Diversity and Balance
It Takes A Village
Martin Murphy girls softball team won the Section Championship for the SCCESJHCA .
At Morgan Hill ’ s Annual Citywide Science Fair , judges reviewed 130 student projects spanning behavioral science , physics / engineering , chemistry and biology . Among the South County students whose projects won top honors were Oakwood School 8th Grader Nikhita Gopisetti . For her project , “ On the way to finding a cure for Diabetes ,” she designed a scientific model of an artificial pancreas using acids and bases instead of glucose and insulin . Gopisetti herself has Type 1 Diabetes . Britton middle schoolers Leeann Gile and Ashley Balbo teamed up to show how listening to different music genres impacts blood pressure – to their surprise and everyone else ’ s , rock music lowered blood pressure while classical and reggae had the opposite effect .
At the 2015 Tech Challenge hosted by San Jose ’ s Tech Museum , two 6th Grade teams from Charter School of Morgan Hill made the finals , with one team winning second place overall . Recently , the school set up a Crime Scene Investigation ( CSI ) program in response to growing student interest in forensic sciences .
Proving that it ’ s never too early to become a master of chess , Stratford School ’ s Aneesh Baiaragi , a 3rd Grader , took home a trophy after finishing first in his age group at the Bay Area Yes for Chess Tournament this year .
In History , Martin Murphy student Naomi Nguyen won a blue ribbon at Santa Clara County ’ s National History Day Competition this year for an exhibit she created to depict the Japanese-American experience of internment during World War II . She went on to compete at the state level .
Diversity and Balance
We are a region of diversity , and our schools have embraced a spirit of tolerance , respect and cooperation among all students regardless of race , ethnicity , age , gender , interests , abilities and other differences that define student individuality . Increasingly ,
Live Oak Senior Justin Shumate with parents and Principal Webb National Merit Scholar , Gold Cord , Golden State Seal of Biliteracy and Golden State Seal Merit Diploma .
schools are dedicating special days during which students and their families can celebrate cultural diversity through food , dance , music and art as well as other traditions .
Charter School of Morgan Hill and other South County schools are building cohesiveness on campus through cross-grade collaboration and mentoring , which benefits both older and younger students .
Schools strive for balance when it comes to classroom sizes and the blending of academics with extra-curricular and community service activities . For example , Britton Middle School is among the campuses that offer targeted assistance for struggling students ( Khan Academy , EL Academy , Read 180 ) while providing enrichment opportunities for accelerated students ( Science MESA program , Math Club , AP classes , student internships ).
Martin Murphy School Principal Heather Griffin said her school ’ s motto is “ Success is No Accident ” and the staff stands by that motto by challenging all of the students to jump in and try their hand at different activities so they can feel connected to their school community . For example , a group of boys who weren ’ t getting involved in campus life were encouraged to join a volleyball team , and the team not only had an undefeated season but they went on to county-wide competition .
It Takes A Village
South County schools are also discovering creative ways to partner with the community . Chambers of Commerce and Rotary Interact Clubs mentor students . Community Solutions and other nonprofits provide meaningful community service opportunities . Police and fire departments and emergency response teams visit campuses to talk with students about law enforcement and social justice . Career Fairs and “ Rock the Mock ” events connect students with business professionals so they can learn about potential career
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN JULY / AUGUST 2015 gmhtoday . com
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