Walk Across California - Creative Education

On Wednesday June 20, 2012 11 students from SCU campus set up camp in Copperopolis Town Square as a rest stop on their journey walking from the SF coast to Yosemite in a Walk Across California event. The Walk Across California event is the finale to a 10 week course taken at the University under theater and dance professor David Popalisky. “The class is designed to cultivate each student’s sense of wonder,” explained Popalisky. “We’ll focus on sustainability, environmental justice and social activism, as we prepare to walk among California’s diverse populations and through its natural landscapes.”

 

 By the time the group hit Copperopolis they had completed 6 days of their journey. This days journey included bicycling highway 4 from Stockton.

 After a quick swim at Saddle Creek and a dinner, the students were able to relax to the soft sounds of Danny Burton on his acoustic guitar. 

 

The students from as far away as Seattle,Washington and Kaneohe, Hawaii and as close as Mountian View and Redwood City took part in the adventure. When asked why they took this course, the reasons were as varied as their majors: to complete core requirements, life experience, different perspective, unique opportunity, human spirit, exciting crazy idea, to get out and push me out of my comfort zone, to connect. The following are the variety of majors of the students: communications, biology, psychology, business, mechanical engineering, film, undeclared, electrical engineering.

When asked what day, so far, had been the most exciting or intriguing, it was hands down their day in Stockton. Preprogrammed by media and hype, the students thought they were entering a domain that would be similar to that of a modern day o-k corral, but were surprised to meet so many people working in their community to make it a better place. "I learned that how media portrays someone or someplace can be a form of labeling."

Diana, an alumni, hoped the students would view the trip not only as a "physical challenge but a thought provoking experience."

The students from various backgrounds seemed to come together as one, melding their backgrounds and becoming a comfortable unit enjoying the diversity of each day and looking forward to what lay around the bend.

 

The students proudly displaying their little man walking in the capital C sign.

 

Diana and Professor Popalisky 'feeling' the music as a student joins Danny on her violin.

 Our future. 

Reporters note:

It was a pleasure meeting these 'kids.' They approached everything as a learning experience yet were always looking for a way to apply it in a practical manner to life. Inquisitive and fun. I look forward to seeing these students contributions to society.