Saratoga News

On Campus

High School drive a success

The group Students Taking a New Direction (STAND) at Saratoga High School announced that its holiday drive, held Dec. 1-11, was a success. All donations from the drive organized by STAND members went to InnVision, a shelter in downtown San Jose for homeless women and children.

Lynna Taylor, STAND coordinator, said many businesses, including the Los Gatos Lodge, donated items such as televisions, blankets, sheets, bedspreads and toiletries to the drive. A full-size artificial Christmas tree was also donated by Sears, along with toys by Koosh and food by Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Toiletries donated by hotels such as the Hilton were split into bags for mothers at the shelter. Taylor said the group also had Santa Claus, portrayed by Los Gatos- Saratoga Joint Union High School board member Ron Adolphson, come to the shelter and give out candy and pose for photos with children at the shelter.

STAND will also visit a family with 13 children, bringing them presents and a holiday meal, before Christmas.

"The city of Saratoga was very generous," Taylor said.

SHS takes top SAT honors

The California Department of Education announced that Saratoga High School's class of 1997 SAT scores were ranked No. 1 in California among nonmagnet public schools. Saratoga's average score was 1,239.

Schools are ranked based on the number of graduating seniors who took the test and by combining the average math and verbal scores. The 1997 graduates outscored the school's 1996 graduates by 25 points.

Take charge in the Army

The U.S. Army has announced Take Charge, a campaign to help high school students stay in school, remain drug-free and plan their lives after high school.

Through the program, Army recruiters hope to work with high schools to identify students in danger of dropping out of school or taking drugs. The Army's hope is to use its 7,000 recruiters nationwide to serve as role models and mentors to the students. The Take Charge program was started because the Army wants enlistees who are high school graduates and are drug-free, according to press information.

For information on the Take Charge program, contact an Army recruiter or go to their Web site.

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