West metro school briefs: Eden Prairie holds session on Mosaic program

Parents are invited to learn more about Eden Prairie Schools' Mosaic program, a full-day program for highly gifted learners. Two informational meetings are planned, the first at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 29 at Forest Hills Elementary Media Center and the second at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 5 at Prairie View Elementary Media Center.

The Mosaic program began in fall 2013 for qualifying students in grades 4 and 5 with two classrooms at both Forest Hills and Prairie View elementary schools.

This program is a school-within-a-school model. For the 2014-15 school year, it will expand to qualifying students in grades 4 to 6.

Mosaic is intended for students scoring at the 98th or 99th percentile in both ability and achievement.

Blessed Trinity Catholic School's all-ages Sno*Ball Dance and Auction will be held on the Penn Campus (7540 Penn Av. S. in Richfield) on Saturday, Feb. 1. Doors will open at 6 p.m., with music ending at 10 p.m. All are welcome for dinner, dancing and bidding.

Tickets at the door are $25 per family or $15 per person. A homemade pasta dinner will be available for purchase at the event for $5. Senior tickets are being sold for $8 and will include dinner. Silent-auction bidding will end at 8:30 p.m.

Catholic United's Catholic Schools raffle tickets will be sold. Chances are $5, with $50,000 in prizes.

A community forum called "Meet Your Somali Neighbors" will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 6 at the St. Louis Park Recreation Center, 3700 Monterey Dr.

The forum will include a discussion about Somali cultural beliefs, religion and family roles, as well as Somali refreshments and entertainment. Ahmed Ali, Hennepin County Library's Somali outreach liaison, will facilitate the evening's discussion. Khadija Charif, a senior at St. Louis Park High School, will pre­sent a spoken-word poem created for the event.

The event is free, but reservations are required. They can be made online at wwwslpcommunityed.com or by calling 952-928-6442.

The forum is co-sponsored by Children First, St. Louis Park Community Education, the city of St. Louis Park, the Joint Community Police Partnership, the Faith Community Table, the St. Louis Park Library and Friends of the Library.

If you know a young person in grades 7 through 12 who demonstrates an awareness of the needs of others via volunteering or other activities, consider nominating him or her for a 2013 Caring Youth Award.

To qualify for the award, a Caring Youth must meet at least one of the following criteria: live in Minnetonka, Hopkins or Golden Valley; attend school in Hopkins or Minnetonka, and/or volunteer (unpaid and not as a requirement for a class or co-curricular program) in Minnetonka, Hopkins or Golden Valley.

Young people may be nominated only by the ­organization they are serving.

For more information, including nomination guidelines and an application, visit www.eminne tonka.com or call Jacque Larson, community relations manager, at 952-939-8207. Nominations for the 2014 Caring Youth awards are due by 4:30 p.m. Feb. 3.