High schoolers at Renaissance participated in a photojournalism project about their school.
LA SELVA BEACH >> When news first broke last month that Pajaro Valley Unified School District administrators planned to close Renaissance High School this summer and relocate students to Duncan Holbert Preschool, the outrage was swift.
Teachers, students and parents urged the board of trustees to reject the proposal at a May 20 meeting. Most meeting attendees spoke of the challenges in relocating disabled preschoolers with such short notice. The board rejected the plan for now, but multiple trustees said at the meeting that Renaissance should be considered for closure.
Amid money troubles and declining enrollment, district leaders have said PVUSD needs to close schools to help fix the budget. A committee of parents, teachers and union representatives was established to make recommendations about which schools to close — it meets regularly and is tasked with coming up with recommendations for school closures by November.
Renaissance High is a continuation school for students who failed many of their classes and now need to make up credits or were expelled from other schools, including for truancy.
People think we’re a school for criminals, or people who want to disobey, even though it’s the complete opposite. It’s for people that really need these opportunities and don’t really get them in other schools.
—Acciri, rising senior at Renaissance High School
Ariel Stonebloom, a biology teacher at Renaissance, said there’s often a stigma around these students. But many of them have failed or ditched classes because of family responsibilities, including caregiving for a sick parent, babysitting their siblings or working to help their parents make ends meet.
In an effort to capture the student experience at one of the county’s most critical schools, Santa Cruz Local collaborated with two of Stonebloom’s classes last month on a photo essay. The goal: to show the school through students’ eyes so that district leaders, residents and others who care about PVUSD issues could better understand the importance of this unique learning environment.
On May 21, about two dozen students shared six disposable film cameras and responded to prompts like:
- Photograph one place on campus where you feel safe.
- Photograph a person, place or thing that challenged you.
- Photograph one thing you don’t want to forget.
From left, Janella, Maria and Ariel Stonebloom.
Students and teachers play volleyball during lunch break.
Electives teacher Jason Solis and rising senior Jairo.
Students spent the one-hour class period roaming campus and popping in on their friends, favorite teachers and the best spots on campus to capture scenes in response to the prompts. Santa Cruz Local came back to Renaissance on June 2 to discuss the photos with students. Many of the seniors had already graduated, but several students reviewed the photos and wrote reflections.
During the class exercise, several students described liking Renaissance High more than their previous schools because of its small size. There were 92 students this past school year, and the school has a capacity of about 200 students. Students said that at Renaissance, students know all the teachers and teachers know all the students.
“Here, we could communicate more. I feel like some teachers are my friends, and over there it’s just like strangers,” said Jairo, a rising senior who previously went to Watsonville High School, which he felt was “just too much” and “full of trash, gangsters, cars honking.”
Jairo described the above photo as “me and my favorite teacher” and wrote that he wants to “show people they can talk to their teacher like friends.”
Teacher Debbie Singleton’s sweatshirt.
Social studies teacher Jennifer Puente.
Emiliano takes a selfie with a teacher.
Rising senior Acciri also chose a photo of electives teacher Jason Solis to write about, and said he is “a very helpful teacher” and “an amazing flag football coach.”
She described the Renaissance community as helping her with social skills and giving her more opportunities for job training.
“It’s a very cool school, because it gives you many opportunities — it helps you with finding jobs,” she said. “I think many people should keep coming to the school because it’s really helpful and it has also helped me with talking with other people since everybody knows each other.”
Acciri debunked some stereotypes about Renaissance students: “People think we’re a school for criminals, or people who want to disobey, even though it’s the complete opposite. It’s for people that really need these opportunities and don’t really get them in other schools.”
She said other schools are so big, that the students that need the most support often won’t get it.
“Many teachers don’t really pay attention to you, because it’s so many other people,” she said.
When asked what she looked forward to after high school, Acciri said she hoped to go to college, but if that doesn’t happen then “working, because I want to help my mom with the bills.”
Sitting with Acciri was Nancy. The two didn’t know each other before Renaissance, but are now friends.
Nancy chose the photo of math teacher Pat Demera to write about.
“During a whole year that I been in this school Pat has helped out many students. He’s always willing to help if you need help,” wrote Nancy, a rising senior. “If you don’t find me somewhere just go to his class, I’m always there,” she said.
Math teacher Pat Demera.
Hairo, who graduated this month, and biology teacher Ariel Stonebloom.
From left, Arturo, mental health clinician Matt Merill, Juan, Jairo, Isaiah and Nino. The school district laid off all 13 mental health clinicians in the district and Merrill worked his last day at Renaissance this month.
Juan wrote about the above photo, “I chose this photo because it shows friendship and represents safety and a place where people feel welcome.”
Of the 162 photos students took, many were of the natural spaces on campus, including the garden.
Renaissance High is tucked away in La Selva Beach, a few blocks from the ocean on a rural road. Stonebloom said when new students arrive at Renaissance, many times they will take a couple weeks to adjust and then — they relax.
“They actually come to school because they want to be here,” Stonebloom said. “Students that came because of credit deficiency because of ditching, will come to school consistently for the first time in their high school careers because they love it [at Renaissance].”
Maria sits near the field.
Nico walks on a path by the school’s field. Students showed a Santa Cruz Local reporter where to look for snakes in a spot where they go to sun and keep warm.
The entrance to the school’s garden.
In addition to teaching biology, Stonebloom stewards the garden. She said the garden is important to students, and it’s something that would likely not exist at another campus. Indeed, in both classes that did the photo project, students immediately suggested the garden as the first place to photograph.
Stonebloom said Renaissance is “quiet and nice and it’s an environment where they can be their whole selves in a way that is challenging in a traditional school environment.”
Several students, when asked why they liked Renaissance, said it was quiet.
“I really like nature,” Janette, a rising senior, wrote in Spanish about the above photo. “I want other people to know that this place is very pretty and calm, and the nature makes the school special.”
Alondra walks through the garden.
The garden is colorful and overgrown.
Corn and strawberries grow in the garden. ‘Each plant is full of memories,’ said Acciri.
Students in Ariel Stonebloom’s second period class.
What do you think of Renaissance High?
Questions or comments? Email [email protected]. Santa Cruz Local is supported by members, major donors, sponsors and grants for the general support of our newsroom. Our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. Learn more about Santa Cruz Local and how we are funded.
Nik Altenberg is a bilingual reporter and assistant editor at Santa Cruz Local. Nik Altenberg es reportera bilingüe y editora asistente para Santa Cruz Local.
