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Published on 05/15/1996 All articles from this issue

Student excels in true 'Learning Community'

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Town Crier Staff Report

Learning about herself as well as academics, Los Altos High School(LAHS) student of the month Jenny Salinas has shown her abilityto excel.

During her sophomore and junior years, Jenny was a student inthe "Learning Community," a program that offers studentsthe opportunity to learn about themselves, to improve their personalrelationships and to explore their social, political and naturalenvironments. Each day during her four-hour class, Salinas wasgiven a significant voice in planning and carrying out their learningexperiences. Their curriculum comprises a balanced study of theirinternal world, physical, emotional and intellectual, as experiencedin the evolving external world. Laboratory sciences, math andforeign languages are taken in the regular program.

The program provides hands-on workshops and motivational speakers.As part of community service through the program, Salinas taughtenvironmental science at an elementary school in Redwood City.She also participated in a project through the Food Closet inPalo Alto to feed the homeless.

"The Learning Community has given me many opportunities bothin and out of school to learn," Salinas said.

Through the class, Salinas helped to raise money by selling ticketsto productions at TheatreWorks, by conducting a spaghetti dinnerand by putting on a talent show to raise money to help an elementaryschool in Mexicali plant gardens. During spring break last year,the "Learning Community" class was able to visit theirecology project in Mexicali. The class also became pen pals witha village in Ghana in Africa and raised money through book salesto by shovels and cement so residents of Tamali Village coulddig wells.

This year she is back in mainstream classes where she especiallyenjoys English Advanced Placement and her photography class.

"Students at Los Altos High are offered many opportunitiesin academics, sports and the arts," Salinas said.

When she is not in school, Salinas works at Double Rainbow inMountain View and enjoys painting with watercolors during herspare time.

She has been accepted at University of California at Santa Cruzand University of California at Santa Barbara along with somestate universities. After graduation in June, she plans to attendcollege and is considering a major in graphic design.

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