May 17, 2004

In conjunction with Phi Delta Kappa International, Wal-Mart Stores honors "teachers who are positively influencing the live of young people". I am pleased to announce Sunol's own Peggy Carpenter as Wal-Mart's 9th annual Teacher of the Year. Peggy has been teaching 5th grade at Valley View School in Pleasanton for 2 years and was previously teaching at Sunol Glen School for 10 years. Peggy was surprised to hear Valley View principal, Pam Lear say "You Won!" because she no idea that she had been nominated. Peggy will receive a $1,000 educational grant from the Wal-Mart/Sam's Club Foundation. She will also be able to apply for national and state Teacher of the Year awards for an additional state win of $10,000 and an additional $25,000 for winning at the national level. Wal-Mart stores have honored more than 22,000 teachers across the nation and has donated more than $14.5 million to local schools. Peggy says, "It's very cool, very nice to be thought highly of".

Even though the big event was last winter, Peggy and husband Gary would like to get the word out that their daughter, Kayti Carpenter Thompson was married in Mesa, Arizona to fellow Arizona State graduate, Matt Thompson on December 27. Kayti is in real estate and Matt works for Quest Communications. The happy young will make their home in Mesa.

Sunol Glen School's Exploration Day was again a huge success. Each year the school's Community Club invites presenters to the school to speak to the students on a variety of subjects. This annual event is very popular with the kids because they get to spend the morning learning about possible future career choices then they are treated to a special luncheon. This years presenters were; Army Sgt. Kurt Vollmer, Union Pacific Railroad's Raul Leyva Jr. and Nace Miles III; Horse-shoer Jeff Wells and assistants, Amanda and Adrienne Hoxie; Transportation Industry's Tony Vargas; Dental Technician, Becky Fain; Dreyers Ice cream, Doug Strach and Chad Hughes; NASA's Mike Reeves; Ceramics, Shirley Abraham and assistant Susan Ingebretsen; Suture Techniques, Dr. Colleen Schwartz; California Dept. of Forestry's Ken McGeever, Paul Fleckenstein, Nick Ciardella and Renee Henault; Alameda County Sheriff's Department, Deputy Fien, Deputy Gemmell and Technician Lemon; Martial Arts of America, Celina Hespen; Horse Trainer, Cindy Freeman; small animal Veterinarian, Dr. Roark Freeman; California Rescue Dog Association, Carolyn Vane and Kippy; Ohlone Culture, Norm Kidder; Sports Car Racer, Larry Oka; and Musician, Jerome Engelberts.

Community Club Coordinator, Lisa Harper would like to thank the following persons for all their support and hard work behind the scenes, before and after the event: Principal Diane Everett, Martha Carter, Libby Sweetnam, Caren Foster, Patty Frei, Lori Nielsen, Barbara Savoy, Canon Savoy, Shlon Savoy, Guin Van Dyke, Laurie Woods, Monica Miller, Victoria Barnes, Cathy Morris, Helen Eberle, Nici Power, Lori Ocon, Suzanne Oliveira, Diana Madden, Sandra Sharkey, Miki Whitfield, Brad Taylor and all of the room parents who helped arrange and bring a variety of salads.

A very big thank you goes to Alameda County Sheriff's Department, Detective, Greg Swetnam and the Deputy Sheriff's Sports Association for the donation of hamburgers, chicken and chips. And of course lunch could not have been complete without the BBQ crew of Ario Ysit and Wayne Zimmerman who handle all the cooking every year.