“These were, after all, young veterans of an eight-week project in which, twice each week, they read reports from a number of “correspondents” on topics ranging from excavating a pyramid, to Anwar’s stories how people in El Kurru thought about and engaged with the pyramids, to the 1965 displacement of Nubians with the construction of the Aswan dam, to the creative work of cultural activists like Arbaab, Nabra and Mona, dedicated to preserving Nubian culture.”

Reflecting on El-Kurru and Nubia Odyssey, University of Michigan Humanities Collaboratory

"When children leave here, they know exactly who they are, how they learn and their place in the world," says Ilise Faye, head of the school with a front entrance marked by an iconic red schoolhouse facade overlooking Highland Avenue. And although there have been plenty of star offspring — such as Johnny Depp's daughter, Lily-Rose Depp, and her friend Harley, daughter of filmmaker Kevin Smith — the school of 307 students that opened in 1945 also offers financial aid to a large percentage of neighborhood children. The school's proximity to studios and filming locations makes it popular with busy actors and executives.

“It was a great experience for the students because they got to see an organization with a very visible operation,” Sonego said. “They toured the kitchen, saw how meals are produced and also talked with people passionately committed to the organization to figure out what they needed to do to move forward.”

Kids in grades 4-6 can expand their STEAM knowledge this summer with a series of camps designed to build practical skills for the future. Santa Monica-based Digital Dragon is heading east this summer and bringing its technology programs to the Hollywood Schoolhouse campus for the first time. Digital Dragon owner Laurie Kantor Finn says, “Most kids know how to consume digital media. We like to flip that around and teach them how to create video games, apps, and digital art in an engaging, hands-on atmosphere.”