Briefly In Education

LBUSD makes AP Honor Roll list

The Laguna Beach Unified School District has earned a spot on the College Board’s second annual AP Honor Roll, according to a news release from the district.

Fewer than 400 public school districts in the country made the list, which recognizes districts that are increasing access to Advanced Placement classes while improving the percentage of passing AP exam scores.

“We are extremely pleased that the performance of our teachers and students in the Advanced Placement programs have resulted in our ranking as one of the most highly respected school districts in the nation!” Supt. Sherine Smith said in a statement. “Our school board, administrators, parents and support staff serve important roles in student success as well. Together, we provide the gold standard of education in Laguna Beach Unified School District.”

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Sports Swap proceeds help Thurston’s PTA

The Thurston Middle School PTA is hosting the third annual Sports Swap on Saturday at the school’s gym.

The PTA will sell donated, gently used sports gear like surfboards, golf clubs, snowboards and wetsuits. Donors will get 60% of the proceeds, but the rest goes to the PTA. Or donors can choose to have all the profits go to the PTA, according to a news release.

Drop off your items priced to sell to the Thurston gym from 1 to 6:30 p.m. Friday. The sale is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Any unsold items will be donated to the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach.

For more information, visit https://www.thurstonpta.org and click on Sports Swap.

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Lumberyard Chef Challenge is Nov. 14

Joanne Culverhouse has a new challenger in the third annual SchoolPower’s Lumberyard Chef Challenge.

Culverhouse, principal of Laguna Beach High School, will take on Jenny Salberg, principal of Thurston Middle School, in a cook-off at 6 p.m. Nov. 14 at the Lumberyard, 384 Forest Ave.

Suzanne and Cary Redfearn of Lumberyard host the event, where dueling principals each pick a menu and the Lumberyard chefs prepare the meals. After each of the three courses, patrons vote on the best dish and a winner is named at the end of the night, according to a news release.

In the two previous battles, Culverhouse beat out former LBHS principal Don Austin.

Tickets are $95. The event benefits SchoolPower.

For more information, call (949) 494-6811 or visit https://www.lbschoolpower.org.

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SMART Girls raise $268 for breast cancer

An Oct. 14 Boys & Girls Club fundraiser raised $268.50 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation, according to a news release from the club.

Members of the club’s SMART Girls program sold lemonade, fruit kebabs and tie-dye T-shirts.

The program aims to help young girls develop healthy attitudes and lifestyles, according to the news release.

For more information about the club and its programs, call the Main Branch at (949) 494-2535 or the TLC Branch at (949) 494-7640.

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LBHS freshman wins writing contest

A freshman at Laguna Beach High School has won first prize in a fiction writing contest sponsored by the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation.

Aviva Meyers, 14, won the Library Lit contest, which was open to all students ages 14 to 18.

Competitors had to write a short story with a library theme or one that took place in a library.

Meyers’ winning story was called “An Askew Point of View.”

It’s about “a homeless mentally ill man who has trouble understanding that a favorite librarian has been laid off because of the bad economy and thinks she must have been murdered,” according to a news release.

Meyers will be awarded with $250, and her story will be published in the foundation’s magazine.

— Kelly Parker