Pegasus School

Thousands of years ago, a powerful queen reigned over an ancient civilization. Her name was Hatshepsut, and her legacy and history continue to make ancient Egypt one of the most mysterious yet fascinating places on earth. On Monday, Hatshepsut came to life through Erin O'Neill, who dressed like the pharaoh and told students at the Pegasus School in Huntington Beach all about her life, accomplishments and tragedies. O'Neill was one of 25 Pegasus mothers and grandmothers who dressed like a woman from history, researched her and visited the school as that woman, just a day before International Women's Day. O'Neill, who has been fascinated by Egypt's history since visiting the country about 30 years ago, chose Hatshepsut because of the mystery surrounding her life and the arts and literature she gave to her civilization.

Seventh-graders at the Pegasus School in Huntington Beach ended the academic year with much more than lessons from textbooks. They gave less fortunate students in another country the gift of an education. The students spent the entire academic year working with a team of three other schools from around the country — Texas, Massachusetts and Hollywood — to raise funds and rebuild a school in Haiti, said Jim Conti, social studies teacher at Pegasus. Elie Dubois School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is one of many schools that were destroyed by last year's devastating earthquake.

The Huntington Beach private elementary Pegasus School celebrated 25 years in education this weekend, holding a family picnic. Roughly 300 guests came to the event to celebrate the growth of the school, according to organizers. The school gives bright and gifted students a place to grow, school officials said. Since its founding in 1983, the Pegasus school has grown from two classrooms and 40 students to 565 students, who learn on a 14-acre campus owned by the school, according to officials.

Students from the Pegasus School gave a presentation and showed a video to the Huntington Beach City Council on Monday about their plans to keep the beach clean. Students sifted through the trash they collected from the beach to determine its source and type. The seventh- and eighth-graders, who were invited to attend the 2011 Algalita's Plastics Are Forever International Youth Summit in March, asked the city for help to save the beaches by supporting their efforts to ban Styrofoam and single use of plastic bags.

Whether you're a fashion maven or just a supporter of education, Golden West College will offer a dazzling high-class event just up your runway on Saturday. The college's 10th annual Patrons Fashion Show and Fund-raiser will offer a showing of the latest styles and help raise scholarship money for students. Clothing, on loan from various boutiques in Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Huntington Harbour, Seal Beach and Westminster, will be on display, said Marie McHerrin, college spokeswoman.

Students win for their editorial views Huntington Beach High School juniors wrote "letters to the editor" about how drugs and alcohol have impacted family members and friends. Three students from Patricia Lane's English class were declared winners in the contest sponsored by Community Services Programs -- Project PATH in April. Winners David Dunlap, Agustin Garcia and Dustin Kelter received certificates of recognition, tickets to a theme park and movie tickets.

The Huntington Beach Independent went to The Pegasus School to ask third--graders, 'What do you want to do when you're older?' "I have five things I want to do when I am older -- volleyball, soccer, softball and I want to be a cheerleader." ERIN VOGEL, 8 "I want to be a teacher because it's fun." MARISA EPSTEIN, 8 "I want to be a fighter pilot because I really like flying. My dad flies." BRANDON WOOD, 9 "I want to be some type of doctor, a radiologist because they make a lot of money and I like doing x-rays."

The Huntington Beach Independent went to the Pegasus School and asked a junior high art class, 'What is your favorite kind of art project?' "Probably the paste papers because you get to create your own style and be yourself." LINDSEY KISH, 12 Costa Mesa "I love sketching and I really enjoy anime. I just like to have a lot of freedom in art." SARA WHITE, 12 Los Alamitos "I like this the most ... the print making ... I like dealing with wood."

The Independent went to the Pegasus School in Huntington Beach to ask the eighth-grade graduating class, 'What is the most important lesson you learned in school?' "Probably math stuff because the teachers have taught us a lot of what we will need to know in high school." MICHELLE DRAKE, 14 Huntington Beach "Hard work and character make a difference." STUART PALLEY, 14 Newport Beach "How to write a decent paper and also how to retain the information that you are taught for tests, and not just how to take them."

HAPPENINGS Grom school The official Huntington Beach Surf Academy teaches the art of surfing and water safety to future surfers of all ages. B1 ALSO: Mr. Irrelevant pays a visit to the Pegasus School camp. B1 Mary Furr samples the food at Park Bench Cafe. B4 CITYSCAPE Quake ready Surf City was rocked by a pretend earthquake Saturday when Central Park was transformed into an emergency training center. A4 ALSO: Editor's Notebook has moved this week.

A lawsuit has been filed against the Pegasus School in Huntington Beach by an HIV-positive teacher who claims he was harassed and then forced to quit under threat. Science teacher and Irvine resident Matthew Edmondson is accusing the head of the school and its middle school director of discriminating against him, creating a hostile work environment and verbally abusing him, among other work-related violations. He is demanding a jury trial. Edmondson's allegations were denied by Head of School John Zurn, who said Pegasus will defend itself.

Katelyn Baker, 12, has to check her blood sugar about 12 times a day to make sure her body is stable. The Pegasus School seventh-grader, who has had Type 1 diabetes since she was 3, has been selected to serve as a youth ambassador for the Orange County chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International. She and classmate Josh Morrison, 13, who is in his second year as a youth ambassador, will serve as the faces of Type 1 diabetes, bring awareness and help dispel misconceptions about the disease.

Seventh-graders at the Pegasus School in Huntington Beach ended the academic year with much more than lessons from textbooks. They gave less fortunate students in another country the gift of an education. The students spent the entire academic year working with a team of three other schools from around the country — Texas, Massachusetts and Hollywood — to raise funds and rebuild a school in Haiti, said Jim Conti, social studies teacher at Pegasus. Elie Dubois School in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, is one of many schools that were destroyed by last year's devastating earthquake.

Students from the Pegasus School gave a presentation and showed a video to the Huntington Beach City Council on Monday about their plans to keep the beach clean. Students sifted through the trash they collected from the beach to determine its source and type. The seventh- and eighth-graders, who were invited to attend the 2011 Algalita's Plastics Are Forever International Youth Summit in March, asked the city for help to save the beaches by supporting their efforts to ban Styrofoam and single use of plastic bags.

Thousands of years ago, a powerful queen reigned over an ancient civilization. Her name was Hatshepsut, and her legacy and history continue to make ancient Egypt one of the most mysterious yet fascinating places on earth. On Monday, Hatshepsut came to life through Erin O'Neill, who dressed like the pharaoh and told students at the Pegasus School in Huntington Beach all about her life, accomplishments and tragedies. O'Neill was one of 25 Pegasus mothers and grandmothers who dressed like a woman from history, researched her and visited the school as that woman, just a day before International Women's Day. O'Neill, who has been fascinated by Egypt's history since visiting the country about 30 years ago, chose Hatshepsut because of the mystery surrounding her life and the arts and literature she gave to her civilization.

The Independent mostly covers Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley news, but sometimes national stories trickle down to us as well. Here’s how the Independent localized some of the biggest American events of the past 10 years: SEPT. 11 ATTACKS The images, the death, the destruction, the evil are almost too horrific to comprehend. Landmark skyscrapers that once graced the New York City horizon toppled and demolished by an unthinkable terrorist act. The nation’s military headquarters attacked in similar fashion.

Pegasus School students are working hard to brush up on their Shakespeare, by memorizing monologues, watching live performances and even playing Elizabethan games as part of a week honoring the Bard’s birthday today. The private school’s third-grade Shakespeare Club performed scenes from “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on Friday, and members of the L.A. Troupe performed “Julius Caesar” for the school’s fifth- through eighth-graders Monday.

Pegasus School students celebrated International Earth Day with an Entrepreneur World Market, in which students in the third through fifth grades sold products and services to each other to raise money for charity. The school?s long-running annual market normally benefits just one organization, but this year, the school decided to donate some of the proceeds to Heifer International and some to the American Cancer Society. The latter beneficiary was announced in memory of the school?

Pegasus School founder Laura Hathaway, who 25 years ago turned her vision of a school that challenged even the brightest students into a reality, died at her home Sunday. She was 67. Hathaway also served as the head of the school for its entire tenure up until the time of her death, even as she fought a long battle with cancer. “That school was her entire life pretty much. She was completely dedicated. Every student and parent knew who she was,” said former student Lisa Wiley, who graduated in 1996 and now practices law in Fullerton.

The Huntington Beach private elementary Pegasus School celebrated 25 years in education this weekend, holding a family picnic. Roughly 300 guests came to the event to celebrate the growth of the school, according to organizers. The school gives bright and gifted students a place to grow, school officials said. Since its founding in 1983, the Pegasus school has grown from two classrooms and 40 students to 565 students, who learn on a 14-acre campus owned by the school, according to officials.