At Carlé High School the students are constantly being prepped for the real world after high school. Privileged, by having some of the best teachers, along with a spunky attitude and a school charisma like no other, we are also offered what most teenagers aren't.

Hazmat, an intensive training course, will be offered from Feb. 14 until Feb. 23 for the students at no charge.

We would like to thank teacher Angie Siegel for giving us this valuable opportunity.

“Hazmat is a very valuable certificate because it can be applied to multiple job fields like nursing, automotive, California Highway Patrol, construction, as well as a first step towards a career, if you want to pursue one in Hazmat,” Siegel said. “We are one of the only schools in Lake County that offers a First Responders Operation (FRO) Hazmat certificate.”

Students Vince Adams, Frank Boyce, Justin Boyce, Matthew Brown, Jacob Brumback, Karalena Cole, Stevie Cook, Nick Ford, Jason Hammond, Monica Jackson, Arwen King, Jeff Martin, Christine McQuown, Arturo Negrete, Marco Ochoa, Raylon Ray, Richard Skinner, Tyler Stroup and Jorge Viera will being taking this course.

In other “happening now” news, this year's prom fundraiser is requesting $10 or more in donations in exchange for your choice of one of the four snazzy Carlé High School key chains. Some would argue that these are the best key chains in the universe. What can we say? We're talented beings!

So if you would like to make a donation, please come to our campus and see our very own heart and soul of Carlé, Barbara Dye.

Flags, for the flag contest are due next week. We are excited to proudly fly these colorful examples of Carlé High School, and our students above our quad.

Students Kayellia Lansdowne and Lucas Powell have taken over for the graduated seniors, Gary Martin and Leah Davidson recycling at Carlé High School. They are doing a fabulous job, like the students prior.

Recent events include paintball, which ran successfully again on Feb. 12. Students Jorge Viera, Paul Larue, Robert Potter, Jake Brumback, Holly Brumback, Stevie Cook, Karalena Cole and Alejandra Gutierrez enjoyed another stupendous team building exercise. Thanks again to Michael and Renee Skidmore for keeping this active program successful for the kids.

Lunchtime activities this week consisted of three intense fleet ball games which ended with the championship week on Friday. Team 3 won! Congratulations Jonathan Warren, Marco Ochoa, Jason Hammond, Ashley Wilsey, Raylon Ray, Justin Lindsey and Lucas Powell!

Portfolios given this week were Nate Oberdorf on Feb. 7 and Jake Brumback on Feb. 8. On Feb. 10 we were treated to portfolios by Derek Grace and Heidi “Roo” Kratz. Congratulations to all.

This Friday, Feb. 18, is the annual cioppino feed, run by the Lower Lake Community Action Group helped out by seven incredible Carlé High School students Ellie Hackler, Karalena Cole, Stevie Cook, Tyler Sterling, Arturo Negrete, Nia Edmunds and Aaron Mearns.

Like Spongebob, we too will feel what it's like to be “under the sea” as we are serving some of the best seafood around!

Carlé's designers are making up plaques and mugs to give out to the hard working LLCAG and the wonderful and special Steve Leverone who makes this whole event happen.

Thank you all for your dedication to the students of our town.

Karalena Cole is a student at Carlé Continuation High School in Lower Lake, Calif.