Alyssa Mees, the first graduate of The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire, is now climbing to new heights as a graphic designer for FiveTen, a Redlands sports apparel manufacturer.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Alyssa Mees, the first graduate of The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire, is now putting her degree to good use as a graphic designer.
The 19-year-old Mees is working for FiveTen, a Redlands manufacturer of rock-climbing apparel and sports shoes. As part of the company’s art department, she is designing packaging, t-shirt illustrations, advertising layouts and logos.
“I’m having a blast there,” she said of her new job, which she started April 21. “They have given me lots of projects to work on, and I have applied everything I learned at The Art Institute to them.”
Some of her training from The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire helps her to be more efficient in her work, she said. For instance, she learned there to date all work she does, a practice that now helps her to be more organized at work.
She also learned about many software programs for graphic design, and is now using these on the job. These are Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe InDesign.
And, this job has one cool perk most companies don’t.
“They have a rock climbing wall in the back of their office,” she said. “On my lunch break, I can climb it.”
Mees graduated from The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire on March 28, with an Associate of Science degree in Graphic Design. With the Institute’s year-round program, Mees was able to obtain her Associate degree less than two years after she graduated from high school.
“Alyssa Mees is a remarkable young woman, and we are proud to have our first graduate using her skills in the graphic design industry,” said Emam El-Hout, interim president of The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire. “We expect more students to graduate with associate degrees and begin working in the graphic design industry by the end of this year. We also will have students completing our other programs in 2009, and we are confident they too will be contributing to their industry shortly thereafter.”
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 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.
It’s not too late to start classes. Courses begin July 14, 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 is only one of more than 40 educational institutions within The Art Institutes system, located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
Find out what drawing from a live model is like when The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire holds a life drawing class Saturday, June 21.
(SAN BERNADINO, Calif.) Ever wondered what drawing from a live human model is like? The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire will show attendees of its Life Drawing workshop this process on Saturday, June 21 from 1 – 5 p.m. The workshop will be open at no charge.
Santosh Oommen, academic director of animation at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire, says, “We created these classes to give budding young artists the instruction they need to draw better. We are committed to helping artists in the Inland Empire improve their talents.”
The Life Drawing workshops are usually offered on the third Saturday of every month. There are 21 seats available in each class. Students must bring their own pencils and drawing papers. The workshop is open to the public, those 15 years old or above, and the classes are offered at no charge.
“Many people have great creative talents,” Oommen says. “The workshop offers people a chance to focus that raw creative talent into directed creativity. Our goal is to help make them better artists.”
Oommen says the workshop involves drawing from a live figure and covers topics such as anatomy and gestures. To sign up for the Life Drawing workshop, or for more information, call The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
Gourmet goodies packaged in a wagon is one of the many gift baskets The Bountiful Basket can make to please Dad on Fathers’ Day
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – It’s tough being a single parent today, but one’s dad’s success in this role helped in creating this special day for all fathers.
Several websites credit Sonora Smart Dodd, a young mother in Spokane, Washington with organizing the first Father’s Day celebration. Her father, William Jackson Smart, had raised Mrs. Dodd and her five siblings after her mother died giving birth to the couple’s sixth child.
As Mrs. Dodd sat listening to a Mothers’ Day sermon in 1909, she thought of how her father had been both mother and father to her family. She set about to establish a new holiday recognizing the important roles fathers play in their children’s lives.
The next year, her church held the first Father’s Day celebration. By 1926, the word had spread and people were celebrating Father’s Day across the country.
For dads in 2008, a great way to say “thanks for all you do” is to order him a customized gift container from The Bountiful Basket in Highland. This company can take orders from anywhere in the world through its website, www.thebountifulbasket.com
“Whatever a dad is interested in, we can make a basket or other gift to help him enjoy his hobby more thoroughly,” owner Marilyn Taylor said. “And we have other baskets that just say thanks for being a good dad.”
Taylor and her team have come up with some new ideas just in time for this year’s holiday, which falls on June 15. One sure to be a hit with most dads is her “Father’s Day Toolbox.”
“It’s a good-sized orange and black toolbox filled with tools and snacks,” Taylor said.
For a new dad, who probably won’t have quite so much time to play with tools, there is the Daddy’s Diaper Dootie Tool Belt. Instead of tools, this gift package is filled with diapers and other baby products, and for dad, rubber gloves, safety goggles and a clothes pin for the nose.
If tools aren’t your dad’s favorite things to play with, and his little ones are past the diaper stage, The Bountiful Basket can design a gift with his interests in mind.
The company has several examples displayed on its website for sports fans, especially for those dads who like golf. New baskets are in the works for baseball fans, NASCAR and Harley-Davidson enthusiasts. There are also gift baskets for movie and music lovers.
And what dad wouldn’t love a little pampering? The Bountiful Basket has a line of bath products, Bountiful Spa Therapy, that have been a hit with both men and women, due to its universally appealing unisex scent. The company will gladly make a gift basket featuring the products men love.
The Bountiful Basket has more than 250 different baskets to choose from, ranging from $10 to $500. These are grouped by themes, such as holidays, corporate, children’s and teenagers’ baskets, college students’ designs, and gifts with different varieties of products within.
But, if none of those designs are exactly what you’re looking for, The Bountiful Basket can custom-make the perfect gift that you will be proud to give and will fit within your budget.
For more information, go to their website, www.thebountifulbasket.com or call Taylor at (909) 425-2203 for help with your selection.
Dr. Albert Arteaga lectures to students in the Health Care Disparities Course at the University of California – Riverside.
(RIVERSIDE, Calif.) Access to medical care is not equal for all, and that needs to change, according to Dr. Albert Arteaga, owner of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc.
“There is a real need for some type of intervention in the system,” he said. “Something has to change.”
One way he’s changing the system is by contributing to a Medical & Health Careers course at the University of California Riverside called Health Care Disparities. Dr. Arteaga, who is passionate about providing quality health care to all, visits this class regularly, and recently he served as a guest lecturer.
Dr. Arteaga explained to these students how LaSalle Medical Associates has practiced a different approach to health care. To begin with, he said when he went into private practice in 1984, he followed his own father’s ways.
It didn’t matter that Dr. Arteaga was a pediatrician and his father a Seventh Day Adventist minister. It still seemed to the new doctor that his father had a good way of running his business, which was churches.
Dr. Arteaga recalled that when he was growing up, his father welcomed anyone who even approached the door of the church. And if the people weren’t good Christians, he still accepted them, knowing that in time, most of them would change their ways.
“He never said, ‘oh your late, you must reschedule your service,’” Dr. Arteaga said. “He said ‘come in, sit down, and next time if you are on time you can enjoy all the service.’ After a few free passes, they started coming on time and contributing to his church.”
“So I said, my clinics are going to be run like churches. We don’t exclude patients until their behavior improves so much they are worthy of being seen. We let them in.”
That was 24 years ago. On the first day, Dr. Arteaga and his wife Maria, then employed as his nurse and still his chief assistant, saw two patients. Last year, Dr. Arteaga’s five medical clinics had 108,061 visits, and grossed a little more than $40 million.
Now, Dr. Arteaga hopes to pass his secrets for success on to young people who are entering the medical field.
Dr. Arteaga, who is Hispanic, made some observations about people of his ethnicity that he said have guided how he treats all of his patients, most of whom are also Hispanic. He calls them his “Hispanicisms.”
He noted the phrase “mal educado,” while literally translated into English is “badly educated,” also means “badly mannered.”
“They expect competence and manners to go together,” he said. “We Hispanics can spot mal educado a mile away. Respect is huge.”
Hispanics also want doctors to give them hope, he said. He recalled having to hospitalize a two-year-old boy with pneumonia. The boy’s father, a burly young Hispanic man wondered how long his son would be away from home.
Dr. Arteaga could not answer that question until the boy responded to treatment.
“I could have said there’s nothing I can tell you right now,” Dr. Arteaga said. “But he probably would have jumped over the counter and strangled me.”
Instead, Dr. Arteaga explained to the father that the boy’s mother had brought him in before with a cough, and medication was prescribed. It seemed the boy was getting better, but after a windy day, the mother and father had brought their child in again, and now the boy had a fever, plus Dr. Arteaga heard rattling in his chest that sounded like pneumonia. He wanted to do further tests, then treat the boy with antibiotics until his fever broke, a process that would normally take about three or four days, but could be more or less.
The father accepted that, and thanked Dr. Arteaga for taking the time to explain it, he said.
“You might say, ‘Dr. Arteaga, it’s not just Hispanics who do that, everyone does it,’ he said of his “Hispanicisms. “OK if everyone does it, so do Hispanics. You just proved my point that it makes sense to do business this way.”
Dr. Arteaga also told the students a small birch-bark canoe he and his now 20-year-old daughter built when she was in fifth grade guides him.
One thing he learned while building this canoe, he said, is to start with the bark, then build the frame to fit. Otherwise, there might not be enough bark to cover the frame.
“That’s a good way to run a business as well,” he said.” Most medical practices calculate expenses, and then determine they can’t see patients who won’t pay enough. At LaSalle Medical Associates, we start with what we have. We calculate what our patients will bring in, then fix our expenses to be less than that.”
Dr. Arteaga also learned that in a canoe, if you take it on a river then wish to turn around, all you have to do is face the other way.
“Canoes always go forward,” he said. “So do I. I take a forward approach to making sure people can pay for their health care.”
Patients without health insurance coverage often think they can’t afford medical care, Dr. Arteaga said. But instead of accepting that, he makes it known that LaSalle Medical Associates will help most of their patients find insurance.
LaSalle Medical Associates is one of the top enrollers in California for Healthy Families, a government-subsidized health insurance plan for children from low and moderate-income families. Most patients are eligible for Healthy Families, Medi-Cal or another government subsidy, he said.
“Only 1 percent or less can’t get any insurance,” he said. “We’ll do something for them too. We’ll give them a discount rate to see a doctor., and if they can’t pay we see them for free. When they need medications, we give free samples. So they can afford to get well. We’re not going to turn anyone away.”
Dr. Arteaga said that when he saw patients, he would not just hand them an application for insurance. He would help them fill it out, and mail it to the correct agency or insurance company.
“I went the second mile,” he said. “I was flexible. And at the end of the day, I was successful, because all those patients were paid for.”
Dr. Arteaga told the students he would like to see all physicians take his proactive approach to getting people insured. He also urges all business owners to provide insurance for their employees, as he does.
“I believe there should be universal health coverage,” he said. “And I’m doing my part to bring it about. That is the intervention we need.”
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. has 115 employees (including 13 physicians). LaSalle welcomes patients at all five of their Inland Empire clinics: 17577 Arrow Blvd. in Fontana; 1505 Seventeenth Street and 565 North Mt. Vernon Ave. in San Bernardino; 16455 Main St. in Hesperia; and 31762 Mission Trail in Lake Elsinore.
Appointments aren’t required, but are recommended by calling MotorTorque insurance at (909) 890-0407.
For more auto insurance quotes click on the link.
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Tracy Anderson with an artistic creation she will display at the Photo-Graphic Exhibit opening June 5, 2008 at the California Museum of Photography – University of California, Riverside.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) What happens when a small client budget meets the ideas of a talented graphic designer?
Design students from The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire explore just how to meet those demands with creative photographically based solution in the exhibit Photo-Graphic opening Thursday, June 5th at the California Museum of Photography – University of California Riverside at 3824 Main St.
“At The Art Institute of California- Inland Empire, Graphic Design students take a multitude of classes in illustration, media, and photography to diversify responses to their future clients’ needs, and to develop a style with enough flair to sell a product or idea,” said Micheal Swank, Academic Department Director for Graphic Design and Web Design & Interactive Media departments. “This exhibit shows the valuable tool photography can be in meeting budgets and coming up with creative solutions to problems.”
The exhibit runs June 5th through July 5 at the California Museum of Photography – University of California Riverside. The gallery will hold an opening reception on June 5th, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The featured graphic designers are Dante Guiab, Anthony Robert Guevara, Tracy A. Anderson, Jhanelle Ocampo, Douglas Tollison, Christopher Kujawa, Jesus Florez-Rodriguez, Diana Baltodano, Adrian Aguirre, Armando Lopez, Salvador Vazquez, Jr., Collin Hjulberg, Brian Bruce, Stephanie Trevizo, Barton Welt, and Rachel Makowski.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Culinary Management, Web Design & Interactive Media, Fashion & Retail Management, Fashion Design, Interior Design, Media Arts & Animation; and Associate of Science Degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts.
For more information, or to arrange a tour, call The Art Institute at (909) 915-2100.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire), a system of more than 40 locations throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. For more information, call (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.
Second place winner, Francisco Gutierrez of Golden West High School in Visalia; in the FHA-HERO Consumer Education competition, First place, Samantha Yang of Edison High School in Fresno, Third place, Kiranpreet Dhaliwal of Pitman High School in Turlock.
(RIVERSIDE, California) California FHA-HERO, an organization for students enrolled in Home Economics Careers and Technology courses, held its State Leadership Meeting in Riverside.
Nearly 500 students participated in state level competitions based on 21 career development areas that are a part of the curriculum they have studied in school. There were an additional 300 students, adults and community leaders involved in the meeting as well.
Most events were held at the Riverside Convention Center, and the students participated in state finals competitions there, at the Riverside Marriott Hotel, Riverside’s Mission Inn and at The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire in San Bernardino.
Marilyn Gallardo, a senior at Pacifica High School in Oxnard, received special recognition in this competition as the Best of Show entry in the senior division, for her display of cakes and tortes. In all, 95 students received the top awards.
“The students were really thrilled to be recognized for the skills they have learned in the Home Economics Careers and Technology program,” said Janice DeBenedetti, statewide coordinator for the program, which is a part of the California Department of Education. “They were thankful for our sponsors, not just for the scholarships they donated, but also for the cash awards and other prizes.”
FHA-HERO is an organization for students enrolled in courses preparing them for careers in three industry sectors: Hospitality, Tourism & Recreation (including Culinary Arts); Fashion & Interior Design; and Education, Child Development & Family Services. The courses, which focus on both leadership and career development, are offered in high schools, Regional Occupations Programs and some middle schools.
During the conference, students also elected a slate of state officers, and participated in leadership training. One of the primary goals of FHA-HERO is to develop future community leaders, and many students especially enjoy this aspect of the organization.
“I thought it was a great experience,” said Francisco Gutierrez, a senior at Golden West High School in Visalia. “This was my first year in FHA-HERO, and it was a lot of fun going to Riverside for four days and staying at the Mission Inn.”
Francisco was further elated with the experience when he learned he took second place in the Consumer Education competition, in which he gave a presentation on medications used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). He had only placed second in the regional competition, so doing so again at the state level was unexpected.
“I was very surprised,” he said. “There were people from all over the state at that level, so I really didn’t expect to do as well.”
Even more surprise came for Francisco when he learned the first place winner would not be able to attend the national competition, thereby giving him the opportunity to do so.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “I’m just trying to raise the money.”
Edison High School in Fresno took home five of the trophies. Even for those who didn’t win, it was a great experience said competitor Suzanna Vang,
“Even though I didn’t win, my best friend, Pabai Vang, placed, so it feels good knowing she won.” Suzanna said. “It took a lot of my free time, and I had to find a balance between school and work, so just to know that I did it gives me a sense of accomplishment.”
First, second and third place winners received trophies and plaques to recognize their achievements. First place winners also received additional prizes as provided by the competition’s sponsors, and occasionally, so did second and third place winners. In addition, first place winners, or in some cases the runners-up, can advance to a national competition.
The competitions, winners and their awards were:
SENIOR DIVISION
Hospitality, Tourism & Recreation: First place, Ryan Johnson of California High School in Whittier $1,000 scholarship, Second place, Araceli Montoya of Mt. Diablo High School in Concord, $750 scholarship; Third place, Ibon Zapien of Mt. Diablo High School in Concord, $500 scholarship.
Commercial Food Preparation: First place, Casey Shepardson of Mt. Diablo High School in Concord, $100, knife set, chef coat; Second place, Nataline Jindoian of Mt. Diablo High School in Concord; Third place, Kaylee Johnson of Chino High School in Chino.
Culinary Arts Display A – Appetizers: First place, Roman Chavez of California High School in Whittier, $100, chef coat; Second place, Jazmin Quinonez of Bell Gardens High School in Bell Gardens; Third place, Eduardo Trevino of Bell Gardens High School in Bell Gardens
Culinary Arts Display B – Breads: First place, Zachary Chenoweth of Pacifica High School in Oxnard, Scholarship, chef coat; Second place, Angelica Mungia of Chino High School in Chino; Third place, Mark Gonzales of California High School in Whittier
Culinary Arts Display C – Decorated Wedding Cakes: First place, Krisina Kovill of San Juan High School in Sacramento, $1,000 scholarship, chef coat; Second place, Nick Christian of San Juan High School in Sacramento, $750 scholarship; Third place, Ashley Gonzalez of Bell Gardens High School in Bell Gardens, $500 scholarship.
Culinary Arts Display D – Advanced Presentation Cakes and Tortes: First place, Marilyn Gallardo of Pacifica High School, $1,000 scholarship, Best of Show award; Second place, Christian Dentzler of Mt. Diablo High School in Concord, $750 scholarship; Third place, Cindy Andrade of Banning High School in Banning, $500 scholarship
Culinary Arts Display E – Patisserie: First place, Michelle Martin of Wilcox High School in Santa Clara, chef coat; Second place, Katelyn Krause of San Juan High School in Sacramento; Third place, Claudia Castaneda of Mt. Diablo High School in Concord
Culinary Arts Display F – Art Display: First place, Nicholas Decocq of San Juan High School in Sacramento, $100, $1,00 scholarship, chef coat; Second place, Daniel Rieux of San Juan High School in Sacramento, $750 scholarship; Third place, Darryl Johnson of Mt. Diablo High School in Concord, $500 scholarship
Apparel Construction: First place, Britany Gomez of Ayala High School in Chino Hills, sewing machine, $100; Second place, Pabai Vang of Edison High School in Fresno $50; Third place, Malee Xiong of Las Plumas High School in Oroville
Fashion Design: First place, Philip Vo of Fountain Valley High School in Fountain Valley, $22,000 scholarship to Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising; Second place, Natalie Haro of Livermore High School in Livermore; Third place, Chantal Cheung of Westmoor High School in Daly City
Interior Design: First place, Jennifer Isago of Rowland High School in Rowland Heights, $22,000 scholarship to Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising; Second place, Maria Castrillo of Ayala High School in Chino Hills, $100; Third place, Jenna Ririe of Ayala High School in Chino Hills
Applied Technology: First place, Monica Vargas and Sarah Rosendahl of Chino High Schoo
l of Chino, $50 each; Second place, Madelene Geledzhyan and Josh Cruz of Rowland High School in Rowland Heights.
Prepared Speech: First place, Mindi Miller of Folsom High School in Folsom, $100; Second place, Stella Sakhon of Ayala High School in Chino Hills; Third place, Jasmin Rangel of Edison High School in Fresno.
Child Development: First place, Karina Aguilar of Pitman High School in Turlock, $100; Second place, Tashena Polk of Eisenhower High School in Rialto; Third place, Vanessa Romero of Sanger High School in Sanger.
Energy & Resource Conservation: First place, Bianca Mayoral and Audrienne Salandan of Ayala High School in Chino Hills, $50 each; Second place, Milena Garrido and Briana McCloud of John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills
Nutrition Education: First place, Samantha Herrera and Cynthia Medina of Golden West High School in Visalia, $50 each; Second place, Amanda Chan and Lauren Kawawaki of Mills High School in San Mateo; Third place, Eduardo Navarro and Sara Magana of California High School in Whittier
Job Application & Interview: First place, Katherine Kim of Rowland High School in Rowland Heights, $1,000 scholarship; Second place, Mai May Vang of Oroville High School in Oroville, $750 scholarship; Third place, Noosha Saleminik of Ayala High School in Chino Hills, $500 scholarship
Teaching Careers: First place, Trista Cowlishaw of Apple Valley High School in Apple Valley, $100; Second place, Jacqueline Suaste of John F. Kennedy High School in Granada Hills,; Third place, Alex Flood of Morro Bay High School in Morro Bay.
Consumer Education: First place, Samantha Yang of Edison High School in Fresno, $100; Second place, Francisco Gutierrez of Golden West High School in Visalia; Third place, Kiranpreet Dhaliwal of Pitman High School in Turlock.
Salad Preparation: First place, Nancy Ballard of Silverado High School in Victorville, $100 and a chef coat; Second place, Cynthia Melchor of Eisenhower High School in Rialto, Third place, Lisa Walston of Eisenhower High School in Rialto.
Menu Planning & Table Display: First place, Lindsey Lowe of Edison High School in Fresno, $100; Second place, Vincent Zhao of Westmoor High School in Daly City; Third place, Celeste Cervantes of La Puente Valley Regional Occupations Program in La Puente.
Chapter Activities Manual: First place, Westmoor High School of Daly City, $100; Second place, Golden West High School of Visalia; Third place, Kern Valley High School of Lake Isabella.
Chapter Exhibit: First place, Big Valley High School of Bieber, $100: Second place, Las Plumas High School of Oroville, Third Place, Paramount High School of Downey.
Community Involvement: First place, Cesar E. Chavez High School of Delano, $100; Second place, Kern Valley High School of Lake Isabella
ADULT DIVISON
Culinary Arts Display F – Art Display: First place, Andy Bezgodov of San Juan High School in Sacramento; $100
JUNIOR DIVISON
Community Involvement: First place, Hoover Middle School in Lakewood, $100
Chapter Exhibit: First place, Alvarado Intermediate School in Rowland Heights, $100; Second place, Lompoc Valley Middle School in Lompoc
Chapter Activities Manual: First place, Ruth O. Harris Middle School in Colton, $100
Apparel Construction: First place, Joanna Guo of Alvarado Intermediate School in Rowland Heights, sewing machine, $100; Second place, Yamel Grado of Cesar E. Chavez High School in Delano
Menu Planning & Table Display: First place, Nou Vang of Edison High School in Fresno, $100; Second place, Sachie Kawachi of Rowland High School in Rowland Heights; Third place, Vicky Hung of Alvarado Intermediate School in Rowland Heights
Salad Preparation: First place, Matthew Johnson of Las Plumas High School in Oroville, $100; Second place, Avery Emlaw of San Juan High School in Sacramento; Third place, Amy Shinoki of Mills High School in San Mateo
Consumer Education: First place, Arturo Rodriguez of Ruth O. Harris Middle School in Colton, $100
Child Development: First place, Jean Philippe Cruz of Rowland High School in Rowland Heights, $100; Second place, Vivienne Barrientos of Alvarado Intermediate School in Rowland Heights
Prepared Speech: First place, Pamela Xu of Rowland High School in Rowland Heights, $100; Second place, Micah Van Setten of Ruth O. Harris Middle School in Colton
Job Application & Interview: First place, Paulina Lim of Rowland High School in Rowland Heights, $100; Second place, Hallie Zhang of Rowland High School in Rowland Heights; Third place, Kathryna Ang of Rowland High School in Rowland Heights
Nutrition Education: First place, Edith Castaneda and Elisa Cabronero of Ruth O. Harris Middle School in Colton, $50 each; Second place, Lily Lam and Mandy Cheung of Rowland High School in Rowland Heights
Interior Design: First place, En Lin of Rowland High School in Rowland Heights, $100; Second place, Lacey Wilde of Kern Valley High School in Lake Isabella; Third place, Amanda Kirshenmen of Kern Valley High School in Lake Isabella
Creed Recitation: First place, Amanda Jones of Los Molinos High School in Los Molinos, $100; Second place, Fernanda Lemus of Fresno High School in Fresno; Third place, Joanie Hampton of Redwood High School in Visalia
FHA-HERO is part of a national organization formed more than 50 years ago, which was formerly known as Future Homemakers of America, but is now called Family, Career and Community Leaders of America.
The “HERO” portion of the state organization’s name reflects a change in focus to career development and leadership, as it stands for Home Economics Related Occupations. Although most if not all FHA-HERO members will pursue careers outside their home, California organization leaders opted to keep FHA part of the name because of widespread familiarity with the organization.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – Once, a young college graduate, the son of parents born in Mexico, wanted to be a doctor. It wasn’t money or prestige that drove him, but simply a desire to make things better for people.
More than 30 years ago, that young college graduate was Dr. Albert Arteaga, a graduate of La Sierra University in Riverside. After completing his residency at Loma Linda University Medical Center, Dr. Arteaga began his medical practice in Fontana in 1984.
His practice has since grown to a chain of five medical clinics in the Inland Empire, known as LaSalle Medical Associates. Dr. Arteaga also is chairman of the Latino Health Collaborative, and is widely regarded as an expert on health care.
He enjoys a successful practice, but perhaps his greatest success is helping thousands of people get quality health care who might not otherwise have received it. He treats all patients with dignity and respect and expects his staff to do the same, and as one of the top enrollers in all of California for Healthy Families, he has helped more than 20,000 children and their families obtain health care coverage.
Now another young college graduate, 22-year-old Evita Limon, so admires what she sees in Dr. Arteaga she aspires to follow in his footsteps.
This summer, the 2007 graduate of the University of California, Riverside will enroll in the University of California, Los Angeles medical school, taking part in a special program called UCLA-Prime. The program, which she will attend at UCR for two years and in Los Angeles for three, allows her to obtain both a Master’s degree and a medical doctorate (M.D.) in five years.
Dr. Arteaga is a guest lecturer at UC Riverside, and it was in Limon’s Health Care Disparities class at the university where she and her mentor first met. This course examines a subject Dr. Arteaga is working hard to overcome, that of how race, income and lack of insurance affect the quality of health care one receives.
“He gave a wonderful talk,” Limon said. “I sensed how passionate he was about this subject.”
After graduating from UC Riverside, Limon took an internship with the Health Careers Connection with the Latino Health Collaborative, and became further acquainted with Dr. Arteaga. A few months later she moved onto a second internship with Health-Net and another job with the Loma Linda University School of Religion, but recently began her third internship, this time at LaSalle Medical Associates.
In many ways, Limon is already much like Dr. Arteaga. Both are native Californians. Both have close family born in Mexico, and both are passionate about health care to help people.
For now, they also both work at LaSalle Medical Associates. Dr. Arteaga is the owner and president, and his new employee is an intern, helping both the physician and his wife Maria, the head nurse, in their administrative duties.
“I am truly inspired by the work they are doing in this community,” Limon said. “Mrs. Arteaga took me on a tour of one of the clinics and I wanted to be a patient there, because of the phenomenal treatment given to the patients.”
Limon plans to return to the Inland Empire after graduating from UCLA After three or four years of residency, she hopes to work first as a clinic physician, and later in an administrative role that will help her bring about significant change in health care policies.
“This very talented young lady is passionate about making a difference in this world,” Dr. Arteaga said. “Yet she is also passionate about people, and so I know that she will accomplish great things in health care in the very near future.”
It’s quite possible she will accomplish all of her goals through a new working arrangement with LaSalle Medical Associates, as she so strongly believes in its mission to provide quality and affordable health care to everyone, with dignity and respect.
“Working with patients and being able to improve the doctor-patient relationship initially drew me to pursue a career in medicine,” Limon said. “But after my experiences with the Latino Health Collaborative, my ultimate goal is to enact policy to improve the quality of health care.”
If Limon succeeds in her professional goals, she will walk very close to the path Dr. Arteaga has taken over the years. After graduating from medical school in 1976, working in social service programs and medical internships in the United States and Mexico, and completing his residency at Loma Linda University Medical Center, Dr. Arteaga began a private practice in Fontana about 25 years ago.
As Dr. Arteaga’s practice grew to five clinics, so did his passion for helping underserved populations – especially minorities, low-income people and the uninsured. In his role as president of LaSalle Medical Associates, which has 115 employees (including 13 physicians), many view him as an influential voice in efforts to make quality health care affordable to everyone. LaSalle welcomes patients at all five of their Inland Empire clinics: 17577 Arrow Blvd. in Fontana; 1505 Seventeenth Street and 565 North Mt. Vernon Ave. in San Bernardino; 16455 Main St. in Hesperia; and 31762 Mission Trail in Lake Elsinore.
Appointments aren’t required, but are recommended by calling (909) 890-0407.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) “For the 20-plus years I have been in practice, we have never turned away a patient because they couldn’t pay,” Dr. Albert Arteaga of LaSalle Medical Associates says. “As the son of an Adventist minister, I know I have an obligation to help whenever I can.”
And help he does, from aiding Inland Empire Hurricane Katrina survivors to outwardly welcoming low income, elderly and disabled Medi-Cal patients. It’s been pointed out that many physicians refuse to see Medi-Cal patients simply because doctors make vary little money doing so. “For us at LaSalle, it’s one more chance to give back to our communities, helping people who are reluctant to seek medical attention because they fear they just can’t afford it. Ultimately, though, it’s the children who would suffer. And I don’t want that,” Arteaga says.
As founder and CEO of LaSalle’s five Inland Empire clinics, Dr. Arteaga set out to not just aid those in need, but to change patients’ perception of “going to the doctor.” He explains, “I want everyone to feel that going to the doctor is no more intimidating than going to the grocery store.”
Another of Arteaga’s major objectives is that every single patient is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their station in life. A recent survey of nearly 300 LaSalle patients showed that fully 100% of those surveyed said, “The physician listened carefully, explained things to me and was respectful.” And this feeling goes beyond the doctor in question, extending to the entire staffs at all the LaSalle clinics with 98% of the patients noting, “The LaSalle staff was very courteous and respectful.”
As any businessperson knows, however, to continue helping people, the company has to keep its doors open, to be profitable. And, in spite of focusing on the uninsured and low-income patients, LaSalle does just fine. “Our goal is to keep our expenses low while providing everyone high quality health care,” Dr. Arteaga said. “It is a challenge, but I have found this approach to be successful. The customers who can pay do so, and it more offsets those who can’t.”
Born in San Diego of a Seventh-day Adventist missionary father from Michoacan, Mexico, Arteaga says, “As the son of an Adventist minister, I know I have an obligation to help whenever I can. That is what we do.” He came by his love of, and cares for, people honestly. It was natural that the young man took to medical training and completed his degree from Universidad LaSalle in Mexico City. His graduation in 1976 was followed by four years of general practice. Following of his internship at Loma Linda University Medical Center he opened practice in Fontana in 1984.
The practice expanded, doctors and staff were added to efficiently serve the growing patient load. Soon enough, LaSalle Medical Associates, formed in 1996, added two clinics in San Bernardino, one in Hesperia and another in Lake Elsinore. Today, the LaSalle staff totals 115 employees with 13 physicians, two physician assistants and a nurse practitioner. In 2007, the LaSalle clinics welcomed 108,061 patient visits.
While initially focusing on serving children of the lower income and disabled, Arteaga then realized there were even greater community needs. With his guidance, LaSalle expanded its service to include family and internal medicine, and obstetrics/gynecology. All stemming from Arteaga’s “obligation to help whenever I can.”
Preventive healthcare is another of the LaSalle objectives. “Prevention is so much easier for patients than healing later problems,” Arteaga says. His free Immunization Fairs are an example. For more than seven years the clinics have offered these for Inland Empire children. He adds, “Our objective with these fairs, and so many of our other 150 or so community programs (three times more than in the Los Angeles area), is to help parents understand how to keep their children well in the first place.”
How often have any of us made a doctor appointment, showed up right on time if not early – and then waited an hour. Another of Dr. Arteaga’s pet peeves: “How long will I have to wait” is the first question most people ask, Arteaga points out. “Everyone’s time is valuable to them,” he says, “and sitting what may seem endlessly in a waiting room is not what they had in mind. Respectful care includes respecting our patients’ time.”
But, sometimes it just can’t be helped. LaSalle welcomes walk-in patients at all five clinics, but sometimes that simply means things can get backed up. “We may get an emergency,” Arteaga explains, “or someone comes in much sicker than they led us to believe on the phone. A mother, on the other hand, may have arranged to bring in a child, but showed up with three who needed to be seen. Another may have arranged for a basic immunization for her daughter only to arrive with paperwork from the school for an entire physical.” He adds, “We want patients to be on their way as quickly as possible, of course. But first, we want to get it right, get it pleasant, and then get it fast. People understand that things come up unexpectedly, as long as you let them know what’s up. If you level with them, they’ll level with you.”
Life is not without its snags, however. In the case of medical practices accepting Medicare patients, the proposed 10% reduction in government medical payment is attention getting to most providers. For LaSalle, however, it’s not time for hand wringing. “Because of our organization’s structure,” explains Dr. Arteaga, “we can take more patients, if Medicare allows us to, to make up for the repayment reduction, and if we continue to increase our patient retention, we’ll have additional patient visits that will offset any reduction in Medicare payments.”
Public and professional recognition has not escaped LaSalle Medical Associates and Dr. Arteaga. In his efforts to provide healthcare services to the Inland Empire’s children, Arteaga was awarded the San Bernardino County Medical Society’s Merlin Hendrickson M.D. Award for his outstanding contribution to the community.
And the clinics were selected by the Inland Empire Health Plan as Riverside’s and San Bernardino’s best healthcare provider, while the African American Health Initiative selected LaSalle as a “model provider” of Black healthcare in San Bernardino County The San Bernardino Board of Supervisors has presented Dr. Arteaga the Resolution Award for his outstanding community efforts, and the Inland Empire Health Plan awarded LaSalle Medical Associates a Proclamation Award in appreciation of outstanding community work and for being the state’s number one enroller of the Healthy Families program, an insurance plan for children of low- to middle-income families.
“These awards,” he says, “are not just for me, but for the entire team of doctors, nurses and staff at LaSalle’s clinics. These are recognition of the entire company’s dedication to our patients and our communities we serve.”
Dr. Arteaga lives in Grand Terrace with his wife, Maria, his son and his two daughters.
The LaSalle medical clinics are at 17577 Arrow Blvd. in Fontana, 1505 West 17th St. and 565 N. Mt. Vernon Ave. in San Bernardino, 16455 Main St. in Hesperia and in Lake Elsinore at 31762 Mission Trail.
For additional information about LaSalle Medical Associates, call (909) 8
90-0407 or go on line to lasallemedical.com. -end-
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) – California FHA-HERO named State Senator Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-Chino) an honorary member of the organization in a ceremony held recently at the State Capitol.
“We’re grateful for her efforts supporting legislation that would provide more staff and more resources for Home Economics Careers and Technology Education,” said Janice DeBenedetti, state FHA-HERO adviser. “Our students and teachers have benefited greatly from her leadership.”
The awards presentation was conducted by the six state officers for California FHA-HERO: President Emily Mastrolia of Antioch; Vice President Cody Nore of Oroville; Secretary Darryl Johnson of Concord; Treasurer Bethany Stanton of Lake Isabella; Historian Bridget Deaton of Angels Camp and Reporter Sarah Rosendahl of Chino.
DeBenedetti also noted that Negrete McLeod has arranged visits to the State Senate chambers for state and regional FHA-HERO officers, and has issued two proclamations highlighting the contributions FHA-HERO has made to society. Both of the proclamations are displayed in the FHA-HERO headquarters office in Sacramento, DeBenedetti said.
FHA-HERO is a student leadership organization for students enrolled in home economics courses in California high schools , Regional Occupations Programs and some middle schools. These courses prepare students for careers in three employment sectors, which are Hospitality, Tourism & Recreation (which includes Culinary Arts); Fashion & Interior Design; and Education, Child Development & Family Services.
Home Economics Careers and Technology Education, part of the California Department of Education, oversees the FHA-HERO program.
FHA-HERO is part of a national organization formed more than 50 years ago, which was formerly known as Future Homemakers of America, but is now called Family, Career and Community Leaders of America.
The “HERO” portion of the state organization’s name reflects a change in focus, as it stands for Home Economics Related Occupations. Although most if not all FHA-HERO members will pursue careers outside their home, California organization leaders opted to keep FHA part of the name because of widespread familiarity with the organization.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) How to protect a company’s copyrighted works and trademarks is the subject of a seminar The Art Institute of California-Inland Empire will hold Wednesday, May 21 from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Douglas K. Mann, a Rancho Cucamonga attorney in the firm Snyder Walker & Mann, will present the seminar. It takes place in Rooms 161 and 162.
This seminar is open to the public, and will benefit advertising, public relations and marketing professionals, as well as others who produce trademarks or other copyrighted works. Anyone interested in attending should RSVP with Scott Saunders, Director of Career Services, by calling (909) 915-2100.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Culinary Management, Web Design & Interactive Media, Fashion & Retail Management, Fashion Design, Interior Design, Media Arts & Animation; and Associate of Science Degrees in Graphic Design and Culinary Arts.
For more information, or to arrange a tour, call The Art Institute at (909) 915-2100.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu /InlandEmpire), a system of more than 40 locations throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals. For more information, call (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu /InlandEmpire.
