BY
JAN JARVIS - JJARVIS@SIERRASTAR.COM
JAN JARVIS
Mountain Area students take the stage for “Get Energized” at Rivergold
Elementary School in Coarsegold last week.
Twenty-four
Mountain Area students put their energy to good use last week when
they performed in the original production of “Get Energized” at
Rivergold Elementary School in Coarsegold.
The play was written by Teena Hagerman, owner of the Coarsegold
Performing Arts Center. It was funded by a $3,750 grant for “Energy
Education through the Arts” from PG&E.
A packed house of students and family learned about energy conservation
and alternative energy sources through lessons laced with music,
acting and dance. The performers, all students from Rivergold ES
and Coarsegold Home School, did all the research to put together
the educational background of the play.
Said Hagerman, “They really stepped up to the plate.” Students ranged
in age from 10 to 14.
Madera County Supervisor Frank Bigelow acknowledged the sponsorship
of PG&E. The play will be presented to other schools in the
Mountain Area and then videotaped for use throughout Madera County.
“When the kids who performed are my age,” said Hagerman, “their
children can look at what they did on the video.”
PG&E offered up to three energy education grants to each county
in California, as part of a $4.5 million grant to the state to implement
school energy efficiency. “This is like having an extra instructor
in the school,” remarked Pamela Beecher, head of the Madera County
Arts Council.
She continued, “The state budget for the arts was cut from $18 million
in 2002-03 to $2 million in 2003-04. It has been proposed by Sarah
Reyes to increase this figure to $10 million next year. In the meantime,
however, it is very important that the arts receive corporate support.”