The world's biggest free jazz festival is free for one important reason—some 600 volunteers make it happen. The San Jose Jazz Society has put out a call for volunteers to help in a variety of ways with the annual Comcast San Jose Jazz Festival, scheduled this year for Aug. 8­10 in downtown San Jose.

More than 150,000 music lovers are expected to descend on the downtown area during the popular event, which takes place in and around Plaza de Cesar Chavez.

Volunteers are needed in all areas of the festival, including beverages, retail, tickets and staging.

Says jazz society general director Steve Saperstein, "It's a truly fun event where volunteers get to rub elbows with some of the hottest names in jazz. It's the volunteers who make this event run smoothly."

To volunteer, contact Mary Ellen McCammon at 408.288.7557, ext. 2327, or maryellenm@sanjosejazz.org. More information is available at http://www.sanjosejazz.org.


Sixth-grader wins state art contest

Katarina Plavec, a sixth-grader at Cupertino Middle School in Sunnyvale, was one of 12 student winners of the California Energy Commission's 2004 Energy Quest Calendar Contest.

Drawings, paintings and posters by the 12 young artists will illustrate the 2004 calendar to be printed by the energy commission later this year.

Some 1,400 entries were received from students in grades three through eight. Renewable energy in California was the major theme for this year's artists.

Each student selected in the contest will receive a $200 U.S. savings bond.

The winning art from this year's contest is viewable online at http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/art_gallery.


Major League soccer camps from July 14-18

Major League Soccer Camps is offering programs in Silicon Valley for youths and teenagers.

The sport camps combine training with games and activities for boys and girls ages 2 to 18 and will take place at Kennedy Middle School in Cupertino July 14­18.

For more information, call John Muskivitch at 408.446.9136, email mlscamp@ayso35.org or visit the web site at http://www.mlscamps.com.