LOWER LAKE, Calif. – In two weeks time we will mark the end of the third grading period and the halfway point of the school year.

Carlé’s Student of the Week was Nicholas Costillas and he was nominated by teacher Lance Christensen.

Lance said, “The reason I nominated Nico is because he’s always on task and makes sure to get all of his work done. He is a great student, keep it up.”

Cheri Johnson started the all-volunteer Totes for Teens when she was talking to a teenager and they asked why nobody does special things for teens at Christmas.

This moved her 15 years ago to start Totes for Teens, a volunteer organization in which she and a group of wonderful volunteers put together bags filled with amazing things to assist the students, such as jackets, sleeping bags, blankets and school supplies.

The volunteers are led by a committee that includes Gayle Albo, Lydia Pogue, Lynnette and Greg Bertelli, Diana Wiley-Bowers, Nancy Fahs, Barbara Harris, Teri Ballard, Jon Ryan, Terry Kalata, Frieda Camotta, Donna Sage, Peggy Foster and Denise McCracken.

Cheri and her committee together have helped more than 1,800 teenagers in the past 14 years. Some of these incredible volunteers put in over 100 hours of volunteer work this year alone! All students received handsized and handmade things like scarves, jewelry and clothing.

We can’t show our appreciation enough for what you do, not only for Carlé but also for students of the many different schools and school districts.

To show our appreciation we had some of our lead designers make every single one of the volunteers in Totes for Teens a coffee mug.

Cece Brown designed the mugs for Totes and Taylor Churchill and Vanessa Bigelow produced all of them. From all the students and staff at Carlé we are truly grateful to have you in and leading our community helping the youth of today, the future of tomorrow.

Ultimate Peace is an organization that visits the Middle East and unites kids of many countries and religions through the playing of ultimate frisbee.

Our designers, led by head designer Vanessa Bigelow, made more than 100 key chains for this organization and in addition held a contest to redesign their logo.

All the designs were sent to the Middle East where they were judged by the students taking part in the Ultimate Peace program. Ultimate Peace then sent our school photos with the players holding up the top designs that had been chosen.

Winners will get a free tshirt with their designs on them. Taylor Churchill won first, Stacie Clemons won second.

On Nov. 28 Bruno Sabatier of Woodland College visited Carlé. During this visit Sabatier went to each classroom and spoke to the students about the opportunities not only Woodland College offers but just the opportunities of education in general.

Sabatier also gave students information of upcoming classes during the afternoon(after Carlé gets out each day) for student’s convenience. As always we students and staff really appreciate the effort you put into spreading education in the community.

Alan Siegel, Carlé’s history, civics and economics teacher who was awarded State Teacher of the Year in 2005, was selected to work as one of this year’s Teacher of the Year site visit team by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.

Site visit team member is one of the most prestigious titles a teacher can be awarded with, and in that capacity Siegel would be on the visiting team going to each and every one of the top 15 teachers who were selected by the other state selection committee on which he already serves.

However, Siegel – being committed to providing his students with a steady education – decided he would not be accepting the offer due to the extended time he would have to spend away from teaching.

This process would have pulled him away from us for two to three weeks of education and he felt that if the state was so kind to offer it again he could do it after he retires without affecting the education of his students. He was truly honored by the selection and opportunity.

Nicholas Phipps is a student at Carlé Continuation High School.