High Street Neighborhood News

by Adelle Foley

Boys and Girls Club: Breaking Ground

The long-awaited groundbreaking for the clubhouse gymnasium will take place Thursday, October 17. Come on out for the celebration at the old Laurel Chapel, 3300 High Street, from 4 to 6 p.m. The ceremony/presentation (complete with shovels and hard hats) is scheduled for 5 p.m. Executive Director Cal Stanley is looking forward to impressing his new neighbors with a very special addition to the community.

Welcome Elizabeth Cole to Melrose Library

I stopped by the Melrose Branch to pick up a book I had reserved (online) and found Children's Librarian Elizabeth Cole hard at work. She arrived at the branch early in September following completion of a master's program at San Jose State and a stint at San Francisco Public Library. Her first project is a kindergarten card drive intended to put library cards in the hands of neighborhood youngsters as they enter school. Children will receive a free book with their first card. She explained that she is here to support teachers, who have been calling since her arrival. For example, she plans to gather material from within the Oakland library system on curriculum topics at nearby schools.

While you're at the branch, take a look at 10 sets of photos from the summer "Teen Life in Oakland" program. The results are a collage of places to hang out and have fun through the camera eye of Oakland teens. Prize-winning photos by Emaan El Amin, Dajou Ellis, and Gen Chau Saetern focus on young dancers, old and new neighborhoods, and local landmarks. The photographs will be on display at Melrose Branch until October 15. Later this year, they will move to a citywide exhibit in City Hall.

English as a Second Language classes on Wednesday evenings, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., are open to all adults and teens. The emphasis is on practical, conversational English. A Halloween program on October 31 is still in the planning stages. For more information, drop in, or call 535-5632.

Busy Schedule at Brookdale Rec

Coach Paris filled me in on the fall schedule at Brookdale Rec Center. Third- to fifth-graders interested in joining a fly football team should drop in and fill out the paperwork. The homework club welcomes all students Monday through Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m. The drill team practices Monday and Wednesday, and the dance program for young women (of all ages) meets on Thursday. Both programs are from 6 to 8 p.m. The teen club meets Friday from 6 to 7 p.m. to talk about participants' concerns and life skills such as creating resumes and getting jobs. For more information, call 535-5623.

Walk to School October 2

This year Laurel Elementary School is an official Focus School for the October 2 blend of health and safety awareness. You may have seen the placards created by kids and parents to encourage both healthy exercise and pedestrian safety. On Walk to School Day, Wednesday, October 2, they will be handing out fliers to adults driving children to school, reminding them of safety concerns.

Recent research findings on childhood obesity and diabetes underscore the importance of establishing routines that include exercise and continuing them as children move through their teens to adulthood. It turns out that students who walk to school learn better (perhaps they're more awake), and walking to school helps children feel more comfortable in, and more a part of, their neighborhoods. What if walking to school is impractical? Some parents park several blocks from the school and walk the rest of the way with their children. If you're reading this on October 1 and you want to participate, call 238-7049.

Adelle Foley can be reached via e-mail at jasfoley\@aol.com.