Two Interesting but Very Different Events Happen at OUSD High Schools on Friday, Jan. 24
Oakland (OUSD press release) – Two OUSD high schools will have interesting but very different kinds of events on Friday, January 24. Students at Dewey Academy will get the chance to catch a performance by a well-known traveling children’s choir from Africa. And an OUSD gardener and landscaper is using his own resources to help Skyline High School, which has lost many trees over the last few years.
The Amani Children’s Choir from Uganda (above) will visit Dewey Academy and put on two shows for the students to see in separate waves. Among other things, the group raises awareness of the needs of orphaned children in Africa, and their international tours provide unique training and exposure for the children. Dewey Academy students will enjoy the performances and likely gain a worldly perspective through seeing and interacting with these children that they wouldn’t otherwise have.
For much of the day at Skyline High, OUSD gardener and landscaper, Tom O’Neill (left) will be planting trees across the campus. These are Colorado Blue Spruce trees that O’Neill cultivated on his own to support Skyline. The school sits on a woodsy campus on the edge of the Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, but in recent years, it has sustained major losses to its tree population. Because of the effects of drought, bark beetles and major storms, the school has lost some 50 trees in the past several years. Starting in the morning, O’Neill will plant 25 trees in various locations, just in time for this weekend’s rains to begin to nourish them and help repopulate the school.
Media is welcome to join the Dewey students and see the Amani Children’s Choir and to witness Tom O’Neill single-handedly battling back against drought, pests and storms to replenish Skyline High’s tree population.
WHAT: OUSD Gardener/Landscaper Plants Trees to Battle Drought, Pests and Storm Damage
WHEN: All Day Beginning at 10:00 a.m., Friday, January 24
WHERE: Skyline High School, 12250 Skyline Blvd
WHAT: Amani Children’s Choir Performance for OUSD High School Students
WHEN: 10:30 a.m., Friday, January 24
WHERE: Dewey Academy, 1111 Second Avenue