Mount Madonna School students get some exercise during a recent outing. The school encourages an active lifestyle by engaging in many physical activities, including exploring the outdoors. The school is a finalist in a state fitness competition that includes 75 schools that could win three $100,000 prizes
Watsonville-based Mount Madonna School, 491 Summit Road, is one of 75 schools statewide named as a finalist in the 2008 Governor's Challenge Competition. The contest, sponsored by the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, was open to all of California's K-12th students with a goal of encouraging increased physical fitness.
As a finalist, Mount Madonna School is now in consideration for one of the competition's three grand prizes - brand new fitness centers valued at $100,000.
In addition, either Mount Madonna School or Fremont Elementary School of Salinas, will be named a regional award winner and receive $5,000 for new physical activity equipment.
School finalists were chosen based on the results of the 2008 Governor's Challenge Competition. To participate in the competition, students pledged to be active at least 30 minutes a day, three days a week for a month.
One hundred percent of Mount Madonna School's students completed the challenge, logging in $7,237 active days. This averages to 43 active days per student at MMS - almost three times more than the larger elementary school, with which MMS tied in the region. MMS students found many ways to stay active, including: biking, hiking, playing volleyball, baseball, basketball, soccer, tag, jogging, skating, surfing, playing tennis, doing pilates, yoga, aerobics, and dancing!
"It was so nice to have this whole school effort," said Jessica Cambell, a physical education teacher at MMS who coordinated the school's participation in the competition. "To be able to get all the students behind this challenge shows how much these students care about their school and their own physical well being."
Grand prize and regional award winners will be announced at a special ceremony at the State Capitol in September.
Details: (408) 847-2717, or www.mountmadonnaschool.org.
Tech Academy to be offered at Sobrato High School
There is still time to enroll students in the Tech Academy of Silicon Valley for grades 6, 7 and 8 to be held, again, at Ann Sobrato High School, as well as at Santa Clara University and San Jose State University. Program dates parallel the regular Morgan Hill Unified School District Summer School program. Classes are scheduled for July 14.
The Tech Academy is designed to help students at the middle school level to explore and improve the skills needed for them to pursue college level work in the fields of engineering and technology.
The academy's purpose is to expand student participation in math and science, to improve understanding of and the need for increased achievement in seeking a career in engineering and technology. Students who complete this program will receive a certificate and, based on their regular academic performance, will be invited to attend the 2009 Summer Engineering and Technology Academy for advanced students. Students desiring to be considered for the program must be enrolled in a Santa Clara County middle school in grades 6, 7 or 8 for fall 2008 and must also receive a recommendation from their math or science teacher.
The academy is designed to help students at the middle school level to explore and improve the skills needed to pursue college level work in the fields of engineering, technology and science. Program emphases are on teamwork, innovative problem solving and project-based 'learning by doing' with emphasis on water, energy, environment, space and high tech. Students eligible for the summer program must have a record of math and science interest and achievement as supported by teacher recommendation or validation of parents. Suggest that students be in top third of class.
Details: 201-6037, Dr. Jay Pinson at Pinsonjay@aol.com or Stephen Lentz at slentz4454@yahoo.com.
Join a reading club this summer
The Teen Summer Reading Club for grades 7 and higher kicked off June 14.
Teens can still sign up at the Morgan Hill Library or online at www.santaclaracountylib.org/teen. Come into the library to receive a reading folder and enter the grand prize drawing for an iPod shuffle. Read books, graphic novels, or talking books and write reviews online or on review cards. After five reviews get a $10 gift card for Barnes and Noble. Attend events for a chance at more prizes.
Details: www.santaclaracountylib.org.
Learn report writing at Gavilan
Gavilan College is offering a class called Awesome Report Writing through College for Youth. The course is open to students 13 to 17 years old. The course runs from 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. July 21 through July 31 at Gavilan College.
Details: Rosie Armstrong at 847-2514. ext. 1.
Santa Clara County host families needed
Foreign high school students are scheduled to arrive soon for academic semester home-stay programs, and the sponsoring organization needs a few more local host families. Pacific Intercultural Exchange President John Doty said the students are all between 15 and 18 years old are English-speaking, have their own spending money, carry accident and health insurance, and are anxious to share their cultural experiences with their new American families. Programs range in length from a semester to a full academic year.
Details: Pacific International Exchange, (866) 546-1402.
Natalie Everett Natalie Everett covers education and city issues for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106, ext. 201, or neverett@morganhilltimes.com.
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