Class notes

Three hundred entries were submitted by students from kindergarten to eighth grade and were judged to best illustrate the theme "SamTrans Gets You There.” The colorful artwork accompanied by photos of the artists is wrapped around the Art Bus. The winning entries are also featured on posters inside buses all summer.

The grand prize-winning entry was submitted by Kezia Maximillian, a sixth grader at Daniel Webster School in Daly City. Maximillian’s artwork also will be used on a monthly bus pass. Other winners included Sophie Srivastava, a first grade student at Central Elementary School; Mario Ghilardi-Lopez, a first-grade student at Martin School; Connor Coffman, a second-grade student at North Shoreview Montessori; Jun Stephens, a third-grade student at Ocean Shore School; Kaela Han, a fifth-grade student from La Entrada School; Hana Jenks, a fifth-grade student at La Entrada School; and Grace Hu, a sixth-grade student at Crocker Middle School.

The entries featured people surfing at the beach, playing in the park and waiting for the bus. The young artists used a variety of media, including water color, acrylic paint, crayon and colored pencil.

The winners received a SamTrans Summer Youth Pass, a certificate and framed copy of the bus card that displays their art work, as well as an assortment of art supplies. SamTrans collaborated with the San Mateo County Office of Education on the project.

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San Mateo Middle College High School, an alternative education program for juniors and seniors in the San Mateo Union High School District, is accepting applications for Fall 2007. Students and parents interested in the program can contact the Middle College office.

Middle College High School, located at the College of San Mateo, includes up to 30 juniors and 30 seniors. Students are required to take three high school courses, which follow the SMUHSD-approved curriculum and satisfy high school graduation requirements. Juniors take integrated courses, American literature and U.S. history, along with study skills. Seniors take study skills, English and semester courses of economics and American government.

Students enroll in courses needed for high school graduation requirements, then complete their schedules with CSM courses. For many courses, students can earn both high school credits and college units.

The students are high potential juniors and seniors who may not have lived up to perceived expectations and potential as a high school student. These students are often creative and independent thinkers, artistically talented, sometimes gifted in one area, such as music, art or computers, but generally are not connected to the typical high school scene. They may have relatively high scores on standardized tests, but their grades may not reflect this academic potential. Students demonstrate the potential maturity to cope with the relative freedom of the college environment and do not exhibit extreme discipline problems.

Students are recommended for admission by parents, teachers, guidance counselors and administrators. Other application procedures include student testing for reading and writing, an informational meeting with parents/guardians, and interviews with students and parents/guardians.

For more information call the Middle College Principal Greg Quigley at 574-6101 or email middlecollege@smuhsd.k12.ca.us. Information also is available on the Middle College Web site at www.smccd.net/middlecollege.

Class notes is a weekly column dedicated to school news. It is compiled by education reporter Heather Murtagh. You can contact her at (650) 344-5200, ext. 105 or at heather@smdailyjournal.com.