Los Gatos student receives national award
Los Gatos High School senior Najman Mahbouba was awarded the 2023 Hamilton Scholars Award for his academic accomplishments and community service.
As one of 40 students selected throughout the country, Mahbouba will participate in The Empowerment Program, a five-year leadership opportunity that aims to help students make long-term improvements in their communities.
Currently the executive director of The Policy Initiatives Institute, Mahbouba has led more than 150 high school and university students through national and international campaigns, 75-plus published articles, interviews with legislative leaders, and has received endorsements from over 10 U.S. Representatives.
With a goal of educating youth on policies their governments are enacting, and building and reinforcing civil policy debates on current affairs, Mahbouba is also passionate about academic research, having received more than $10,000 in research scholarships from institutions such as UC Santa Barbara to conduct public policy related projects. His current project focuses on the perceptions of public school teachers in Iraqi Kurdistan.
An advocate for non-carceral policy research with San Jose State University, mental health reforms with the Eating Disorders Coalition, and weight-loss supplement regulation with the Harvard Public Health STRIPED, Mahbouba has also testified at the California Senate, Maryland Senate, and is an invited advisor for the California Department of Public Health on supplement regulation.
“Advocacy and student voice is such an important part of what we teach and support,” Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District Superintendent Bill W. Sanderson said. “I’m incredibly proud of Najman’s accomplishments and the support he is providing his peers.”
The Hamilton Award is a national program that recognizes students for their academic, personal, service and entrepreneurial accomplishments. Winners are subsequently enrolled in the five-year Empowerment Program and receive a $500 cash award to pay for college expenses at their entrance and again at their exit from the program.
Los Gatos to commemorate 9/11
On Sept. 10, the Veterans Memorial & Support Foundation will celebrate the lives of 9/11 survivors, victims and local heroes at the “Remembering 9/11” event from 5-6:15pm at The Flame of Liberty Memorial on the Los Gatos Civic Center Lawn, 110 East Main St.
Two local heroes who will be honored, Los Gatos High School alumni Mark Bingham and Todd
Beamer, who were aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which, on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, departed Newark, N.J. airport destined for San Francisco. The plane left Newark with hijackers secretly on board whose plan was to crash it into the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C.
Bingham and Beamer and two additional on-board passengers—Jeremy Glick and Tom Burnett—breached the plane’s cockpit to take back control. Flight 93 crashed into an empty
field in Shanksville, Penn., rather than the Capitol Building.
In addition to remembrance celebrations, the free event will include performances and musical
tunes by the Summit Sisters.
Seats are limited. Individuals are encouraged to register their intent to attend at honoravet.org.
Conference to provide resources for caregivers
The Caregivers Count! 13th Annual Conference will be held virtually as a four-part series throughout September.
The conference aims to provide support, resources and insights to family caregivers.
“Family caregivers provide invaluable care to older adults and those with health concerns. But they often provide that care at the expense of their own physical and emotional health,” said Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian, who proposed the County’s Older Adult Caregiver study to assess caregiving needs and capacity. “Resources like the Caregivers Count conference offer caregivers vital support in taking care of themselves and learning how to navigate through long-term care.”
Throughout the conference, speakers will share their knowledge and expertise, providing insights and strategies for family caregivers to navigate the challenges they face. The sessions will cover topics that include building connections, managing anticipatory grief, caring for challenging relationships, and communicating effectively with medical professionals.
“I can affirm there is an elevated mental health crisis happening amongst family caregivers, and the urgency to support them is critical,” said Christina Irving, Client Services Director at Family Caregiver Alliance. “That’s why, for 13 years, our collaborative has come together to organize the Caregivers Count Conference to address these needs, and it speaks to the ongoing challenges that families face in navigating the health and long-term care systems, and the emotional experience of caring for someone with a chronic, progressive condition.”
Participants will have the opportunity to engage in discussions and ask questions.
The Caregivers Count! 13th Annual Conference will be a virtual event held on Sept. 9, 16, 23 and 30, from 10am to noon.
For information and to register, visit caregiverscount.net.
