ESCONDIDO - The San Pasqual High School Athletic Boosters group is planning its 2008 Auction Dinner with the theme "Lights, Camera, Action!" The group needs sponsors and donations for the fundraiser. Proceeds will benefit sports teams at San Pasqual High. To become a sponsor or donate items to the silent and live auctions, call (760) 432-8865.

Ticket sales to benefit SPHS basketball

ESCONDIDO - San Pasqual High School's boys basketball team is raising funds for the purchase of equipment, warm ups and tournament fees by selling tickets to the upcoming Buick Invitational Golf Tournament. Tickets cost $15 and are good for a one-day entry into the tournament any day during the week-long event. This is a significant reduction from the weekend ticket price of $30 at the gate. The SPHS basketball program will receive 100 percent of the proceeds of the ticket sales. For more information, call Jim Eszlinger at (760) 519-5141.

Central School receives donation

ESCONDIDO - The Downtown Business Association of Escondido recently donated $3,055 to Central School to help fund the school's art and music programs. The association hosted Festival Escondido in October, and $5 from each VIP ticket sold was donated to the cause. Association officials believe having a school downtown such as Central enhances the downtown environment and furthers economic and educational development for the business community and students.

SPHS to offer gift-wrap booth

ESCONDIDO - San Pasqual High School's Music Department will host its annual holiday gift-wrap booth Dec. 14 through 24 in the center of the Westfield North County shopping mall. Holiday gift wrapping of packages large and small will be completed for minimal donations while shoppers do their holiday shopping. The booth will be staffed by student and parent volunteers.

Red Cross Clubs help others

NORTH COUNTY - Members of Red Cross Clubs on campuses in San Diego County and across the United States perform a number of service projects, including raising funds for international efforts including providing measles vaccinations throughout the world and assisting people affected by recent wildfires in the county. Students or teachers interested in starting a Red Cross Club at their school should call Kristen Guiffre at (858) 309-1273 or e-mail kristen.giuffre@sdarc.org.

Chef contest offers scholarship

NORTH COUNTY - North County high school students are invited to enter Johnson & Wales University's 19th annual National High School Chef of the Year contest.

The grand prize winner from both the entree and dessert categories will receive a full-tuition scholarship to Johnson & Wales University and a personal meeting with Johnson & Wales alumnus Tyler Florence.

First runners-up in both categories will receive a $7,500 renewable tuition scholarship and second runners-up will receive a $5,000 renewable tuition scholarship to Johnson & Wales. A $3,500 renewable tuition scholarship to the college will be awarded to the rest of the finalists. All finalists will receive an autographed copy of Tyler Florence's latest cookbook, "Tyler's Ultimate."

This year's competition challenge asks high school juniors and seniors to create an original recipe that incorporates their family heritage or ethnicity and at the same time is healthy. One of the goals of the competition is to increase awareness of teen obesity. All submitted dinner or dessert recipes must be nutritionally balanced according to the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society dietary guidelines.

The top 10 entrants in both the dinner and dessert categories of the senior division will be flown to the university's North Miami Campus April 11 to 13 to prepare their dishes for a panel of judges, including chefs, food writers and industry leaders. The Florida Strawberry Growers Association will be awarding an additional scholarship to high school juniors and seniors whose entries include the most creative use of strawberries. The first place winner receives $2,500, second place gets $1,500 and third place is awarded $1,000.

High school sophomores and freshmen also are invited to compete. Ten finalists from both the entree and dessert categories will be selected to compete for scholarship money.

Contest details, guidelines and entry forms are available at http://culinary.jwu.edu/admissions/recipe.php. Students also may request entry forms by calling the Johnson & Wales University North Miami Campus Admissions Office at (866) 598-3567 or by writing directly to: Johnson & Wales National High School Chef of the Year contest, Admissions Office, Johnson & Wales University, 1701 NE 127th St.; North Miami, FL 33181. All completed entries must be typed and postmarked or received via e-mail by March 3

Founded in 1914, Johnson & Wales University is a nonprofit, private institution and offers degrees in business, hospitality, culinary arts, technology and education.

Mission tours return

OCEANSIDE - Back by popular demand, a "behind the scenes" tour of the Mission San Luis Rey is planned from 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 28. The purpose of the tour, open to fourth-graders, their parents and teachers, is to provide students studying California history what life was like during the mission era.

Included in the tour will be the choir loft, soldier barracks, lavanderia and California's oldest pepper tree. Students will receive a special educational packet valued at $5. Reservations are suggested due to the popularity of the tour. Cost is $7 per person. For more information and reservations call (760) 757.3651, Ext. 115.

College funding is workshop topic

CARMEL VALLEY - Kathleen Johnson, a certified college planning specialist with National College Funding Strategies Inc. and author of "The Parents' Guide to Financial Aid and College Funding," will hold a college funding workshop from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 10 in Room 309 of Torrey Pines High School, 3710 Del Mar Heights Road.

Offered through the San Dieguito Union High School District's Adult Education program, the session is titled "Show Me the Money - for College" and is part of a series of workshops designed to teach parents how to maximize financial aid for college, no matter how much income they make or how good of a student they have. Participants will learn about new legislation that has changed college financial aid methodology, and learn how it may be cheaper for a student to attend a private university rather than a state school. The workshop also will teach the methodology used in the college financial aid formula and offer tools and strategies to increase the odds for obtaining financial aid.

Reservations are required. To R.S.V.P. and for more information, go to http://www.sdadulted.com or call (760) 753-7073, Ext. 5103.