, Emily Prunicki and Colby Mossman all gave heartfelt speeches. We are so proud of the 8th grade class and look forward to watching them grow and blossom even more during their high school years. Congratulations!

Oakwood families and friends gathered on Wednesday, May 29th, to celebrate the accomplishments of the senior class, and watch them as they progress from high school students into graduates. Highlights of the event were the national anthem sang by Jade Bautista and Brooke Murphy and the speeches given by Head of School Michelle Helvey, Senior Advisor Dr. Wilson, Seniors Jeb Goldman, Grace Chapman, Collin Moosman, and Nikhita Gopisetty and Principal Crone. We are incredibly proud of our graduating class for their hard work at Oakwood and the legacy they leave behind. We are confident that they leave Oakwood ready to face the future with boldness, but hope they return as Alumni to share their future successes! A special thank you to the Graduation Committee volunteers!

The Oakwood High School class of 2019 wore their caps and gowns for the first time as part of the Second Annual Oakwood Senior Walk! Seniors proudly walked through the Oakwood campus while students, parents, faculty, and staff enthusiastically cheered them on and celebrated their achievement. This was a special moment for graduating seniors and the younger students who look up to them. We are all very proud of our senior class!

History came alive for Oakwood 4th grade students as they started their first of three days in the Sacramento Valley at Sutter's Fort. They learned about the historic fort by touring the various rooms and talking to guides dressed in period clothing. The next stop was the EarthTrek camp in Coloma, where they listened to a talk about the arduous journey many took in pioneer times to the region, learned how to tinsmith, panned for gold, sang songs and played old-time instruments, and heard tales from a real mountain man.

Oakwood's 2nd-grade students learned that the journey to enter American for many immigrants was very historically very difficult. The children were taught about Ellis Island and immigration as part of their history unit. As the unit came to an end, students selected a country of origin from their ancestry and participated in an Ellis Island immigration simulation. Many of the students came to school wearing clothes that represented the country they were emigrating from and brought a small treasure that would help remind them of their old country to bring in their luggage. The interactive experience began with learning how crowded the ships were and also the poor quality of food for most passengers. After their simulated boat ride, they had to wait in long lines for questioning, and examinations which landed some in the infirmary and even the detention center. Students were welcomed to America, by Legal Inspector Shales. Once they had passed all of the necessary tasks, a great cheer was given as they were granted entry into the country. The students then celebrated with an international feast. Students were struck by the difficulty of the process and were touched by the differences in first class and steerage travel. All involved recognize the blessings in being here in America, and in being here at Oakwood.

Oakwood's 8th grade class traveled to the East coast and toured many important historical sites.The trip began in Boston, the cradle of liberty, where they saw the Paul Reverse House, the Old North Church and a replica of a Boston Tea Party Ship.They continued their learning with trips to see the Concord Minuteman statue, Plymouth Rock, Harvard University, "Old Ironsides" and walked the Freedom Trail.

On May 2 and 3, Oakwood School hosted beloved grandparents and special friends who traveled from near and far to learn more about the Oakwood School experience firsthand.

Oakwood 4th grade students visited Monterey State Historic Park Association today and expanded upon what they have learned as part of their history unit of the time period when California was a part of Mexico. They broke into small groups and rotated between 4 engaging stations: cooking, branding, embroidery, and games. As a group they twisted twine into rope, enjoyed lunch in the garden and visited the historic Custom House. The tour guides commented several times on how well informed and polite our students were. Great job 4th grade!

Oakwood High School students traveled over Spring Break to the beautiful country of Spain. They toured Madrid, Toledo, Córdoba, Sevilla, and Granada, visiting many places of historical significance and learning about the heritage of the different regions. As they toured the country they were able to soak in Spain's natural beauty, practice their Spanish and enjoy traditional cuisine. The trip was a tremendous opportunity to learn about Spain, submerge themselves into the Spanish culture, and delve into life in this incredible country. The students came home very happy and full of stories of their adventures.

After several weeks of training, the Oakwood Mini Mermaid Running Club ran the Run. Sweat. Love. 5K on Saturday at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. The Mini Mermaid Running Club is a six-week program of self-discovery, confidence-building, and goal-setting, where through movement, journaling, and group activities girls learn how to stand up for themselves and others, ask for help, offer help, and set steps to reach their goals. Great job mermaids!

Oakwood sixth grade students spent a week at Yosemite National Park. It was an eventful trip, which included some rock scrambling, cave exploring, and plenty of hiking in the valley. On top of that they consumed mass quantities of jello each night at dinner, and a coyote sighting!

The second grade class walked in the shoes of pioneer children. They came to school dressed like pioneers and experienced a day filled with pioneer activities that helped them learn about life in the 1800s. Mrs. Pappa shared some family history of her pioneer ancestors who relocated to California. She even brought in a full-sized wagon wheel that was from that time.