San Bernardino Valley College came alive with flips and fast tumbles of the Zuzu African Acrobats, offering an exciting off-campus getaway for 253 first through sixth graders of Urbita Elementary School. Students flocked to discover Kenyan culture, and learn more of higher education in the process.

Urbita Sixth grade teacher Jennifer Guerrero, said the field trip was a big hit with her students, who were eager to see the acrobats. They were also in awe of the campus architecture. She said the exposure to college life at such a young age strikes up meaningful conversations about their options for the future.

“They made many connections to classroom content, as we're currently studying other cultures in our class. My students were recently exposed to Chinese acrobats in their studies and were able to compare and contrast visual and performing arts across the nations as a result of their participation in the field trip,” she said.

The performance was part of numerous Black History Month events presented by the SBVC Arts, Lectures & Diversity Committee in conjunction with the Black Faculty, Staff & Administrator’s Association on campus. The series of events commemorating African American achievements aimed to entertain, educate, and inspire members of our campus and community.

Sarah B. McCain, principal at Urbita Elementary School, said their partnership with SBVC has helped bring the experience home for the students.

“We have been able to extend student learning beyond the boundaries of our classroom walls. It has been an enriching experience and has allowed us to promote an attainable goal of attending and succeeding in college,” she said.