Community Project Spotlight: Laurel Dell 4th Graders Design Bridges & Pathways to Dominican
March 2, 2023 while on a visit to Dominican’s campus, Mr. Seligman’s fourth grade class at Laurel Dell Elementary school received a challenge question from Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Mojgan Behmand: What are the bridges, pathways, and gateways that will lead you from your home and school to college and beyond–and how can people at Dominican University of CA help? The elementary students were able to creatively address this question and envision a path to their future lives through architecture and art.
The challenge question and accompanying projects emerged from a collaboration between: Y-PLAN (Youth — Plan, Learn, Act Now) an award-winning, K-12 civic youth engagement strategy developed by UC Berkeley Center for Cities + Schools (CC+S), San Rafael’s Youth In Arts, which builds visual and performing arts skills through innovative and in-depth programs that foster confidence, compassion and resilience in students of all abilities and Dominican University of California. Dr. Shirl Buss, the creative director of CC+s and also a teaching artist with San Rafael’s Youth in Art, designed and led the project with Mr. John Seligman’s fourth grade class. Service-Learners, Isaiah Amoranto (Nursing ’26) and Alyssa Dela Cruz (Biology ’24) from Dr. Emily Wu’s The Power of Words: Culture & Conditioning class accompanied the fourth graders weekly as the kids brainstormed and designed poems, drawings, models, and games that showed the kids’ own visions of paths from elementary school to college.
Watch this video to learn more about this collaborative project from Shirl, hear Alyssa and Isaiah explain the larger social context, the dominant narratives that impact the students they engaged with, and hear from the fourth graders themselves as they share their goals and aspirations:
Besides imagining bridges and pathways to Dominican, the fourth graders also had a site visit to Dominican’s campus to concretize their visions on March 2, 2023. They walked through the athletic facilities and field, down Acacia Ave to see the Pollinator’s Garden and were welcomed by Penguin Student Ambassadors, and had lunch with Dr. Mojgan Behmand (Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty) and Lily Servin (La Vida Dominican student & Summer Bridge Program Coordinator) at the Creekside Room. Then their Service-Learner guides Isaiah and Alyssa took them to see the Anatomy Lab in the Science Building, and the Med-Surg Labs in Meadowlands. They also got a tour of the Art Studios with Prof. Lynn Sondag (Professor of Art and Honors Program), and had a chat with Dr. Lucia Leon (Assistant Professor of Latino Studies & Social Justice) about immigrant rights and the importance of Ethnic Studies before they had some time to run around the open field, as was appropriate for all 9–10 year olds.
Read more about the Laurel Dell students’ visit on Dominican’s Campus.
Finally, on May 18, 2023, the 27 Laurel Dell students formally presented their art and construction projects representing potential gateways, bridges and paths to their future academic success at their school.
Dr. Nicola Pitchford, Dr. Mojgan Behmand, Julia van der Ryn, Dr. Emily Wu, Dr. Lucia Leon, and Lily Servin were present at this presentation, listening to the student’s recommendations for how Dominican can better support their aspirations to attend college and engaging with the work that they had created that demonstrates their lived experience and hopes for their future. Some of the students’ parents were present, while our own Jessica Velasquez (Psychology ’25) was also present to proudly applauded her little brother Elmer Velasquez as he presented his ideas. Jessica gave a short talk to inspire the fourth graders to never giving up on their dreams.
The Laurel Dell students were each awarded a certificate and a $200 scholarship that could be applied to their tuition when they do arrive at Dominican. As these students continue to participate in Dominican-collaborated projects when they get to Middle School and High School, they will receive additional certificates and scholarships toward their college education in Dominican. This is an important part of Dominican’s commitment as a Hispanic and minority-serving institution, and a strategic introduction of the La Vida Dominican program to the Latino students and parents in Marin County’s public K-12 school system.
