By CYRIL REINICKE

Pacific Beach Elementary Principal Dr. Karon Schnitzer and her fourth and fifth-grade student leadership teams are busy planning a week of student activities to celebrate World Penguin Day on April 25. World Penguin Day aims to raise awareness about flightless birds to preserve their species so that future generations get to see these elegant and remarkable creatures.

This day coincides with the annual northern migration of Adélie penguins starting in late April each year. This celebration of penguins was created at McMurdo Station, an American research center on Ross Island, Antarctica. World Penguin Day is a way to commemorate the annual migration event and raise awareness about these birds. This day encourages people to learn more about penguins, the dangers they encounter, their environment, and their contribution to the environment.

Pacific Beach Elementary’s mascot, the penguin, is being honored and celebrated with a week-long series of school spirit activities April 21-25 culminating in a special visit from a SeaWorld animal care specialist with penguins. School spirit week activities include a coin collection drive to benefit World Wildlife Fund’s penguin adoption program, wearing colors of the sea (coinciding with Tuesday, April 22, Earth Day), Thursday’s “waddle out of bed” Pajama Day, and the SeaWorld assembly on Friday, April 25.

When asked what classmates and community members should understand after learning about penguins and celebrating World Penguin Day, fifth-grade student leadership team member Carly Bogy said, “Penguins matter and should be protected and not used for science experiments.”

Fifth-grade student leadership team member Claire Hawley said, “I want our students and community to know the unique features of penguins and to understand that penguins are cool.”