It was a year of firsts for Menlo volleyball, and on Saturday, Dec. 3., the Knights picked up the ultimate first: a state championship.

Through all the years of successful volleyball teams, this year’s team took the first CIF title in Menlo history. On the road to the state final, the Knights dropped just one set, defeating Cardinal Newman, Branson, and Monte Vista Christian. Then, they shut down Point Loma-San Diego convincingly 25-18, 25-13, 25-21 at Santiago Canyon College in Orange for the CIF Division IV title.

“They played wonderfully,” Menlo first-year coach Marco Paglialunga said. “At this age it is not easy to play right away in this type of game at this level, with the television and the (intensity) and importance of the game. But, they started and immediately were on top of every play.

“They were in the right spot on defense, they were moving correctly on the block. They really were applying everything that we practiced and talked about.”

Junior Ashley Dreyer and sophomore Selina Xu each had a team-high 12 kills. Xu posted a triple double, adding 10 digs and 19 assists.

Senior libero Jessica Houghton picked up 15 digs while junior Riley Holland and sophomore Sianna Houghton each had 11. Sianna Houghton also collected eight kills, and Junior Kristin Sellers posed 22 assists for Menlo

It was also the first year at Menlo for Paglialunga, a longtime Italian National Team coach, and though he taught many high-school age players, this was his first year coaching a high school team.

Paglialunga said the Knights’ dedication — combined they missed three practices among 14 players the entire season — and receptiveness led to their success.

Photo of volleyball team courtesy Menlo School

In partnership with the Technology for Global Security and Menlo School, Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton (SHS) will host the first of a two-part forum on morality and geopolitics in the nuclear age on Monday, April 3 at 7:00 pm in the Harman Family Assembly Hall. The panel discussion will focus on the morality of the nuclear age and is free and open to the public.

Moderated by Technology for Global Security Board Chair and cyber police advisor for the U.S. Secretary of Defense Michael McNerney (pictured), the forum features: Richard Rhodes, a historian, author of The Making of the Atomic Bomb, and Pulitzer Prize recipient; Ira Helfand, MD, chair, Physicians for Social Responsibility and co-president, International Physicians for Prevention of Nuclear War; and Martin Hellman, PhD, professor emeritus at Stanford University and a recipient of the 2015 Turing Award for Internet Cryptology.

Menlo School will host a second panel discussion on geopolitics of the new nuclear age on Thursday, May 11 with The Honorable William Perry, 19th U.S. Secretary of Defense and professor emeritus at Stanford University.

For more information or questions about the event, please contact Les DeWitt of the Technology for Global Security at les@dewitt.com, Louise Paustenbach of SHS’ Office of Mission Initiatives & Institutional Planning at lpaustenbach@shschools.org or Katherine Kelly of Menlo School at Katherine.kelly@menloschool.org.

For the 6th year in a row, students from Menlo School (plus a few others) worked at Haydi and David Sowerines‘ home this summer on projects for the couple’s non-profit, VillageTech Solutions, which provides safe, clean and affordable technology solutions to rural communities in Nepal and other developing countries.

Most of the Menlo volunteers are working on VTS’s educational solution, Looma, under the direction of Skip Stritter, VTS Board Chair. Looma is an affordable, low-power consuming audio-visual technology device which provides an interactive window to the internet and access to educational content to Nepalese village schools that have never seen electricity, computers, or in some cases, even books.

David provided InMenlo with some background on this year’s projects:

“Skip interviewed them, discussed the project options, and they settled into teams with specific goals. Very professionally, all had to generate a ‘PRD’ (product requirements document), and, if possible, stick to a schedule to meet the July 26 presentation date .

“The teams set out to:

• Complete an English/Nepali dictionary for all words in the grades 1-8 English textbooks. This required defining more than 2000 words. Then they refined an app so that it’s now possible to click on any word in those textbooks and bring up the definition
• Redesign the Looma box to hold new speakers, new Odroid computer, new power and audio board, new webcam and improved wiring
• Create ‘history timelines’ to expand Nepalese students’ knowledge of their own history (earthquakes, Prime Ministers, Kings, holidays…) as well as Chinese dynasties, the scientific revolution and others
• Expand the scope and detail of interactive maps of Nepal and the world

“And five individuals focused on:

• A robust search function that will enable students and teachers to search the database for relevant content
• An easy user interface for the webcam that we call “Cameo” that will record videos of students and teachers —for review, exchange with other schools, later viewing
• A “Video Editor” that allows the user (teacher) to enhance a video by inserting other items into pause points, such as a list of review questions, or a picture or another video, making the whole video more effective
• Core software management to make it easier to load the Looma computers
• A simple application for assembling lesson plans

“The teams had a second assignment — to make lesson plans. Kathy Hoekenga, a recently retired teacher, coached the kids, and they created more than 110.”

Looma is just one of VillageTech Solutions programs; more information about the Menlo Park-based non-profit is available online.

Photos by Robb Most (c) 2017 showing (top) Julia Wang, Matthew Phua, Mohini Gupta and their Maps project; (middle right) Keeton Martin with a Looma box; (bottom right Kendall Weingart and her Dictionary & Apps project

There are about 100 students in the Rincon Valley Unified School District in Santa Rosa, who have lost their homes and all their belongings. The students can no longer play music because they have lost their instruments in the fires as well.

Menlo School’s musicians are collecting funds to help these students purchase beginner level band instruments and staging a benefit concert on Monday, Nov. 20from 5:00 to 6:30 pm in Spieker Ballroom, Stent Hall, Menlo School: 50 Valparaiso Ave, Atherton

Suggested donation of $10, sold at the door. Donations of all amounts (and of new or used beginner-level band instruments) are more than welcome!

Please also consider donating to the online fund for this cause:

Students from Menlo-Atherton High School joined forces this morning with a small contingent of students from Menlo School, Sacred Heart Prep, and Gunn High School on National School Walkout Day in a march from the M-A campus to El Camino Park in Palo Alto.

The event  was organized by five M-A students — (right to left, top photo) seniors Maria Ornes, Holly Newman, Katherine Steere and Kaile Prosser along with junior Isabella Montoya (third from right) — who have formed an organization called Silicon Valley March for Our Lives Student Coalition.

“At this time we are keeping our goals general, rather than advocating a specific policy or program,” said Holly in advance of today’s event. “We want to provide a platform to join the national narrative on school safety and gun reform.”

Added Bella: “We are passionate about feeling safe while in school. But it’s sometime hard given academic and other responsibilities to create a pipeline of information that flows to students, teachers, faculty, and parents as well as including members of the larger community.

“We don’t want it to take 17 bullets for us to do something to unite our community. We don’t want to be imposting or disrespectful. We just want to feel in in the place we are doing our learning.”

In the school’s weekly newsletter, M-A principal Simone Rick-Kennel wrote: “With the shooting on February 14th at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the tragedy and issues surrounding it hit close to home. Regardless of political affiliation, belief, or stance on issues, we all care about schools being safe places for students and staff.

Attendance of the joint walkout was estimated to be around 1,000. As was the practice at high schools throughout the country, the names of the 17 Parkland victims were read aloud at 10:00 am.

“I’m just incredibly proud of my community,” said Holly, following the event. “It was amazing to see how many people showed up to support and participate.”

Photos by Robb Most (c) 2018

The community is invited to the 6th Annual Valpo 5K Fun and Color Run to benefit Peninsula Bridge. Walk, run, get covered in color and build community for a great cause. It’s scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 7,  at 9:00 am, taking off from Menlo School. Register before prices go up!

Photos for last year’s rub by Pete Zivgov

The youthful Menlo Knights closed the final chapter on an historic season with a D-II state championship on Saturday,  defeating Rolling Hills Prep of San Pedro by a score of 70-63. This was the Knights’ fourth state title in program history and their first since 1991. The team finished the year with a 26-5 overall record.

Sophomore Avery Lee engineered a masterful display of teamwork. She finished with 15 points, nine assists, eight rebounds and two steals. Coco Layton, also a sophomore, continued her three-point attack with five three-pointers and finished with a double-double and team-highs of 17 points and 11 rebounds.

When Lee’s shot wasn’t falling in the first quarter, she found other ways to contribute, driving then kicking the ball out to her teammates: “It was really great was just really trusting my teammates. It’s just really fun to play with them and be on the court with them.”

Freshman Sharon Nejad posted another double-double — 12 points and 10 rebounds — and junior Maeia Makoni had 10 points and was crucial to defending the Huskies’ tall and strong post player, particularly in the second half.

“Maeia did such a great job boxing out,” Nejad said. “It let me and the other girls go around and if you could see, we were boxing out so well that we had the whole umbrella open, and someone from our team would just swoop in and get the rebound.”

For coach John Paye, in his 17th season at Menlo, the win couldn’t be more sweet. Paye coached Menlo to its other three state championships, from 1989-1991 — teams on which sister Kate Paye starred. This one, too, has plenty of family ties. His daughter, Georgia, a sophomore, nailed four free throws in the second half to maintain Menlo’s lead as RHP stayed alive in the fourth. His sister Amy’s daughter, freshman Sylvie Venuto, is one of five call-ups from JV to help the Knights in the postseason. But the ties extended beyong bloodlines.

“This is my family today,” Paye said. “I know that we have a fairly young team and this is something we weren’t expecting at the beginning of the season, so it makes it even more meaningful.”

With 2:39 left, Rolling Hills pulled to within six when 6-foot-4 Clarice Akunwafo scored one of her team-high 17 points. The Huskies closed the gap to three but the Knights maintained their compusure and hit their free throws down the stretch.

“We just really stuck together as one, and I think that’s really important because we’re a really young team,” Lee said. “We definitely built upon that throughout the season and by the end of this tournament, we have become a really tight-knit team. We stuck together and it really helped us in the end.”

Photos courtesy of Menlo School

Recent Menlo School grad Sophie Jones opened the door to Spieker Hall at the school this morning to be greeted by teammates, classmates, family, friends and a sea of media. She quickly learned that she’s been named the 2018-19 Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

“Wow!” she half muttered with a big smile, and soon received the trophy from family friend — and former 49er quarterback — Steve Young  Her twin brother, Austin, was first in line for a big hug.

The 5-foot-6 senior midfielder led the Menlo Knights to a 20-2-2 record and the Central Coast Section Division I sectional tournament championship this past season. Sophie recorded 18 goals and 16 assists despite missing the final two games of the season while training with the U.S. Soccer Under-20 Women’s National Team.

She is the 2018 United Soccer Coaches Youth Girls National Player of the Year for her performance with her club team and played in the 2018 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Uruguay.

Sophie has volunteered locally with the Special Olympics and as a youth soccer coach. She maintained a 3.65 GPA in the classroom and has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on a scholarship at Duke University this fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year award is the most prestigious award in high school sports. It recognizes the nation’s most elite high school student-athletes in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states, choosing winners in 12 different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track and field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. Student-athletes are evaluated not only for outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character.

Since the program’s inception in 1985, Gatorade Player of the Year has awarded a distinguished list of athletes including Peyton Manning, Abby Wambach, Karl-Anthony Towns, Derek Jeter and many other sports icons.

You can watch today’s presentation online.

Photos by Linda Hubbard (c) 2019; top shows Sophie, her twin brother Austin, her parents and Steve Young

Emails Lesley Heller, wife of Kevin Heller, an M-A parent who was recently diagnosed with ALS:

“The Menlo [School] boys water polo team did the ALS ice bucket challenge on Saturday morning. It was a terrific event. Jack Bowen, the Menlo head coach, is a class act!

The M-A boys team came to support the Menlo boys. In fact, the Menlo boys let the M-A guys dump the buckets over their heads! It was a great community building event.”

A fun video of the event is available online.

Photos courtesy of Heller family: top show parents Kevin and Lesley with son, Michael, who plays water polo for M-A; photo at right is Menlo coach Jack Bowen.

Singers from Sacred Heart Preparatory (SHP) and Menlo School will combine talents to perform the National Anthem before the February 23 Warriors game at Chase Center in San Francisco at 5:30 pm.

SHP music teacher Clement Cano cinched the opportunity after submitting a video of his students and Menlo’s performing the anthem together before the Valpo Bowl football game at SHP in November. Cano has previous experience conducting singers at a Warriors game.

Since they had learned the music for that game, no rehearsals are planned other than one three hours prior to the game. “They know it so well, they’re ready,” says Cano. “But I’ve warned them how fast-paced it’s going to be. We have to practice different standing arrangements, and we’ll only have 5-10 minutes for sound check.”

Students will then have courtside seats to watch the players warm up, and the overall opportunity will be a good “bonding moment,” says Cano.

“It’s a great learning collaboration with Menlo. It’s also a good experience to learn you have no choice but to get over stage fright, in front of an almost-20,000 audience. Their hearts are going to race. I’ve told them, ‘just don’t be distracted by your 50-foot faces on the jumbotron.’”

SHP dean of community life Matthew “Monte” Montenegro will also be performing at the game. He is a member of the Warriors’ new all-male hip hop dance team, “Blue Crew.” The team will be dancing for player introductions, throughout the game, and during fourth quarter timeouts.

According to the Menlo School website, the school has been closed through the weekend because a staff member had contact with a relative who tested positive for the Coronavirus. Head of School Than Healy posted this letter to members of the Menlo School community yesterday:

“We have learned that a staff member of Menlo School has had contact with a relative who today tested positive for COVID-19 (Coronavirus). The School is working closely with the San Mateo County Department of Health and the CDC.

“Out of an abundance of caution and for the safety and well-being of our community, we have decided to close the School through the weekend. This means that all school-related activities will be canceled, including classes, athletics, arts, clubs, and planned field trips. Students, faculty, and staff are not to be on campus during this time.

“During the closure, we will continue to work with the health departments and will gain a better understanding of our employee’s situation. We have also engaged a cleaning service and will use the time to deep clean the entire campus.

“We know this news may cause understandable concern. While it is not our intent to cause undue alarm or disruption to our students’ learning, the School has decided to act conservatively and in the best interest of our community members in announcing this closure. Our desire is to continue to be transparent with you and communicate what we know as frequently as possible. We will communicate with you again by early evening on Wednesday to provide any updates.

“It remains important to take standard precautionary measures against respiratory illness, including:

-Avoiding close contact with those with cold and flu-like symptoms
-Covering your nose/mouth when coughing and sneezing with a flexed elbow
-Avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
-Cleaning your hands often by washing them with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60%–95% alcohol. Soap and water should be used if hands are visibly dirty. -It is especially important to clean hands after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.

“For more information on the developing public health response to COVID-19, visit the World Health Organization’s resource page here or the CDC’s FAQ here. You can find localized updates from the San Mateo County Health Department here. For additional health questions, please contact School Nurse, Joan Barada.”

Students from Menlo-Atherton High School joined forces this morning with a small contingent of students from Menlo School, Sacred Heart Prep, and Gunn High School on National School Walkout Day in a march from the M-A campus to El Camino Park in Palo Alto.

The event  was organized by five M-A students — (right to left, top photo) seniors Maria Ornes, Holly Newman, Katherine Steere and Kaile Prosser along with junior Isabella Montoya (third from right) — who have formed an organization called Silicon Valley March for Our Lives Student Coalition.

“At this time we are keeping our goals general, rather than advocating a specific policy or program,” said Holly in advance of today’s event. “We want to provide a platform to join the national narrative on school safety and gun reform.”

Added Bella: “We are passionate about feeling safe while in school. But it’s sometime hard given academic and other responsibilities to create a pipeline of information that flows to students, teachers, faculty, and parents as well as including members of the larger community.

“We don’t want it to take 17 bullets for us to do something to unite our community. We don’t want to be imposting or disrespectful. We just want to feel in in the place we are doing our learning.”

In the school’s weekly newsletter, M-A principal Simone Rick-Kennel wrote: “With the shooting on February 14th at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the tragedy and issues surrounding it hit close to home. Regardless of political affiliation, belief, or stance on issues, we all care about schools being safe places for students and staff.

Attendance of the joint walkout was estimated to be around 1,000. As was the practice at high schools throughout the country, the names of the 17 Parkland victims were read aloud at 10:00 am.

“I’m just incredibly proud of my community,” said Holly, following the event. “It was amazing to see how many people showed up to support and participate.”

Photos by Robb Most (c) 2018

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The community is invited to the 6th Annual Valpo 5K Fun and Color Run to benefit Peninsula Bridge. Walk, run, get covered in color and build community for a great cause. It’s scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 7,  at 9:00 am, taking off from Menlo School. Register before prices go up!

Photos for last year’s rub by Pete Zivgov

The post Get ready to be covered in color at the 6th annual Valpo Fun Run appeared first on InMenlo.

In a typical summer, Menlo School water polo players would be training hard with SoPen Water Polo Club, headed up by Jack Bowen, Menlo School’s water polo coach and Aquatics Director, scrimmaging weekly, and often practicing several times a day with other clubs to prepare for the fall season. In addition, they’d be participating in SoPen’s community service outreach, which encourages the boys to be engaged in purposes greater than themselves and supports the program’s goal to “Be Your Best.”

For years, Menlo and SoPen players have supported LifeMoves, an organization dedicated to helping homeless families and individuals return to stable housing and long-term self-sufficiency. They’ve prepared and served meals at the LifeMoves Opportunity Services Center in Palo Alto (OSC), which provides drop-in services for single adults. The boys would often leave their morning practices to volunteer at the site and then race off together to another afternoon practice after sharing the meal that they had just prepared with clients at the center.

However, this summer, the shelter-in-place restrictions completely changed how these water polo players have been able to practice, and as LifeMoves continues to operate with limited ability to host on-site volunteers, these high school boys have had to be flexible and find new ways to engage in meaningful community service activities.

Although they are unable to serve meals directly to OSC clients, they are still serving lunches, but in SIP style by preparing and donating bagged lunches, making sandwiches and decorating the lunch bags with messages or quotes.

“Menlo School water polo and SoPen players have been dedicated volunteers for many years, helping serve delicious and nutritious meals to our unhoused neighbors,” said Philip Dah, Senior Director, LifeMoves | Opportunity Services Center. “Despite COVID-19 restrictions preventing on-site visitors, this group of generous young men quickly pivoted how best to support our clients during this uncertain and challenging time.”

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the boys have added to their community service efforts by writing inspirational notes to healthcare workers for My New Red Shoes, a nonprofit that provides shoes and clothes for children and families in the Bay Area and which is currently an emergency responder providing relief to the broader community. “The notes were paired with donations of homemade facemasks and Crocs shoes and sent to local medical professionals, healthcare staff, and other front line heroes,” says Becca Winslow, My New Red Shoes Director of Community Engagement. “During this time of social distancing, it’s imperative that we create meaningful community connections and we’re so appreciative of the support from the SoPen water polo players.”

These high school students are facing a new and ever-changing environment right now, but opportunities like these to engage with their community and teach the boys empathy and resilience are great learning experiences. “I’ve always loved this component of our program’s focus to truly embody our goal, ‘Be Your Best’,” says Coach Jack, who is also a local author and philosophy teacher. “I was worried that this year, given the circumstances, we wouldn’t be able to do this. But due to the creativity of all those in our program, we once again had the opportunity to help those in need and connect to something larger than just ourselves and our work in the pool and classroom. I’m really proud of this team, parent group, and school and the work we continue to do to help others.”

As they continue to provide services in these difficult times, both LifeMoves and My New Red Shoes welcome donations.

Photos courtesy of Regina Skinner; Colin Skinner and Regina both contributed to the reporting/writing of this story.

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Two rising juniors at Menlo School, Alli McKenney (right) and Kami Israelski (left), are working together to fight for racial justice.

They learned how to embroider and are coupling their newly-learned craft with a fund-raiser. They created Threads 4 BLM to sell sweatshirts with a Black Lives Matter power fist on the right arm and an embroidered design on the front. All proceeds go to the Innocence Project, which works to exonerate the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and to reform the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice.

“The mission of Threads is to support the Black Lives Matter [movement] by donating all money earned to the Innocence Project,” explains Alli and Kami on their website. “Each item is hand embroidered with a symbol that encapsulates the goals of the movement.

“Neither of us has experienced the racial injustices inflicted upon African-Americans, and we realize although this is not an issue that we face directly, it is an issue that impacts so many people around us and unfortunately has proven prevalent since this country’s beginning. We decided on hand-stitched emblems because it signifies coming together as one. ”

They have sold to fellow students, coaches, teachers, friends and relatives. They also embroidered the fist on masks made by the school’s Black Student Union. Their efforts will be ongoing; they will keep embroidering year round.

You can view their clothing products online.

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Blake Kim (right), Menlo School lacrosse program director and varsity boys’ lacrosse head coach along with twin brother Cort Kim, Menlo boys’ lacrosse assistant coach, have been selected to the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame-NorCal Chapter.

Both Blake and Cort are entering their fourth season with Menlo School where they have established the program as one of the most powerful in Northern California. Since moving to the high-tier West Catholic Athletic League in 2018, Blake’s inaugural season as head coach, Menlo has advanced to the league semifinals both seasons.

Over the past two decades, Blake and Cort have helped develop a generation of young lacrosse players at various camps and clinics around the country, and have been leading outstanding teams at the high school level. In 2011, then with Sacred Heart Prep, Blake was named a US Lacrosse Regional High School Head Coach of the Year.

Blake and Cort played lacrosse for the University at Albany. Blake graduated as the school’s all-time leader in assists (currently fourth all-time), and was team captain in his senior year. Cort went on to set scoring records and earn All-America honors as a two-year captain at UAlbany. He and Blake were later inducted into both school’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002, and in 2018 they were recognized as members of the 50th Anniversary Team at UAlbany.

Blake and Cort continued their playing careers with several top post-collegiate club teams worldwide. In the 2002 World Lacrosse Championships in Perth, Australia, Blake and Cort, a captain, played for the inaugural Korean National team. Cort coached Springfield College to consecutive NCAA Div. II National Championship game appearances in 1994 and 1995, won the title in 1994. U.S. Lacrosse awarded Blake and Cort with the Nolan H. Rogers “Keeper of Lacrosse” Award in 2014 for playing in the spirit of the game, with integrity, respect and honor.

The induction ceremony will be held at a date and site to be determined.

Photo courtesy Menlo School

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Menlo School Latin teacher Dobbie Vasquez led a tour of Rome using Rendever’s virtual reality platform for not only her class (pictured here), but also seniors nationwide. Rendever loaned its system of VR headsets to Dobbie’s class so she could provide an immersive experience while the school practiced distanced learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After using them in the classroom, Vasquez led a tour via RendeverLive, which is accessible to more than 200 senior living communities across North America. Seniors put on their headsets and joined the local expert for a VR adventure through some of Rome’s most iconic sights. Vasquez provided historical insights, Latin trivia and answered questions from the audience to make her group feel like they were actually there.

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Michael Enright, a sophomore at Menlo School, passed away from injuries suffered in a devastating car accident last Saturday, the school announced.

Wrote Head of School Than Healy: “As Head of School, I hoped I would never have to write a letter like this, but I am sure I speak for the entire school community when I share my heartbreak and love with Michael’s parents, Mary and Patrick ’80, and with his siblings…”

“Michael was a witty, interesting, and insightful student who had a unique perspective and bravely spoke his mind. As a freshman, he was also a member of last year’s undefeated JV football team where he showed his resiliency and determination and worked hard to gain the respect and love of his teammates

“…This family is strong and resilient and will hold each other through the coming days, weeks, and months. In many ways, they symbolize the strength of community that many of us most value about this school.

“We are heartsick for their pain and eager to support the entire family. We’ve been in contact with them and have expressed our condolences on behalf of the School. While plans for a service have not yet been formed, we have offered the resources of the School and will help communicate details as soon as the family wishes.”

There is cautious optimism for the other two teens, a girl and a boy, to recover.

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Menlo Drama is performing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a clever musical comedy featuring an eclectic group of six middle schoolers vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. Performances are Friday, November 12, and Saturday, November 13 at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, November 15 at 5:00 pm at Menlo School’s Spieker Center for the Arts, 50 Valparaiso Avenue, Atherton. Tickets are available online.

The show centers on a fictional spelling bee set in the geographically ambiguous Putnam Valley Middle School. Six quirky adolescents compete in the Bee that is run by three equally quirky grown-ups. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the spelling champions learn that winning (and losing) isn’t everything.

Steven Minning, Director of Creative Arts and Upper School Drama, is thrilled for Menlo Theatre to return to the stage and for the students to perform to in-person audiences in Menlo’s new state-of-the-art Spieker Center. Spelling Bee is the inaugural show for the 380 seat auditorium, which was  completed in 2020 in the heart of Menlo’s campus.

“Like most performance spaces across the globe, our brand new, beautiful theater sat vacant for the greater part of 18 months. But now, more than ever, it’s time to open up and celebrate theatre. The Show Must Go On!,” Minning says. “The determination, patience, and resilience of our students, parents, and staff have been amazing during these times. It is rewarding and meaningful to have the opportunity to perform for a live audience again.”

Continuing the tradition of philanthropy, the Menlo Drama Department strives to ‘give back’ both on and off stage. Menlo School’s production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will raise funds for the Redwood City chapter of Project Read.

Menlo Drama has raised more than $50,000 for nonprofit organizations, each chosen by the cast because its work resonates with a theme in the show. Project Read was selected because, like The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Project Read celebrates the written word, seeing literacy as “the foundation for learning, opportunity, and success.”

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