An Old Orchard 7th Grade Girl is the most recent of many OOS Middle School students to take her science fair project all the way to the state-wide Science Fair. Vivian C's project, "Pulse Wave Analysis in Simulated Vascular System," secured her a 1st Place in Physics at the Synopsys-Silicon Valley Science Fair and an honorable mention in physics at the invitation-only statewide Science Fair. Nearly half of Old Orchard's Middle School students participated in the Synopsis-Silicon Valley Fair this year, with 10 winning awards from first place to honorable mention.

We asked Vivian to tell us a little bit about her experience at the State Fair. Here's what she wrote:

"The trip to the State Science Fair was a fun and exciting experience. During the keynote address, a former female astronaut, Barbara Radding Morgan, came and told us about her career from an elementary school teacher to an astronaut and her experience in space on board the space shuttle Endeavor.  Her speech deeply increased my interest about science and engineering. Also, all the projects at the State Fair opened my mind to a new world that made me think and wonder about everything around us. The most fun part was that my project was assigned to be in the big room that enclosed the space shuttle Endeavor which I got to examine for 2 ½ hours during the judging session.  Last, I want to thank the teachers at Old Orchard for improving my confidence as a speaker and helping me become more enthusiastic with math and science."

Four Old Orchard 7th Grade girls had a phenomenal rookie season in First Lego League (FLL) robotics tournaments, advancing from local to regional competitions, winning the prestigious Champions' Award, and on to be honored with an invitation to April's FFL World Festival in St. Louis. 

In St. Louis, Team VESH - named after members Vivian, Eva, Sonali and Holly - won 3rd Place worldwide in the Project Innovation-Solution category, 9th Place worldwide for the robotics portion of the competition, and 3rd Place among the 40 U.S. teams competing. VESH's success is all the more impressive as the girls were new to robotics, and significantly younger than the majority of teams at the festival.

Earlier in April, the 7th girl's project earned them an invitation to meet with the head of reasearch and development at San Francisco-based Fitbit, interested to know more about their project idea, which would modify a Fitbit product into an assistive device for seniors. 

Register no later than April 2 multi-session and sibling discounts AND if you need after-camp care. For questions, contact Camp Director Melissa Greene via email or the Lower School Office.

Bay Area Parent magazine runs an annual "Best of the Best" poll in Silicon Valley to determine the best schools, camps, businesses and experiences for youngsters.

We were recently awarded the Bronze Award for Best Middle School, and we're thrilled! 

Thanks very much to everyone who voted for us.

Big congratulations go out to several OOS students for having their artwork displayed in the Saratoga Rotary Art Show.

The annual art show, which was at West Valley College this past weekend, featured great art, wine tasting, food, and entertainment.

A number of art students taught by Mr. Russell and Margaret Washington had their art displayed in the Student Art Exhibit for all to see.  The students participating were:

Rick H - K2
Izabel L - 1st
Liliane N - 2nd
Selena C - 3rd
Rachel P - 4th
Bella F - 4th
Audrey C -  5th
Laura P - 5th
Taylor H - Upper School
Gabriel H - Upper School

Service Learning at Old Orchard School

As the 2011-2012 school year comes to a close, we want to tell you a bit more about SALT, and give you a recap of the many community service projects Old Orchard students have been involved in.

SALT, which stands for Serving and Learning Together, is a committee
that was formed this year to more formally engage OOS students in
service learning.  We all know how important it is to serve others and
to be helpful in one's community.  But did you also know that helping
others is an asset defined by Project Cornerstone?  Project Cornerstone
leaders have determined that Asset #9, service to others, is a gateway
to many other assets (such as empathy and responsibility) that children
need to be successful.

Recap of 2011-2012 School Service Projects:

* Grades 5-8 held a spring Walk-a-thon which raised $1,800 for the
fight to eradicate polio. The Upper School Student Council attended the
5/23 Sa Jose Rotary Club meeting to donate the money. SJ Rotary is part
of a worldwide rotary effort to eradicate polio.

* Dr. MLK Jr. Day of Service event, which brought all OOS grades
together in January to send care packages to troops overseas, shipped
56 packages to 10 soldiers to share with their units. We also donated
five large bins of additional food and toiletry items to Sacred Heart
Community Service, which assists low-income families in Santa Clara
County.  In addition to preparing the packages, four guest speakers --
one active duty Marine, and three veterans -- shared their experiences
with students and families.  Also, all lower school children had a
lesson in the classroom explaining the meaning of our service event,
and all lower school students created a letter and drawing for a
soldier.

* Used book sale at Lower School – partial funds ($300) from the June
book sale went to Supportive Family Housing, also known as San Jose
Family Shelter (http://familysupportivehousing.org/index.php).
Leftover books are being donated to libraries.

* Lower School Student Council held a May bake sale and penny drive
which raised $300 for the Humane Society of Silicon Valley (HSSV).
Also, second grader Sarah Mason collected two large bags of toilet
paper rolls which will be used by summer campers at HSSV to make cat
toys.

* Children's Halloween costume drive for CommUniverCity. Collection
boxes were located in both the Lower School and Upper School offices in
October. CommUniverCity (www.CommUniverCitysanjose.org) reached its
goal of collecting 1,000 gently used children's costumes for
distribution to families of elementary school-aged children in San
Jose's East Side.

* Pack-a-Back community service drive - at the start of the school
year, OOS participated in Sacred Heart Community Service's Pack-a-Back
education campaign, which helped provide 2,000 new filled backpacks to
needy youth in our community.

* EHC Lifebuilders kits - 1st grade did a classroom project in which
they created EHC kits for the local homeless population.

School Opportunities for Service Over the Summer:

Pack-a-Back.  Once again, OOS will be participating in Sacred Heart
Community Service's Pack-a-Back education campaign.  We will have a
barrel at Lower School from 7/9-7/31 to collect backpacks and school
supplies for needy children.  For more information:
http://www.sacredheartcs.org/get-involved/pack-a-back-2012.

Service Opportunities for Families/Groups Over the Summer:

Homeless Care Kits.  Families can make homeless care packages that can
be handed out to the homeless.

Items for packages may include:

•       granola bar
•       dried fruit
•       apple
•       water
•       sunscreen
•       socks
•       chapstick

Advice from EHC Lifebuilders, an organization devoted to ending
homelessness, is to have a grown up say, “I cannot offer you money, but
would you like to have this care package?”  Please tell your children
to not be offended if someone declines their offer.

Principal Elizabeth Cox keeps these care packages in her car, and
passes them out when appropriate.

OOS Kids who Care:

Kami Richardson and Project S.O.L.O.
Every year, Kami Richardson in GR4 picks a non-profit to learn about,
and fundraises for them.  She normally picks local organizations, like
the Lucille Packard Center or Second Harvest, but last year she did a
Girl Scout badge on the endangered leatherback sea turtle and has been
interested in them since.  She asked for donations to S.O.L.O. (Save
Our Leatherbacks Operation) instead of birthday gifts, and in return,
they decided to come out to meet her and speak at Old Orchard next
year.    Both Kami and the S.O.L.O organization
(http://saveourleatherbacks.org) have received Disney grants and
awards for their volunteer efforts, so they decided to team up and work
on this together.

Mason and Agudelo Annual Lemonade Stand
Every year, the Agudelos (Vince, GR2 and Dominic, GR5) and the Masons
(Max, K1 and Sarah, GR2 and Sasha, GR5) set up a lemonade and cookie
stand to raise money for a local organization or charity, such as the
Humane Society.  If you'd like to visit their lemonade stand this year, it will be open on July 22.  Look
for news of the stand's address in a future schoolwide email.

Recommended Reading:

The World Needs Your Kid: Raising Children Who Care and Contribute
by Craig Kielburger, Marc Kielburger, Shelley Page and The Dalai Lama

Stopping at Every Lemonade Stand: How to Create a Culture That Cares for Kids
by James Vollbracht

Want to Join SALT?  Help Out?  Learn More?

SALT is already looking ahead to next school year.  We are
brainstorming ways to teach our children the importance of service, and
seeking out local charities or organizations we can do projects with.
If you'd like to join us, or give us feedback or advice, please email
Cindy Newberry at cindymnewberry@yahoo.com or Alyse Mason at
martin_alyse@yahoo.com.

You are invited to the Old Orchard School Family Fiesta on May 16, 2012 from 5pm - 7pm on the Lower School campus.

Our students will be honoring you with a performance in Spanish, and dinner will be served.

Please RSVP to Melissa in the main office if you haven't already.

Read the article in the San Jose Mercury News here:

http://www.mercurynews.com/education/ci_20305191/10-students-win-santa-clara-county-science-fair?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com

This month the Project Cornerstone ABC Readers will be reading the book "Enemy Pie,"  by Derek Munson, in classrooms at Old Orchard.

Synopsis: It was the perfect summer. That is, until Jeremy Ross moved into the house down the street and became neighborhood enemy number one.  Luckily Dad had a surefire way to get rid of enemies: Enemy Pie.  But part of the secret recipe is spending an entire day playing with the enemy!  

In this funny yet endearing story, one little boy learns an effective recipe for turning your best enemy into your best friend.

If you would like more information about Project Cornerstone, please contact your classroom's ABC Readers.