More help for Japan

K-8 students from Stevenson's Carmel campus raised funds by selling handcrafts they made, ranging from jewelry, origami figures, Japanese character prints, pet rocks, sock animals, and decorated pencils. All their items were priced for one dollar, and they raised more than $1,600 in about 30 minutes.
"It was an impressive student-inspired effort, and the kids worked very hard to raise funds for Japan--in a very short amount of time!" said spokeswoman Elena Rhodes Sexton.

Big Sur students get a break

Caltrans has agreed to allow foot traffic near Rocky Creek in the morning and afternoon for school use only, according to news posted in the Carmel Unified District website. This means the district can provide transportation to and from town every day for Carmel Middle School and Carmel High School students.

Students will be driven by bus to the slide area and walk across under bus driver supervision. They will load into another bus waiting on the other side of the slide.

Bus stops on the morning bus run will be 10 min earlier than usual. In the afternoon, bus stops will be 30 minutes later than usual.

Please be aware that students are expected to go to their regular school each day. The district will no longer offer tutorial support at Captain Cooper.

To view the bus schedule, click here.

If I get more information about this from district personnel, I'll write it for Thursday's Herald. If not, I'll shoot for Friday. Stay tuned.

Your representatives at work

Sam Farr wants your art. Luis Alejo wants your ideas to keep students from dropping out.

Submissions are now being received for the 2011 Congressional Art Competition, An Artistic Discovery. All local high school students in the 17th Congressional District are invited to participate by submitting up to three pieces of original student artwork.

Entries must be submitted to Congressman Sam Farr’s Salinas or Santa Cruz District offices, by May 6, 2011. Submitted entries will be judged at a reception on May 16, 2011 at Rancho Cielo Youth Campus, 710 Old Stage Road, Salinas, CA 93908.

The first place winner will receive two roundtrip tickets to Washington, D.C. from Southwest Airlines, and will join students from across the country to be honored at a reception in Washington, D.C. in mid-June. The winning student’s artwork will also be displayed in the Capitol for a year.

Artwork must be original, two-dimensional and when framed cannot be larger than 28 inches x 28 inches x 4 inches. Categories for competition include paintings, drawings, collage, prints, mixed media, computer generated art and photography.
For more information about the contest, click here.

For further questions and full details, please contact Bertha Munoz in Congressman Farr’s Salinas’ office at 831-424-2229. All submissions are due by May 6, 2011.

Last year, Georgiana Bruce Kirby Preparatory School student from Santa Cruz, Hanna Seltz, was awarded first place for her entry, titled “Buejuv, Zanzibar”. To view last year winning painting, click here.

Now on to Assemblymember Luis A. Alejo. The legislator will host a summit catchily named "Knock out the Drop Out," which is intended to reduce drop out rates in the Central Coast.

The summit will include a forum, a speakers’ panel and workshops for youth grades 6th to 12th.

On Sat., April 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hartnell College, 411 Central Avenue, Salinas.