Tag: christopher high school

The recently completed $110 million Christopher High School is a vision of architectural excellence, but its athletic field – more or less a “pasture of dirt and natural grass in terrible shape” – is turning heads in a bad way.    

The bedroom recording studio inside the Willard Court home feels like a sauna: Window shut. Blinds drawn. Door closed. Padded panels line a corner of the room to help maximize sound absorption.

Parents who attempt to skirt the Gilroy Unified School District's residency requirements – which dictate what high school a student must attend – should keep in mind: Administrators are cracking down against dishonesty. 

Four City Council members have saved the swimming recreation day for hundreds of children and families on the east side by voting to repair the South Valley Middle School swimming pool and keep recreation opportunities afloat. Community advocate Shawn Weymouth also floated a fabulous idea: name the pool after the late longtime city recreation department employee, coach and Gilroy community volunteer, John Garcia. Just thinking about the idea makes me smile, as I’m sure it does John. His family would be duly honored. Love the idea.

High school is already an emotional roller coaster. For Christopher High School graduate Ashanti Clayton, moving from Bakersfield to Gilroy at the end of her sophomore year piled on the additional stresses of getting settled in a different school and establishing a new social circle.

Selecting students for the Gilroy Dispatch’s annual senior spotlight honor is no enviable task. That’s why we make the principals do it. These students have navigated the daunting labyrinth of high school hurdles, and we are inspired by the drive, promise and optimistic outlook of these young men and women, who remind us that nothing is out of reach if you’re just willing to push yourself.

Christopher High School is getting hooked up with a sweet new campus connection for the next four years.

Juliana Vanni, a senior at Christopher High School, was awarded "Best Digital Media" for a piece of artwork she submitted to the 2012 Congressional Art Competition. 

Eastside neighborhood resident Jay Vasquez, 14, worked up a sweat playing basketball with a friend at the outdoor courts of South Valley Middle School late Friday afternoon. Vasquez said he's looking forward to the summer, when he can cool off by jumping into the pool at SVMS.

Watched the Grammys and it proved that if you wait long enough everything will come back around ... even the Beach Boys and Paul McCartney. Though I'm not so sure those acts improved a ho-hum show this year. Tony Bennett, however, is another story. Born as Anthony Dominick Benedetto, he's 85, the voice is still crooningly clear and strong and his passion for the music is contagious. His Duets II album coming out soon is on my iTunes "buy it" list.