Briefly In Education

TOW makes a difference with costume drive

Families at Top of the World Elementary School are working on a year of service projects, beginning with a costume drive that will benefit preschool families in the Even Start Program.

Gently used costumes should be dropped off at the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, 1085 Laguna Canyon Road.

The school’s PTA Community Service chairwomen Kimberly Leeds and Sarah Campbell Bessos have coordinated the drive along with TOW’s Kindness Kids Club.

The school promotes community service as a part of its kindness program, Rachel’s Challenge, named after a girl killed in the Columbine shootings in 1999.

“Serving other’s needs is empowering, and it feels good to know that you have made a difference in other’s lives,” Leeds said in a statement.

Upcoming service activities will include a coat drive and sending thank-you letters to members of the military.

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Club pairs up LBHS students, senior citizens

A new club, Allied Youth for Senior Health, has formed at Laguna Beach High School.

AYSH aims to help improve the health of seniors by promoting exercise, interaction and socialization on a regular basis, according to a news release.

Students will accompany seniors and take walks around Laguna on Saturday mornings.

Senior citizens interested in participating should contact club president Dylan Bush at (949) 436-0844 or Mariann Tracy at the Susi Q Senior Center, (949) 497-2441.

Snacks and water will be provided to all participants.

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French students to visit with LBHS counterparts

Students from Laguna Beach’s sister city of Menton, France, will arrive in town Friday to spend time with Laguna Beach High School students.

LBHS teacher Odile Dewar’s French class has been communicating via the Internet with an English class taught by Florence Legache at Lycee’ Pierre Et Marie Curie High School in Menton for the past 18 months.

Mayor Toni Iseman will officially welcome the French visitors at 5 p.m. Sunday at C’est la Vie.

Dewar and Legache have planned a lesson for all the students at LBHS on Monday morning.

The French students’ itinerary also includes trips to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Laguna College of Art & Design and Main Beach.

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Dodgeball Tournament nets more than $11K

SchoolPower’s second annual Dodgeball Tournament on Oct. 13 raised more than $11,000, according to a news release.

The tournament had three divisions comprised of teams who included teachers, students and public safety officials.

The adult division winner was Skillz that Killz, who beat the Black Eyed Peas in the final matchup.

The sixth- through eighth-grade division winner was the Night Flyers. The fourth- and fifth-grade division winner was the Bomb Squad II.

“My hat goes off to event chairs Mike and Frana Sadler, as well as their committee for making this such a great event,” SchoolPower President Marcus Skenderian said in a statement. “They brought a level of enthusiasm to this event that was contagious. You really can’t describe how much fun it is to play until you’ve done it!”

—Kelly Parker