Standing at the tile wall at McGaugh Elementary School, the Crivello siblings looked at each design, pointing out the names of friends and neighbors from their time at the Seal Beach campus.
“Looking at the tile wall brings back so many great memories of being at McGaugh,” said Sandra Crivello. Her children will have spent a total of 12 years at McGaugh when her son Mariano graduates from fifth-grade in the spring.
“These tiles will forever be there and when the kids are older and visit the school with their families they can think about their fun times here. It is a permanent memory,” she said.
McGaugh Carnival organizers are inviting the community to “make their mark” as the tile wall program returns to the annual carnival, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27.
Tamara Crivello, now a junior at Mater Dei High School; Sophia Crivello, an eighth-grader at McAuliffe Middle School, and brother Mariano created their tiles in 2006. After McGaugh finished its modernization project, dad Mario Crivello and owner of Amore Design, installed the tiles outside the Media Center.
Mariano said he will probably make another tile to celebrate the Class of 2013. He was only in preschool when he made the tile currently on the wall. He thinks all students should create a tile—and a memory.
“It’s fun to draw and then when it’s done you can have a place on the wall to remember your time here,” he said.
Tiles will be available for $20 each (presale) and will be installed in the main breezeway on campus. Tiles can also be purchased at the Carnival for $25 each.
Those unable to make the McGaugh Carnival to paint their tile can do so at Hidden Talents Ceramic shop in Huntington Beach before November 30. Proceeds will benefit Project SEEK, which provides enrichment funding for McGaugh students. Anyone may purchase and paint a tile for the wall.
Gabriella Vermeulen, now a sixth-grader at McAuliffe, approached her tile on the wall earlier this week and couldn’t believe her small handprint from kindergarten. Her mother Dawn Caviola said it was hard to get her to slow down from the exciting carnival activities to make the tile, but she’s glad she did.
“I think kids at McGaugh should make a tile and then come back and remember the good times,” Gabriella said, matching her sixth-grade hand to its kindergarten print on the tile wall. “It’s also fun to see friends and teachers on the wall. I had a good time here. I might have to make another handprint this year.”
In addition to the tile wall painting, the McGaugh Carnival will have more than 30 classroom booths, including Skee-Ball, “Panning for Gold,” as well as the Giant Slide, Goldfish Gallery, and McGaugh’s Obstacle Course run by the staff at Total Sport Camp.
The McGaugh Carnival will also include a silent auction from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27. The auction will be held in the McGaugh Gym on both days. More than 550 items are up for bid.
Auction shoppers can also choose the “buy-it-now” option, which allows the bidder to bypass the auction process and purchase their items in one easy step.
Students and the community are invited to attend all carnival activities, including the silent auction and tile wall painting.
Sandra Crivello said her time at McGaugh was her favorite school year.
“We’ve been really lucky to be part of McGaugh because of the community feel,” she said. “This is where we connect with people and grow up with them. It is a special part of Seal Beach.”
