BOOK PUBLISHED ON VALLEY HISTORY.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry  Staff Writer

VALENCIA - Turning a history project into a real life lesson, two teachers from Sierra Vista Junior High School and eight of their students have published a pictorial book outlining the history of the Santa Clarita Valley.

The book titled ``Santa Clarita Valley, A Pictorial History 1876-1926'' is a compilation of original photographs of the Santa Clarita Valley depicting the growth and change of the area.

``They've been able to capture the old history of Santa Clarita,'' said Frank Wright, a history teacher who worked with another teacher and last year's eighth-graders. ``This is a project that incorporates the use of real life skills in the classrooms.''

The idea for the book came about when English teacher Phillip Scorza, who is active with the Santa Clarita Historical Society, found a box of old photographs and decided they should be made public.

``They were being hidden in boxes collecting dust,'' Wright said. ``We got permission to use them and pick out the ones that led to the book.''

``It's never been done before,'' Wright added. ``We'd figured we'd have the kids write it.''

The book will be available at the historical society's Heritage Junction in Newhall and in stores including Barnes and Noble, where the kids and teachers will be available for a book-signing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

``It's nice to be noticed once in a while for doing school work,'' said Kent Burgdorfer, 14, of Saugus. ``It was pretty fun.''

Beside writing the book, the kids got to tour some of the places they wrote about and see firsthand the changes that had taken place.

``It's really weird to see how everything has changed,'' Burgdorfer said. ``It's all really crummy now. I wish it was the way it was back then.''

Melissa Deckers, 14, now a Hart High School freshman, said writing the book was interesting.

``I learned a lot of stuff about my county and town that I didn't know about,'' Deckers said. ``I love writing about it.''

Wright said the book is becoming a hot seller. ``I can't believe how well it turned out,'' he said. ``It's lighting people's eyes up.''

Many local schools are looking to purchase their books for library collections and history classes, Wright said.

With their success, Wright and Scorza are looking to continue the project with this year's eighth-graders. The next book will focus on Santa Clarita Valley from 1926 to 1976.

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Sierra Vista Junior High students and teachers participated in the Santa Clarita Valley pictorial history project.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer