Westmoor High redirects cash from junk food to women's clinic

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Dec 10, 2007

Bill by bill, Westmoor High School students are helping the needy across the continents.

Last week, the school's Life Management class spearheaded a campaign encouraging teens to spend their dollar not on junk food, but on a project to upgrade a women's clinic in Nairobi, Kenya.

Westmoor High teacher Denise Fishtrom said the effort will add more beds and vaccinations to the clinic.

The class collected money for the One Dollar For Life nonprofit organization, which does charitable work in Africa.

Last year, the organization gathered about $10,000 from several California campuses to build a school in an African village.

For more information, visit the Web site http://www.ODFL.org.

HALF MOON BAY

Half Moon Bay High

wins seat-belt title

Coastside teens helped make youth driving safer in San Mateo County while leading Half Moon Bay to the title in the second High School Seat Belt Challenge.

This year, Half Moon Bay, Mills, Sequoia, Peninsula, Hillsdale and South San Francisco high schools competed for cash awards to see which campus could achieve the best overall rate of teen seat belt use from two surveys done between Sept. 24 and Oct. 19.

Half Moon Bay won with

96.8 percent, followed by Mills with 94.9 percent and Sequoia with 93.7 percent. These schools earned $400, $300 and $200, respectively.

Peninsula showed the most-improved rate, going from

79.6 percent to 86.4 percent foran overall mark of 83 percent. The school got $100.

All six schools received $500 each for participating in the challenge -- part of a two-year, $76,000 grant awarded to the county Health Department by the state Office of Traffic Safety. The schools are also getting signs for their parking lots reminding students to buckle up.

During the challenge, students at each school ran activities to encourage their peers to wear seat belts.

This year's top three schools also did the best in last year's challenge. A year ago, Sequoia topped the contest at 95 percent followed by Half Moon Bay at 94 percent and Mills at 92 percent.

SAN MATEO COUNTY

Schools awarded

funds for supplies

More than 85 schools countywide will see a windfall to help pay for supplies and other needs.

On Wednesday, Wells Fargo bank managers will deliver

$1,000 checks to schools across the county.

The $90,000 worth of grants will go toward school materials, building upgrades and extracurricular activities.

Local campuses also benefited from Wells Fargo's "Adopt-A- School" initiative, which this year raised $68,500.

On the Peninsula, Wells Fargo adopted Green Oaks Academy in East Palo Alto and Mariano Castro Elementary in Mountain View.

Last year, Wells Fargo contributed nearly $5 million to Bay Area public schools and educational programs.

Chalk Talk is a regular feature with items about schools, students, teachers and administrators in San Mateo County. To submit an item, write to Chalk Talk, The San Mateo County Times, 477 Ninth Ave., San Mateo, 94402, send a fax to 650-348-4446, or e-mail education reporter Neil Gonzales at ngonzales@bayareanewsgroup.com.