October 1, 2023 Edition

International Walk and Roll to School Day

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

Join us for International Walk and Roll to School Day! We will celebrate our school spirit, our health, and the environment with the Alameda County Safe Routes to Schools program. This year, our school will celebrate in-person at the schoolyard. With your family and friends, you can participate by:

· Taking a walk, or riding a bike, skateboard, or scooter

· Biking with your child on their own or with a trail-a-bike

· Taking the bus with your child and walking to and from the bus stop

· Joining a Walking School Bus or a Bike Train

Post a fun photo on social media to celebrate the day! Remember to tag @AlamedaCoSR2S on X/Twitter with #WalkandRoll23 and #IWR2SD, and post on Facebook at facebook.com/saferoutestoschool.

We look forward to walking and rolling with you!

HP-PTSA will have special giveaways on October 4 2023 for all kids participating in the International Walk and Roll to School Day. Please ask your kids to look for our tables in the front and side entrance to the school.

Maurice Dissels, owner of Downtown Pleasanton restuarant Oyo, with Harvest Park Middle Schoolers Tripti , Anisa and HP PTSA Board Member Karina standing in front of a mural of his grandmother in his restaurant .

Pic Courtesy: Santiago Laredo, Harvest Park Seventh Grade

Martina Ruiz, owner of Le Palais Sucre, with Harvest Park PTSA Board Member Karina Laredo and Harvest Park Middle Schoolers Tripti and Anisa outside her restaurant

Pic Courtesy: Santiago Laredo, Harvest Park Seventh Grade

Delicious Food served with Diverse Culture

In Honor of Hispanic and Latin Heritage Month

(In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Harvest Park Middle School Students, Tripti Sudarshan and Anisa Maksumov went to Downtown Pleasanton to interview restaurant owners with Latino/Hispanic heritage. Pictures for this article are courtesy of seventh grade student Santiago Laredo. PTSA Board Member Karina Laredo coordinated the visit. )

First Stop: Oyo, a restaurant owned by the very affable Maurice Dissels. Mr. Dissels told us that his burning passion for cooking comes from his grandmother, Millicent McCalister. He became so close to his grandmother that he named the restaurant after her native Nigerian Tribe, Oyo.  He said that the food at Oyo represents Central and South American countries such as Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana, Peru, and Jamaica. Oyo boasts of a wide array of dishes, from seafood to soups and salads. Mr.Dissels added while traditional food from these regions tasted great, he has also added his own touches to make sure they are presented very well.

For the second part of our visit, we journeyed to  Le Palais Sucré (translates to The Sweet Palace in English), owned by Martina Ruiz.  Ms. Ruiz cited her fondness for sweet treats like chocolate, ice cream, and cake as the inspiration for the restaurant. Martina Ruiz traced the origins of Cocoa beans to Latin America. She mentioned that European invaders took cocoa back to their continent, mixed it with sugar and made it into the first iteration of chocolate that we know today. At the end of the interview, she served us two mouth-watering crêpes(Mushroom Lover and the Chocolate Bonus) and delicious ice cream. 

In conclusion, the Hispanic and Latin restaurants, in Pleasanton such as Oyo and Le Palais Sucré,  are a must-visit for their great food and rich culture, displaying both heritage and diversity.

Disclaimer: PTSA does not endorse either of these restaurants

Editorial Note: We welcome other student articles on Hispanic and Latin Culture for the remaining two weeks of the Hispanic Heritage Month (ending on October 15). The Editor makes the final call on publication decisions.

Harvest Park Middle School STEM Trip to Belize

Harvest Park Science Department Chair Kevin O'Dea is trying to lead a STEM trip to Belize in June of 2024 (the week after school ends). He is working with a company called EF (Education First) Tours as their "Conservation from Ridge to Reef" tour fit perfectly with our curriculum.

This trip is currently offered to all 7th and 8th grade students at Harvest Park, as they will have already learned about ecosystems, conservation, and biodiversity in the 7th grade science curriculum. Early Bird Discounts end soon.

Discounts can be claimed if the registrations are done by Monday. Kindly contact Harvest Park Middle School chaperone Ms. Nancy Brazil for more details

School Menu - September

Other Useful information can be found in the following sections of the PTSA Website:

• https://www.harvestparkpta.org/about-the-ptsa/volunteer
• https://www.harvestparkpta.org/harvest-park-school