The Valley Catholic May 7, 2019 | Page 34

34 May 7, 2019 | The Valley Catholic CATHOLIC SCHOOLS It was like any school day at Saint Francis High School dedicated to learn- ing, but on this particular day in April, students attended sessions led by alum- ni and faculty on topics that were practi- cal how-to’s and otherwise wouldn’t be covered in a traditional class. Lancer alumni returned to their alma mater to talk about what it is like to work in their respective careers and the paths they took to get where they are. Several alumni said they returned specifically because they remembered being inspired by these career talks when they were students. “In high school, I was in mock trial, and I thought I was going to be pre- law,” said Jenn Perkins ’11, who spoke to a packed room about nursing. “I be- cause a nurse because of my counselor, Sherrie Tasnady, and the alumni talks.” Rufi Alday ’83 also spoke to a full classroom about his career in sports Life Skills, Career Tips and Fun Activities for A Day medicine. He spoke about how his first foray into this field came when former football coach Ron Calcagno asked him to tape his players’ ankles when Alday was still a student. “I wanted to give back because Saint Francis found something in me I didn’t know I had,” he said. Junior Anson De Rego enjoyed the alumni sessions he attended, with at- torney Brad Libuit ’02 and orthopedic More information regarding Catholic Schools in the Diocese of San Jose can be found at www.dsj.org/schools. Have you considered Catholic School, but you thought you couldn’t afford it? Tuition Assistance Avaliable for New Families For more information contact Department of Catholic Schools Diocese of San Jose Dr. Chyrise King [email protected] - 408-983-0191 surgeon Jeff Bui ’87 sparking new ideas in him. “This was a great opportunity to learn about different career choices, and it was great to hear people’s stories. It informs me of what I need to work on if I go into those fields,” he said. After the alumni speakers came teacher-led sessions designed to give students valuable, practical life skills. Teachers spoke on topics that ran the gamut, such as maintaining a bike or a car, running a company, mastering the basics of personal finance and acing an interview. In addition, there were several sessions that teachers offered simply because the subject matters were fun. There was a demonstration on cupcake decorating, a kazoo orches- tra, a session on the statistics of poker and a nature walk around campus, among others. Students said they enjoyed the change of pace and the opportunity to take a mental break from academics, participating in activities that were engaging, interesting or even silly but all the while still educational. “Teachers were able to teach some- thing they were passionate about that they normally wouldn’t,” said senior Noah Covarrubias. “This day felt re- laxed, and I was able to hang out with my friends.” Saint Catherine School Presents Legally Blonde, Jr. Under the direction of Kris Heiser, and assisted by Julie Houle, middle school students at Saint Catherine School in Morgan Hill presented three performances of Legally Blonde, Jr. Typically presenting a fall musical in which all students can participate, this was the first time for an all middle school cast. The story of a sorority girl going to Harvard Law included bits of drama and comedy. Students enjoyed the lively music and dancing, especially the number Whipped Into Shape where students performed a beautifully cho- reographed number using jump ropes. For some students this was their first time in a featured role. Director Heiser hopes the experi- The Transitional Kinder- garten class at Resurrec- tion School in Sunnyvale had a special visitor re- cently. Officer Ochoa, a Resource Officer from Sunnyvale Department of Safety, stopped by to say hello and made the day extra special for the young students. ence will prepare and encourage stu- dents to continue with drama in high school. Thirty-seven students partici- pated in the play with another twelve students, parents and alums serving as members of the stage crew and running the lights. Students are eager to learn which play will be chosen for next fall.