■Kings Canyon Unified now has guaranteed student admission partnerships with two Valley public universities.

■Celebrating International Women’s Month at a “high tea” fundraiser.

■You can earn cash for college through California Volunteers and the California Service Corps.

■The Renaissance Feaste at Fresno Pacific takes guests back to medieval times.

■Here’s another way to get cash for college.

Kings Canyon Unified School District is the latest Valley district to announce a partnership with UC Merced for guaranteed admission for eligible students.

Students who want to enroll on the Merced campus don’t quite face the same fierce competition as students vying for a slot at UCLA, Berkeley, San Diego, and Irvine, but admission to any UC is not a cakewalk either.

To make sure that more Central Valley students get the preparation and classes they’ll need to succeed in college, UC Merced and school districts have established pathways for students. To be eligible, students must maintain at least a 3.5 GPA while successfully completing at least 15 A-G courses during their four years of high school.

Students who meet edibility through the Merced Automatic Admission Program are guaranteed admission to the university.

It’s the second such partnership for Kings Canyon Unified — in September 2023 the Reedley school district partnered with the Fresno State Bulldog Bound program.

UC Merced’s other local MAAP partners in the Valley include Central, Madera, Porterville, Sanger, and Visalia unified school districts.

Try Not to Spill Your Tea

The Foundation for Fresno Unified Schools is hosting “Spill the Tea” on Thursday in recognition of International Women’s Month.

The “high tea” event will feature a panel of students and women leaders in business, industry, and education who will talk about “Embracing and Defying Educational Traditions.” And it’s not just talk — the event also is a fundraiser for the foundation, which awards student scholarships.

School Zone is more of a coffee drinker and is not entirely up to speed on the niceties of British traditions. But according to TeaTime magazine a high tea includes “substantive fare, such as meat, fish, and egg dishes, as well as breads and desserts, and is offered in the early evening. Think of it as a light supper served with tea.”

Thursday’s event will be more of a lunch served with tea. “Spill the Tea” will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Painted Table, 5080 N. Blackstone Ave. in Fresno. If you want to attend you’ll need to hurry — registration will close at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday and can be made at this link. Tickets are $70, or $60 if you bring a “gently used” suit.

Uncle Gavin Needs You. Plus, You Can Earn Money for College

For many students, the high cost of college combined with a lack of resources has been a barrier to enrollment in higher education. But young people can earn money — maybe as much as $10,000 that they can use to pay for college, trade school, or to pay off student loans — while helping out their communities.

California Volunteers, Office of the Governor is seeking 10,000 people to join the California Service Corps. Members receive living stipends as well as money after they complete their service.

For more information, tune in to the livestream on YouTube at 10 a.m. Thursday.

Renaissance Feaste Features King Henry the 942nd

Fresno Pacific University will present two nights of dinner theater, “The Madrigal Dinner: A Renaissance Feaste,” later this month.

In addition to a three-course meal presided over by King Henry the 942nd, attendees will be entertained by His Majesty’s Jester, the Royal Singers and Musicians, and the Royal Juggler.

The feast will begin at 7 p.m. March 22 and 23. Doors open for seating at 6:30 p.m. each evening in the Lyles Theater of Warkentine Culture and Arts Center, 4838 E. Butler Ave., Fresno, part of the main FPU campus.

And don’t tarry with thy reservation — the deadline is 11:30 a.m. March 12 and verily may be reached through this link: fpu.edu/madrigal.

Westlands Seeks Scholarship Applicants

High school seniors on the Valley’s westside who need cash for college can apply for a scholarship from the Westlands Water District. In recognition that the scholarship program is now in its 20th year, the district will be awarding 20 $1,000 scholarships.

The program is open to graduating seniors from the following districts: Reef-Sunset, Coalinga-Huron, Firebaugh-Las Deltas, Hanford Joint Union High School, Lemoore Union High School, Mendota Unified, Riverdale Joint Unified, and Golden Plains.

Students will be evaluated based on their application, essay, academic transcripts, reference letters, demonstrated leadership, contributions to local communities, career goals, and need.

The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. April 21. Applications and supporting documents may be submitted on the district website.