First Day in Beaumont 11-28

On Wednesday morning I woke up bright and early, eager to meet the kids and staff at Sundance Elementary School in Beaumont, CA.  It was a beautiful, sunny day!

Sundance is a National Blue Ribbon School, in addition to winning the California School of Excellence Award six years in a row, and it's obvious why.  The minute I walked in the school I was greeted by friendly, helpful staff...the custodian, David, was a doll, helping me get my stuff inside, and the Principal, Lauren Kinney, was perhaps the most vivacious school principal I have ever met.  What a fun and accomplished woman!  I had a chance to chat with her about her career and the school and I was very impressed.  Wish I'd had a principal like her when I was in elementary school!

I presented two assemblies (Take Me to Your Reader for k-2 and Reading Our Way Across the USA for 3-5) and the students were attentive, lively and engaged.  A great group of kids!  What a terrific way to start my trip to California!

My host, Mayor Pro Tem David Castaldo, greeted me at the school also. Thank you David for setting up so many opportunities for me to perform for the children of Beaumont (I also did a show for the City Daycare & After School program on Thursday).   I had a delicious lunch with David and his wife, Vanna, and also a cheerful guy named Bruce who came to tell me about the Beaumont Rotary Club's youth programs, which my concert would be benefiting.  I appreciated getting such insight into how the kids benefit from the Rotary Club programs, and I got to see it first hand when they came out for the concert at David's house on Thursday night.  A terrific bunch of teenagers who were so unpretentious and just having fun and enjoying life, the way it should be.  Cheers to the Rotary Club of Beaumont-Cherry Valley!