CASTRO VALLEY STUDENT ELOQUENT BEFORE STATE LEGISLATORS

FOR AMANDA GELENDER, testifying before state senators in Sacramento
last month was a thrill she will never forget. And perhaps the
legislators she addressed felt the same way, as the Castro Valley High
School junior brought a jolt of infectious energy to the proceedings,
said Glenn Backes, director of health policy for Drug Policy Alliance.

Praising the 17-year-old for her composure and intelligence, Backes
added that Gelender's enthusiasm re-engaged legislators on the
Education Commitee who "were starting to drift" after hours of testimony.

"(Gelender) came on like a house on fire and (the legislators) lifted
their heads," he said, when reached Friday at his Sacramento office.
"She handled not just her own testimony, but the questions from the
senators, with grace and aplomb."

Gelender recently started an on-campus chapter of Students for
Sensible Drug Policy, which advocates for students' rights on campus
drug policies, said Sue Anderson, a Castro Valley High School teacher
and the club's adviser.

In Sacramento, Gelender joined Backes and other Drug Policy Alliance
representatives in supporting state Senate Bill 1836. The proposed
legislation sponsored by Sen. John Vasconcellos, D-San Jose, would ban
random drug testing of California students.

Drug Policy Alliance is a lobbying group calling for drug policies
based on compassion, health, science and human rights.

"I'll always vividly remember it," Gelender said of her testimony.
"It's so rare to have a high school student testify in front of the
state (Legislature). Just being in Sacramento and in the Capitol
Building was really, really exciting."

Vasconcellos' bill runs counter to the efforts of
people such as David Evans, a New Jersey parent spearheading a
movement to randomly test high school students for drugs.

At Hunterdon Central Regional High School in Flemington, N.J., Evans
has helped institute random drug testing of students involved in
extracurricular activities. Under the program's terms, any student
testing positive for drugs may lose the opportunity to participate in
school activities such as athletics or cheerleading.

"When the program started, there was a substantial reduction of drug
use throughout the school," Evans said when reached by phone. "I
believe (the program) helps the kids. It gives them a reason to stay
drug-free."

Gelender disagrees.

"Random drug testing is basically an invasion of privacy, and it
undermines student-teacher trust," said Gelender, who also is
president for on-campus chapters of Amnesty International and the
Junior Statesmen of America.

Political affairs are not Gelender's only passion. In addition to her
studies and school club leadership, she often performs with the
school's drama department.

"Musical theater is one of my loves," she said.

Gelender also volunteers for counseling other students in the school's
Peer Support Services and in conflict mediation sessions. Her academic
record, meanwhile, has earned her a membership in the California
Scholarship Federation.

Even with this level of achievement, Gelender's recent trip to
Sacramento is a source of pride for those closest to her.

"It's really amazing and such an honor," said Karen Gelender, Amanda's
mother. "I was thrilled about it."

Amanda's older siblings, former Castro Valley students Shayna and
Jake, also have been active in local political issues.

"I'm really happy for Amanda, and for all of my kids, that they are
passionate and care deeply about justice," Karen Gelender said. "When
they see something is wrong, they ask themselves the question, 'What
can I do to help?' And then they act on that. That makes for a more
fulfilling life than not caring about what's going on."