August 31, 2011

Hello Skip,

I'm Niki Gaddis-La Day, an Olympic graduate of the 1996 class and former student of the Service Learning Program. I am certain that if this message was in person, you'd definately remember me, as I nearly begged you to allow me to complete a second session of the program. During the 1995-1996 school year, I joined the program and was assigned to Rio Vista Elementary in Bay Point. I was placed there and served as a Teacher's Assistant in a kindergarten classroom. I came across the Olympic school website and thought to contact you being that the Service Learning Program has been a positive asset within my life. The program ultimately inspired me to obtain a degree in Education and Business Management. I am now a Youth Empowerment Teen Mentor and the owner of an Early Childhood Learning Center near Seattle, WA.

I graduated from Olympic with strong hopes of gaining a higher education, though not fully having a specific direction or interest. Not quite giving in and just settling for anything, I tried a number of career fields within local Bay Area colleges. What drove me to attempt completing college was the urge to have a rewarding career. However, a few years past after high school, and realizing that I had not gained much, I began to grow weary. Not giving up or settling for just anything, I did some serious "soul searching" and my thoughts returned to the program. I remember how gratifying it felt to walk into that kindergraten classroom of little children, knowing that I would take part in encouraging them in some way and strengthen their value of learning.

From that moment to this present time, within my own community, my classrooms and business, I can say that my day no matter how challenging or the number of hours I work, is definitely worth it. Just as Alice Bonner who drove me and my mom to different colleges on her time countless Saturdays, Cathy Avington, Mr. Neel, the Librarian Mrs. Popejoy who told me about the Mt. Diablo Vocational school program I also completed, the former Principal Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Booth who taught me how to budget money, you Skip and the others who provided the directive tools to help me navigate towards my purpose in life, I say thank you. Olympic High School and your program set the stage for my accomplishments and whom I've become.

Sincerely,

Nikenya M. Gaddis-La Day


P.S. Do contact me if you should ever have a Career Day and need speakers. Give me a good notice of the date and it would be my pleasure to travel back home and give words of encouragement to the present students.

Also, I found a picture of myself on the school webpage under "Stuff from the Old Days"/Old Photos of Staff & Students/More Photos/2nd page last picture/bottom right/labeled Leadership with no student names. I am the black young lady wearing my (then) favorite brown apron dress! Please request that my name is added to that picture. Thanks again.

Olympic is extremely appreciative of the ongoing support we receive from our community.  We would like to acknowledge those whose contributions make Olympic a very special place.

May 20, 2010

We would like to thank some of our key parents who have been such a wonderful support to our Olympic family.

Thank you to Bill Quinn and Luz Conley for their continued presence on our School Site Council. Their input is invaluable. Also, thank you Bill for
supplying food for our students during STAR testing. And a special thank you to Luz, Judy Arth and Eva Barajas for the breakfast they hosted in
recognition of Teacher Appreciation Day. It was beautiful!

October 20, 2009

Many thanks to Tesoro for a generous donation of $4000 to Olympic High School. This donation will support special school programs during a period of budget reductions. We want to recognized Mr. Dale Petrich as a community partner working with Tesoro to support local schools.

Thank you CD Federal Credit Union for the generous donation of basic supplies to the Olympic High School Science Department. We appreciate the support of our good neighbor. Your help makes a difference and provides support for our Science Program to use funds for labs and hands-on activities.

February 25, 2009

Thank you to the following individuals who attended our WASC reception dinner on Sunday night, February 22, 2009.  Your presence was greatly appreciated.

Students and Parents

Ms. Lucy Conley, Juan Martinez and Juan Martinez and Maria Martinez, Jesus, Dom Nkunku, and Esther Nkunku, Madeline Riggi, Ryan Quinn, Bill Quinn and Sharman Quinn.

Teachers

Jesse Forsland, Liane Cismowski, Peri Curtis

Office Staff

Sandy Davis

School Board

Paul Strange

District Officials

Katie Gaines, Gail Isserman, Dr. Richard Nicoll, Dr. Alan Young

Site Administrators

Felicia Bridges, Margaret Lowry, Kate McClatchy, Dale Petrich

Dear Staff at Olympic High School,

Words cannot express how much I appreciate the support, care, and education that my daughter Jocelyn has received at Olympic.  When Jocelyn started at Olympic her past experience with high school had been very negative.  I watched with unexplainable joy as she blossomed under the care and guidance of the Olympic staff.  What a beautiful fit for her.  There is a saying that it takes a community to raise a child.  I feel blessed that you have been part of the community that has helped raise Jocelyn. 

I am grateful to so many who came along side of Jocelyn and supported her.  Special thanks to Kat, Mr. Forsland, Hildie, Skip, Pam, Ms. Clark, Ms. Bartley, and Mrs. Griffin for the extra time, love and enthusiastic support you have given to Jocelyn over the last two years.  Jocelyn truly feels as if she is leaving a family and even though it's hard, she leaves well equipped to handle what is ahead.

Many thanks go to each of you who has believed and invested in Jocelyn Wimmer.  I have no doubts she will make us all proud.  I hope you all enjoy the brownies, share nicely, and know I will always be grateful for each one of you!

With a heart overflowing with gratitude,

February 2, 2009

Thank you, Mr. Richard Annesser for donating a computer with printer and scanner to Olympic High School!  All of us in room 13 appreciate your gift very much!

We now have one student computer!  Yay!  Thanks, again!  Your friends in Room 13
Liane Cismowski
 

January 15, 2009

Today I was fortunate to have a small group of students volunteer to stay after school to assembly the indoor light cart that we received from a generous grant from the Mt. Diablo Alternative Education Foundation in order to start plants from seeds for our organic garden. I was so impressed with how these students quickly become team workers to put together a very complicated assembly.

The cart would be impossible to assemble without at least two people and these students completed the entire assembly in less than 45 minutes. The problem solving and collaboration I saw today was totally unexpected and left me very
impressed. It is grants like these that allow such experiences to come to our students and our teachers. Five students volunteered for this project as it was only offered to my advisory class. More students would have come, but they had obligations at work.

Please acknowledge the following students:

Marcos Anaya
Daisy Hernandez
Alex Essuman
Jason Recinos
Stephany Viramontes

Sincerely,

Teri Cooper

January 15, 2009

Much thanks to Panera Café and Bakery in Concord for their kind donation of bagels and coffee for our Holiday Staff Breakfast on December 19.

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