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For the 14th year in a row, members of the Montezuma Foundation, an organization comprised mainly of former students of the Montezuma Mountain School, are sponsoring a gathering for former students, teachers and friends of the all-boys school, which operated in the Santa Cruz Mountains from 1911 to 1955.
The event takes place Aug. 1618 at The Presentation Center, a nonprofit retreat and conference venue run by the Sisters of the Presentation. The center, located at 19480 Bear Creek Road, uses land and buildings once part of the Montezuma Mountain School.
As in previous years, the gathering also serves as a sleep-away student leadership conference for members of the Junior Statesmen of America. Sponsored by the Montezuma Foundation, the conference's purpose is to pass on to today's youth the moral and ethical teachings of Ernest Andrew "Prof" Rogers, founder and headmaster of the Montezuma school.
Together with his high schoolage students, Rogers created the Junior Statesmen of America in 1934. It is now one of the largest student-run organizations in the United States, with more than 15,000 active members.
Welcoming the students on Aug. 16 will be John R. Lloyd, president of the Montezuma Foundation. He is Rogers' nephew, a 1944 graduate of the school and a former teacher. Lloyd and other alumni will then take students on a tour of the buildings and grounds.
During the morning session on Aug. 17, students will meet with former Montezumans to discuss the history of the organization and Rogers' philosophy in founding it. After a barbecue lunch, students will attend an afternoon session with guests and student speakers in the Redwood Grove Amphitheater, which Montezuma Foundation members completely rebuilt in 1990. Following the program in the grove, students and adults will form breakaway groups and hold discussions on ethical dilemmas.
This year's keynote guest speaker is Dr. Robert Katz, a 1942 Montezuma graduate who holds a master's degree in business administration from Stanford Business School and a doctorate degree from Harvard Business School. He has taught corporate strategy and organizational behavior at several business schools and has founded nine companies.
Campus and building tours will be available for anyone who wishes to take them. Additionally, the Montezuma Hall of Memories will be open to those who wish to see and touch the history of the school. The Sisters of the Presentation maintain this small building as a mini museum containing photos, trophies, books and other relics.
Montezuma alumni interested in attending the event or in joining the Montezuma Foundation can contact Donald Arnaudo at 408.354.4017 or email him at arniea@attbi.com. Information about the Presentation Center is available at www.prescenter.org.
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