Walk to School Day coming up

Want to improve your health and advise Monterey on how to make safer routes for students to walk and bike?

Take part of "Walk to School Day" on Oct. 3 -- although Monterey's making a week out of it.

 Monterey city officials are sponsoring a week-long event to promote pedestrian safety and the enviromental benefits of walking for students who attend Colton School.

Currently, most students arrive at Colton by school bus, MST bus or car. During "Walkt to School" week, students will be encouraged to walk from home or “Drop-off and Walk” locations approximately one mile from the school. Those who bus to school will be allowed to count their walk from home to the bus stop.

Healthy snacks and water will be provided each morning to those who participate. Students who walk all or most days will receive special prizes such as gift certificates to local eateries, movie theaters, laser tag, miniature golf and the iTunes store.

The Physical Education class with the most collective days and miles walked at the end of the week will be rewarded with a class party. Some of the barriers to walking and bicycling to Colton and other schools in the area are the steep topography, distance, pedestrian infrastructure near the school and lack of adult supervision on campus before first period.

The week-long experiment will result in recommended new pathways and solutions to be included in a citywide bicycle, pedestrian and transit plan called "Monterey on the Move."

But Monterey is not the only city participating.

There are four schools in Seaside signed up (Seaside Middle, Martin Luther King, Ord Terrace and Del Rey Woods) and who knows how many more I haven't seen. So let me know!

Free tutoring available at Salinas Union High district schools

The Salinas Union High School District is hosting "Provider Fairs" to educate families about free academic tutoring available to them.

Through a national program called "Suplemental Educational Services," a student is eligible for extra help in English, Math, and Science if he or she is eligible for free or reduced-price lunch at school.

The tutoring services are paid for by the school district and are available before or after school or the weekends.

The fairs will take place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m the following days and locations:

• For La Paz Middle and Alvarez High: Oct. 2, at La Paz Middle School, 1300 N. Sanborn Rd. 
• For Washington Middle and Salinas High: Oct. 4 at Salinas High, 726 S. Main St. 
• For Harden Middle and North Salinas High: Oct. 9 at Harden Middle, 1561 McKinnon St. 
• For El Sausal Middle and Alisal High: Oct. 11 at Alisal High, 777 Williams Rd. 

Young innovators wanted: earn a $20,000 prize

Are you a high school student? Do you have a solution to a community problem (for example in education, health care, or the environment)? If your idea is brilliant, you could earn up to $20,000.

The Westly Foundation, a philanthropic organization focused on empowering California youth, sponsors the Westly Prize, which recognizes young innovators in California with creative solutions to community problems. 

 Up to four $20,000 prizes will be awarded through a competitive selection process.Two of the prizes will be given to high school students. Two other prizes will be awarded to university students or professionals 28 years old or younger. To be considered, the ideas of young innovators living in California need to have the potential to improve the lives of people in their communities.

Candidates are evaluated based on several criteria, such as whether their innovation is an advancement over existing solutions to a community problem.  The innovation can range from a new technology (like a software app) to a new service or process (like an innovative literacy program). Candidates must also show that they have prototyped and tested their innovation with some success and that there is potential for broader impact.

 “We want to empower the best and brightest young minds in California to be entrepreneurs for their communities,” said in a statement Steve Westly, Chairman of the Westly Foundation and former California state controller.  “Our goal is to help bring their ideas to life and encourage them to start non-profits and companies that will benefit California and beyond.”

Applications are due by November 2, 2012. Candidates must submit an application and a short YouTube video showcasing their innovation. Westly Prize winners will be announced in December or January. For more information about the Westly Prize or to submit a nomination or application, click here.