Pet Gala
Tickets are on sale for this year’s Fur Ball, Humane Society Silicon Valley’s annual fundraiser. The theme for this year’s event, set for May 2 at San Jose’s PayPal Park, is “The Pet Gala,” a nod to the fact that well-behaved dogs are allowed to attend along with their humans.
The Fur Ball will feature Glambot photo ops, a puppy-kissing booth, a disco dance floor, cocktails and an after-party that keeps the night going—all in support of Humane Society Silicon Valley’s mission to save and improve animal lives.
This year’s honoree is Dr. Cristie Kamiya, chief of shelter medicine at Humane Society Silicon Valley where she oversees medical operations and animal welfare advancement initiatives. Kamiya is one of a handful of residency-trained shelter veterinarians in the country.
Kamiya has a soft spot for community cats, and she enjoys traveling and volunteering with organizations that provide veterinary support for underserved areas in the U.S. and internationally. She also fosters underage shelter kittens and has adopted shelter dogs.
Fur Ball tickets are on sale now at https://www.hssv.org/the-fur-ball.
Distinguished school
Milpitas’s Russell Middle School is among 408 middle and high schools across the state selected for the 2026 California Distinguished Schools Award.
.The award recognizes schools across the state that are among the highest in academic achievement for all students and have also ensured that historically underserved student groups are maintaining or increasing academic progress, as well as schools that are accelerating academic progress for two or more groups that have been historically underserved.
The 2026 California Distinguished Schools were determined using data from the 2025 California School Dashboard.. Schools cannot earn recognition as a California Distinguished School if they have concerning school climate indicators, such as very high suspension or chronic absenteeism. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/4lz7nwT.