Education Briefs
Law student wins scholarship
Christine Esperanza of Los Gatos received a Blum Scholarship based on academic achievement, a $2,000 San Francisco Legal Auxiliary Scholarship and a $3,270 Hastings Academic Excellence Scholarship this spring. Esperanza, a member of the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, class of 2003, received the awards at the college's annual Scholarship Tea in April. She is a staff member of Hastings Constitutional Law Quarterly.
The daughter of Patti and Romeo Esperanza of Los Gatos, Esperanza attended Westmont High School in Campbell. She graduated from UCLA in 1999 with a degree in communications.
Mortkowitz receives degree
On May 11 Barbara Mortkowitz of Los Gatos graduated from Dominican University of California, an independent Catholic university in San Rafael, with a degree in humanities. Mortkowitz was one of more than 375 students in the graduating class.
Commencement services were held at the Forest Meadows Amphitheater, located on the 80-acre university campus 11 miles north of San Francisco.
School district honors employees
The Los Gatos Union School District honored four workers--Jan Blasberg, Vicki Brown, John Lux and Nancy Roan--as "distinguished employees" for the 2001-2002 school year.
Blasberg, a math teacher at Fisher Middle School, was the driving force behind the recent sale of school buttons, which benefited a public school in New York City that was damaged on Sept. 11.
Brown has taught a combination second- and third-grade class at Lexington Elementary School for several years. The district awarded Brown, a lead negotiator for the Teacher's Association, for her intelligence; her organizational style, which blends learning for both grades; and the amount of time she spends preparing lessons.
Lux, whom the district describes as the "heart" of Blossom Hill Elementary School, is an instructional aide and has yard duty on campus. The district says that Lux--a mentor and maintenance worker, as well as a friend to all--knows every student on campus. He has helped implement physical fitness programs, including the school's running club.
Roan, secretary to the director of special education, has worked for the district for more than 12 years, including as an aide and substitute teacher. Roan has a way with children and goes out of her way to "chip in" on tasks, the district says.
A selection committee chose the employees, whom the district honored at its May 14 board of trustees meeting.
Contact Rebecca Ray at rray@svcn.com with school news.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
