YES Charter Academy is a free public charter school for kindergarten through 8th grade education with a focus on applying the scientific method  through hands-on learning.

Our mission is to cultivate a nurturing educational environment that pairs rigorous scientific inquiry with the highest standards of both academic and moral conduct. We SPARRK students to be: Stewards of the environment, Positive team players, Academic masters, Responsible citizens, Resourceful, Kind.

A film created by Yuba Environmental Science Charter Academy staff and students will be featured at the Wild & Scenic Film Festival. Wonder Plant Woman vs the Invasive Plant Monster is an imaginative retelling of Yuba Environmental Science Charter Academy’s 3rd and 4th grade students’ study of native plants. In the course of their class project, developing a native plant trail around our 10-acre campus, they studied the plants of the Oak Woodland habitat, added native plants to the trail, encountered invasive blackberry, and started the removal process. They aspire to bring awareness and appreciation of native plants to their audience through education and humor. They issue a call to action to remove invasive plants and to preserve and plant native plants.

The film was written and produced by Louise Miller, YES Charter Academy principal, and filmed and directed by Radu Sava, YES Charter Academy photography/videography teacher. Actors in the film are current and former YES Charter Academy students. “It is an honor to have a film selected for the Wild & Scenic Film Festival. It’s the largest film festival of its kind,” said Radu Sava. “I’m so proud of our staff and students,” said Louise Miller. “Their hard work and relentless learning are being recognized. They are able to share their message of preserving the environment and appreciating nature.”

The Wild & Scenic Film Festival partners with schools to screen high quality films for Kindergarten through High School age students. The festival offers engaging, age-appropriate film sessions alongside extension curriculum packets for teachers wanting to integrate festival content into their lesson plans before and after the program. Wonder Plant Woman vs The Invasive Plant Monster will be screened at the Del Oro Theater in Grass Valley in the K-4 program on Jan 16-17, 2019. Over 2,000 schoolchildren will view the film making it a tool to educate the next generation of environmental stewards. All YES Charter Academy students will attend the festival on a field trip.