FLOAT ON
Students from the Greenacre School vocational program will navigate the length of the parade route in their bicycle-powered float that will be heavy on drums and guitars.
Posted: Wednesday, April 18, 2012
by Laura McCutcheon Sonoma West Staff Writer
For the first time since its inception in 1975, Greenacre School will participate in the Apple Blossom Parade and Festival, and showcase the essence of its vocational program on a float made by students.
The all-boys special education school is part of Greenacre Homes, a private non-profit California corporation, located in Sebastopol, which also operates five residential treatment programs.
The vocational program portion of the school offers educational services to 15 boys and young men 14 to 21 years of age, for employment readiness, teaching work ethics and a variety of job skills including; general school grounds maintenance, landscaping, construction, gardening, woodworking (building West African style drums), production ceramics (slip casting drums and functional pottery), a student-run coffee cart, and a bicycle refurbishing/repair/sales program (donated from the Sebastopol Police Department and Community Bikes), according to teacher Jesper Nordqvist, also known as “Mr. N.”
The Vocational Training School (VTS) at Greenacres — which also offers classes in functional academics, social skills, and independent living skills — is “leading the charge by building a bicycle-powered float that will transport the VTS Band, performing a West African drum-inspired version of ‘Greenacre is the Place to Be’ (the theme song from the ’70s hit show) as well as a funky version of ‘Old McBlossom On a Farm’ and lead a train of Greenacre students and staff,” Nordqvist said, noting the float will also boast a 40 inch diameter drum, which will “rock the bottom end of Sebastopol’s downtown on the 21st.”
Asked how he felt about being in the parade, a 17-year-old student named Jermey said: “I think it’s good; really exciting, and the music itself will be awesome. We will be on the float, playing drums and guitars.”
Asked the same question, 16-year-old Malachai said: “Happy and kind of shy.”
Noah, 17, said, “It’s a fun idea. I am going to like it a lot.”
There were a couple of reasons why the boys decided to do a bicycle-powered float: “We decided to do it with bikes, because we don’t want to be parading down the street, creating pollution,” Noah said.
“We work on bikes,” Malachai said. “That is part of our program. We get them from the police department and stores. Sometimes they come new, sometimes old, we fix up them up and sell them,” he said, noting students also ride bikes between the two campuses that make up their school.
Jermey said he thinks the bicycle float is a good idea because not only is his therapist a real bike advocate, but he personally thinks “going green, in general, is a good idea.”
The VTS students will also have a non-profit booth at the festival, where they will sell their drum creations to help raise money for their student run business; “VTS Enterprises.”
Students from the Greenacre School vocational program will navigate the length of the parade route in their bicycle-powered float that will be heavy on drums and guitars.
Posted: Wednesday, April 18, 2012
by Laura McCutcheon Sonoma West Staff Writer
For the first time since its inception in 1975, Greenacre School will participate in the Apple Blossom Parade and Festival, and showcase the essence of its vocational program on a float made by students.
The all-boys special education school is part of Greenacre Homes, a private non-profit California corporation, located in Sebastopol, which also operates five residential treatment programs.
The vocational program portion of the school offers educational services to 15 boys and young men 14 to 21 years of age, for employment readiness, teaching work ethics and a variety of job skills including; general school grounds maintenance, landscaping, construction, gardening, woodworking (building West African style drums), production ceramics (slip casting drums and functional pottery), a student-run coffee cart, and a bicycle refurbishing/repair/sales program (donated from the Sebastopol Police Department and Community Bikes), according to teacher Jesper Nordqvist, also known as “Mr. N.”
The Vocational Training School (VTS) at Greenacres — which also offers classes in functional academics, social skills, and independent living skills — is “leading the charge by building a bicycle-powered float that will transport the VTS Band, performing a West African drum-inspired version of ‘Greenacre is the Place to Be’ (the theme song from the ’70s hit show) as well as a funky version of ‘Old McBlossom On a Farm’ and lead a train of Greenacre students and staff,” Nordqvist said, noting the float will also boast a 40 inch diameter drum, which will “rock the bottom end of Sebastopol’s downtown on the 21st.”
Asked how he felt about being in the parade, a 17-year-old student named Jermey said: “I think it’s good; really exciting, and the music itself will be awesome. We will be on the float, playing drums and guitars.”
Asked the same question, 16-year-old Malachai said: “Happy and kind of shy.”
Noah, 17, said, “It’s a fun idea. I am going to like it a lot.”
There were a couple of reasons why the boys decided to do a bicycle-powered float: “We decided to do it with bikes, because we don’t want to be parading down the street, creating pollution,” Noah said.
“We work on bikes,” Malachai said. “That is part of our program. We get them from the police department and stores. Sometimes they come new, sometimes old, we fix up them up and sell them,” he said, noting students also ride bikes between the two campuses that make up their school.
Jermey said he thinks the bicycle float is a good idea because not only is his therapist a real bike advocate, but he personally thinks “going green, in general, is a good idea.”
The VTS students will also have a non-profit booth at the festival, where they will sell their drum creations to help raise money for their student run business; “VTS Enterprises.”
