Portola Valley Horse Fair
About 500 people attend’s the Portola Valley Trails & Paths Committee’s interactive Horse Fair on May 20 at Town Center.
There were carriage rides, miniature horses, face painting, the chance to listen to a horse’s heartbeat, a petting zoo with chickens and goats, and roping skills, along with lunch from the Los Tolucas food truck.
The event was on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic and because of an outbreak of the equine herpesvirus.
Atherton Police Activities League announces $30K in scholarships
The Atherton Police Activities League (PAL) has awarded six high school seniors $5,000 each, for a total of $30,000, for college this fall, according to a press release.
Recipients are:
• Aiden Deffner of Menlo School. He plans to attend Johns Hopkins University majoring in computer science and plans to continue with graduate school with a degree in security informatics.
• Rycklon Stephens Jr. of Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton. He plans to attend University of California at Berkeley and continue his football career with hopes of going into the NFL. He plans to major in economics and own his own business.
• Siana Barker of Menlo-Atherton High School. She plans to attend Louisiana State University where she would like to create a clothing brand that uses more sustainable materials to decrease the issue of over-consumption in the fashion industry.
• Ada Yi Jue Cai of Menlo-Atherton High School. She plans to attend New York University to pursue a career in either international relations or international business and a minor in journalism.
• Mohammed Amir Khabaza of Menlo-Atherton High School. He plans to attend University of California at Merced to study computer science and work in underserved communities providing technology to children without access.
• Helena Warner of Menlo-Atherton High School. She plans to attend University of California at Berkeley and study art history. She strives to pursue a career as a storyboard artist or a museum curator to spread her love and appreciation of art to wider audiences spanning generations.
The league is a nonprofit that partners with the community, youth, and the police to support scholarships, recreational activities and outreach programs. The PAL works in partnership with the Atherton Police Department each year to identify local students who attend one of the three high schools in Atherton and are eligible to apply for the scholarships.
To date, PAL has given out over $270,000 in scholarships over the years.
For information on PAL Scholarships, contact Jennifer Frew, Atherton Police Dept. PAL Coordinator, at jfrew@ci.atherton.ca.us.
M-A hires Brian Mansell as head coach of varsity boys soccer
Menlo-Atherton High School Athletic Directors Paul Snow and Steven Kryger have hired Brian Mansell to be the new head coach of the varsity boys soccer team, according to a press release.
“I’m honored to be a part of such a great school and program in a community and area that I had the privilege of working and coaching in,” he said in a statement. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity to help mentor and lead the program to success both on and off the field.”
Mansell joins the M-A soccer program from his previous head coaching role with the South San Francisco girls varsity soccer team, leading them to consecutive CCS Finals in 2020 and 2021, winning CCS in 2021. He has also spent time coaching boys varsity soccer at Hillsdale High, Archbishop Riordan High School and Sacred Heart Cathedral in San Francisco.
Mansell grew up in Newark, where he played soccer. He is the founder and executive director of local youth soccer club, San Mateo County FC, where he is also the head coach of the club’s U17 Boys Program. He has been involved in youth soccer in the area for more than 25 years.
Before beginning his coaching career, Mansell was an All-Conference goalkeeper at De Anza College in Cupertino and played on the 1994 unbeaten state championship team. He finished his collegiate career at San Francisco State University after short professional trials in Switzerland and France.
He played four years in the United States International Soccer League from 1992-95.
Record 31 Sacred Heart student athletes to play collegiate sports
For the 17th consecutive year, Sacred Heart Preparatory in Atherton will send 15 or more student athletes to play intercollegiate sports. The Class of 2023 is sending 31 student-athletes to play in 12 sports at 26 colleges.
“Our athletes’ dedication in both the classroom and in their respective athletic program is unmatched,” said SHP Assistant Principal for Athletics Jason Armstrong. “The fact that we are sending 31 athletes to play at the collegiate level from what is a relatively small school — with just 171 graduates in the SHP class of 2023 — makes this an even more impressive feat.”
Twelve of SHP’s varsity sports programs were named Central Coast Section (CCS) Scholastic teams. The school’s teams won 11 league championships and earned 20 CCS Playoff berths, which is a school record.
“Each of these student-athletes carries a sense of teamwork, dedication, sportsmanship and community — dynamics that are foundational to the athletics experience here at Sacred Heart,” said Armstrong. “We wish them the best in their future playing careers and know they will continue to uphold everything we stand for as SHP Gators.”
Portola Valley’s Sue Crane and Gary Nielsen given lifetime achievement awards
Portola Valley town government recognized former Town Council members Sue Crane and Gary Nielsen with the first ever Founders’ Award for Lifetime Contributions to the Town of Portola Valley on May 10. This award recognizes the cumulative civic engagement and leadership of longstanding volunteers in the town.
During a Town Council meeting, Mayor Jeff Aalfs recognized the two with award plaques, followed by a reception.
“The ceremony and reception filled the room to capacity with members of the Town Council, town staff, and many members of the community and families who came out to show their appreciation for the honorees and their contributions to the town,” according to a town newsletter. “We can’t say enough about the decades of service both of these amazing people have dedicated to creating a thriving community. We are grateful they have led our community though both great and difficult times and have been a guiding light to us all.”
Crane, who served on the council from 1982 to 1990, moved to Portola Valley as the town was being incorporated in 1964.
She volunteered as a pottery teacher in the Portola Valley schools. She also played an integral role in purchasing the land to create the Town Center and played a key role guiding the general plan in 1979.
“Our community benefited greatly from her work with our schools, open spaces, library, The Sequoias and celebrating our important community anniversaries,” the newsletter states.
Nielsen began volunteering with the town in 1969 as a director of the now-dissolved Los Trancos County Water District. He served on the Town Council from 1992 to 2000.
“In his over 50 years of volunteerism he has had significant contributions in the creation of our current Town Center, protected and educated citizens about our open spaces, guided land use and financial health and served as our police commissioner,” according to the newsletter.
-Angela Swartz
Menlo Park Boy Scouts honor veterans on Memorial Day
Boy Scout troop 206 based in Menlo Park spent Saturday morning, May 27, planting flags at the Golden Gate National Cemetery in Colma as an annual tradition to honor veterans who served in the U.S. military, according to Carrie Rassbach. The flag-planting ceremony is a tradition done each year in preparation for Memorial Day. Scouts gathered and placed hundreds of flags all over the cemetery.
-Almanac staff
