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May 2011 Amigos By Fran Miller
For many Lafayette teens, the summer months typically entail activities such as part time jobs, test-prep classes, athletic endeavors, and of course, simply hanging out with friends. For the six Acalanes High School students volunteering with Amigos de las Americas, the summer will be spent planting community gardens and emphasizing community nutrition, encouraging youth leadership, building latrines and stoves, refurbishing playgrounds, perfecting their Spanish, and gaining experiences which will undoubtedly change their young lives forever. Annie Beliveau, Brendan Kirbach, Westin Mirner, Anna Peare, James Prinzi, and Sami Sciacqua are this year’s Lafayette volunteers with Amigos de las Americas, an international nonprofit organization p r o v i d i n g unparalleled leadership and community service opportunities for Acalanes student Anna Peare spent last summer in Panama with the Amigos de las Americas program. She will live in Peru this summer, young people that contributes to where she will focus on children's health issues. the well-being of hundreds of communities throughout the Americas. During its 43-year history, more than 20,000 Amigos volunteers have gained a lifelong commitment to community service, while strengthening multicultural understanding and friendships. See Amigos continued on page 18
A huge thank you card for Abi, (Abi 4th from left) successfully obtained donations of personal care items, over 150 personal care packs she put together for participants at Fresh Start. This was part of her Gold Star Award for Girl Scouts. Pictured l-r, Geoffrey, Bill, Robin, Abi, Billy, Polly. To learn more about Fresh Start, see page 17. PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit 21 Lafayette CA
Serving the Lafayette Community Jumping for Joy By Fran Miller
When Joy Upshaw turned 50 this year, she jumped up and down. The distance between the up and the down just happened to be further than any woman her age had ever jumped – 17 feet, 10 ¾ inches to be exact – a new indoor world long-jump record for women 50 and over. Upshaw, a Lafayette native, is a star in the world of USA Masters Track and Field where 5-year age divisions begin at age 30. She is a luminary in the 50 – 54 age range, also holding a world record in the 200. Track and Field, Joy participating in the long jump. specifically the long jump, is in her blood – her dad, Monte Upshaw, broke Jesse Owens’ 1954 high school long-jump record. Her maternal grandfather, Norman Jackson, was a national-class sprinter in the 1920s. Her sister, Grace, participated in long jump in the last two summer Olympics, and her daughter, Sunny Margerum, is a freshman jumper at UC Berkeley. Younger daughter, Windy, is on the Stanley Middle School track team. When she’s not training and traveling the world as a Masters competitor, Upshaw is an assistant coach at Gunn High School in Palo Alto, at Stanley, and at her alma mater, Acalanes High School. Her friendliness and love of the sport are palpable. “We're always happy to see Coach Joy out on the track,” says Katie Barton, 18-year-old senior captain on the Acalanes team. “Joy always has a smile on her face and is very good at making others smile. She has such a positive attitude, believes in our ability to improve, and knows how to balance hard work with a good time. Sometimes, she'll give us a quick workout after we work on hurdling, and she'll say, ‘Isn't this fun, guys? I love this workout! This is one of my favorites!’ She also makes lucky hair ribbons for us girls when we race, and we hope when we wear them that her speed will make us run faster. “She has been running since she was our age, so she is very knowledgeable,” adds Barton. “When she coaches us, we know we are getting the best advice possible, and we notice our form improve every time we work on hurdles with her. She works us hard but manages to keep things fun.” “I have known Joy and her family since MY high school Volume V - Number 5 days,” says Manny Myers, who PO Box 1335 is currently in his 21st year as the Lafayette, CA 94549 head Cross Country Coach and Telephone (925) 405-NEWS, 405-6397 Physical Education Department Fax (925) 406-0547 editor@yourmonthlypaper.com Chair at Acalanes. “I chased her father's record while competing Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher at Piedmont High School, and I The opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and do not reflect that of Lafayette Today. Lafayette Today is first coached Joy when she chose necessarily not responsible for the content of any of the advertising herein,
See Joy cont. on page 24
nor does publication imply endorsement.