Returning students reach 220 mark

“Two hundred twenty returning students have enrolled this fall,” said Kathy Zanger, director and counsel of Gavilan’s Re-entry program. Some of these students are in the Re-entry Program (now for men as well as women), Disabled Student Services Program, some are in both programs and some are attending classes on their own.

“The ages of the returning students range from 17 to 70,” said Joyce Glass, coordinator of the Re-entry Program.

The program was designed in 1972, explained Zanger, to help those people who have been away from school and wish to resume their education.

Returning students are given the opportunity to “block” classes together. Other pluses include the utilization of the Child Development Center for children 2 ½ to 5 years old, financial assistance, counseling and tutoring.

The program fulfills the following academic quests: requirements for a high school diploma, vocational certificates, associates degrees and transfer to four-year colleges or universities.

Zanger explained that people have different reasons for returning to school.

Women with the “emptiness syndrome” might feel isolated in their homes an find that their families do not need them anymore.

Divorced women are sometimes obliged to support themselves under court ruling.

“On the other hand,” said Zanger, “it’s not uncommon for the husbands to feel apprehensive about the new situation and see it as a threat to themselves.”

Zanger added that husbands sometimes claim that their wives are too old to further their education and fail to understand how it is constructive.

“Many times the children of these women are proud that their mothers are in school,” she concluded.

Disabled Program

The Disabled Student Services Program is the second program in which returning students have enrolled.

“The purpose of the program is to integrate all physically limited students in regularly scheduled classes, besides students who are without physical limitations,” said Enabler, Carol Ghilarducci." It provides a variety of services in an effort to equalize educational opportunities for physically limited students as they move toward their vocational goals."

These services include building accessibility, reader services for the blind, classes for the deaf and hearing impaired, mobility assistance, designated parking, speech therapy, health services and supplemental income for students who qualify.

Students receive academic aid through counseling, career planning, tutoring, note takers, individual classes and vocational degree programs, Ghilarducci added.

Murphy request referred back to Board by County

The Santa Clara County Board of Education referred the request for an inter district release by a Gavilan district resident back to Gavilan, ordering the college to develop a program which would meet the educational needs of Carol Murphy.

The Gavilan Board of Trustees denied the November request of Murphy to attend the nursing program at the Anza because they felt that Gavilan could fulfill her general education requirements.

Murphy, who lives in the western most part of the school district is blind in one eye.

Gavilan was ordered to develop a program for Murphy in which she would be working with the enabler, Carol Ghilarducci, in the program for functionally limited students at Gavilan.

“I will be working with her high school counselor to find a program that helps her learn best,” said Ghilarducci.

She went on to explain that if Murphy attends Gavilan and transfers, she would be at an advantage because the college she chose “wouldn’t have to start from scratch.”

Ghilarducci pointed out that the original reason why Murphy’s parents requested the release was because they felt that studying under two different programs would be too difficult for her.

Murphy is a senior at Live Oak High School.

Inventor on the heels of success

Santa Clara resident, Carol Allen has invented a product that will thrill high heel wearers every where. Allen’s “Heel-thyself“ a three-component kit allows women to repair worn heels on their own shoes. The idea was born out of frustration with constant trips to the cobbler’s.

“I’ve tried other repair kits but found them difficult to use, with unsatisfactory results,” Allen said. She claims that finding appropriate-sized taps were impossible. “I always ended up at the cobbler’s anyway.”

“Heel-thyself” supplies all the necessary tools for heel repairs at home; a hammer, taps, and shoe stand. In addition to servicing a wide variety of heel sizes, the product comes packaged in a self-containing fold up case.

Though the idea occurred to Allen seven years ago, it wasn’t until 1996 that she began the process of turning that dream into a reality. “I didn’t know anything about projection molding and manufacturing so I contacted a private patent attorney.” When his efforts proved unsatisfactory, she hired National Inventions Service Inc., an all-purpose product marketing company after seeing their television commercial. Allen expects “Heel-thyself” to be available to the public within a year.

What does this mother of two and former employee of National Semi-Conductors see in her future? More inventions of course, which she prefer to keep secret for now.

"I have a copyright and a few more patents pending. I would like to think that I can make life easier,“ she said.