Notations on the Calendar

During the days when I had kids in school, the beginning of the school year marked the end of summer – despite the fact that the calendar read differently. I thought that once my children graduated from high school my life would more or less follow the seasons, that with few exceptions the schedule kept by the school district would have little to no influence on me (except for traffic, of course. No getting away from that).

But I’ve discovered that my life is still well entwined with the school calendar. Perhaps that’s because I’m president of Prom Plus, the after prom event held for Crescenta Valley High School seniors and their guests. Obviously, the Prom Plus committee keeps a close eye on the school calendar each year as we prepare for fundraisers and other opportunities to promote the $25,000 party that we host. For example, we typically hold a holiday home tour over the Christmas holiday. (As an aside: The Prom Plus holiday home tour is held the second Saturday in December. We are in need of homes to feature this year. Call me for more information or send an email to info@promplus.org to include your home on this prestigious tour.)

We also take part in campus activities that support Prom Plus Club, the student-based arm of Prom Plus. Mary O’Keefe was on the Crescenta Valley High School campus just this week, delivering Popsicles for the expo that the school held to promote its many clubs. She (and sometimes I) attend the meetings that the Prom Plus Club holds so we can coordinate event schedules with Prom Plus. This interaction has resulted in a dynamic group of teenage kids that have become the envy of many in the community and is the go-to resource for our local non-profits in need of help. For example, Prom Plus Club members assisted the California Council of the Blind in its inaugural CV Mutt Strut held this past Saturday. Their involvement secured the council’s decision to hold future events in the Crescenta Valley.

At Oktoberfest, the PPC kids will be found manning two or three booths along Honolulu Avenue selling snacks to benefit the Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce, the host organization for Oktoberfest. At the Montrose Christmas Parade, they do everything from helping parade guests and VIPs to organizing all the kid volunteers. And I could go on. We’re very proud of them and the contributions they make to the Crescenta Valley.

Another reason perhaps that I still feel somewhat tethered to the school calendar is an annual event held at St. Francis High School. Soon after school starts, one of the teachers there – Michael Tucci – has a special guest speak to the students. The guest list over the years has been impressive: Doris Roberts (Marie from “Everyone Loves Raymond”), Andy Garcia, Henry Winkler and Kelsey Grammer are just a few of the folks who have taken the stage to impart their wisdom to the student body. This year was no different; on Monday, journalist Conan Nolan addressed the student body (you can read about the event in our Youth pages).

“Tucci” – no slouch himself; he played Sonny in “Grease” alongside John Travolta and Olivia Newton John – has allowed CV Weekly over the years to interview the guest speaker and attend the presentation made to the student body. This year Tucci was kind enough to invite me to a luncheon held in La Cañada with Conan, dignitaries from the school and a couple of really interesting students. It was a pleasure – and privilege – to be a part of that group and I thank Tucci for the invitation.

So, with high school football taking again to the field, traffic patterns reestablished and Prom Plus Club up to their elbows in activities, I guess that my relationship with the school calendar is as close as ever – and that is not necessarily a bad thing.

  robin goldsworthy