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Menlo Park City School District awarded for PAWZitivity program
Menlo Park City School District received a J. Russell Kent Award from the San Mateo County School Boards Association for its district-wide program, PAWZitivity: Wellness Facility Dogs Serving TK-Eighth Grade Students. The Kent Award recognizes innovative programs that have been implemented in schools across the county.
PAWZitivity was created to address concerns reported in a survey about academic performance, social acceptance and how to adjust to the rapid pace of the world. Studies showed that trained facility dogs could enhance the psychological development, social skills, relieve anxiety and calm fears in children.
MPCSD launched the pilot program with one full-time dog in 2021 and the feedback from students and staff was entirely positive. Since then, the district was able to bring in six trained dogs from 4 PAWZ Strong, a Michigan-based organization that trains canines. The dogs then moved to Menlo Park to live with staff members and begin their work in providing support for students across district campuses.
The recognition will be presented at the 2025 Annual J. Russell Kent Awards and Emily Garfield Award Celebration on May 2, 2025, in Foster City. Duke, one of the MPCSD dogs, plans to attend.
Portola Art Gallery presents ‘Sacred Places of the World’
The Portola Art Gallery in Menlo Park presents “Sacred Places of the World,” a photography exhibition by Frances Freyberg. The gallery will feature photographs from the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the Americas, highlighting colorful temples, ruins and domes from across the world.
Freyberg is a Menlo Park resident who specializes in photographs of nature, wildlife, architecture and people encountered during her travels to more than 70 countries. Her photos have been featured in galleries and private collections worldwide.
The Portola Art Gallery exhibition will be open throughout the month of May with a special artist reception from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 3. There is an opportunity to meet the artist on Saturday, May 30, from 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.
For more information on the exhibit visit portolaartgalery.com. To see more of Freyberg’s work visit francesfreyberg.com.
Menlo-Atherton journalism wins national award
The M-A Chronicle, Menlo-Atherton High School’s student newspaper, won the National Scholastic Press Association’s Online Pacemaker Award, NSPA announced on April 26 at its spring conference in Seattle.
“It’s gratifying to receive this award and see the thousands of hours editors and journalists have put in being recognized,” said Celine Chien, co-editor-in-chief of the publication, in a press release.
The Online Pacemaker recognizes the best high school online journalism publications and is one of the highest honors a student publication can receive.
“I’m incredibly proud of how seriously everyone takes their role as a journalist,” said journalism adviser John McBlair.
Two teams of three judges evaluated each of the finalists multiple times, and at least two judges on each team had to agree to recognize the publication. The Pacemaker was first awarded in 1921 and has since been expanded to include recognition for yearbooks, magazines, online sites, video broadcasts and innovation.
The M-A Chronicle previously won the award in 2016 and in 2021, when current Sequoia Union High School District board President Sathvik Nori was an editor-in-chief of the publication. It was also a finalist in 2019 and 2024.
Another Sequoia school’s publication was also awarded the Pacemaker. The Scot Scoop, run by Carlmont High School’s journalism program in Belmont, won the online Pacemaker for the fifth time.
Menlo Park ‘Bike Rodeo’
The Menlo Park Police Department and California Highway Patrol are hosting a bike safety event on Sunday, May 4, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Flood Park, 215 Bay Road. Community members can get their helmets checked by CHP and bikes repaired free of charge. The event gives riders of all ages a chance to practice safely sharing the road while riding their bikes.
Get more information and register at https://bit.ly/4iBxiRv.
