Hawk News

Good Times: Pioneer Women

Congratulations to Mount Madonna School alumni parent Amy Colton (Aaron, ’08 and Lindsey, ’11), recently named by Good Times magazine as one of six local change-makers!

“Right up front it was easy to see that Amy Colton was an unlikely champion to take on Sacramento and our broken health system to fight for an important cause having to do with women’s health,” comments Ward ‘SN’ Mailliard, Mount Madonna School Values in World Thought  teacher and a longtime friend of Colton’s. “She did not like public speaking, or have any experience with politics, However the cause of making sure doctors who reviewed mammograms notified women that they have an additional risk factor for breast cancer was just too important for her to ignore. It was personal. Amy, a breast cancer survivor, became aware that her late diagnosis was due to the difficulty in spotting cancer in women who have dense breast tissue. Nobody seemed to care. The industry did not want to respond, so Amy, with no political experience, decided to get this issue noticed.”

Paths to the Future: Career Forum Inspires Students

“Education can take many forms,” commented guest panelist and physical chemist Tycho Speaker, during Mount Madonna School’s 3rd annual Career Forum last week. “What’s important is to find your passion, and work as hard as you have to toward realizing it. Then the education will come on its own, whether that takes the form of a degree or just life experience.”

Raising Funds and Awareness: It’s a Walk in the Park to Support Local Nonprofits

For nonprofit organizations, determining how to creatively and successfully meet annual fundraising goals can be difficult and time-consuming – and frequently not a lot of fun. With the dual intent of putting the “fun” back in “fundraising” and bringing together other local nonprofit organizations – including, educational, environmental, and youth-focused groups – Mount Madonna School (MMS) is again hosting its annual community walk-a-thon and celebration –a family event intended to make fundraising as easy as a walk in the park!

All nonprofit organizations are invited to participate in the 6th annual Summit for the Planet Walk-a-thon on April 28. Mount Madonna will coordinate the event and do most all the work, while participating groups are invited to organize a team of walkers to walk for their organization, and their walkers, in turn, are urged to gather pledges of support.

Ramayana Casting Reflections

-by the Directing Team: Sampad, Leah, and Mayana

With the audition process complete, it is appropriate to acknowledge the challenges of casting both for performers and directors. For some, this will not be a big issue, while others may experience disappointment. The key is finding a way to move forward positively. Most have heard the statement before- every role is pivotally important-and while a bit of a cliché, it is proven true.
 

Through Games and Role Playing Students Learn About Ohlone Life

Nine-year-old Lily Hernandez held up a deer antler as she listened to a presentation about the Ohlone people of long ago. Nearby, her friend AnMei Dasbach-Prisk examined a replica of an Ohlone arrow. The girls and their fourth grade class from Mount Madonna School were visiting Chitactac-Adams County Heritage Park in Gilroy to learn about California history and Native American culture. Chitactac-Adams Park is an authentic site of a former Ohlone village.

California’s Natural Resources Secretary Visits MMS

Recently  the junior and senior classes at Mount Madonna School had the opportunity to interview John Laird, California’s Secretary for Natural Resources. Each year as part of their Values in World Thought course, students engage in conversations with individuals working for change, and through these dialogues the students come to better understand their world, country, community and selves.