June 2 Dishwashing Party!

There is going to be between 300-400 guest at the event so that is a lot of dishes, we would like to have as many people as possible go to custom house plaza Memory Garden (near round fountain) to help load up trucks, then drive to Monterey fairgrounds to help wash dishes. You need to be at custom house plaza at 2:00pm.

Jacob's mom and Rachel's dad will have their trucks there to load up the tubs of dishes. (the loading zone is at end of custom house plaza outside Bennihanna Resturant).  Danny will meet you at fairgrounds, if you cannot go to custom house plaza first, please plan to meet Danny at fairgrounds at 2:00pm.

What we need to bring:

• Dish gloves
• Sponges
• Pot scrubbers
• Towels for drying dishes

What we are to do:

1. Take all tubs from the event with silverware, glasses, mugs, utensils, pots and pans and paper. Load them into vehicles, trucks preferably, and take them to the Fairgrounds to the assigned kitchen. Expect enough items for 300-500 people.
2. Wash and dry everything.
3. The  cleaned mugs and glasses must be wrapped in paper. They are placed back in the tubs. The clean silverware is placed in the appropriate bullet boxes.
4. The pots and pans are stacked with the utensils inside them.

Sunday

The Memory Garden closes at 5:00 pm on Saturday.  Everything must be returned no later than Sunday between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm to Memory Garden barbecue area.  It would be unusual to be finished in time to return everything wrapped and boxed back to Memory Garden by Saturday. It has been done when there have been many volunteers and several kitchens.

If you have questions please contact Danny at:

831-901-8794 or 818-687-4077

Yoroshiku!

May 8 Meeting/Saturday, May 12/Homework for May 22

This week is a busy week!

Happy Belated Children's Day (May 5).  Here's some more info on this cultural holiday in Japan.  Here we are in our kabuto.  Nice job everyone!

For the Human Race on Saturday

• If you are not attending: make a photo copy of your pledge sheet, then put it in an envelope together with any cash/checks you have received.  Turn the envelope in to Mrs. Rincon by Thursday.  Continue collecting any money that you have not yet received.
• If you are attending: make a photo copy of your pledge sheet, then put it in an envelope together with any cash/checks you have received.  Bring it with you to the event!  Continue collecting any money that you have not yet received.

• The Car Caravan meets at the Colton Upper Parking Lot at 6:30AM!  We will depart promptly at 6:45AM.  Please don't be late.  I will have room in my car for 4 people if you would like to car pool.  If you drive directly, the address of Natural Bridges State Beach is: 2531 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz, CA.  Park anywhere along Natural Bridges Drive or on one of the side streets, then walk into the park.  Look for the group in the registration line. 

• The roughly 3-mile walk starts at 8:00AM, but we must sign waivers and turn in our pledge sheets/money before we start our walk.  Any money not yet collected can be turned in later.

For the Soba Skype Potluck on Saturday

Meet at the Russells' home at 901 Alameda in Monterey at 6:30, but come early/stay late to help make candy leis!  Our Skype call to Nanao will start about 7:30.

For our May 22 Meeting
 

1.  Go to Kids Web Japan and memorize Lesson 3.

2.  Find five facts about Japanese government.
3.  Go to learn-hiragana-katakana.com and practice.
4.  Bring in your passport to Mrs. Frost in the office for copying.
5.  Take photo of your family (whoever lives in your house with you).  Email it to Dana or send it to your partner directly.

Upcoming Events

We have several events coming up that will need everyone’s help:

• Tuesday, May 8: General Meeting
• Don’t forget your homework! (http://juniorwings.blogspot.com/2012/04/homework-for-may-8.html )
• Saturday, May 12: Human Race
• Keep working on those pledges, then come walk along the beautiful shore in Santa Cruz with lunch afterward.
• Saturday May 12: Soba/Meet Your Partner Party
• 6:30-9:00pm at the Russell's home
• Please note the change of date!  While we originally planned this party to be on Friday, May 11, unfortunately the Nanao Group has asked if we can push it back one day.  This will make for a long day for us with the Human Race in the morning, then a potluck party in the evening, but since they only meet once a month, this will be our only chance to meet them until their next meeting in June.  I apologize for the inconvenience.
• The Russell’s will provide soba noodles and all the fixings, plus Mochi Ice Cream for dessert, but please bring one of the following: side dish, salad, beverage.  There will be a sign-up sheet passed around at our May 8 meeting.  Plan to have some fun with chopsticks!
• Thursday, June 7: 8th Grade Promotion - Flower/Candy Leis
• Calling all hands: In order to have leis to sell, we must make them beforehand!  Details on just what needs to be done when and where will be sent out soon, but for any questions on how you can help, please contact Kim Campbell (Rachael's mom) at 372-3200 or captdeep@redshift.com.
• Saturday, June 9: La Mesa Rummage Sale
• For this half-day event we need to do the following:
• Collect rummage (stuff to sell)
• Deliver to Monroy's garage (in La Mesa) a few days before June 9
• Drop off students/additional rummage early that Saturday morning at the event to help set up site with designated parents (event rules only allow four adults per site) 
• Sell, sell, sell!
• Details will follow Details will follow, but for immediate questions, contact Julie Monroy (Allie's mom) at 601-6395 or julieam79@yahoo.com.
  

Last, if you have not yet joined our blog, please do so as this is the primary means we will use to communicate with you: http://juniorwings.blogspot.com/.

Homework for May 8

For the May 8 meeting (6:30-8:00pm, Room A6), please do the following:

1.  Go to Kids Web Japan and memorize Lesson 2.  You will have a quiz on these words at our next meeting!  Review the 14 expressions and words from Lesson 1. Quiz your parents!

2.  Find five common facts about Nanao/Monterey.  Be sure to cite your sources.

3. Register yourself on the Junior Wings blog.

4.  Apply for your passport!  If you already have one, bring it to Mrs. Frost in the office for copying.  Give copy to Mr. Rimmer or Mrs. Salter.

5.  Join the Colton Junior Wings Human Race Team - 347.  See Human Race Home Page post for instructions.

6.  Continue soliciting Human Race pledges.

Homework for April 24

For the April 24 meeting (6:30-8:00pm, Room A6), please do the following:

1.  Go to Kids Web Japan and memorize the 14 common expressions and useful words listed in Lesson #1: Japanese Greetings and Writing system.  You will have a quiz on these words at our next meeting!  While you only need to memorize the 14 expressions and words, please read all of Lesson 1.

2.  Find five general facts about Japan.  Be sure to cite your sources.

3.  Begin  creating your name placard.  It should be approximately 12" x 19" in size.

3.  Register yourself on the Junior Wings blog.

4.  Apply for your passport!  If you already have one, bring in a copy to Mrs. Frost in the office for copying.  Give copy to Mr. Rimmer or Mrs. Salter.

5.  Join the Colton Junior Wings Human Race Team - 347.  See Human Race Home Page post for instructions.

6.  Begin soliciting Human Race pledges.

Presentation given in class: April-10-2012.pdf

Junior Wings Alums Return for Next Generation Jazz Festival

Madoka Itoku (JW2009) and Chinatsu Ishida (JW2011) returned to Monterey over the weekend with the Ishikawa Junior Jazz Academy (IJJA) to participate in the Next Generation Jazz Festival sponsored by the Monterey Jazz Festival.

The IJJA performed three times over the weekend, once at Pacific Grove Middle School, then twice at the festival, once at the Museum of Monterey (the old Maritime Museum in Customs House Plaza), and finally on the main stage at the Monterey Conference Center.

Wow, and what performances they were!  They played a set of tunes, including Sidewinder, Take the A Train, Skylark, Alisa, and Walking down the Nakamise Street (an original by the group leader, Junko Moriya).  Madoka and Chinatsu were part of the horn section, Madoka on trumpet and Chinatsu on trombone.  Madoka played several short solos.

While most of the groups performing at the festival were competing for festival awards and so had their "game faces' on, the IJJA group was there by special invitation.  They were visibly enjoying their performance and played with such happy, carefree energy that they brought the audience to their feet for a standing ovation that lasted several minutes!

Two other Junior Wingers also performed at the festival as members of the MJF Monterey County Middle School Honor Band: Marina Panzetta (alto sax) and Kane Russell (trombone).  As festival announcer Al Adolph put it, this middle school band is "where the Monterey Jazz Festival begins."  The band of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders showed that they definitely belonged up on stage with the older students!

While jazz was what brought everyone together, it was fun to see the Junior Wings alums again, this time with their mothers (!) and to make new friends.  It was a wonderful 5 days.

Junior Wings 25 Has Begun!!

The Junior Wings Program enters its 25th year in 2012, and if the attendance at the Student/Family Orientation Meeting on Tuesday is any indication, the program is off to a rousing start!  Easily over 100 people showed up to learn about the program with 35 students taking home applications.  This is the greatest showing of interest to date! 

Student applications are available from the school office or from Mr. Thomas.  They are also available from the school website and from here.

APPLICATIONS ARE DUE: 4:00PM FRIDAY, MARCH 9

Initial Calendar

February 28:  Student/Family Orientation
Feburary 28:  Student applications available
March 9:  Student applications due by 4:00pm.  Turn in to Mrs. Frost.  No late applications accepted.
March 13:  Student interviews scheduled this week.
March 19:  Notification letters mailed over Spring Break
April 11:  First meeting!!