News

Ann Sobrato High School students are lending a hand to a 7-year-old disabled Gilroy boy in desperate need of a new wheelchair with a variety of fundraising efforts in the local community and on the web.

Morgan Hill residents and visitors of all ages who are interested in keeping farming activities and occupations alive for local students attended the Sobrato Future Farmers of America’s Community Farm Fun Day April 12. The event took place at Sobrato High School and featured a petting zoo, games, prizes and food. The horticulture department held a plant sale for local gardeners, according to Sobrato FFA Reporter Emmanuel Calivo.“This event is a fun way for our community to interact with our agriculture program and to learn more about the things we do and study,” Calivo said.It has been a busy spring for Sobrato FFA, whose members attended the 2015 South Coast FFA Spring Regional Meeting at King City Joing Union High School March 20. One purpose of this annual gathering is to elect the FFA regional officer team, which leads a group of 38 chapters in the region.“We were incredibly proud of our chapter president, Zuha Aslam, who was elected by the delegates to serve as the 2015-16 South Coast Regional Vice President representing the Santa Clara section,” Calivo added. Sobrato FFA was also commended for its website, sobratoffa.org, at the regional meeting, and six members participated in the public speaking competition after advancing from lower sectional levels.

What inspires you?

Morgan Hill Unified School District is considering full-day transitional kindergarten (TK) and kindergarten for the 2015-16 school year, according to a March 30 announcement made on the district website.

What inspires you?My mother because she went through a lot but always took care of us, even working three jobs to make sure we had food on the table and a roof over our heads.What is your favorite subject in school and why?Math because I like to be challenged.If you had the power to change one thing in the world, what would it be?I would want people to stop putting labels on each other.  No one is better than anyone else.If you could go anywhere, where would you go?Everywhere!Name one big challenge in your life right now?Not having a place to call home.What is your dream job?I will be a police officer.What are your three favorite things?Spending time with friends, having a job, and horses.What is your favorite book?“The Circuit” by Francisco Jimenez.What do you want to do after high school?I want to go into the military and then college.Something that makes you smileKnowing that my loved ones are safe.Most played songs on your Iphone/Ipod?“I ain't mad at you” - Tupac“Dear Mama” - Tupac“When I'm gone” - Eminem

Not shy in front of the camera as a child actor in Hollywood movies and national television commercials since the third grade, current Live Oak High School junior Samantha Sadoff decided to try being on the other side of the lens as a producer—and has found immediate success.

GILROY—A founder and former board member of the respected Navigator charter schools in Gilroy and Hollister has called for removal of its director if allegations of mismanagement, nepotism and skirting state law are true.

Teacher Melinda Merten’s fourth-grade class at Oakwood School raised $1,398 to support children in Africa. As part of their history unit on African kingdoms, the fourth grade decided to run a three-week, school wide fundraising campaign. One of the fourth graders, Tsala Foley, has grandparents living in South Africa who are going to take the dollars raised and buy shoes, toys, school supplies, blankets and sports equipment to deliver to children in South Africa with the help of Emergency Children’s Help Organization (ECHO), a charity local to a region of South Africa that provides donations to many groups of people and children in need. The children who will benefit reside in the township of Khayelitsha, one of the poorest areas of Cape Town with a population of approximately 400,000.

Ann Sobrato High School’s Future Farmers of America celebrated FFA Week with a slew of events running from Feb. 9 through Feb. 13, culminating with the “Kiss a Pig” fundraiser on campus during their lunch break.“FFA Week is a week long celebration of our pride to be part of such an enriching organization,” said Emmanuel Calivo, Sobrato FFA Chapter Reporter.Sobrato’s FFA—which consists of about 500 members—hosted an assortment of contests and fun activities throughout the week, including Feb. 9 “Cowboy & Cowgirl Day;” Feb. 10 “Dress Like Your Ag Teacher Day/Bubble Gum in a Pie;” Feb. 11 “College Day” and Obstacle Course; Feb. 12 “Construction Day/Build a Barn;” and Feb. 13 FFA Day/Kiss a Pig Contest.Each day of the week, FFA students dressed up in different apparel to show their creativity and pride, according to Calivo. Activities were held in the Sobrato quad for all students to participate.FFA members raise various livestock animals on the sprawling Sobrato farm and then show them during the annual county fair, which is held July 30-Aug. 2 at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds located at 344 Tully Road in San Jose. Students also take agricultural science courses at school.

In pulling a consent item into public discussion from the Feb. 10 agenda that paid the $2,500 tab to Dana Tom Consulting for the school board’s annual retreat—held Jan. 23 at Clos LaChance Winery—Trustee David Gerard questioned the procedure used by district staff to pay for the event.