Emily Mastrolia, FHA-HERO State President for the 2008-2009 School Year, pins 2009-10 State President Cody Nore, as a symbol of the transfer of leadership. Although schools are still in session, FHA-HERO officers begin a new year during their State Leadership Meeting, which this year was held March 28-31.
(FRESNO, Calif.) FHA-HERO is turning out some of the state’s top young leaders.
One of these is Cody Nore of Oroville. This Las Plumas High School junior, recently elected as FHA-HERO’s state president, has already various leadership positions in FHA-HERO for the last four years.
It started in eighth grade, when he attended nearby Central Middle School. That year, he served as Central’s Chapter president.
“Once I became involved in leadership, FHA-HERO became something larger than myself,” he said. “It is an opportunity for me to help others achieve success.”
Cody continued in leadership as a Las Plumas ninth-grader by serving as the Region 2 Historian/Reporter for FHA-HERO. His job in that capacity was to compile information about the activities of all FHA-HERO chapters in the Northeast California area, and to help these chapters report to the public about their success.
In 10th grade, he served as the Region 2 President, presiding over region meetings and making sure all chapters had the tools they needed for success that year. As a region officer both of his first two years in high school, he also attended statewide meetings of the seven region officer teams to coordinate what schools in northern California were doing with that of the rest of the state.
And in 11th grade, he became the State Vice President of FHA-HERO. As a state officer, he led the coordination between regions.
Now, the 2008-09 State President, Emily Mastrolia, is about to graduate from high school and has passed the gavel to Cody.Working with State Adviser Janice DeBenedetti, Cody will provide the overall direction of how FHA-HERO operates in the 2009-10 school year.
“There could not have been a better choice,” said Carl Morrison, president of the California Home Economics Education Foundation. “Cody’s leadership talent is beyond amazing. He gets along with everyone and is highly regarded. Yet he’s very humble and treats everyone like he’s one of them. And he’s willing to put the time in to represent FHA-HERO well.”
Morrison, whose daughter is a former state president of FHA-HERO, has been working with the organization for about 20 years. He sees that Cody’s four years of FHA-HERO leadership experience prior to his senior year of high school, coupled with the temperament of a great leader, will make him one of the state’s best officers in that time.
But, while they will be guided in the coming school year by a state president who is apparently exceptionally gifted with leadership ability, FHA-HERO has also already honed the leadership skills of the students who serve under him, from chapter officers to state vice president. The organization teaches all of them how to work in groups, make decisions as a team, get along with diverse coworkers and resolve conflicts peacefully.
“Serving as an officer was one of my most treasured experiences,” said Rowland High School senior Josh Cruz, who served as Secretary for Region 9 (Los Angeles and Orange counties.) “The team of officers came together like a family, even though we only saw each other about once a month.”
As Region 8 (Southern San Joaquin Valley) Vice President/Historian Nicole Smith learned a little about team-building when several of her fellow officers left the team early in the school year and were replaced by newcomers. She also learned this by giving presentations about FHA-HERO students in the Home Economics Careers and Technology courses throughout her region.
FHA-HERO is a co-curricular student organization for students who are enrolled or were previously enrolled in Home Economics Careers and Technology courses.
“I enjoyed teaching the new officers their duties and potential members about FHA-HERO,” she said.
Nicole actually plans to become a Home Economics Careers and Technology teacher, which will allow her to continue her passion for teaching others about the organization. And as a teacher, she plans to become involved in the Home Economics Teachers Association of California, the leadership organization for HECT teachers.
“I want to be on the state board so I can make sure this program does not go away,” she said. “It has helped so many students.”
FHA once was an acronym for Future Homemakers of America, and later became FHA-HERO to reflect its additional focus on Home Economics Related Occupations. It also has a focus on developing leadership and skills that will help people in any career they choose.
Some students, such as immediate past State President Emily Mastrolia, are passionate about FHA-HERO in a somewhat traditional way. Emily’s two passions are helping others as a leader and designing things, such as fashion and interiors.
It was the design passion that led her to become involved in FHA-HERO, but her desire to help others that led her to leadership positions in the organization.
“I have had the opportunity as state president to help people learn and grow and most importantly, develop a passion for what they love,” she said of her leadership experience.
She plans to attend Brigham Young University – Idaho and obtain a degree in Interior Design. Fashion and Interior Design courses she took as part of the Home Economics Careers and Technology program at Deer Valley High School in Antioch have helped her to prepare for this college major.
Claudia Rodriguez, a 12th-grader at Las Plumas High School feels that way as well. Although she served as Region 2’s Chapter President in 2008-2009 and enjoys the leadership aspect of the program, her goal is to be a fashion designer.
“I knew FHA-HERO would help me in my goal,” she said.
But FHA-HERO is so highly revered for its ability to develop leadership abilities, some students join FHA-HERO just for that reason alone. Cruz, for one, plans to attend University of Southern California and study science or medicine.
“When I joined FHA-HERO, I saw how well it was preparing students for whatever they choose for their future,” he said.
There are more than 750 schools offering the Home Economics Careers and Technology program in California, serving more than 300,000 students. Many of these also offer the co-curricular student leadership and career development program FHA-HERO. For more information, call State Adviser Janice DeBenedetti at (916) 323-5025.
San Bernardino City Council Member Rikke Van Johnson seeks donations to buy championship rings for the San Bernardino High School girls’ basketball team.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Mayor Pro Tem Rikke Van Johnson is calling for donations to honor a record-breaking San Bernardino high school team. “The Cajon High School girls varsity basketball team, also known as the Cowgirls, had an outstanding season,” Johnson said. “They won the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) top division and went further in the state playoffs than any team in San Bernardino history.”
Johnson said the team has been conducting fundraising events all year, but is still short $2,000 to pay for the CIF Championship rings honoring 10 players. Each ring cost $200 a piece. Donations can be mailed to Cajon High School, c/o Coach Mark Lehman, 1200 Hill Drive, San Bernardino, CA 92407. Johnson said the goal is to raise enough money to reward the players with a championship dinner as well. The remaining proceeds will go towards next season’s travel expenses.
Johnson, the Westside Action Group (WAG), Fontana City Mayor Pro Tem Acquanetta Warren and Ray Culberson, director of Youth Services, San Bernardino City Unified School District, have already agreed to be sponsors.
“The Cowgirls finished the season with a 32-3 record. Two of the three losses were to top-ranked teams in the nation,” Johnson said. “The Cowgirls were ranked No. 6 in the nation, by Maxpreps (a company that tracks statistics for high school sports.)”
The team also won the Best of the West, Girls Can Hoop and Brea Olinda tournaments, which are considered among the top three in Southern California.
Other Cowgirls honors include:
Layshia Clarendon was named CIFPlayer of the Year, for the second year running. She was also a Parade magazine All-American and received a scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley.
Darshae Burnside was named to the all CIF team and is the leading rebounder in CIF history. Burnside is the No. 2 all-time California rebounder and received a scholarship to the University of Arkansas.
Coach Mark Lehman was named 2008 Coach of the Year (CIF Division 2A) by the Southern California Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association.
Lehman attributed the great season to dedication and practice. “The girls have been working hard for a year practicing every day,” Lehman said. “It took a lot of dedication and commitment to reach these goals.”
Johnson said the Cowgirls are a shining example of San Bernardino youth. “I think in today’s world, young people should always be honored for outstanding and positive achievements,” Johnson said.
Rikke Van Johnson represents the Sixth Ward on the City Council of San Bernardino.
Jason Diehl, Academic Director for Web Design & Interactive Media at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Chris Sloan photo.
(SAN BERNARDINO Calif.) “We’re looking forward to hearing great things about the Web Design & Interactive Media program in the months and years to come,” said Dean of Academic Affairs Jerry Foust of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire.
Why? Jason Diehl was recently promoted to Academic Director for Web Design & Interactive Media after five years as an instructor at The Art Institute of California – Orange County and a year with the San Bernardino operation.
Diehl is a Northern California native, born in Santa Clara and raised in the Santa Cruz Mountains town of Ben Lomand. In 1988 he moved southward, ultimately settling in the Inland Empire. In the mid-‘90s the lure of the booming technology industry was too much, and Diehl put his college career on hold, working instead as a Web Applications developer focusing on e-commerce, distance education technology and game design. His clients at the time included the Lexus MotorCorporation, Warner Bros. Studios and Roadrunner Cable.
At California State University, Fullerton Diehl completed his B.A. in American Studies, and then earned his Master’s of Business Administration in Information Science from Argosy University – Orange County.
In July of 2003 that Diehl was hired as a fulltime instructor at The Art Institute of California – Orange County, transferring to the Inland Empire in October 2007.
“We’re proud of Jason’s contributions to The Art Institute over the past six years,” Foust says in announcing Diehl’s advancement. “Both students and staff will benefit greatly from this move.”
It’s not too late to start your college career. Courses begin May 18, offering day, evening and weekend classes for new and reentry students. For details or a tour of the campus call (909) 915-2100, or go on line to artinstitutes.edu/inlandempire.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Culinary Management, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion Design and Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. There are also Associate of Science degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), a system of over 40 education institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
A ‘jaw-dropping’ wedding cake on display at the State Leadership Meeting after the Competitive Recognition Event state championships held Sunday, March 31. Photo by Carl Dameron
(FRESNO, Calif.) At 5 a.m. Sunday morning, almost 80 young people woke up in their hotel rooms and quickly got ready to work. By 6 a.m., donned in chef’s clothes, they were in the Sequoia Room of the Fresno Radisson Hotel, quickly setting up culinary masterpieces.
Their appetizers, breads, cakes, pastries and more would be judged solely on how they looked. decoration. Tasting good, at least in this competition, was optional.
“There were some great projects” said Michael Green, a 12th-grader from Cesar Chavez High School in Delano, who created an artistic culinary display. “I mean jaw-dropping, I can’t believe they are edible projects.”
Green, like the other students competing in Culinary Arts, spent all day Sunday in this competition. Although they wouldn’t know for sure who won until Tuesday, the judges had promised them some constructive feedback at the end of their evaluation.
That was important to Green. He hopes to work as a professional chef at a Las Vegas casino someday.
After these 78 participating students set up their culinary masterpieces, they left. Some were expected to join later-rising classmates for breakfast.
For all dress check began promptly at 8 a.m. In this important part of the competition FHA-HERO advisers made sure their uniforms were close to perfect.
Other competitions were in such topics as commercial food preparation, fashion design, and energy conservation. In all there were 21 competitions, which FHA-HERO calls Competitive Recognition Events.
For the Culinary Arts competitors, after the formal dress check in Valdez Hall for all FHA-HERO members, it was back to the Sequoia Room for yet another dress check.
“Then we stood by our projects for three hours, answering any questions the judges had,” said Natalie Garcia, who also attends Cesar Chavez High School. “After that, we came back out here, where we have been for hours more.”
“I can understand why the judges are taking so long,” Green said. “It would be hard for them to pick a winner.”
Michael and Natalie passed the time by entertaining each other, but by late afternoon fellow Culinary Arts competitor Toni Long, who attends Cordova High School in Rancho Cordova,was exhausted. She was so tired, she wondered why she had ever agreed with her adviser DianeGoldman’s request she take part in a Competitive Regional Event for the second year in a row.
“I have enjoyed the culinary academy at my school,” Toni said. “I always volunteered for things FHA-HERO activities, so that is why I wanted to compete last year. This year, Mrs. Goldman convinced me I should do so again.”
But this is it. Toni looks forward to graduating in June and attending community college in fall. She will decide on a career later.
“Culinary Arts won’t be part of that future,” she says. “But it has helped me with that future.”
Seeing how FHA-HERO connects with their future is exactly what Janice DeBenedetti, the state adviser for FHA-HERO wants Toni and thousands of other students in the organization to do.
“FHA-HERO prepares students for success in life” she said.
There are more than 750 schools offering the Home Economics Careers and Technology program in California, serving more than 300,000 students. Many of these also offer the co-curricular student leadership and career development program FHA-HERO. For more information, call State Adviser Janice DeBenedetti at (916) 323-5025.
Kirsten Stephen, dressed in her green alien costume, reads Aliens Like Underpants to preschoolers who attend the Hawk’s Nest Preschool, a preschool on the campus of Silverado High School in Victorville. Teens who work with Kirsten at the school also participated in the story time. Earlier, Kirsten who is an advanced student in the child development courses offered at Silverado High School, read the same book and gave a similar lesson to judges for FHA-HERO’s Child Development Competitive Recognition Event. Kirsten competed at the state level in this event, and while she did not win a trophy there, she gained the perhaps more valuable experience of meeting students from throughout the state with goals similar to hers.
(FRESNO, Calif.) Kirsten Stephan of Victorville and Rachel Peng of Millbrae didn’t know each other until the morning of Sunday, March 29. By the end of the day, the two 11th-graders were good friends.
A statewide competition in Child Development brought them together. The competition was one of many taking place in Fresno that day for FHA-HERO, a student co-curricular organization to which both girls belong.
Other competitions were in such topics as commercial food preparation, fashion design, and energy conservation. In all there were 20 competitions, which FHA-HERO calls Competitive Recognition Events.
Kirsten and Rachel competed in one of the more popular competitions. There were 28 other students involved in Child Development, and both of these girls were near the end. This left them the entire day to discuss their common experiences as high school students in FHA-HERO, and learn how, otherwise, their lives are quite different.
“I like meeting people and making new friends,” Kirsten said after the end of her competition. “After this week, I may not see Rachel again until next year’s State Leadership Meeting, but I’m looking forward to that already.”
“People from all over California are coming together and making friends,” Rachel said. “We may only have one connection, FHA-HERO, but we are all working towards the same goal and we are all learning together.”
Learning and working towards their future goals is exactly what Janice DeBenedetti, the state adviser for FHA-HERO wants Rachel, Kirsten and thousands of other students in the organization to do.
“FHA-HERO prepares students for success in life, both knowing how to work with others and learning specific skills they can use in a career,” she said.
Like many of the 400-plus students who were in Fresno for the competition and FHA-HERO’s State Leadership Meeting, the girls had traveled to Fresno the day before with their classmates. For Rachel, it was about a three hour drive from the Bay Area. For Kirsten, it was a five and a half hour drive from the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County.
That night they had stayed up late with friends, not just from their schools, but from their regions. FHA-HERO has previously given Rachel, a student at Mills High School, an opportunity to make friends with students from the Bay Area. As an FHA-HERO member at Silverado High School, Kirsten had previous opportunity to befriend students in this organization from throughout Southern California’s “Inland Empire.”
Sunday morning, they were up early. Dress check, where FHA-HERO advisers made sure their uniforms were close to perfect, began promptly at 8 a.m. This is where Kirsten and Rachel first met.
After dress check, the competitors walked from one part of the Fresno Convention Center to another, where two more FHA-HERO advisers went over the rules and procedures for the day. Judges were brought in, and students were then sent outside to wait their turn.
Around 10 a.m., one of the advisers called the first student in. While the rest waited outside, Student Number 1 gave her presentation.
In Child Development, the competition calls for students to give a dramatic presentation to young children that would help them learn. Up until several years ago, FHA-HERO brought in real children. For liability reasons, the competitors must now only pretend.
Most of the group, 29 teenage girls and one teenage boy, read children’s books for their presentation. A few of them made up their own stories or songs.
Kirsten was the very last student to give her presentation, and Rachel wasn’t far in front of her. This gave the two girls four or five hours to get to know each other.
Students usually decide in fall if they wish to participate in a Competitive Regional Event. They’ll need to spend the entire six months remaining to get ready if they want to do the best in the state. Both Rachel and Kirsten chose to compete in the Child Development event because they’re interested in teaching young children, and are reaching towards that goal by taking Child Development at their respective high schools.
In her course at Mills High School, Rachel learned there are statewide expectations as to what children will learn in school. That applies to high schools, where teachers in every subject must develop curriculums based on state standards. It also applies to preschools, where teachers plan lessons from the California Desired Preschool Results.
As if she were an actual preschool teacher, Rachel put together an entire day’s curriculum using the California Desired Preschool Results. She also listed the materials her “students” would use, and what she expected them to learn.
For the actual performance, Rachel made up and led her students in a song called “The Shape Song.” It was a little like Simon Says, but she’d brought colorful shapes for props and the song directed children to do things like “put your left hand on the yellow rectangle.”
Kirsten’s two Child Development courses give her first-hand knowledge of what working with young children is like. In one course, she works as a teacher’s aide in a first-grade class at Discovery School for the Arts Elementary School in Victorville. In another, she actually teaches preschool at Silverado’s own on-campus child care center.
From this experience, Kirsten knew that young children love aliens. She found a story titled Aliens Love Underpants, which is a fictional tale of an alien invasion of a family’s laundry while drying on their backyard clothesline.
To better convey the excitement of aliens landing in someone’s backyard, Kirsten dressed up as an alien, wearing lime green tights, a striped lime green and white shirt and grey shorts. She brought in “Marvin,” a loveable stuffed alien with three eyes and four arms, and read the story to him as well as to the “boys & girls” in her audience.
She also had a about a dozen brightly-colored paper aliens, each with anywhere from one to nine eyes. She led the children in counting the aliens’ eyes.
Winning trophies for their performance was not part of the overall experience for either of these girls. But it didn’t need to be.
“Winning isn’t the most important thing,” DeBenedetti told the students before the competitions had even begun. “The most important thing is that you enjoy and make the most of your time here.”
Kirsten and Rachel most certainly did.
There are more than 750 schools offering the Home
Economics Careers and Technology program in California, serving more than 300,000 students. Many of these also offer the co-curricular student leadership and career development program FHA-HERO. For more information, call State Adviser Janice DeBenedetti at (916) 323-5025.
Rikke Van Johnson, San Bernardino Mayor Pro Tem and Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce President Carl Dameron plan for the future at the 2009 Inland Empire Black Summit. 125 Black leaders meet toplan for the future at the 2009 Inland Empire Black Summit in January of 2009..
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) While high unemployment and an imploding housing market has rocked the Inland Empire’s economy the future still holds bright for the region.
“This is why Dameron Communications and I are committed to Riverside and San Bernardino Counties said, Carl M. Dameron, founder and creative director of Dameron Communications, the area’s leading advertising and public relations firm.”
The Inland Empire is a metropolitan area made up of two counties, Riverside County and San Bernardino County. These counties are two of the largest in the continental United States and larger than 24 of the nation’s 50 states.
“Most metropolitan areas grow up around a central city, but the Inland Empire differs because it is made up of different size cities and unincorporated communities. It is known to be one of the most complex and growing regions in Southern California,” said Dameron.
The Inland Empire consists of 27,298 square miles, in eight different sub-regions; four in Riverside County, and four in San Bernardino County. Together they add up 50 cities and 158 unincorporated communities.
Riverside County: Riverside Central: Riverside, Moreno Valley, Corona and Norco.; The Pass Area: Banning, Blythe, Calimesa and Beaumont; Palm Springs/Coachella Valley: Palm Springs, Coachella, La Quinta, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City and Indio; and Temecula: Temecula, Murrieta, Perris, Hemet, Canyon Lake, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, San Jacinto, and Wildomar.
San Bernardino County: San Bernardino Central: San Bernardino, Rialto, Redlands, Loma Linda, Colton, Fontana, Highland, Yucaipa, Grand Terrace, and Big Bear Lake; The West End: Ontario, Chino, Chino Hills, Montclair, Pomona, Upland and Rancho Cucamonga; The High Desert; Victorville, Barstow, Apple Valley, Adelanto, Hesperia, and Needles; and Yucca Valley: Yucca Valley, 29 Palms and The 29 Palms Marine Training Base.
While the current unemployment rate in the Inland Empire is 12.2 percent (Bls.gov) due to the credit crunch and an end of the housing bubble the median income in the area is $54,991. This is $509 less than two years ago.
According to local economic expert John Husing (JohnHusing.com) from 2000-2008 this metropolitan area added 888,562 people to the region to reach 4,144,088, a 2.8 percent compound growth rate, giving us the 14th largest population in the United States.
We are not just small towns either. Ten cities in the region now have more than 100,000 people including Riverside (296,842), San Bernardino (205,493), Fontana (188,498), Moreno Valley (183,860), Rancho Cucamonga (174,308), Ontario (173,690), Corona (147,428), Victorville (107,408), Temecula (101,057), and Murrieta (100,173).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau the population in the region is very diverse: Hispanics make up; 45%, Whites: 39.8%, Blacks 8%, Asians: 5.7%, American Indian and Alaskan Native 1.3% and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.4%.
Why is the Inland Empire growing?
There are several reasons why the Inland Empire is growing and will continue to do so in the following years. First of all as John Husing says – CHEAP DIRT!
This region has large areas of inexpensive undeveloped land ready to be built. Businesses can find real estate at very inexpensive prices. Warehouse spaces are under $1.00 square foot, retail spaces start under $2.00, and class A office spaces begin at $1.00.
Secondly, families move here to afford a home. The Inland Empire has acquired residents from surrounding counties.
According to DataQuick, the average median new and existing home prices in the following counties
are: Orange County, $493,000; Ventura County, $425,000; San Diego County, $405,000; Los Angeles County, $403,500; Riverside County, $277,000; and San Bernardino County, $257,500.
“With this region’s inexpensive house prices, people are opting to move not only to afford a home, but also to increase their disposable income,” said Dameron. For example, approximately 65 percent of IE residents work out of the area. Many people drive to Orange, Los Angeles and San Diego counties where salaries are 2-10 percent higher.
On the other hand, with prices not able to stabilize due to foreclosures, people who moved to the Inland Empire and lost their jobs, or could not keep up with their house payments are slowly moving from the San Bernardino/Rialto/Fontana, Riverside/Moreno Valley and Perris/Hemet area where homes are more expensive, to the outer high desert areas of Adelanto, Barstow, Desert Hot Springs, Twenty-Nine Palms, and Needles where homes are under $130,000.
Thirdly, the Inland Empire has an accommodating political environment for builders and business.
As mentioned above the undeveloped land is inexpensive, and as this metropolitan area becomes more affluent, developers are building and selling million-dollar homes in the first six of the area’s sub-regions.
The median home price is $830,000 in Chino Hills, a prosperous bedroom community on the western edge of San Bernardino County. The median income of the city’s 79,000 residents is $100,371, which surpasses that of Beverly Hills.
The region also has the major north, south, east, and west transportation corridors that link the nation’s food basket and Pacific Rim through rail, freeways, and airports.
Some of the nation’s largest manufacturing companies have selected the Inland Empire for their distribution facilities: Toyota Motor Corporation’s North American Parts and Logistics Distribution (NAPLD) center in Ontario, APL Logistics located in Rancho Cucamonga, just to mention some. (Wikipedia.org)
Last but not least Riverside and San Bernardino County have lots of water. The Inland Empire relies on a mixture of groundwater and surface water from the State Water Project, local streams and reservoirs.
Recently the Governor of California proclaimed state of emergency due to water shortages. The Inland Empire Utilities Agency immediately took action by calling all households and businesses within the Inland Empire to step up their water conservation efforts. (Ieua.org)
“Even though the area has been in a drought for the last three years, there are reservoirs and groundwater basins in San Bernardino, Colton, Highland, Big Bear, and Rialto that can supply the region during these periods” said Dameron.
To increase available water supply, the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (Ieua.org), in partnership with local water agencies, is working on two new projects in response to the statewide water shortages; water recycling and extreme water conservation activities.
Water recycling is expected to reduced by 10 percent the need for expensive imported water and at the same time help the area save money. The United States senate approved an omnibus appropriation bill that includes $5 million for the Inland Empire Regional water recycling projects. (Ieua.org)
Extreme conservation activities are requested to increase 20 percent by the Governor’s proclamation, and if this percentage is not met other additional steps will be considered; mandatory water rationing, mandatory reductions in water use, just to mention a few.
About Dameron Communications Since 1989 Dameron Communications has creatively met the needs of our diverse client base locally, regionally and nationally. We are an award-winning agency that creates integrated marketing solutions to increase sales and profits, win elections, inform the public or gain acceptance of potentially controversial issues. We use our 20 years of communications knowledge and experience to advance our clients’ objectives.
State winners of the Consumer Education, Senior Division Competitive Recognition Event, smile as they accept trophies for their work. This was one of 20 competitions sponsored annually by FHA-HERO, each of which culminated with a state championship on March 29. These winners are Akyra Frisch, second place, Kern Valley High School in Lake Isabella; Katie Jones, first place, Los Molinos High School in Los Molinos and Pofun Wang, third place, Rowland High School in Rowland Heights. Pofun and others in her chapter, including her advisers, say that FHA-HERO pushes them to excel, both through these competitions and in other aspects of the co-curricular student organization, offered alongside the state’s Home Economics Careers and Technology courses.
(FRESNO, Calif.) “I love seeing a student who is shy in class come out of her shell and give a speech to a room full of strangers,” said Tracy Taylor, an advisor to Rowland High School’s FHA-HERO co-curricular student organization.
As she said this, Taylor smiled at her student, Pofun Wang. Pofun had earlier in the day taken part in the Senior Division Consumer Education competition, which required her to give a speech to three industry experts serving as judges, two FHA-HERO advisers who were running the competition and whom she had never met before, and others who were interested in what the students had to say.
“I was nervous,” Pofun said. “But I wanted to win.”
Two days later, Pofun smiled and accepted a third-place trophy for her effort. Her schoolmates Josh Cruz and Ujala Batool also received third-place trophies, as winners in the Prepared Speech and Job Application & Interview events. Joanna Guo, a ninth-grader at Rowland High School, took second place in the Junior Division of Menu Planning & Table Display.
Carnie Chung and Josh Huang, who attend Alvarado Intermediate School, took second in the Junior Division of Nutrition Education, rounding out the winning contingent from Rowland Heights at the Competitive Recognition Events state championship held in Fresno recently. This was part of the State Leadership Meeting, an annual leadership training event for members of FHA-HERO from throughout California.
There were other students from Rowland Heights who competed in the state championship. While they did not take home trophies, these students and others throughout the state have benefited from trying their best. So have the many students in FHA-HERO who did not compete, but who are active in the organization.
Taylor sees FHA-HERO helping her students in several ways. One is through the Competitive Recognition Events in which some of her students took part. Another is through the leadership experience more of her students gained at the State Leadership Meeting and by taking part in the Region 9 (Los Angeles/Orange County) meetings earlier in the year.
“They’re getting to meet many different people and build connections,” she said. “And in the competitions, it gives them a taste of their future. Now they know what they might face when they are older and looking for a job.”
A third benefit Taylor sees is building confidence in her students. At Rowland High School, some members already have a healthy dose of confidence, because they have taken part in FHA-HERO Competitive Recognition activities since they were seventh-graders at Alvarado Middle School.
Even if they have yet to bring home a trophy, they keep pushing forward. They hope that next year, they will do better.
“We like to compete,” said Rebecca Sun, a Rowland High School 10th-grader. “We like to win.”
Others, like Pofun, competed for the first time this year. Winning has certainly boosted her confidence.
This confidence is exactly what State FHA-HERO Adviser Janice DeBenedetti wants students in FHA-HERO to have.
“FHA-HERO builds confidence,” she said. “It prepares students for success in life, both knowing how to work with others and learning specific skills they can use in a career.”
There are more than 750 schools offering the Home Economics Careers and Technology program in California, serving more than 300,000 students. Many of these also offer the co-curricular student leadership and career development program FHA-HERO. For more information, call State Adviser Janice DeBenedetti at (916) 323-5025.
California State Assemblymember Wilmer Amina Carter and honoree Carl Dameron at the 2009 Black Summit in January of 2009.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) The San Bernardino League of Women Voters will honor 16 individuals who have made a difference in their communities at the 33rd Citizens of Achievement reception and awards.
It will be held on Sunday, April 26 from 2-4 p.m. at the San Bernardino County Government Center, 385 North Arrowhead Avenue, San Bernardino.Admission is $20 for adults and $10 for students.Reservations can be made be made by calling 909-338-4163.
Honorees are:
Linda Adams, San Bernardino Public Library Program Coordinator, has initiated innovative programs especially for teens, as well as other creative programs for families and adults.
Charles “Chuck” Beeman, who died recently, will be honored posthumously for his many years of service as a member of the Board of Trustees of the San Bernardino Community College District.
Diane and Bill Boone send hundreds of packages of items to deployed military in remote areas of Iraq and Afghanistan through their labor of love, Touch of Home.
Carl M. Dameron, founder and creative director of Dameron Communications, volunteers his time and communications skills for the African-American community, especially on health issues, as well as for nonprofits and other community organizations in the inland counties including: The African American Health Institute, The Salvation Army, Goodwill, Loma Linda Behavioral Medicine Center, Knotts Family Parenting Agency, Cal Poly Pomona, Cal State San Bernardino, The Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce, The Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce, The San Bernardino Black Cultural Society and many more.
Bill Hanes, in charge of San Bernardino City Unified School District’s Warehouse Division, is involved in securing, storing, and distribution for Toys for Tots as well as in implementing a recycling program for the district.
Helga Kray, Cal State San Bernardino’s Vice President for Student Affairs, Student Leadership, and Development, is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of students and staff, and also volunteers for community organizations focusing on children.
Mary-Justine Lanyon, editor of The Mountain News, is involved with planning activities for teens in her church, as well as in rehabilitating homes for low income and disabled homeowners, and she has used the newspaper to feature achievements of students.
Ira Maser has been helping those in need since the devastating fires of 2003 by expanding and improving the resources available to the mountain communities.
Tanya Perry has been instrumental in getting people to work together to provide access to services for children and families in Big Bear Valley.
John Peukert, Asst.Supt.of Facilities and Operations of the San Bernardino City Unified School District, is involved in the District’s fundraising for charitable giving as well as for an organization that raises awareness of child nutrition and fitness.
Attorney Tim Prince donates time to the legal aid groups as well as to community service, focusing on making San Bernardino a good place to live and work.
Helen Richardson, a retired kindergarten teacher, volunteers her time to help at-risk readers.She also founded a cinema club to bring foreign films to the mountains.
Candy Stallings, Executive Director of the San Bernardino Sexual Assault Services, has been dedicated to being a victim advocate since 1987, when she began as a volunteer.
Joseph Williams, founder of the Youth Action Project, works with youth and young a
dults to help them become productive and successful adults.
Joyce Zimmerman has been a mainstay of the Women’s Club of San Bernardino for many years and is a volunteer in the reading program at Lincoln School.
(ONTARIO, Calif.) Hollywood TV and film producers Bentley Kyle Evans, Gus Blackmon and Stacey McClain will be participating in the Inland Empire’s First Annual Urban Dreams Filmworks Festival.
This unprecedented two-day event offers aspiring filmmakers the unique opportunity to showcase their talent and get recognized by Hollywood’s most revered entertainment professionals.
Industry leaders will lend their expertise to aspiring filmmakers who want to get their start in the entertainment industry. The festival will take place at the Ontario Convention Center June 19th and June 20th 2009. It is the first of its kind and is a major opportunity for new filmmakers in the Inland Empire and around the world who desire to excel in the industry.
Applicants can expect to showcase their skills as well as learn some new ones from Hollywood’s top TV and film executives who will be teaching seminars in scriptwriting, music video production and choosing actors. Expert entertainment financial planner Terrell Hickman will also be conducting a finance seminar.
Other notable entertainment professionals participating in the festival include singer Mark Wood, the original singer of Lakeside. Judges for the festival will include actor and producer Anthony Herron, who will also teach a screenwriting class. Ken Dickson, a Warner executive producer with an acting background in stage, TV and film productions, will also be at the event.
Erick Benson, Founder of The Urban Dreams Filmworks Festival, adds, “Stacey McLain-Fields has been a head writer for ‘The Parkers’ sitcom, and “The Jamie Foxx Show.” Fields was also a screenwriter of a B.E.T. Movie of the Week and a story editor for a decade or more. Stacey will be an award presenter and will hold a seminar on Writing for Television.”
For further information on festival events, submission guidelines and fees, student entries, seminar offerings and more, please visit www.urbandreamsfilmworks.com or call (909) 268-5303.
About Urban Dreams Filmworks The founder of Ontario, California’s Urban Dreams Filmworks Inc., is Erick Benson. He created Urban Dreams Filmworks as a cutting-edge film company to write and produce quality films with positive messages. The goal is to expose the world to stories that can change lives and create tomorrow’s horizons today.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) The Rialto Alliance of Black School Educators (RABSE) tackles a pressing issue in education during its first annual Spring Conference and Educational Luncheon from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m., Saturday, April 11.
The conference’s theme is “Education is a Civil Right.” The event, sponsored by the University of Redlands, will be held on campus at Orton Center, 1200 E. Colton Ave. in Redlands.
“One of the goals of the conference is to inform both educators and parents how to better prepare their children for school, college and life.” said Craig Aguillard, a member of RABSE.
Aguillard, and his wife Suzy, are founders of ACQUIRE Educational Services, Inc., a company that provides tutorial services for adults and students. “We want to make sure African American students, and other students of color, receive an adequate education.” Aguillard said.
The keynote speaker is Dr. Charlie Mae Knight, an educator and civil rights activist. Knight’s more than 40-year career includes spells as president of the National Alliance of Black School Educators, associate superintendent of the California Department of Education, superintendent of Lynwood Unified School District and superintendent of Ravenswood City School District.
The opening speaker is Dr. Lawson Bush, director of the University of California, Irvine/Cal State University, Los Angeles Joint Doctoral Program. Bush is the author of Can Black Mothers Raise Our Sons.
Bush has also worked as a school principal and conducted research into African American education history. He is the founder of Imani Saturday Academy, a program that provides K-12 students with instruction in math/science, Language Arts, African history and martial arts.
Conference registration is $40 per person. Checks can be mailed to 6331 Haven Ave., Suite 13, Mailbox 187, Alta Loma, CA 81737. For more information e-mail Rabse@gmail.com
ACQUIRE Educational Services Inc. operates its ACQUIRE Learning Center at 1188 W. Leiske Avenue, Ste. 100 in Rialto. ACQUIRE Educational Services can also work with students in their homes. For more information, call (909) 875-3356 or visit www.Acquire3.net.
Emily Mastrolia, FHA-HERO State President for the 2008-2009 School Year, pins 2009-10 State President Cody Nore, as a symbol of the transfer of leadership. Although schools are still in session, FHA-HERO officers begin a new year during their State Leadership Meeting, which this year was held March 28-31.
