Schools

Students in the Gavilan College Computer Graphics and Design program kept their creative juices flowing and extended their winning streak - receiving honors and awards for their projects on display at the California State Fair in Sacramento for a fourth straight year.

Two weeks ago, the annual Vacation Bible School camp was held at St. Benedict's Church. More than 200 youths and young adults from various schools in Hollister from preschool to high school students participated in the camp. I had a chance to participate as a member of the camera crew. Whether they were campers, teen leaders or station leaders, everyone joined in the fun activities going on throughout the entire week. The theme of the program was Kingdom Rock, which was reminiscent of the times of kings, queens and knights in shining armor. Every day the campers learned various ways to “Stand Strong” in difficult situations, which was the sub-theme of the program.

While residents with school-aged children are focusing on replenishing their stock of class supplies before the fall semester begins on Aug. 19, the United Way of San Benito County has launched a drive to collect those same items for low-income families in the community.

With cramped weight and wrestling facilities, the San Benito High Board of Trustees took one of the first steps in fixing the problem on June 12 by OK’ing detailed blueprints for a new building.

Now that San Benito High School's 2013 graduation ceremony is over, Juan Robledo will be packing up 38 years worth of history. He has formal portraits of himself with each year's president and vice president of the Associated Student Body lining the walls of his classroom, dating back almost two decades.

Jayna Navarro, a fifth-grade student at Sunnyslope Elementary School, has just 10 percent sight in one of her eyes and is blind in the other. She had a vision of working with her fellow classmates to raise money for The Seeing Eye – a foundation that breeds, raises and trains seeing-eye dogs for the blind with the support of donations.

Hollister School District trustees Thursday night reversed course on a prior cancellation to contracts with the city – over use of facilities for recreation programs – and directed staff officials to revive negotiations on a new agreement.

It looks as though the relatively new Hollister school board doesn’t have much patience for a long-held partnership with the city involving the rental of facilities for recreation programs. And it appears that trustees are concerned about a range of “little issues” that have accumulated through the years rather than one primary concern, according to the school board president.

The 630 San Benito High School students who gathered in the Mattson gym Friday morning bustled with excitement as they prepared to walk out onto the playing fields for graduation. Many of the students reminisced about their favorite parts of high school, but most of them were already looking toward what the future holds.

A Hollister official warned Monday that an agreement between the city and Hollister School District – for use of several school fields – was in limbo due to financial considerations.