Store’s Recycling Program Brings Money to Torrance Unified Schools

Recycling is good not only for the environment, but also for Torrance schools--thanks to a new program sponsored by Smith’s Food and Drug Centers.

Under the program, the proceeds from recyclable items dropped off at Smith’s Torrance store, 24325 Crenshaw Blvd., are being funneled to 12 schools in the Torrance Unified School District.

Carolyn Izzo, a Smith’s spokeswoman, said the War on Waste recycling program has generated $3,500 for the schools since the program started in July. She said the schools will continue to receive about $1,500 every three months from the recycling proceeds.

Smith’s selected Walteria Elementary, Adams Elementary, Arnold Elementary, Calle Mayor Middle School, Fern Elementary, Hickory Elementary, Hull Middle School, Madrona Middle School, Seaside Elementary, Torrance Elementary, Riviera Elementary and Wood Elementary as recipients because of their proximity to the store, Izzo said.

In addition, the schools are receiving a donation for every ton of cardboard recycled by Smith’s, and customers who receive a nickel back for every recycled canvas, paper or plastic grocery bag can opt to donate the money to the schools.

Thirty-three Palos Verdes Peninsula High School students have been selected as semifinalists for the National Merit Scholarship Corporation’s 1992 program.

“Compared to other schools in California, this number is significant,” said Elaine Detweiler, spokeswoman for the corporation.

More than a million students entered the Merit Program by taking the 1991 Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test their junior year. Some 15,000 of the top scorers were designated semifinalists. In California, 167 students qualified as semifinalists from 468 high schools.

To become a finalist, semifinalists have to meet additional requirements that include academic excellence, being endorsed and recommended by the high school principal, confirming earlier test performance on a second test, and providing information about activities, interests and goals.

“Ninety percent of the semifinalists will become finalists,” Detweiler said.

Finalists, who will be announced in February, will compete for college-sponsored National Merit Scholarships ranging from $250 to $2,000 and corporate-sponsored merit scholarships.

SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENTS: Middle and high schools from the Torrance and Palos Verdes Peninsula unified school districts have been recognized by the State Department of Education as Distinguished Schools. The honors were announced at the 1992 California School Recognition Program Awards Ceremony in April. North High School and Casimir Middle School were presented awards for 1992. Miraleste Intermediate School and Palos Verdes Peninsula High School were recognized as distinguished schools in 1990 and received sustained achievement awards for meeting this year’s criteria.

NEW FACES ON CAMPUS: John A. Forthmann IV has been named principal of Adams Middle School in Redondo Beach. Forthmann spent two years as an consultant for the state Department of Education and the state attorney general’s office in Sacramento. He replaces Diane Kline, who served as principal for two years before accepting an administrative position in the San Francisco area.

Robert Paulson returned to Redondo Union High School as principal this year after serving as vice principal and athletic director at the school three years ago. Paulson left his position as principal at Pacific Shores continuation school to replace Jack Clement, former principal for three years at Redondo High. Clement is now director of fiscal and administrative services for the South Bay Union High School District.

Goy Casillas, former principal at Hawthorne High School, is the new vice principal at Redondo Union High School, replacing Olivia La Bouff, who has become principal at Palos Verdes Intermediate School.

La Bouff replaced Michael Escalante, who was principal at Palos Verdes Intermediate for a year and is now principal at Lakewood High School in Long Beach.

Debbie Loob was named principal of Juan Cabrillo Elementary School in Hawthorne, replacing the principal of three years, Carole Green Halgh. Halgh is on leave this year and will retire in June. Loob was former associate principal of Bellflower High School.

Deborah Frick has become elementary school principal at Hermosa Valley School in Hermosa Beach. Frick, who was assistant principal of Briggs School in the Chino Unified School District, replaces Roger Preuss, who served as Hermosa Valley’s principal for three years. He works as a principal in the Mariposa School District.

Connie Harrington has become principal at Meadows Elementary School in Manhattan Beach this year. She replaces Ernest Donlou, who retired after serving as principal for 34 years. Harrington came to Meadows elementary after a stint as vice principal at Garfield Elementary School in Long Beach.

Susan MacLean replaced retiree Grant Logan as principal at Edison Elementary School in Torrance this year. MacLean was former assistant principal at Hickory Elementary School.

Items on education for the Class Notes column may be mailed to The Times South Bay office, 23133 Hawthorne Blvd., Suite 200, Torrance, 90505, or faxed to (310) 373-5753 to the attention of staff reporter Lorna Fernandes.