ORLANDO, FL–Early today the media, Disney Cast Members, Imagineers and their families braved Florida’s famed heat and humidity to witness the official dedication of Toy Story Land, the 11-acre addition to Disney’s Hollywood Studios which opens for the general public Saturday morning (we shared our first impressions yesterday). The event kicked off with Green Army Men securing the stage and rappelling down to pull back the curtain on the main stage. We also covered the dedication and lunch events live via our companion Bulletin story.
Disney Chairman of Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products, Bob Chapek, led the ceremony with Tim Allen (the voice of Buzz Lightyear) joining as the surprise celebrity guest. Bob and Tim were supported by Buzz, Woody and Jessie to “power up” the park – which required the help of an emergency supply of batteries rushed in by the always prepared Green Army Men. A perfectly timed arrival of the Slinky Dog Dash coaster punctuated a hot, sticky and very fun event.
After the dedication the event moved inside (fortuitously as a torrential downpour was soon to arrive), where a parade of Disney execs and Imagineers provided an update (but no major announcements other than a new Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy show coming to Disney’s Hollywood Studios early next year) about all the development projects currently underway at Walt Disney parks domestically and abroad.
We captured photos and video from the events – enjoy!
Toy Story Land Dedication Ceremony Featuring Tim Allen
ORLANDO, FL–If you’ve ever watched the Toy Stories movies and wished you could come to life with Andy’s awesome collection of lovable toys, Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Walt Disney World) is your chance to become an “honorary toy”, shrunk down to toy-sized dimensions. Make sure to check out our #BulletinFromGoogle channel too where we’ll be posting Bulletin stories live from Toy Story Land.
Slinky Dog Dash is integral to the design of Toy Story Land
Disney Parks experiences have always demonstrated attention to detail and Toy Story Land builds on that tradition with immersive detail everywhere you look, from the massive Andy footprints in the concrete to the creative ways benches are built, with massive popsicle sticks and dominoes, or in the Woody’s Lunch Box quick serve restaurant wheels of Babybel cheese. Toy Story Land makes the immersive detail an attraction in itself (immersion that Pandora – the World of Avatar takes to a new level).
Green Army Men (with their distinctive feet) march through Toy Story Land
Inevitably though the attention (and long lines) always swing to the newest attractions – and in Toy Story Land there are two new attractions (plus an expanded Toy Story Mania! ride system and queue). Here are our first impressions of all three:
OneDublin.org: What role do immigrants play in your home, the 15th Congressional District?
Congressman Eric Swalwell: “Our strength as a community and an economy in the Bay Area is built on diversity. We are inclusive and welcoming to people from all corners of our globe, and together we thrive. If you have any policy, be it a travel ban that discriminates based on religion, or to cruelly separate mothers and their babies at our southern border, it extinguishes the importance of diversity. It’s not only that we value diversity as part of our culture, but also that diversity contributes to economic growth. You can look at the companies in the Fortune 500 that were founded by dreamers or immigrants to see it’s not just an anecdote but backed by data.” (reference)
Congressman Swalwell (far right) with constituents in his Castro Valley Office
OneDublin.org: Looking back at your experience before your role as a Congressman, as an Alameda County prosecutor, what are your thoughts on the concerns, perceived and/or real, of illegal immigrants? Read more…
Life at Stanford University: Dublin High School’s Jianna So Combines Product Design with Social Impact
DUBLIN, CA–Dublin High School Class of 2017 graduate Jianna So is a rising sophomore at Stanford University and our latest Life in College Series profile. While she had initially aspired to become a lawyer and planned to pursue Political Science and Economics as a pre-law program, Jianna is now leaning towards a major in Product Design. “The Product Design major at Stanford is a combination of mechanical engineering, art practice, and psychology,” Jianna says. “This radical shift in my potential field of study entailed countless conversations with professors and a few teary phone calls home.”
Despite this shift in her major, Jianna is still deeply committed to upholding justice and doing good on campus. At Stanford, she serves on the 20th Undergraduate Senate, and is also involved with the Stanford Coalition for Planning an Equitable 2035 (SCoPE 2035) and the Pilipino-American Student Union (PASU).
I recently connected with Jianna to learn more about her experiences at Stanford so far and some of her fondest memories from Dublin High School.
Neha Harpanhalli: Given your strong academic record and long list of accomplishments while in high school, you must have had several options to choose from when it was time to select a college. How did you know Stanford was the right choice for you?
Read more…
The proverb “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”, according to Wikipedia, has been around since 1659. Since then scientists have built a body of research that play is not only antidote for “dull” but also a key ingredient of creativity.
In May 2017, The National Association for the Education of Young Children noted, “Monkeys play. Dogs play. Rats play. Even octopuses play. And without any instruction, children of all races and genders, in all cultures of the world, invent and reinvent play in every generation. … A growing body of behavioral research establishes relationships between children’s play and development in several areas, including language (Toub et al. 2016), executive functions (Tominey & McClelland 2011), mathematics and spatial skills (Fisher et al. 2013), scientific thinking (Schulz & Bonawitz 2007), and social and emotional development (Dore, Smith, & Lillard 2015).” (source)
“Mythbusters taught me to love science because I was having so much fun playing. That is why I thinks toys are the best way to inspire STEM. We can tap into what kids already do naturally.” – Kari Byron, Chief Creative Officer – SmartGurlz
With school out for the summer and the increasing focus on STEM there is a growing market for playing with STEM-centric toys; here are a few options to consider when shopping for summer distractions (note: these are all cool products that the I’ve personally experienced via my family / extended family):
DUBLIN, CA–The Dublin Unified School District moved a step closer to a second comprehensive high school location at last night’s Board of Trustees meeting with the selection of the Promenade location on the east side of Dublin. The 23.4 acre Promenade site, one of eleven sites reviewed by the Community Review Committee, was originally intended to be a retail center tucked inside residential units but was never developed and has been a vacant lot for almost 20 years.
The Dublin Unified School District Board of Trustees voted 4-1 in favor of the Promenade location at last night’s board meeting with Board President Amy Miller along with Trustees Dan Cunningham, Joe Giannini, Megan Rouse voting in favor and Board Vice President Dan Cherrier opposing.
“The selection of the Promenade site moves us one critical step closer to the goal of having a second comprehensive high school in Dublin,” said Dr. Leslie Boozer, Superintendent, Dublin Unified School Districts. “With a specific site in mind, we can focus on acquiring the land and working with an architect to design a new campus. The Promenade site is geared towards an innovative urban high school design and will be unique among DUSD sites. From the ground up, Dublin has the opportunity to build a 21st century high school that will provide its students with incredible opportunities on academic, artistic and athletic levels. This is very exciting.”
According to a presentation by architectural consulting firm Lionakis, which analyzed converting Fallon Middle School into a high school and developing the Promenade location, both locations would support a school with up to 2,500 students, with the Promenade location providing more capacity for parking and two access roads (vs. only one at the Fallon location). Lionakis estimates a 49-month build schedule (assuming an initial phase supporting 1,000 students), including site acquisition / entitlements, design, DSA / bid and construction. Based on that estimate the earliest opening data would be the 2022-23 school year.
Dublin Second Comprehensive High School Conceptual Site Plan (Promenade location)
As per the agenda item,
DUBLIN, CA–Rep. Eric Swalwell (CA-15) hosted a reception Saturday in Dublin to honor six students from the 15th Congressional District whom he has nominated to the United States Service Academies. Earning a nomination to one of the prestigious U.S. military academies requires a combination of academic, athletic and public service achievements. With acceptance rates in the low teens only the best of the best have the opportunity to attend one of these all expenses paid institutions.
Congressman Eric Swalwell and Dublin High School Class of ’18 Alum Isabella Adamos
“This diverse group of young men and women represents the best of California’s 15th Congressional District: They are leaders in their schools and communities who are eager to apply their amazing talents and skills to the service of our nation,” Rep. Swalwell said after the reception. “Just as these students have earned reputations for their determination and success, the United States Service Academies have earned reputations for building character and academic excellence. I know Bianca, Amir, Rohit, Victor, Isabella and Matthew will give this challenge their all, and be great assets to our armed services.”
Isabella Adamos, 17, of Dublin – graduating from Dublin High School in Dublin – will attend the United States Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs, Colo. Isabella has earned a varsity letter for soccer in all four years of high school; she also has earned a first-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Isabella has volunteered for more than 75 community service hours with the Catholic Community of Pleasanton. Through this organization, she served as Vacation Bible School Leader, Mass Greeter and Usher, and assisted with the Eucharistic preparation courses and church decoration. Isabella comes from a family of servicemen and women, and she looks forward to carrying on her family’s tradition.
TEDx EmeraldGlenPark Talks Now Available on YouTube
DUBLIN, CA–Dublin California’s first TEDx event was held just over a month ago for a sold out audience of residents and TEDx fans at the Shannon Community Center. Videos of each talk are now available to enjoy and share (video credit: Jenny Miller):
- “Karl Wente, fifth generation winemaker, will explore the intersection of old and new, technology and culture, past and present, tradition and innovation, mind and body, science and art, family and self, and business and society.” (read more….)
- “Eugene Chou will will discuss her journey to becoming a better teacher, one who is inspired to get up every morning to solve hard problems and build challenging devices that have not been built before.” (read more…)
- “Children’s author and illustrator Elisa Kleven will explore the power of magic for all – children and adults.” (read more…)
- “Ken Wolter, oncology chaplain, will focus on the importance of effective communication in critical or crisis situations.” (read more…)
- “Suzanne Henricksen, entrepreneur, will explore the power of true passion and what she calls ‘happy in my soul’ moments.” (read more…)
Dublin High School InvenTeam Seeking Community Support to Fund SpORT (Special Olympics Robotic Thrower)
DUBLIN, CA–The school year is over but the journey continues for the Dublin High School InvenTeam. Late last year a group of Dublin High School students, led by Engineering Teacher Eugene Chou, successfully pitched their SpORT (Special Olympics Robotic Thrower) machine for an Lemelson-MIT Grant.
The team is seeking additional funding to fulfill their ultimate goal of traveling to MIT this summer to demonstrate their Phase 5 SpORT prototype. Money raised via the GoFundMe campaign will go towards bringing the SpORT machine to hundreds of handicapped students all across the Tri-Valley and enable them to participate in modified basketball and soccer.
T
eacher Eugene Chou: “Our Dublin High School engineering students have been working hard this year to develop a comprehensive prototype for a machine that will help students participate in basketball and soccer events at the Special Olympics. We were awarded a grant through Lemelson MIT this fall to fund our invention process and now we are trying to raise additional money through GoFundMe to help finish our prototype casing and machined parts. We are traveling to MIT later this month to present our phase 5 prototype to MIT, so you can help us by donating and spreading the word about our need.”
What is SpORT? As described by some of the students who created the machine (source): Read more…
DUBLIN, CA–Reminiscent of last year, Dublin’s weather has been unable to decide if it is the tail end of winter or the beginning of summer. Despite chilly, breezy weather, Dublin High School’s Class of 2018 were able to enjoy the 48th DHS commencement ceremony in a brisk 90-minutes. This year’s ceremony used words of Malala Yousafzai for inspiration, “When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.” Principal Maureen Byrne and Superintendent Dr. Leslie Boozer joined with students and teachers to share messages of hope and activism.
As was the case last year, Dublin High seniors were able to graduate at home, in Gaels Stadium. The growth in enrollment at DHS brings increased energy and excitement for each graduating class, with stands packed (on both sides this year) with grandparents, parents, siblings and friends. Each name read brings a burst of cheers from across the stadium building to the moment every student waits for – the turning of the tassels and flinging of mortar boards into a cloudless sky.
OneDublin.org 