June 7, 2005

School Scene

Pat Devins retires after teaching an estimated 1,000 students

By Kim Ziviani
Special to the Times

When it comes to describing a teacher the kids say it best. “Mrs. Devins is nice and sweet and I love her! She’s not mean to anybody...not even herself!” stated Forest Hill student Ben Gebrot.

Pat Devins says she enjoys “helping each child discover their own special gift.”

This is how many students and teachers feel about Patricia Devins, a veteran teacher for the Campbell Union School District. Pat, as her friends call her, will be retiring this June after 36 years of teaching.

She obtained her bachelors degree from San Jose State University in 1969 with a major in English and a minor in art. She received a teaching credential from the same university and a master of education from Santa Clara University. She started teaching at San Tomas Elementary School where she remained for 10 years. She then transferred to Forest Hill School where she has been teaching kindergarten through second for the last 26 years.

In all of those combined years Devins has worked under 12 principals and taught an estimated 1,000 students. She has even taught children of former students!

Kelly Clement is currently in Mrs. Devins class. Her mother says, “We often hear...’Mrs. Devins says...’ around our house. Her patience and kindness have helped to make this a special year for Kelly. We are going to miss Mrs. Devins!”

Devins was honored, along with other retirees from the Campbell Union School District, at a reception at the Ainsley House on June 1.

She will also hold a special goodbye for current and former students in the cafeteria at Forest Hill School on June 8 at 2:15 p.m. Perhaps student Christina Faulds said it best when she wrote Mrs. Devins a letter that stated, “Mrs. Devins, you are the best teacher in the world!”

Kim Ziviani is a teacher at Forest Hill Elementary School.

Campbell Kiwanis Club honors high school turn around scholars

By Carol Rosen
Staff Writer

The Kiwanis Club of Campbell honored 11 students at its fifth annual Turnaround Scholarship luncheon on Tuesday, May 17 at Lou’s Village restaurant in San Jose.

Boynton seniors Erica Gamboa, Negeen Hessari, Rayanne Mendez and Crystal Van Nuland are just a bit nervous before receiving their scholarship awards.

The Campbell students have each found a way to turn their lives around and to raise their grade points during their four years of high school. All attend either Westmont or Boynton High School and each received a $1,000 scholarship to attend the college of their choice.

Many of the students were accompanied by parents and guardians who cheered each as the seniors came nervously to the podium to thank the Kiwanians for their scholarships and their mentors for the help they provided them in making their turn around.

The students were chosen because in many situations these kids are overlooked for academic scholarships due to their early high school careers. Thanks for the scholarship money goes to the Leo Shortino Family Trust, which supports Kiwanis turnaround scholarships throughout the Bay Area; the Kiwanis Club of San Jose Foundation; and the Kiwanis Clubs of Division 12 Scholarship Benefit, which is typically held in Campbell at the Villa Ragun April.

Westmont turn around scholars
Brittaney Delaney raised her grade point from a .6 to a 2.8. She plans to attend Cal State Fullerton. Geneve Everhart grew her grade point from a 1.4 to a 3.75. She plans to spend a couple of years at Foothill College later transferring to UC Santa Barbara.

Westmont students awaiting their scholarships are, from the left, Brittaney Delaney, Geneve Everhart, Ashley Garcia, Anna Linduska, Ronnie Rose, Crista Rowe and Androtti Yeakel.

Ashley Garcia, who will attend Santa Barbara City College this fall, raised her grade point from a 1.6 to a 4.0. She credited the group Young Life with helping her to place more value on herself and her schoolwork. Anna Linduska raised her grade point from a 1.9 to a 3.5. She plans to attend De Anza College this fall.

Ronnie Rose, whose encounter with a sophomore English teacher allowed him to “learn to think outside the box,” plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin. His grade point went from a 1.0 to a 3.4. Christa Rowe grew her grade point from a 2.2 to a 3.6. She will attend Chico State this fall. Androtti Yeakel raised his grade point from a .2 to a 2.67. He will attend Modesto Junior College.

Boynton turn around scholars
The scholarship winners from Boynton, an alternative high school, also made huge strides. Erica Gamboa, who wants to be a nurse and work with kids, took her grade point from a .4 to a 3.83. She will go to De Anza in the fall. Negreen Hessari plans to attend San Jose City College working toward a degree in cosmetology. She raised her grade point from a .6 to a 3.33.

Crystal Van Nuland brought her grade point up from a .50 to a 4.0. She plans to attend Chamberlin Real Estate School and De Anza College. And, Rayanne Mendez raised her grade point from a .4 to a 3.11.

Five former principals and one current principal pose at the 40th anniversary celebration of Capri Elementary School. Former Principals Jerry Davis, Stan Johnson, Mark Jennings, Debbi D’Angelo (Garcia) and Don Bergstrom pose with current Principal Nancy Atkinson, second from left. Photo by Michelle Wallace.

Capri fifth graders Amy Ngo, Marina Jurema and Leilani Philips check out pictures from the “olden days” of Capri.

Capri Elementary School celebrates
40th Anniversary

By Julie Davis Berry
Executive Editor

Five former principals, along with former school secretaries, former teachers and a smattering of former students came together at Capri Elementary School’s Spring Fling to celebrate the school’s 40th anniversary last month.

The 10.3-acre site was purchased for $42,500 back in 1963 according to billboards created by teacher and parent Roberta Hendryx and displayed along with class pictures throughout the years. Fifth graders Amy Ngo, Marina Jurema and Leilani Philips giggled as they looked at pictures of the “olden days.”

Bill Surrat, the first Home and School Club president in 1964, lives just around the corner from the school. He told a funny story about how the club raised money for the school back in ’64 with a Spaghetti Feed but the next day he discovered that the money was stolen. The following year, Police Chief J.D. Morgan (yes, he’s the one the park is named after) took the money to city hall for safekeeping. “He wasn’t going to take any chances,” laughed Surrat. “Capri is a great school. We always said, ‘there must be something in the water to make it so great.’”

Mark Jennings was the first principal. “I love this school!” he told the small crowd enthusiastically.

The first Capri Secretary, Pat McClain, traveled from her home in San Diego to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the elementary school. “This school has been blessed with a lot of great teachers and parents. It’s a great day for Capri.”

And, Bob Bergstrom, principal from 1878 to 1984 said it simply, “Capri has been a model school that has become a lighthouse for other schools.”

Several teachers from Campbell Union High School District
awarded Dorothy Wright Outstanding Teaching Awards

The Dorothy Wright Outstanding Teaching Awards were established in 1987 as a memorial to a former member of the Department of English who distinguished herself with her commitment to teacher education.

Wright taught at San Jose State for 30 years before retiring in 1987. What gives the award its unique character is that former students nominate its recipients. To identify worthy candidates, the English Department circulates questionnaires in its freshman composition courses asking students to identify those teachers who best prepared them for their college writing courses.

Questions like, “What recollection about this teacher would help us “see” what a successful teacher he or she was for you as a high school student?” help identify teachers who really made a connection with their students.

Hundreds of the questionnaires are collected and tabulated, then the high school teachers are honored in a campus ceremony in May that is attended by English Department Faculty, students and other members of the University Community.

The English Department at San Jose State University sponsors the Dorothy Wright Awards, not only because many of its recipients are former graduates of its program, but because the program allows it to make the acquaintance of many of the most inspiring members of the area’s educational community.

At Westmont High School two English teachers were singled out: Erin Angell and Andy Evans. Of Ms. Angell, former student Cody Edwards writes, “”She explored new ideas and gave us lots of writing assignments.”

And former student Josie DiNardo writes, “”She really focused a lot on writing at the college level, rather than at the high school level. She was the best English teacher I have ever had. If it was not for her, I would not be where I am today.”

Neal Newton enjoyed Mr. Evans class because, “”He showed us how to construct a good thesis statement and taught us about the structure of an essay. I would not be at San Jose State if he did not help me get my grades high enough. Mr. Evans gave projects and papers very similar to the assignments that I now get in English 1A. He grades similar to a college professor and gave us opportunities to give public speeches, which helped prepare me for my college English classes, as well as my communications class.

“Mr. Evans made English a fun learning experience by giving us demonstrations that related to our readings, which helped us better understand what we were learning. I remember after we read “MacBeth” by William Shakespeare, Mr. Evans arranged for us to see the video, and that helped me better understand “MacBeth.” He cared so much about us that one day he cried because he was trying so hard to reach out to some of the students who didn’t care anymore about the class (because it was so close to graduation). Mr. Evans never gave up on any student, and that inspired me to strive to do my best in English class.”

At Del Mar High School English teacher Linda Goytia left quite an impression on former student Leanna Angkham who shared, “When we wrote papers, she would thoroughly explain why she marked off things that she corrected. She always made reading books exciting! She would drastically act out the characters. She wouldn’t do it all the time, but when she did, it stuck in my mind.

“She had a mannequin body by her door, so when we were reading a book she would dress her up to show what they wore during that time. I also remember when she used a hand-held microphone during the class, and sometimes she would sing. She just made class more exciting and fun.”

And, Weina Su said simply, “She assigned a lot of interesting readings and grammar exercises.”

Capri’s Principal Atkinson happily kisses pig

Schools throughout the Campbell Union School District joined the Campbell Education Foundation’s efforts to raise money for art, music and other programs in all of the district’s 12 elementary and middle schools. Many principals issued challenges to motivate students promising to do outrageous things if students reached walk-a-thon pledge goals.

Capri students were very motivated by Principal Nancy Atkinson’s promise to kiss a pig (see picture above) if the students raised $1,000. Well, the students raised even more, $1,200, and Atkinson made good on her promise by kissing Wilbert-the-Pig much to the delight of howling students at a May 13 assembly. She also colored her hair maroon and gold (Capri’s colors) in honor of spirit week.

The Este family of Ferrara, represented by Jack Cohen, Natalie Pachenko, Kevin Phan and Jessica Schwoob, prepares to wage battle.

Lana Bartolo morphs into a true Musketeer in the face-painting booth.

Lords, ladies, jesters and peasants descend upon Rolling Hills Middle School

By Karen Rubio
Special to the Times

On Friday, May 27, Rolling Hills Middle School held its yearly Renaissance Day for the seventh grade class. Students dressed as lords, ladies, jesters and peasants participated in traditional renaissance activities such as crafting wreaths, pouches and stained glass windows, as well as learning alchemy and potions.

In the art classroom, students lay on their backs under tables and painted masterpieces worthy of Michelangelo.

A highlight of the day was the outdoor faire. In a wooded glen on school grounds reminiscent of Sherwood Forest, students jousted (with pillows), launched catapults at each other, played tug-of-war, spun a prize wheel, learned to play the harp and had their faces painted with Renaissance motifs.

Later, students were treated to “The Winter’s Tale,” performed by UC Santa Cruz’s Shakespeare to Go group. More than 50 parent volunteers converged on the school to guide student activities and make the day a success.

Its tassel and gown time again!

Del Mar High School will have its graduation for 194 graduates at 5 p.m. on June 16 at the football stadium. Del Mar is located at 1224 Del Mar Ave. in San Jose. Leigh High School will recognize its 391 graduating students at 5 p.m. on June 16 at its football bowl, “The Bull.” The high school is located at 5210 Leigh Ave. in San Jose. Westmont High School will have its graduation ceremony for nearly 350 grads at 4:30 p.m. on June 16 in the football bowl. Westmont is located at 4805 Westmont Ave. in Campbell.