Shorecrest High School will host its 2008 Unity Festival from 7:30-9 p.m. Feb. 11 at the school.

The festival is a chance to learn about other cultures. There will be several presentations, including a French skit by the French class, a traditional clothing fashion show, the Japanese Fisherman’s dance by the Soranbushi team, a swing dance by the swing club and a hip hop dance by the hip hop team.

Shorewood Jazz Band performs

The Shorewood High Jazz Band will join groups from area high schools for the Starbucks-sponsored jazz program, “Hot Java Cool Jazz” at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8.

The band, under the direction of Paul Harshman, won its division at the Reno Jazz Festival for the second consecutive year in 2007, and performed in New York City at the prestigious International Association of Jazz Educators Conference.

Tickets are $15 and available at www.ticketmaster.com

Syre students give Winter Concert

Syre Elementary fifth and sixth grade students will perform at a Winter Concert at 7 p.m. Jan. 28 at the school, 19545 12th Ave. NW. The fifth and sixth-grade bands and orchestras will perform three or four selections each. Janie McDavid leads the band and Vicki Ault leads the orchestra.

Kinderfest is coming Jan. 26

The Shoreline School District Kinderfest event will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 26 in the Shoreline Room at the Shoreline Center, 18560 1st Ave. NE.

The date was misprinted in last week’s Enterprise.

The event provides an opportunity for parents who will be enrolling their children in kindergarten for the 2008-09 school year to get information about kindergarten programs and services.

Kindergarten registration for the 2008-09 school year begins Jan. 28.

Syre Elementary holds rummage sale

Syre Elementary will hold a rummage sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 2 at the school, 19545 12th Ave. NW. All proceeds will benefit the sixth-grade trip to Islandwood Outdoor Education School.

There will be 30-40 tables in the cafeteria/gymnasium for families to purchase where they can sell their used goods. The cost of a table is $25. Families can sell anything within reason – for example, no fire arms or alcohol.

A 25 percent donation to the sixth grade camp fund for individual students, or the general fund, is suggested for whatever is sold.

At the event, popcorn, hot cocoa, coffee and baked goods will be sold, if families can provide them. Student volunteer helpers are needed for both the outside car wash and the rummage sale.

Call Jack at 206 533-6317 to reserve a table or volunteer. Send payment to the school or to 20304 Dayton Ave. N., Shoreline WA 98133 no later than today, Jan. 25.

Shorewood teacher chosen for panel

Nate Stearns, English teacher at Shorewood, was recently selected to serve on the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Technology GLE Development team.

Stearns was one of 12 participants selected from over 100 candidates from throughout the state. The team will develop a state-wide set of grade level expectations for technology integration for students in kindergarten through 12th grade by December.

Donations made food drive possible

In December, the Shoreline PTA Council and the Shoreline Fire Department worked together to bring food and gifts to those in need, as they have for 20 years.

Each school in the Shoreline School District participated, with students bringing in non-perishable food and gift items. On Dec. 14, each school brought their labeled boxes of collected food and gifts to Kellogg Middle School. On Dec. 15, volunteers boxed up the food for each family.

Parents at Syre Elementary contacted the corporate office of U-Haul to help with the delivery. The company donated a truck which was used to deliver over 3,000 pounds of food. Parents wrote a thank you letter to the company to show their appreciation.

Gilder Lehrman Summer Seminars

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, based in New York, N.Y., will sponsor 32 tuition-free, one-week teacher enrichment seminars across the U.S. and England for teachers at every grade level.

Applications must be postmarked or submitted electronically by Feb. 15.

Participants will receive a $400 stipend, books, and room and board. Public, parochial, independent school teachers and National Park Service employees are eligible to apply.

Historians from universities including Stanford, Columbia, Yale and the University of Virginia will lead seminars on topics ranging from the Colonial Era, the U.S. Constitution, and the Underground Railroad to the Great Depression, the Cold War, and the Civil Rights Movement. Last year more than 700 educators from 49 states and six foreign countries participated.

For information on how to apply, visit www.gilderlehrman.org.

Founded in 1994, the institute promotes the study and love of American history. The Institute maintains two Web sites, www.gilderlehrman.org and the quarterly online journal www.historynow.org.