BRIEFLY IN EDUCATION

Open house will be at TLC club branch

TLC, a branch of the Laguna Beach Boys & Girls Club, will hold a free open house for all Boys & Girls Club members, family and friends from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 27 at Bluebird Park. Attendees can enjoy face painting, a bounce house, kids vs. parents tug-o-war, arts and crafts, and more. Lunch tickets will be available for $5. reserve a spot e-mail Ashlyn Strahle at [email protected].

National Merit Scholarship semifinalist named

Laguna Beach High School student Blake R. Henderson is one of nearly 16,000 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists nationwide, the organization announced.

About 90% of semifinalists will attain finalist standing, and half of the finalists will win a National Merit scholarship.

To attain the ranking, applicants must take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test as juniors. To become a finalist, a semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record, be recommended by the high school principal and earn excellent SAT scores, as well as fill out a detailed application.

For more information, visit www.nationalmerit.org.

Retired pediatrician now has SAT coaching program

Laguna Beach resident Ted Sieja has begun a new coaching program called the SAT Edge. A retired pediatrician and Princeton graduate, Sieja said he well recalls the stress centered around college applications, and especially SAT test anxiety.

The SAT Edge program is designed to increase motivation and self-confidence, while eliminating self doubt and test anxiety. This process allows students to fully utilize their resources to maximize performance and scores. Sieja believes a student’s level of competence is determined by confidence and commitment.

Sieja welcomes all parents and students to call (949) 497-1997 for a complimentary consultation.

Homing pigeons released at Chabad on first day

Students at Chabad Jewish Center Hebrew School in Laguna Beach released their own homing pigeons on the first day of class. Each students gently held their own pigeon, made a resolution for the Jewish New Year, and released the birds, said Perel Goorevitch, director.

In addition to learning about birds in the history of Judaism, the students learned they can take the education they acquire this year, soar with it, explore and apply their knowledge, but ultimately land solidly on their feet, returning home, as the homing pigeons do, to their foundation and roots in Judaism.

Rabbi Eli Goorevitch asked everyone to listen to the blowing of the Shofar, the ram’s horn that is traditionally blown each morning during this month before Rosh Hashana, urging the kids to think about the previous year and look ahead to another successful and productive year of learning and good deeds.

For more information about Chabad and the High Holidays, visit www.chabadoflaguna.com.

AAUW holds ‘welcome back’ event Sunday

“Inventing and Reinventing Ourselves in a Time of Change” will be explored in AAUW-Laguna Beach’s fall event to welcome new and returning members, at 2 p.m. Sunday at Laguna College of Art & Design. Marion K. Jacobs will facilitate small group discussions as participants share changes in their lives and how to cope with them.

The meeting will also provide an overview of AAUW (American Assn. of University Women) Laguna Beach and its mission to empower women through education by providing scholarships, fellowships and grants through the Educational Foundation, supporting summer classes for intermediate school girls in science and math (Tech Trek) and tutoring El Morro elementary school students.

Laguna College of Art & Design is at 222 Laguna Canyon Road. Parking is available in the college parking lot. For more information, call Elsa Brizzi at (949) 376-1806 or Barbara Davidson at (949) 725-6430.

To learn more about AAUW and to find out how to become a member, visit the branch website at www.aauw-lagunabeach.org.

National Day for Kids at Boys & Girls Club

A National Day for Kids celebration and Open House will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, Main Branch, 1085 Laguna Canyon Road. National Day for Kids is a day set aside each year to celebrate and honor children all across the country by spending meaningful time with them.

National Day for Kids festivities will include a chalk art activity for kids and parents to express their creativity.

Families will also get to enjoy a bounce house, kid and parent tournaments, free throw contest and “build your own ice cream sundae” bar. A free hot dog lunch will be provided for all participants.

National Day for Kids is open to everyone. Boys & Girls Club staff will be giving Club tours and answering any program-related questions for new visitors. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

In honor of a generous donation from State Street, the day will be kicked off with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new technology centers in the Club’s Education room and Teen Center.

For more information, call (949) 494-2535.