Each spring, the Olympiad of the Arts recognizes the creative and performing talents of college and high school students in Santa Clara County.

The competition is open to community college, lower-division four-year college and high school students who are residents of Santa Clara County.

Students compete in acting, dance choreography, vocal and piano performance, photography, poetry and short-story writing, and for high school students, visual arts categories.

Winners in each category receive awards in a West Valley College ceremony on May 2, in conjunction with the annual Saratoga Rotary Art Show.

The Olympiad was begun in 1928 by U.S. Senator James Phelan of Montalvo and Dr. Henry Meade Bland, a Professor of English at San José State College. Envisioning Santa Clara Valley as the "Athens of the West," the contest was held every four years at Villa Montalvo Center for the Arts to coincide with the Olympic Games. The competition became an annual event in 1984.

For rules and guidelines and more information about the Olympiad of the Arts, call the West Valley/Mission Colleges Foundation at 408.741.2066.

Chamber celebrates
Chinese New Year

The Year of the Monkey is here, and the Asian American Business Council, along with the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce, is celebrating with an annual Lunar New Year Luncheon.

This year, the council is presenting Bridge Awards to the Chinese newspaper World Journal and the co-chairs of the Lunar New Year Unity Parade, Michelle Hu and Richard Lowenthal.

The public is welcome to attend the luncheon at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 3 at Hong Fu Gourmet Chinese Restaurant, located at 20588 Stevens Creek Blvd.

The cost is $35 per person. For more information, call 408.252.7054.

Bell ringers haul in
hefty sum of money

Cupertino Community Services is the local representative for the Salvation Army and participated in the holiday bell ringing in front of Cupertino Target. Community volunteers rang the bell from Thanksgiving weekend through Christmas Eve.

With the help of 135 volunteers totaling 466 hours from groups such as Chamber of Commerce, Cupertino City Council, Cupertino and De Anza Optimist clubs, Cupertino Fire Station, Cupertino Interact Club, De Anza College, Hewlett-Packard, Kiwanis Club, Lynbrook Key and Interact clubs, Miller Middle School, Monta Vista Interact and Octagon clubs, Quota Club, Rotary Club and residents throughout Cupertino, $11,032.29 was raised to support local services to the community.

The Cupertino Optimist Club raised the highest amount in a single day at $942.34 and the De Anza Optimists came in second at $751.93 for the day.

State of city is the topic of discussion for luncheon

Mayor Sandra James will speak on the "State of the City" on Jan. 28 in the Cupertino Room at Quinlan Community Center.

The event, presented by the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce and the Cupertino Rotary Club, offers lunch in addition to the speech.

The cost is $25 per person. Registration begins at 11:30 a.m. for the program.

For more information, call David Ghio at 408.252.7054 ex. 10.

Annual Indian dance contest

The Sikh Student Association at UC-Berkeley will hold one of the biggest college bhangra (an Indian dance) competitions in the nation—Dhol Di Awaz.

With more than 2,000 people attending every year, Dhol Di Awaz will be held Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. at Flint Center.

Teams from across the nation will come for the chance to win.

For more information, see the website www.dholdiawaz.com.

Civil grand jury
seeking members

The Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, is seeking volunteers to serve on the 2004­05 civil grand jury.

Thomas Hansen, presiding judge, has announced that residents who have lived in this county for one year and who are United States citizens 18 years of age or older, may apply for service. The one-year term will begin on June 24.

The civil grand jury is the county's investigative body and is an arm of the court.

The major function of the grand jury is to carry out its civil watchdog responsibilities by examining all aspects of county and city government and special districts, including school districts.

Grand jury service requires a significant amount of time from June 2004 through June 2005—approximately 20 to 25 hours per week, and frequently more.

Anyone interested in more information or to obtain an application for the Civil Grand Jury should call Gloria Alicia Chacon, executive assistant to the Grand Jury, at 408.882.2721 or visit www.sccsuperiorcourt.org/jury/gj.html.

The deadline for submitting applications is Feb. 6.

Hispanic Educational
grants are available

Hispanic high school students have a chance to win educational grants in one of seven categories that include academic excellence, arts and entertainment, community service, engineering and mathematics, healthcare, journalism and sports.

The Hispanic Heritage Awards Foundation is promoting the Gold and Silver awards to identify and acknowledge the next generation of Hispanic role models.

The application deadline is Feb 10.

Gold Medallion winners will receive a $3,000 educational grant and an chance to become one of seven national winners.

Students can apply online at www.HispanicHeritageAwards.org or pick up an applications at Subway restaurants.

Cal Grant applications
must be filed by March 2

High school seniors can apply for up to $9,700 for college tuition and costs to be used at almost any California college—public and private universities, community colleges and even vocational schools.

The money does not have to be repaid. But to receive a Cal Grant in time for the 2004 school year, qualifying students must file electronically or mail in applications between now and March 2.

Graduating high school seniors and recent graduates qualify for a Cal Grant if they have at least a 2.0 GPA and satisfy certain financial requirements.

Applicants must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and the Cal Grant Verification Form.

Complete information on Cal Grants is available online at www.calgrants.org, or by calling toll-free 1.888.224.7268. Information on other college financial aid options can also be obtained on the Cal Grants website.

To obtain FAFSA-specific information, log on to www.fafsa.edgov.

The California Student Aid Commission is also supporting a series of collaborative, statewide College Goal Sunday "Cash for College" workshops with legislators, community-based organizations, schools and others.

The workshops will offer applicants and parents step-by-step, hands-on help in completing the FAFSA. All of the workshops are scheduled in January and February, and information on times and locations will be posted at www.californiacollegegoalsunday.com.

The FAFSA is not only required for Cal Grant applications, but is also used to qualify for other college grant programs.

Seminar for parents
of the college-bound

On Jan. 31 between 2 and 4 p.m., the Asian American Parents Association and the Fremont Union High School District holds a seminar, "The Road to College," to help parents help their children apply for college.

Presenter Vicki S. Kleinman will tell parents how to create a planning calendar, the importance of a student résumé and the qualities that admission officers seek.

Kleinman has seven years of experience in the field of college advising. Her professional credentials include postgraduate work in college admissions advising and a certification from UC-Berkeley Continuing Education. As an instructor in the Foothill and De Anza colleges short course department, she teaches a college-planning workshop for parents.

The seminar will take place in the Cupertino High School Theater, 10100 Finch Ave.

For more information, call Om Talajia at 408.861.8867, Jill Lin at 408.865.0284 or Ping Lee at 408.316.4402.

Seating is limited and will be on first-come, first-served basis.

Residents can find out
why copter is overhead

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office routinely receives emails and phone messages from concerned residents, inquiring why a helicopter is flying around their neighborhood.

The sheriff's office has an arrangement with the San Jose Police Department's helicopter unit to provide air coverage seven days a week throughout the county.

In addition to special assignments, the helicopter, which is called STAR 1, may help ground units on traffic enforcement stops and calls for service.

To know why the helicopter is in a neighborhood, call the 24-hour non-emergency number 408.299.3233 as the activity is occurring.