One dinosaur looking for good home

Bartlett Elementary School in Henderson is looking for a home for Carmella.

The 44-foot-long, 14-foot-wide tyrannosaurus rex skeletal model made of clay, paint and fiber was created by more than 200 students at the school this spring.

Art teacher Andy Strano came up with the idea to make the model and "use dinosaurs as a learning tool."

"The students really liked dinosaurs," said Strano, who approached Bartlett Principal Annie Amoia with the idea at the end of 2006.

Strano based the project on Sue, the largest T-Rex on display in Chicago. "That's where I took a lot of the information for Carmella," he said.

Carmella, named after Strano's 90-year-old grandmother, was a learning project for the whole school that involved the pupils, their families and the other departments at the school.

"Fourth-graders did the tracing, and the fifth-graders did the clay," said Strano.

Amoia said Carmella was a "collaboration with art teachers, the librarian and humanities department."

The physical education department also took part in the school's dinosaur fever by naming teams after dinosaurs. And, at the school's "Dino Night" event, children and their families painted bones for Carmella, and viewed an IMAXfilm on dinosaurs.

Fifth-graders Brodie Allison, Taylor Lora, Cort Johnson and Ted Martin all enjoyed working on Carmella.

"I really thought the best part of it was making the clay parts and carving," said Brodie.

"I liked doing the clay and casting," added Ted.

Taylor and Cort were surprised by Carmella's size.

"I thought it was really cool and didn't expect it to be that big," Taylor said.

"My reaction was 'Wow,' it really looked that good," said Cort.

Now that Carmella is complete, all 258 pieces of her are in boxes while the school works to find a home for her.

Amoia and Strano considered the school and its playground as a location for Carmella but were concerned whether the materials could withstand the desert heat.

Amoia is optimistic there is a facility that would like to display Carmella.

Regardless of where Carmella's new home will be, the effort to create her is one the school is proud of.

"I'm extremely proud of the kids that we got it done," said Strano.

Amoia added it is "an honor" to have Strano on Bartlett's staff.

"He really wants to involve the community and students," she said. "He encourages people to join in."

Although Strano said he has no idea what his next project will be, Bartlett's fourth-graders have already thought of what they would like to do next.

"Create a robot," said Amoia.

In other youth news:

* A piano and violin recital of classical music by the Youth Camerata will be presented at 7 p.m. today at Winchester Cultural Center, 3130 S. McLeod Drive. Tickets are $7-$10. For more information, call 455-7340.

* Bishop Gorman High School will present its spring music concert at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road. Tickets are $10 and available at the school, 1801 S. Maryland Parkway, or by calling 732-1945, Ext. 367.

If you know of a worthy candidate for this column, mail information to Youth Spotlight, Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125-0070, or send faxes to 383-4676.