Just another school day for children of circus performers
Written bySherry BarkasThe Desert Sun
Jan. 28, 2011
Children of Circus Vargas employees pose for a photo by their mobile classroom on Thursday behind the Westfield mall in Palm Desert. The seven students in this class are between the ages of 8 and 16. Class is taught by Jessica Chickos, who travels with the circus. / Richard Lui The Desert Sun
Growing up around clowns, living in an RV for 11 months of the year and going to school in a teeny makeshift classroom may not sound glamorous, but to 13 children whose parents perform in Circus Vargas it's a great lifestyle.
The circus set up its big blue tent Wednesday at Westfield Palm Desert, with shows tonight through Feb. 7.“I enjoy this lifestyle,” said Mariella Quiroga, 13, the daughter of Circus Vargas owners and trapeze artists Katya Quiroga and Nelson Tabares. “We get to go to different places.”Born in the circus, Mariella wants to follow in her parents' footsteps, but at her mother's urging knows first she must get her education.Katya Quiroga, who has spent 20 of her 40 years with the circus, said education is the priority for her three children. She wants them to go to college and spend a couple of years away from the circus to see what else is out there and then decide if they want to make the circus their life.Circus Vargas kids attend school in a classroom about the size of a small bathroom in the back end of a semi-trailer. At 10 a.m. Thursday, kids had their books open, were pinning maps to the walls and setting up the classroom.With barely enough room to turn around, the kids don't seem to mind the cramped schoolroom decorated with a photo of Justin Bieber. They share metal tables and benches set up on each side of the semi.School starts at 9 a.m. for kids in fourth grade up, and after lunch for the first- through third-graders. The older kids stay until 3 p.m. and the younger ones until 4 p.m.read more at:http://www.mydesert.com/article/20110128/NEWS01/101280309/1006/news01/Just-another-school-day-children-circus-performers
Growing up around clowns, living in an RV for 11 months of the year and going to school in a teeny makeshift classroom may not sound glamorous, but to 13 children whose parents perform in Circus Vargas it's a great lifestyle.
The circus set up its big blue tent Wednesday at Westfield Palm Desert, with shows tonight through Feb. 7.“I enjoy this lifestyle,” said Mariella Quiroga, 13, the daughter of Circus Vargas owners and trapeze artists Katya Quiroga and Nelson Tabares. “We get to go to different places.”Born in the circus, Mariella wants to follow in her parents' footsteps, but at her mother's urging knows first she must get her education.Katya Quiroga, who has spent 20 of her 40 years with the circus, said education is the priority for her three children. She wants them to go to college and spend a couple of years away from the circus to see what else is out there and then decide if they want to make the circus their life.Circus Vargas kids attend school in a classroom about the size of a small bathroom in the back end of a semi-trailer. At 10 a.m. Thursday, kids had their books open, were pinning maps to the walls and setting up the classroom.With barely enough room to turn around, the kids don't seem to mind the cramped schoolroom decorated with a photo of Justin Bieber. They share metal tables and benches set up on each side of the semi.School starts at 9 a.m. for kids in fourth grade up, and after lunch for the first- through third-graders. The older kids stay until 3 p.m. and the younger ones until 4 p.m.read more at:http://www.mydesert.com/article/20110128/NEWS01/101280309/1006/news01/Just-another-school-day-children-circus-performers
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