Our weekday morning column, 5 Things You Need to Know, provides you with information that can help you plan your day and give you some fodder for water cooler conversations.

1. Have you ever considered hosting one of Hopkinton High School’s international high school students for next semester or next year? Right now students from Italy, China, Germany and Spain are being interviewed, accepted and placed with host families. Current host families have found their lives to be enriched in enormous and sometimes surprising ways. By hosting you'll also be contributing to our school and community. Tuition fees from international students help to support our Mandarin language program at Hopkinton High School. To help defray expenses incurred while hosting an international student, a $700/mo. stipend is provided to each hosting family. If you're interested, please contact Ann Northup, the International Coordinator: northupa@verizon.net

2. The Hopkinton girls' track team made it 100 meets in a row undefeated with their victory over Ashland yesterday and the boys' team cruised in the season opener. Ryan Webster won the javelin and high hurdles, qualifying for the state meet in both events; he also took 2nd in the 200m. Jeff Corkum took home first in the high jump and triple jump while placing second in the 400m hurdles.

3. Are you interested in knowing where to find recreation trails in Hopkinton? The library will be hosting a Trails and Rails program tonight at 7 where you can learn about the historical railroad bed and the conservation and future vision of present day trails from members of the Hopkinton Trails Club.

4. Got Books, Inc. the leading used book collection and reuse company in New England will conducting a book drive in Hopkinton on April 9 and April 23 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Unwanted books, DVDs, audio books or CDs.  Pick up is free from your home or office.  Minimum of 50 items please for pick up. To schedule a pick up go to www.gotbooks.com/schedule-a-pick-up. The deadline to reserve a pick up is April 16. 

5. Running to help raise funds for the town's 300th Anniversary Celebration, Amanda Arpes Maxwell is the head coach of Simmons College field hockey and lacrosse teams. You can help us make the Celebration a great one by sending a contribution to "Hopkinton Civic Activities Committee" c/o Pat Lynch, PO Box 373, Hopkinton, MA 01748