Be the Change - Ken Prentis, Butte County

Ken Prentiss has spent most of his adult life educating kids in meaningful ways. A Chico State graduate with a lifetime K-12 teaching credential, Prentiss has held various paid and volunteer positions at schools and youth groups in the Paradise area.
Prentiss has an alter ego: for eight years, he has entertained kids and grownups alike as Johnny Appleseed at the town of Paradise's Johnny Appleseed Days. An open, talkative man with ice-blue eyes and a silver beard, Prentiss began portraying Johnny Appleseed in costume while teaching a 3rd grade folklore unit. For those who don't know the history, "Johnny Appleseed" (John Chapman) is known for planting apple orchards in several states more than 200 years ago.

Moving from the Bay Area in the ‘70s to attend college, Prentiss has since worked at several schools in Paradise. He teaches industrial arts at Children's Community Charter School (CCCS), where he also oversees facility maintenance and greets students each morning. He involves his industrial arts class in a project called "Sink or Swim," where students design a boat out of cardboard and duct tape or PVC pipe and plastic to see which ones will float the longest in the DeSabla Reservoir-with students in them. "They work in teams and make a full-scale drawing of their boats," he explains. "It's a learning process that involves mathematics, teambuilding and creativity." His excitement about engaging students and the community in hands-on learning seems infectious.

Prentiss landed his first teaching job at Ponderosa Elementary, where he taught third grade for seven years. He describes his first classroom as "unique": he built a reading loft and stocked the room with whimsical items like beanbag chairs and an antique barber's chair. Kids earned reading time in the loft by completing other assignments. He asked students to write stories about their ideal field trips and then planned classroom trips based on those ideas. In the early 80s, a heart attack forced him to switch gears. He left teaching for awhile, became a self-employed carpenter, and met his wife.

Along with his sons, Prentiss got involved with Young Life, a faith-based interdenominational youth group, while building houses in Mexico. He was eventually offered a position at the Woodleaf Camp as a property superintendent, where he lived on location with his family until his kids were older. A few years later, he returned to Paradise and took a job at CCCS. In addition to his day job, he works as an adult supervisor for Wyldlife (the junior high version of Young Life), describing his position as "a neat way for me to connect with some of the kids here at the school." Many students also attend Wyldlife and befriend him on a more personal level. Former student Timothy Wyan enjoyed Prentiss as both a group leader and school staff member. "Our relationship grew during the three years I was in Wyldlife," Wyan says, "He took a big group of us to Wildhorse Camp in Oregon and we had a great time."

Prentiss' office walls are lined with photos and news clippings from his school projects, youth group trips, and additional hobbies-besides his Johnny Appleseed role he also plays a barber at the Gold Nugget museum. He is in the process of growing out his beard for this year's Johnny Appleseed days, which takes place October 3-4 at its new venue at Paradise Intermediate. Information about the event can be found at www.paradisechamber.com.

One of Prentiss' role models was his grandfather, who took Prentiss and his twin brother Keith on frequent camping trips when they were young. A love of the outdoors is something he shares with the character he plays: Johnny Appleseed was known for walking around barefoot and sleeping under the stars.

Like Appleseed, Prentiss seems to befriend everyone he meets. "I love sharing my life with kids," he says. "I help them see that it is ok to have fun and play." Prentiss seems to have a gift of teaching kids crucial school and life lessons while empowering them to play and create. What does he enjoy most about his work? "Hangin' out with kids," says Prentiss. "It's fun."

Writer Desiree Gonzalez lives in Chico with her family. She enjoys apple pie with melted cheddar.