From Media Production to Soap Making: Students Explore Their Passions at April’s Community Learning Day
This year’s 4th and final Community Learning Day (CLD) took place on April 21, offering students across all Da Vinci high schools the opportunity to explore their interests, pursue their passions, and craft their own meaningful learning experiences. CLDs were designed in response to our community's desire to offer more opportunities for students from all our high schools – Communications, Connect High, Design, RISE, and Science – to come together and strengthen connections across our community.
On-Campus Workshops
About 180 students from all five Da Vinci high schools participated in a wide variety of on-campus workshops from media production to soap making, CPR training, soccer, arts and wellness, and more. CLD workshops ran from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM, encouraging students to pursue their interests, strengthen peer connections, and engage in meaningful, productive learning.
At Da Vinci Design, one of the featured workshops was Sneaker Design and Storytelling, led by Kevin Gray, a High School Biology and College Coach at Da Vinci Connect. In this hands-on session, students designed custom sneakers using paper outlines and were given full creative freedom to tell a personal story through their design. A sophomore from Da Vinci Science shared, “I think it’s a good way to learn different things and figure out what you want to do in the future.” A Da Vinci Design sophomore added, “I chose this workshop because it interested me—the concept of designing your own shoe is so cool and just overall different.”
Also on the Design campus, Da Vinci Design teachers Praisy Poluan (Physics) and Katherine Simon (Architecture) co-led a Vision Board workshop. Split between two rooms, the teachers guided students through understanding the purpose of vision boards and supported them in creating tangible, personalized versions of current or future goals they hope to accomplish as motivators they can take home. The workshop encouraged reflection, goal-setting, and creative expression.
Da Vinci Communications teacher Tangier Clarke (Media Production) led a hands-on Media Production workshop focused on lighting systems for filming mock interviews. Students actively participated in setting up light panels and camera tripods. A Da Vinci Science junior shared that the workshop aligned with their interest in music production, while a Da Vinci Connect senior highlighted how the experience helped build problem-solving skills. Overall, students were excited to explore lighting techniques and how to effectively highlight subjects on camera.
Da Vinci Science hosted several workshops, including Soap Creation led by Da Vinci Science teachers Brooke Allyn (Physics) and Frank Divinagracia (Algebra 2). The workshop engaged students in the STEM aspects of soap making by incorporating chemistry and math concepts. Students wore lab coats and goggles while working with ingredients like beef tallow, scents, and dyes. A Da Vinci Communications sophomore said, “It’s interesting to be combined because you get a little peek of what happens on another floor, where we wouldn’t typically spend much time.” A Da Vinci Science sophomore added, “It’s cool because you do things you typically wouldn’t – like making soap which feels like another chemistry experiment”.
Off-Campus Learning
Many students opted to stay off-campus to get caught up on schoolwork, work on college applications, visit museums or college campuses, or design their own learning experiences for the day.
While Community Learning Days empower students to choose how and where they learn, they also provide essential time for our dedicated educators to collaborate, plan, grow professionally, and recharge. Prioritizing the social and emotional wellness of both students and staff is vital to our collective well-being. We’re proud to create meaningful opportunities that support and uplift everyone in our Da Vinci community.
Student Feedback
Curious how students feel about CLDs? In a recent feedback survey, 98% rated their fourth CLD as excellent or good (the same rate as the third CLD). Here are some thoughts they shared with us:
“I liked that students have the option to select various activities to try. This helps those who do not normally have certain seminars to have different options.”
“I went to visit UC Riverside during the CLD day. I enjoyed taking the day off school and not focusing on doing homework but still being able to be productive.”
“I like the option of learning and having community activities where we can volunteer and help people which I like a lot, since it is hard to find free time to help the community but having CLDs makes it easy.”
“I was able to find time to work on things that I needed to do outside of school like deciding on a college and determining my post high school plans. It was useful to have an extra day to stop and think about what I needed to do instead of needing to put my mind on schoolwork like all the other weeks.”
“I liked how it was flexible, fun, and not stressful.”
“I spent the day at a museum. That's something I don't usually get to do. I got to learn things I don't usually see. I also got to go with my friends from another Da Vinci school, so it was really fun.”
“My most recent CLD activity that I participated in was the workshop pertaining to neuroscience with Mr. Wimer. What I liked about the most recent CLD was that we were able to dive a little bit into neuroscience which I really liked.”
“I got caught up on my homework for numerous classes and now I feel more confident about myself in the classroom.”
“I really like how we were able to practice CPR and heal wounds.”
“Since we've been having a bit of work for Econ, CLD allowed me to catch up on Econ and do more research, so that was really helpful to have a day off where I can just catch up in general.”
“What I liked most about our recent CLD day is the opportunity it gave me to spend a mental health day for myself and be surrounded by family one last day before coming back to school after spring break. It allowed me to prepare myself mentally and physically which was super helpful.”
“I spent the day at the beach cleaning up trash.”
“What I liked most about the most recent CLD was the collaboration. Since I spent my time volunteering at the city center, I met many new people and got to understand their reasons for being there just as I did mine.”
“This CLD offered me an opportunity to get a lot of work done and be very productive.”
“I liked the flexibility of my day.”
“It was a good opportunity for me to catch up with work and my mental health.”
“What I like about my most recent CLD would have to be me being in a museum in the first place. I enjoy museums because of art and reading. I enjoy the natural history museums because it means being around strangers who enjoy learning about the past and present just as much as I do. It’s also active, seeing people talk and take pictures, while it’s calming at the same time. The presentation and detail that goes into these exhibits allow me to appreciate the hard work that goes into displaying these artifacts, and learning the history behind them.”
“I liked how I was able to accomplish a lot off campus while being in my own personal space.”
“I liked that the CLD offered dance/choreography as an option for the workshop.”
The verdict is in: our our students and staff love Community Learning Days! We look forward to continuing this new initiative next year!
