A school for students who are on probation or have had other ... - The San Diego Union-Tribune

The Juvenile Court and Community School in Vista has a new, catchier name: Innovations Academy of Empowerment.The name was picked by students and unveiled The San Diego Union-Tribune unveiled the name of the new Innovations Academy of Empowerment, a school for students who are on probation or have had other issues. The school, which opened in February, combined three Juvenile Court and Community School classrooms into a single campus for 85 students in grades seven through 12. The new name reflects the innovative approach the school takes in teaching students with a troubled past and includes a student-created mural that surrounds the campus basketball courts. Students were asked to suggest a name that reflected the school’s identity, and staff members made the final decision. The mural includes images of Aztecs, Day of the Dead skulls, Our Lady of Guadalupe, San Diego Charger Shaun Phillips, an American flag, a Highway 78 sign, MiraCosta College and the San Diego office of Education.

Published : 11 months ago by bhupendra in

The Juvenile Court and Community School in Vista has a new, catchier name: Innovations Academy of Empowerment.

The name was picked by students and unveiled Tuesday during a celebration at the school that included the unveiling of a student-created mural that surrounds the campus basketball courts. Principal Ben Nakamura said the new name reflects the attitude of the school, which opened in February and serves students who are on probation, have been expelled or have been referred from their own school districts for various reasons.

“While the school districts might have been quick to get rid of (these) students, it’s an honor to have them,” Nakamura said at Tuesday’s event.

The school — operated by the county Office of Education — combined three Juvenile Court and Community School classrooms that previously operated in Vista and Oceanside into a single campus for 85 students in grades seven through 12. Students are mostly from Fallbrook, Oceanside, San Marcos and Vista. The Office of Education operates several such schools throughout the county.

Nakamura said the new name reflects the innovative approach the school takes in teaching students with a troubled past.

“We want to take a nontraditional approach,” he said. “Rather than taking their power away and giving them more restrictions and sanctions, we’ve given them power back. We’re giving them the dignity and humanity people deserve.”

All students were asked to suggest a name that reflected the school’s identity, and staff members made the final decision, Nakamura said.

The new name was revealed as students unfurled it on a banner during Tuesday’s celebration, which also featured a barbecue for invited guests. A permanent sign hasn’t been created yet — the sign in front of the campus still reads Discovery Hills and Valley School, a special education program that closed in 2011.

Besides suggesting names for the school, students also worked for three weeks on the colorful mural that wraps around two outdoor basketball courts.

Oceanside artist Saul Figueroa, 37, was a mentor to the students as they created the mural, which was completed Monday night.

“This brought unity,” he said about the project. “This is a mural of history right here. It’s been real powerful.”

Students were asked to sketch something meaningful in their lives, and Figueroa and volunteers from Cal State San Marcos University helped them paint the wall.

Images in the mural include Aztecs, Day of the Dead skulls, Our Lady of Guadalupe, San Diego Charger Shaun Phillips, the San Diego Padre’s friar mascot, an American flag, a Highway 78 sign, MiraCosta College and the San Diego office of Education.

The wall also includes a Bible verse and the words “Focus,” “Knowledge is Power,” “Against All Odds” and “Keep Your Head Up.”

Several students who worked on the mural spoke at the celebration.

“I really think it helped the students with trust,” said student Nedi Martinez. “You guys really let us open up to this wall. There’s finally someone who believes us, trusts in us. It’s just nice to actually do something, accomplish it, then have people come around and congratulate us.”

Student Alexi Olguin said the mural was meaningful to students because it represents what the school and the students are about.

“I’d say we did a pretty good job,” he said, inspiring cheers from the guests and students.

“We showed all the other schools we’re not just a community school,” said student Omar Ortiz. “We’re a regular school, just like every other one.”

Nakamura said he came to the school because he wanted to give back and make a change in the lives of at-risk students. While he said he believes he’s doing that, he said he’s also learned about perseverance and the meaning of leadership from the students.

“I saw that through the obstacles they overcame in their neighborhood, their families and past educational failures,” Nakamura said. “They didn’t give up.”

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