Taft Student Publishes 1st Spanish Paper

Taft High School senior Michael Winsberg invited fellow Advanced-Placement Spanish classmates to join him in creating the school’s first Spanish-language publication, El Recorrido.

The recently published seven-page newsletter featured student-written stories about Chinese New Year and the Muslim Ramadan observance, plus original poems, short stories and recipes.

The 17-year-old Woodland Hills resident, who is editor-in-chief of the newsletter, conceived the publication as an independent study project for his Spanish class. With the backing of teacher Sheilah Serfaty, he convinced the school’s administration to provide funding for printing and distribution.

The newsletter goes to Spanish-speaking Taft households and serves as a learning tool for the lower-level Spanish classes at the school.

“El Recorrido is our legacy,” said Michael, who will continue his Spanish studies at UC Berkeley in the fall. “Our compositions reflect the richness of the student population here.”

KUDOS

Feeling Proud: Fifth-grader Nataly Yoncee of Montague Charter Academy and sixth-grader Jeanie Ray Villaraza of Mary Immaculate School recently walked away with grand prizes in Glendale Federal Bank’s Pacoima Pride Arts Project. The students will each receive $100 from the bank for their artwork depicting school and community pride. City Councilman Richard Alarcon helped judge the more than 5,000 entries from children representing six Pacoima elementary schools.

Wins Add Up: The St. Mel School Academic Decathlon team is heading to Sacramento in May to compete in the Catholic Schools Archdiocesan Junior High Decathlon state championship, thanks in part to Alexander Schwab, 14, who won first place in math at the regional level. The Woodland Hills eighth-grader was also a recent finalist in the National Geographic Society’s geography bee.

Leading the Way: Anita Carlio, Valley College’s vice president of academic affairs, has been selected to participate in an Executive Leadership Institute’s conference this summer, where she will attend leadership-training workshops.

EVENTS

Leave a TIP: The Las Virgenes Unified School District’s Technology Foundation invites the public to join in its fund-raising effort dubbed Technology Improving Performance in Schools (TIPS). Patrons of participating local restaurants can drop donations into special gum-ball machines that will be displayed at the eateries. All funds will go toward the purchase of computers, and for student and teacher technology training.

END NOTES

Families and friends of Chandler Elementary School students will get a chance to try some hands-on science experiments Tuesday at the Family Science Night and Open House at the Van Nuys campus. . . . Parents seeking advice about financial aid for college-bound children are invited to a Van Nuys High School Magnet-sponsored event, “College Financial Aid: How to Get Your Fair Share.” A Century City financial planner will conduct the seminar from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight at the school’s auditorium at 6535 Cedros Ave.

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