Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "education"

Green school retrofit provides real-world lab for students at Grant Union High School

2013-05-14T23:04:21Z

AP Environmental Science students are exploring the gym at Grant Union High School--and they’re shooting lasers at the ceiling.

Handheld laser distance meters are just one of a few specialty tools Pacific Gas & Electric energy specialist Keith Smith is teaching the students to use. The lasers allow them to measure distance from each lighting fixture to the floor of the gym.

The class is taking baseline measurements as part of a larger project to make the gym at Grant High School dramatically brighter, thanks to a $10,000 Bright Ideas grant to the Twin Rivers Unified School District from the Pacific Gas & Electric Company.

Greenwise Joint Venture and the U.C. Davis’ California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC) pledged in-kind support for the project.

THE PROBLEM
Grant Union High School was built in 1932, and the current gym (rebuilt after a fire in 1969) is now nearly 40 years old. The environmental science students were horrified to learn the switch used to turn the lights on and off is controlled by a key… and the key was lost years ago, which means that lights have been left running 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

A U.C. Berkeley study warns that 73 percent of California schools are more than 25 years old, and they are starting to fall apart (California’s K-12 Educational Infrastructure Investments). Retrofitting these facilities could make a significant dent in maintenance and utility costs as well as in the greenhouse gas emissions produced by aging structures.

With help from Smith, and Twin Rivers Unified Facilities Manager Tim Bonds, students evaluated the school’s utility bills and calculated the average cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to keep the lights on. Students estimate that lighting in just the gym alone costs the school district $14,000 each year.

THE SOLUTION
Lighting retrofits provide a great opportunity for schools to cut costs. Lighting represents approximately 20 percent of electricity use in a K-12 facility and typically does not require major structural changes to buildings.

The CLTC is helping the District evaluate and select new lighting technology for the gym. Over the summer the District will install the lighting; when students return to class in the fall, they should notice a lighter, brighter gym.

A new group of AP environmental science students will be able to tell the school district just how much brighter. The fall class will measure the amount of light produced by new lighting technology and evaluate the retrofit’s impact on lighting quality, utility costs and the school’s carbon footprint.

“Monitoring and evaluating energy savings from the lighting retrofit provides a real-life learning laboratory,” said teacher Arron White. “I hope this encourages students to consider the possibilities of 21st century ‘green’ careers.”

Greenwise Joint Venture is helping the class develop a communications plan to educate and engage the Grant Union High School students, faculty and parents about energy efficiency. Students will present their findings to the Twin Rivers Unified School Board at the project’s end.

The District pledged to invest cost savings from this retrofit in other energy saving measures. With the student’s help, they will not only have a clear picture of these savings, but will have demonstrated the effectiveness of new low-energy lighting technologies in the Sacramento region.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Disclosure: Liz is the engagement organizer for Greenwise Joint Venture. With a background in communications, online technology and community organizing, she’s passionate about using her “nerd skills” to inspire engagement in green initiatives.

Hundreds of Sacramento County Students Earn State Seals of Biliteracy

2013-05-07T22:27:08Z

The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) recognized linguistic accomplishments on May 6, honoring students who attained a high level of proficiency in English plus at least one other language.

SCOE officially presented dozens of students from throughout the county with the California State Seal of Biliteracy, which was established by California Assembly Bill 815. Throughout Sacramento County, a total of more than 280 students earned the Seal of Biliteracy in 2013. It is awarded to seniors who have demonstrated English competency, as well as competency in another language by meeting specific criteria.

"Each of these students met rigorous state criteria and has demonstrated his or her linguistic abilities on examinations, grades and coursework," said David W. Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools. "Being proficient in more than one language will provide these young people with skills needed to be successful in a global economy, build self confidence, and help develop a stronger sense of community."

Students demonstrate English competency by scoring at the "proficient" level or higher on the California Standards Test in English-Language Arts and earning good grades in all high school English classes required for high school graduation. In addition, students must demonstrate competency in another language by taking a four-year course of study in a world language or pass a test such as the Advanced Placement exam.

In addition to English, this year's Seal of Biliteracy recipients in Sacramento County are proficient in ten other languages including: Armenian, French, German, Hmong, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese. Several students earned Seals in multiple languages.

The following Sacramento Country school districts collaborated with SCOE to present this year's Seal of Biliteracy program: Center Joint Unified, Folsom Cordova Unified, Galt Joint Union High, River Delta Unified, and Twin Rivers Unified.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education

McClatchy duo wins high school debate ‘Super Bowl’

2013-05-06T17:25:22Z

A C.K. McClatchy High School debate team has won the national Tournament of Champions, becoming the first team ever from a California public high school to win the nation’s top high school debate competition.

McClatchy seniors John Spurlock and Keenan Harris took first place in the policy debate division at the University of Kentucky tournament. In the 42-year history of the Tournament of Champions, no team from a California public high school has ever won. (In 2003, a team from College Preparatory School, a private high school in Oakland, took top honors.)

McClatchy Debate Coach Seth Blackmon compares winning the Tournament of Champions to winning the Super Bowl or the NCAA Basketball finals. “The magnitude of this win cannot be overstated,” he says. “I couldn’t be more proud of these young men.”

Policy debate is considered the most difficult form of debate, as students spend a year researching and arguing one subject. By the time the year concludes, policy debaters have amassed the same amount of research as required by a doctoral dissertation.

This year’s topic was “Resolved: The United States federal government should substantially increase its transportation infrastructure investment in the United States.”

Unlike private schools with large budgets set aside for debate, McClatchy’s team operates as an after-school program that relies mostly on parent fundraising. To rise to the challenge of the Tournament of Champions, the students dedicated hours and hours of their spare time to research and practice, Blackmon says.

Spurlock will attend UC Berkeley next fall on a debate scholarship. Harris will attend Wake Forest in North Carolina, also on a debate scholarship.

Disclosure: Janet Weeks is the Communications Manager for the Sacramento City Unified School District.

Sac Pride Live hits the air Saturday night

2013-04-27T02:49:44Z

It is always exciting when a new media organization starts up and provides readers and listeners with news you are truly interested in and entertainment to lighten your day. The new Sac Pride Media Group led by Tyler Edwards will launch the first ever live LGBTQ weekly radio show, “Sac Pride Live” on local Talk 650 KSTE Radio as well as worldwide on iHeartRadio, by app on your Smartphone or online at www.iheart.com/live/Talk-650-KSTE-229. The first show will air live Saturday, April 27 after the River Cats game between 10:00 PM and 12 midnight.

On-air hosts for Sacramento’s newest source for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer community, will be realtor Tyler Edwards and well-known poet and spoken word artist, Jovi Radtke. Members of the production team include fellow realtor Todd Lohse and Kevin Manz.

Edwards says the focus of the show will be to, “end labels and start conversations.”

“I have been working on this project for a long time and in developing Sac Pride Live as well as a bi-monthly insert in the Sacramento News and Review, and future expansions into social media, I hope we can provide a venue where we can discuss topics that touch us, engage us, and even make us angry. This conversation will not only be for those in the gay community but also outside the community, our allies as well as those who don’t understand us.”

Radtke who is very comfortable in front of an audience belting out her creative poetry of life, love, and heartbreak should do very well in her new job as co-host of a radio show that will be heard by tens of thousands of listeners both locally and world-wide.

“This is very exciting to start on my new adventure with a radio program that locally gives a brand new voice that didn’t exist until now,” said Radtke.

In explaining what listeners might have in store for them in the weeks to come Radtke said listeners can look forward to local, regional, national and even world news and entertainment of the day like marriage equality, Prop 8, bullying and peer abuse in our schools and hate crimes in our neighborhood. We hope to interview interesting and engaging people from all walks of life and talk about upcoming events like Sacramento Pride, Sacramento International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, and other fun events for the whole family.”

Edwards wanted to emphasize that the show will not “back away from controversial issues plaguing us both within our community and outside. We want to have an open and honest conversation about the problems we have as well as celebrate what makes us fabulous”.

“While we might not solve all the problems of the world, our show will at least bring to light and give voice to those who may have really good suggestions on how to live with each other in harmony and respect”.

“Our first program will be mainly introducing ourselves to our listeners in the first hour and in the second hour our first guest will be Michael ‘Misha’ Kennedy owner of Kennedy Gallery Art Center. In the future we will welcome community members to call in and offer their thoughts on issues discussed on the program”.

“Each week should prove to be interesting, enlightening, entertaining, engaging and sometimes very controversial.”

For more information about Sac Pride Media or Sac Pride Live visit their web site at www.SacPrideLive.com or their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/SacPrideLive. If you are interested in being a guest or would like to suggest a subject contact Sac Pride Media’s Administrative Executive Melissa Martinez at Melissa.Martinez@sacpridemedia.com.

Disclosure: Ken Pierce is a freelance journalist. Ken was not paid for writing this article. You can contact Ken Pierce by email: kpierce8272@yahoo.com.

Face-to-face vs. online: Recent studies say students of distance learning are at a disadvantage

2013-04-19T09:23:46Z

In the past decade, distance education, specifically online courses, has steadily increased in popularity among college students as a convenient, more affordable means to a degree. In fact, the U.S. Department of Education reported that the number of students adding online courses to their college schedules increased 150 percent from 1998 to 2008.

However, distance learners are less likely to do as well as traditional learners, according to findings reported by Columbia University Teachers College research associates Di Xu and Shanna Smith Jaggars in a paper, “Adaptability to Online Learning: Differences Across Types of Students and Academic Subject Areas.”

In their study, Xu and Jaggars found that distance learners are not only less likely to do as well as students in traditional classroom settings, but are also less likely to earn a college degree.

Across the board, “the typical student has some difficulty adapting to online courses” and “all types of students were more likely to drop out from an online course than a face-to-face course,” according to the study.

Sacramento City College Distance Education Coordinator Jory Hadsell said research on online education varies to such an extent that it’s difficult to know which reports are the most accurate.

“A lot of this is like fixing the car while it’s driving down the road,” said Hadsell. “The research on (face-to-face interaction) is really mixed, it’s such a complex situation. But as far as the face-to-face piece, it’s difficult sometimes.”

In addition to student education, other elements of distance learning are under scrutiny as well, according to Ithaka S+R, a research and consulting service that assists organizations in transitioning to digital environments. In May 2012 the company reported multiple concerns about distance learning in an article titled “Barriers to Adoption of Online Learning Systems in U.S. Higher Education.” Among those concerns was student integrity.

“Cheating remains a problem in both online and traditional courses,” said Ithaka S+R. “Faculty have developed strategies for addressing cheating in traditional settings, but are still developing protocols to address this problem in online environments. A common problem is simply verifying that the person at the keyboard is the actual student registered for an online course.”

Online education providers actively do their part to curtail cheating. For example, according to Hadsell, Sacramento City College adheres to federal regulations handed down from the Department of Education within the last two years that govern accreditation to help ensure that whoever is doing the work is in fact the person the work was intended for.

Additionally, Hadsell said student IDs, unique passwords, federal IDs for exams, in-person orientations and face-to-face final exams are among other tools in place to combat cheating.

However, Hadsell also explained that students in online classes are less likely to cheat and have a better chance at success if they communicate with their instructors, and do so early on.

“Reach out to the instructor,” Hadsell said. “Build that personal relationship with them. If you have a question, ask. This directly impacts success.”

Youth Task Force to host “Breaking the Silence” rally

2013-04-14T03:22:25Z

To follow up “National Day of Silence”, an event held in Junior and High Schools all across the nation, the local Sacramento LGBTQ Youth Task Force is hosting a “Breaking the Silence” rally on the west steps of the California State Capitol (1314 Tenth St., Sacramento, CA 95814) Friday, April 19, 2013 between 5:00pm and 7:30pm.

Originally organized by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in 1996, the “Day of Silence” is a day of action in which “hundreds of thousands of students across the country take some form of a vow of silence to call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying, harassment and peer-abuse in schools. Through their activities students can speak out against harassment and organize for change in their schools and communities”.

The Sacramento LGBTQ Youth Task Force, led by Sacramento City College student, Spencer Douglas, is a grassroots regional youth organization consisting of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning and allied youth, middle school to college level, along with adult partners from the community.

In a statement about the Day of Silence event, Douglas said, “The Day of Silence is symbolically giving up your voice representing those who never had a voice or were afraid to speak out against discrimination and violence. It’s mainly LGBT oriented but I like to imagine that I’m representing everyone that has not had a voice, no matter what background they come from.”

Douglas and his Task Force will celebrate the end of Day of Silence by hosting a “Breaking the Silence” rally for all area students throughout the region. College-age, parents and supporting adults are also invited to attend.

Spencer Douglas will be host speaker as well as several students who will be invited to talk about their experiences during Day of Silence at their schools during an open mike session.

In part, the celebration will be in remembrance of Michael Joseph Berry who was a victim of “bullycide” in 2008 at Mira Loma High School. Special guest speaker will be Michael’s mother, Lisa Ford-Berry, founder of B.R.A.V.E. Society, a local grassroots bullying awareness non-profit organization.

Assemblymember Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento), a long-time ally is sponsoring the “Breaking the Silence” event at the Capitol.

In addition, Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) authored an Assembly Resolution (ACR 44) to recognize National Day of Silence. The summary of the bill stated, “This measure would declare support for the goals and ideals of the National Day of Silence and would encourage school districts in the state to enforce laws and policies that prohibit name calling, bullying, harassment, and discrimination against all students, teachers, and other school staff regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.”

After the rally, Douglas and his LGBTQ Task Force team will move to the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center where they will host a “Night of Noise” party between 8:00 and 9:30 PM. All area Jr. and Senior High students are invited to attend.

For more information about the Task Force, contact Spencer Douglas: SacYouthTaskForce@gmail.com or check out their Facebook page HERE. To help support to work the Task Force is doing in the community go HERE.

Disclosure: Ken Pierce is a freelance journalist and a volunteer for the Sacramento LGBTQ Youth Task Force. Ken is not paid for the services he offers the youth organization. You can contact Ken Pierce by email: kpierce8272@yahoo.com.

Sacramento area students 'plug in' to solar case project

2013-03-25T18:11:03Z

Sacramento area students learned lessons in green technology and social consciousness on March 16 and 23 when they participated in green technology workshops at Cosumnes River College. Approximately 40 local students built solar suitcases which will provide portable lighting to an orphanage in Uganda and a medical center in Haiti. The suitcases will be delivered directly by the organization Green Tech (Green Technical Education and Employment).

The lack of light and electricity is a reality in many parts of the world and the non-profit, for-public-benefit Green Tech organization has made this dilemma its mission.

“We provided a learning opportunity for youth and young adults to experience the development of a portable lighting system, energized by the use of solar technology,” said Simeon Gant, Green Tech Executive Director.

The students involved in the program ranged in age from 15-25. They were high school or college students, foster youth, emancipated foster youth or young adults re-entering society.

"This project has been an inspiring and phenomenal combination of science, engineering, technology and humanitarianism,” said David W. Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools. “The students involved should know they are part of a great and compassionate effort that is saving lives."

During the workshops, they received hands-on training in Green Energy Technology.

"It was great. It's actually a new skill that I've learned. I'm also contributing to a different country in need and so I'm doing some good too," said Jordan Collins from Boys & Girls Club LINKS Academy, a Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) program.

The Solar Case Project has partnered with Cosumnes River College, Sacramento State University, the Northstate Building Industry Association, We Share Solar, SMUD and the Sacramento County Office of Education.

“This partnership shows how we can positively impact our world by working together and supporting students’ educational opportunities,” said Cosumnes River College President Dr. Deborah Travis. “I know our students at CRC are excited to participate in the solar suitcase project and are looking forward to building these cases for Africa and Haiti.”

Cosumnes River College is part of the Los Rios Community College District. Green Tech trains and develops pupils with emerging green technology skills, focusing on clean energy, environmental protection and energy efficiency to provide career opportunities for youth from traditionally underserved communities.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education

Kings Honor Sacramento County’s Top Teachers

2013-03-11T18:46:18Z

Fans had more than basketball to cheer about at Sleep Train Arena on Friday, March 8. Education took center court that evening as Sacramento County's Teachers of the Year 2013 were honored during the Sacramento Kings/Phoenix Suns game.

All of the Teachers of the Year were featured during a special halftime ceremony witnessed by the crowd at Sleep Train Arena. The two reigning Sacramento County Teachers of the Year, Jennifer Ellerman, who teaches 7th Grade Language Arts at California Middle School, in the Sacramento City Unified School District, and Bob Crongeyer, who teaches 5th – 6th grade GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) at Taylor Street School in the Robla School District, North Sacramento, were among the fourteen honorees at center court.

Katie Peterson, Community Relations Manager for the Sacramento Kings, Joe Meneghetti, Sales Manager for Elk Grove Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep representing program sponsor the Chrysler Group, and Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon greeted the Teachers of the Year on the basketball court and presented them with awards.

Prior to the ceremony, the Kings hosted honorees and their guests at a pre-game reception and dinner. During the reception, the teachers received gift bags courtesy of event sponsor Chrysler.

The Sacramento County Teachers of the Year program is coordinated annually by the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) to recognize the achievements of local educators and to raise awareness of the valuable role that teachers play in the lives of their students and in the community. This year the program is presented by SCOE in partnership with Maloof Sports and Entertainment, Chrysler Group, Intel-Folsom and the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry.

On Friday, April 26, 2013, the Sacramento River Cats and Intel-Folsom also will host a special Teacher Appreciation Night at Raley Field.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

California scores low on nationwide report card

2013-02-21T21:59:08Z

On February 21, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon moderated a webcast announcing the release of a national study that summarizes results in several subjects from multiple states, including California.

The report, “Mega-States: an Analysis of Student Performance in the Five Most Heavily Populated States in the Nation,“ is a National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report card. Decades of data and long-term trends collected in reading, mathematics, and science from the "mega-states" – California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas – provide a wide-ranging portrait of student achievement in the midst of America's shifting demographics.

"While this Mega-States report provides very interesting data and trends, it offers more than numbers and facts," Superintendent Gordon said. "It potentially opens the door for states to learn from each other's successes and share ideas to boost achievement throughout the nation."

Download Mega-States report.

The report presents academic performance for students in grades 4 and 8 in reading, mathematics, and science.

Between 1990 and 2011, data show that, proportionately, the education system came to include more Hispanic students and fewer white students: In 1990, 7 percent of eighth-grade students nationally were Hispanic, compared with 23 percent in 2011. California saw an increase of 22 percentage points in its population of Hispanic students (from 30 to 52 percent). Concurrently, the percentage of white students decreased in all states, most dramatically in California, Illinois, Texas and Florida.

The percentage of black students in the nation and in the mega-states has not changed significantly, but there have been notable achievement gains for black students in California, Florida, and Texas. From 1992 to 2011, average reading scores for fourth-grade black students in California and Florida increased by 28 and 25 points respectively. In California, the achievement gap in mathematics between black and white fourth graders narrowed by 12 points since 1992.

With few exceptions, California has trailed the nation and the other four mega-states at both grade levels in assessments administered over the past 10 years in reading, mathematics, and science. Of the five states, California has the greatest number of schools, spends less than the national average per pupil, has the highest student-to-teacher ratio, and has consistently performed lower than the national average in all subjects.

“I am not proud as I look at my home state’s performance in regard to science,” Superintendent Gordon said. “Although state support for K-12 education fell by 20 percent over the past four years, California is still the home of Silicon Valley, the hub of our biggest technological companies. Yet California fourth graders scored lower than the nation and all the other mega-states in science in 2009.”

Richard Zeiger, Chief Deputy Superintendent for the California Department of Education, said that a sustained disinvestment in education has contributed to California’s educational challenges.

"We invest little more than half per student what New York does, and as a result have about half as many teachers per student as they do," Mr. Zeiger said.

According to reports, there are 2.9 million English learners (EL) in the five states. Among all the states in the nation, California enrolled the largest number of public school EL students - a number that exceeds the total enrollment of all students (EL and non-EL combined) in 41 states and the District of Columbia. The percentages of EL students performing at or above Proficient in fourth-grade reading in the mega-states were not significantly different from their peers nationally.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

'Our families walk their students to school'

2013-02-14T00:40:54Z

While Washington Elementary School is the smallest school in the district, you wouldn't know it by the amount of impassioned community members that spoke up Wednesday night to oppose a plan to shut its doors.

Hundreds of parents, teachers, students and education supporters criticized the Sacramento City Unified School District's plan, calling it unfair and a direct blow to a school that's primarily comprised of low-income, minority students. Tears were shed by several students and parents, who say many parents don't have cars and would be hard hit if their children have to go out of the area.

"You can't put a price tag on fracturing communities like this move would do," said Pennie Taylor, a parent and retired school teacher. She said she's very concerned about the closure list and how closed schools will be used in the future.

"It's just opening up our district to privatization through charter school programs," she said. And it really looks strange that the superintendent hired Ed Manansala from the St. Hope charter program to be his special assistant. "It opens too many questions and concerns," she said. "It looks fishy to me."

Jerry Tamburino of Tahoe Park said it's important to remember that oftentimes politicians lie, and urged the community to find out who on the SCUSD board represents the swing vote, and to contact him or her.

Second grade teacher Rosa Corona, who has been at Washington for 20 years, said "this is my home away from home as well." Washington School has been in situations in the past where there was a chance of closure, "but this time it feels a little bit different," she said. Her biggest concern is transportation. "Our families walk their children to school," she said.

The school is at 520 18th Street, between E and F Streets.

To view more comments from the meeting, see our live blog from the event below:

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Kennedy High student crowned Sac County 2013 Poetry Out Loud winner

2013-02-08T00:22:27Z

Henry Molina from John F. Kennedy High School, in the Sacramento City Unified School District, is the winner of the Sacramento County Poetry Out Loud competition for 2013. He finished first from a field of 15 during the Sacramento County finals, held Thursday, February 7, at Rosemont High School in Sacramento.

Henry earned the right to represent Sacramento County in the State Finals, March 25-26 in Sacramento. Carinn Candelaria, from Pleasant Grove High School in the Elk Grove Unified School District, is the Sacramento County runner-up.

California's overall winner will receive $200 and an expenses-paid trip to compete in the National Finals in Washington, D.C., held April 28-30, 2013. A total of $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be awarded at the national finals, including a $20,000 award for the National Champion.

Sacramento Poet Laureate Jeff Knorr served as the Sacramento County Poetry Out Loud master of ceremonies. The competition encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance, and competition. The program provides students with the opportunity to perform poetry in English classes.

Modeled like the National Spelling Bee, the Poetry Out Loud program began in local high school classrooms, with winners advancing to school-wide, then regional competition. Schools countrywide are participating in regional competitions.

The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) was once again pleased to partner with the California Arts Council (CAC) in promoting and supporting the Poetry Out Loud: National Recitation Contest in the Sacramento region. Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and the National Poetry Foundation, SCOE and its partners encourage high school students to study and appreciate poetry through practice, performance, and competition.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

Salvation Army opens teen drop-in center in Oak Park

2013-02-04T23:53:48Z

Things are warming up in the Oak Park area. The Salvation Army officially opened the “Hot Spot” drop-in center at its Ray Robinson Oak Park Community Center on February 1.

Every Friday night, from 7 to 11 pm, the “Hot Spot” will provide teens, ages 13-19, an opportunity to utilize the multiple activities—like basketball, board games, art projects, video games and a computer lab—at the community center. Snacks are also given to the teenage attendees.

“People can come down and play instead of being on the streets,” said Oshe, a 17-year-old high school student who came to the opening night of the drop-in center to play basketball. “You always hear about kids getting shot, but this is a place where there’s some activities, it’s fun and (you’re) staying out of trouble.”

The Salvation Army has been working with Sacramento City Council members and Mayor Kevin Johnson’s Gang Prevention Task Force to develop this program.

“It was identified that Sacramento needs a safe place for the youth,” said Sonja Stires, Salvation Army program director for the Oak Park campus. “So we worked with focus groups, community partners and the youth themselves to identify the right time and day to open up this drop-in center.”

The Salvation Army is also looking for volunteers and food donations for the “Hot Spot” program. For more information, call (916) 469-4620.

Disclosure: Syd Fong is the public relations director for The Salvation Army. For more information about The Salvation Army, log onto www.salarmysacto.org or join the facebook page www.facebook.com/salvationarmysacramento

KVIE Celebrates Black History Month

2013-02-01T19:01:38Z

In celebration of Black History Month, KVIE Public Television will broadcast local and national programs that honor the spirit, creativity, and determination of significant heroes of the Civil Rights Era, as well as important individuals in history and today.

KVIE will air three documentaries from its original series, ViewFinder, that highlight African Americans in the region. The first examines Sacramento during the Civil Rights era, and the many significant, yet unknown, heroes during this turbulent time. African Americans in California’s Heartland – The Civil Rights Era, airs Tuesday, February 5, at 10:30pm and explores the issue of equality in education, housing and job opportunities, and the changes the Sacramento area experienced. Then, meet Regina Louise, an African American orphan who grew up in more than 30 foster homes, group homes, and psychiatric facilities. Experience the foster care system through her first-person account in ViewFinder: Someone’s Somebody, Wednesday, February 13, at 7pm. Examine the life of Sacramento’s first practicing African American attorney in The Time is Now – The Civic Life of Sacramento’s Nathaniel Colley. Produced in partnership with the Center for Sacramento History, this new documentary traces the work of Colley, who spent 50 years shaping the course of American history. His passion for civil rights and education brought him together with the likes of President John F. Kennedy, Gov. Edmund “Pat” Brown, and Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. Through rare footage of Colley and his written words, discover the achievements of this self-described country lawyer who tirelessly advocated for justice and equality. This program premieres Wednesday, February 20, at 7pm.

Journalist Gwen Ifill interviews entrepreneur, songwriter, record producer, movie director, and producer Berry Gordy in An Evening with Berry Gordy, airing Sunday, February 3, at 10pm. Gordy began in Detroit, where he founded Motown Records in 1959 and grew the company into the most successful African-American owned enterprise in the United States. He wrote and sold songs that helped launch this influential era of popular music, and left an indelible influence on music and films worldwide.

Examine the inspirational story of a courageous band of young civil-rights activists who journeyed through the Deep South in 1961. Learn how their endeavors brought the president and the American public face-to-face with the challenge of correcting civil-rights inequalities that plagued the nation, in American Experience: Freedom Riders, airing Monday, February 4, at 10pm.

KVIE will also air two documentaries from AfroPop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange, a series that aims to portray a balanced view of Africa and provide fuel for conversations about the present realities and lifestyles of Africans on the continent and abroad. Burning in the Sun follows 26-year-old social entrepreneur Daniel Dembele, who works to electrify rural households in his native country of Mali, Africa. The documentary, which airs Wednesday, February 6 at 11pm, traces his journey as he starts a local business building solar panels, the first of its kind in the sun-drenched nation. That’s My Face, airing Wednesday, February 13, at 11 pm, chronicles documentarian Thomas Allen Harris’ quest to Africa and Brazil to find his spiritual ancestors. Reared in both the Bronx and Tanzania, Harris documents his own struggles with cultural identity while investigating the broader issues of race in the United States, Africa, and South America.

Take a fascinating look at the work of one of the nation's leading atmospheric scientists, Dr. Warren Washington in Night with Warren Washington Wednesday, February 20, at 11pm. Interviewed by the President of the National Academy of Sciences and leading atmospheric scientist Dr. Ralph Cicerone, Dr. Warren Washington explores his family's African American history from the 1900s in Portland, Oregon, to his being awarded the National Medal of Science by President Barack Obama in 2010.

Southern-born, Chicago-raised, and New York-made, gospel singer and guitar virtuoso Sister Rosetta Tharpe introduced the spiritual passion of her gospel music into the secular world of rock ‘n’ roll, and had a major influence on musicians like Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley. Discover her life, music, and influence in American Masters: Sister Rosetta Tharpe – The Godmother of Rock and Roll, which premieres Friday, February 22 at 9pm.

Produced by The HistoryMakers, the nation's largest African American video oral history archive, Conversation with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. provides an interesting and rarely seen look into the life and career of the Harvard professor. This program will air Friday, February 22, at 11 pm.

Disclosure: Kate Gonzales is the Public Relations Assistant at KVIE Public Television.

Apprenticeship and Training Program unveils 116-foot-long educational mural

2013-01-30T16:44:09Z

Western Electrical Contractors Association, Inc., is excited to unveil a 116-foot-long indoor mural at the WECA Apprenticeship and Training Program’s new facility in Rancho Cordova, (Mather), California. The educational mural visually conveys the story of an electrician’s job by showing how electricity is applied, from its derivation from natural sources, through the process of electricity generation, through transmission and distribution, and finally through the process of converting it for use in public, commercial and residential spaces.

The mural, painted by local artist Viktor Verhovod, is the culmination of a vision that began with the WECA Apprenticeship and Training Program’s expansion into a new, 47,000 square foot training facility in October of 2010. “I wanted the apprentices to see the reality of their craft,” explains Executive Director Terry Seabury, “and instill within them pride and respect for their trade and themselves.” In this building, apprentices in the commercial and residential electrical, as well as voice-data-video and fire-life-safety trades, are trained in state-of-the-art lab and classroom facilities. Many of WECA’s online electrician trainee and journeyman training classes are developed and delivered in the facility, which also houses WECA’s membership association for merit shop electrical and low-voltage contractors in California.

Verhovod was chosen from amongst several artists who responded to WECA’s call for submissions for designs for this educational mural. As soon as he read the RFP, he says, “Images of the theme of electricity began spinning in my head.” His vision manifested in the application of vibrant colors and dynamic rhythms to express the story of electricity, including the portrayal of life-size, full-body figures of electricians and electrical apprentices in action. The mural highlights facets of WECA’s electrical training program content, including an emphasis on safety.

Verhovod’s online portfolio may be viewed at www.verhovod.com, and many of his works can be seen around the Sacramento area; locations include Manuel J. Barandas Park, Yolo County Juvenile Probation Center, Blue Moon Gallery, Firebird Restaurant, Fusion International Art Center, Schumacher Architectural Ceramics, and at First Slavic Baptist Church of Sacramento.

The mural will be unveiled next Tuesday, February 5th, 2013, at WECA’s annual Installation of Officers and Awards reception, “Celebrating a Year of Success for the Merit Shop Community,” from 5-7:30 PM. Interested members of the public may RSVP to attend the event, which is free of charge, at 877-444-9322. (RSVPs are required by Friday, February 1st.) The press is welcome.

Learn more about WECA at www.goweca.com.

Disclosure: This story was written by the WECA Communications team.

Opinion: Private money and public schools (Part II)

2013-01-29T23:37:14Z

(Continued from Part I)

The DFER and USCM vision of education reform prioritizes high-stakes standardized tests that set teachers on a path of drilling pupils in preparation throughout the school day and year. Schools with low test scores are at risk of takeover when student scores on standardized tests do not measure up. Here is a little-discussed fact: High-stakes testing is a thriving business. It involves so-called “learning companies” like Pearson, which owns the Financial Times and Penguin Books. Pearson profits from test materials for American education reform.

Mayor Johnson co-wrote an editorial with members of the black church: “If we truly believe that education is the civil rights issue of our time, we must step up to the plate and demand justice. And by encouraging legislatures to put measures in place that will empower parents and guarantee great teachers in the classroom, we have the ability to educate every child in our communities, regardless of ZIP code. In addition, we should utilize the Stand Up for Sacramento Schools and StudentsFirst websites as resources for learning more about how to advocate for education reforms in our communities”: http://www.theroot.com/views/black-church-and-schools-reform.

Hold on. The American civil rights movement of the 1960s did not receive or request donations from the corporate giants of the era. It was a grassroots movement of African-Americans. They led thousands and thousands of working-class people of all backgrounds, who at great personal risk to their lives and limbs, struggled mightily to overthrow racial segregation, or Jim Crow. Perhaps the most respected leader of that era, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., became a fierce critic of the U.S. role of aggression in the Vietnam War (i.e., bombing the countryside with Monsanto Co.’s Agent Orange), and linked such militarism to materialism and racism stateside. Crucially, the end of the Civil Rights (and later Black Power) movement ushered in a corporate attack on private-sector labor unions (more recently public employee unions), and New Deal (Social Security and Unemployment Insurance) and Great Society (Medicare and Medicaid) policies. It is worth noting that black workers (13.4 percent) were more likely to be union members than white workers (11.1 percent) were in 2012, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Meanwhile, the overall rate of union membership for all American workers has declined from 20.1 percent in 1983 to 11.3 percent in 2012.

What propelled this recent U.S. history? In brief, it was the end of a postwar economic model. It stopped working for corporate America. From the viewpoint of its minority interests (boards of directors and major shareholders), something had to change. It did, via the political system, with support from Democrats and Republicans. That politics of elite-backed change ended a post-World War II trend of shared prosperity from economic growth, in which union collective bargaining agreements with employers also raised the pay of nonunion workers. Upward mobility via a union job became increasingly out of reach of the working majority. A symptom of this malady is the spread of low-wage jobs found at Walmart stores across the country. Meanwhile, the same corporation brands its philanthropy as a positive change agent for public school districts tasked with poor kids’ issues in and out of the classroom.

John Marsh is the author of “Class Dismissed: Why We Cannot Teach or Learn Our Way Out of Inequality” (Monthly Review Press, 2011). In it, he writes that the upper-class onslaught against labor unions has in part created a false idea that formal education alone can address poverty and inequality. It is noteworthy that inequality and poverty are the concrete conditions that corporate-funded school reform advocates hold up as proof of union teachers’ failures, past and present. Marsh surveys policies and theories, from colonial times to the present, and shares his personal experiences, to help us better grasp the concrete limits of making a formal education the, but not a, path to prosperity. He calls for more focus on jobs and public policy as exit paths from the misery that scarce income brings, officially, to about every sixth person in the U.S. Marsh picks up where “The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education,” by Diane Ravitch (Basic Books, 2011), leaves off. Her focus is on school choice and standardized tests. An assistant education secretary of research in the first Bush administration, she backed both reform policies for public schools. Later, Ravitch reviewed the actual data and evidence on each policy. She discovered the failures of such policies to improve students’ education. That changed her views 180 degrees.

Mayor Johnson’s political rise occurred at the tail end of a major social class shift that has advanced class inequality in U.S. society. Consider this: As the nation’s gross domestic product tripled from 1970 to 2003, the “top 13,000 tax-paying households…saw (their) wages and salaries increase fifteen-fold,” author and economist Michael Perelman at California State University, Chico, writes in “The Confiscation of American Prosperity: From Right-Wing Extremism and Economic Ideology to the Next Great Depression” (Palgrave Macmillan, 2007). Meanwhile, for the bottom 99 percent of Americans, average income remained near the same from 1970 ($36,008) to 2004 ($37,295), in real terms, that is, adjusted for inflation. The Walton Family sits atop these 13,000 households. The Waltons do not stop there; they use their billions of dollars to lead the charge to “reform” education.

What is the Walton Foundation’s motive for funding education reform? Is it to increase its market share and profits? Journalist Liza Featherstone suggests another motive. She is the author of “Selling Women Short: The Landmark Battle for Workers' Rights at Wal-Mart” (Basic Books, 2004).

“The Walton Foundation has been contributing to education ‘reform’ causes for a long time,” Featherstone said. “As far as I can see, there are no important profit opportunities for Wal-Mart here; it is a lot easier to make money in retail. Rather, the Walton Foundation's role in education has continued the commitment to right-wing libertarian ideas of Sam Walton—anti-union and anti-government.”

Michael D. Yates is an author, Monthly Review editor and labor economist. “School ‘reform’ is about making money for those who sell the tools of reform to the school districts,” Yates said “It is about funneling a work force to our corporations that is ‘fit’ to do the work, namely take orders, be disciplined and punctual, and not know much else. Reform is also about defeating unions and weakening working men and women both economically and politically. Walton beliefs might be sincere, but they are tied to accumulating capital and stomping on class struggle.”

How private money and public schools are playing out speaks volumes about politics and economics in Sacramento, Calif., and the U.S. In Mayor Kevin Johnson’s second term, his Stand Up for Sacramento Schools and staff official bounced around a reporter’s questions about Walton Family philanthropy like a basketball. However, public schools and private money are not a game of offense and defense, team schemes, rebounding and scoring stats.

Why should the public accept the mayor’s education nonprofit taking corporate dollars and keeping quiet on how that money is spent? Why does the mainstream media give him a pass on this issue?

Readers of The Sacramento Press can be the judges of that.

Editor’s note: Join The Sacramento Press on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at Chops Steakhouse to honor Journalism Open winners. Get tickets!

Disclosure: Seth Sandronsky is a freelance journalist in Sacramento, Calif. Email sethsandronsky@gmail.com.

Opinion: Private money and public schools (Part I)

2013-01-29T23:35:48Z

Last December 3, the California Fair Political Practices Commission recommended fining Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a Democrat, $37,500 for improperly reporting donations to his multiple nonprofit groups. The political watchdog agency agreed to this penalty at a Dec. 13 meeting. The donations included a total of $500,000 between Jan. 19, 2012, and June 5, 2012, from the Walton Family Foundation to Stand Up for Sacramento Schools, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit school reform group that Johnson founded in 2009 with a commitment of $500,000 from the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation.

The money trail, however, goes beyond Mayor Johnson’s untimely reporting of donations to his nonprofits. His local education reform efforts illustrate a broader national trend: corporate funding of education reform via nonprofits to alter public schools. In an era of a growing income gap between corporate America and the general public—the one percent and 99 percent, in the words of the Occupy Wall Street movement—the power of corporate-funded philanthropy to shape public policy has become part of the social landscape. In the case of school reform, breaking public-sector unions is high on this elite agenda. Consider the Walton Family Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the nonunion behemoth based in Bentonville, Ark. This family had a net worth of $115.5 billion in 2012, according to the Forbes 400 list of the richest people in America. Its foundation “invested” close to $160 million in K-12 education reform across the U.S. in 2011: http://www.waltonfamilyfoundation.org/about/2011-grant-report.

Sam Starks of Sacramento is director of MLK 365, which calls itself “a non-profit organization (movement) that advances the values of Martin Luther King Jr. as a strategy to empower ordinary people to transform the world around them.” Asked for his view of Walton Foundation donations to reform public schools, Starks replied, “I can’t be mad with someone who wants to improve the quality of education. If the Waltons have money to give to inspire kids, engage parents, activate communities, and support and train teachers for professional development, I will take it. There is a role for industry that does not take away from public schools.”

Starks is a friend of Mayor Johnson’s, and “applauds his efforts” with Stand Up for Sacramento Schools to improve the education of young people. On that note, Starks is very concerned about students dropping out of the public school system, though he staunchly backs it. To this end, MLK 365 focuses on the “opportunity achievement gap,” he said. It is a term for a trend in which nonwhite students are more likely to live in poverty and drop out before they graduate from public schools.

Mayor Johnson’s Stand Up for Sacramento Schools is one of many school reform outfits that receive donations from the Walton Foundation. Walton Foundation donations also support the California Charter Schools Association. What are the criteria for such school reformers to receive donations? Daphne Moore, a spokeswoman for the Walton Foundation, declined an email request to comment for this story.

Meanwhile, the media silence on the mayoral capacity to attract private dollars from the ultrawealthy to reform public schools in Sacramento is deafening. One reason might be that the Sacramento Bee funds Mayor Johnson’s nonprofit St. HOPE Development Company, along with the Walton Foundation: http://www.sthope.org/fund-1.html. With financial help from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, St. HOPE, which stands for Helping Others Pursue Excellence, took over Sacramento High School as a nonunion charter operator, after students’ reading and math scores on standardized achievement tests fell in 2003.

It is worth noting that the Gates Foundation is also a donor to Capitol Impact, LLC, a “Sacramento-based consulting firm dedicated to improving policy and practice in California, with a particular emphasis on public education,” according to its website. Sacramento City Councilman Jay Schenirer is a principal in Capitol Impact. According to the Sacramento City Teachers Association, he was actively involved in the chartering process of Sacramento High School while serving on the Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education: http://sacteachers.org/community/jayreportcard/.

Despite or because of the efforts of the SCTA, in the SCUSD public charter schools enrolled 4,735 students in 2005-2006 versus 4,454 students in 2011-2012: http://dashboard.publiccharters.org/dashboard/students/page/overview/district/CA-234/year/2012. Crucially, the growth of public charter schools in the SCUSD bucks the national trend.

According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, about 5,600 public charter schools enrolled over 2 million students in the United States in 2011, representing a 13 percent year-over-year increase. In 2010, California led the nation in public charter schools with 983, serving over 412,000 students (7 percent of the overall enrollment of 6 million pupils statewide). The next four states—in order of total public charter schools—are Arizona, 524; Florida, 520; Ohio, 360; and Texas, 284.

Tuition-free public charter schools operate with a contract (charter) from a public entity. Such schools were 87.7 percent union-free in 2009-2010, according to the alliance. It is noteworthy that education reformers frequently criticize public school teachers for their collective bargaining agreements as if they provide proof of what ails the system. That is not all. State legislatures around the nation are targeting unionized public-sector employment agreements as budget solutions while tax revenues tepidly recover from the Great Recession that emerged from the collapse of a major real estate bubble, commercial and residential.

In the meantime, the question remains as to how Stand Up for Sacramento Schools spends Walton Foundation donations: $500,000 in 2012 and $200,000 in 2011. Dr. Aisha Lowe, executive director of Stand Up for Sacramento Schools, declined to reply when asked about the group’s spending of Walton Foundation donations. Instead, she directed a reporter to the Stand Up for Sacramento Schools’ website. A search of the site, using the term “Walton Family Foundation,” turned up no information.

Mariah Sheriff is Mayor Johnson’s director of governmental affairs in education. Unlike Lowe, Sheriff agreed to speak on the record. Then she reversed course, declining to proceed with a phone interview. Instead, Sheriff followed Lowe’s suggestion that a reporter visit the websites of Stand Up for Sacramento Schools and Mayor Johnson for further information on his education reform actions. Asked why a phone interview was off the table, Sheriff replied, “We currently aren't taking media requests.”

That Mayor Johnson’s director of governmental affairs in education refused to answer a reporter’s questions about Stand Up for Sacramento Schools’ spending of $700,000 in donations from the Walton Foundation speaks volumes about the transparency of Stand Up for Sacramento Schools. On its website, Stand Up for Sacramento Schools claims to uphold the values of classroom accountability for students and teachers in public education. Where is the accountability for Stand Up for Sacramento Schools?

In the meantime, for Johnson's Stand Up for Sacramento Schools, crucial questions of import remain unanswered. Whose decision is it to reject media requests concerning philanthropic donations to Stand Up for Sacramento Schools? Where is the accountability to the Sacramento public? Is the point of Stand Up for Sacramento Schools’ media strategy to keep hidden its use of philanthropic money from the Walton Foundation? If so, why is that the case?

Alice Perez is Stand Up for Sacramento Schools' director of governmental affairs. That such a position exists, unpaid or not, suggests at minimum that the education reform group is actively engaged in politics, the formation of policies and laws that impact public life at home and work. Like Lowe and Sheriff, Perez declined to reply to a request for comment as to the group’s use of funds from the Walton Foundation. Is this the approach of a political novice? Think again. Perez is no stranger to education politics. She is in a second term as vice president on the 17-member board of governors for the California Community Colleges. Former Grand Old Party Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed her to this post in 2007.

In addition, speaking of politics, Mayor Johnson does not stop his public education reform efforts with Stand Up for Sacramento Schools. He is the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ second vice president and Education Reform Task Force Chair. In his USCM capacity, Johnson signed a statement about the teachers’ union in Chicago and the public school system there after a strike ended in late summer 2012. It is worth noting that, like the USCM, the Chicago teachers’ union backs education reform in public schools. However, the union’s ideas for reform are at odds with those of the USCM, which is nominally a nonpartisan group of elected officials, including Johnson and USCM president, Philadelphia Mayor Ray Nutter: http://www.usmayors.org/pressreleases/uploads/2012/0918-statement-chicagoteachers.pdf
For instance, the Chicago union won the right for teachers to make their own lesson plans. This is not a concept of education reform that USCM reformers favor. Johnson, for example, spoke in Connecticut in fall 2012, calling for an appointed Board of Education in Trumbull and Fairfield to replace an elected one. John Bagley, a former NBA player, like Johnson, protested in a Connecticut Post column.

It is unclear if Johnson, also a member of the Democrats for Education Reform, was speaking on behalf of it, as he has done at DFER national forums. Asked to explain how Johnson’s speech in Connecticut helps public schools in Sacramento, his former spokesman, Joaquin McPeek, said the mayor was in Bridgeport to support his fellow U.S. Conference of Mayors colleague and mayor, Bill Finch, in his education initiatives.

“As Chair of the USCM Education Reform Task Force, Mayor Johnson is often requested to speak about education issues to diverse audiences around the country,” McPeek said in an email. He added that no taxpayer dollars were involved in Johnson’s travel to Bridgeport.

Back to Bagley’s column, in which he writes, “Maybe "KJ" and his `reformers' can explain why the city of New Haven, which has an appointed board, has more failing schools than Bridgeport. This is true, despite the presence on their appointed Board of Education of the former director of CONNCAN, the Connecticut leader of takeover policies.”

If a mayor appoints members of a local school board of education, then citizens lose their right to vote for their representatives. Democracy, people’s control over their lives, loses. Corporations, though while not human, have constitutional rights such as free speech, win. When cities such as Sacramento have a mayor whose education reform groups take corporate donations, the power of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and other large corporations over public policy grows. (Corporations exist to realize return on investment. Democracy aims to empower citizens to improve their lives and those of future generations.)

(Find Part II here)

Disclosure: Seth Sandronsky is a freelance journalist in Sacramento, Calif. Email sethsandronsky@gmail.com.

California Food Literacy Center launches academy to train advocates

2013-01-19T10:27:55Z

Sacramento-based nonprofit California Food Literacy Center is launching its inaugural Food Literacy Academy in February. The call for applications is now open and the deadline is Monday, Jan. 28, at noon.

The Food Literacy Academy is an intensive 10-week training program that will prepare community volunteers to become certified Food Literacy Advocates, equipping them with the skills needed to teach food literacy in their community.

“Right now, demand for food literacy classes outpaces the number of trained teachers,” said Amber Stott, founder of California Food Literacy Center. “We created the Food Literacy Academy to build an army of certified advocates to be critical players in our region’s food movement.”

The courses will emphasize key food literacy lessons such as nutrition, recipe development, cooking in a classroom, food safety and our food system. The Food Literacy Academy also will prepare participants for classroom management and teaching to audiences of varying ages.

“Only 14 percent of Americans eat five servings of fruit and veggies daily, and in California, 38 percent of children are overweight,” said Stott. “Food Literacy Advocates play a critical role in educating fellow citizens on important food knowledge to help them make healthier choices.”

Classes will begin Wednesday, Feb. 6, and will be held every Wednesday night from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for 10 weeks, including a session on Saturday, Feb. 23. Graduates are expected to annually provide 100 hours of volunteer service back to the community on food-related issues. The cost of the training is $250, and a limited number of scholarships are available. For more information about the program and to apply for the academy, visit Food Literacy Academy.

The California Food Literacy Center was established in July 2011 to help kids improve their knowledge, attitude and behavior toward food through community food education. The organization empowers students in grades K-5 to explore new foods; learn to cook healthy, sustainable snacks; and make smart choices. Students learn fruit and vegetable appreciation, how to read nutrition labels, basic cooking skills and about the environmental impacts of their food choices.

The California Food Literacy Center’s efforts are yielding positive changes in perceptions of healthy food among youth. Before the organization began its food literacy curriculum, 82 percent of students in grades K-1 at Capitol Heights Academy said that healthy snacks did not taste good. After one month of food literacy education, 92 percent of the kids replied yes when asked the same question. For more information about the California Food Literacy Center and how to get involved, visit www.californiafoodliteracy.org.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Disclosure: Heather Teoh is a volunteer writer and website editor for California Food Literacy Center.

Sacramento County parolees making successful transition honored

2013-01-17T18:54:25Z

The transition from prison life to life beyond prison is a challenging one for many men and women on parole. The struggle to find success is not easy and those who find success are worthy of special recognition.

On January 16, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Sacramento, the Sacramento Community Based Coalition (SCBC) Awards Gala Celebration honored 160 Sacramento County parolees and their families who are committed to making a successful reentry into their communities, and improving their lives, as well as the lives of their families. During the Awards Gala Celebration, 13 SCBC clients were recognized for earning their GEDs with another 25 were recognized for completing three of the five GED subject areas.

The SCBC is a collaborative effort between the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) specifically designed for men and women reentering the community from state prison.

“Today, we recognize the many individual clients who truly have earned our praise and admiration. I hope you all realize that what you have done and what you continue to do is remarkable,” Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon told the honorees.

The program is designed to help people transition back into their local communities and families, resume their educations, and find and start successful careers. During the last year, 30-40% of the total Sacramento County parole population has been referred to the SCBC program. Less than one-third of those clients recommit and are sent back to prison. The state recidivism rate is nearly 75-percent.

“It is our goal that our clients never return to prison again. However, we understand that we cannot control the choices our clients make, but we can control the choices they have,” said Administrator Lane. “We want to give them more skills so they can make better choices.”

Program participants are eligible to receive educational services that include literacy skills, GED and high school diplomas, math skills, vocational training referrals, and substance abuse education. Participants include men and women on parole in Sacramento County who have been referred by their Parole Agent.

The SCBC program applies the successful LINKS model, which is a groundbreaking SCOE career technical education model aimed at helping high-risk students succeed. Services are tailored to individual students based on their specific needs instead of through traditional, scripted education.

Editor’s note: The “News Digest” goes out every Tuesday morning and highlights our best stories, photos and videos from the week prior. Sign me up.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

Sacramento County Office of Education Announces Scholarship Program

2013-01-10T23:33:42Z

The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is now accepting submissions for an essay contest designed to honor local military veterans. The winning high school student will receive a $500 college scholarship, courtesy of SAFE Credit Union.

Every year, SCOE honors the many contributions of local veterans who left high school to serve in the U.S. military during World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War through the Operation Recognition program. Qualifying veterans who received an honorable discharge may contact SCOE to receive their high school diplomas. Diplomas are also presented to Japanese American citizens who were forced to leave high school due to WW II internment.

The 2013 Operation Recognition Scholarship essay theme is “How Ordinary Citizens Can Honor Veterans.”

Contestants must be high school juniors or seniors who are currently attending public high schools in Sacramento County. The completed 500 word essay, with a cover letter, must be received by the Sacramento County Office of Education by April 26, 2013. [Download essay contest rules here.]

Essays will be judged on how well the student understood, developed and presented the theme. The winning entrant must be able to attend the Operation Recognition diploma ceremony at 6:30 p.m. on May 21, 2013 to read his or her essay, join in honoring the diploma recipients, and receive the scholarship award from a SAFE Credit Union representative.

Contestants must send submissions to:

Operation Recognition Scholarship Contest
c/o Sacramento County Office of Education
P.O. Box 269003
Sacramento, CA 95826-9003

For more information, contact Tim Herrera, SCOE Communications Director, at (916) 228-2713 or therrera@scoe.net.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education

Sacramento County Office of Education Hosts Crisis Response Refresher Workshop

2013-01-09T22:46:28Z

To help local schools and districts in reviewing and refining plans for responding effectively in a crisis, the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) hosted a Refresher Crisis Response Plan Workshop on January 8. The goal of the workshop was to help districts “tune up” their crisis response strategies and interventions to reflect current best practices.

Workshop participants reviewed effective strategies for developing a crisis response plan and working with first responders. Experts also reviewed best practices for helping students, families and staff in the event of an incident.

“Threats to school safety make it vital that our schools and districts have up-to-date plans for preventing and responding to on-campus events,” said County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon, during his opening remarks. “We must have a heightened awareness to campus security and safety and to the emotional impact an incident like this can have on the children and families we serve.”

Stephen Sellers, Assistant Secretary for Response, California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA), presented the latest planning information available for schools during his presentation titled “Developing and Refining a Crisis Response Plan.” Assistant Secretary Sellers directed attendees to the CalEMA website which offers a wealth of School Safety Tips.

Representatives from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department and Elk Grove Unified School District Police Services co-presented a session titled “Crisis Response: Plan, Prepare, Practice.” Presenters included: Chief Thomas Jenkins, Elk Grove Unified School District; Sgt. Richard Lozano, Elk Grove Unified School District; Lt. John Randazzo, Sacramento County Sheriff's Department; Lt. Michael Jones, Sacramento County Sheriff's Department; Sgt. Randy Winn, Sacramento County Sheriff's Department; and Sgt. Chad Lewis, Sacramento County Sheriff's Department.

The final segment of the workshop, titled “Maintaining Resiliency Following Workplace Trauma” was presented by Dr. Carol Rivero from the Managed Health Network (MHN).

Nearly 70 public and private school representatives attended the workshop.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

The National Danish Performance Team Visits Sacramento

2013-01-09T21:44:06Z

In a world of fast food, smartphones, and massive multiplayer online games, health and fitness tend to sit sadly on the sidelines. Fortunately, there are groups who recognize the importance of keeping our world physically active, and who strive to educate our youth; one such group is the National Danish Performance Team (NDPT).

The NDPT, who will be performing their new show Zoom at the Memorial Auditorium this Saturday, is a dance & gymnastics team from Denmark who tour the world every other year to enourage young people to live active, cheerful, and healthy lifestyles.

In order to better understand the mission of the NDPT, I rendezvoused with the team at Hiram Johnson High School this morning where they were putting on an exercise workshop for the students. Although the energy in the room was that of a nightclub—with pop remixes blasting through the school gymnasium's speaker system—the dance moves were hardly what you would expect to accompany the bass-driven tunes. The NDPT had somehow tricked an entire gym full of high-schoolers into exercising with smiles on their faces, doing jumping jacks, sit-ups, and at one point, push-ups! It was inspiring to say the least.

Intrigued, I sat down with team-member Mads Maretty (pronounced “mez”), to learn even more about what these beautiful people were up to. According to Mads, Gymnastics is huge in Denmark—think American Football huge. "The difference between American Football and Danish Gymnastics," Mads says, "Is that in Danish Gymnastics we don't compete. We…show people our skills and perform. It's more of a performance."

The NDPT, he told me, is a group for only the highest level of Gymnastics performers. They change their roster every two years, spending the first year on recruiting and training, and the second year touring the world. Mads, who has been training for 12 years, was fortunate enough to make the team last year and has spent the last three months traveling the world. What I found to be truly uplifting is that, even with some federal and private funding, the members of the NDPT still end up paying a hefty sum out of their own pockets to pay for the tour—all to inspire change around the world.

If you too believe that a healthy and active lifestyle is important to people of all nations and walks of life, you can support the National Danish Performance Team this Saturday, January 12 at the Memorial Auditorium. Tickets are $12 general, $6 for students and seniors, and free for children ages four and under. Family Packets, which include tickets for two students and two adults, can be purchased for $30. Buy your tickets online here.

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Disclosure: Robert Brundage is an intern for Sacramento365.com.

Big Trucks, Big Wheels To Roll into Sacramento Universal Technical Institute Hosts Monster Jam Open House on Jan. 17

2013-01-09T00:09:16Z

Monster truck fans can get an early and up close look at the big trucks coming to Sacramento for this month’s Monster Jam – and get a sneak peak at a possible career.

Universal Technical Institute (UTI), the official technical institute of Monster Jam, is holding an open house featuring two monster trucks, Grave Digger® and Scooby-Doo™, their drivers and crews.

The open house will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 17 at UTI’s campus at 4100 Duckhorn Dr. in Sacramento. Attendees will have the opportunity to take photos, get autographs from the drivers and tour UTI’s 245,000 square foot campus.

UTI is the leading provider of post-secondary education for students seeking careers as professional automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle and marine technicians.

“This is a great opportunity to get a look at these monster trucks and to get to meet the people behind them,” said Mark Harston, national marketing manager for Universal Technical Institute. “For students interested in careers as auto technicians, this is a fun day to enjoy these unique vehicles and to learn more about our exceptional educational opportunities.”

To encourage students interested in careers in the automotive technician training industry, Monster Jam champion Dennis Anderson and Universal Technical Institute have partnered to give a deserving individual a $10,000 scholarship. For more information please visit http://www.uti.edu/events/sponsorships/monster-jam.

For more information please on UTI’s Monster Jam open house please click on the following link http://www.uti.edu/campus-locations/sacramento/event/eventid/2046/returntab/1894

The trucks are in Sacramento as part of the Monster Jam event at Sleep Train Arena from Jan 18 to 20.

Disclosure: Laura Bickford is an associate with Halldin Public Relations

Frontline Special Focuses on Education Reformer Michelle Rhee

2013-01-07T18:18:16Z

Michelle Rhee, the former chancellor of Washington, D.C., public schools, is one of the most admired and reviled school reformers in America. Frontline was granted unprecedented access to Rhee during her tumultuous three-year tenure as she attempted to fix a broken school systen. As Rhee returns to the national stage, Frontline examines her legacy in Washington, D.C., including her battles with the teachers' union and her handling of a cheating scandal in the District.

Frontline: The Education of Michelle Rhee will premiere on Tuesday, January 8, at 10PM on KVIE channel 6.

Editor’s note: Every Thursday we deliver a local event guide straight to your inbox, right on time to make your weekend plans. Sign me up.

Disclosure: Kate Gonzales is the Public Relations Assistant at KVIE Public Television.

SCOE Holds Special Ceremony for Exceptional Students

2012-12-18T21:57:41Z

Inside a room packed with proud families and jubilant teachers, the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) held a touching ceremony on December 18 for three exceptional graduates who received certificates of completion through the program for high school students and young adults with severe disabilities.

The students were honored for making the transition to other educational or job-training programs in their local communities. The ceremony was held at the County Office’s David P. Meaney Education Center.

The students represent SCOE programs in the Sacramento City Unified School District, the Galt Joint Union High School District, and Sacramento State University. The students have received special education and other services from SCOE since they were young children.

As part of the SCOE Special Education Department, the SH (severely handicapped) program provides special education services to students with severe disabilities and students with emotional disturbances, from ages 3-22 years, throughout Sacramento County. SCOE SH programs are located on more than 25 sites/schools located in eight school districts within the county.

The Special Education Department provides special day classes for students with severe challenges (severely handicapped) or with emotional disturbances (emotionally disturbed). Other students served include district students with visual impairments, mobility needs, or speech and language disorders. Special education services are also provided at local schools operated for youth through Sacramento County Probation. SCOE’s Infant Development Program provides individualized, home-based instruction and family support for infants and toddlers having special needs.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

Daylor High School Wins Sac County Academic Bowl

2012-12-13T20:49:02Z

Students participating in special education, community, and continuation school programs used their knowledge about technology in today's world, as well as quick thinking skills, while competing at the 5th Annual Sacramento County Academic Bowl.

William Daylor High School, from the Elk Grove Unified School District, took home the perpetual trophy by winning top honors. Leo A. Palmiter Jr. /Sr. High School and Elinor Lincoln Hickey Jr. /Sr. High School finished in second and third places respectively, followed by Gerber Jr. /Sr. High School. Palmiter, Hickey and Gerber are Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) schools.

Gerber Jr. /Sr. High School student Peter Nguyen received recognition for his award-winning design of the 2012-2013 Academic Bowl T-shirt and program artwork.

The theme was "A World Transformed: Technological Turning Points." The event was held December 12 inside the auditorium at Rosemont High School, in the Sacramento City Unified School District. The Sacramento County Academic Bowl is a competition held each year for students attending community and continuation schools. Students compete on teams in two events centered on a theme. The first event is a Super Quiz (game show style) competition in which students answer questions based on the theme. In the second event, students use a PowerPoint slideshow to deliver a "live" presentation on a specific aspect of the theme.

Students spent time in class and after school to prepare for this demanding competition. In addition to mastering the academic content, which is based on California's content standards, students also learn about teamwork, computer and presentation skills, goal setting, and leadership.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

International Spotlight Shines on Sacramento County Office Student

2012-12-06T17:18:10Z

Gerardo Velasquez continues to make great strides in his young life. The 11-year-old was born with cerebral palsy. After several years of tender support, hard work, and help from special adaptive equipment, he has gained mobility. Now, the 11-year-old’s success story is gaining international attention.

Gerardo attends a special day class for 4th – 6th grade students at Prairie West Elementary. It is a program for children with moderate to severe disabilities, operated by the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE), within the Elk Grove Unified School District.

The Elk Grove family will be featured in a segment on Fundación Teletón USA, which will air on the Univision network (KUVS TV Channel 19) beginning on December 14. The 27-hour, international telethon is dedicated to helping children with disabilities. The Teletón is televised in 13 Latin American nations, reaching more than 450 million people, and for the first time this year it will be broadcast in the United States.

“We’re thrilled to launch this historic event in the United States,” said Univision Network President Cesar Conde in a prepared statement. “This event will undoubtedly have a huge impact in our community, bringing hope and help to thousands of families that desperately need these services to improve their quality of life.”

According to a news release from Univision Communications Inc., the Teletón symbolizes the combined commitment of different segments of society to help children with disabilities, cancer, and autism. The event will reach out to the Hispanic community, urging it to come together for the benefit of special needs children. Under the slogan “The Great United Family,” event organizers aim to raise seven million dollars for the construction of a rehabilitation center in the U.S.

TeletónUSA will be hosted by TV veteran show host Don Francisco, journalist Jorge Ramos, singer Lucero, and actress Galilea Montijo, and will feature appearances by renowned entertainers and communicators.

The mobility equipment used in SCOE’s Special education program is part of Project MOVE (Mobility Opportunities Via Education). The MOVE Curriculum was developed in response to a growing concern that students with severe, multiple and profound disabilities in the public schools were not learning or utilizing critical mobility skills needed to fully benefit from their educational programs. SCOE was the first Project MOVE Model Site to be established in Northern California.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

Book Talk: Lucille Lang Day at Avid Reader

2012-11-30T05:44:35Z

On Sunday, Dec. 2 at 2 p.m., Lucille Lang Day will read from her new book, “Married at Fourteen: A True Story,” (Heyday 2012) at The Avid Reader, Sacramento. Poet, author, recipient of several awards, including the Joseph Henry Jackson Award for her first book of poetry, Lang Day also holds degrees in English, creative writing, zoology and science and mathematics education. Her work has been widely published, most recently in “Tule Review,” a publication of the Sacramento Poetry Center. Joining her will be Sacramento poet and artist, Susan Kelly-DeWitt.

* * *

“Married at Fourteen: A True Story” by Lucille Lang Day
Heyday
ISBN 978-1-59714-198-7
2012, 333 pp., $16.95
Local interest, memoir, poetry

Let me begin by saying that I am not a fan of memoir. Now let me say that this is one of the best books I’ve read in a very long time, memoir or otherwise. Being a fan of the first line, I was engaged from the start. “I own a switchblade knife. It has a black plastic handle with two brass buttons.” And I remained with the book until the end, which, by the way, is a poem.

Not only did I remain with the book until the end, I brought the book with me to appointments, to class, on the bus, to the store. A bit large for my pocket, but it fit snugly under my arm. It's smart, serious, witty and complex. Photos are woven throughout the text, adding another layer of complexity to the many stories contained within.

While the title might conjure the idea that we are to embark on a journey of woe, this is certainly not the case. In fact, it is quite the opposite. It is the story of one woman’s determination during a time when there were different expectations of women. It is the story of love, loss and much joy. And a lot of escapades along the way.

You might cry, and I dare you not to laugh. If you’re like me, you’ll encourage her when she decides to go to college. And you'll get angry when obstacles arise, and you'll cheer the way she maneuvers around each potential block. You might remember Chicken Delight, having to dial the operator in case of emergency (she reminds us that 911 had not yet been invented) and motorcycle gangs. Then again, you might not.

Within each finely crafted page, you’ll discover how one young woman went from searching for a husband at the tender age of twelve to spending time with bikers, and you’ll discover how she went from high school dropout to holding several advanced degrees, including a Ph.D. in science and mathematics education.

Meet the many men who entered and left her life. There was Mark whose response to her telling him she’d reenrolled at the Oakland Adult Day School was “‘I feel betrayed. Before we got married, you said you wouldn’t go back.’” Instead of taking care of their daughter, he’d call her a bad mother and bad wife. When she told him she wanted to be a scientist, he said, “‘That’s ridiculous! Women aren’t scientists.’” Fortunately, she paid him no attention.

There's Gil. John. And there's Bob who took her to the biker party, even though he didn't think it was a good idea. And there's Birdman who asked her to be his woman, to be an Angelette. And there's the way she handled Birdman when he showed up at her house. We can't forget Pierre, the tour guide.

This is not a simple story, nor is it a singular story. While the narrator's quest for a husband drives the story forward, it is her determination to finish her education and her desire to write that parallel that quest. The narrator’s voice is strong and sure, and it is clear that Lang Day respects her audience, and as a reader, I respect her.

* * *

The Avid Reader is located at 1600 Broadway, Sacramento, and the event is free and open to the public.

SCOE school staff provides holiday dinners for students and families

2012-11-16T22:51:01Z

Thanksgiving came early for dozens of students and their families from North Area Community School, a Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) program, thanks to supportive school staff and charitable local businesses.

On Friday, November 16, nearly four-dozen North Area Community School students and their families received donated turkeys, traditional holiday side dishes and pies. School staff, led by Transition Specialist Vickie Foston-Odabashian, organized the holiday food drive.

“We are grateful to our sponsors for their generosity during these tight economic times,” said Foston-Odabashian. “It was great to see how well and how charitably the leaders of our local business community responded to help our families.”

The event was made possible thanks to the following stores and restaurants: Brookfields Restaurant, Costco, Foods Co., Marie Callender’s, Nation’s Hamburgers, Raley’s, Smart & Final, Safeway, Sam's Club, Target, Trader Joe’s and Walmart. A group of employees from Sutter Health also graciously contributed to the food drive effort.

The North Area Community School, located at 4000 Pinell Street, Sacramento, is a school providing students an opportunity to continue their education and experience significant positive personal change in their lives. Although community school programs focus on academic success, the development of positive interpersonal skills and positive social interactions with peers and adults are important components of the school's program.

Most of the students educated in the community schools have been referred by their local districts as a condition of meeting their re-admittance requirements following expulsion from school. A community school's smaller environment and dedicated instructional and support staff also allow each student to benefit from a more personal learning experience.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

Ken Burns' "The Dust Bowl" Premieres November 18-19

2012-11-15T18:43:22Z

The Dust Bowl, a two-part, four-hour documentary by Ken Burns, will premiere Sunday-Monday, November 18-19, 8pm-10pm on KVIE Public Television (channel 6). The film chronicles the environmental catastrophe that, throughout the 1930s, destroyed the farmlands of the Great Plains, turned prairies into deserts and unleashed a pattern of massive, deadly dust storms that for many seemed to herald the end of the world. It was the worst manmade ecological disaster in American history.

Written and co-produced by longtime Burns collaborator Dayton Duncan, The Dust Bowl tells the story of the farming boom in the early 20th century that transformed the grassland of the southern plains into wheat fields. Once a drought hit in 1931, winds began picking up soil from the open fields and grew into dust storms of biblical proportions. Each year for nearly a decade, the storms grew more frequent and ferocious, sweeping up millions of tons of earth, killing crops and livestock, and spreading the dust clear across the country. Children developed fatal “dust pneumonia,” business owners unable to cope with the financial ruin committed suicide and thousands of desperate Americans were forced on the road in an exodus unlike anything the United States had ever seen.

In part one, The Great Plow Up (11/18), survivors recall the dust storms, the desperation of hungry families, and how they managed to find hope. In part two, Reaping the Whirlwind (11/19), there is a gradual relief as the families of the plains seek new lives in California and government conservation efforts – and a break in the drought in 1939 – eventually stabilize the soil and bring the farms back to life, but with the dangers of another Dust Bowl facing future generations. An encore episode will air immediately after each episode's premiere.

“The Dust Bowl was a heartbreaking tragedy in the enormous scale of human suffering it caused. But perhaps the biggest tragedy is that it was preventable,” said Burns. “This was an ecosystem—a grassland—that had evolved over millions of years to adjust to the droughts, high winds and violent weather extremes so common to that part of the country. In the space of a few decades at the start of the 20th century, that grassland was uprooted in the middle of a frenzied wheat boom. When a drought returned, all that exposed soil took to the skies, and people worried that the breadbasket of the nation would become the next Sahara desert. If we show the same neglect to the limits of nature now as we did then, it is entirely possible that this could happen again.”

The Dust Bowl is a story of heroic perseverance against enormous odds: families finding ways to survive and hold on to their land, national and local government programs that kept hungry families afloat and a partnership between government agencies and farmers to develop new farming and conservation methods.

The Dust Bowl is also, in part, oral history, using compelling interviews with 26 survivors of those hard times—what may be the last recorded testimony of the generation that lived through the Dust Bowl. Filled with seldom-seen movie footage, previously unpublished photographs, the songs of Woody Guthrie, and the observations of two remarkable women who left behind eloquent written accounts, the film is a historical accounting of what happened and why during the 1930s on the southern Plains.

This program is locally sponsored by Sports Leisure Vacations.

Disclosure: Kate Gonzales is the Public Relations Assistant at KVIE Public Television.

Drexel University Sacramento to launch first undergraduate program in Sacramento

2012-11-09T20:34:43Z

Drexel University Sacramento today announced it will begin offering its first undergraduate program in Sacramento in the fall of 2013.

The university will launch a full-time undergraduate program in business for students who have finished at least the first two years of their undergraduate education.

The bachelor’s in business administration degree program will be offered at Drexel University Sacramento’s location at One Capitol Mall in downtown Sacramento and will include a co-op experience where each student will receive six months of paid professional experience.

For Drexel, a 121-year-old not-for-profit university based in Philadelphia, the program expansion marks a new chapter in the university’s growth and development in downtown Sacramento.

“Drexel University Sacramento wants to be Sacramento’s private university,” said Dr. Sandra Kirschenmann, Associate Vice Provost and Executive Director of Drexel University Sacramento. “With Drexel’s top-ranked business school, this is a natural next step in our growth in Sacramento.”

Kirschenmann said community input drove the decision to add the undergraduate degree in business. The program encourages applications from students who are completing their second year at a community college – and want to complete their degrees on time.

“Drexel University Sacramento is leveraging the unique programs of our institution with the needs of the Sacramento community,” Kirschenmann said. “Drexel has been a national leader in cooperative education programs. Today’s students know they need the on-the-job experience to better compete in the job market.”

The degree program will include coursework in finance, accounting, marketing, entrepreneurship, organizational behavior and operations management.

Drexel University Sacramento opened in January 2009; more than 210 students have received degrees from the Sacramento location.

The undergraduate degree program follows the launch in September of a specialized Master’s in business administration for health care. Drexel University Sacramento currently offers students seven master's, one doctorate and one post-baccalaureate program designed for working professionals in the fields of entrepreneurial business, human resource development, higher education and public health.

All of Drexel’s academic programs are focused at the heart of Greater Sacramento’s growth and economic development initiatives – health, entrepreneurial business, human resources and education.

For more information about the degree completion program or any of Drexel University Sacramento’s graduate programs, visit www.drexel.edu/sacramento or call (888) 389-3781 or (916) 325-4600.

Disclosure: Laura Bickford is an associate at Halldin Public Relations

Local student videos receive awards & air on KVIE

2012-11-09T19:37:33Z

For nearly 50 years, California students with an interest in creating films have been recognized during the annual California Student Media Festival. This year, students in four Sacramento-area schools and one Stockton school were awarded for their videos at the festival, held June 2, 2012, at Orange County High School of the Arts.

In recent years, PBS SoCal has hosted the annual California Student Media Festival, which encourages project-based learning and meaningful student creations in media and multimedia and exists to acknowledge and reward successful classroom work.

This year marked the first time the event was recorded into an hour-long program, which includes clips of student media projects, and interview with the students, parents, and teachers who attended the event. The program, 46th Annual California Student Media Festival, will air on KVIE Channel 6 at 2PM Sunday, November 11.

Students from the following Sacramento-area schools were recognized with awards: Cosumnes River Elementary School, Independent Student Project (Award), for “Animal Ark”; Natomas Charter School, Best Acting and Best Adapted Media (Awards) for “Earthquake Preparedness,” and “Blood Blade,” respectively; Elitha Donner Elementary School, History/Social Science, School Information and Best PSA (Awards) for “Constitution Day,” “Stranger Danger,” and “Got Sugar?” respectively; and Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts, Best Artistic Direction for “Breaking Away.”

Students from Venture Academy in Stockton also received awards: Best Promotional Video for “PGE – New Energy Academy,” and Best Primary Use of Resources for “Holocaust Survivor.”

The California Student Media Festival is part of PBS SoCal’s local American Graduate Initiative. Youth-created media is a large part of the National Initiative, and this program highlights the great work of teachers and students in California schools.

For more information on the California Student Media Festival, including a full list of winners and links to their videos, visit www.mediafestival.org.

Learn more about KVIE Public Television at kvie.org.

Disclosure: Kate Gonzales is the Public Relations Assistant at KVIE.

Eligible Veterans and Seniors May Receive Belated High School Diplomas

2012-11-06T18:56:59Z

Older adults who were unable to complete high school due to wartime circumstances are eligible to apply for diplomas through the special Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) program Operation Recognition. The program is for eligible U.S. veterans and Japanese American citizens.

Operation Recognition was adopted in October 2001 by the Sacramento County Board of Education to honor the contributions and sacrifices of individuals who missed completing high school to serve in the U.S. military (specifically World War II or the Korean War) or relocate to a World War II internment camp for Japanese American citizens. In 2005, the County Board of Education expanded the program to include veterans of the Vietnam War.

The application deadline is April 25, 2012. There is no charge to participate in the program. The Sacramento County Board of Education is scheduled to hold its next Operation Recognition diploma ceremony on Tuesday, May 21, 2013.

Operation Recognition applications are available online at www.scoe.net/or. Applicants also can request information by mail from: Operation Recognition, P.O. Box 269003, Sacramento, CA 95826-9003 or by calling (916) 228-2416. Applications also are available from the Sacramento County Veterans Service Office, located in midtown Sacramento at 2007-19th Street.

Diploma qualifications include: (1) Applicant or recipient is a Sacramento County resident; (2) Veterans—show proof of Honorable Discharge from U.S. military service occurring during WW II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War; (3) Japanese American citizens—show proof of internment in a WW II relocation camp; and (4) Veterans and Japanese American citizens—give name of high school applicant was attending at time of induction into military service or internment.

An application may be submitted by a family member of a qualifying individual, living or deceased. Persons who meet the qualifications, but earned a GED, are eligible. Diploma recipients and/or survivors should be current or former Sacramento County residents. Those living outside Sacramento County may be referred to their local county office of education.

The Sacramento County Board of Education has provided diplomas to 163 qualifying veterans and Japanese American citizens through Operation Recognition since 2001. Eight of the diplomas have been awarded posthumously.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education

SCOE Wins Celebrated Golden Bell Award for English Learning Website

2012-11-05T19:39:47Z

A free, interactive website developed by the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) to help adults improve English learning skills is receiving a major honor.

SCOE has announced that its U.S.A. Learns website, an interactive English language learning portal, will be honored at the 33rd Annual Golden Bell Awards program of the California School Boards Association (CSBA) in December.

U.S.A. Learns is a free English as a second language (ESL) instructional program developed primarily for immigrant adults with limited English language skills who cannot attend traditional classroom programs because of difficulty with schedules, transportation, or other barriers. Learners can use the site in an independent mode, registered or unregistered, or it can be used under the auspices of a tutor or teacher. The potential learner might work from home, a public library, or a workplace setting. All instructional materials are viewed online.

“U.S.A. Learns is helping people all over the world to improve their English language skills,” said Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon. “This remarkable website is having a positive impact on adult literacy for English learners.”

“We launched U.S.A. Learns in November 2008 and since then the program has been used by nearly 3.8 million learners, two-thirds of them from the United States,” said John Fleischman, SCOE Assistant Superintendent of Technology Services. “Its popularity and the loyalty of learners are powerful testimony for both the need and the appeal of using the Web to provide English language instruction.”

The CSBA Golden Bell Awards program promotes excellence in education by recognizing outstanding programs in school districts and county offices of education throughout California.

This is the sixth Golden Bell Award for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is the Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

The Be Kind People Project launches initiative to thank Sacramento teachers during World Kindness Week

2012-11-05T18:20:28Z

Young kids need much more from school than a solid grounding in reading, writing and arithmetic. The classroom also provides a singular opportunity to teach children how kindness can add meaning to their lives, overcome the scourge of bullying, strengthen families and transform communities.

This is the mission of The Be Kind People Project, a nonprofit that is now collaborating with the Sacramento chapter of Teach For America to help kids in some of the city’s most challenging and underprivileged communities learn that “it really is cool to be kind.”

During the week of Nov. 12, World Kindness Week, The Be Kind People Project will deliver personalized gifts of appreciation and Classroom Kindness Kits to hundreds of teachers working in schools across Sacramento. The schools receiving donations include PS7 Elementary School, PS7 Middle School, Capitol Collegiate Academy, Oak Park Preparatory Academy, Inderkum High School and Sacramento High School.

Each of the teachers will receive a Classroom Kindness Kit that includes thoughtful gifts of appreciation, as well as heartfelt messages of thanks for their commitment to student success. This November, the gifts will include colorful silicone sports watches to commemorate the organization’s conviction that - when it comes to educating children - “Every Minute Counts.”

Additionally, teachers will receive resources for their classrooms that include items for students to use to express kindness and give thanks to others. Parents and students will be provided with materials they can use to thank their teachers, including free e-cards available on The Be Kind People Project website.

According to The Be Kind People Project founder Marcia Meyer, “Students are hungry for these kinds of positive, constructive experiences, which provide a solid foundation of self-respect and an effective antidote to the scourge of bullying in schools. As one of our ‘Be Kind Kids’ so eloquently said, ‘Kindness is a force that can attack bullying and overthrow it.’ We believe that kindness can become an ongoing and vital part of students’ lives, extending beyond the classroom to affect their peer relationships and transform their communities.”

Expressing kindness requires imagination, creativity and an open heart. To help students develop these capacities, The Be Kind People Project sponsors several contests throughout the school year.

On Nov. 12, the organization will launch its second annual National Essay Contest, “How a Minute of Kindness Can Change a Day.” Students in grades K-12 will be invited to submit original essays that demonstrate how kindness impacts their life in the classroom, at home, with friends and in the community at large.

Each of the grand prize winners will receive personal prizes and a cash prize for their schools, and have their essay published on The Be Kind People Project’s website. Winners will also be recognized through social media outreach, in press releases and by receiving Kindness Star certificates. The winner’s teachers and classmates will also receive recognition and prizes.

To learn more about The Be Kind People Project and how to get involved, please visit the organization at www.theBeKindPeopleProject.org.

Disclosure: Ilisa Keith is Principal of KB Communications, a PR firm that works with The Be Kind People Project.

SCOE Students Vote in Mock Election

2012-10-30T20:34:38Z

The library at Leo A. Palmiter Jr./Sr. High School became a temporary polling place on October 30 as Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) students cast ballots in the 2012 MyVote California Student Mock Election.

Students from the Palmiter campus and the neighboring Elinor Lincoln Hickey Jr./Sr. High School voted on who they think should be President, Vice President, and U.S. Senator. They also voted on the ballot measures that will come before California voters in the November 6 General Election. Students participating in the Mock Election said they learned some valuable life lessons.

“I think it’s important because it helps us learn about life. It made me feel like I’m growing up fast,” said Palmiter student Michael Allen.

“I felt like I was able to make my own decision even though it wasn’t going to the actual election. It made me feel like I was responsible enough to make that decision,” said Palmiter student Amara Vader.

The MyVote California Student Mock Election, in conjunction with the California Campaign for the Civic Mission of Schools, provides students with an election season opportunity to make their voices heard on the candidates and issues that affect them and their families.

"For our students, this is not only a lesson in civics and civic responsibility, it's about showing them ways that they can make a difference by being part of the political process," said Palmiter Principal Lauren Roth. "The voting booth can often be intimidating and mock elections can give students a feel for what it's like to get involved in a 'real' election."

During student Mock Elections, students can compare their voting results to those of their peers around the state. They also can compare their decisions to those made by adult voters. The overall goal of the program is to help middle school and high school students discover the importance of elections and the power of their votes in our democracy.

"It's good for our young people to realize they have the potential to be a force in elections and, when they are old enough, they need to make voting a habit," said Hickey Principal Lisa Alcala. "Mock elections give students an introduction to the political process and show them how they can make their voices heard in our democracy."

This year, more than 100,000 California high school students participated in the MyVote California Student Mock Election. They joined millions of young mock election voters in other states in an impressive display of student opinion on the candidates and issues affecting the future of our state and nation.

Palmiter Jr./Sr. High School provides education to special needs students with the primary disability of Emotional Disturbance (ED). Hickey Jr./Sr. High School is a community school providing students an opportunity to continue their education and experience significant positive personal change in their lives.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

Mayor recognizes co-ops as vital part of local business community

2012-10-24T19:29:39Z

Mayor Kevin Johnson and the Sacramento City Council have unanimously approved a resolution declaring October 2012 as “Co-op Month” and honoring 2012 as the “Year of Cooperatives” in Sacramento.

“Co-ops are a vital part of Sacramento’s economic lifeblood, employing hundreds of workers and injecting millions of dollars into our economy,” said Steven Maviglio, President of the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, one of the largest co-op’s in the city. “We appreciate the recognition by the Mayor and Council of the critical importance of co-ops to our city and nation.”

Co-ops are member-owned and controlled businesses that operate for the mutual benefit of members. For more than a century, they have been a vital part of Sacramento and the world’s economies. Major cooperatives in Sacramento include Golden One Credit Union, California Co-op Cab, Farmers Rice Cooperative, and the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-operative.

Co-ops operate in every county in California and in numerous sectors, including financial, credit, energy, telecommunications, food distribution, retailing, child care, housing, and health care.

There are more than 29,000 cooperatives in the United States. They generated more than two million jobs and annual sales exceeding $652 billion. There are more than 800 million owners of cooperatives worldwide, with 1.5 million owners in California alone.

Disclosure: Karen Bakula is President of Karen Bakula & Company, Inc. and provides marketing services to the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op

Dustin Lance Black's "8" Comes to Sacramento

2012-10-13T18:19:14Z

Kate Sullivan Gibbens, with license from the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) and Broadway Impact, is proud to announce a one-night-only reading of “8,” Saturday, October 20, 2012 at the downtown Crest Theater.

“8” is a play chronicling the historic trial in the federal constitutional challenge to California’s Proposition 8, written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter and AFER Founding Board Member Dustin Lance Black.

Black, who pinned the Academy Award-winning feature film Milk and the film J. Edgar, based “8” on the actual words of the trial transcripts, first-hand observations of the courtroom drama and interviews with the plaintiffs and their families of the unprecedented case of the Federal District Court trial in Perry v. Schwarzenegger (now Perry v. Brown).

The case was filed by AFER to overturn Proposition 8, which stripped gay and lesbian Californians of the “fundamental freedom to marry”.

Gibbens, Producer/Director of the Sacramento production of “8,” worked with Black on the original play and is a graduate of UCLA with a MFA in Playwriting. “I’m excited to be able to bring to my hometown a project I am so proud of having a part in creating,” said Gibbens.

Following the play’s reading there will be a panel discussion concerning the play, and the history and future of Prop. 8. Kate Sullivan Gibbens will discuss adapting the trial transcripts to the play and working with Dustin Lance Black. Other panel members include plaintiffs Kris Perry and Sandra Stier. Sacramento’s Steve Hanson will be speaking and Dr. Larry Levine, Law Professor at the McGeorge School of Law will be on the panel.

“8” had its much-heralded Broadway world premiere on September 19, 2011 in New York City. Its West Coast premiere was at the Wilshire Ebell Theater on Saturday, March 3, 2012, in Los Angeles with an all-star cast.

“People need to witness what happened in the Prop 8 trial, if for no other reason than to see inequality and discrimination unequivocally rejected in a court of law where truth and facts matter,” said AFER Founding Board Member Dustin Lance Black. “The goal of ‘8’ is to show the world that marriage equality is a basic constitutional right. The facts are on our side and truth always finds the light.”

Currently, casting for the Sacramento production is almost complete. A majority of the participating actors and notable personalities will be local with one or two acceptations.
.

“8” will play at the Crest Theater (1013 K Street Downtown Sacramento) at 8pm, Saturday, October, 20, 2012. Tickets are on sale and range from $18, $28 $48, to $80VIP. This is a fundraiser for the American Foundation for Equal Rights. For more information and tickets go to: www.8insacramento.com and LIKE their Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/8insacramento.com .

Casting Notes:

West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon will play Judge Walker.

Playing the three lawyers will be actor/activist Ben Patrick Johnson
(www.benpatrickjohnson.com) as Ted Olson, B Street Theater favorite, Kurt Johnson as David Boies, and Sacramento Theater Company powerhouse, Matt K. Miller as Charles Cooper.

Los Angeles Comedian Thai Rivera (www.thairivera.com) will play plaintiff Jeff Zarillo along with Evan Brienza as Paul Katami.

Local teen actor twins, Grant and Austin Laut will portray Spencer and Eliott Perry.

Los Angeles actor and playwright Patrick Burns is featured as witness Ryan Kendall, along with Steve Minnow, Robin Hushbeck, Eason Donner, Michel RJ Campbell, and Nanci Zoppi. Also playing witnesses are local politician Ben Phillips and gay rights pioneer George Raya.

Janis Stevens will take on gay rights foe, Maggie Gallagher and Jessica Goldman will play the clerk.

“8” SACRAMENTO CAST LIST

Broadcast Journalist (TBA)
Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker Christopher Cabaldon (Mayor of West Sacramento)
Theodore B. Olson (Plaintiffs’ attorney) Ben Patrick Johnson (Model, Actor, Gay Activist www.benpatrickjohnson.com )
David Boies (Plaintiffs’ attorney) Kurt Johnson (Sacramento Actor)
Charles J. Cooper (Proponents’ attorney) Matt K Miller (Sacramento Actor, Director, Playwright, Teacher)
Jeff Zarrillo (Plaintiff) Thai Rivera (LA – Comic - http://thairivera.com/)
Paul Katami (Plaintiff) Evan Brienza (Sacramento Actor)
Sandy Stier (Plaintiff) (TBA)
Kris Perry (Plaintiff) (TBA)
Elliot (Kris and Sandy’s son) Grant Laut (Sacramento Actor)
Spencer (Kris and Sandy’s son) Austin Laut (Sacramento Actor)
Dr. Nancy Cott (Plaintiffs’ witness) Robin Hushbeck (Sacramento Actress)
Maggie Gallaager (Marriage Equality opponent) Janis Stevens (Sacramento Actress)
Dr. Ilan Meyer (Plaintiff’s witness) Eason Donner (Sacramento Actor)
Ryan Kendall (Plaintiff’s witness) Patrick Burns (LA – From Foster Care to Fabulous)
Dr. Gregory Herek (Plaintiff’s witness) Michael RJ Campbell (Sacramento Actor)
Dr. Gary Segura (Plaintiff’s witness) Nanci Zoppi (Sacramento Actress)
Dr. William Tam (Prop 8 proponent) Ben Phillips (running for SMUD board)
David Blanenhorn (Proponent’s witness) Steve Minnow (Sacramento Actor)
Evan Wolfson (Marriage Equality advocate) George Raya (Gay Rights Pioneer)
Court clerk Jessica Goldman

Disclosure: Ken Pierce is a local Freelance Journalist and activist. Pierce owns a Public Relations and Social Media Consulting business here in Sacramento. You can contact Pierce at kpierce8272@yahoo.com.

Soaring Gas Prices Prompts 7 Tips On Saving Gas

2012-10-07T15:35:15Z

I recently realized that two things I desperately needed to get under control. First, gas prices have shot up...way up, and while prices will certainly level out, it’s just a matter of time when we will be facing higher prices once again.

Alright I can’t do anything about that, however I also noticed my Subaru Outback wasn’t getting the MPG (miles per gallon) I was getting several months ago. I had to have some answers so I asked Stephan White, Owner of Stephan’s Auto Haus, what is going on and how can I save on fuel?

“While there are the obvious answers to your question, like driving slower and cutting down on non-important trips, taking public transportation or riding a bike, there are a few things most people don’t think about when it comes down to finding ways to reduce fuel consumption when using a vehicle.” answered White.

1 First, if your Wheels are not aligned properly, they are fighting against themselves and causing wear as they “scrub” the road. This causes more rolling resistance. Higher rolling resistance uses more fuel.

2 Shocks and Struts are important too, keeping the tires “on the road” instead of bouncing which causes uneven wear of your tires. Once this happens, there will be high and low spots created on your tires better known as “chopped” tires. Replacing worn Shocks and Struts will help save fuel.

3 Tire rotation saves fuel too. Keeping your tires wearing evenly helps for easy road resistance, thus saving on gas use.

4 Regular changing of your oil and air filter…yes really, changing your engine oil gets rid of fuel robbing deposits that your engine creates under normal driving conditions. Replacing your Engine Air Filter saves your engine from struggling to pull air though the dirty air filters.

5 Tire pressure is obvious and most suggested by experts. A properly filled tire pressure will help reduce rolling resistance of your tires. Once again the lower the rolling resistance, the less fuel consumption you will experience.

6 Back in the day, they used to be called tune ups, but today they are maintenance services that are done at certain mileage intervals, mostly at 20/40/60k miles. These services are required to protect your new car warranty, but they also save fuel.

7 Lastly, Stephan suggested I get a GPS device for my car as I recently did. When I calculate a trip I mostly use the “Shortest Distance” calculation and was surprised to find short cuts I never knew about before. Cutting down the distance to and from places I travel daily has shown a vast improvement at the gas pump.

Stephan’s Auto Haus is a full service, auto repair shop specializing in German, Japanese and Domestic automobiles. The shop is located at 3950 Attawa Ave., Sacramento, CA 95822. For a free multi-point inspection call Service Advisor Robert Mosqueda or owner Stephan White at (916) 456-3040 or check out their Web site at www.StephansAutoHaus.com.

Local Organization hosts Bullying Awareness Conference

2012-10-05T22:53:30Z

Be B.R.A.V.E. – Say Something-Do Something

For many students in the fourteen school districts within Sacramento County and dozens more in outlying areas, attending to school should be, for the most part, happy and memorable.

However for thousands of students who fall under an at-risk category for bullying and peer-abuse, attending school can be extremely stressful, mentally and physically abusive, and at times, simply unbearable.

There is a difference between peer-conflict and outright peer-abuse. Reasons at-risk students are targeted for peer-abuse can be religious, physical attributes, social status, being handicapped, and perceptions of being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.

October is National Anti-bullying Awareness Month and B.R.A.V.E. (Bullies Really are Violating Everyone) Society, a Sacramento grassroots non-profit bringing awareness to the bullying and peer-abuse problem in our schools and community and the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services is sponsoring a bullying awareness conference and community fair.

This informative and fun event is for families, teachers, administrators, professionals and the general public and is entirely free.

Registration begins at 11:30am, Saturday, October, 20, 2012 at the Saca Community Center, 2469 Rio Linda Blvd., Sacramento, CA. The conference portion begins at noon and runs through 3:00pm. A Community Resource Fair will continue through 5:00pm.

For more information contact: Lisafordberry@bravesociety.org or visit the web site at www.BraveSociety.org.

Program Overview

The conference opens with a short welcome and entertainment from the Maquilli Tonatiua Aztec Dancers and Jovi Radtke, spoken word artist who will perform an original piece for this event. In addition, peer abuse survivors, 7 year old Giovanni Sandoval , and Veronica Sukkary will offer words of encouragement.

Between 12:30pm and 1:00pm Deborah Shafer , mother of two children who watched her youngest child suffer at the hands of her child’s peers through cyberbullying will speak to others encouraging them to stand up and, “Say Something”.

Lisa Ford Berry , founder of B.R.A.V.E. Society and mother of two sons, the youngest son she lost in 2008 on his 17th birthday due to a peer abuse driven bullycide in response to relentless hate-biased cyberbullying, will tell her story and address being able to “Do Something”.

From 1:00 – 3:00pm conference attendees will be encouraged to move to breakout sessions to learn more about how to make their schools and community a safer place.

“Bullying 101” is a session that will answer the question: What is bullying, who bullies and why? There also be tips for family members and friends of bullying victims. Matt Huckabay, Executive Director at the Center for Violence Free Relationships and President of the Board of Directors for the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault and several other professional organizations will facilitate this session.

In the next session, “Caring and Courageous Kids” facilitator, Dee Di Gis, school Speech Language Therapist, wrote and directed a film, Which Team Will You Choose. She will screen and talk about working with students in her school who were affected by bullying as well as those who have witnessed bullying, but did not know what to do help their fellow students.

“Seth’s Law, and What You Can Do” is an important session anyone who knows a student in school or is in some way connected with a school will want to attend. Facilitators James Gilliam, a well-known attorney and Executive Director of the ACLU of Southern California and John Merical, retired Police Captain from the Sacramento City Police Department and current director for Oak Park Outreach Service will lead a discussion on Seth’s Law which became law as of July 1, 2012.

This law requires all public schools to put procedures in place to address incidents of bullying and to explicitly state their policies on discrimination against gay and lesbian students as well as against all other minorities.

“The Justice League” is a forum that will offer insights and tips for parents, legal guardians, and educators to learn how to distinguish the difference between peer abuse and peer conflict and to reinforce their roles as trusted resources to help students as heroes to confront the bullying in constructive and safe ways.

The two facilitators of this session include: Joanna Jullien , mother of two sons, trained at U.C. Berkeley in Social Anthropology. She is also author of the ebook, “The Authority In Me: The Power of Family Life in the Network Culture – A Parent’s Voice in the Cyber Wilderness”. Valinda Frost was a victim of peer abuse while growing up in poverty. Today she has earned her M.A. in education with duel emphasis on Curriculum and Instruction and Administrative Leadership and currently working on her doctorate.

“Resiliency Ready” will be facilitated by Dr. Shadi Jani M.D ., a physician with an extensive background in Social and Community medicine and Margaret Scott, Professor of Psychology at American River College. Those who attend this breakout session get to understand the ability of individuals, families and communities to effectively handle and overcome adversity or significant stress in ways that are not only effective but promote health, wellness and lead to an increased ability to act in response to future life crises.

In “Safety and Security”, attendees will learn how families can stay safe using the internet at home. Facilitators include: Linda McCarthy is the former Senior Director of Internet Safety at Symantec, and has 20+ years’ experience helping families and corporations with security. McCarthy is the author of “Own Your Space”, the most downloaded security content for teens in the world.

Nicholas Phirippidis, FBI Special Agent is assigned to the Violent Crimes Against Children Squad of the Sacramento FBI field office where he has been investigating child pornography and cyber terrorism investigations for the past five years, will give a presentation on “FBI Internet Safety.” Topics covered will be social networking, cyberbullying, sexting, and share a few real-life FBI case studies.

From 3:00pm to 5:00pm there will be a free and fun Community Resource Fair for the entire family. There will be street entertainers, free food, and several organizations that will be on hand to offer their services and valuable information to the community.

The Sacramento Kings Dancers will be our special guests and will perform two dances for everyone attending.

For the youth in attendance there will be martial arts demonstrations , a mini basketball camp , and children will be encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes.

In addition door prizes and much more will be offered to make the conference and fair both informative and fun for the entire family.

Disclosure: Ken Pierce is a local Freelance Journalist and LGBTQ Activist. Pierce owns a Public Relations and Social Media Consulting business here in Sacramento. You can contact Pierce at kpierce8272@yahoo.com.

3rd Annual ScholarShare Children's Book Festival Brightens FairyTale Town

2012-10-05T07:25:50Z

The 12th annual ScholarShare Children’s Book Festival brought literature, laughter, and a love of learning to FairyTale Town in Land Park. The walkways were dotted with information tables, art & craft activities, and opportunities for children and the young at heart.

Kathy Fleming, Executive Director of Fairytale Town proudly welcomed the family event to the beloved children’s playland that will be 53 years old this year. She revealed that FairyTale Town will be renovating Sherwood Forest this November adding more climbing apparatus and things for the kids to play on and hoping to install another train for the Little Engine that Could train set.

The most exciting news she had to share, was their Halloween event, held the last weekend of October (Oct. 26, 27, and 28th). The theme is a Grimm Halloween, a takeoff on Grimm’s Fairytales. It will be three nights of trick or treating fun and the kids will get more than candy, as there will be arts and crafts activities, and thankfully, toothbrushes.

Melissa Paul of News 10, opened the day by reading with her daughter from one of their favorite books, The Paperbag Princess. The lawn area in front of the Mering Family Mother Goose Stage was soon covered with families enjoying the many presentations by authors and illustrators.

Francie Dillon, the Voice of FairyTale Town, brought her considerable energy and charm, kicking off the day with with music and movement. She was greeted warmly and returned the love tenfold.

A book fair offered many choices for all ages, and several organizations had free books for early learners. Children and parents found comfort beneath shade trees sharing their love of reading.

Illustrator Kenneth Spengler shared Desert Night, Desert Day showing the rich images within. His interactive presentation invited young artists to challenge him by giving him a simple doodle which he would then draw on and incorporate into a story.

Humpty Dumpty and Clifford recieved more than their share of hugs from their many young fans. To the young ones, these were true superstars.

Author Dawn Wynne read from I Remember When…, a journey down memory lane, based on stories she’d heard from her parents and grandparents. Her multi-dimensional book reveals to young children the wonders of rotary dial phones, washboards, black & white TV’s, and typewriters as a grandmother connected her grandkids with her memories of another era.

Joanne Jeffers Veeck brought two books to share. Your Leaves are Pretty is set in Sacramento’s Capitol Park, and gave a colorful history of it’s growth and development. We Love You Just the Way You Are - A True Story is a touching book about a boy with special needs, and how the community came to support and understand him.

Besides books, there were countless art, craft, and other interactive activities to keep young hands busy and to fill young hearts with joy. Hands cut, colored, and pasted while imaginations soared.

Hazuki Kataoka used Storycard Theater cards to share multicultural legends, allowing readers to share the art on the front, while reading the story text on the back. The Storycard program follows the traditional Japanese Kamishibai storytelling technique, adapted to modern Western literature.

Dorina Lazo Gilmore’s book, Cora Cooks Pancit, is a reflection of her own childhood. In this book, a young girl and her mom share their love of cooking while exploring their rich Filipino culture. The recipe for Pancit, a Filipino noodle dish, is included in each book.

The Mering Family Mother Goose Stage at FairyTale Town was the literary center of Sacramento for two days - at least in the eyes of the younger ones.

Rescue 3D Brings Heroes to Life in IMAX

2012-10-05T04:41:30Z

Rescue 3D is an new film at the Esquire IMAX Theatre that takes the viewer on a larger-than-life journey with brave men and women whose lives are often put at risk in the service of others. The film continues the IMAX’s tradition of enveloping the audience with sensory-loaded experience and is best seen in the full-sized setting, with the 60x80 foot screen and thunderous 24,000 watt digital sound system. Rescue 3D follows the lives of four characters: Canadian Navy Commander Peter Crain of HMCS Athabaskan; USAF Captain Lauren Ross, pilot of a C-17 military transport airplane, U.S. Army Major Matthew Jonkey, pilot of a CH-47 helicopter and; Steven Heicklen volunteer Emergency Manager. The film takes us though their rigorous training, where “good enough” is never “good enough”. Their skills and dedication are tested as they are called to duty after Haiti’s 2010 earthquake. As it were, the crew was filming training exercises aboard the Canadian ships HMCS Athabaskan and Halifax. When these two vessels were called in for the rescue effort, the IMAX film took a more immediate and vital focus.

This latest production from Stephen Low, a highly honored IMAX director and screenwriter. His production company has been responsible for many of the popular films in the IMAX library, including Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag, Legends of Flight, The Ultimate Wave: Tahiti, Superspeedway, Rocky Mountain Express, and The Flight of the Aquanaut. Released in both 2D and 3D versions in the huge IMAX format in 2010, this 45-minute film maximizes the viewer experience, taking one over, under, and through the dangers that these rescuers encounter during the carefully coordinated earthquake rescue and relief effort. The huge film crew, not wanting to tax the limited resources of quake-stricken Haiti, chose to base themselves in neighboring the Dominican Republic, shuttling personnel and material daily. With the infrastructure in chaos, and the ongoing human tragedy surrounding them, the IMAX crew found themselves also stretching out their abilities and improvising with the daily company and community needs.

Commander Peter Crain commands a Canadian Navy destroyer. Originally on a training mission, the Commander and his ship become our seaborne window to the international rescue effort. On January 12, 2010, the HMCS Athabaskan’s radio came to life, giving us the first hint of the devastation from a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that had laid waste to much of Haiti. Immediately, the highly disciplined crew moved to action. IMAX cameras that were already on board, put the viewer in the center of the crisis, and revealed to us the cooperation between American and Canadian resources.

Captain Lauren Ross pilots a huge C-17 Globemaster, a U.S. Air Force cargo plane. We come to realize the precision of C-17 pilots, as they land and take off from makeshift runways, bringing in equipment, supplies, and personnel so important to this rescue effort. We are further surprised to find how the plane itself is transformed into a multi-bed flying hospital. As Captain Ross so perfectly put it, “I’d like to think that if I was in a disaster, hurt and all alone, that someone would come to my rescue.”

Steven Heicklen is a concrete contractor by trade as well as a volunteer fireman and EMT. His volunteer efforts are not limited to hometown and local emergencies, as he brings his considerable energies and skills to the Haitian people. Years of heavy equipment experience, medical training, and a willingness to put himself on the line made him the ideal Disaster Coordinator for “Team Ange” (Angel) at one hospital in the southern region.

Major Matt Jonkey flies a Chinook (CH-47) helicopter from the Nevada Army National Guard. Asked about his role in the IMAX film, he responded, “It’s been a lot of fun. The reason I enjoyed doing it is because it’s something can show my kids and something I can be proud of doing.”

The film goes back and forth from various viewpoints. We see the news reports on television, then revisit the disaster riding along with our rescuers. At other times, the IMAX cameras film from amidst the devastation, as survivors clamor for the food, medical supplies, and human comfort brought in by the international heroes. The images on the huge screen of the destruction are stunning, as are the scenes build-by-building searches, mass evacuations, hungry children, and crowds of suvivors clinging to hope as well as to each other.

Though the film is only 45 minutes in length, the sheer sensory impact that we see, hear, and feel gives us a rich emotional experience. The Esquire IMAX Theatre is fortunate to have this film added to it’s library. Rescue 3D, now playing at the Esquire IMAX, joins the theater’s rotation of shorter IMAX films and full-length Hollywood features. The current schedule can be found at http://www.imax.com/oo/esquire-imax.

This film was the latest shown as part of the Esquire IMAX’s free Educator Screenings. The screenings are one of the benefits of their innovative Educator IMAX Connection (EIC) program, free to all educators. With an EIC membership, all educators have free access to any of the shorter IMAX films as well as the ability to see major Hollywood films for only a $5 upgrade. Educators can learn more and register for the program at http://www.imax.com/oo/esquire-imax/groups-and-field-trips.

The Esquire IMAX also provides Teacher workshops throughout the year, enabling educators to bring multimedia resources into the curriculum. Further information about any of the Educator Programs are available from Wendy Russell (wrussell@imax.com).

Disclosure: George H. Young is a member of the EIC (Educator's IMAX Connection)

Free Teacher's Day at the History Museum this Thursday!

2012-09-17T22:50:47Z

Attention teachers and educators...the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation is pleased to present the first-ever “Teacher’s Day at the Sacramento History Museum” on Thursday, September 20 from 4 to 7 p.m.!

In an effort to share information about the interactive and fun hands-on programs and educational exhibits on display at the Museum, knowledgeable docents will be available for area educators interested in learning more about new ways to help make California’s fascinating history come alive for their students. After all, visitors to the Sacramento History Museum can explore the region’s rich history from the days before the Gold Rush to the present. Plus, each educator who attends the special “Teacher’s Day” will receive a free raffle ticket for a chance to win door prizes such as teacher’s guide books, education props and even a future field trip to the Sacramento History Museum.

Don’t miss the opportunity to enhance learning in fun new ways at the first-ever “Teacher’s Day” at the Sacramento History Museum!

Disclosure: Traci Rockefeller Cusack represents a number of businesses and organizations throughout the greater Sacramento region including the Historic Old Sacramento Foundation.

A.M. Winn Elementary to Open Waldorf-Inspired Kindergarten

2012-08-17T16:53:13Z

A.M. Winn Elementary School Principal Michael Kast bends down on one knee to loosely knot a yard of silky fabric around the neck of Tyler Reynolds, 6.

Instantly, Tyler is transformed. No longer just an ordinary kindergartener, he is now a superhero, with the cape to prove it. He runs out the open door of the freshly painted classroom into a small play area, where he leaps – in a single bound – atop a tree stump.

Tyler’s transformation isn’t the only one planned at A.M. Winn.

With the opening of a new Waldorf-inspired kindergarten this fall, the A.M. Winn community intends to bring a decidedly different educational model to the school, one based on Sacramento City Unified School District’s successful Alice Birney Waldorf-Inspired K-8 School.

“This is a vibrant program with proven results,” says parent Karen Reynolds, mother of Tyler and his brother, Julian, 8. “I’m excited about it.”

Reynolds served on A.M. Winn’s Design Team, a group of parents, teachers, administrators, staff and community members charged last spring with envisioning the best possible program – a “dream school” – for the Rosemont-area campus.

After researching several programs, and touring area schools, the team opted to convert A.M. Winn to a Waldorf-inspired school, beginning with kindergarten this fall. The plan is to add other Waldorf-inspired grade levels, including a seventh and eighth grade, as the program expands.

Reynolds says she was sold on the program after visiting Alice Birney, which was expanded to a new location two years ago to accommodate parent demand but still has a waiting list. “It seemed like a more caring, fulfilling environment,” Reynolds says. “It also had a lot of the elements we’re losing these days, including art, music and the learning of a second language.”

Waldorf-inspired schools are places where imagination, creativity and critical thinking skills necessary for college and careers are fostered in a supportive “whole child” environment. Developed in Germany in the early 1900s, the Waldorf education model is used in 60 countries. There are 44 Waldorf-inspired public schools in the United States. SCUSD opened the country’s first public Waldorf-inspired high school, George Washington Carver School of Arts and Sciences in Rosemont, in 2008.

SCUSD’s Waldorf-inspired schools take a complete approach to learning — “head, heart and hands” — and address each child as an individual with innate talents and abilities. Research shows that students in Waldorf-inspired programs have higher standardized test scores from fourth grade on. Ninety-four percent of students who graduate from Waldorf schools go on to attend college; 88 percent graduate from college.

A.M. Winn parent Barbara Hokamp grew up in Germany and attended a Montessori school. She said she wants to give her daughter Amy Mawacke, 9, a chance to experience a similarly innovative school that gives children the room to use their imagination and curiosity. “I know it works,” she says, “and I love the freedom built into the concept.”

Principal Kast says he likes the “developmental approach” of Waldorf-inspired schools. “It’s about teaching kids when they’re able to learn the best,” he says.

Kast encourages community members interested in learning more to call the school at (916) 228-5880 to arrange a visit. In addition, he is sponsoring a Waldorf-inspired kindergarten orientation at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, August 20 in Room 1 that will provide more information on the program. “This kind of program is built by strong word of mouth,” he says.

Reynolds agrees. “Once I sit down and have a conversation with parents, they get excited about the program,” she says. She likes to remind them, too, that the idea came from the community, partly in response to worries about A.M. Winn’s declining enrollment.

“This is what we asked for,” she says. “We asked for a chance. This is our chance.”

Disclosure: Janet Weeks is the Communications Manager for the Sacramento City Unified School District.

SCOE Announces 2013 Sacramento County Teachers of the Year

2012-08-16T16:44:17Z

A middle school teacher from the Sacramento City Unified School District and an elementary school teacher from the Robla School District are the Sacramento County Teachers of the Year 2013, the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) announced August 15 at a county-wide teacher recognition dinner.

Jennifer Ellerman teaches 7th Grade Language Arts at California Middle School, in the Sacramento City Unified School District, and Bob Crongeyer teaches 5th – 6th grade GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) at Taylor Street School in the Robla School District, North Sacramento. The two were selected from 15 Sacramento area teachers to represent the county in the California Teachers of the Year competition.

All 15 Sacramento area teachers will be honored when the Sacramento Kings host the Phoenix Suns on Friday, March 8, 2013. The Sacramento River Cats will also host a special Teacher Appreciation Night on Friday, April 26, 2013 at Raley Field.

Jennifer Ellerman and Bob Crongeyer now are eligible to advance to the statewide competition, out of which five teachers will be chosen as California Teachers of the Year. The five California Teachers of the Year are responsible for representing the teaching profession in a variety of settings and assisting their teaching colleagues in numerous ways throughout the calendar year of 2013. Their names and that of the one individual of the group selected as the state's nominee to the National Teacher of the Year Program will be announced later in the fall by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.

The Sacramento County Teachers of the Year Program is presented by the Sacramento County Office of Education in partnership with Maloof Sports and Entertainment, the Sacramento River Cats, the Intel Corporation and the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

Local Teens Need Your Help: Be a Mentor

2012-08-14T21:01:36Z

Mentoring doesn’t require a unique skill. It just takes a willingness to listen, offer encouragement, and share knowledge of what you’ve learned about life.

The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is seeking adult mentors to serve as positive role models for one hour a week as part of the LINKS Mentoring Program for high school students for the 2012-13 school year.

The format of mentoring sessions includes individual and team mentoring in a group setting. Weekly mentoring sessions occur on a set meeting day and time determined by each participating school. SCOE staff members facilitate mentor sessions, organize activities, and provide materials and support. Meeting days and times for each site will be determined before sessions begin.

Prospective mentors will be provided orientation and training before beginning group mentoring sessions. Several orientation and training events are available during August, 2012. In addition to recruiting individual volunteer mentors, SCOE is interested in forming partnerships with businesses and organizations that would support their employees or members in volunteering one hour per week to serve as mentors for deserving high school students.

LINKS Mentors may select from the following participating school sites:

Elinor Hickey Jr/Sr High School (SCOE)
2040 Ethan Way
Sacramento, CA 95825

North Area Jr/Sr High School (SCOE)
4000 Pinell Street
Sacramento, CA 95838

Calvine High School (Elk Grove Unified School District)
8333 Vintage Park Drive
Sacramento, CA 95828

Kinney High School (Folsom Cordova Unified School District)
2710 Kilgore Road
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670-6104

The LINKS Mentoring Program is operated by SCOE’s Prevention and Student Services (PASS) Department. The program is made possible through a grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

To learn more about the LINKS Mentoring Program and to apply to become a mentor, contact Cheryl Raney (916) 228-2201 or craney@scoe.net.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

Denver Ranks Top in the Nation for Educated Workforce: A Catalyst for Conversation

2012-08-07T20:45:21Z

Regions, not states or nations, will power future economies, and attracting, educating and retaining a skilled professional employment base is essential to regional economic vitality. With a diversified economic base ranging from energy to aerospace and bioscience to information technology, Metro Denver has emerged as a national leader for producing scientific talent and ranks today as the nation's second-most highly educated workforce.

"Metro Denver is repeatedly recognized as a bright spot in the national economy, thanks to our diverse array of high-tech businesses, relatively low cost of doing business, active and highly educated population, and ability to attract and retain a young and vibrant workforce," said Patty Silverstein, the Metro Denver EDC's chief economist. Today, Metro Denver has the ninth-highest concentration of high-tech workers among the 50 largest metro areas, and ranks:

• Third in the nation in concentration of high-tech workers in the country (TechAmerica, 2010)
• Fourth in number of proprietors as a percent of total employment (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

Currently the Sacramento region’s most distinctive business clusters include food and agriculture, biosciences, health services, information technology, and clean energy technology. For the past 13 years, the Sacramento region has been the clean tech job growth leader in California, with more than 14,000 clean technology jobs. In 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ranked the Sacramento area twelfth in the number of energy-efficient buildings in the United States and was ranked seventh among California’s top solar cities in terms of electric capacity according to the research group Next 10. As Next Economy sets out to build upon and execute bold, new approaches to economic development across our region, the 2012 Study Mission to Denver, Colorado September 12-14 is perfectly timed.

Over the past two decades, Denver has invested in civic and economic infrastructure improvements to create a robust cultural and social experience as a means to attract and retain a young and highly skilled workforce.

Denver’s “one-for-all" approach and legendary "can-do" attitude to creating a competitive environment that attracts companies, talent and jobs has paid off and Metro Denver leaders cite region-wide collaboration as the linchpin of their success. Learn more. Join us in Denver, Colorado September 12-14.

For more information on this year’s Study Mission program, visit http://metrochamber.org/studymission

Disclosure: Lindsey Valenti is the Marketing and Communications Manager for the Sacramento Metro Chamber

Bridging the Achievment Gap with Dr. Rex C. Fortune

2012-08-06T06:06:56Z

Dr. Rex C. Fortune’s new book, “Bridging the Achievement Gap, What Successful Educators and Parents Do,” was the focus of a book launch event and discussion Saturday afternoon at Underground Books in Oak Park.

Following a warm introduction by host Mother Rose, proprietor of Underground Books, Fortune, who earned his PhD in education from Stanford University in 1972, conveyed the inspiration, insight and leadership that have been the hallmark of his distinguished career as an educator.

Fortune first shared his heartfelt gratitude towards his son, Rex C. Fortune III, and Phawnda Moore, both of whom were present at the event and were instrumental in seeing the book through to completion.

Fortune III, who serves as Vice President of Fortune and Associates, provided the initial support and encouragement when Fortune was considering expanding upon his previous book, “Leadership on Purpose: Promising Practices for African American and Hispanic Students,” co-authored by Dr. Rosemary Papalewis. Fortune III also did basic research critical to designing the methodology of the study during the project’s beginning phases when only he and his dad were working on the project.

Moore is a Communication Specialist that joined the team 15 months ago as the editor of the book that was to be published by Fortune’s educational company, Fortune and Associates. Moore’s efforts were recognized by the National School Public Relations Association. The book received their prestigious 2012 award for editing, designing and managing the production of “Bridging the Achievement Gap.”

Fortune commenced his substantive remarks by posing the question, “Why did I do this?”

By way of response, he then explained that there are those schools that do well despite the fact that their student population consists of a very high concentration of black and Hispanic students and over half of the school’s students qualify for free or reduced school lunches. He stated that the story of their positive achievements was not being told.

The attentive audience, compromised of parents, fellow educators and advocates for education, came to seek solutions to help improve the academic performance of schools whose student bodies are comprised largely of African American and Hispanic students from economically disadvantaged circumstances.

When explaining what the achievement gap consists of, Fortune used statistics to demonstrate that African American and Hispanic students consistently lag far behind Asian and white students in terms of performance at grade level while matriculating through grades K-12, in high school graduation rates, and moving forward after high school to complete at least a bachelor’s degree.

The importance of these numbers was highlighted by the fact that 50% of the six million California students in K-12 are Hispanic and another 7% are African American. Fortune drove home the point by stating that the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) is depressed when former underachieving students enter the work force in large numbers and are not as productive as they could be because too many of them lack basic skills.

The aim of his study, which formed the basis for the book, was to determine factors that made a difference with the purpose of building a model for replicating in order to spread success to other similarly situated schools with underperforming student populations.

Drawing from the meticulous research that is the foundation of his book, Fortune describes the common denominators of the 20 high achieving schools (5 charter schools and 15 traditional public schools) selected for the study, where a majority of students performed below grade level proficiency before transformative measures were implemented.

The result is a comprehensive set of recommendations for improvement which are encapsulated in the book. Its chapters detail specific policies and ideas that, once implemented, were successful in turning around an underperforming school and maintaining a high level of achievement thereafter.

Fortune emphasized that raising the level of expectations of teachers, students and parents, along with instilling the belief that improved academic performance could be achieved, is the necessary glue that holds all of the stakeholders together when changes follow that are unfamiliar and cause discomfort. He further indicated that the pain and sacrifices must “be made with confidence” that the necessary measures will result in long term benefits and rewards.

In a series of brief anecdotes, Fortune relayed how the expectations of his own parents and members of the community where he was raised in North Carolina played a significant role in his belief that “his generation should do better than the generation before.”

In the chapter of the book entitled, “Parent Engagement at School and at Home,” Fortune outlines 11 successful parenting practices that contribute to high achieving students. Some of these include establishing routines that emphasize the importance of education in the home in addition to at school, as well as role modeling behaviors of learning and de-emphasizing distracting activities such as too much television, social networking and playing video games.

Fortune discussed key parenting practices that result in a student progressing in his or her learning and maintaining proficiency at or above a grade level. Practices included engaging in activities essential to building a child’s vocabulary, providing a suitable place for learning in the home, frequently monitoring a child’s progress, extending praise for accomplishments, and seeking out additional help to supplement a child’s deficiencies.

Fortune also noted that parents and teachers that have multiple means of communicate with each other increase the likelihood that the child will maintain suitable progress in his or her education.

In his book, Fortune stresses that for the strategies to be successful, educators that come to an underperforming school must be committed from the outset to work with high need students and genuinely desire to be there.

In addition, the school must establish a pacing of subject matter that ensures mastery of content included on standardized tests that measure academic progress, implement frequent assessments and make appropriate adjustments of instructional plans along the way.

Fortune points out in his book that these are some of the themes that are common in schools with high minority populations that have been successful in closing the performance gap.

Another important factor is that there exists a level of camaraderie among school staff including teachers. Equal, if not more important, is the idea that teachers, school leaders and parents are all on the same page about student behavior in and out of the classroom.

These elements are necessary to create an atmosphere where there is a universal belief that learning will take place and that the achievements of staff will be recognized, regardless of how modest the educational facilities may be.

Fortune related that in order to expand upon the model of success that is detailed in his book, as many as possible of the 33 promising teaching practices should be incorporated, even if all of them cannot be done initially.

Fortune also acknowledged that investing more time in students by making changes in the academic calendar is a proven strategy that has been successful. Examples include increasing the length of the school day dedicated to learning and increasing the number of school days available for children who are already behind to “catch up.”

Fortune noted that making use of the time available to students during more frequent break periods is another component of the strategy that may be included to bridge the achievement gap. He went on to indicate that proper assessment of what skills students actually possess at the outset is key to determining what needs to be done, even if it requires an individual plan for each student.

The role of leadership was a topic that did not escape Fortune’s attention before he closed out his formal talk and engaged in a question and answer session with members of the audience. He indicated that political leaders who may not have children or are not directly affected by the issue of bridging the achievement gap may place a higher priority on other matters, such as public safety or highway construction.

Fortune stated that policymakers that are directly involved in education matters, including school boards, may be approached as taxpayers who are funding an educational system that could be improved through strategic changes.

A successful approach to implementation is to begin by making wholesale changes at some of the lowest performing schools by putting into operation a model that mimics the high achieving schools and see if it works.

Fortune went on to indicate that education is not simply the providence of schools and that we all need to do our share. He closed his remarks by issuing a challenge.

“What is your commitment to make education more effective to those who need it most?”

Thereafter, Fortune related that making a difference was his purpose over selling books or DVDs. He indicated that a measure of personal satisfaction was achieved following the San Bernardino School Board’s response to a group of parents a few years ago. The parents wanted to create a charter school and model it after PS-7, the high achieving K-8 school located in Oak Park that is a part of St. Hope Public Schools.

After the San Bernardino School Board approved the idea, the Hardy Brown College Prep School was founded in 2010. It started with a 95% African American population whose student population all tested below basic skill levels before the school opened its doors.

The results of the first year’s test scores on the A.P.I. (Academic Performance Index), was 767, well above the state average of 685 for African American students. The school appears to be within reach of its five year goal of an average score of 800 within just two years, and plans to eventually expand from K-3 to K-8.

The lively question and answer session with Fortune that followed ranged from diverse subjects such as children with special needs, vocational education, and the tracking system popular on larger school campuses whereby some students are steered toward college prep and advanced placement courses while others are guided into vocational training or less rigorous courses that still satisfy graduation requirements.

Fortune’s thoughtful responses reflected his many years of experience with a wide spectrum of students who present different challenges and whose needs may be addressed in different ways. He indicated that students with behavioral problems must be appropriately managed in order for learning to take place, and that special needs programs are often the best possible solution.

On the issue of vocational education, Fortune recalled the theoretical debates that raged during the 1920s and 1930s between Dr. W. E. B. Dubois and Booker T. Washington. The former was the first African American to obtain a Ph.D from Harvard and supported liberal arts education for African American along with full societal integration. The latter founded the Tuskegee Institute (now known as Tuskegee University) and supported vocational education. His approach attracted the support of many Southern whites due to his less proactive stance on the issue of full societal integration.

Fortune went on to state that due to historical perceptions about racial equality and the need to end segregation, a historical misconception and prejudice developed in the African American community against vocational education. He indicated that it most likely worked against many students of color who attempted but failed to complete college, but would have been well served from training for a well paying, high skill vocational career.

“What is most important is that we must teach our kids,” stated Grace Carter-Douglas, an author and community activist who is a living legend in Oak Park. She indicated that she enjoyed the question and answer session most of all.

“We don’t give up on our kids and we don’t give them up to people who don’t care about them,” said Carter-Douglas.

Marichal Brown, co-owner of Master Barber shop, a local hub for cultural and community events, indicated that he attended the book launch discussion to hear Fortune speak.

“I want to get my grandchildren ready for success,” Brown said.

“I think the plan they have for education is amazing,” stated Brown when commenting on the many ideas presented by Fortune that are supported by his track record of accomplishments.

After the event, Fortune III, indicated that he was proud of his role as a researcher in the creation of “Bridging the Achievement Gap.” He further indicated that it was important to maintain complete editorial control over the final product, which led to the decision to publish the book under the auspices of Fortune and Associates.

“We wanted the freedom to tell the story as it needed to be told,” said Fortune III.

“I see the book as a way for public schools to improve,” stated retired Florin High School teacher Maria Herndon, who now teaches mathematics at Cosumnes River College.

“It doesn’t have to be all or nothing at all,” Herndon said. “School principals and teachers who read the book can implement some of the recommendations even if they can’t do them all.”

Mother Rose of Underground Books was pleased with the number of people who came out to support the event and Fortune’s presentation.

“I thought it was a very informative discussion about his book,” Mother Rose stated. “There is an achievement gap with minority students and the word is getting out about what needs to be done to turn around the statistics.”

“Bridging the Achievement Gap, What Successful Educators and Parents Do,” is available for purchase in the color version by contacting Fortune and Associates through their website at www.fortuneandassociates.com. A black and white edition may be purchased through Amazon.com and a Kindle edition is also available.

Fortune will be the featured guest speaker at the Sacramento County Department of Education Leadership Institute workshop scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. on Sept. 27 at the David P. Meany Center located at 10474 Mather Blvd. in Mather, California.

Those who are interested in attending the event should contact Kristen Coyle, Leadership Institute Director at the Sacramento County Office of Education. She can be contacted via telephone at (916) 228-2538, by email at kcoyle@scoe.net or through their website at www.scoeleadership.net.

Annet King comes to Sacramento

2012-08-01T05:30:05Z

For those who do not know who Annet King is let me first tell you that she is one of the most inspiring women I have ever met.

Annett King is the Director of Global Education for the International Dermal Institute (IDI) and Dermalogica. Her visit to Sacramento was for local undergrad students who are working hard in school to become esteticians. She spoke today at the International Dermal Institute in Sacramento, off of Howe Ave. I myself and many others were honored to hear her speak. The topic today was on “Making the Leap”; the start to a career in the skin care proffession.
Annet King dicussed some valuable information about how education should never end after graduating school. She explains how consumers need skin treatments now more than ever and the profession is taken much more seriously. Consumers are more aware and up to date about what products are out there because of the vast knowledge that is available from media and social interactions.

She explains that in this new economy people are more aware of what they are spending their money on and that skin professionals have a different mindset about delivering services with extra value to the consumer. She goes on to explain that roughly 56% of the market is interested in anti-aging products. If the consumer/client buys products off the shelf, these product that they are buying may not be as active ingredient. With professional skin care you will get better results because the skin Care professionals are touching and analyzing the skin up close. The proffessional will know what is best for the skin.
King also mentions that 95% of the skin care clients are women, but knew product are out there that make it easier for men to care for their skin as well. She also talks about the importance of SPF and how most of the damage to our skin is cause by the sun. If you burn 5 times your chances of getting skin cancer goes up dramatically.
King also talks about her own experiences being in the skin care industry working on crews ships and all over the world. She exlains how she has struggled herself and yet overcome her challenges by having a positive “Can Do Attitude”. She also says “The passion is what drives you.” The passion to really care for the clients is what will make you succeed.

Having Annet King in Sacramento would have been wonderful for anyone see her speak, but since I was fortunate enough to get the privilege. I thought I would share this with you, the reader.

Operation Backpack receives only 25% of school supply goal

2012-07-20T15:06:29Z

Struggling with overwhelming need and low donations, Volunteers of America is extending their community drive in hopes of providing thousands of Sacramento area children with the school supplies they need to succeed.
“Donations are down this year,” explains Volunteers of America’s Christie Holderegger. “For every single backpack donated so far this year, there are four more children in need. Quite simply, struggling families put their limited resources to food and housing… school supplies are a luxury that cannot be afforded.”

In response to the growing number of requests for assistance from the community, Volunteers of America has extended Operation Backpack through August 3, 2012, hoping to collect more than 5,000 new backpacks. Operation Backpack seeks to provide backpacks and school supplies for homeless and at risk youth, through Volunteers of America shelters, school districts, churches and other homeless shelter providers

The Sacramento region has been particularly hard hit by the economic downturn. Sacramento public schools have significantly higher numbers of homeless students than the national average, according to the Children’s Report Card. Homeless children attending school in the Sacramento area face a wide variety of challenges and long-lasting issues. Compared to other children, national statistics show they are:
• four times as likely to have developmental delays
• twice as likely to have learning disabilities
• twice as likely to repeat a grade (usually due to frequent absences and moves to new schools)

Furthermore, The National Center on Family Homelessness reports that less than 15 percent of students in homeless situations are proficient in reading or math, and fewer than 25 percent graduate from high school.

Volunteers of America is asking the Sacramento community to help support homeless and low-income children and their families by bringing new backpacks with school supplies to Operation Backpack drop-off locations, at Tri-Counties Bank branches and Volunteers of America administration offices (1900 Point West Way, Suite 270, Sacramento). Donations are also accepted online at OperationBackpackSac.org, or through Operation Backpack’s Amazon wishlist.

Operation Backpack seeks to provide some sense of normalcy and remove one obstacle from homeless students’ lives. With a new backpack and new school supplies, students get to feel more like “regular kids” and can start the school year on more even footing.

About Operation Backpack:

Now in its eighth year, Operation Backpack started as a way to provide children in Volunteers of America’s homeless shelters with new supplies for the school year. Operation Backpack is presented by lead sponsor Tri Counties Bank; media partner Clear Channel; and supporting sponsors PG&E, Sutter Health Sacramento Sierra Region, and Starbucks. For more information on Operation Backpack, please visit OperationBackpackSac.org.

About Volunteers of America
Founded locally in 1911, the Greater Sacramento & Northern Nevada office of Volunteers of America is one of the largest providers of social services in the region, operating more than 40 programs in eight categories: homeless services; homeless shelters; substance abuse treatment and recovery services; senior services; youth services; transitional housing; permanent supportive housing; and low income housing. In fact, Volunteers of America provides shelter or housing to nearly 1,500 men, women and children every night in the Greater Sacramento area. Nationally, Volunteers of America was founded in 1896 by Ballington and Maud Booth with the purpose to help those in need rebuild their lives and reach their full potential. Through thousands of human-service programs, Volunteers of America helps nearly 2 million people annually in more than 400 communities.

For additional information on Operation Backpack or Volunteers of America Greater Sacramento & Northern Nevada, please visit www.voa-sac.org.

Disclosure: Nicole Elton is the Marketing and Communications Officer for Volunteers of America.

Achievement gap educator at free book signing event Aug. 4

2012-07-13T00:04:15Z

“How can low-achieving minorities close the achievement gap?” Rex Fortune asked.

If you’re a parent, teacher or educator, that’s a complex question.

After several years of meticulously researching 20 California public schools, and personally visiting 7 exemplary models, the Sacramento education reform advocate listened to principals, teachers and parents, and has some answers for everyone.

They’re surprising – and proven to be effective.

Fortune holds a doctorate in education from Stanford University and has been a local educator for more than 40 years. He acknowledges that the achievement gap is both a local and a national issue and one that affects not only minority families, but also those who are poor.

He links the gap’s effect politically and economically. He is concerned, as are many citizens, about the lack of workforce training. For the taxpayer, he compares the cost of public education vs. incarceration. It’s the failure of a system, an economic dilemma, and a moral crisis.

Come to Underground Books on Saturday, August 4, where Fortune is appearing at a free book signing event for his newly published, 514-page book, Bridging the Achievement Gap: What Successful Educators and Parents Do. Fortune will be available to answer questions and discuss his findings from 2-4 pm at the bookstore, 2814 35th St. (corner of 35th and Broadway), Sacramento, California.

In addition to his experience, Fortune has combined careful research and one-on-one conversations to arrive at his recommendations. They include:
To close the achievement gap, educators need to set big goals and believe students can achieve them. And do what it takes.

To close the achievement gap, parents need to be cheerleaders for their children’s success, be involved, read to their children.

To close the achievement gap, teachers are more successful if they use standards- driven instruction, allow more time, and interact with parents.

Fortune is the chairman of the board at Fortune School of Education in Sacramento, California, a non-profit organization. He may be reached through his website: www.fortuneschool.us.

Disclosure: submitted by Phawnda Moore, Journalism Design, editor and designer of the book.

CROWDS MIGRATE TO PACIFIC FLYWAY FESTIVAL CELEBRATING AMERICA'S OLDEST ART FORM

2012-07-09T21:57:59Z

SACRAMENTO, CA – America’s oldest art form will be celebrated in grand style when the top U.S. and Canadian professional and amateur birding enthusiasts, carvers and artists gather in Sacramento for the popular 42nd Annual Pacific Flyway Decoy Association’s Classic Wildlife Art Festival, Saturday and Sunday, July 14-15, 2012, DoubleTree Hotel Sacramento, 2001 Point West Way. Designed for adults and kids of all ages, novices and “birders” alike, the event celebrates traditional wildlife artworks with contests, displays of carvings, fine art, priceless antique decoys, sculpture and interactive kids activities.

“Whether you’re an avid outdoor enthusiast, woodworker, birdwatcher, hunter, or fisherman, the weekend festival is an opportunity to marvel at the intricacies involved with the art of capturing wildlife in action through carvings, sculpture and paintings,” stated Jim Burcio, Vice President of the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association and an award-winning decoy artist.

The second longest running decoy carving festival in the nation, the event benefits the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association’s public education programs that emphasize the beauty of our native bird population and the original American art form of decoy carving, right here in the heart of the Pacific Flyway.

Some of the most entertaining and educational event activities include the Kid’s Painting Station. Kids of all ages will enjoy painting a carved bird art piece, in step-by-step fashion, to the finished work of art. This year, kids will have the chance to paint a drake Goldeneye!

And in a subtle nod to educators, kids can take part in a Migration Activity—a journey, much like migrating waterfowl, in search of six specific birds on the festival’s exhibition floor. When the task is successfully completed, everyone receives a migration certificate, the same as those used by The Federal Migratory Research Program (that shows where a bird was banded, migrated and collected).

Judged art, paint and float competitions will take place on the floor of the exhibition throughout the weekend for all to enjoy, along with endless displays of wildfowl carvings, decoys, songbirds and priceless antique decoys. Many of the West Coast’s top experts in carving, painting, airbrushing, texturing and tool operating will provide “how to” demonstrations in these techniques—eager to share their craft with the growing population of wildlife enthusiasts.

Exhibitors will also be on hand to sell carving supplies, sculptures, books, wildlife artwork, prints, photography and original watercolors—showcasing the many art forms that capture wildlife beauty.

The Pacific Flyway Decoy Association is a 501 C 3 non-profit association, dedicated to the preservation of wildfowl art through education. The organization and its remarkable history is now archived in the Library of Congress.

EVENT DETAILS
EVENT: Pacific Flyway Decoy Association 42nd Annual Classic Wildlife Art Festival

WHERE: DoubleTree Hotel, 2001 Point West Way, Sacramento CA 95815

WHEN: Saturday, July 14, 2012, 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, July 15, 2012, 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

TICKETS: $5.00 for the weekend, children under 12 years of age—FREE!

INFO: www.pacificflyway.org

Disclosure: Disclosure: Karen Bakula is President of Karen Bakula & Company, Inc., which manages public relations services for the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association Classic Wildlife Art Festival.

Organization Wants Schools to take Notice - Seth's Law is in Effect

2012-07-04T02:49:01Z

Peer-abuse and biased harassment is a problem in the best of schools. Last Sunday, “Seth’s Law” which forces public schools to better enforce existing anti-bullying policies took effect.

To those parents whose children were victims of peer abuse-driven bullycide, based on biased harassment, this California law comes too late.

However, for those students returning to school in the fall, it will offer them, as well as their parents’ valuable support in enforcing legal protections as well as creating a transparent compliance structure that schools must follow in order to be in compliance with Seth’s Law.

Authored by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) and sponsored by Equality California, ACLU, Gay-Straight Alliance Network, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, AB-9 requires schools to establish policies to prevent peer abuse, be responsive to complaints about bullying, train personnel how to recognize and intervene in bullying, and make resources available to victims of peer abuse.

Seth’s Law was named for Seth Walsh, a 13-year-old from Tahachapi, CA who took his own life, September 2010 after years of relentless peer-abuse, based on biased harassment.

According to the fact sheet on Equality California’s web site, Seth’s mother and friends “report that teachers and school administrators were aware that Seth was being harassed [and abused by his peers] and, in some instances, participated in the harassment. Yet pleas to the school for help were brushed aside”.

Beginning immediately, districts must take steps to improve their school climate, protect against harassment based on sexual orientation and gender expression as well as establish timelines for investigating claims of bullying and abuse. The law also covers religious and ethnic discrimination as well.

One local anti-bullying organization is planning on taking an active role in making sure schools adhere to the new law.

B.R.A.V.E. Society is a grassroots movement based in Carmichael and led by Lisa Ford-Berry who founded the non-profit after her youngest son Michael became a victim of a “peer-abuse driven bullycide” due to cyber-bullying.

On September 15, 2008, on his 17th birthday, Michael was found at Mira Loma High School, in the San Juan School District, with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.

In a situation very similar to the Walsh family, the Berry family also found themselves “at the mercy of a bureaucratic educational system that was complicated by cover-ups, lies, and deceit,” explained Berry.

Berry has said on numerous occasions “that heartache gave birth to B.R.A.V.E. because Bullies Really Are Violating Everyone”.

“What my son endured while under the care of educational professionals is criminal and until we, as a society place the emphasis and importance on both the child’s emotional wellbeing, as well as their physical wellbeing, peer abuse is going to continue to flourish within our schools and communities.”

Today, Berry is a fearless advocate on behalf of parents and their children. Her deep-held belief that more ties us together than separates us as a community is part of the passion that drives her dedication to our community’s children.

“Back in 2008, we didn’t have the tools, knowledge or the laws we currently have today, such as Seth’s Law, which would have helped my son when he needed it the most. Now if a student reports that he or she is being abused by their peers or harassed, there is legal recourse in place which includes informing the parents as well as identifying the perpetrators so proper actions can be taken,” said Berry who was called upon to testify in front of the legislative committee for AB-9.

Seth’s law was watered down, in-part, due to the original price tag of implementing safe-guards for children. Assemblyman Ammiano could not get the much needed votes in a tight economy where the focus was primarily on the budget and the subsequent deficient. When you add that to “conservatives and their inability and unwillingness to support the safety of all of our children, we were left with a watered down bill. However, it is a step in the right direction because Seth’s Law is the foundation for creating mandated reporting”.

School districts like the Sacramento Unified School District have been pro-active in putting in place the policies outlined, but other districts, especially the outlying ones in typically conservative neighborhoods such as San Juan, may have to be “encouraged” to do more than pay lip service to the law’” said Berry.

Lisa Berry makes it quite clear that for her, peer abuse and biased harassment, is a deeply personal issue, and she has no tolerance or patience for the all too often standard reply, “kids will be kids”.

Berry goes on to say, “Adults need to stop their own apathetic indifferences when it comes to peer on peer abuse. We are dealing with the behavior of abuse regardless of how we attempt to soften it. Furthermore, when we minimize that abusive behavior we are telling our children they are not loved, they are not worthy, and they are not important. We need to change how we treat our children who are being terrorized by their peers”.

On July 12, Berry, who has been extremely outspoken in the media, on the speakers circuit, and as an expert witness at legislative hearings about peer abuse biased harassment, is seeking to bring together a coalition of classroom teachers, school administrators, parents, law enforcement, city and state legislators, organization and community leaders, youth representatives, mental health professionals, researchers, and members of the community locally and from neighboring counties, to form an anti-peer-abuse task force.

The main intent of the task force will be to work together to actively bring awareness of the peer-abuse problem to the public at-large, especially during October, which is deemed National Anti-Bullying Awareness Month.

In addition, the task force will serve as a clearing house for parents, students and administrators in making sure school districts and their schools, principles, and teachers are implementing anti-peer abuse and harassment laws, aggressively protecting all at-risk students, while allowing all students, no matter what their physical attributes, physical/mental handicaps, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, and religious background, to be themselves in a safe atmosphere so they may have the same educational experience all students have the right to have in their schools and community.

For more information about attending the first meeting of the B.R.A.V.E. task force July 12, visit their web site at www.BraveSociety.org or RSVP Lisa Berry at lisafordberry@bravesociety.org.

SCOE Leadership Institute Honors 61 Graduates

2012-07-02T17:59:45Z

Family members, friends, and co-workers cheered inside the Rosemont High School auditorium on June 30, 2012, as 61 members of the second graduating class of the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) Leadership Institute proudly accepted their credentials. During the 2011-2012 school year, SCOE operated two cohorts, one at the county office and another in the Elk Grove Unified School District.

Each participant received a Preliminary Administrative Services Credential, which allows them to apply for and be competitive for site administrator, vice-principal, and district positions that require an administrative credential. The Preliminary Administrative Services Credential is authorized by State of California, California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

“This is an extremely challenging time to be working in education, let alone to be in a leadership position. However, more than ever, strong school leadership is vital to school improvement,” Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon told the graduates. “As educational leaders you must shape, cultivate and demonstrate a culture that motivates greatness.”

Studies indicate the Sacramento region faces a shortage of trained and talented school leaders. A study by WestEd found that by 2017, because of retirements and other factors, Sacramento County will need nearly 300 new school site administrators while the Sacramento region will need close to 500.

The Leadership Institute is a ten-month program which focuses on aspiring administrators to fill the expected need for highly qualified and trained administrators. In addition to aspiring administrators, the Institute is designed to help train newly appointed administrators with one or two years of experience, continuing administrators with three or more years of experience, as well as established district administrators. The Institute supports the development of the skills administrators need to provide leadership at school sites and in district administration.

The Leadership Institute is coordinated by Dr. L. Steven Winlock, former Associate Superintendent of Elementary Education for the Elk Grove Unified School District.

“The Institute began with a vision to provide leaders in our region who have the skills to lead our schools, guide education for all students and connect the community,” Dr. Winlock told the graduates. “You are the reality of this vision, leaders who have foundational understanding and skills to lead our schools and districts.”

SCOE will offer two Leadership Institute cohorts for the 2012-2013 school year, with one group meeting at the county office and the other being operated at the Elk Grove Unified School District headquarters.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

WAKE-UP CALL: Pink slips, job hunting and hot poetry

2012-07-02T14:55:53Z

Welcome to another edition of the "Wake-Up Call," a rundown of items that we're working on, found interesting, or otherwise thought you might want to know about today. As is always the case here at Sac Press, suggestions are welcome.

WHAT WE’RE WORKING ON:

PINK SLIPS: Sacramento City Unified School District handed out pink slips to 300 people in March, including almost 60 percent of the district’s custodial staff, and those layoffs went into effect July 1. For one 63-year-old janitor, being let go just four months shy of her seniority date means zero medical benefits – something the not-ready-to-retire woman needs. Melissa Corker follows up with what the workers and their union reps are doing about the situation, and how the district is responding.

PARKING WOES: After the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op showed off design plans to the community, the questions started pouring in, and parking-related questions topped the list. We’re following up with co-op reps, architects on the project and some of the people who’ll be affected most by the co-op relocation.

PRETTY WOMAN: Wedding season is in full swing and one dress shop caters to a niche market: larger, voluptuous brides. How do the ladies at Sparkle, 3200 Folsom Blvd., make sure every bride is blissful and beautiful on their wedding day? SacPress has the story.

WHAT WE’RE READING

GRADUATING TO UNEMPLOYMENT: With a local unemployment rate of 10.4 percent, recent high school and college grads are having a tough time landing a job now that school’s out. Phillip Reese writes in the Sacramento Bee that, although the job market has improved slightly over the past two years, the challenge remains for younger workers: “Older workers with experience take many of the best jobs, forcing more young college graduates to find work in retail or food service – jobs normally held by workers without a degree. That leaves those with only a high school diploma in the cold, grabbing for leftovers historically reserved for dropouts.”

Some in the jobless ranks are opting to stay in school (or go back to school), but proposed cuts to higher ed financial aid, especially CalGrants, makes that option less of an option for people already struggling to make ends meet.

A PICTURE’S WORTH 1,000 CALORIES: Does that recent Carl’s Jr. ad make your mouth water? It should – and not just because Kate Upton is getting her $6 burger all over the place. A recent study out of University of Southern California shows that when people see images of a high-calorie foods – guess what? Suddenly, they have to have some. Research shows the images stimulate the “craving” part of the brain, making you hungrier than if you were looking at images of non-food items such as cars or coat hangers. It gets worse: If you’re drinking a sweet, sugary drink at the same time, the cravings spike. Right now researchers can’t seem to map out the pathways in the brain that connect cravings and consumption, but when they do (and confidence is high in science labs across the globe that that they will), they hope to find ways to block those paths and get people on the path to healthier eating.

PEOPLE WATCHING: According to data compiled by Visit California, the state’s tourism marketer, Sacramento came in No. 5 on the list of top ten travel destinations in California. The list ranks cities on two tracks, one for tourist visits and one for how travelers rate the city for business trips. Nearby San Francisco came in a healthy No. 3. (Los Angeles was No. 1) and – surprise! San Jose is on the list at No. 7 for tourism but ranked ahead of Sacramento on the better-for-business-travel list.

SOMETHING TO DO

HOT POETRY: Go get your poetry on tonight at Fremont Park, 1515 Q St., this evening with host Rebecca Moos from the Sacramento Poetry Center as she presents local poets Michael Grosse and Geoffrey Neill at “Hot Poetry in the Park.” This is another in the series of live-action poetry readings brought to you by the folks who have been enriching the Sacramento poetry and literary scene since 1979. The word jam starts at 7:30 p.m. – black beret and snapping in appreciation, optional.

This article was co-written by Sacramento Press Editor-in-Chief Jared Goyette, who hates running unless chasing a soccer ball is involved.

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

California Musical Theatre brings top-notch performances & education to Sacramento

2012-06-26T17:22:15Z

Whether you’re aware of it or not, chances are you’ve encountered the work of California Musical Theatre (CMT). The Organization oversees and organizes logistics for the wildly popular Music Circus, Broadway Sacramento, and Cosmopolitan Cabaret seasons. With a full-time staff, and a strong crew of temporary and seasonal staffing as needed, CMT is responsible for overseeing the elements of these three musical theatre seasons, all of which succeed in bringing top-notch musical theatre performances to the Sacramento region. In addition to producing and presenting high-quality theatrical shows, CMT runs educational programs through the California Musical Theatre Academy (CMT Academy).

CMT Academy
Countless children, youth, students, and adults gain top-notch theatrical instruction through the CMT Academy. Whether bringing in visiting artists from CMT's current productions or pulling from a pool of adept musical theatre professionals and performance-trained teaching artists, the Academy provides an array of theatre education programs and services including performing arts classes, internships, and musical theatre workshops.

Broadway Sacramento
CMT serves as presenter for the Broadway Sacramento series, bringing popular, high quality national touring Broadway shows to Sacramento’s Community Center Theater. While they hold less of a role in the behind-the-scenes work, CMT curates what comes through town and strives for a variety of shows that will be of most interest to patrons. Bringing these shows to Sacramento is no small feat, and the sets, costumes, music, and acting are all of the highest caliber. The 2011-2012 season just concluded with the Sacramento debut of Wicked, and the recently announced 2012-2013 season brings Billy Elliot, Peter Pan, and many more (see the season here).

Cosmopolitan Cabaret
At the Cosmopolitan Cabaret, an intimate theatre experience where you can dine and drink as you enjoy a play, CMT is responsible for producing the majority of the shows, though occasionaly--as is the case for the current run of Triple Espresso--they sometimes serve as presenter.

Music Circus
For the summer series, Music Circus, (which kicks off Tuesday, June 26 with a production of Grease), CMT produces the shows completely, from auditioning actors to building sets and creating costumes. The Music Circus season is seeing some changes this year, based on feedback from patrons. To accommodate people’s often-full summer schedule the season has been reduced to five shows, with a week’s break between shows (rather than the previous seven show season that ran back-to-back). Plus, ticket packages have been simplified and you can now see a single show for as low as $30 (a steal for these productions!). In addition to Grease, The Little Mermaid, The Music Man, Fiddler on the Roof, and Crazy for You can all be enjoyed in-the-round at the Wells Fargo Pavilion this summer.

Future Forecast
With a long history in Sacramento, CMT has witnessed the ebb, flow, and growth of the arts in the region. When asked what he envisions for the future of Sacramento, CMT’s Executive Producer Richard Lewis says, “The thing about show business...is that it really is funded by discretionary spending. Recently, discretionary spending has been a little too discretionary. However, the landscapes of the organizations around have been scrappy enough to continue...Small groups have continued to emerge. And I think we’re going to see more of that in the future.” In addition, Lewis says the continued development of downtown is crucial to the arts: “As development continues in downtown...there will be more space and more vitality. The arts are now being recognized not as a quality of life issue but as a civic amenity. And that's important."

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Find more detail on this Organization along with many more at Sacramento365.com, the year-round source for Sacramento events.

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Disclosure: Alison Kranz is Assisting Editor for Sacramento365.com - the year-round source for Sacramento events.

Decontaminating Decades of Pollution: Innovative Project Aims to Transform the New River

2012-06-25T17:43:53Z

There’s new hope for one of North America’s most polluted rivers. In a Strategic Plan released last month by the California-Mexico Border Relations Committee, faculty of UC Davis Extension—commissioned by the New River Technical Advisory Committee—outline a plan for restoring the New River, which runs from Mexicali in Mexico to the Salton Sea in the Imperial Valley. “The plan proposes taking a community liability and turning it into an asset,” says Jeff Loux, Ph.D., chair of UC Davis Extension’s Science, Agriculture and Natural Resources Department. “It essentially treats the entire river, which, to our knowledge, has never been done before.”

The New River, starting just south of Mexicali and running through the Imperial Valley, is highly polluted with domestic, agricultural and industrial waste from both countries. “It is certainly an issue of environmental justice that has gone unchecked for more than 50 years,” says Loux who served as a consultant and principal investigator for the plan. Damaged by more than half a century of neglect, the New River has been inhibiting economic growth and recreational opportunities in disadvantaged communities already suffering from high unemployment and income inequality while simultaneously causing serious ecosystem devastation.

Pursuant to California Assembly Bill 1079, the New River Improvement Project aims to study, monitor, remediate and enhance the New River’s water quality. The plan acknowledges the progress made on both sides of the border since the ’90s and proposes to continue such projects. But it also adds some new key solutions—including disinfection and trash screens at the border and wetland sites to treat agricultural run-off.

Restoring the water quality, habitat and river corridor conditions will improve public health and support a healthy ecosystem along the river and the Salton Sea. It will also enhance community development and could help reinvigorate the local economy. “The plan’s innovation is in its ability to engage all stakeholders, agencies and communities and come up with a solution that works for the entire river system,” explains Loux. “It sets up a menu of possibilities.”

UC Davis Extension’s reputation for delivering quality training, outreach and facilitation—as well as ready access to experts at UC Davis—positioned the organization as an optimal choice for providing consultation and strategic planning to the Project. Gene Crumley, chair of UC Davis Extension’s Business and Leadership Department, served alongside Jeff Loux as the co-principal investigator. They were assisted by various consultants, including Tara Zygofsky, a doctoral student at UC Davis, Krista Sloniowski of Connective Issue in Southern California and Robert Emerick, Ph.D., of Stantec, Inc., Wastewater Engineering. “This is an important step. After decades of abuse, the New River has the chance to be restored. And if it works here, the model can be applied to other trans-national waterways around the world. It takes people, agencies and countries coming together and committed to making a difference” says Loux.

UC Davis Extension, the continuing and professional education division of UC Davis, has been an internationally recognized leader in educational outreach for individuals, organizations and communities for more than 50 years. With more than 50,000 annual enrollments in classroom and online university-level courses, UC Davis Extension serves lifelong learners in the growing Sacramento region, all 50 states and nearly 90 countries. For more information about UC Davis Extension and its programs, visit http://extension.ucdavis.edu.

Disclosure: Michelle Risser is an editor for the Marketing Department at UC Davis Extension.

Sacramento Church Reinvents Itself by Attracting K-12 School and Buying Back Land for Pennies on the Dollar

2012-06-21T19:05:51Z

Commencing Fall 2012, Liberty Towers Church (5132 Elkhorn Blvd, Sacramento, CA) will once again host a pre-school and K-12 educational facility dedicated to teaching children in a Christian environment. It was only three years ago that Liberty Towers shuttered operations for its school, succumbing to the pressures of a failing economy. According to Terry Schneider, recently installed Lead Pastor of Liberty Towers, “it was very sad for our long standing church members to witness the school close after having successfully operated for over three decades.”

Just a few miles east (along Interstate 80) at 143 Clinton Ave in Roseville, Cornerstone Christian School had been operating continuously in a facility owned by The Rock of Roseville for the past 20 years. Headmaster Richard Batista has expressed appreciation to Pastor Francis Anfuso for allowing the school’s use of the Rock’s former church property all these years. But “with current enrollment, there is simply no more room to grow”, lamented Batista. “We are having to turn students away due to lack of space.”

“A new chapter is now being written for both of these great institutions, one that involves a mutual and beneficial co-existence in the Foothill Farms community of North Sacramento”, said Brian Jacks, Regional Vice President of EAST WEST Commercial Real Estate, who facilitated the coming together of both parties. “It’s really a win-win for everybody.” Cornerstone now has full access to an extensive facility with spacious classrooms, multiple playgrounds, renovated auditorium and large gymnasium, while Liberty Towers enjoys a tenant that fulfills one of its core missions to provide a Christian education for the community.

During a recent walk through of the campus, Cornerstone parents were impressed at the magnitude of facilities being made available to their school. Many asked about the vacant land comprising just over 6 acres located immediately adjacent to the church. This property was formerly owned by Liberty Towers and improved with baseball and soccer fields for its once thriving school.

Watch the Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQqc7576Lj4&feature=plcp

In 2005, Liberty Towers sold the land to a multifamily developer for more than $3.5 million at the peak of the market and was able to pay off a significant mortgage for its gymnasium, creating a debt free campus. Following a foreclosure and subsequent legal proceedings, the land recently became available through a court ordered sale. EAST WEST Commercial Real Estate represented Liberty Towers for the successful re-purchase of this land. Escrow closed this month with a purchase price of only $675,000, less than 20% of Liberty Tower’s selling price seven years ago. Guy Spitzer of Cornish & Carey Commercial represented the court receiver.

Liberty Towers once again controls its destiny for the full block bordered by Elkhorn, Andrea and Hillsdale Boulevards and is excited about future ministry opportunities. “Our goal is to welcome the community with open arms onto our campus”, said Schneider, who operates a boys / girls basketball and cheerleading league called Upward, which hosted nearly 350 participants earler this year. “We are currently partnering with various local organizations and sports leagues to propose re-development of the land out back for expansion of our community sports program and hope to add Upward Football this Fall.”

EAST WEST Commercial Real Estate is certainly pleased to partner with Liberty Towers to bring revitalization to this North Sacramento neighborhood. The future is most definitely bright for this community.

Disclosure: Brian Jacks, Regional Vice President of East West Commercial, represented both Liberty Towers and Cornerstone Christian School in brokering the 10-year lease between both parties. He also represented Liberty Towers for the re-purchase of vacant land.

Area Parolees Honored for Making Successful Transition Back to Their Communities

2012-06-21T19:02:51Z

Many parolees struggle to find success because the transition from prison life to life beyond prison is challenging. However, those parolees who find success deserve special recognition.

The Sacramento Community Based Coalition (SCBC) “Go for the Gold” event, held June 20 at Doubletree by Hilton Sacramento, shined the spotlight on nearly 350 Sacramento County parolees and their families who are committed to making a successful reentry into their communities, and improving their lives, as well as the lives of their families. In addition to recognizing clients who completed various phases of the program, 13 SCBC clients were awarded their GEDs.

The SCBC is a collaborative effort between the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) and is specifically designed for men and women reentering the community from state prison. The objective of the program is to address the needs of parolees at increased risk of violating their parole and/or returning to custody.

“It’s always a good feeling for me to look out and to see all the clients here that are making good choices now and the families getting to celebrate that with them rather than seeing them dealing with the negative choices,” said SCBC Administrator Bill Lane.

The SCBC program applies the successful LINKS model, a groundbreaking SCOE career technical education model aimed at helping high-risk students succeed. Services are tailored to individual students based on their specific needs instead of through traditional, scripted education.

SCBC program participants are eligible to receive educational services that include literacy skills, GED and high school diplomas, math skills, vocational training referrals, and substance abuse education. Participants include men and women on parole in Sacramento County who have been referred by their Parole Agent.

“A parolees’ transition back to the community is full of challenges, namely unemployment, substance abuse, gaps in education and under-developed life skills,” said Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools David W. Gordon told the honorees. “By taking part in the SCBC, you have proven that you are willing to make enormous changes in your lives.”

Caltrans was also recognized for the agency’s ongoing collaboration with the SCBC. In February 2009, the SCBC introduced a pilot project providing up to 90-day employment for parolees to perform litter abatement work on behalf of Caltrans. To qualify, a parolee must be actively engaged in programs and services at the SCBC, as determined by their individual needs assessment and service plan. The project, funded by Caltrans, contributes to the successful implementation of SCBC programs and each participant's reintegration into their community. Currently, nearly 80 SCBC clients are providing litter abatement services for Caltrans.

During the last year, an estimated 30-40% of the total Sacramento County parole population has been referred to the SCBC program. Less than one-third of those clients recommit and are sent back to prison. The state recidivism rate is nearly 75 -percent.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

At Fremont School for Adults, State Cuts Take a Casualty

2012-06-21T14:10:16Z

Editor's note: The Fremont School for Adults closed on June 18. The author of this story, Amabelle Ocampo, is working on a follow-up article.

Foster youth students who may have fallen through the cracks in the Sacramento City Unified School District always had one last hope at the end of the education continuum: The Fremont School for Adults. Fremont’s fully accredited High School Completion program provides the opportunity to earn credits necessary for high school graduation, and includes two classes specifically for youths who age out of the foster care system.

Barring a financial miracle, the school will close permanently on June 18.

The FSA closure will displace 2,000 students in the fall. More than 15 classes will be dropped including two classes serving ”aged out” foster youth who use the facility for accelerated credits to graduate from high school.

“The students are the same kids who failed in community college due to weak English skills, or have dropped out of high school, ” said Victoria Hass, a concerned ESL teacher who works for Sacramento Unified School District. (SCUSD)

“Many want to improve their English to get a better job, to finish high school with a GED. Their options are limited.”

SCUSD held the hearing to alert the public on Tier III school closures transferring $5,093,862, in unrestricted general funds to instructional K-12 programs according to Patricia A. Hagemeyer, the School District’s Chief Business Officer.

Fremont is not the first school in the state to close. They are among the 200 statewide facing financial trouble, the largest in state history, according to the California Department of Education. In comparison, Oakland Unified School District is closing five elementary schools. While Long Beach Unified School District made more than $20 million in cuts in an effort to balance their 2013-2014 budget, eliminating Head Start preschool programs and 300 employee layoffs.

Fremont provides ESL and Citizenship education, high school GED equivalency tests, and accelerated credits towards a high school diploma.

It has helped young adults such as Jordan Buell, an 18-year-old former foster youth in an independent living program (ILP), earn credit through FSA’s concurrent enrollment. Buell graduated on Monday, June 11, from American Legion Continuing High School with his class.

A high school diploma is required to be eligible for the first year of the California Community College Transfer Entitlement Cal Grant. The Cal Grant increases the GPA requirement from 2.0 to 2.7 under Governor Jerry Brown’s 2012-13 budget proposal, which creates a climb for students who fell behind in high school.

The dropout rate in Sacramento County is 19.7 percent over a four-year period, slightly above the state average of 18.2 percent. The rate is far worse for students of color. In Sacramento County, more than one of every four black or Latino students dropped out of school during the last four years

Gustavo Arroyo, a board member was especially strained by the decision to close the school. He later discussed with Fremont students a way to possibly keep basic ESL open in another facility, but the foster youth program will cease.

“We are scrambling with emergency fundraising to raise $1.5 million,” said Susan Lytle Gilmore, Director of Adult Education at Sacramento City Unified School District. A car wash and rummage sale was the student’s last effort to keep their classes going.

Watch what the students and teachers had to say here.

Local business owners of Celia’s, 3 Sister’s Restaurant, Zocalo, Dos Coyotes, La Fiesta Bar & Grill are donating a portion of their profits on June 21 and 24 with little help to the budget shortfall.

Perhaps, the only way the school can remain open is if the voters pass the Governor’s November tax initiative designed to fund education.

Disclosure: Author is a Journalism for Social Change Fellow. Article was first printed in the Chronicle of Social Change. http://chronicleofsocialchange.wordpress.com/

MidLife GridLife - Getting Schooled

2012-06-16T17:57:44Z

Some weeks I don’t know how I’m going to keep up with the homework.

I have kind of a crush on one of my teachers this term—not naming names!

I haven’t been on a decent date in ages, let alone had a boyfriend.

And I’ve turned in a million applications, but no one seems to be hiring.

When I said, “47 is the new 17,” I’m pretty sure this is not what I meant.

It’s actually kind of creepy. And yet, never dull!

When I was a teenager the first time, pre-teen, probably, I was almost terrified by the idea of growing up. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like. It was unfathomable, like the idea that we were all floating on a big hunk of Earth in space (which I also obsessed about), and I worried about how it would play out.

Eventually I realized that it never felt any different from one day to the next.

Eventually I realized that:

Dressing down for P.E. was not the traumatic event I feared it would be.

I should have waited longer to have sex.

The attention I was looking (begging) for needed to come from me, before I could appreciate it from anyone else.

Turn off the TV when you do your homework.

Do your homework.

School does matter.

Shoes really should have arch support.

Miniature golf is underrated.

Making out in the car never loses its heat.

I learned most of this in my 40’s. It’s the perfect time for a do-over.

My decades break down something like this:

Who am I? (Early Teens)

Do You Like Me? (Late Teens)

Please Like Me!/You like Me, Right? (20’s)

Screw You If You Don’t Like Me, I’m Fine! (30’s)

I’m A Pretty Good Person/I Like Who I Am So Far (40’s)

I have great expectations for my 50’s.

I expect not even to think about myself by the time my sixties roll around!

Thirty years ago, did I think I would be worried about boys and homework and job-hunting at this stage in my life? Um, no! And I I can tell you another thing: if you’d asked me, I’d have panicked and changed the subject.

How’s that for a learning curve?

Sacramento LGBT and Allied Community Reacts to Prop 8 Ruling

2012-06-07T06:06:09Z

Tuesday, shortly after the ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denying an en banc hearing, upholding an earlier ruling that Proposition 8’s ban on same-sex marriages is unconstitutional, LGBT leaders and community members gathered at the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center for a press conference.

Shara Murphy, Executive Director of the Center hosted members of the Board of Directors of Equality Action NOW, same-sex couples who are waiting to be married, representatives of organizations such as the Sacramento Stonewall Democrats, Rainbow Chamber of Commerce, Sacramento City Councilman elect, Steve Hansen, as well as allies and members of the community.

While most are happy that the decision, basically indicated that the State of California and California’s highest court all agree that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional and should be struck down and may move to the Supreme Court, many same-sex couple’s patience are wearing thin.

Dr. Nicola Simmersbach and Diana Luiz had planned on heading out of town for their sixth anniversary of being together in a relationship under a domestic partnership, but decided to stay in town and attend the news conference at the Center.

Dr. Simmersbach, an individual and couples therapist, expressed her conflict in a telephone interview. “On the one hand it would be nice if it did go on to the Supreme Court and we win. That would really help states where achieving marriage equality would be difficult. On the other hand this is extremely personal, and because Diana has health issues, we need those protections you can only have by being married, not in a domestic partnership.”

“There are times Diana cannot speak to her Doctor and I must intercede on her behalf,” Dr. Simmersbach explained. “I can’t tell you how many times I am reminded since I am not a ‘spouse or relative’ they cannot discuss her health record with me. This is serious and we need legal relief now, not in a year or two when the courts decide. As a citizen of this country and state Diana and I do not think we need permission from the people of California nor the courts for full equality, and it’s frustrating living like this day-in and day-out!”

In an interview with News 10 later in the day, Ken Pierce and Lisa Ford Berry expressed the importance of marriage equality for young people. Berry is founder of B.R.A.V.E. (Bullies Really Are Violating Everyone) Society and Pierce, a media consultant and LGBT activist.

“In considering marriage equality in light of my son’s bullycide in 2008 on his 17th birthday due to a perceived notion he was gay and who was subjected to peer abuse and harassment, I know that family meant a great deal to my son. In my travels all over the state I meet other young people who are conflicted because of their religious beliefs and connection to their family, but because of their sexual orientation and not having positive role-models, feel they are condemned by society”, said Berry.

“As a straight woman living here in America, I have always had choices. I could have chosen not to get married, though I did. I could have chosen not to have children, though I did. I did both of those things because it was important to both my husband and myself, and it is part of who we are as a society. Why is that any different to a young person who is in love with someone of the same sex? They want the same things as I do so why would I, or anyone, deny them the same pursuit of stability and happiness as I have had all my life?”

“I agree with same-sex couples who are tired of waiting, but from the standpoint that we need to give our young people hope now, and not wait another year or two while the country is having a ‘discussion’ about marriage equality. I don’t want another 13 year old to end his or her life because they feel alone and their own dreams of falling in love, getting married and raising a family is just that – a dream. We need to make it a reality here in California now!” exclaimed Berry.

Proponents of Prop 8 have 90 days to file with the Supreme Court, asking them to review the decision of the Ninth Circuit Court. If the Court decided to take Prop 8 on, the earliest a decision could be made would be July 2013.

In an interview Wednesday, David Boies, co-lead counsel for the plaintive couples said, “So, our goal was to seek the overturn of Proposition 8 in California. We have succeeded in doing that so far in the district court, and now in the Ninth Circuit…We have an obligation to our clients and to the citizens of California who’ve been waiting now for nearly four years for the opportunity to get married like their fellow citizens. And, we would want to preserve that victory fundamentally.”

So the thousands of committed same-sex couples and their families, friends, and allies who are ready to line up at the city or county clerks offices all across the state of California wait and go about their lives, still as second-class citizens, still as steadfast in their convictions as they were four years ago when all of this began in earnest, still hoping their dreams will come true.

Capitol Heights Academy students become published writers

2012-06-01T18:44:23Z

“I feel like I want to jump up!”

Third grader Tre’ John is still amazed to know that he has become a published author. He is one of 22 students from Capitol Heights Academy who had his/her stories published in a book entitled “Monsters and Mayhem”.

“I’m just happy,” Tre’ John said during an official book release ceremony on May 29.

The book release came after an eight-week workshop, led by 916 Ink and The Salvation Army. The two-month session was a program created by 916 Ink, a volunteer organization promoting literacy by empowering youth in the Sacramento region to engage in the literary arts.

“It’s been a lot of work to make this day a reality,” said Katie McCleary, 916 Ink executive director. “It’s fun to see a book in hand and kids having done the writing. This is an excellent day.”

The Capitol Heights Academy group was one of three projects that 916 Ink has done in the Sacramento region. The workshops were held at The Salvation Army Oak Park community center.

"We feel privileged to be a partner with this great project,” said Sonja Stires Edd, Salvation Army Director of Programs-Alhambra Campus. “The Salvation Army is always looking for creative ways to provide more targeted literacy programs for children, while also offering more for those families looking for fun, engaging after-school activities. 916 Ink is helping us to provide both."

916 Ink, with the assistance of volunteers and Salvation Army staff, encouraged the students to engage in creative storytelling as a way to boost their literacy skills.

“One of the biggest lessons we learned was that play and having fun are important for academia,” McCleary said. “I know the Capitol Heights kids were ready to learn, but it was great for them to have an after-school environment to play. You really can’t hone a level of learning and reading and writing without playing and creating and experimenting.”

And the students also enjoyed the workshop’s positive and fun environment.

“Everyone was supportive and never said anything negative to us about our stories,” Tre’ John said. “We were passionate and nothing stopped us on our way to finishing our stories and getting them published.”

Tre’ John’s mother, Wanda, says her son grew a lot because of the program.

“When Tre’ John started (the workshop), he about a third grade level,” Wanda said. “Now he’s above a fourth grade level. The workshop gave him more leadership, more understanding of words and also helped him with his communication skills. This was a great experience.”

The free creative writing workshops have been offered to youth at various public schools, libraries, and non-profits. The workshops are project based, and every workshop culminates in the publication of a beautiful, real book published locally by the Sacramento Public Library.

Sacramento City College

2012-05-26T02:36:30Z

The Sacramento City College Film Club is having a fundraiser at Bows & Arrows this Saturday the 26th at 7:30.The event will feature live music by Dusty Brown and Paper Pistols, showings of student films, and a raffle.

The Sacramento City College Film Club is only in its third official term as a club, but they’re already well established on campus, with 34 members and several student-made films to show for it. ”This film department at SCC is growing, but is probably the smallest out of all departments on campus,” said club President Miles Fargo. “Because of this, my goal has been to promote and expand the film community at SCC. We make short films as well as help to answer question of aspiring filmmakers on a multitude of film related topics.”

The film club’s official goal is to “make short films every semester as well as promote, expand and strengthen the presence of the Film Department, Club and community on the Sacramento City College campus,” but they also work to maintain a strong community and promote leadership values (any repeat-semester member can run for a leadership position in the club, which looks great on a college application or resume as well as being personally rewarding).

Until now, the club has been running on “bare bones budgets”, as Fargo put it. This will be their first fundraising event, and all proceeds will go directly into the club’s bank account to be used for next year’s film projects. This event will feature live music from local acts Dusty and Jessica Brown, and Paper Pistols. The club will also show many of the films they've made over the past three terms.

There will be three raffles throughout the night with prizes ranging from $10-$75, all from local businesses including Tuli Bistro, Restaurant Thir13een, Strikes Bowling Alley, Elixir Bar&Grill, Crest Theatre, Tower Theater, Insight Coffee, and Rainbows End. Raffle tickets will be sold for $1 each at the door, or $10 for an arm’s length.

“People should feel good about supporting an effort like this because it all goes to helping local students be better able to be creative in the local film community,” said Fargo. “It’s all about the students and the community.”

The film club suggests a $5 donation at the door.

Disclosure: Sarah Hansel works at Bows and Arrows

A lesson in civics, a lesson in life

2012-05-26T01:22:36Z

Thursday, May 24 marked a day when youth voice was alive at the capitol.

It was the "Annual Shadow a Legislator Day" for foster youth leadership advocacy group, California Youth Connection. Among the excitement of hundreds of elementary school children on a civics field trip of the state capitol, an important announcement was being made by Assemblymember Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) and Daniel Heimpel, a child welfare journalist and CYC Board Member.

They urged support for two bills, AB 2093 and AB 1712, which will affect the future of foster youth across the state.

In honor of Foster Care Awareness Month, Skinner's legislation, Assembly Bill 2093 "Foster Youth Higher Education and Support Act," was introduced to provide post secondary education support to foster youth who attend California's public colleges and universities by designating a foster care service coordinator.

The passage of the legislation would help raise the devastatingly low college entry and graduation rates of foster youth.

Consider the statistics, for the 80,000 foster youth in California, less than half will graduate from high school. Only ten percent will pursue a college education. Of those only 2 percent will actually earn a degree.

Still, a second, more urgent bill, AB 1712 authored by Assemblymember Jim Beall echoed through the halls, to the I-5 freeway, to the lives of 2,166 youth turning 19 this year in California.

The problem is that it forces youth out on the streets on their birthday. Foster youth like Julio Quezada, 18 who graduated from Modesto High School last week. His birthday is coming up on December 6.

In January of 2013, he will need to reapply, if AB1712 is not passed. The process is disjointed and with county funds in flux, the likelihood of youths finding themselves homeless is high.

A hearing for AB1712 is set to remedy the funding gap created by Assembly Bill 12, which extends support services to foster youth until age 19, in 2012, then 20 in 2013. The last minute amendment is what pushed out a generation of foster youth who are turning 19 this year out.

Quezada didn't do anything wrong -- his biological mother was only thirteen, when she got pregnant. She was dealing with mental health issues, mixed with drugs, and weaved in and out of jail.

As luck would have it, if only his birthday was a year later, he would not have to leave foster care, then reapply, then try to come back in the system for help.

The lack of safety net for foster youth in transition could make them vulnerable to homelessness, incarceration, or poverty.

"My great grandparents raised me till they died. A social worker placed me in foster care for 3 years. I live in group independent living now. They told me to go to ILP classes. That's when I found CYC. I'm learning to put it all together now. I need some time. I'm afraid. By December, I won't have a place to go." said Quezada.

Despite some tough obstacles, Quezada's stride is moving forward. In the fall, he wants to go to Modesto Community College, transfer to Sacramento or San Jose State to become a social worker then maybe a legislator.

Disclosure: Author is an ex foster and a journalism for social change fellow. She has a local blog http://istreetbridgeproject.tumblr.com/

FAIR Education Act Discussed in Program Honoring Harvey Milk

2012-05-21T02:45:28Z

Though it was a sparse crowd, none-the-less the first of several events honoring Harvey Milk, last Tuesday, was exciting, informative, and meaningful.

Held at the beautiful California Museum and hosted by The Harvey Milk Foundation, Equality California (EQCA) and the California State LGBT Legislative Caucus, the event focused on a discussion of the FAIR Education Act (SB 48) as well as related issues including peer abuse which is prevalent in some of our schools.

The FAIR Education Act authored by Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) mandates all California schools to be more inclusive in teaching students about the history and accomplishments LGBT people have in American society.

Because of the questions raised by far-right extremist and faith-based political organizations the Harvey Milk Foundation thought a program dispelling rumors and untruths those organizations have made public would be helpful and a great way to honor the memory of Harvey Milk.

To open the evening Speaker of the Assembly, John A. Pérez gave a speech about the importance of the FAIR Education Act. After informing the audience of a few historical instances where LGBT people played a pivotal role in American history, he said, “By ensuring our students understand the importance, not just of Harvey Milk and the Stonewall Riots, but also the artists, business leaders, and military leaders who are LGBT who made enormous contributions to our society, ensuring that the work to build a more just society, a more perfect union continues to evolve.”

Members of the panel discussing the FAIR Education Act included, Stewart Milk, nephew of Harvey and co-founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation; Sen. Mark Leno, author of the legislation that created Harvey Milk Day as well as the FAIR Education Act; Anne Kronenberg, also co-founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation, and who was depicted in the movie, MILK and served as Harvey Milk’s campaign manager when he ran for San Francisco City Supervisor. Kronenberg currently serves as Director of the Department of Emergency Management for the City and County of San Francisco.

In addition, panel members included, Thomas Adams, PH.D., Director of Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources for the California Department of Education; Laurie Hasenamp, Interim Director of EQCA; and Dr. Larry Levine, Professor of Law at the University of the Pacific where he teaches Sexual Orientation and the Law.

The discussion was highly informative, not only dispelling myths about what the FAIR Education Act is and does, but how it will be implemented in the schools.

Stewart Milk talked about the role The Harvey Milk Foundation is taking on education. “The only way societal change happens is through education,” explained Milk.

He went on to talk about two centers named after his uncle that recently opened in Italy and how they both have educational programs that not only promote LGBT equality, but equality for all people.

Sen. Leno said the two bills, Harvey Milk Day and the FAIR Education Act are “linked due to Harvey Milk being the first openly gay man elected to a public office in California and gay hero to so many LGBT people and allies”, and the fact that educating students about his accomplishments on gay and civil rights issues will allow LGBT students to identify with those like Milk and encourage them to feel good about themselves.

The rest of the program was discussing implementation if the FAIR Education Act.

Stuart Milk said about not waiting on the textbooks with LGBT inclusion, “We continue to lose young people every day because we’re not teaching inclusion, we’re not teaching diversity. The individuals we have lost takes a toll, not just on losing them but on our entire society. We have lost the next Steve Jobs; we’ve lost the next Sen. Leno, because we are not doing the job of teaching inclusion in our schools. So I don’t accept that we have to wait until 2016 before the next generation of text books are out.”

Dr. Adams of the State Education Office and EQCA’s Laurie Hasenamp both confirmed that implementation is immediate with teachers adding it to their lesson plans while new teaching materials are being developed. While not all schools are following through with the implementation, in the coming months and year, that too will be addressed.

Harvey Milk Day events continue on his birthday, Tuesday, May 22, 2012. First, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus will be on the west steps of the California State Capitol building at 4:00pm where they will premiere their new Harvey Milk Day Anthem: “Give ‘Em Hope!”. This is a free event.

From 6-8pm, Equality Action NOW (EAN), a local grassroots civil rights organization is hosting their 3rd Annual Harvey Milk Day Celebration at Mulvaney’s Next Door to the B&L, 1215 19th Street, Sacramento from 6:00pm – 8:00pm. During a short program, special guest, Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) who sponsored the bill that created Harvey Milk Day will receive EAN’s “Spirit of Harvey Milk” award. Five other community members will also receive the award.

The staff at Mulvany’s will provide delicious hors d'oeuvres with a cash bar. Local popular spoken word entertainer; Jovi Radtke will perform an original piece especially for the event. Tickets are $25 online (www.EqualityActionNOW.org) through May 21st or $30 at the door. For more information contact Event Coordinator, Chris Packey at cjpackey@yahoo.com.

Beginning at 8:0pm, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus makes a stop on their “California Freedom Tour 2012” with the Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus as their special guests. The chorus will perform at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 2620 Capitol Ave., Sacramento. The concert will benefit the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center. Tickets are $35 reserved $25 general, $10 students and seniors. At the door it will be $40/$30/$10. Reserve your seats at www.saccenter.org/sfmenschorus.

Disclosure: Ken Pierce is owner of Ken Pierce Public Relations in Sacramento, CA. To contact him email kpierce8272@yahoo.com.

Tech Workspace Building A Community One Day At A Time

2012-05-16T00:51:29Z

Hacker Lab, located on the border of Curtis Park and Oak Park, is a tech work space founded in March. It facilitates bootstrapped start-ups and tech enthusiasts.

Bootstrapping is when start-up businesses fund their own endeavors instead of seeking investment money. (See Wiki.) Tech enthusiasts can be anyone interested in technologies such as programming, web design, mobile and web development, hardware technology and software.

Hacker Lab’s focus is to build a community promoting technology, education, job creation and entrepreneurship in the Sacramento region.

Inside the facility, aside from other techies, you will find a hardware lab for building out prototypes, gadgets and gizmos. They have oscilloscopes, multi-meters, soldering irons and every torque bit created since they started forging iron. If man made it, you can take it apart at the Hacker Lab. They also have a computer rack with hypervisors so you can finally boot up that VM appliance you downloaded last year.

Regular hosted events such as meetups, pub crawls and hackathons are held by the Hacker Lab to help tech enthusiasts network and collaborate.

The Hacker Lab was founded by Gina Lujan and Charles Blas. Lujan is an entrepreneur with 14 years in the tech industry. Blas is an freelance IT security consultant and educator. They are both very passionate about building a technology-focused community in Sacramento.

The space is funded by events and membership fees paid by its full-time and part-time residents along with the help of volunteers who want to grow a thriving tech ecosystem within the Sacramento region. Membership is for both full time and part time residents. People can drop in to work in its co-working area and check out the space. It is open to everyone, but their focus is primarily in tech.

Disclosure: Gina Lujan is one of the Co-Founders of Hacker Lab, a collaborative tech workspace located in Sacramento. She is also a Serial Entrepreneur with over 14 years tech experience.

Local Entrepreneur Chasing The American Dream

2012-05-16T00:42:36Z

Mahil Keval is an entrepreneur. He left his engineering career to pursue his dream, the American dream of owning his own business.

Sounds familiar right? Well, Keval’s story is a bit different to me. He was not struggling in a 9-to-5 and barely making ends meet. He was not down on his luck living on his last dime, needing to make “it” happen, which is the stereotypical story of the entrepreneur.

Keval is a UC Berkeley graduate (BS ’09) with a degree in mechanical engineering. He had an awesome job working for McCarthy Building Companies as a project engineer building a 200,000-square-foot, $200 million biomedical research facility on the Berkeley campus. Quite impressive, to say the least.

So what ignited the spark? When the iPad came out, Keval saw a huge opportunity in the construction industry and saw room for improvement with the methods of managing a punch list, the list of construction issues that need to be corrected or completed before a project is turned over to its final owner. He called up the smartest guy he knew, Jacob Howard, a fellow Berkeley graduate with a double major in math and physics.

They built Knockout Designs with the simple mission of building the best mobile applications targeted at the construction industry. SpeedPunch, their first app, is an iPad app designed to manage a construction punch list. In January, Keval took a leap of faith and left his career to grow Knockout Designs and SpeedPunch.

What was the catalyst for the leap?

I wanted to get the product out there before the market became too competitive. We had proven that our product would work on the toughest projects out there and wanted to give the industry the chance to see it.

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced?

Figuring out the marketing and the sales side of the business.

So basically you have had to wear a few hats?

Yep. I am responsible for overall strategy and everything the customer interacts with.

What have been some of your milestone highlights?

Just building a customer base week by week. That’s exciting!

What do you see in the future for SpeedPunch?

To continue building applications in the same market as well as complimentary markets.

Do you have any advice for up and coming founders?

Just nut up and do it! It’s not the right lifestyle for everybody, but the tools are now available to make those ideas become a reality. So take a risk and make it happen.

Any tricks of trade or tools you recommend?

Using Google Apps has been a big help in terms of keeping shared and collaborative documentation together. It has been great. I would also try to reach out to anyone else in the industry who may be able to mentor you. They’ve been through it before and can give you some sage advice as a result.

Any good reading you suggest?

Read Tech Crunch and Information Week. Also Smart Briefs — they are really cool for reading information about any industry.

What do you think about being an entrepreneur?

It’s a lot of fun and more people should do it.

Disclosure: Gina Lujan is one of the Co-Founders of Hacker Lab, a collaborative tech workspace located in Sacramento. She is also a Serial Entrepreneur with over 14 years tech experience.

Chrometa, A Startup Built On Conviction

2012-05-16T00:35:03Z

Chrometa is a Sacramento startup, and its founders’ story is one of the tenacity it takes to make a startup successful.

With all the stories such as Facebook and Instragram, one may think that building the next big thing is not that hard, and that you will be instantly rich with a movie deal in the near future.

Chrometa is automatic timekeeping software that quietly runs in the background of your PC, monitoring your actions such as working on software, writing docs, checking email and doing any other tasks related to the work flow. It tracks time down to the second and can automatically categorize time to the appropriate clients and projects based on keywords. Chrometa is an awesome product for anyone who needs to track time, such as lawyers, consultants, freelancers and CPAs.

Brett Owens, Chrometa’s co-founder, is originally from Buffalo, N.Y. He moved to Sacramento in 2006 to join his wife, a product manager for Intel in Folsom. His employer, Planisware, a software company with headquarters in San Francisco, allowed him to work remotely from Sacramento.

In 2007 Owens’ college friend and practicing attorney Adam Tope (now a company adviser) came to him stating he needed a tool for timekeeping. Tope was waiting until the end of the month to reconcile his billable time, at which point he struggled to successfully reconstruct his past month’s worth of work.

Owens and partner Chihab Bahhadi started looking to see what automated timekeeping methods were on the market. They could not find anything that would fit his needs. After their initial research, they looked to see if it was even possible to build what they wanted. They felt it was, and the project was born.

Shortly after, Bahhadi left his full-time job to take on the project. Bahhadi is a software developer from Brussels. In late 2010, native Sacramentan Carson Gross joined the team as a developer after moving back from Palo Alto.

Since Chrometa’s inception, Owens and his co-founders have invested four years of no salary and approximately $300,000 out of pocket. In Owens’ darkest hour, he said he had $50,000 of his own credit cards maxed out. The Owens household was living off one income and investing a significant amount of money toward the endeavor.

Although Chrometa is now profitable and growing by double-digits month over month, the founders are still not yet taking salaries, instead choosing to reinvest profits into the company until they hit their product development goals for 2012.

Owens wears multiple hats in his role with Chrometa. He handles sales, marketing, public relations, support, QA testing and product management. He says customers can sometimes be perplexed when they speak to him about sales and then ring the support line, only to get him back on the phone wearing another hat.

Disclosure: Gina Lujan is one of the Co-Founders of Hacker Lab, a collaborative tech workspace located in Sacramento. She is also a Serial Entrepreneur with over 14 years tech experience.

Twitter roundup: Gov. Jerry Brown’s revised budget includes ‘painful cuts’ and the ‘F-word’

2012-05-15T01:32:38Z

Governor Jerry Brown released his revised state budget Monday and, to no one's surprise, it included enhanced cuts for education, health services and state workers.

Here is what state budget followers were saying about the revised budget plan as it was released:

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacrametno Press. Follow her on Twitter @MelissaCorker.

McGeorge graduates growing responsibility

2012-05-14T05:46:45Z

There's no use in sugar-coating. Reality hurts.

This is the message of a commencement address given by Chief Justice Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye of the Supreme Court of California on Saturday as she painted a dismal outlook of the future, grim with lack of decent paying options for recent graduates of University of Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.

It was the kind of speech where even the most optimistic of parents cringe upon hearing of the lack of jobs available to those armed with newly minted law degrees.

Still, the bleak expectation failed to deter the graduates from pursuing their calling. Within this class is the mark of resiliency. Each held their heads high holding on to their dream. Many walked with their children strutting close to their side.

In all, 308 Juris Doctor degrees and 38 Master in Law degrees were presented to the graduating class of 2012 by Dean Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker on May 12th, a significant day for many to celebrate a lifelong achievement.

Here is photo montage of some the graduates and their families at the commencement ceremonies held at the Memorial Auditorium on 15th and J Street in Sacramento, California.

Harvey Milk Foundation host Harvey Milk Day with landmark conversation on law requiring LGBT history in public schools

2012-05-11T02:20:39Z

The Harvey Milk Foundation celebrates the third annual Harvey Milk Day in Sacramento, Calif. and joins together with the California Legislative LGBT Caucus and Equality California (EQCA) to host a breakthrough conversation on the implementation and benefits of Senate Bill (SB) 48.

This is an important event that families, educators, students, policy leaders and civil rights advocates should attend. Given the importance of the conversation, and the special holiday to celebrate one of our LGBT heroes, this event is free to the public with RSVP: http://harveymilkday.eventbrite.com/

Substance and celebration:

The Fair, Accurate, Inclusive, and Respectful (FAIR) Education Act (SB 48), authored by Senator Mark Leno and signed into law by Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. in 2011, requires public schools to teach LGBT history. While the act went into effect on January 1, 2012, it has yet to be implemented into California’s public school curriculum standards. A panelist of policy, education and civil rights leaders celebrate the California holiday for slain politician, Harvey Milk, by addressing bullying and discrimination in schools. Solutions to mitigate these growing issues could develop as more students have access to factual information about social movements, current events and history of LGBT people.

In 2009, the California State Legislature passed, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed, SB 572 designating every May 22 as "Harvey Milk Day.” SB 572 was authored by Senator Mark Leno.

Location and time:

The California Museum
1020 O Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

6 – 7 PM

Featuring:

Stuart Milk, nephew of Harvey Milk
Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez
Senator Mark Leno, author of SB 48
Anne Kronenberg, Harvey’s campaign manager
Laurie Hasencamp, Equality California Interim Executive Director
Dori Moorehead, The California Museum Executive Director
Office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson
Professor Lawrence C. Levine, University of the Pacific – McGeorge School of Law
Stampp Corbin, publisher of LGBT Weekly (moderator)

Harvey Milk Day 2012 sponsors: Chevron, Comcast Spotlight, VSP Vision Care, The California Museum, Hot Italian, California Biotechnology Foundation, Lucas Public Affairs, Platinum Advisors, Cathy Schwamberger & Diana Kienle and the Dewey Square Group.

The Harvey Milk Foundation, established in 2010 as a non-profit charitable organization, promotes Harvey Milk’s legacy through education and outreach around the world. Harvey Milk (1930-1978) was the one of the first openly gay elected official in the United States when he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. He was assassinated in San Francisco’s City Hall in November 1978. The Foundation is led and founded by Harvey’s nephew, Stuart Milk, and Anne Kronenberg, Harvey’s campaign manager and political aide. To learn more, please visit: www.MilkFoundation.org

Disclosure: media director, Harvey Milk Foundation

Terri Edinburgh Named Sac County Office Teacher of the Year for 2013

2012-05-08T21:55:30Z

Special Education teacher Terri Edinburgh is not used to having many adults in her classroom. However, on May 8, her room was filled with administrators and colleagues bearing balloons, flowers and good news. They informed Terri that she has been selected as the 2013 Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) Teacher of the Year.

Ms. Edinburgh, a resident of Rancho Murieta, teaches a kindergarten – 4th grade combined special day class for students with moderate to severe disabilities at Prairie West elementary School, located within the Elk Grove Unified School District.

Ms. Edinburgh said she wanted to be a Special Education teacher after having the opportunity to tutor a first grader with disabilities many years ago.

“It was the look in her eyes; a look that begged for more; a look that said ‘if you would only give me a chance,’” she said. “That experience was the kindling that stirred a fire in me to pursue Special Education.”

Ms. Edinburgh has been a SCOE employee since November 1996. ~Prior to joining SCOE, she served six years as a Para-Educator in a Special Day Class at Valley Oaks Elementary School (Galt Joint Union Elementary School District). She earned her M.A. in Special Education in 2011 from National University and her B.S. in Recreation/Rehabilitation from Sacramento State University.

Joining Superintendent David W. Gordon in making the announcement were Assistant Superintendent Robin Pierson, and Special Education Principal Carmen Walker.

“Terri believes in her students' potential to be successful and is an awesome advocate and motivator for both the students and their families,” said Principal Walker. “Our students are truly fortunate to have such a caring, compassionate and collaborative teacher supporting them."

Ms. Edinburgh will be honored, along with teachers representing other Sacramento County school districts, at the annual Teachers of the Year Awards dinner, which will be held on Wednesday, August 15, 2012.

The Sacramento County Teachers of the Year Program is presented by SCOE in partnership with Maloof Sports and Entertainment, the Sacramento River Cats, U.S. Bank, the Intel Corporation Folsom and the Sacramento Scottish Rite Bodies of Freemasonry.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

Use arena money to bolster school funding

2012-04-27T20:58:57Z

Like the rest of Sacramento, I have followed the twists and turns of the city’s downtown arena saga with great interest. The Kings have been a valuable and generous partner of the Sacramento City Unified School District. I have attended many of their terrific “Get Fit” events at our schools and come away impressed by the team’s sincere commitment to fighting childhood obesity. Annually, they honor our teachers with touching half-time tributes. And on numerous occasions players and staff have addressed our students to extol the value of an education.

Losing the Kings would be a blow to our community.

But with adversity comes opportunities.

What if the $185 million to $245 million to be raised for the new downtown arena through the lease of city parking operations was used to provide a sorely needed financial infusion to area schools?

Due to declining state revenues, rising costs, a loss of federal funds and failure by our state to make public education a priority, our district faces a $28 million deficit for the 2012-13 school year and the specter of an additional $15 million mid-year trigger cut. This is on top of more than $100 million in cuts to our district in the prior three years. To address this deficit, our Board of Education made painful decisions earlier this year to eliminate counselors, librarians, sports and home-to-school bus transportation; close one school; and reduce custodians, plant managers and assistant principals.

With just a fourth of the money generated by parking leases, we could bring back all of these critical services so vital to our schools and our children. Given such dire circumstances, the time is now for Sacramento to step up and help our schools. We can no longer cede this responsibility to our state.

In Mayor Kevin Johnson’s State of the City address, he discussed arena fund-raising saying, “A building like this isn’t built overnight. It gets built brick by brick.”

Given his passion for education and his ties to schools, Mayor Johnson knows that “brick by brick” is also how a child’s education is built.

One concept at a time. One lesson at a time. One student at a time.

Brick by brick.

From the day a young boy or girl enters a Sacramento City Unified School District classroom until the happy moment they head off for college, our dedicated teachers, staff and families are carefully building their futures.

SCUSD’s dedication to creating a well-educated populace in Sacramento has a tremendous potential payoff: The best foundation for a great city is quality schools. Problems that hinder Sacramento’s progress – high employment and high poverty – can best be addressed and overcome through investment in K-12 education. Great schools produce lifelong learners who in turn become talented workers. They become creative thinkers that up the game with fresh ideas and innovative solutions. It’s no coincidence that Apple and Google and Facebook are headquartered in the Bay Area. Those dynamic companies, suppliers of high-wage jobs, are located within commuting distance to California’s best schools. Superior schools build a superior workforce.

Brick by brick.

As a devoted sports fan, I understand the pride an NBA team brings to a citizenry. Can it compare with the pride of a parent on the day their child graduates from college? I have met many parents in our district that have never been to a Kings game and will likely never go. But they have been to back-to-school nights and PTA meetings and middle school basketball tournaments. They have priorities, and their children come first.

Shouldn’t our children always come first?

Arena advocates have said that a new downtown venue would create 4,100 jobs, which would certainly help our city’s ailing economy. I understand the argument that something trumps nothing. To an out-of-work electrician or a young person desperately seeking a paycheck, any job is better than unemployment. That’s a given.

For the long-term health of the city, however, Sacramento needs a diversified employment base that also supports such high-wage sectors as alternative energy, green technology and medical research. For all these jobs, we need to be investing in our schools and building tomorrow’s civic leaders. Many will say that financing schools is not the responsibility of the city. Fair enough. But I would argue that with world-class schools, Sacramento would have an easier time attracting businesses to locate here – which would improve the bottom line for all of us in the city.

After all, buildings do not make a great city. Great people make a great city. History is replete with examples of extraordinary cities – extraordinary civilizations – made so by the kind of strong civic engagement that binds neighborhoods together and attracts newcomers. At the foundation of those places were – and are – great schools.

Let’s put the horse before the cart. Let’s put substance before form. Let’s become a great city and then build a great arena. Let’s not build the future on pillars of sand.

Let’s build it brick by brick.

Disclosure: Jonathan Raymond is Superintendent of the Sacramento City Unified School District.

Mindstorm lends digital media expertise to Powerhouse Science Center

2012-04-23T23:18:17Z

The Powerhouse Science Center announced Wednesday that Mindstorm Creative, Inc. has joined the campaign to build the premier science learning center serving Northern California.

As a founding partner, Mindstorm joins other regional leaders and organizations in a cooperative effort to support the development of this vital new community asset and will lend their digital media production expertise to visually present the project.

Located on the scenic banks of the Sacramento River, the Powerhouse will function as a model for 21st century experiential STEM education (science, math, technology, engineering, space) and environmental stewardship. The design will be an exemplary “green” building that serves as an environmental teaching lab.

“We are very excited about the creative possibilities of visually presenting this worthwhile project to the Sacramento community,” Mindstorm owner and creative director Ron Kendall said.

Mindstorm joins the regional effort to create a home for a high-tech, hands-on science museum for the Sacramento region that will immerse children in science, technology, engineering and math. The Powerhouse will play a key role in inspiring young people to become the future engineers and scientists that California and our nation desperately need.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome aboard Mindstorm Creative, Inc. as one of our founding partners,” said Michele Wong, Powerhouse interim executive director. “Mindstorm shares our goal of transforming a historic Sacramento landmark into a cutting-edge educational center.”

Supporters of the Powerhouse include business and civic leaders, clubs and organizations, individuals and the city of Sacramento. Mayor Kevin Johnson recognizes this project as a top priority for Sacramento’s future.

The facility will serve as a public forum, showcasing the latest scientific discoveries in a venue accessible to the entire family. The center will highlight the scientific achievements of the Sacramento region, the latest developments in medical science and technology and the fundamentals of resource conservation. It will also be a field trip destination for pre-kindergarten to 12th grade students from throughout the region.

The center, which will cost an estimated $50 million, has nearly completed its pre-construction phase. The 60-year-old Discovery Museum Science & Space Center on Auburn Boulevard is scheduled to move from its current location and become the Powerhouse in 2014.

Disclosure: Disclosure: Jeffrey Weidel is a Vice President of Halldin Public Relations in Roseville.

Interview workshop teaches attendees the importance of research

2012-04-20T23:45:54Z

On Thursday, the Sacramento Press hosted a workshop to help writers get the most out of their interviews by discussing pre-interview techniques, how to create better questions and how to make the subject feel comfortable during the process.

Guest Speaker Rick Ele was a DJ and radio host for 17 years for the freeform community radio station KDVS 90.3 FM in Davis. Ele has interviewed over 100 bands, musicians, authors and more. Even though he is no longer a primary DJ and host for the station, he still volunteers to host a show about once a month.

"(My goal is) helping people find an ounce of courage to develop a rapport, do the research, which conveys you've put that effort into it and it will command some respect. (The respect) Can come back to you with better answers. The band or person (is more likely to) invest more in you to share those answers," Ele said.

Ele discussed to the 21 attendees the importance of preparing for an interview. Several tips included researching your interviewee, finding something unique about the subject that hasn't been covered by the media, and practicing your interview beforehand.

"People respect that you've researched them. They can repay that respect with real answers, not just canned responses," Ele said.

In the beginning Ele discussed interview icebreaking techniques such as making the interviewee comfortable. By making the person being interviewed feel comfortable, it is more likely that they will open up and give more detailed answers, he added.

Another tip included avoiding cliché first lines like "tell us about yourself," and entertaining light conversation to ease any tension.

When talking about good interview questions versus bad ones, Ele said that cliché questions get cliché answers. Recreating a basic, vague question such as "What are your influences?" into "How have your influences changed over time?" will yield a much greater response and will avoid the cliché, Ele added.

Toward the end, Ele involved the audience with a reenactment of a real interview, where an audience member pretended to be the interviewer and Ele was the interviewee. Ele stopped the reading several times to point out why certain questions worked, didn't work and what types of reactions can come from good or bad questions.

"(The interviewee in the script) was not comfortable going back to talk about why he stopped playing several years ago and stopped giving detailed answers. He was opening up when talking about what was currently happening," Ele explained.

Marketing and Communications Intern at The American Lung Association of California Baryo Dee, said that she came to the workshop in order to learn about interviewing, how to build a rapport and the process of developing storylines.

"I came to this workshop to strengthen communications skills and my news writing skills. I think hearing from a seasoned professional on how they are able to build a rapport and develop a storyline is helpful," Dee said.

Dee said that she felt the workshop was useful and would attend another one.

Assistant City Manager of Sacramento John Dangberg said he came to the workshop in order to learn ice-breaking techniques and more about interviewing from the interviewer standpoint, since he is often the interviewee.

"If this is about breaking the ice in interviews, and I'm ever in an interview with a reporter who's having trouble with (breaking the ice) that I'll be able to help them out with that," Dangberg said.

Dangberg said that he enjoyed the workshop and took away information on interpersonal communications for interviews.

PREMIERE CINEMA EXPERIENCE

2012-04-03T20:34:29Z

The Sacramento International Film Festival 2012 invites you to discover former governor Pat Brown in an exciting tale of political power and a family dynasty called by some “The West Coast Kennedys.” The California State of Mind: The Legacy of Pat Brown plays on opening night of the festival, April 21, 2012 (Pat's 107th Birthday) at the Crocker Art Museum.

In the turbulent 1960’s, an ordinary man rose to face extraordinary challenges. Now, Pat Brown’s granddaughter and award-winning Director, Sascha Rice, gives an inside look into the former Governor’s life and legacy which takes on startling new significance as his son, Jerry Brown is Governor of California – again. The documentary gracefully pivots from a tumultuous decade in American history to the contemporary challenges that California faces today. This dynamic American Dream story follows the journey of a man overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles to shape the future of modern California.

Featuring interviews with:

Governor Jerry Brown, former Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gray Davis & Pete Wilson; journalist Tom Brokaw and more.

Director/Writer/Producer - Sascha Rice

Executive Producer - Hilary Armstrong, (California Film Commission, California History Museum)

Producer - Julia Mintz.

Buy your tickets now at:

http://www.californiafilm.net/events/california-state-of-mind

Hope to see you all there!!!

U.S. Bank leaves UC Davis: What's next?

2012-03-21T00:42:31Z

Details of what the future will bring for U.S. Bank on the UC Davis campus are still hazy after the bank announced the branch’s closure in the wake of the Occupy UC Davis movement, but a school official said he is hopeful that the partnership can be restored.

“The biggest impact if this relationship can’t be salvaged is that student programs won’t earn the money they were slated to earn,” university spokesman Barry Schiller said Tuesday, adding that the best-hope figures put those earnings at $3 million over 10 years.

“In the last year, I believe that it was something on the order of about $167,000 for student programs,” Schiller said.

The money was channeled to the student programs as part of a contractual agreement between the bank and the university.

In January, students and at least one faculty member began sitting in front of the bank’s doors, preventing their opening to let customers in, and to let employees out, Schiller said.

He added that campus officials told the protesters that they could not sit in the space the doors needed to swing open, and when they refused, their refusal was documented.

“We engaged in a day-after-day-after-day effort to try to engage with the individuals,” Schiller said. “Our goal was not to send out police and create daily flashpoints that would not solve anything.”

Campus officials recently sent evidence collected to the Yolo County District Attorney’s office, and Schiller said the hope is that the protesters will be charged with criminal misdemeanors.

Rev. Ashiya Odeye, a spokesperson for the Justice Reform Coalition and an organizer for both Occupy UC Davis and Occupy Sacramento, said Tuesday that the bank branch’s closure is a “first-round victory” for the Occupy movement, and that the criminal complaints were anticipated, but not a deterrent.

“I can’t really tell you what our next thing is, because I don’t want it to get out yet. We will be taking action into Sacramento and to (U.S. Bank’s main office),” Odeye said, adding that he expects to see the Sacramento protests grow in April.

Teri Charest, spokeswoman for the Minnesota-based U.S. Bank, said Tuesday that the bank closed the branch on the UC Davis campus because the protesters made it impossible to do business.

“Our concern was our inability to conduct business and the safety of our branch employees, and the ability of customers to come and go from the branch,” Charest said.

She added that the UC Davis branch is the only one in the country that has had to shut down as a result of the Occupy movement.

Schiller said he is hopeful that the protesters will be criminally charged, and that will cause bank officials to reevaluate the branch’s closure.

Charest said she was not aware of the potential for criminal charges, but added that it is too early to speculate on whether the bank might reopen on the campus.

“U.S. Bank is still committed to providing the service to the community and the area (through other branches),” she said.

Schiller said there is another U.S. Bank branch about two and a half blocks from the edge of campus, but there are no other banks within the campus itself.

ATMs from six banks in addition to U.S. Bank’s ATMs are located on the campus, but Charest said U.S. Bank will be removing its ATMs in the near future.

When asked about his response to students who use the bank and don’t agree with the Occupy movement’s goals, Obeye – who is not a student – said, “I’d tell them to grow up and face reality. What do you want, (to) support criminals and the downfall of our system, or hold these people accountable? We can get somebody else in there: make it a student credit union.”

In addition to costs to student programs, Schiller said dissolving the contract with U.S. Bank will cost the school an unforeseeable amount, possibly including litigation fees.

“We have offered to the bank to mediate this dispute,” he said. “I don’t know whether the bank will be amenable to that.”

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

Sacramento County Teens Accelerate Campaign to Eliminate Distracted Driving

2012-03-21T00:02:24Z

Distracted driving is a bad habit and indications across California reveal many drivers have room to improve. According to Allstate, nearly 3,500 American teens die annually in accidents caused by distracted driving. More than 300,000 teens are injured. On March 20, a group of Sacramento County teens gathered at Elk Grove High School to announce a campaign aimed at eliminating this deadly problem.

“We are excited about getting out there and helping make our roads safer,” said Katrina Ranchhod, a student from Elk Grove High School. She spoke at a news conference also featuring students from Rio Cazadero High School and El Camino High School.

With the help of a grant from the Allstate Foundation through the California Friday Night Live Partnership (CFNLP), students compiled startling distracted driving statistics. After five months of monitoring 62 intersections near high schools across California, students observed more than 6,700 cases of distracted driving in merely one hour’s time, an average of more than 100 instances of distracted driving.

In Sacramento, students observed more than 620 incidents of distracted driving during their “Roadwatch” of five intersections, in only one hour.

“Don’t be part of the problem. Turn your cell phone off. If you are in a car with someone who is driving and they pull out a phone, take it away from them,” said Misty Dailey, of the Elk Grove Police Department.

Motivated by what they observed, Sacramento County FNL members are mobilizing to implement campaigns in their schools and communities aimed at eliminating distracted driving among their peers and in their community. Some of the campaign activities include: campus campaigns, poster competitions, video announcements/commercials, distracted driving pledges for students and parents, lunch time activities promoting the safe driving message, community campaigns.

“It is up to all of us - parents, teachers and administrators – to do everything possible to make sure our children are safe. However, I truly believe students have great impact in reaching out to their friends and other students, and leading by example,” said David W. Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools.

“Ultimately, the young people are the sources of the changes we want to make. I commend you for what you are doing,” said Lynne Goodwin, with the California Friday Night Live Partnership.

The Sacramento County Office of Education received a grant from the Allstate Foundation, through the California Friday Night Live Partnership to support the work of Friday Night Live Chapters in five Sacramento area high schools.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education

Spring Open House on the Farm

2012-03-18T01:50:50Z

Springtime is right around the corner and everyone is invited to take a break from Sacramento city-life to experience the awakening of nature.

The Center for Land-Based Learning (CLBL) is hosting, "Spring Open House on the Farm", Sunday, April 1, 2012, from noon to 4:00pm.

Springtime is a wonderful time to experience everything the Farm on Putah Creek - Center for Land-Based Learning's educational farm - has to offer you and your family.

There are miles of walking trails along Putah Creek, a bountiful organic market garden, hedgerows in full bloom, and many diverse species of birds and wildlife.

A sampling of the many hands-on activities includes hayrides, guided educational walks along Putah Creek, educational workshops on compost and the Native American uses of plants, and visits to our spring vegetable garden.

You can take part in the feeding and gathering of eggs from the chickens, hold a baby chick, and enjoy seeing a Ewe with her twin lambs up close.

This fun afternoon is free of charge. Feel free to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy with friends and family.

CLBL is dedicated to creating the next generation of farmers and teaching California’s youth about the importance of agriculture and watershed conservation. Combining innovative hands-on experience with classroom learning, participants in CLBL’s many programs develop leadership skills, learn how sustainable agriculture practices contribute to a healthier ecosystem, and create connections to agricultural, environmental, and food system careers.

Students, mostly inner-city from the Sacramento region are selected by their school’s administrators to participate in programs such as SLEWS Program, FARMS Leadership Program, Green Corps, and Caring for our Watersheds.

The Farm on Putah Creek is an easy driving distance from Sacramento and within 10 miles of Davis.

NOTE: For more information, and in case of rain Sunday, April 1st, please check the CLBL website (www.landbasedlearning.org) for an update on the event.

Disclosure: Ken Pierce is owner of Ken Pierce Public Relations in Sacramento, CA. To contact him email kpierce8272@yahoo.com.

MidLife GridLife - Necessity is a Mother

2012-03-17T18:41:46Z

If you had told me I would be doing homework at this point in my life, I would have been either amused or horrified. Given that, had you told me I would find it just as loathsome as I did in high school, I’d have offered no resistance.

I can’t help but appreciate the Karmic humor in the fact that currently I am enrolled in a class that compels me to study a text called “Orientation to College.” The curriculum requires that I write weekly essays on topics such as “Why Go To College?” and “The Value of Being Civilized,” when what I’d really like to present are topics like, “Why I Know I Definitely Won’t Need Algebra” and “The Case for Allowing People Over 40 to Earn Credits for Life Experience.”

Despite my distaste for homework, and late arrival at the dance of deciding to get a degree, I have always been a strong advocate of higher education; I simply lacked the self-discipline to complete my own. The state of the economy has shifted my perspective, and I am not alone.

If it is difficult for newly graduated college students to find employment (in the state with one of the highest unemployment rates in the country), then imagine reentering the workforce at 40 after ten years as a stay-at-home mom.

I was that person.

It took me a year just to get to a double-digit wage.

I was fortunate to have child support and a couple of years of alimony, but after reinventing myself in a career I’d started in my twenties, I watched the economy plummet, and jobs disappear. After massive government and private layoffs, there are now employers requiring a Masters Degree for positions that pay $11 an hour.
I was fortunate enough to be able to transfer 20 years of community college credits, so, if I’m diligent, I will qualify for one of those jobs by 2015.

Retirement? I’m thinking, 85.

I have a friend who graduated at 50. She spent her earlier career as a media talent, but fall-out from divorce made a career change preferable, if not inevitable. She is now a successful teacher.

Another friend left media for a teaching credential in her forties and is now a fabulous elementary school instructor. No pension in PR.

A third friend, wife and mother of two elementary-age children, is braving the impacted schedules and insane parking of CSUS to earn her Masters Degree. She is but a young thing in her thirties, and thus will probably be only my age when the economy turns around, lucky girl!

CSUS is a certainly great option—although just the thought of trying to park there scared the hell out of me—but there are many education options available to adults, depending on needs, preference, and circumstance. There are schools that cater to career people, such as Brandman University, University of Phoenix, National University, and others. There are vocational schools that offer specific skills from cosmetology to computer programming. There are also excellent community colleges that not only offer the general education courses needed for undergraduate work, but also a variety of certificate programs, and at a much lower cost than the aforementioned schools.

I was initially very intimidated by the idea of pursuing a degree at this stage in my life, not only because of the time and effort I had to commit, but the financial commitment—the idea of student loan payments hanging over my head for how many years, and I’ll be how old? Even the paperwork involved for admission and financial aid was daunting.

This is where the small, adult-oriented schools kick butt. In a nutshell: they want your money, and they will hold your hand every minute of every step during the completion of every form to make sure you get it for them. It’s win-win. And the government, I found out in January, has kicked in a killer tax break.

Education in middle age is a very different experience, even different than taking occasional classes in my twenties and early thirties. I have a greater sense of purpose, and I make more of an effort at self-discipline, motivated by a combined sense of not-getting-any-younger and-these-classes-are-damned-expensive.

Four terms in, there is also, I must admit, a beginning thread of I’m-kind-of-proud-of-me-for-actually-doing-this.

In my case, and that of women in similar or parallel situations, necessity may be the mother of invention.

Or a mother may need to reinvent herself out of necessity.

Why go to college? It turns out I’ve found plenty to write about every week.

Essay Program for Sacramento County Operation Recognition worth $500 Scholarship

2012-03-16T20:19:04Z

Every year, SCOE honors the many contributions of local veterans who left high school to serve in the U.S. military during World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War through the Operation Recognition program. Qualifying veterans, who received an honorable discharge, may contact SCOE to receive their high school diplomas. Diplomas are also presented to Japanese American citizens who were forced to leave high school due to WW II internment.

The 2012 Operation Recognition Scholarship essay theme is “How I Can Show My Patriotism in My Community.”

Contestants must be high school juniors or seniors who are currently attending public high schools in Sacramento County. The completed essay, with a cover letter, must be received by the Sacramento County Office of Education by April 23, 2012.

Essays will be judged on how well the student understood, developed and presented the theme. The winning entrant must be able to attend the Operation Recognition diploma ceremony at 6:30 p.m. on May 15, 2012 to read his or her essay, join in honoring the diploma recipients, and receive the $500 scholarship award from a SAFE Credit Union representative.

Contestants must send submissions to:

Tim Herrera
Operation Recognition Scholarship Contest
c/o Sacramento County Office of Education
P.O. Box 269003
Sacramento, CA 95826-9003

For complete essay scholarship program information please visit www.scoe.net/or.

Disclosure: Tim Herrera is Communications Director for the Sacramento County Office of Education.

High School’s Entire Freshmen Class Tours Local College

2012-03-15T00:50:45Z

Administrators at John F. Kennedy High School organized a mega fieldtrip this week: They brought every freshman student – all 500 – on a college campus tour.

The JFK ninth graders visited Sacramento City College on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. While college visits are not uncommon for Sacramento City Unified School District high school students, this is the first time a large campus has ensured that every member of a class gets to see a college in action before graduation.

“We want every student to know that they can go to college if they choose,” said JFK Principal Chad Sweitzer. “No matter what academic achievement level or income level you’re at, there are opportunities open to you.”

On Wednesday, the teens arrived at the college’s Student Center to hear a fiery speech by SCC Vice President Michael Poindexter, who spoke passionately about the potential of each student to change the world. Poindexter asked the teens to look into the eyes of those sitting next to them.

“You are looking into the eyes of the next President of the United States of America!” he shouted to applause. Poindexter ended his remarks by asking the students to repeat “I am the best in the world!”

To students who are not working as hard as they should in high school, Poindexter admonished: “We need you to get to on board.”

Students also heard from SCUSD Superintendent Jonathan Raymond, who told them to plan their futures well before graduation. “I didn’t start thinking about college until the fall of my senior year, which was too late,” he said. “I want you to be ahead of the game.”

The fieldtrip is an outcome of an emerging partnership between SCUSD, Los Rios Community College District and California State University, Sacramento. Through the partnership, the organizations hope to demystify higher education and, ultimately, decrease the number of college students who need remediation in English and math.

During this week’s fieldtrips, students learned how to register for classes, apply for financial aid and meet college requirements -- information not always apparent to high school freshmen, said Sweitzer. They also learned about classes to take in high school to prepare for the rigors of college.

Too often, said Sweitzer, kids emerge from high school without the skills needed to be successful in higher education. “We want college students to tell our kids what they wish they had known when they were in high school,” Sweitzer said.

SCC Professor Josh Roberts told the teens that knowing how to write an essay isn’t enough. They need to know how to critically think about subjects so they can defend an argument. He asked them to commit to reading for 30 minutes every day.

Ed Mills, associate vice president of enrollment at CSUS, gave the students three tips for success. “Show up, be dedicated and have some fun,” he said. He also encourage the teens to think creatively.

“Most of the jobs all of you will have don’t exist today,” Mills said. “You are going to build the world you’re going to live in. What’s the next Apple? What’s the next Facebook? You guys are going to decide.”

For more information about John F. Kennedy High School, visit www.jfkcougars.net.

Disclosure: Janet Weeks is the Communications Manager for the Sacramento City Unified School District.

SCHS Presents: A Night at the Zanzibar

2012-03-12T20:00:35Z

Sacramento County Historical Society's 2012 awards dinner and fundraiser is themed "A Night at the Zanzibar," featuring dinner by the Dante Club, a talk by historians Keith Burns and Clarence Caesar about the Zanzibar Club, one of the most legendary of Sacramento's long-lost West End jazz nightclubs of the 1940s, and a live performance by the Harley White Jr. Orchestra performing big-band jazz from the era of the Zanzibar. SCHS will also present its annual awards for publication, education and historic preservation.

Hear the Harley White Jr. Orchestra here: http://www.reverbnation.com/harleywhitejrorchestra

Members of Sacramento County Historical Society and event sponsor the Sacramento Old City Association may purchase tickets at discounted prices for themselves and their families. Member-priced ticket purchases will be compared against member lists; non-members will be required to pay the balance at the door, or join SCHS.

SCHS Presents: "A Night At The Zanzibar" 2012 Awards Dinner, Tuesday March 27, 6:00 PM

At The Dante Club, 2330 Fair Oaks Boulevard, Sacramento

Order tickets online via http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/219781 before March 20.

Ticket Options:

Tickets must be purchased in advance. TICKET SALES END ON TUESDAY, MARCH 20.

$40 for members of Sacramento County Historical Society (SCHS) or the Sacramento Old City Association (SOCA) and their families.

$50 for non-members.

$100 Contributor level: This price includes meal and your name listed in the evening's event program. This price includes a $50 (for non-members) or $60 (for members) tax-deductible contribution to Sacramento County Historical Society.

Menu Selections:

Half Roasted Chicken
Crusted prepared with Ricotta Cheese, Herbs, Bell Peppers,
Olives and Capers in a Tomato Sauce

Dante Club Prime Rib
A House Classic served with Au Jus and Creamy Horse Radish

Vegetable Ravioli
Vegetable Ravioli with Red Wine Peperonata Sauce

(All dinners include salad, bread, dessert, wine and coffee.)

Dinner starts at 6:00 PM, awards and history presentation at 7:00 PM, music at about 8:30 PM.

Disclosure: William Burg is Vice-President of Sacramento County Historical Society and President of the Sacramento Old City Association.

“Crock-tails” and Art: A celebration for U-Nite

2012-03-07T15:10:05Z

The Crocker Art Museum has teamed up with California State University, Sacramento to promote and host University Night, or U-Nite. The event is being held to celebrate the connection of campus and community, as well as to recognize the College of Arts and Letters. It is a Sacramento State Faculty Arts Showcase, where full-time faculty members from the College of Arts and Letters will be coming together to perform, showcase and celebrate. U-Nite will be hosted at the Crocker Art Museum on Thursday, April 12 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in collaboration with the museum’s “Thursdays ‘til 9” exhibition.

U-Nite is a public event reaching out to students, faculty and staff, alumni, administrators and the community. It will be well worth attending, as the museum is providing free admission for all students, faculty and staff with a valid Sacramento State ID.

The museum will also be providing “Crocktails,” or happy hour cocktails, for its guests so everyone attending can have a good time and enjoy a night of celebration. U-Nite will be the kick-off event for Sacramento State’s Annual Festival of the Arts being held April 14-21.

Elaine Gale, professor of Communication Studies and Journalism at Sacramento State, created and developed U-Nite to be hosted at the Crocker Art Museum. Gale is a writing coach, editor, dissertation coach, trainer, speaker, group facilitator and communication consultant. Her idea was “to produce a showcase that brings together two prominent Sacramento educational institutions for a night of creativity, education and celebration of the arts.”

Sacramento State Music Professor Richard Savino, previously nominated for a Grammy Award, will be performing at the U-Nite event. He is one of over 40 faculty members from the College of Arts and Letters who will be showcasing their work.

English Department Chair Bradley Buchanan will be reading poetry during one of the programs at the event.

“It is exciting to get a chance to shed my scholarly and administrative skin for a night of unbridled creativity and public adulation,” said Buchanan.

Each week the Crocker Art Museum hosts, “Thursdays ‘til 9” events, which include different showcases and events every Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. The first Thursday of every month is a film frame event, the second is an art mix, the third is a playlist and the fourth is open art night. U-Nite will be hosted on the second Thursday of April, which is a night of art mix. It is to be a lively and celebratory event with different programs held each hour for the duration of the event.

U-Nite will be held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thurs., April 12 at the Crocker Art Museum, located at 216 O Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. For more information about the event, please visit http://www.crockerartmuseum.org/programs-events/thursdays-til-9/event/1381-art-mix-unite For museum hours and ticket information, please visit https://crockertxs.cityofsacramento.org/tickets/default.asp

All promotions for this event are led by Sacramento State’s Communication 158 class, PR Planning and Management. For more information and/or questions about the promotions team, please contact student director of communication, Jason Alviar, at (707) 372-8765 or at jdalviar2@gmail.com.

Disclosure: All promotions for this event are led by Sacramento State’s Communication 158 class, PR Planning and Management.

EQCA Hosts 2012 Equality Awards

2012-03-06T16:23:47Z

Monday evening, Equality California (EQCA) hosted their 2012 Equality Awards reception at the California Dental Association’s banquet room, just a block away from the State Capitol in Sacramento.

San Francisco based, EQCA is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights advocacy organization in California. They have partnered with legislators and advocates to sponsor more than 80 pro-equality bills providing the LGBT community with the most comprehensive civil rights protections in the nation.

Each year, the organization bestows three awards to persons who most exemplify the work EQCA does by improving the lives of LGBT Californians, creating a strong California, and defending LGBT rights and protections. This year the three awards went to five people.

The first award, EQCA Leadership Award, was presented to California State Senator Christine Kehoe. Sen. Kehoe represents the 39th Senate District which includes much of San Diego, Del Mar and Lemon Grove.

During her time in the Senate, Kehoe’s focus has been on the environment and LGBT issues. In 2002 Sen. Kehoe was a founding member of the California LGBT Legislative Caucus, making California the first state in the country to recognize an official caucus of openly-LGBT legislators.

The EQCA’s Equality Lifetime Achievement Award went to noted American labor leader and civil rights activist who, along with César Chávez, co-founded the National Farmworkers Association, which later became the United Farmworkers Union. Huerta has received numerous awards for her community service and advocacy for workers’, immigrants’, and woman’s rights including the Eugene V. Debs Foundation Outstanding American Award and the US Presidential Eleanor D. Roosevelt Human Rights Award.

It is her decades-long strong advocacy for LGBT civil and marriage rights that EQCA awarded Huerta this achievement award for equality. Back in the 70’s she was a personal friend of Harvey Milk and they mutually supported each other’s struggle.

In her acceptance speech, Huerta said that she hopes “our community, the LGBT community continues to (work together) in cooperation and in coalition with other organizations”. Huerta continued, “We really can’t fight these fights by ourselves whether it is a fight for immigration or a woman’s right to choose. We all have to learn to work together.”

The last award, Community Advocate Award, was actually given to three people who had banded together last year to work as the Sacramento Redistricting Coalition that successfully lobbied to redraw political boundaries to create gay-friendly districts for both the Sacramento City Council and County Board of Supervisors.

Dr. Darrick Lawson, Steve Hansen, and Rosanna Herber worked countless hours on the new plan that will allow citizens in that district to elect an LGBT person in both the city and the county. While EQCA provided the trio with demographic data Lawson, Hansen, and Herber tapped into several other organizations and individuals to come up with a plan to literally put the LGBT community “on the map”.

The 2012 EQCA Equality Awards was attended by over 150 supporters including corporate sponsors and representatives of other organizations such as Sacramento Stonewall Democrats, Sacramento Rainbow Chamber, Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center and Equality Action NOW. Legislative representatives also attended including members of the California LGBT Legislative Caucus.

Disclosure: Ken Pierce is President of the Board of Directors and Communications Director for Equality Action NOW, a local Sacramento grassroots civil rights organization. You can reach Mr. Pierce by email at: ken@equalityactionnow.org

Mayor Kevin Johnson Signs onto Freedom to Marry Statement

2012-03-04T02:41:58Z

On Friday morning, March 2, 2012, after a meeting with leadership of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community concerning gay rights issues, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson joined a growing list of over 175 other mayors and municipal leaders, including West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon who signed early in the campaign, representing 32 states across the country, standing up publicly for marriage equality.

“Mayors for the Freedom to Marry” are a broad-based and nonpartisan group of mayors who believe “all people should be able to share in the love and commitment of marriage”. Though it took a while for Mayor Johnson to agree to sign the statement, in the end the mayor decided it is the right thing to do for LGBT citizens of Sacramento.

Leading a petition drive for Mayor Johnson’s participation was the Sacramento Stonewall Democrats. Over 350 people signed the petition which was personally presented to Mayor Johnson by Stonewall Democrat’s Board President, Sam Catalano and communications director, Neil Pople.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Equality Action NOW, a grassroots civil rights organization based in Sacramento, several letters were sent back and forth between the mayor’s office explaining that marriage equality “is not a religious issue, but a civil issue that affects many Sacramento citizens as well as their families and allies”. Marriage Equality USA, a statewide group based in San Francisco also used their influence to help encourage Mayor Johnson to stand on the right side of civil rights and equality.

In part, the statement reads, “As mayors of great American cities, we proudly stand together in support of the freedom of same-sex couples to marry. We personally know many gay and lesbian people living in our cities who are committed, loving relationships, who are active participants in the civic life of our communities, and who deserve to be able to marry the person with whom they share their life.”

“Our cities derive great strength from their diversity, and gay and lesbian families are a crucial part.”

“We stand for the freedom to marry because it enhances the economic competitiveness of our communities, improves the lives of families that call our cities home, and is simply the right thing to do. We look forward to working to build an America where all people can share in the love and commitment of marriage with the person with whom they share their life.” -

“It is a great day when we can work through our differences and personal beliefs to come to an agreement that marriage equality is a civil rights issue that harms no one, and actually enriches all citizens.” – Ken Pierce, President of the Board of Directors, Equality Action NOW.

To view the entire “Mayors for the Freedom to Marry” statement, click HERE.

Forum: Visiting Kenyan Pastor to Discuss Community Outreach to Nairobi Poor

2012-03-04T01:58:51Z

On Thursday, March 8, St. Anna’s Greek Orthodox Church will host a special forum discussion that will feature Rev. Joseph Mumita of Kenya, East Africa. He will discuss efforts to help feed and enrich the lives of some of Kenya’s poorest children and how people can become involved.

“It’s not often that we host someone from East Africa who is so involved in helping God’s poorest children,” said Father Christopher Flesoras. “We are very pleased to be hosting Rev. Joseph and look forward to hearing about what is going on in Kenya.”

Projects Rev. Joseph will discuss include:

Daily lunch feeding of more than 400 school children who would otherwise only get one meal a day.
Efforts to support an AIDS orphanage. In 2008, Rev. Joseph climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro to help raise money for the orphanage.
Putting a roof on his church so his congregation can more effectively serve the poor.

For more information please call (916) 772-937 or visit Rev. Joseph's blog at http://aid2kenya.com/giving/ to learn more about current projects.

Disclosure: Volunteer

O24u Gets Del Paso Heights Elementary School Students Ready For Cleaner Air

2012-03-02T17:27:17Z

“O24u! O24u!” chanted the students in the room. Their voices filled the cafeteria and they even had matching poses to match each syllable. It was as if the kids of Del Paso Heights Elementary School were at cheerleading practice, and they were – cheering for cleaner air and a better environment.

Yesterday afternoon, Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails (BCSET) launched its O24u program at the school. Led by Argelia Leon, BCSET’s Policy Manager and head of the O24u program, the students were introduced to program. O24u is an after-school environmental education program that is being implemented in elementary schools within Sacramento, specifically those located in low-income neighborhoods.

The program is a partnership with schools and after school service providers for a strong educational curriculum that centers on the themes of protection, restoration and conservation. Its primary focus is on air, water and urban green space issues. Students are educated on ways they can help improve the air quality, and are given tips such as planting trees, carpooling, or writing letters to government officials to urge for change.

“O24u is a wonderful, hands-on program and sends the message to kids that anyone can do something to reduce harmful emissions of air pollution and toxic indoor environments,” said Kori Titus, Chief Executive Officer of BCSET. “It’s fun, but also educational because it teaches the students how to make key decisions that can result in cleaner air and a healthier community.”

BCSET has trained high school students, college students, and after school program site facilitators to deliver the O24u program to children, ages 8-14. By doing so, this gives students the chance to improve their environmentally responsible behaviors in their personal lifestyles, their schools, their homes, and in their communities. The O24u curriculum has been developed to align with the California Environmental Education Initiative principles. The O24u Facilitator’s Guide includes 96 pages of lessons and hands-on activities, along six topic areas. The Facilitator’s Guide corresponds directly to the Student Activity Book, which every participating child will receive. Each activity has been aligned to the California standards.

Funding for this program is made possible by a grant provided by Sierra Health Foundation.

Disclosure: Margaret Tsai is the Communications Associate at BCSET, an independent non-profit working to make the Sacramento region a healther place to live and breathe since 1917. For more information, please visit www.sacbreathe.org or call (916) 444-5900.

Dr. Howard L. Fuller discusses education at Stand Up monthly meeting

2012-02-29T00:58:09Z

Accountability in schools and parents’ right to choose were the two solutions to Sacramento’s low education achievement that Howard L. Fuller, founder of the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO), former superintendent, educator and education reformer, focused on during his discussion with more than 100 Sacramento community members at the Stand Up Monthly Meeting on Monday.

“How can we tell how our schools are doing when their performance is labeled by a three-digit code nobody understands?” Fuller asked at the opening of his speech, referring to the state’s Academic Performance Index. “We need to give schools grades just like we do our students.”

Fuller extended his discussion from 20 minutes to an hour, filling in for Mayor Kevin Johnson’s absence. The mayor was supposed to deliver his State of the Schools address at the Stand Up meeting before Fuller spoke, but he could not attend due to meetings in Orlando regarding the Kings.

Stand Up is an education initiative that Mayor Kevin Johnson founded in 2009 on the core beliefs that kids come first, great teachers matter, parents deserve choices, government should invest in what works and measuring and rewarding results produces educational success according to an opening message from Stand Up Deputy Director Aisha Lowe.

Stand Up Monthly Meetings are one of the ways that members of the initiative act to increase achievement amongst schools in the Sacramento area, fewer than 42 percent of which met state growth targets last year, in comparison to 57 percent of schools statewide, based on a set of federal indicators called Academic Yearly Performance (AYP), according to the Sacramento County Office of Education.

The AYP targets should increase until 2013-14 when all schools must have 100 percent of their students performing at the proficient level or above on statewide tests, according to the Sacramento Country Childrens’ Coalition.

Fuller argued that making schools accountable is the only way to ensure students receive an excellent education that gives them the four things he deemed essential upon graduation: the ability to go to college, the ability to earn a living wage, the preparation through rigorous training to go back to school if desired and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Parents’ right to choose, otherwise known as school choice, will force not only the creation, but the maintenance of high standards for schools, Fuller said. Charter schools, which benefit from school choice, are educationally innovative, he added.

“At a certain point you have to try something radically different,” Fuller said.

“I’m not against school choice, but I don’t think it is the answer to California’s education problem,” said Martin Carnoy, professor of education at Standford University of school choice in a phone interview Monday. Carnoy is an education reformer familiar with Fuller’s work. “Charter schools are only proven to slightly increase the number of college-goers; they haven’t made any change in student achievement level.”

Real estate tax cuts like Proposition 13 of 1976 are the actual reasons for California’s low-achieving schools, said Carnoy.

At the end of his discussion, Fuller accepted questions from the audience. Questions ranged from how to train teachers of different races to work together to what to do when parents do not participate in their children’s education.

“Dr. Fuller’s answers were very reaffirming and inspiring,” said Jerome Lottie, 28, after-school program leader at the Roberts Family Development Center in Del Paso Heights. “He pushed doing the best you can with students while you have them. I respect the things he said because of his longtime experience and success in education.”

Later, Fuller talked with community members in Underground Books, a bookstore next to The Guild Theater, where the meeting was conducted. Students, parents, teachers and other community members stood in line to speak with Fuller.

“My school claims it is the ‘pride of the city,’ but many students are failing, and other students do bad things outside the classroom,” said Erika Cox, 13, a student at Sutter Middle School, as she waited in line. “My school ignores the problems and pretends they are better than they are.”

Cox asked Fuller how she should fix the things she notices are wrong with her school, like the fact that kids who are failing are given the option of extra help instead of being required to get it.

“What you need to do is what we all need to when we see a problem. You need to create a list of the things you think need to happen to fix your school, gather a group of friends and approach the administration with clear and practical solutions,” Fuller said. “You are going to make some people mad, but you have to be willing to fight for what you believe in.”

“The meeting ran really smoothly despite the last-minute changes,” said Stand Up associate Dana Percoco. “Dr. Fuller was an incredible speaker and had great things to say about education.”

The mayor will deliver his State of the Schools address in the near future according to Stand Up Deputy Director Andrea Corso.

“The mayor regretted having to miss the meeting but wants to be be the one to address the public regarding the state of the school,” Corso added. “He doesn’t want anyone else to do that.”

South Natomas school donates 300 books to Salvation Army

2012-02-24T23:59:51Z

Salvation Army of Sacramento received more than 300 donated books from the students of Merryhill School of South Natomas today. The donation supports The Army’s Early Care and Education Program in Oak Park.

“We wanted our students to have the opportunity to develop service leadership skills,” said Lezli Warburton, Merryhill principal. “It’s important for our children to understand their connection to the community and how they can give back.”

Merryhill, a private school for pre-kindergarten through third grade, hosted the book drive for the last month. Parents and students were encouraged to donate books of various topics, including: alphabet, animals, colors, health and nutrition, music, science and weather.

“I'm really excited because these books are going to the children and they’re going to enjoy reading them now,” said Arjun Chauhan, an eight-year-old third grader.

This donation will be used to build a library for the classrooms--both for free reading time for children and for teachers to use in the curriculum. The new books will also help to supply of a “lending library”, allowing for the children of the Salvation Army program to check out and take home a book.

“We needed to build our library,” said Sonja Stires, Salvation Army director of programs for the Oak Park campus. “It was getting pretty thin. What they (Merryhill) have given us is huge. Having their students involved was fantastic because they will see themselves as resources to affect the community.”

More than 40 children, ranging in age from 3-5 years old, are enrolled in the Early Care and Education Program. A quantity of good books has been identified as a need for this program, as The Salvation Army works to strengthen its focus on early literacy.

Disclosure: Syd Fong is the public relations director for The Salvation Army of Sacramento County. For more information about The Salvation Army, log onto www.salarmysacto.org or join the facebook page www.facebook.com/salvationarmysacramento

Keller Group signs on as Powerhouse Science Center partner

2012-02-03T17:25:11Z

The Powerhouse Science Center in Sacramento announced that Keller Group Office Environments has joined the campaign to build the premier science learning center serving Northern California.

As a founding partner, Keller Group Office Environments joins other regional leaders and organizations in a cooperative effort to support the development of this vital new community asset.

Located on the scenic banks of the Sacramento River, the Powerhouse Science Center will function as a model for 21st century experiential STEM education (science, math, technology, engineering, space) and environmental stewardship. The design will be an exemplary “green” building that serves as an environmental teaching lab.

“We are honored to be a partner on such an incredible project benefiting not only Sacramento but the greater state and national communities,” Keller Group president Dianne Keller said.

Keller Group joins the regional effort to create a home for a high-tech, hands-on science museum for the Sacramento region that will immerse children in science, technology, engineering and math. The center will play a key role in inspiring young people to become the future engineers and scientists that California and our nation desperately need.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome aboard Keller Group Office Environments as one of our founding partners,” Powerhouse interim executive director Michele Wong said. “The Keller Group shares our goal of transforming a historic Sacramento landmark into a cutting edge educational center, featuring a museum, planetarium, restaurant and conference center.”

Supporters of the center include business and civic leaders, clubs and organizations, individuals, and the city of Sacramento. Mayor Kevin Johnson recognizes this project as a top priority for Sacramento’s future.

For more information on the Powerhouse Science Center, including how to become a Founding Partner, visit www.powerhousesciencecenter.org, email info@PowerhouseScienceCenter.org, or contact Beth Callahan, Director of Marketing and Community Relations, at 916 853-0343.

Disclosure: Jeffrey Weidel is a Vice President of Halldin Public Relations in Roseville.

Drexel MBA student begins prestigious Valley Vision Fellowship; Will help craft “Next Economy” strategy

2012-02-01T20:20:30Z

Sally Phonthachack wants to some day run her own nonprofit organization and be a mentor to young people. The daughter of Laotian parents who immigrated to the United States when she was an infant, Phonthachack is currently working toward her master’s degree and helping a Sacramento nonprofit organization, believing these two endeavors will help provide a springboard toward her goal.

This month Phonthachack began working full time in a fellowship position with Valley Vision while she continues to pursue her master’s in business administration at Drexel University’s Center for Graduate Studies in Sacramento. In her new position, Phonthachack will assist senior Valley Vision staff in crafting the Valley Vision’s “Next Economy,” a highly visible, strategic regional effort aimed at accelerating jobs and new investment in the Greater Sacramento area.

“We had an overwhelming number of highly qualified candidates apply for the Next Economy Fellow position,” said Bill Mueller, CEO of Valley Vision and a member of the Next Economy management team. “In a field of great candidates, Sally was the clear front runner. She has the work experience, skill set and the community connections to make this vital regional initiative a success. And being a Drexel MBA student made Sally stand out all the more.”

Phonthachack has overcome extraordinary life circumstances on her way to becoming an involved and accomplished community leader. Her family of six escaped from their war-torn homeland of Laos and eventually wound up in Sacramento. Despite numerous obstacles for her family and herself, Phonthachack graduated from Grant High School, earned a two-year degree at American River College, and later became the first in her family to obtain a bachelor’s degree by attending California State University, Sacramento. She earned her B.S. in Business Administration with a Marketing concentration in 2009.

Phonthachack has a long record of community involvement which includes serving as a board member for the North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, participating in the Leadership and Advocacy training with the South East-Asian Action Resource Center, and acting Team Lead for the Sacramento Asian-Pacific Chamber of Commerce Catalyst Leadership Program. She was also a committee member for the International Lao New Year’s Festival and the annual Lao Education Conference, and also served as a community liaison while working at SMUD.

Currently, she is one of three co-chairs for the Hmong Mien Lao Community Action Network, representing the Lao community. Phonthachack was the winner of the Sacramento Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce Catalyst Scholarship at Drexel University, which provides $20,000 in tuition on any graduate degree at Drexel’s Center in Sacramento.

“I enjoy the collaborative work environment at Valley Vision. Working with a core group of very dedicated leaders in Sacramento’s nonprofit sector is a plus,” said Phonthachack. “I’m a huge believer in nonprofits and what they can do for the community. This is an exciting opportunity for me. I will be learning about what’s in store for Sacramento and discover how I can help strengthen our communities.”

The Drexel University scholarship reduced the financial obstacles in obtaining her graduate degree and will give Phonthachack the innovative management tools and knowledge to move forward as a community leader.

“Drexel is an institution that encourages and invests in experiential work for our students,” said Dr. Sandra Kirschenmann, Associate Vice Provost of Drexel University and Executive Director for the university’s Center for Graduate Studies. “Sally will have a whole team of educators behind her as she embarks on this great experience at Valley Vision. Drexel is committed to being very involved with our community as we build educational programs here in the Greater Sacramento region.”

Drexel’s Graduate Center opened in January of 2009 and offers programs focused on the heart of Greater Sacramento’s growth and economic development initiatives including business, human resource development, higher education and public health. Classes fit with the students’ working and are a blend of in class and online pedagogies. Drexel offers extensive financial aid programs for students, including special scholarship funds for Sacramento students.

For more information on Drexel's graduate programs in California, visit www.drexel.edu/sacramento or call (888) 389-3781 or (916) 325-4600.

Disclosure: Disclosure: Jeffrey Weidel is a Vice President of Halldin Public Relations in Roseville.

Making the Impossible Possible

2012-02-01T03:14:26Z

In the Mayor’s “State of the City” address he focused on two important and interconnected areas: jobs and education. The Mayor also spoke about making the impossible possible, a message that resonates with many citizens today. With unemployment at record highs (8.5% in the U.S., 11.3% in California and 11.1% in Sacramento) and prevalent low academic performance in the U.S. (compared internationally) and in California (compared to other states), the impossibility of the “American dream” is all too real for far too many people today. Still, all hope is not lost. There is a sense of urgency sweeping the nation and jobs and education are two very hot topics swirling in the media. There is a feeling that the will of the people is present; they simply need to know what to do to help usher in the change we all know is needed.

What is still lacking and hindering progress is a shared belief that education is the underlying issue of our economic woes.

In 2011, American manufacturing could not fill 600,000 skilled positions due to a lack of qualified candidates . Among a national sample of 1,123 executives, 67% experienced a moderate to severe shortage of qualified workers and 56% anticipate the shortage to increase over the next three to five years. These executives complained that the education system is not producing workers with the basic skills they need. A 2011 talent shortage survey of diverse companies across the globe cited the evermore specific skill sets employers are looking for and their frustration with finding people with both the technical competencies and business knowledge needed to be successful . Employers in the U.S. reported a 38 percentage point increase (from 14% to 52%) in difficulty filling jobs and 73% of all employers cited a lack of experience, skills or knowledge as the reason for this difficulty.

In the midst of economic crisis and record unemployment, many jobs are available. These jobs have the potential to fuel families’ personal economies which we know fuels spending, home ownership, and the like. So, what’s the disconnect?

Education is the missing connection and underlies the structural unemployment we are facing. While we have many people looking for jobs, the jobs that are open require skills our citizens don’t have. This is referred to as the middle-skill gap – skills in science, technology, math and engineering that will fuel our increasingly technological and global society are sorely lacking. It is estimated that the number of jobs for Californians with postsecondary education will grow 50% faster than jobs for high school drop outs between 2008 and 2018. By 2018, 60% of California jobs will require an education beyond high school and by 2025, there is a predicted workforce shortage of 1 million college graduates . Here in Sacramento, 57% of health care employers reported difficulty in finding registered nurses and 78% cannot fill medical imaging positions. Sacramento employers in the energy efficiency field, a booming field in the area as noted by Mayor Johnson, reported difficulty hiring workers in eight critical areas to clean energy.

There is a shortage of qualified employees, not just a lack of jobs.

Our education system is at the heart of this crisis. The U.S. ranks 15th in reading, 23rd in science, 31st in math, and 26th in overall educational quality among 65 countries . California is below average in academic performance compared to other states and schools in the Sacramento region boast similarly poor results with only half of the students being proficient in any subject . Those who make it to college are often still undereducated. Over 70% of California community college students required remediation in math and Englishiv. Similar results are seen in our state’s CSUs. With these types of results, achieving the American dream is becoming increasingly impossible – more a fantasy than a dream.

Amidst these bleak statistics, there are places to look for solutions. A recent Global Public Square special on CNN entitled “Restoring the American Dream: Fixing Education” profiled South Korea and Finland as two diverse examples of nations with very high student performance using very different approaches. South Korea relies heavily on testing and students spend an immense amount of time studying, in school and after school. Finland is a complete contrast spending less time in school with no standardized testing, but focusing instead on creativity and critical thinking. Both nations rank among the top three in reading, math and science. The special goes on to ask American industrialists what we can learn from South Korea and Finland and what is needed to transform public education in the U.S. The common message among the presenters and the common denominator between South Korea and Finland was teacher effectiveness. Among these commentators – national presidents, industry tycoons, and education reformers – there was agreement that effective teaching is a key ingredient in a strong educational system. In Finland it is more competitive to get into a teacher education program than medical school. Their teacher education system is rigorous and systematic, with layers of professional development and requirements for proof of ability to effectively shape young minds. By contrast, in the U.S. almost half of our teachers graduate in the bottom third of their college graduating class .

Two research reports were released this January on this very topic, one by the National Bureau of Economic Research and the other by The Education Trust–West (ETW). Both reports discussed the ways in which teacher effectiveness can be reasonably assessed and the impact a teacher can have on their students’ life outcomes. The economists found that students assigned to a more effective teacher were more likely to attend college, earn higher salaries, live in better neighborhoods, save more for retirement, and were less likely to become teenage parents. They also report that an increase in teacher effectiveness (replacing the bottom 5% of teachers) would add $250,000 of lifetime earnings per classroom into our economy. Researchers at The Education Trust–West found that effective teaching greatly impacts student learning, with an effective teacher adding half a year more learning in English-language arts (ELA) and four months more learning in math for their students. The ETW also reports that low-income students and students of color are systematically less likely to be taught by an effective teacher and more highly impacted by quality-blind layoffs. It is clear why we have such persistent achievement gaps.

These are not the first reports of their kind. There have been others before them discussing the importance of teacher effectiveness as well as other topics in education reform like fiscal responsibility and parent choice. Clear sets of solutions have been proposed. So, we are again left asking, what is the disconnect? Why do we not act on some of these suggestions and try something radically different?

You are the missing connection.

Your outcry is what we are missing – the voice of the people standing up and demanding a different course of action. In a democratic society, systems are transformed by the will of the people. No one can pretend to have the answer. There is no one magic bullet that will alter the course of education in this country. But we do know more of the same is not the answer. That is, after all, the definition of insanity. Democracy requires an educated citizenry. Our economy demands a quality education based in the future of science and technology we are all heading towards. Your future necessitates our children are prepared to run our nation, our state, and frankly, your affairs. Systems cannot reform themselves. You must require them to change, to become better, to meet your needs.

STAND UP for education Sacramento! With our state legislators in our backyard, what better place to begin than here. We can fix education. We can restore the American dream. Let us lead the way for the rest of the state to follow in making the impossible possible.

Sources:

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for November 2011; presented on Google.com
“Boiling point: The Skills Gap in U.S. Manufacturing” sponsored by Deloitte and The Manufacturing Institute
The “2011 Talent Shortage Survey Results” sponsored by the Manpower Group, surveying nearly 40,000 employers across 39 countries and territories.
“Can California Compete?: Reducing the Skills Gap and Creating a skilled workforce through Linked Learning” sponsored by America’s Edge
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
http://dq.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/
A special edition of Fareed Zakaria’s GPS program, Restoring the American Dream: Fixing Education (November 6, 2011)

Disclosure: Aisha Lowe is Deputy Director of STAND UP, a local non-profit working to inform and mobilize the community for education reform, working to ensure every child in Sacramento has the opportunity to attend an excellent public school.

A look back at the remnants following infamous UC Davis pepper-spray incident

2012-01-30T08:56:33Z

DAVIS, Calif. — It has now been two months since the infamous pepper-spraying incident that made UC Davis an international house-hold name occurred. Even after Thanksgiving weekend, only the remnants of the incident remained. Although a bounty of tents could still be found on the quad, a mere handful of protestors could be found in them. Then the Monday morning after Thanksgiving break arrived. Once again, one by one, news vans crept back onto campus as if waiting for blood to be shed. The vans have now let the campus in peace.

Almost all protestors and non-protestors alike felt strongly that the pepper spraying incident was nothing but unacceptable. “The extraordinary reaction of the pepper spraying is entirely sensible, given how horrific it was,” asserted Professor Joshua Clover of the UC Davis English Department. Now that time has passed, the reaction has appeared to settled down.

Similar to many non-protestors, some protestors admitted that the UC Davis movement would have flatlined much sooner, had it not been for the infamous pepper spray scene. “This movement wouldn’t have happened without the pepper spray incident” one protestor admitted.
Although the pepper-spray incident did bring attention to the protestor’s cause, many soon claimed that they were tired of the attention diverting from what really needed to be changed. Others, still, stated the pepper spray to be the reason they were protesting. The non-protestors appeared to be tired of the attention altogether.

Now, as the winter quarter has begun, the various artistic expressions of frustrations that once took over the quad in solidarity for the strike and ongoing protests have dispersed and almost disappeared. Signs such as “The Chancellor was appointed, so was Hitler,” “California RNs support Occupy UC Davis,” and “I’m queer; I’m for justice” could have once been found throughout the conglomeration of protestors, but are no longer abundant.

In the aftermath of the incident, some feared that the school would suffer financially. “I don’t think the protestors realize the long term negative effects the protesting is having on both the students and the university as a whole,” one UC Davis alum stated. In current light, however, it appears that these worries too can be calmed. According to a Sacramento Bee review of university records, not only did the Campaign for UC Davis experience an increase in donations during the this past December, but the $1 billion goal is currently 75 percent achieved.

Once written in chalk on the walkway of the quad was what appeared to be an unofficial documentation of a revised Preamble stating:

1. Reform higher education
2. Reform our justice system
3. Reform health care
4. End the Fed
5. End money in politics
6. Make lobbying illegal
7. Hold the banks and Wall Street accountable
8. End the war! Bring home our troops
9. Rebuild America’s infrastructure
10. Reduce dependency of fossil fuels

The chalk has now faded, and a mere handful of tents remain. Students are once again studying and spending time with friends on the grass outside of Memorial Union. It appears, at least for the present time, that the presence of Occupy UC Davis has run its course.

Disclosure: UC Davis student

Junior Journalism Writers

2012-01-24T03:20:50Z

When did you get the "writing" bug? That insatiable bug that you must write something, anything to tell and inform the world. Was it when you wrote for your College paper? Maybe, it started in High school when you were in the Yearbook Club or writing for the the school newspaper. Whenever it was, it gave you the momentum to continue to write your stories or articles today.

This just may be true for a handful of students that are in the Journalism Club at Isador Cohen Elementary School. Yes, I said elementary. They are students ranging from third through sixth grades and they write the stories for the school newsletter. The Club is in its second year at Cohen and has seen an increased interest to participate from last year.

If you peeked in the computer lab, you would see the students in different stages in their writing process. Ranging from: gathering research for their interviews, writing their story in Microsoft Word, copying and pasting their finished story into the Microsoft Publisher newsletter, taking pictures, or searching for graphics to place in their article. They are always working on something to meet the deadline or for the next newsletter.

Joining the club was a process within itself. The children had to fill out an application, provide one teacher reference, write an essay, and have a short interview. Those that met the deadlines and completed the process were selected to join the club. "This provides the students "real" world experience and helps put the students at ease when they are interviewing for their stories." said Dawn Weymouth, the club advisor.

The students were able to put those interviewing skills to the test when they had the opportunity to interview SCUSD's Bully Prevention Specialist, Shiela Self for their "Bullying" article and Rosemont.patch.com Editor, Cody Kitaura. Cody was actually doing a story on the Club, but little did he know, the club was doing a story on him too. Both were really great and had so much information for the students to use for their articles and later on in school or their lives.

The club is still in the infancy and with the kind of students that are currently partcipating, the club will continue to make great progress. As long as they have that writing "bug" they will have a place that allows them to continue to write and inform their parents and peers. Never know, it may give THEM the momentum to continue on long after they have left the halls of Isador Cohen. Keep that pen to the paper and your fingers typing, kids!

Disclosure: Dawn Weymouth works for SCUSD at Isador Cohen.

"Question One" West Coast Premiere at the Crest

2012-01-14T07:51:11Z

Thousands of same-sex couples in Sacramento and throughout California are eagerly waiting on a decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco that will ether uphold, or not, the California Supreme Court’s decision that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.

This issue has already been dealt with in several other states with some accepting marriage equality but for California it has proven to be a highly emotional and complicated one for same-sex couples that are hoping to soon have the same rights as other legally married couples. The decision is expected any day now.

“Question One,” a newly released documentary on Maine’s 2009 referendum battle over same-sex marriage, will be shown for a special one night engagement, on February 1 at Sacramento’s Crest Theater, marking the film’s West Coast premiere.

The film chronicles in “War Room” fashion the behind the scenes workings on both sides of the campaign (which very closely mirrored California’s Prop 8 battle) and includes emotional and revealing interviews with key proponent and opponent campaign operatives. As was the case in California, the ballot measure was narrowly approved by Maine voters, thus overturning legislation to legalize same-sex marriage in that state.

Of special interest to Sacramento is the fact that the film also documents the controversial leading role of Sacramento-based campaign consultants Frank Schubert and Jeff Flint as referendum proponents. Schubert-Flint Public Affairs headed the 2008 campaign for Prop 8 here in California as they did in Maine and have since taken the lead in a national effort to outlaw same-sex marriage in other states.

In a recent article in the Sacramento Bee concerning the Sacramento screening of the documentary Schubert said, "I have no plans to see the movie, I already know how it ends."

The film illustrates how the same tactics, strategies and issues (in particular the claim “that same-sex marriage would be taught to children in public schools) that were used by Schubert and Flint in California were also used by them in Maine.

Produced by Fly on the Wall Productions and directed by award-winning journalists Joe Fox and James Nubile; “Question One” chronicles the campaigns and the issues raised but also tells the very human stories of various individuals who were connected on both sides of the divide, caught up in a cycle of events that would change their lives forever.

Fox and Nubile’s last documentary, Passing Poston, about a Japanese internment camp during WWII, aired nationwide in 2010 on PBS and screened in theaters across the nation to critical acclaim. The film was featured at the Crest Theater for the Sacramento International Film Festival in March of 2008.

Fox said of “Question One”, “To be honest, I was shocked at how I was able to gain the amount of access to both sides of the campaign to repeal marriage equality in Maine and the degree that Frank Schubert and his company here in Sacramento was involved in that process. I think this film will open a lot of eyes to those who attend this viewing February 1st as to what goes on behind the scenes in campaigns like this both in Maine, California, and throughout the nation.”

The screening on February 1st is free to the public. After the screening there will be a Q & A session with the director and a panel discussion about the film and marriage equality here in California. Additional panel guests may be announced in the coming weeks.

Co-sponsors of the screening here in Sacramento are Equality Action NOW, Outword Magazine, Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Center, Sacramento Stonewall Democrats and the Sacramento Rainbow Chamber of Commerce.

Admission to this special screening “Question One” is complimentary but reservations are essential. To attend sign up online HERE (http://bit.ly/wzOaDT). Include your name and how many tickets you would like (limit of 4 per person). More information and preview can be found at the web site: Q1 The Movie - Vimeo Question One, or on their Facebook Movie Page: Question One: Sacramento

Disclosure: Ken Pierce is the Public Relations Director and President of the Board of Directors for Equality Action NOW, a local Sacramento grassroots civil rights organization. Equality Action NOW is co-sponsoring this screening at the Crest Theater.

Aerojet announces sponsorship of simulated space program at Powerhouse Science Center

2011-12-12T19:22:17Z

The Powerhouse Science Center and Aerojet today announced a $1.5 million gift from Aerojet, that will launch the new science complex’s cutting-edge simulated NASA space mission program, to be named the Aerojet Challenger Learning Center.

The current heavily-used 17-year-old Challenger Learning Center is in full operation at the Discovery Museum Science & Space Center, which will relocate and become the Powerhouse Science Center when the new facility opens in 2014. Recently honored as one of the nation’s most successful Challenger Centers, Sacramento’s Challenger adventure inspires future astronauts with suspension-of-disbelief scenarios and problems, challenging students to apply the math, science and communication skills learned in the classroom to “real-life” situations.

Aerojet strives to influence and attract this nation’s next generation of rocket scientists, astronauts, doctors and teachers, and has partnered with Powerhouse to encourage students to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This major contribution highlights the company’s commitment to enriching the Sacramento region and championing STEM education for the future workforce.

“America’s many successes in space exploration have always benefited from the tremendous sources of technical talent graduating from our educational institutions,” Aerojet president Scott Seymour said. “Continued successes will require the same from future generations and our partnership with the Powerhouse Science Center and Challenger Learning Center will serve to inspire today’s youth toward that end.”

“Since 1997, Aerojet and the GenCorp Foundation have committed approximately $500,000 in support for our highly successful Challenger Learning Center at the Discovery Museum,” Powerhouse interim executive director Michele Wong said. “Now, as Discovery grows and expands into the Powerhouse Science Center, we are honored that Aerojet has stepped up to be our first title sponsor. The new Aerojet Challenger Learning Center at the Powerhouse will be the most advanced of the 54 Challenger Centers worldwide.”

The new Aerojet Challenger Center will be located on the Powerhouse Science Center campus in the Earth & Space Sciences Center, which will also include a 150-seat full-dome planetarium theater and interactive exhibits that focus on the relationship of the four spheres: air/atmosphere, water/hydrosphere, earth/lithosphere/ and life/biosphere. Exterior experiences will include water conservation, green energy and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

Located on the scenic banks of the Sacramento River, the Powerhouse Science Center is situated in the River District at 400 Jibboom Street. In addition to the Earth & Space Sciences Center, the Powerhouse campus will also include innovative, hands-on exhibit halls, science laboratories and classrooms, robotics programs, an artificial wetlands, outdoor stage and screen, a restaurant with riverfront views and more. The center has nearly completed its pre-construction phase and will begin breaking ground in 2012.

For more information on the Powerhouse Science Center, including how to become a Founding Partner, visitpowerhousesciencecenter.org, email info@PowerhouseScienceCenter.org, or call (916) 853-0343. Visit the center on Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.

A selection of Powerhouse Science Center images can be viewed at dreyfussblackford.com/powerhouse.

Disclosure: Jeffrey Weidel is a Vice President of Halldin Public Relations in Roseville.

Drexel Center for Graduate Studies in Sacramento holding December Information Sessions

2011-12-07T17:20:01Z

Drexel University, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit university recognized as a national leader in academic innovation, will hold three more December information sessions for enrollment at the Center for Graduate Studies in Sacramento.

The center, which opened at One Capitol Mall in January 2009, is already known as one of Northern California’s most high-tech conference and educational facilities. In its state-of-the-art classrooms, Drexel – a top-ranked national comprehensive research university – will offer six master’s and one doctoral degree program in 2012 that are designed for working professionals.

All seven programs are focused on the heart of Sacramento’s growth and economic development initiatives: business, human resource development, higher education, public health, knowledge management and information science.

At the information sessions (the first one was Dec. 3)Drexel representatives will discuss how the university’s award-winning classes fit with the students’ business responsibilities. The classes are a blend of in-class and online pedagogies and are held in the evenings or on occasional weekends.

Wednesday, Dec. 7
4 to 5 p.m. via Webinar or at the Graduate Center, One Capitol Mall, Suite 260
Program, fall 2012:
Interdepartmental Medical Science (pre-med, post-baccalaureate)

Friday, Dec. 9
4 to 5 p.m. via Webinar or at the Graduate Center, One Capitol Mall, Suite 260
Program, fall 2012:
M.S. Finance

Wednesday, Dec. 14
6 to 8 p.m. at the Graduate Center, One Capitol Mall, Suite 260
Programs, spring/fall 2012:
Business Administration MBA
Human Resource Development
Higher Education
Doctorate of Education
Executive Master of Public Health (fall start)
M.S. Finance (fall start)
Note: Complimentary food and parking provided

To attend an information session for Drexel’s graduate programs in California, register online atdrexel.edu/sacramento or call (888) 389-3781 or (916) 325-4600.

Disclosure: Jeffrey Weidel is a Vice President of Halldin Public Relations in Rocklin.

Looking for a 'win–win' for West Campus and Sac High

2011-12-06T04:07:37Z

The Sacramento City Unified School District board is considering a potential campus “swap” for two central city schools – a move that has stirred up a storm of criticism from parents, students and education advocates in the city.

The proposed swap would move the West Campus High School program from its current 58th Street location to the old Sacramento High School facility and replace it with the Sacramento Charter High School program, which is currently at the old Sac High campus.

Proponents of the swap say the move will allow the popular West Campus program to expand and will create an opportunity to establish a non-college preparatory high school program for students in central city neighborhoods.

Opponents of the swap say the current programs are doing just fine as they are – and where they are – and they have the high graduation rates to prove it.

Ultimately, the final decision rests with the seven-member SCUSD board.

A comprehensive high school is one that offers both general academic courses and specialized trade, and technical subjects but does not necessarily have a college prep emphasis.

If a comprehensive program is established on the Sac High campus along with the West Campus program, the two schools would be independent of each other, yet share the same campus facility.

Proponents of the swap say if the West Campus program – which is currently at capacity and has a long waiting list – is moved to a larger facility, the program will be able to expand. That will give more students an opportunity to take advantage of amenities at the Sac High campus, such as a newly refurbished swimming pool, athletic fields and state-of-the-art science labs.

The current West Campus High facility has 863 ninth-12th grade students enrolled, according to Gabe Ross, spokesman for SCUSD.

The Sac High facility has capacity for more than 2,000 students, Ross said Friday, and currently the charter school has just over 900 students – not quite half full.

“Everyone says (the central city neighborhoods) need a high school,” said Phil Pluckebaum, a project manager for the Public Health Institute and a member of the Sacramento Comprehensive High School Coalition.

“The dilemma has always been, where do you put the school?” Pluckebaum said.

The Sacramento Comprehensive High School Coalition, founded in January, is a group dedicated to establishing a high school to serve the central city area.

The proposal of a campus swap is not a new one – the College Glen Neighborhood Association brought it up in 2003 – but, with recent recommendations from the SCUSD Facilities Reuse and Consolidation Committee, the swap idea was revived and has since been getting a lot of attention.

“The question has been persistent for years,” Pluckebaum said. “It just wasn’t fully vetted before.”

The Committee’s recommendation was not initially a “swap,” board member Patrick Kennedy said Friday, because the district doesn’t have jurisdiction over the charter school program – the board is not responsible for how the charter program expands or if it has a waiting list.

The district does have a legal responsibility through Prop. 39 to provide an “equivalent” facility for the charter school as it would make available for a district school of the same enrollment size.

The West Campus facility appears to satisfy this requirement, Ross said, and that is why it is under consideration as a replacement facility for Sacramento Charter High School, if the SCUSD board decides to move the expanding West Campus program onto the Sac High site.

Pluckebaum said Thursday that the coalition’s focus is on providing a “pedestrian-friendly,” neighborhood comprehensive high school.

“We want a high school fed by neighborhood middle schools to be a place where people can walk and ride their bikes to,” Pluckebaum said.

Mayor Kevin Johnson, who was involved in starting the St. Hope Public Schools at the old Sacramento High School facility in 2003, said at a press conference in November that a campus swap would be a mistake by the school board.

“I don’t think any community wants it to happen,” Johnson said. “The West Campus community doesn’t want to move. Obviously, (the) Sac High campus doesn’t want to move – this is just politics.”

For those who oppose a campus swap, the limited number of neighborhood schools is not the issue – a disruption of two successful education programs is the greater problem.

Keiona Williamson, 17, a senior at Sacramento Charter High, appealed to the City Council Nov. 22 to oppose a campus swap.

“(Sacramento Charter High) has cultivated me and my peers into successful young adults,” Williamson said. “Switching the campuses is not only unnecessary, it disturbs the culture that we have worked so hard to build up. Please don’t mess with success.”

Parents of students told the City Council that they are happy with the schools as they are – and where they are.

“My family purchased a home in Sacramento specifically for the schools we would access,” said Debra Larson, a social worker and parent of a West Campus student.

“I am told that West Campus needs to be relocated to the Sac High campus because West is too old and lacks modern amenities,” Larson, 50, said. “We urge you not to believe that our children want a better school. They love their campus.”

Larson said the idea of swapping campuses because one may be inferior in some way would send the wrong message to students and their families.

“I’m horrified that one group of kids would be forced to move into a space vacated because it isn’t good enough for another group of kids,” Larson said. “I am concerned about the message we are sending to both groups of kids and their families if this happens. It is just wrong.”

Members of the SCUSD board have been working on this and other proposals for increasing efficiency within the district for months, Kennedy said Friday – and the work is far from ended.

“I understand the anxiety these things cause,” Kennedy said. “It’s hard on the schools, and on the community at large. But these are conversations that have to take place to make sure we are doing the right things for our students.”

Still, there is no need to rush to any conclusion about what action the board may take, Kennedy said.

“We are just at the data gathering point,” Kennedy said. “There is a lot of work to be done before we can make a decision.”

Ross said that “design teams” – appointed by the principals of each school and comprised of staff, parents, students and neighbors – are studying the potential benefits and drawbacks of a campus swap.

“The superintendent felt the most prudent effort was to get input from all kinds of affected communities about the prospect (of a swap),” Ross said.

When the design teams send their findings to the school board, Ross said, the board will take a closer look at all options.

“I’m not in favor of moving schools and programs just for the sake of moving them,” Kennedy said. “If you can’t prove to me that we are improving things, then I wouldn’t be in support of it.”

Kennedy said that, whatever decision is made, isn’t going to be made in the next month – but he couldn’t estimate a time frame for a decision.

When the SCUSD board meets Thursday, it will hear an update from staff on all the consolidations under consideration, but the board will not vote on anything.

Ross said that, because there is no specific time frame, the soonest the board could be in a position to vote on the situation is Dec. 14.

“Ultimately it’s an advisory recommendation for the board,” Ross said. “Ultimately it’s the board’s decision.”

Melissa Corker is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on twitter @MelisaCorker.

Editorial Note: A spelling correction has been made to this story after it was published.

Sacramento City College politics go Green

2011-12-01T03:07:46Z

As Earth welcomed its 7 billionth child Nov. 1, international concern for diminishing world resources and mounting pollution are on the rise. This concern not only stems from the number of people on the planet, but how those people consume and dispose of their resources. However, depending upon how the international community prepares for that challenge, it could serve as an opportunity for positive change.

The Sacramento City College’s Student Associated Council has recognized the international concern for its impact on the planet by creating a new position to help facilitate the campus’ desire to reduce its waste by welcoming plant biology major Michael Viscuso to the newly created position of secretary of Sustainability.

“When we created the new constitution, we put in the secretary of Sustainability so that someone can always be available for that position,” says Vice President of the Student Associated Council, EloHim Cofield. “Hopefully this one [constitution] will stay in place the next 10, 15, 20 years and hopefully by that time the school will be completely green.”

Before Viscuso had considered running unopposed for the position, Cofield had to convince the Connecticut-backwood native he was the right student for the job.

“We need someone that’s green and he has knowledge about being green. He’s already done this kind of work outside the school, so he would be a perfect candidate,” says Cofield, an administration of justice and political science major.

Viscuso, who intends to transfer to UC Davis, would not strike you as the type of candidate to run for a student government position. His calm, deep voice and demeanor is accented by his dark beard and curly hair that sands on end.

When Viscuso realized that his many years of experience working on sustainability projects would work to his benefit as secretary of Sustainability, potentially having far-reaching effects with other schools in the Los Rios District, he knew he had to run for the position.

“I realized I could actually do something good throughout the whole district,” says Viscuso who moved to Sacramento in January.

“Burning Man is one of the things that definitely got me into the [sustainability] scene,” says Viscuso who has attended or volunteered at Burning Man almost every year since 2000. “That’s where I met a lot of people that are deep in the scene in California.”

Viscuso, a 40-year-old vegan, assisted with coordinating solar projects at Burning Man that allowed patrons to charge their phones and cameras at the event despite being isolated in the Nevadan desert. Later the solar structure was dismantled and installed on public structures in Gerlach and Lovelock, Nev., reducing their energy usage.

“I was really blessed and stoked we helped facilitate all that in a way,” says Viscuso with his laid-back tone.

Viscuso is also a member of Freedom Farms, a community garden in Oak Park that has proposed a garden next to Jedediah Smith Elementary School.

“Hopefully it will come to fruition,” says Viscuso. “There is a 6-acre plot right next to it that is owned by the Sacramento School District and we’ve proposed in a two year span to turn that area into a community garden for the whole community as well as to produce food for the school. It’s a great plot too! It will be like a little eco-village. The principal and vice principal are really into it too.”

Viscuso is also a volunteer at City Farm, Sacramento City College’s organic urban-gardening pilot-project on campus.

“Michael's energy around sustainable agriculture goes well beyond City Farm,” says Robyn Waxman, Sacramento City College graphic communication professor and faculty coordinator of City Farm. “Most of his contributions to City Farm have been directly related to our garden parties every other Friday at noon.”

“He donated seeds, trained students in how to transplant seedlings, he offered advice regarding irrigation, and he keeps ideas about compost and how to be most sustainable at the front of everyone's minds,” says Waxman. “He's truly a gift.”

Since the beginning of fall semester, Viscuso has been collecting signatures for two petitions he has written. As San Francisco has done, he has proposed the composting of organic waste from the campus cafeteria to divert waste from landfills and create usable soil for future use.

“It is a commodity,” says Viscuso with conviction. “It’s the one way to revitalize the soil that we need.”

Viscuso’s second petition proposes that the campus cafeteria take steps to become more sustainable: offering healthier snack and meal alternatives produced by local, environmentally sustainable farms that practice fair labor and the humane treatment of animals.

“It would encompass safe farming practices—all the way from how you take care of your soil, to your workers, to the end result of it ending up on your plate,” Viscuso says.

Faculty at Sacramento City College are supportive of Viscuso’s vision of generating less waste on campus.

“What we are doing on the planet, where we are going with this kind of stuff, with the population and with all the things that come into food security, how can it hurt to maybe create a system that is a little more holistic or sustainable versus one that is not?” says Craig Davis, geography professor at Sacramento City College who was involved with coordinating the current recycling program on campus 10 years ago.

“Maybe it isn’t just about composting, it’s also about the front end of the food service; the materials we use in the cafeteria as a whole,” says Davis, a City Farm supporter.

One of Viscuso’s first priorities as secretary of Sustainability will be to form a sustainability committee think-tank to come up with different ideas on how to create a sustainable campus and minimize the waste created.

With the rewriting of the constitution to include a secretary of Sustainability, the Associated Student Council is an example of how world governments could restructure themselves to include the interests of future generations—having Viscuso’s vision and experience is just an added perk for the student government.

Disclosure: This article was featured in the Sac City Express Nov. 22, 2011. Matthew Blackburn is a journalism student and City Farm volunteer at Sacramento City College.