Page 26 - Menlo Magazine Summer 2019

SUMMER/FALL 2019
WHAT’S
That’s All Write
HAPPENING
In March, Menlo’s 2019 Writers’ Week featured a series of lunchtime presentations by noted authors and journalists, including author Julie Des Jardins, sports columnist Ann Killion, and writer, journalist, and former Menlo teacher Nick Romeo. Leaders from Menlo’s student newspaper, the Coat of
AROUND
Act Locally
Vikram Seshadri ’22 currently
serves as a member of the
San Mateo County Youth
Commission. Twice a month,
he and 25 other young people
ages 13-21 gather at the County
Center in Redwood City to discuss
issues affecting youth in San Mateo
County and work with the county
government to solve them. Vikram serves on the education and economic development committee, and he says, “Overall, my experience on the San Mateo County Youth Commission has been amazing. I’ve been able to attend amazing events... and hear from speakers about ways to have an impact on your community...I love being able to help with youth issues in Menlo Park and all of San Mateo County.”
You Go, Girls
Brooke Hodge ’20, Emma McGaraghan ’20, and Kendall Weingart ’20, founders of Menlo’s branch of the Girls Learn International Club, were invited to be delegates at the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). The CSW is a two- week conference at the United Nations in New York City led
by the Economic and Social Council, where UN delegates and nongovernmental organizations discuss women’s issues and global gender inequalities and outline strategies to further women’s rights. Brooke says, “As delegates, we went to four or five conference events each day and learned about issues such as domestic violence in Bangladesh, media literacy in Nordic countries, the importance of female human rights defenders, and more.” Emma and Brooke also had the honor of speaking on a panel
about sexual
assault on
high school
and college
campuses.
below) on the topic“Truth in an Age of‘Fake’News.”The week wrapped up with students reading their own writings.
CAMPUS?
Arms, also interviewed a panel of Bay Area journalists (pictured
In a League of Their Own
In late July, members of Menlo’s National Junior Classical League (JCL) traveled to North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND, for the 66th Annual National JCL Convention, where they received numerous awards and recognition for the club’s work. Led by Latin teacher Dobbie Vasquez, Menlo had the second-largest delegation from California: seven students, including Natalie Hilderbrand ’19, who served as the 2018- 2019 national communications coordinator, and one alum, Jeff Frenkel-Popell ’18. The week consisted of academic testing, art competitions, sporting events, spirit competitions, and other activities. Menlo was recognized with first-place honors for its scrapbook—created by Menlo historians
Sonia Agarwal ’21, former student Ava Ford ’21, and Madeline Levin ’21—and community service, thanks to efforts led by Victoria Wat ’20. In addition to individual honors for Ethan Yan ’20 (creative arts), Menlo was also recognized for its social media outreach, its website, jcl.menloschool.org, and its bimonthly
newspaper,
Lorīca Nostra.
Menlo’s vocal
enthusiasm and
spirit also helped
the California
delegation
capture first in
its division in the
week-long spirit
competition.
24