Three school notes from soon-to-be-co-located Sealth and Denny:

BACKPACK DRIVE: The Chief Sealth International HIgh School PTSA is seeking donations to help them buy 40 backpacks for students who need them. They’re matching donations and ask you to chip in by going here.

WORLD WATER WEEK, TWO DAYS TO GO: After Monday’s big event (WSB coverage here), the World Water Week “local ideas festival” has continued with activities for students and staff at Sealth. Social-studies teacher Noah Zeichner, whose Aspen Ideas Festival trip with student Molly Freed led to WWW’s creation, shares photos and updates:

Students sold WWW T-shirts and water bottles again during last night’s Futures Night at Sealth. Today, storyteller/water activist Peter Donaldson spoke to an all-school assembly:

Tomorrow, Sealth students learn about world water scarcity and how it relates to their lives; Friday is the Walk for Water.

DENNY STUDENTS AND ALVIN AILEY DANCE THEATER: When you hear “Alvin Ailey,” you likely think “modern dance” – but this unique program that Denny International Middle School students are enjoying this week has to do with a lot more than movement:

At Southwest Community Center, about 60 Denny students are participating in a workshop this week with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater reps, specifically exploring Ailey’s “Revelations” (in honor of its 50th anniversary). And it’s not just about movement, we’re told – in fact, the students were seated for a lesson when we were allowed in for photos. They are using “Revelations” as an “inspirational framework for an in-depth study of language arts, social studies and dance.” The Ailey troupe members are in town to perform this Friday-Sunday at the 5th Avenue Theater downtown.