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Published on 03/22/1999 All articles from this issue

LASD takes home 8 out of 15 awards in arts competition

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By Linda Taaffe / Town Crier Staff Writer

Schools Roundup

Students in the Los Altos School District recently won eight out of 15 awards for original poems they wrote and submitted to the Stanford Lively Arts contest. Students who competed in the poetry contest could write any style of poetry as long as it related to jazz.

Teacher Wendy Littman said most of the students in her non-instrumental, limited pull-out program who entered the contest have never been to the symphony or to a live jazz performance.

"I was shocked, absolutely shocked," Littman said. "I had my fingers crossed that we would have at least one or two winners."

The competition included five categories - oral history, research paper, visual arts project, Web page design and poetry - and was open to Peninsula-area students in grades 2-12.

"It's all about trying to turn kids on to jazz - for them to listen to it and like it," said Maggie da Silva, who helped coordinate the competition. Da Silva said organizers tried to present the contest in a way that teachers could integrate the categories into the classroom curriculum.

Da Silva said about 70 students submitted poems in the poetry category.

The Los Altos winners include: Karina Berdibekov of Almond School, second place; Alisa Chester and Kyle Wulff, both of Oak School, second place; Kate Shaffner, and Alana Altmann of Loyola School, second place, and Joanna Tu of Loyola School, first place; and Ann Roberts and Diana Rodd, both of Santa Rita School, second place. The winners were invited to a Wynton Marsalis concert March 15 at Stanford.

Littman said the district launched the non-instrumental program this school year to provide every fifth and sixth grader the opportunity to experience music. Littman rotates from school to school and pulls students out of class about a half hour each week for her program, she said.

"This is the only window of opportunity for them to experience music through the curriculum," she said. "It's a challenge. Here's a group of kids turned off to music. Many of them tried an instrument and said, 'This is too hard. I don't want to practice.' I had to bring them back, give them a positive connection with music."

De Anza president wins AAUW award

Martha Kanter, president of De Anza College, was awarded the 1999 Status of Women Award from the Los Altos-Mountain View branch of the American Association of University Women at a meeting held March 11 in Los Altos.

The award is given annually to a woman who has contributed to the improvement of the status of women.

"Dr. Kanter, with her involvement in education and technology, is a shining example," said Sue Klarreich, program vice president.

Kanter has served in California community colleges since 1977. She was appointed president of De Anza in 1993.

She is involved in numerous statewide and community activities regarding educational equity and access issues affecting community colleges. Kanter recently received a resolution from the state legislature commending her leadership at the state level.

IN BRIEF: Students enrolled in the Mandarin Chinese-English program at the International School of the Peninsula in Palo Alto performed authentic Chinese songs and dances during the school's annual Chinese New Year celebration Feb. 12. The 30 students dressed in costumes and explained the rituals surrounding the event, which is celebrating the Year of the Hare. Fifth-grade students at Benjamin Bubb School in Mountain View recently spent the day in Colonial America as part of their studies on American History. During the annual reenactment of daily life in Williamsburg, students assumed roles from 18th century America. They dressed in period clothing and set up trade booths including a silversmith shop, blacksmith shop and printing office.