Friends of the Palisades Library sponsored two nature writing workshops for Westside children and teenagers at the Palms-Rancho Park Branch Library, which were attended by approximately 45 participants: a Children’s Nature Writing Workshop and Teen Nature Writing Workshop.
“We collaborated with the librarians at Palms-Rancho, including Young Adult Librarian Kim Androlowicz, who is actually the YA Librarian assigned to the Palisades but is temporarily working at the Palms-Rancho branch,” Kathy Slattery explained. “James Corman, an incoming 11th-grader, conducted both workshops. He was the first-place winner last year in the summer creative writing contest in the high school category. After the fire, we decided to offer these nature writing workshops instead of the contest.”
Corman prepared slides that described what nature writing could encompass. He also read examples of poems and flash fiction to the participants.
Attendees then composed their own pieces, with some sharing in front of the group. Corman used “ambient nature sounds and nature objects and pictures” to help inspire the writers. Each attendee received a packet of native plant seeds from Theodore Payne Foundation, a trowel and writing notebook.
“Both events were a great way to keep young people engaged in creative writing,” Slattery said.
After graduating from Palisades Charter High School with the Class of 2025, Casey Scaduto traveled to Latvia to participate in the U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affair’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth program this summer where she studied Russian. Scaduto was one of 440 students selected from thousands of high school applicants to receive a scholarship.
While in Latvia, she lived with a host family, immersing in the local culture and host community, while engaging with peers to “enhance language learning and represent American culture as a citizen ambassador.”
“Launched in 2006 as part of a multi-agency U.S. Government initiative, NSLI-Y increases the number of young Americans with the critical language skills necessary to contribute to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness,” according to a statement. “Many NSLI-Y alumni go on to pursue education and careers vital to U.S. national security and credit the program experience with helping them improve their cross-cultural communication and leadership skills.”
Scaduto, also a graduate of Paul Revere Charter Middle and Marquez Charter Elementary schools, will attend University of California, Berkeley, beginning in August.
Local author and filmmaker Cali Gilbert and her father, Joe Gilbert, hosted a book signing and fundraiser at Mystic Journey Bookstore in Santa Monica, with 10% of proceeds going toward their Pacific Palisades Rebuilding Fund. The fund was created by Cali through her nonprofit, Tower 15 Productions, to “support female entrepreneurs who lost homes and businesses in the devastating January fires.”
“It was a wonderful afternoon,” Cali said of the event.
Las Madrinas—the “oldest affiliate group of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles”—announced the 19 families and their daughters who will be honored for their community service at the 2025 Las Madrinas Ball in December, including Palisadians.
“This year marks the 92nd year of Las Madrinas’ support for CHLA, with current funding directed toward a $5 million pledge to the Las Madrinas Endowment and Chair in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics,” read a statement.
Those who will be presented at Las Madrinas Ball include: Ava Mae Bakhshandehpour, Victoria Lee Bessant, Katherine Nicole Boskovich, Scout Montez Bucher, Capri Cristina Chaves, Tate Garvan Cobb, Reed Marian Dietrick, Kaleigh Cynthia Elizabeth Eichler, Elizabeth Lee Esbenshade, Caroline Jane Holdsworth, Reese Eden Jameson, Isabella Diane Lanstra, Ashley Elizabeth Lemons, Francesca Elizabeth Lesinski, Tatum Elisabeth Wallis Lowe, Mary Kathleen McCoy, Sophie Noelle Min, Isabel Marie Norton and Catherine Alexandra Sabbag.
