Californian School News

By: The Californian - | Sunday, February 4, 2007 7:49 PM PST ∞

Temecula Valley Elks donate dictionaries to third graders

TEMECULA ---- Every third-grader at Temecula Elementary School received free dictionaries thanks to the Temecula Valley Elks.

Bob and Diane Farrens, Dictionary Project chairmen for the Elks, visited the school to distribute dictionaries to the six classrooms.

The event is part of a national program called the Dictionary Project, which is designed to aid third-grade teachers in their goal to see all their students leave at the end of the year as good writers, active readers and creative thinkers.

The Temecula Valley Elks are working to expand this program in the future to include additional schools.

CLASS NOTES

School plans open house

WINCHESTER ---- Temecula Preparatory School will be host an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday. Organizers plan to showcase the school to the community.

The school has recently secured approval for construction of a multipurpose building, which will house administrative offices, a gymnasium-sized multipurpose room with a basketball court, and a stage. Construction is set to begin in late February and be completed for the 2007-08 school year.

The school is at 35777 Abelia St. For information, call 926-6776 or visit www.temeculaprep.com.

Calvary Chapel hosts dinner concert

MURRIETA ---- The Calvary Chapel Christian School music department will hold its second annual Italian Intermezzo, a chamber music dining experience, at 7 p.m. Friday. Concert band ensembles will perform music while patrons are served an Italian dinner by candlelight.

Raffle prizes will be awarded throughout the night, including a custom quilt, gift baskets and a weekend getaway to Lake Tahoe.

Tickets cost $15. Proceeds will go toward the concert band's 2008 tour of Germany and Austria.

For information or tickets, contact band director Christa Ledesma at 834-9190, Ext. 1136 or cledesma@ccmurrieta.com. The school is at 24225 Monroe Ave.

Hillcrest students plan walk-a-thon

TEMECULA ---- Students at Hillcrest Academy will sponsor a walk-a-thon Saturday to help raise fund for orphans in Kenya living with AIDS.

Hillcrest Academy's middle school leadership program requires each grade to engage in a service project, which provides students with hands-on experience in community service.

The students are working with the Heifer Project, a nonprofit organization that trains and works with families all over the world so that they can become more self-reliant.

The students are responsible to plan, market and host the walk-a-thon, which will be from 8 a.m. to noon at Temecula Middle School. The cost to participate is $10 and participants will receive a free T-shirt upon completing 10 laps. Donations are also accepted.

Last year, the walk-a-thon raised $1,000 for victims of Hurricane Katrina.

For registration or information, call Angela Sillin at 676-4754, Ext. 210.

Students sought for Youth Traffic Safety Summit

RIVERSIDE ---- Riverside County's Public Health Department is encouraging teenagers to participate in the county's first Youth Traffic Safety Summit, which will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 24 at California Baptist University.

The summit is designed to help combat the high levels of traffic accidents involving teens. Students will be briefed on the statistics and given presentations by local radio and television personalities, who will show them how to develop sound bites and other creative concepts that form the basis of an effective public service advertising campaign.

The students will then work together in groups to develop public service announcements for use by radio, television, print and online media. A panel of judges will select the best PSA, which will be produced at a later date with funding from local businesses.

For information, call Rebecca Hansen at 358-7177 by Feb. 13.

Vista Murrieta choir

plans fundraisers

MURRIETA ---- The Vista Murrieta High School Chamber Choir has planned a pair of Valentine's Day fundraisers.

The group is offering singing telegrams between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Singers will greet sweethearts with two songs and a long stem rose. The cost is $30.

Later on Feb. 14, will be two Valentine's Day dinner concerts. Performances are from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and 7:30 to 9 p.m.

Tickets are $30 per couple, which includes dinner, beverage, desert and musical entertainment.

The shows will be in the Vista Murrieta High School Performing Arts Center, 28261 Clinton Keith Road.

For information of reservations on either event, contact Choir Director Jennifer Page at 894-5750, Ext. 6530 or jpage@mvusd.org.

Choir plans Valentine's event

MURRIETA ---- The Murrieta Valley High School Choir Boosters are sponsoring a benefit Valentine Sweetheart Concert Feb. 14. Performances are at 6 and 8 p.m. at Promise Lutheran Church.

The concerts will raise funds for the choir's spring festival competition in New York.

The concert will include the school's Chamber Singers and Chorale plus adult soloists Jaclyn Johnson, Bryan Boos, Norm Boaz and Lori Ascani.

Tickets cost $12.50 and are only available online at www.gomvhs.com.

Guests will receive flower for the ladies, cake and beverages. Free supervision for children 2 to 10 years old is available to the first 100 children registered with ticket purchase.

The church is at 25664 Madison Ave.

Valentine's Day Middle School Dance

MURRIETA ---- Club M will hold a Valentine's Day middle school dance from 7 to 10 p.m. Feb. 16 at the Murrieta Community Center.

The cost is $5 at the door for middle school teens only. School ID's are required for entry.

The dance will include a live disc jockey with dancing, games and giveaways. Glow in the dark jewelry, pictures and snack items will be available for purchase throughout the dance. There is no re-entry and parents must pick-up participants by 10 p.m.

The center is at 41810 Juniper St. For further information, call 304-7275.

Adult school offers classes

LAKE ELSINORE ---- Valley Adult School offers a number of classes and labs.

The school operates reading and math labs as well as classes in business applications and GED preparation.

A high school diploma class is also being offered. A $50 book deposit is required and new students must take a placement test.

The school will administer the California High School Exit Exam as well. It will be offered Tuesday and Wednesday, March 20-21 and May 8-9.

The school is at 520 Chaney St. For schedules and other information, call 253-7093.

Temescal Canyon nabs theater awards

LAKE ELSINORE ---- The Temescal Canyon High School Spotlight Players won Best Ensemble and additional awards at the Southern California Educational Theatre Association Festival last month with their production of "The Foreigner."

The competition was held Jan. 13 and 14 at Fontana High School. Temescal Canyon and about 40 other high schools around the region are members of the 36-year-old association. Registered high schools participate annually with their fall play productions.

Temescal has reached a spot in the top four within a division four times in the past six years.

The cast and crew of "The Foreigner" included: Kris Brown, AJ Pacheco, Karen Wetherell, Bri Dennison, Mychal Kevett, Thomas Miller, Eric Ruiter, Matt Mujica, Brittney Phillips, Krystal Wentworth, Devin Fowler and Ryan Martinez.

Additional CETA awards were given to Temescal seniors Ashley Nordland and AJ Pacheco, monologue finalists who will have an opportunity later this year to perform for casting directors and university educators.

Nordland also won a stipend from California Youth in Theatre to visit Sacramento to perform a pair of monologues along with students from across the state. She will then visit a state senator at the Capitol to discuss the importance of theater in schools.

CETA South Awards for Temescal Canyon are:

Division 3: First Place, "The Foreigner," best ensemble; Best Actor, AJ Pacheco; Best Actress, Karen Wetherell; Best Supporting Actor, Thomas Miller; Senior Monologue Finalist, Ashley Nordland; Senor Monologue Finalist, AJ Pacheco; Cal Youth in Theatre Invitation/Stipend, Ashley Nordland.

The program is directed by Scott Karlan.