News Briefs

Rotary hosts annual crab feed fundraiser

The Rotary Club of Cupertino will sponsor its annual Crab Feed on Friday, Feb. 26, in the parish hall of St. Joseph's Church at 10110 N. De Anza Boulevard.

The all-you-can-eat meal will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and includes fresh cracked crab, bread, salad, pasta and ice cream.

Tickets are $25 per person and are available from high school clubs, the Northwest YMCA, Cupertino Chamber of Commerce, Cupertino National Bank and Rotary Club members.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will go towards Rotary programs benefiting youth in the community. For more information call 252-5780.

Music teacher named year's top educator

Homestead High School teacher John Burn was named the "Music Educator of the Year" by the Bay Area's section of the California Music Educators Association (CMEA) last month.

"I was really surprised [to receive the award]," Burn said. "I'm flattered and humbled that the board members of the CMEA thought that highly of what I do."

Each year, the Bay Area section of the CMEA honors two music educators based on the outstanding programs they

provide. "[Burn] just has a great program," said Sandra Lewis, the CMEA Bay Section secretary. "The kids have a higher level of understanding of music and music education. There aren't a lot of bands that can go in and do well in marching and concert situations too. He has been very involved and whatever he does is quality work."

Burn, in his eighth year of teaching at Homestead, directs a marching band, wind ensemble, symphonic band and an orchestra. He teaches advanced placement music theory to a class of 30 students. He works with a jazz band and teaches jazz classes and workshops.

"[Burn] has a band and orchestra that he takes to rated, adjudicated festivals which year after year consistently gets rated superior, the highest rating," Lewis said. "To get a superior, you need to get a unanimous superior decision from four judges."

This year, Burn is also directing the wind ensemble at De Anza College. The music instructor went on sabbatical and asked Burn to work with the group.

Outside the classroom, Burn is on the CMEA Bay Section and Santa Clara County Band Director's Association board.

Burn graduated from Homestead High School in 1984. He was the school's drum major of the marching band.

Future business leaders teach kids importance of caring for environment

The Homestead High School Future Business Leaders of America took some time recently to teach children about the need to care for the earth.

A group from the Future Business Leaders, called the KLEEN Team (Kids Learning Environmental Education Now), facilitated a hands-on seminar for children ages 5 and up at the Sunnyvale Public Library. They taught the youngsters about reuse, recycling, pollution, water treatment, and what each person can do to protect the planet.

Leaders said they hope to educate and empower the future generation about the impact their actions have on the environment.

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Mustangs fight for basketball title