On November 30th, all 4th grade students attending N.U.S.D. #1 schools attended a special viewing of “Wonder” at the Oasis Theater. The new movie, released in mid-November, deals with issues of bullying, acceptance and kindness. The idea of using the movie and book as a teaching tool was first suggested by Ms. Ana Karen López, elementary school counselor at Bracker and Coronado Elementary Schools. After the movie, Ms. López said, “Everyone enjoyed the book and the movie so much!! The students, teachers, and myself, we all learned so much from this beautiful story, it was a great way to reinforce kindness, empathy, compassion, and how not to be a bully or bystander, but an upstander.”
All 4th grade teachers in the district read the book to their students in the weeks prior to the release of the movie. County School Superintendent Alfredo I. Velásquez sponsored the event through the Santa Cruz County School Superintendent’s Office and the Healthy Student Grant, providing the books, transportation, admission fees and snacks. He was in attendance, welcoming and addressing the students, and requesting that they pay particular attention to the message the movie has to offer. Students will be participating in various follow-up activities using the themes of the movie.