OPUSD recognizes outstanding students

TALENTED YOUTH-Enid Miller, GATE Co-coordinator for OPUSD, with fifth-graders Michael Ebert and Eden Weisman, recipients of The Johns Hopkins University Center for Talented Youth award. The Oak Park Unified School District Board of Education recently recognized fifth-grade students Michael Ebert and Eden Weisman and sixth-grader Kendra Yoshinaga for their outstanding academic achievements.

Based on rigorous testing, Ebert and Weisman were invited to participate in the John Hopkins University-sponsored Center for Talented Youth program which recognizes gifted students.

Seventh and eighth-graders took the SAT or ACT, the same tests used for college admissions. Fifthand sixth-graders took the PLUS, a test similar to the SAT only scaled for younger students.

"Children scoring at the highest levels nationwide (at or above the 95 percentile) are invited to an award ceremony, which Michael and Eden qualified for," said Enid Miller, Oak Park's gifted student coordinator.

"In hosting these awards ceremonies, we want these bright children to have their day in the limelight for their academic talent and to celebrate their abilities, just as we celebrate excellence in athletics or the performing arts," said Lea Ybarra, the Talented Youth executive director.

SUPER SPELLER-The school district also recognized sixthgrader Kendra Yoshinaga, the 2006 Ventura County Spelling Bee Champion. This summer, Weisman and Ebert will attend a three-week sleep-away camp at California Lutheran University to study chemistry and aerospace engineering. Last year, 17 students between grades four and eight from the Oak Park Unified School District participated in the Center for Talented Youth program.

Spell check

The school board also praised Yoshinaga, a sixth-grade student who attends Oak Park Independent School for her mastery of letters. The 12-year-old was named the 2006 Ventura County Spelling Bee Champion and advanced to the seventh round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee, earning the distinction of being the last Californian to exit the match.

"She is a quiet girl who would rather be known for being who she is rather than just as a spelling champ," said Barbara Harrison, Yoshinaga's teacher. The accomplished student also plays the violin and takes fencing lessons.

"She used to do a lot of cartooning but now spends most of her time on the computer listening to music, messaging friends and studying spelling," Harrison said.

Yoshinaga also authored a children's book describing her spelling bee experiences. Her editors were unable to find any spelling mistakes in her manuscript.