New Technology High Applauds Peter Mondavi, Jr.
From the Napa Valley Register, Monday, October 17, 2005
Liking their adopted family
Dear editor,
The staff and students at New Technology High School honored to have been chosen by Peter and Katie Mondavi and Charles Krug Winery as their adopted school. Barbara Nemko, Superintendent of the Napa County Office of Education, in conjunction with the Napa Valley Vintners, began the Adopt-A-School Program here in Napa a little over eight months ago.
Since our official adoption, Peter and Katie have wasted little time showing tremendous support for our students, staff and fundraising efforts. At the close of our 2004-05 school year, all student-of-the-month recipients received nice financial rewards in honor of their accomplishments, an unexpected and much appreciated gift to very deserving students.
On the fundraising front, one of the most challenging tasks we faced became much less daunting with the support of our adoptive winery. As we planned for our first community-wide event, La Strada dell' Arte, we faced difficulties competing with countless, more established fund-raising efforts that also turn to the generous wine industry for support. We knew painting on the street with chalk was an incredible event, and we knew it to be a difficult concept to sell the first time around. With the help of Katie and a supportive letter-writing campaign to 100 of her peers in the industry, more than 70 cases of wine were donated in support of our street painting festival held at Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts, last May.
On Oct. 9, Peter and Katie honored the entire New Technology staff and spouses by hosting a lovely afternoon at Charles Krug Winery. After a great wine tasting session with Peter, we were treated to wonderful lunch outdoors followed by a tour through the winemaking process with Peter and Katie. This was the first time most of the staff had met Katie and Peter, yet all felt welcome and were struck with their warmth, kindness and generosity.
The entire staff at New Technology would like to say thank you to the Napa County Office of Education and the Napa Valley Vintners for promoting such a fine program. We especially say thank you to Katie and Peter Mondavi for their tremendous support of our school and look forward to their continued support. In closing, we encourage other wineries to support the Adopt-A-School program by adopting one of the many schools still available for adoption here in Napa County.
Susan Lane
for New Technology staff and students