Saratoga Sampler

Saratoga students earn literary honors

By Mary Ann Cook

WINNING WRITERS: Saratoga High students racked up quite a record in the recent Young Writers Poetry and Prose Competition sponsored by Villa Montalvo. They won 7 of the 12 awards given. This is a mighty impressive feat in itself, especially considering the 100 entries submitted by 11th and 12th graders from 18 different high schools throughout the county.

First place winner in the poetry category was Jennifer Cheng, a name you've heard before, whose middle name must be achievement. Her poem was "Her Memory." Second place winner was Chelsea Purvis for her poem "Shade." All three honorable mentions went to Saratogans Katherine Tsai, Matt Yan and Erick Rector.

Tsai's poem was "Escape" and won first honorable mention. Yan's "The Story of Consuela the Dancing Cow," garnered second honorable mention and Rector's "The Leopard" took home the third honorable mention.

In the prose department two Saratogans won honors: Titania Juang for "The Cello" garnered first honorable mention; and Lauren Kissner for "When He Comes" took second honorable mention. Winners read from their works and won cash and certificates at ceremonies at Montalvo last week.

WOMAN OF THE YEAR: Saratogan Lori Fox was named Woman of the Year for the 24th Assembly District by Assemblyman Jim Cunneen and the California state legislature last month. Fox founded Chez Vous Catering and Events in 1984. She has been a longtime community fundraiser and leader, particularly for Sacred Heart Church and for the Silicon Valley Charity Ball.

For four years she has been president for the charity ball. The event raised $1 million dollars for each year it's been under her guidance. This year's Silicon Valley Ball will be held on May 6, at the San Jose Convention Center with a roaring 20s theme, Puttin' on the Ritz.

Other Saratogans serving on the board of directors are Lori's husband, Mike Fox Jr., Nick and Lynne Streit, J.P. Puette and Karen Krueger. Nick Streit is board treasurer. Other local key players are Leela Tabari, Grant Review Committee; Joe Morrison, Table Sales Committee; Marianne Cohn, who holds the highest table sales for that committee; and Marie Low and Cathy Gillum, public relations.

TOP SKIPPER: Dawn Riley, quite possibly the world's foremost woman skipper, will speak at the Los Gatos Yacht Club meeting on May 9. Reservations are required for this one. The people to call are Commodore Ted Miller at 408.353.8602, or Leo Feltz at 408.356.0541.

Riley participated in the recent America's Cup in New Zealand. Official photographer for the race team, the America True group, is Tom Zinn, a Saratoga High grad and Riley's significant other.

KIDLIT CONFERENCE: Aspiring children's writers and illustrators can meet literary brokers in that field up close and personal at a conference on April 29, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Daves Avenue School Library. Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) will sponsor the conference.

On hand will be Rosalie Heacock, agent; Eden Edwards, editor and marketing manager from Houghton Mifflin; Walter Mayes, publisher's book representative; and Valerie Lewis of Hicklebee's, a children's book store in San Jose.

To register, call coordinator Joy Hulme at 408.354.3637. Cost is $60; $50 for SCBWI members. Box lunch will be catered by Sweet Pea's. Art portfolios will be perused, but not critiqued.

STRIKE'S OVER: The hunger strike that Elizabeth Walthausen of Purdue University participated in ended after 11 days. A mediator was called in to break the stalemate and to get students eating again. They were taking in nothing but fluids and vitamins for those 11 days. The strike was designed to convince the administration to join the Workers' Rights Consortium. The college is in Lafayette, Indiana.

SILENT AUCTION: A silent auction to benefit Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence will be held on April 28 and 29. The auction sponsored by the Los Gatos History Club. Theme baskets with goods from local merchants will be on display before the auction at the clubhouse from noon to 7 p.m. on April 28, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on April 29.

Entrance fee is $5 and includes refreshments. Diana Crawford and Jeanne Rajabzadeh are co-chairwomen of the event. Call 408.395.6431 for more information.

TO BENEFIT YOUTH: A block of tickets for the 9:30 p.m. April 28 performance of Cirque du Soleil, the razzle-dazzle Canadian troupe, will be set aside to benefit troubled youth. Ticket proceeds that night will benefit the nonprofit organization SAY (Social Advocates for Youth) which runs a crisis center for runaway and homeless teens.

Clients of SAY, staff and volunteers will also be treated to a dress rehearsal.

The $100 benefit tickets are for preferred seating, and can be reserved by calling the SAY office at 408.253.3540.

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Saratoga Sampler

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