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This story comes from the Christian Science Monitor and highlights some events schools across American are holding for Veterans day. Among them are "Take a Veteran to School Day," which provides students with the chance to meet with war vets and discuss the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan with them.

In the South Bay, most schools remained closed for the national holiday.

*Here's a link to John Bogert's Veterans Day column detailing how some local students are helping out soldiers overseas.

**And here's how some students in Long Beach acknowledged veterans in their community.

A proposal to honor Harvey Milk with a state-wide day of remembrance has landed on the desk of California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The bill, SB 572, would designate May 22 as "Harvey Milk Day" and calls for public schools to observe the "special day of remembrance" annually.

The bill was proposed by Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, and passed by the state assembly on September 3 by a 45-27 vote. The bill was passed in the state senate by a 22-14 vote.

"(Milk) is an inspiration to people worldwide who believe in fairness and equality and he fought for many of the issues we value today, including access to education, public transportation, affordable housing and protecting the environment," Leno said in a press release after the bill cleared the legislature.

If passed into law, the bill would not require an additional day of school closure.

The Sacramento Bee reported that more than 100,000 people have contacted the governor's office protesting the bill.

A similar bill was vetoed by the governor last September and, since then, several family-rights groups have expressed opposition to the controversial piece of "Gay Day" legislation.

"This is one of the most blatant attempts yet to bypass parents and push homosexual indoctrination on young students," said Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, a Sacramento-base non-profit, in a statement released Friday. "In an increasingly competitive global marketplace, our youth cannot afford to have classroom instruction time wasted on politically correct propaganda."

In a statement posted on the Web, Randy Thomasson urged residents to contact the Governor to protest the bill.

"For the sake of impressionable children, the Governor now has abundant reason to veto 'Harvey Milk Day' like he did last year," said Thomasson, president of SaveCalifornia.com, an advocacy group.

Harvey Milk was California's first openly-gay elected official and served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Milk and then-mayor George Moscone were assassinated on November 27, 1978 and his life was the subject of the Hollywood bio-pic "Milk." He was born on May 22, 1930.

Throughout his life, Milk advocated heavily for gay rights and once said:

"If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door."

Del Amo Elementary School today will host a lunch to promote literacy at the campus, 21228 Water St. in Carson.

The event begins at 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. and parents can read to their children or to a group of students as part of the festivities. Information: 310-830-5351.

Leuzinger High School Alumni Committee on Saturday is hosting the 12th annual "Memorabilia Day" at the campus, 4118 West Rosecrans Ave. in Lawndale.
The free event is begins at 9 a.m. and is open to former students looking to reconnect with former classmates and teachers.
Food and other items will be on sale by current Leuzinger students to raise money for the campus. Information: 310-973-6169.

Dana Middle School on Saturday will host a community technology festival at the campus, 5504 West 135th St. in Hawthorne.
The daylong event begins at 8 a.m. and will offer more than a dozen technology workshops on subjects that include Microsoft Office, digital cameras, and getting the most of your Blackberry.
Workshop costs $33 and all proceeds will go to technology programs at the Wiseburn School District. Information: info@it4kids.org or 310-920-0107.

South Shores Magnet School for the Visual and Performing Arts in San Pedro today will see the play "Cinderella" at the Santa Monica Playhouse.

The campus will pay for the field trip through an $800 grant from the Target Corporation.

Tuvia School of Temple on Tuesday will host a kindergarten open house at the campus, 1101 Camino Real in Redondo Beach.

The event begins at 7 p.m. and will give parents an opportunity to find out about the school's full-day kindergarten program. Information: 310-316-8997 or lackermann@templemenorah.org.

Marymount College is looking for families to interested in hosting 43 Japanese high school and college students for a two-week exchange program beginning March 8.
Host families must provide students with a bed, desk and dresser, and transportation to and from the college.
Those chosen will receive compensation for participating. Information 310-303-7358 or mfileta@marymountpv.edu.

Torrance Adult School on Tuesday will host a career day beginning at noon at the Hamilton Adult Center, 2606 West 182nd St. in Torrance.

The event will include more than 20 area businesses offering information, free haircut coupons and spare keys from the Automobile Club of Southern California. Information: 310-533-4459 ext. 8400.

Torrance Unified officials on Tuesday is inviting parents and community members to a budget workshop at South High School, 4801 Pacific Coast Highway in Torrance.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. and will be an opportunity for the community to understand the effects of the California fiscal crisis on the district.

State lawmakers recently agreed on a spending plan that cuts $4.6 million from the district this school year.

Alyssa Howell, a fourth-grader at Fern Avenue Elementary in Torrance, was asked to write about what love means to you.

Here is the 10-year-old's answer:

"Love is...love. There's no way to explain it. If anything, love is the sparkle in someone's eye when they talk to you. When their face lights up when you speak. Love is that boy in your classroom. Love is roses and chocolates. Love is when you feel meek. Love is Valentine's Day. But most of all, love is friendship. The bonding that holds us together with the friends you will know forever. Love is the gentle sound of the crickets on a moonlit night, as you gaze at the stars. Love is a divine dinner prepared by your mother."

Juan Cabrillo Elementary School in the Wiseburn School District on Feb. 28 will host a grand opening celebration at the campus, 5309 West 135 th St., in Hawthorne.

Local and state officials have been invited to the event, which will begin at 10 a.m. Information: 310-725-5400.

California State University, Dominguez Hills on Tuesday will host a viewing of the Presidential Inauguration in the campus University Theater, 1000 East Victoria St. in Carson. The free event is open to the public and will begin with a continental breakfast at 6:45 a.m.

It will be followed by a panel of elected officials and political science scholars discussing issues facing the country and the political and policy changes anticipated with the new administration. Information: (310) 243-2001.

Ridgecrest Intermediate School on Wednesday will host a meeting to inform local parents about a teen's life in public schools, 28915 Northbay Rd. in Rancho Palos Verdes. Area high school students will share their memories in intermediate school including experiences with peers, family relationships, time management and homework.

The free event is open to parents of intermediate and high school students in Palos verdes Peninsula Unified School District. Information: 310-732-0900 ext.209.

Torrance High School Junior Sarah Kovar has been named as a congressional page and will begin her tenure supporting Democratic House members beginning Jan 25. The 16-year-old was informed of her appointment in November from the office of U.S. Representative Jane Harman (D- Calif.)
Kovar will live in a dormitory near the U.S. Capitol and attend a daily "page school" from 6:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. each day before the legislative session begins.

Mitch Ozawa recently accepted a position on the Board of Trustees for Rolling Hills Preparatory School and the Renaissance School in San Pedro. Ozawa works as the senior vice president and senior client manager for Bank of America/Banc America Securities.
He and his wife, Ann, are active in the Parents Association and have a daughter who attends the Renaissance School.

California State University, Dominguez Hills officials mistakenly told us yesterday that the salary freezes of its top administrators will only affect President Mildred Garcia and four campus vice presidents through the 2009-10 school year.

Spokeswoman Amy Bentley-Smith corrected herself and said the CSU system's budget reductions will lock in Garcia's $295,000 annual salary and FIVE vice presidents who earn $140,000 to $190,000 each year.

Students at Mary Star of the Sea High School recently earned a $1,000 grant from Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa during a youth environmental conference. Mary Star was one of seven schools to receive the money which will be used to plant additional trees on campus, 2500 Taper Ave. in San Pedro. More than 100 Southern California schools applied for the grants.

The Mira Costa High School Pep Squad is still accepting participants for its Jan. 19 "Cheer Clinic FUNdraiser" at the campus, 1401 Artesia Blvd. in Manhattan Beach.
Students in grades 1 to grade 8 will learn cheers, dances and do crafts and games. Participants will perform what they've learned during the boys and girls varsity basketball games. Information: 310-372-3889.

Mitch Ozawa recently accepted a position on the Board of Trustees for Rolling Hills Preparatory School and the Renaissance School in San Pedro. Ozawa works as the senior vice president and senior client manager for Bank of America/Banc America Securities. He and his wife, Ann, are active in the Parents Association and have a daughter who attends the Renaissance School. Information: 310-791-1101.