West metro school briefs

Last update: September 30, 2008 - 11:54 PM

HENNEPIN COUNTY

Scholarships for law enforcement students

The Minnesota Sheriffs' Association will award $600 scholarships to as many as 15 law enforcement students.

To be considered for the scholarship, students must first compete for a nomination from their countys sheriff's office.

Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek is accepting applications and will nominate three students who live in the county. Then the Minnesota Sheriffs' Association committee will select the scholarship recipients from a statewide pool of applicants by Dec. 31.

To qualify, students must have completed at least one year of a two-year law enforcement program or two years of a four-year program. The application and a complete list of requirements is available at www.mnsheriffs.org or at local sheriff's offices.

Teen Read Month events for October

Hennepin County Library is celebrating Teen Read Month during October with dozens of special events and online activities, many based on the Teen Read Month vampire theme of libraries nationwide, "Books With Bite!"

The month-long celebration encourages teens to spend more time reading and reminds them of the resources at their local libraries.

For more information on events, visit www.hclib.org/teens/readmonth.

HOPKINS

Tickets on sale for "It's a Wonderful Life"

Hopkins High School's production of "It's a Wonderful Life" begins Nov. 7, but tickets are on sale now. They are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $10 for students, who can receive another 50 percent discount if they present their Hopkins student activity card. Tickets can be purchased at www.hhstheater.org. Performances are set for 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15, and 3 p.m. Nov. 9, in the auditorium at Hopkins High School, 2400 Lindbergh Drive, Minnetonka.

Early Childhood Fest scheduled Saturday

Early Childhood Fest is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday at the Hopkins Library, 22 11th Av. N., Hopkins. There will be entertainment, free cookies and a free new book for kids to take home. This event is for Hopkins preschoolers and their families.

MINNEAPOLIS

South High student wins scholarship

Two metro-area students -- Michael Cherkassky of Edina High School and Molly Hensley-Clancy of Minneapolis South High School -- recently won scholarships of $25,000 and $10,000, respectively, from the Davidson Institute for Talent Development.

Hensley-Clancy and Cherkassky, both seniors and age 16, were honored in Washington last week.

Cherkassky received a $25,000 scholarship in recognition of his creation of a computer application that allows physicians to obtain more accurate patient diagnostic results.

Hensley-Clancy was awarded a $10,000 scholarship for creating a series of stories that explores the universal human instinct of storytelling through the eyes of young girls.

The Davidson Institute recognizes students under age 18 for exemplary original work in the categories of literature, science, technology, math, music, philosophy and "outside the box." Former educational software entrepreneurs Bob and Jan Davidson founded the Reno, Nev.-based non-profit in 1999.

For more information about the organization or the scholarship winners, go to www.DavidsonGifted.org or call 775-852-3483.

Proposed school tax levy falls slightly

The Minneapolis school board recently set a $127.3 million maximum proposed property tax levy for 2009-10. That figure represents a 1.62 percent decrease over the $129 million Minneapolis school levy for 2008-09. Chief financial officer Peggy Ingison said a number of factors contributed to the decrease, including the decline in enrollment in recent years.

The decrease means the district isn't required to hold a truth-in-taxation hearing this year. A hearing had been set for Dec. 2, but it has now been canceled.

AIMÉE BLANCHETTE, PATRICE RELERFORD

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