Lorna Sheridan: St. Francis grads, college workshops, gardening grants and more

St. Francis: St. Francis Solano School graduates and their immediate families participated in a drive-in graduation last Saturday. The class of 2020 includes Amelia Aceves, Derek Alvarado, Shellbee Amaya, William Borden, Ian Bravo Lopez, Natalie Broderick, Frank Campos, Sophie Campos, Isabella Celeste, Lauren Cox, Samuel Denkin, Pia Della Santina (valedictorian), Addison Geist, Luke Giusto, Anna Hanson, Everet Johnson, Liam Kelleher, Thalia Lloyd, Shelby Padgett, Julia Sandoval and Rose Schafer (salutatorian).

Season canceled: For the first time in 26 seasons, SwimAmerica Sonoma (a nonprofit that teaches swim lessons every spring and summer to Sonoma kids at Hanna Boys Center) has been canceled. swimamericasonoma.org.

Reading Challenge: Rep. Mike Thompson's 2020 Summer Reading Challenge opened last week for local students through eighth grade. Sign up at mikethompsonforms.house.gov.

Applying to college: The annual free SVHS College Essay Workshop for current juniors will take place virtually on Monday, June 8 and Tuesday, June 9 from 10 a.m. to noon. The College Application Camp is set for Aug. 10 to 13, from 9 a.m. to noon in the College & Career Center. This is for seniors who are interested in starting their college applications before school begins. Format, timing and location may change. Sign up now via the College & Career Center web page.

Local student news: Maxwell Rueda, 12, a student at Adele Harrison, has launched a GoFundMe to provide gardening supplies to 10 families at his school. Learn more and donate or apply at the Green Thumb Project.

Next year: SVHS students should be registering for next year at svusdca.powerschool.com/public/.

Hanna: Archbishop Hanna High School's virtual graduation ceremony can be seen on YouTube. Congratulations to the class of 2020.

Fun for kids: Sonoma Community Center offers a kids' (age 7 and up) clay hour on Wednesday afternoons using Zoom video conferencing, for $10-30 per person. Visit sonomacommunitydenter.org for more information.

Academic honors: Students from the St. Francis Academic Challenge elective attended the Synopsys-Sonoma County STEAM Showcase on Feb. 27, competing against other students from all over the county and presented their creations on the themes 'Structure and Function' or 'Building Hope.' Students uploaded months of research and participated in interviews with judges for ratings of 'emerging, approaching, proficient or distinguished.' All St. Francis students earned a 'distinguished' rating in one or more area. The participants included sixth grader Milan Delorefice; seventh grader Maddie Simonson; eighth grader Frank Campos; seventh grader Nicholas Domitri; and seventh grader Tyler Trantow.

Storytime: The library is bringing 'Storytime at Home' to your computer or mobile phone. A schedule of weekly story times, craft activities, easy science projects and read-aloud programs for older kids is now online. Selected videos are presented in Spanish. Visit the library's website, Facebook and YouTube pages.

Safari West tour: Check out online tours inside Safari West at https://yo.utu.be/tMXHMtti3UI.

Graduations: Congratulations to Edwin Reyes who has graduated from Macalester College in Minnesota. A Sonoma Valley book club, Sonoma Book Buddies, sent Reyes an e-gift card and video, having followed him and his success in college for the past four years.

Email graduation and career news and story ideas to ourschools@sonomanews.com