Menlo-Atherton High School BearNotes 

 

 GIRLS GOLF - The girls golf team has matches next week on Monday, September 8 and Thursday, September 11 at Poplar Creek Golf Course. On Monday, the girls will play in the 18-hole Helen Lengfeld Tournament. The tournament starts at 12:45 p.m., and the prize presentation will be at 6:30 p.m. Parents are welcome to follow the team on the course. Thursday's match is a 9-hole league match against Aragon beginning at 2:45 p.m. -- no spectators please.

 

 GIRLS FRESHMAN VOLLEYBALL - The freshman volleyball team started its season with a victory over Valley Christian (25-9, 25-13). The team's offense earned 15 aces, led by Camille Rowe (8) and Cameron Lindsey (2). The Bears had 13 kills, with Hannah Roitman earning 5 and Rowe and Nicole Kang supplying 2 each. The Bears' defense was led by libero Lila Roginski. The next match will be at home on Tuesday, September 9 at 4:30 p.m. against Aragon.

 

GIRLS JV VOLLEYBALL - The JV volleyball team made its debut Thursday with a 2-1 preseason win over Valley Christian (22-25, 25-18, 15-10). Sara Gerber led the offense in kills, posting 6 of the teams' 17 kills. Leading the team in assists were Casey Olsen (10) and Shauna Sabet (8). The defense was strong, with Tatum Maines and Fiona Lokey each contributing 6 digs. The Bears took an early lead in the match, but the Warriors refused to give up, chipping away win the first set. The Bears came out strong in the second set, quickly taking a 6-point lead that they held to win the second set. In the final set, team ace leader Kelsey Tonsfeldt served up trouble for the Warriors, while Kaitlyn Tonsfeldt defended at the net with several key blocks. The Bears prevailed in the third set. The team plays at Los Gatos on Thursday, September 11 at 5 p.m. and at home on Friday, September 12 at 5 p.m.

 

 GIRLS VARSITY VOLLEYBALL - If the season opener is any indication, the varsity volleyball team is going to have an exciting season. Last Thursday's face-off with Valley Christian (defending CIF Division III State Champions) was a high-skill endurance test. At the end of five sets the Bears vanquished the Warriors 26-28, 19-25, 25-18, 30-28, 15-13. After struggling through the first two sets, the girls fought back in a riveting three-set rally. That meant moving past significant deficits in the fourth and fifth sets as the team came together to stun the towering Warriors. Setter Kirby Knapp posted 50 assists, with kills dominated by Devin Joos (24) and Jacqueline DiSantos (10). Kaitlin Tavarez, Ally Ostrow, and Kiana Sales joined Joos and DiSantos in holding back the Warriors through steady defensive play. Hitting was rounded out with kills by Ostrow, Katie Wilcox, Leanna Collins, and Eliza Grover. Come out for next week's games at Los Gatos on Thursday, September 11 and at home against Menlo on Friday, September 12.

 

 GIRLS VARSITY TENNIS - Fourteen members of the team traveled to Fresno for the biannual California Tennis Classic, a high school tournament of over 100 schools. The team played Corona Del Mar, Davis, Valley Christian (San Jose and Stockdale) and Bakersfield over two days. Individual singles wins were recorded by Julia Marks and Amelia Tiemann, while the doubles teams of Laila Volpe/Tiemann, Sally Carlson/Amanda Scandalios, and Taylor Noble/Julia Chang also won matches. The Fresno experience was great preparation for this week's league opener at Hillsdale on Thursday, September 11, at 4 p.m.

 

 VARSITY FOOTBALL - The M-A Bears traveled to Campolindo on Friday night where they lost to the strong and experienced Cougars with a final score of 35 to 3. Kicker Dylan Calderon put M-A on the scoreboard with a 20 yard field goal in the second quarter. The offense was led by quarterback Robby Beardsley, running backs Marcus Moimoi and Stavro Papadakis. The receivers were led by Alexander Ruiz while the offensive line was anchored by returning players Api Mane, Bryce Rodgers, and Casey Gernatt. Come cheer as the varisty team faces Los Gatos at home on Friday, September 12 at 3:30 p.m. The JV team will play Los Gatos at home on Thursday, September 11 at 3:15 p.m.
 

 

 

 COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANTS - Tutor Corps Foundation provides grants to support innovative student community service projects that address poverty, education, health, or the environment. Proposals for projects already in progress, as well as ideas for projects yet to be implemented, will be accepted. Awards range from $250 to $750. Grants are available to students in grades 6 to 11 and the application deadline is Wednesday, October 1. To apply visit the Tutor Corps Foundation website.

 

DOES YOUR TEEN HAVE TROUBLE SLEEPING? - The Department of Psychiatry at Stanford University is currently conducting a study to help teens go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. The treatment involves use of a light device that is placed by the child's bedside and flashes periodically throughout the night. The study requires two visits to Stanford University, completion of a daily sleep diary for five weeks, and brief telephone calls to check in weekly. The department is looking for teenagers who are between the ages 14 to 18, enrolled full-time in 9th to 12th grades, have difficulty falling asleep and waking up in the morning, are not currently taking any medications for sleep, desire to go to bed at an earlier time, and don't sleep only in the prone (facedown) position. If you are interested in participating, please contact Meital Mashash, Study Coordinator at stanfordteensleep@gmail.com or 650-725-7767.

 

LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED AT BRENTWOOD ACADEMY - Students at Brentwood Academy in East Palo Alto are working hard to learn to read in spite of many challenges, and your support can make all the difference. The Academy is looking for volunteers to work with students when classes visit the school library: reading with children, helping them find books they love, checking out books, and providing much needed encouragement. Want to learn more? Please contact Helen Plewman at 650-233-1899 or at helen.plewman@sbcglobal.net. 

Find more information about the Readers Take Flight program on their website.

 

VOLUNTEER FOR K-5 HANDS-ON SCIENCE AT BELLE HAVEN - Help students experience science personally. Volunteer support welcomed for new K-5 hands-on science classes at Belle Haven Elementary in East Menlo Park. Priority needs are Monday and Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Each class is 40 minutes. Volunteers can help set up, work with students, and clean up/set up for the next class. For more information, contact Elizabeth Schar, Ravenswood Science Initiative, at Elizabeth@lab-ready.org, or 650-862-4604 (cell phone).

 

HOST A FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT - American Field Service (AFS) is looking for host families for high school foreign exchange students for this school year. Students are waiting for news of their host family in this area, and AFS needs to identify hosts and secure school spots quickly. If you have ever considered the rewarding experience of hosting an exchange student, please step up now to welcome one of these students. To learn more and to review a list of students and their profiles, enter your zipcode on the AFS website.

 

All AFS exchange students are honors students who have been selected for the program based on their academic success, responsibility, adaptability, and optimism. Host families provide a bedroom (they can share a room with a child of the same gender), meals, and transportation to/from school and activities. The student's family pays for travel and other expenses. To learn more about hosting, please contact Troy Henri at thenri@afsusa.org or 646-381-3289.

 

ONE HIT AWAY FOUNDATION - One Hit Away Foundation is an advocacy for brain healing and recovery from sports-related brain injuries and concussions. One Hit Away Foundation is equipped to provide for individuals and teams (from youth to pros) the awareness, education, and support that were previously missing in the athletic community. Everyone is just one hit away from a brain injury. Please visit the One Hit Away Foundation website and on find us on Facebook and Twitter.

 

 

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God's gift,  that's why we call it the present. ~Joan Rivers