November 2, 2007

School Scene

Students asked the meaning of a healthy community

An essay contest for Santa Clara County students in grades six through 12 is being sponsored this fall by The Health Trust as part of its efforts to engage the community in its vision of making Silicon Valley the healthiest region in America.

Two winners, one each in grades six through eight and nine through 12, will receive a $500 U.S. Savings Bond and an Active Life Fun Pack containing an iPod Nano, Nike iPod Sports Kit, iPod Nano sports arm band and Road I.D. Runners-up from each grade category will receive a $250 U.S. Savings Bond and the Active Life Fun Pack.

Essay writers are asked to describe, in 500 words or less, what it means to be a healthy community, what a healthy community looks like and how they, as young people, can improve the health of the community. Deadline for entries is Dec. 7.

The staff of The Health Trust will select 10 finalists in each grade category for final judging by a panel of community leaders.

The essay contest is one of several activities presented by The Health Trust this fall to call attention to the idea of making Silicon Valley the healthiest region in America. The Health Trust is also presenting sponsor of BODY WORLDS 2 & The Three Pound Gem exhibition now open at The Tech Museum of Innovation where it is encouraging exhibit visitors to use the experience to learn more about their bodies and to take better care of them.

In early October, The Health Trust announced it was making available, free to every adult in Silicon Valley, an online personal health risk assessment that provides private and confidential recommendations for leading a healthier life and online resources to help.

"We hope that this essay contest will prompt more young people to think about their health and what they can do to help improve the health of everyone in the community," said Todd Hansen, interim CEO of The Health Trust. "These students represent the future of our region and we want to encourage and inspire them to get involved and to make a difference."

More information on the essay contest is available on the Web site www.healthtrust.org or by calling (408) 559-9385.

Karen Burnett visits Bagby Elementary School

“Simon's Hook” author Karen Gedig Burnett spoke on Oct. 11 to parents at Bagby Elementary School and returned on Oct. 17 to work with students about how to be a “free fish.”

Burnett has been helping children and adults navigate life's obstacles for more than 25 years. At the meeting on Thursday evening, she provided parents with with useful tools to help children handle negative events, to help them deal with difficult people and to help them survive and overcome obstacles in their path. These are tools everyone can use, young or not so young, on a daily basis to help them travel over life's bumps. Her messages are ageless and universal as well as enlightening and entertaining.

ABC Cornerstone parents along with the Home and School Club sponsored the events. The ABC parents volunteer to read in each class books that help students get along with others.

Leigh High to present ‘The Miracle Worker’

The Leigh High School/Center Stage Theatres will present “The Miracle Worker” this month at the school.

Performance dates are Nov. 9, 10, 15, 16 and 17. The show times are 7:30 with the house opening at 6:45. Tickets are $10 per person or four for $35.

For more information, contact Carol Carey, the parent coordinator/president of the Center Stage Theater at Leigh. She can be reached at (408) 323-9545.

Girl Scouts again collect coats and blankets

Girl Scouts of Northern California, Santa Clara County area Service Unit 38 is hosting its fourth annual month-long One Warm Coat and a Blanket Too drive benefiting Sacred Heart Community Service (SHCS) of San Jose. The drive runs from Oct. 31 to Nov. 30.

During the past three years’ annual drives, Girl Scout Service Unit 38 has collected nearly 7,000 gently used coats, jackets, sweaters, blankets, sheets and sleeping bags. More than 2,000 items alone were collected during last years’ drive and were used immediately by patrons of Sacred Heart.

“Keeping warm is something that many of our neighbors literally cannot afford,” Todd Madigan, Community Involvement coordinator for SHCS, said. “Each night across Santa Clara County, 7,500 of our neighbors find themselves without a humane place to lay their heads. For many this means sleeping in a car or an abandoned house; for others the city sidewalk must become their bed. As the temperature drops, it is frightful to remember that a large number of these community members--some of whom are children--have no covering whatsoever; no coat, no sleeping bag, no blanket, no sheet.”

Nearly 30 Girl Scout troops from Service Unit 38 (Cambrian, Campbell and Willow Glen) have pledged to collect gently used coats, jackets, and sweaters of all sizes along with blankets, sheets and sleeping bags to benefit Sacred Heart Community Service. The One Warm Coat drive begins on Oct.31, which is meaningful to all Girl Scouts as it the founder of Girl Scouts--Juliette Gordon Lowe’s--birthday.

“It is heartening to know that something as mundane as a blanket can help to restore the human dignity of our neighbors,” Madigan said.

Several Girl Scout troops will hold school wide drives at several schools and other community locations in the Cambrian/Willow Glen area. Collection locations include:

- Fammatre Elementary School at 2800 New Jersey Ave.

- Booksin Elementary School at 1590 Dry Creek Road, (drop off hours are 9 a.m.-2 p.m.)

- Bagby Elementary School, 1840 Harris Ave.

- Sartorette School, 3850 Woodford Drive

- Schallenberger School, 1280 Koch Lane, San Jose

Look for the collection boxes near the front gate or school office. A complete list of donation locations can be found at http://www.onewarmcoat.org.

For additional information, contact Girl Scouts Service Unit 38 One Warm Coat coordinator Michelle Alaimo at (408) 266-6777 or malaimo@sbcglobal.net.

San Jose Unified to hold parents workshop

San Jose Unified School District’s Office of Parent Education and Involvement is partnering with Project Inspire and UC Berkeley’s Center for Educational Partnerships to provide parents with an opportunity to train on a variety of subjects important to both students and the schools they attend.

Scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 3 at the district offices, 855 Lenzen Ave. in San Jose, parents can learn about goal setting for college, parent involvement—helping your child achieve academic success, leadership training for parents, the school site council, system of school accountability and using technology and online resources.

All parents are invited to attend the daylong workshop, which will last from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided, as will translations. The keynote speaker will be attorney Ismael Perez. Daycare is available for children 4 and older.

To attend, register at (408) 535-6493.

Willow Glen Foundation to hold sixth annual wine-tasting benefit

The Willow Glen Foundation's biggest fund-raiser of the year is Nov. 4 from 3 to 7 p.m. in the Garden Theater Building lobby. The event will feature wine, cheese and chocolate to taste, lots of goodies to bid on in the silent and live auctions, plus food and music.

Tickets are the same price as last year--$50 per person. Advance reservations are recommended.

The Willow Glen Middle School and High School Foundation was formed in July 2000 to develop resources and fund programs that inspire, promote and support the academic achievement and cultural enrichment of all students. This private, non-profit foundation was founded through the cooperative efforts of local parents, faculty, alumni, and public officials.