Around Town … with Robert Airoldi: Rod Kelley staff, students honored for closing achievement gap

Click HERE for more stories published in the May 1 – 13, 2019 issue of Gilroy Life

Children in costume from Rod Kelley Elementary School. Photo courtesy GUSD

Rod Kelley Elementary School was recognized for making significant strides toward closing the achievement gap for low-income Latino students in mathematics as determined by Innovate Public Schools.

Innovate Public Schools released its fourth annual research report identifying schools in the Bay Area that are closing achievement gaps. To qualify, a school must have achieved results for low-income Latino or African American students that outperform the statewide average for all students in one or more factors including math and English scores and college eligibility rates. The school must also maintain low suspension rates.

“Rod Kelley was recognized by Innovate Public Schools in 2017, and continues to work hard to close the achievement gap for our students,” Superintendent Deborah A. Flores said.

Innovate Public Schools is a nonprofit organization working to make sure that all students in the Bay Area — especially low-income students, students of color, and students with special needs — receive a world-class public education that prepares them for success in college, careers and beyond.

Congratulations to everyone involved!

Tom Coicchio

Award-winning chef, restaurant owner, and Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio will appear at the 2019 Gilroy Garlic Festival Saturday, July 27. Colicchio will host the 41st annual Great Garlic Cook-Off and then do a cooking demonstration on the Garlic Cook-Off Stage, sharing one of his own favorite garlic-laced recipes and answering questions from the audience.

“We are thrilled to welcome a top-tier chef like Tom Colicchio to this year’s Gilroy Garlic Festival,” Gilroy Garlic Festival 2019 President Shawn Keck said. “Tom’s culinary expertise combined with his passion for giving back to the community are a perfect fit for our event. We look forward to seeing him on the Garlic Cook-Off Stage.”

Born in New Jersey, Colicchio worked in prominent New York restaurants before opening Craft in 2001. He is now the chef and owner of multiple fine dining and casual restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.

He has received eight awards from the James Beard Foundation including “Best New Restaurant” (Craft, 2002) and “Outstanding Chef” (2010). He is the Head Judge and Executive Producer for Bravo’s popular Top Chef television series and has authored three cookbooks.

The Great Garlic Cook-Off started at the first Gilroy Garlic Festival in 1979 and has grown to become one of the nation’s best-known — and most intense — amateur cooking contests. Eight chefs from around the country will be competing on the Garlic Cook-Off Stage, preparing their own original recipes for the chance to win a grand prize of $3,000 and the coveted garlic crown.

For additional information, including applications for contestants, go to gilroygarlicfestival.com.

Teresa Giudice

In other garlickly news, festival organizers said reality TV star and bestselling cookbook author Teresa Giudice will bring her love for healthy Italian cooking to the Garlic Cook-Off Stage Saturday, July 27.

Best known as a cast member of the Real Housewives of New Jersey reality show since Season 1, Giudice is a seasoned Italian chef and the author of three bestselling cookbooks that include variations of recipes handed down from her mother: Skinny Italian (2010), Fabulicious (2011), and Fabulicious! Fast & Fit (2012).

Giudice is also a competitive bodybuilder and appeared on Season 5 of The Celebrity Apprentice.

She is partnering with Christopher Ranch to bring healthy garlicky recipes to more households worldwide. Don Christopher was a founder of the Gilroy Garlic Festival, and the family-owned company has been a long-time supporter of the Festival since 1979.

For additional information, go to gilroygarlicfestival.com.

Marty Cheek as James Wilson in “1776”

Want to take a trip back to July 4, 1776 to witness the signing of the Declaration of Independence? If you don’t have a time machine, you can do the next best thing and watch South Valley Civic Theatre’s musical “1776.”

The play opens April 26 for several weekends at the Morgan Hill Playhouse. And if you see a familiar-looking guy in a white wig acting rather pompous in the show, that’s Morgan Hill Life Publisher Marty Cheek who plays the character Judge James Wilson, a Pennsylvania delegate in Congress. Watch him as he sings and dances.

Frank Leal broke ground last month on his major Granada Hotel project in Morgan Hill. Peek behind the fence surrounding the property where the Downtown Mall once stood, and you’ll see bulldozers now moving dirt to prep for construction.

When it’s done in a couple of years, the four-story “destination hotel” will welcome visitors to the South Valley

Can’t wait to see it finished.