Students at Almaden Preparatory School learned a lesson in charitable giving during a recent Scholastic Book Fair. Members of the student council decided to use proceeds from the fair to buy books for an organization that would put them to good use.

"The catch was that all the organizations the council members contacted all wanted cash donations, not books," said Principal Nancy Cyester. Student body treasurer Kaitlin McCahan then contacted the Forever Young Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young. The foundation supports organizations that serve children who face significant physical, emotional and financial challenges.

Through the foundation, the Almaden private school is set to donate more than $3,000 worth of books to the Lucille Packard's Children's Wing at Stanford Hospital.

Fire fundraiser to really clean up

Staff and students at Pioneer High School should be looking clean and pressed thanks to a donation of gift certificates from a local dry cleaner. The certificates are worth $30 each at Moon's Best Cleaners, but Pioneer is letting them go for $10 a pop. Profits will go to the high school's general fund to be used toward books, classroom materials, field trips and general school expenses.

Kindergartners use their words

Kindergartners at Simonds Elementary School will explore the power of the written word in The Alphabet Tree, a musical based on the children's book by Leo Lionni. The tykes will portray the letters on an alphabet tree, torn and tossed by the wind, who find strength in banding together to form words. Then a clever caterpillar teaches the letters to become even stronger by forming sentences. Following two school assemblies, the musical will be given a public performance on Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m.

School to stage hip-hop 'Camelot'

The Knights of the Round Table meet the MTV generation in Bret Harte Middle School's winter play. In King Artie and the Knights of the Rad Table, Bret Harte's drama department has added a modern twist to the tale of King Arthur and his trusty sword, Excalibur. Performances are Dec. 11­13 at 7 p.m. in the school's cafeteria. Bret Harte's music department will stage a more traditional holiday show later in the week, when the school's concert band will perform music of the season. The winter concert is scheduled for Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria.