July 12, 2007

SCHOOL SCENEin Almaden Valley

Leland graduates enjoy 2007 grad night

After four years as an off-campus event, Leland Grad Night returned to its original, longtime venue on the grounds of Leland High School. The party was given a James Bond 007 theme, and a great variety of amusements were brought in to entertain the new graduates as they celebrated throughout the night. A climbing wall, mechanical bull, casino, trivia game, cash cube, drivable toilet racers, henna tattoos, caricatures and a hypnotist show were just some of the activities that kept the party going. Lots of food, karaoke, prizes, a DJ and Bond-themed decorations contributed to the festivities as well.

Grad Night 2007 would not have been possible without the time and effort of the many parent volunteers it took to organize and hold the event on campus. Donations from Leland families also helped to make the night a special one.

Thanks go to the many local businesses that contributed to the success of the event: Academy of Sciences, Gilroy Gardens, Campo di Bocce, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco/de Young Legion of Honor, Filoli Gardens, Happy Hollow Zoo, Hearst Castle/National Geographic Theater, LaserQuest, Logitech Ice, Malibu Grand Prix, National Steinbeck Center, Nickel City Arcade, Paramount's Great America, Roaring Camp, San Francisco Zoo, The Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf, Winchester Mystery House, Winter Lodge, Classic Car Wash, Almaden Valley Athletic Club, Decathalon Club, Right Stuff & Express Fitness, PW Supermarkets, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, See's Candies, Coreen F. Booth Pharmaceutical Consulting, Blackberry Farms Golf Course, Saratoga Country Club, Hollywood Video, The Container Store, Bed Bath and Beyond, Teen Zone, Amato, Aqui, BJ's Restaurant, Bogey's Pizza, Dave and Buster's, Emile's Restaurant, Florentine Restaurant, Le Papillon, McKormick & Kuleto's, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Rock Bottom Café, Severino's Grill, Starbucks, Armadillo Willy's, Baker's Square, Giorgio's, In-N-Out Corporation, Mimi's Café, Real Mex Restaurants, Pavia Day Spa, Oakland A's, San Jose Giants, San Jose Sharks, Big 5 Sports, American Musical Theater of San Jose, Broadway by the Bay, Camera Cinemas, Children's Musical Theater, CineLux Theatres, City Lights Theater, Flint Center for Arts, Opera San Jose, Villa Montalvo Box Office, Adventures by the Sea Kayak and Monterey Bay Whale Watch.

Leland senior competes in Junior Miss scholarship program

Joyce Chang, a recent graduate of Leland High School, spent June 18-30 in Mobile, Ala. competing for the title of America’s Junior Miss 2007. Chang competed last summer to win scholarships and titles as Santa Clara County and California’s Junior Miss. She joined 50 women from across the county competing for the title.

California’s Junior Miss Joyce Chang

Chang plans to attend UC Berkeley in the fall majoring in legal studies, which includes economics, business and political science subjects. While her major is considered pre-law, she’s not sure yet if she plans to head in a legal direction. Her idea is to go through the first two years and “possibly pick up another major.”

She decided to compete last year after a close friend from Leland won the county competition.

“Leland girls always win the county competition,” Chang said, but “I didn’t really expect to win the state. It’s not really a ‘beauty pageant,’ it’s more of a competition that helps girls get scholarships and gain self confidence.”

Contestants compete in various ways, but it’s more “rigorous’ than most beauty pageants. While the girls dress in gowns and walk onto the stage and speak for 15 percent of their score, they also have a 10-minute interview with rapid-fire questions for 25 percent in addition to showcasing their talent. Chang played 90 seconds of “Rhapsody in Blue” on the piano. The talent portion is shortened to give each of the 50 contestants equal time.

The 50 contestants arrived in Mobile, Ala. on June 18, and remained in town until after the finals. During their two-week stay they rehearsed for the competition and participated in several activities, including a luau at Gordon Oaks Retirement Facility, a southern barbecue /line dancing party, a breakfast at Bellingrath Gardens, an oyster-eating contest at Wintzell’s Oyster House, a pajama party with the Girl Scouts and a beach party/shrimp boil at Dauphin Island.

The women also signed autographs for Gulf Coast residents at the Colonial Belair Mall, and visited Hank Aaron Stadium to watch the Mobile BayBears play baseball. Before the game, the young ladies, divided into north and south teams, played a game of softball, and sang the national anthem. Then, all 50 threw the first pitch to begin the game.

During the two weeks, the contestants give back to the Mobile community. During A Day Of Caring, an annual event sponsored by the Junior League of Mobile, the girls were divided into three groups. Chang was part of a group who helped guide an educational field trip for the Dearborn YMCA in Mobile.

“I was pretty shy in elementary and middle school, but I opened up in high school. The competition allowed me to gain a lot of self-confidence. I had never done anything before where I had to go on stage and dance or do a physical fitness routine. But I got used to it. There was support and encouragement from everyone from the other girls to the volunteers. I found that I get much more out of something when I open up to it,” Chang said.

“Because of the California program I have friends from all over the state. Three of them will be going to Berkeley with me.“

She adds that because of the national competition, she’s also made friends throughout the country.

Chang was active at Leland playing varsity volleyball for four years and participating in student government. Her one disappointment was not accompanying her fellow El Camino Youth Orchestra musicians on a tour of Russia that happened to be scheduled for the same time as the Junior Miss competition.

However, she will be present for the state Junior Miss Aug. 1-12 where she will mentor 2008 California contestants, perform and speak to local businesses about her experiences as California’s Junior Miss.

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