{"id":12161,"date":"2024-04-29T14:21:19","date_gmt":"2024-04-29T18:21:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/?p=12161"},"modified":"2024-04-29T14:21:19","modified_gmt":"2024-04-29T18:21:19","slug":"plaza-palooza-showcases-the-school-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/plaza-palooza-showcases-the-school-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Plaza Palooza showcases the school community"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
The Brookwood Elementary SCA hosted a birdfeeder-making table at the Plaza Palooza.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Visitors to Plaza Middle School were welcomed with smiles and lots of fun at the third annual Plaza Palooza.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The Plaza Palooza on April 20 showcased the feeder program within the Plaza Middle School community.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The April 20 event focused on \u201cthe three F\u2019s,\u201d said organizer Kelly Kefauver, who teaches health and physical education at the school. \u201cFun, free and family.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlthough the event is held at Plaza Middle School, it doesn\u2019t stop there,\u201d Kefauver said. The collaborative effort between clubs, organizations and individuals representing Brookwood Elementary, Lynnhaven Elementary and Green Run High School helped showcase the feeder program within the school community, she explained.<\/p>\n

Outside activities included bubble-blowing, drawing with chalk and taking an up-close look at vehicles, including a fire truck.<\/p>\n

Inside, the commons, cafeteria and gymnasium tables were packed with school clubs and lots of community resources and organizations. A DJ played upbeat tunes that echoed through the building.<\/p>\n

Plaza Middle School Taylor Swift Fan Club member Natalie McClennan helped visitors make friendship bracelets.<\/p>\n

\u201cI joined the club because I\u2019m a fan and I like to help charities,\u201d the seventh grader said. The group of about a dozen meets twice a month. They plan to make more bracelets to sell at school to benefit Connect With a Wish, a local nonprofit organization that benefits children in foster care.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Plaza Middle’s Hydroponics Club, including member Victoria Hensman, participated in the school’s Plaza Palooza on April 20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nearby, the school\u2019s Hydroponics Club showed off a couple of hydroponic towers where some herbs and vegetables were growing, including basil and lettuce. They offered guests the chance to plant \u201cseeds of kindness\u201d in cups to take home.<\/p>\n

Seventh grader Victoria Hensman said she enjoys being in the club and learning about how to grow plants using rocks, water and nutrients.<\/p>\n

Brookwood Elementary SCA members brought vegetable shortening, bird seed and pinecones for bird feeder-making. The hair braiding area was very popular, too.<\/p>\n

Also on hand were the Spanish, coding and yoga clubs.<\/p>\n

Special Olympics, Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation, Girl Scouts and Rosemont Boys & Girls Club promoted events, activities, camps and programs.<\/p>\n

Plaza Middle health and physical education teacher Michael Puatu volunteered at the table focused on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, a schoolwide approach to promoting positive, safe learning environments for students.<\/p>\n

Lots of children wrote positive messages on rocks that will be placed in front of the school. \u201cThis promotes a good sense of community,\u201d Puatu said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Plaza Middle Operation Smile Club member Axl Clark collected lots of messages at the Plaza Palooza to place in Smile bags given to patients scheduled for cleft surgery.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There was more kindness going on with Plaza\u2019s Operation Smile Club.<\/p>\n

Eighth grader Axl Clark represented the club. Visitors wrote kind messages on cards and sticky notes to go in \u201csmile bags\u201d given to patients before cleft palate and lip surgery. Axl said he has learned a lot about the organization\u2019s mission to help others.<\/p>\n

At the State Farm Insurance table, Lynnhaven Elementary third grader Laila Green sat patiently while artist Jennifer Wiffen drew her caricature. Her mother Stacie Modlin smiled. The event had something for everyone, she said. Laila has a younger sister, and an older brother who attends Plaza Middle.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s great and interactive for the kids,\u201d Modlin said. \u201cThere is free stuff and ways for them to get involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Plaza Middle School counselor Samiya Sanderson said the Plaza Palooza connects families and schools.\u00a0 \u201cWe want them to know we\u2019re here,\u201d she said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s a community event, and it\u2019s about being a village for the children.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Kindergartener Ulyssa Hayden checked out the “Really Good Stuff” educational display at the Plaza Palooza on April 20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
The Lynnhaven Elementary SCA featured some fun games at their Plaza Palooza table.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Hair braiding was very popular at the Plaza Palooza.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Lynnhaven Elementary third grader Laila Green had her caricature drawn at the Plaza Palooza on April 20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Visitors to Plaza Middle School were welcomed with smiles and lots of fun at the third annual Plaza Palooza. The April 20 event focused on \u201cthe three F\u2019s,\u201d said organizer […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":12166,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12161","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12161"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12161\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12173,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12161\/revisions\/12173"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12166"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12161"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}