Foundation Allocates Funds to Support Willow Glen High School Mock Trial Team as it Advances to State Finals

At its March meeting, the Foundation voted to join the Performing Arts Boosters and the Parent Club in allocating $780 each to support Willow Glen High School’s Mock Trial Team. Days earlier, the team won the Santa Clara County Mock Trial Competition – and the honor of representing the county in the State Finals to be held in Riverside (see below) – requiring funds to cover hotel and transportation expenses. Foundation members felt that the students’ hard work and success should be supported, especially given the clear alignment with the Foundation’s goal of supporting 21st century learning – including collaboration, critical thinking, and public speaking. Although the Foundation does not typically fund club activities, this allocation represents a unique opportunity to shine a spotlight on the school and on a level of accomplishment that is inspiring to the entire community.

Willow Glen High School Wins Santa Clara County Mock Trial Tournament

San José, CA (March 1, 2013)—Last night the Willow Glen High School Mock Trial Team defeated the team from Monta Vista High School to win the Santa Clara County High School Mock Trial Tournament. The win marks Willow Glen’s first mock trial county championship and advances them to the state championship in Riverside on March 22 – 24.

Willow Glen was undefeated entering the final round of the tournament, having defeated Santa Clara, Pioneer, Saratoga, Mountain View, Sobrato and Los Gatos. In the final round, Willow Glen argued their case as the prosecution, winning narrowly by a score of 406 to 397. Anni Guptill, a member of the prosecution team said after the team’s victory, “It was such an honor to take part in the mock trial competition, our team worked extremely hard and was exceptionally coached. We are all so very excited to have won and look forward to representing Willow Glen High School and Santa Clara County in the state championship.” This was the second year in a row that Willow Glen was in the final.

Of the 15 current team members, 12 of them are expected to return next year to defend their title. Continue reading →

During yet another extraordinary extracurricular opportunity for WG Middle School, students had a chance to meet with author Jen Calonita during a special 6th Period activity on Wednesday, March 4.

Calonita read from her new book, ‘Secrets of My Hollywood Life: Paparazzi Princess’.

As a former Senior Editor at Teen People and journalist for Entertainment Weekly, Glamour, and Marie Claire, Calonita has met and interviewed enough stars to make even the most jaded teenager sit up and take notice. Her novels about a teen television star, Kaitlin Burke, and her struggle to balance friends, family, and dating with all the good and bad that comes from being a celebrity “it” girl was immediately a hit with teens.

Among the things she discussed with students:

• Starting her career in journalism
• How journalists conduct celebrity interviews
• How she became interested in writing ?ction
• How a book goes from an idea to available in stores
• The process of writing and revising novels

As part of the event, world-famous Hicklebees Bookstore offered a Calonita’s book for a sale price $17 at the event, and other books in her series were also available. These books can still be purchased at Hicklebees!

Originally published in the Willow Glen Resident on January 9, 2009:

Student shark art auction sparks bidding frenzy at Willow Glen High

ByTiffany Carney, Willow Glen Resident

Shark fans citywide swarmed Willow Glen High School last month hoping to outbid the competition for a chance to take home the shark of their choice.

These weren’t, however, the kind of sharks you’d find on the ice — or in the water. One donned SCUBA gear, one looked like a sandwich with “all the fixings” and another looked like it swam straight out of the pages of Where the Wild Things Are.

Each of the 52 sharks was a one-of-a-kind creation by student artists as part of a silent auction to raise funds for the advanced sculpture course at Willow Glen High. The School of Fish art exhibit, held Dec. 16 at the Gene and Mickey Long Center art gallery, sparked a bidding frenzy that raised $2,500, about $1,300 more than organizers had predicted. The highest bid reached $165.

More from the Willow Glen Resident …

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The Sharks Art project was also featured in our own Impressions Newsletter!