Girl Scout spearheads creation of T.O. school's dance studio
Thousand Oaks Girl Scout Lauren James' Gold Award project, a
conversion of the MATES Elementary School kitchen area into a
dance studio, was a yearlong achievement that will benefit the
school, as well as dance teacher Karen Kernan.  In her seven
years at the school, Kernan never had a designated space in
which to teach.  "I've taught outside, in the lunch area, in
between the book fair and science fair, I've been shuffled
everywhere," she said.  No more. With donations for goods and
services and a garage sale that James held, she set about to
fulfill the requirements for the project for the Gold Award —
the highest Girl Scout award possible. It had to be something
that would benefit the community and something with
sustainability. The studio will accomplish that.  The project
also had to incorporate a personal passion, which is why James
asked MATES music teacher Frank LaGuardia to be her mentor.  "I
met him in the first grade at Ladera Elementary