STUDENTS GET CLOSE DURING POWER OUTAGE TO KEEP LEARNING ON TRACK

ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER | BY HEATHER MCREA

First graders Astrid Cortez, left and Arturo Uriostegui from La Purisima Catholic School go over a religious lesson in the library at St. Barbara Catholic School in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. St. Barbara is sharing its campus because SoCal Edison shut off the power in the area around La Purisima to reduce the risk of wildfires. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Power outages planned to reduce fire risks as the Santa Ana Winds have barreled through the region recently have left thousands without power for hours.

But they also brought two schools together … really closely together.

With another outage planned for Monday, St. Barbara Catholic School in Santa Ana invited more than 120 students from La Purisima Catholic School in Orange to squeeze in so their in-person learning could continue.

The visiting students used spaces like the library and the gym and even mingled with their hosts in combined classes.

Both schools are part of the Pax Christi Academies, a new network of five Catholic schools in north Orange County the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange formed last year.

Music teacher Bryan Aldape holds a combined music class for 4th and 5th graders from La Purisima Catholic School and St. Barbara Catholic School in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. St. Barbara is sharing its campus because SoCal Edison shut off the power in the area around La Purisima to reduce the risk of wildfires. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Third graders Kevin Warfel, left, and Zoey Dang from La Purisima Catholic School work in a resource room at St. Barbara Catholic School in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. St. Barbara is sharing its campus because SoCal Edison shut off the power in the area around La Purisima to reduce the risk of wildfires. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A combined music class for 4th and 5th graders from La Purisima Catholic School and St. Barbara Catholic School in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. St. Barbara is sharing its campus because SoCal Edison shut off the power in the area around La Purisima to reduce the risk of wildfires. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Sixth grade English students from La Purisima Catholic School attend class in the gym at St. Barbara Catholic School in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. St. Barbara is sharing its campus because SoCal Edison shut off the power in the area around La Purisima to reduce the risk of wildfires. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Sixth graders from La Purisima Catholic School attend class in the gym at St. Barbara Catholic School in Santa Ana, CA, on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. St. Barbara is sharing its campus because SoCal Edison shut off the power in the area around La Purisima to reduce the risk of wildfires. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)