It\u2019s musical season again in the Alameda Unified School District, and we are excited to share the details of the two main high schools\u2019 musical productions.<\/p>\n
The Drama Department at Encinal Junior & Senior High School is performing \u201cShrek: The Musical\u201d at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday this week. Tickets are available at the door or online at gofan.co\/app\/school\/CA22911<\/a>.<\/p>\n And yes, this is the same story that was featured in the 2001 blockbuster animated comedy: an ogre and his sidekick donkey go on a journey to rescue a princess. This story was originally written by beloved children\u2019s author and illustrator William Steig, by the way.<\/p>\n This weekend will also mark the start of Alameda High School\u2019s production of \u201cYou\u2019re a Good Man, Charlie Brown\u201d at the school\u2019s Frederick Chacon Little Theater. This is the classic \u201cCharlie Brown\u201d story originally produced in 1967 and based on the characters in the Charles Schulz comic strip \u201cPeanuts.\u201d<\/p>\n Shows this week are are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Shows next week are at 7 p.m. April 2-4, and all tickets are available online at gofan.co\/app\/school\/CA22847<\/a>.<\/p>\n We\u2019d also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Alameda High School on receiving a Distinguished School designation from California\u2019s Education Department. The Distinguished School program recognizes three categories of exceptional schools: those demonstrating exceptional student performance overall while also ensuring that historically underserved student groups are maintaining or increasing academic performance; those closing the achievement gap; and those located in rural areas or serving primarily low-income students. AHS was selected due to the narrowing of its achievement gap among various groups of students.<\/p>\n Finally, we\u2019d like to commend the ASTI sophomores who presented workshops at the recent Teens Tackle Tobacco Conference held at UC Berkeley. The conference brought together middle and high school Tobacco Use Prevention Education programs from across the Alameda and Contra Costa counties. The sophomores, who are part of the school\u2019s TUPE and pre-med clubs, led two sessions:\u00a0\u201cHow Nicotine and Vaping Affect Athletic Performance\u201d\u00a0and\u00a0\u201cHijacked Dopamine: Healthier Ways to Feel Good.\u201d<\/p>\n