Education | Contra Costa Herald

Contra Costa Community College District announces four finalists for LMC president

May 5, 2023 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Matthew Kritscher, Ed.D., Claire Oliveros, Ph.D., Pamela Ralston, Ph.D., and James E. Todd, Ph.D. Source: 4CD

Meet the candidates during in-person forums Monday, May 11

By Marisa Greenberg, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Contra Costa Community College District

The Contra Costa Community College District (District) announces the selection of four finalists for the position of President of Los Medanos College. The finalists are: Matthew Kritscher, Ed.D., Claire Oliveros, Ph.D., Pamela Ralston, Ph.D., and James E. Todd, Ph.D.

Four separate in-person forums have been scheduled for May 11, 2023, on the Los Medanos College Pittsburg campus. Employees, students, and community members are invited to attend the forums, which will last 60 minutes each, beginning at 11:30 a.m., and will be recorded. A detailed public forum schedule, recordings of each forum, and an online survey to provide feedback on the candidates will be available on the District website at www.4cd.edu.

Dr. Matthew Kritscher

Dr. Kritscher has dedicated his career to advancing student diversity, equity, inclusion, access, and social justice serving diverse communities in public higher education in California Community Colleges and Universities for over three decades. As an educational leader including eleven years as Dean and almost ten years as Vice President of Student Services at Chabot College, Dr. Kritscher is passionate about eliminating student equity gaps, and providing support for students who are farthest from opportunity. Dr. Kritscher holds a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from San Francisco State University. He graduated from the first cohort of the university’s inaugural doctoral program. He also holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees from California Polytechnic State University in education and recreation. Dr. Kritscher conducted applied research on “How peer mentors affect the persistence of community college students of color” as a participant researcher at his own institution to better understand the live experiences of the students he serves and how to best support them.

In the community, Dr. Kritscher served as a founding member on the Governing Board for the Mid-Alameda County Consortium of Adult Education Programs, and across the District as President Emeritus of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District Administrators’ Association. He is also a President Emeritus of the statewide California Community Colleges Student Success and Support Program Professionals (Matriculation) Association that conducted legislative advocacy, professional development, and liaison services to the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. Dr. Kritscher has received numerous awards for his work with supporting student access, equity, social justice, and success in public higher education including a Chancellor’s Award, several Unity Awards, Chabot College Striving Black Brothers Coalition Award, and an Educator of Excellence Award from the African American Regional Education Alliance.

To enhance equitable transfer student pathways, Dr. Kritscher is a founding Co-Principal Investigator of the East Bay College Agile Network (EBCAN), a regional partnership between Chabot-Las Positas Community College District and California State University, East Bay. This regional collaborative leverages external and internal resources as well as policy and practice transformation to eliminate barriers to student transfer.

Dr. Kritscher has served as the Principal Investigator and Project Director on numerous federal, state, and private grants, strategically advancing integrated projects toward institutionalization in support of increasing diversity, access, equity, and success. Dr. Kritscher has also led numerous capital projects to better meet the needs of diverse student populations and facilitating student retention and success.

Dr. Kritscher and his wife, Susan Truong, grew up in the bay area, and have championed support for students farther from opportunity through partnership with non-profit organizations where they have mentored low-income, first generation foster youth to attend and complete college. They love gardening, outdoor activities and supporting their communities through volunteering.

Dr. Claire Oliveros

Dr. Oliveros is a social justice educator, scholar, and equity practitioner with over 28 years of professional experience in higher education. Claire is the inaugural Vice President of Institutional Equity & Research and Planning at Cosumnes River College (CRC), a designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American, Native American-Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) located in Sacramento, CA. She oversees the division for college planning, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Antiracism (DEIA) strategic initiatives. Claire manages a multi-million-dollar budget which includes the departments of HSI and AANAPISI federally funded grant programs, Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Research and Planning, Center for Professional Development, Center for Inclusion & Belonging, Hawk Cares Center for Basic Needs and Housing Resources, Student Life, and Title IX/Equity Compliance. Prior to this role, Claire served as Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management at CRC.

Before relocating to California, Claire was the Assistant Provost for Student Success Initiatives at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, VA, and the Executive Dean of Student Development and Learning Resources at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, OR. Claire served in various leadership positions at Portland Community College including the Director of TRIO Student Support Services, Interim Director of the District Office of Equity, and Inclusion, founding Coordinator of the Multicultural Center, adjunct Women’s Studies Faculty, and as a part-time Academic Advisor.

Claire is a first-generation college graduate earning a Bachelor of Arts in Speech Communication from Western Oregon University, Master of Science in Educational Policy, Foundations and Administrative Studies at Portland State University, and a Doctorate in Education from Oregon State University. Claire has over 20 years of volunteer experience and community involvement. She was founding chair of the Portland Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines and served as a board member of the Multnomah County Commission on Children, Families and Community. Her higher education service includes the AANAPISI Sacramento Regional Cooperative, Community College League of California, and American Association of Community Colleges.

Claire is a dedicated educational leader with a deep commitment to equity-mindedness and servant leadership. Claire enjoys spending time with her family, attending her son’s soccer games, listening to podcasts, and exploring new restaurants.

Dr. Pamela Ralston

Over the course of a two-decade career in public higher education, Pamela Ralston has been dedicated to the powerful transformation that community colleges provide students, faculty, and the communities we serve. She is committed to working with faculty, staff, and administrators to improve student success and student equity through the creation and support of strong, innovative programs and a rewarding working environment. Dr. Ralston has served as the Interim President at Los Medanos College, President at Santiago Canyon College, and Executive Vice President of Educational Programs at Santa Barbara City College, where she led the academic and student services programs.

Dr. Ralston also served as Vice President for Student Learning at College of the Desert, in Palm Desert, CA. Prior to that, she enjoyed eight years as Dean of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo. Before moving into administration, Dr. Ralston was faculty member and division chair of English and Written Communications at Tacoma Community College, where she taught composition, American Ethnic Literature and developmental studies in writing and reading. Before joining TCC, she served as lecturer at the University of Washington in American Ethnic Studies.

Pamela Ralston has her bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Oregon and her Master of Arts and doctoral degrees from the University of Washington in Comparative Literature, where she taught as a graduate student in the Comparative Literature, English and American Ethnic Studies Departments. She has earned excellence in teaching awards from both Tacoma Community College and the University of Washington, and she was honored with a Fulbright fellowship for doctoral research at the Royal Library and University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

A passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in education, Pamela Ralston has worked to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, with special attention to the strengths that their cultural backgrounds and ethnic identities bring to their college experiences. Over the course of her career, Dr. Ralston has participated in and led numerous, successful change efforts, working to increase the access and achievement of first-generation students of color by working to make colleges ready for all students. She has led curricular redesign, student services program innovation, strategic enrollment, new facilities design, and fund-raising campaigns and grant applications. Deeply invested in the connections between Los Medanos College and the cities it serves, Dr. Ralston is committed to civic engagement. She seeks to deepen relationships and partnerships with school districts, non-profit organizations, civic organizations, and industry across East Contra Costa County.

Pamela lives with her wife, Chris, an attorney, in Pittsburg and Morro Bay, CA. They’re fond of walks along central coast beaches, reading, cooking and are active in their church and community organizations.

Dr. James Todd

Dr. Todd has over 15 years of experience in instruction and student services in California community colleges. He has held a variety of positions, including Professor, Academic Senate President, Accreditation Liaison Officer, Chief Student Services Officer, and Chief Instructional Officer. He has also served as an elected faculty representative on the statewide Executive Committee for the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, and he maintains a strong commitment to participatory governance and an inclusive style of educational leadership. James is currently the Assistant Superintendent and Vice President of Student Services at Sierra College. He was previously the Assistant Superintendent and Vice President of Instruction and Planning at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton and the Vice President of Student Services at Modesto Junior College.

James is a transformational leader who grounds his philosophy and practice in principles of equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion. He is passionate about fostering access and opportunity for underserved populations, meeting the needs of local communities, facilitating student success and completion, building public and private partnerships, and ensuring equitable post-graduation outcomes for students. He has participated in national reform movements, such as Achieving the Dream, to improve student equity and institutional outcomes, and he has been involved in leading efforts on local campuses to enact Guided Pathways and student-centered strategies for student success.

James graduated with an Associate of Arts degree from Brevard Community College in Florida and went on to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology and International Relations from New College of Florida, a Master of Arts degree in Anthropology at The George Washington University, and Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Cultural Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

James has recently completed the Aspen Institute College Excellence Presidential Fellowship Program, the Harvard University Institute for Educational Management, and the California Education Policy Fellowship Program at the Education Insights Center (CSU Sacramento).

About 4CD

The Contra Costa Community College District (4CD) is one of the largest multi-college community college districts in California. The 4CD serves a population of 1,019,640 people, and its boundaries encompass all but 48 of the 734-square-mile land area of Contra Costa County. 4CD is home to Contra Costa College in San Pablo, Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, as well as educational centers in Brentwood and San Ramon. The District headquarters is located in downtown Martinez. For more information visit www.4cd.edu.

Martinez man charged with gun possession in a school zone

May 5, 2023 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Suspect out on bail

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

The Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office has filed a two-count complaint against a Martinez man for possessing a firearm in a school zone.

23-year-old Michael Joseph Childressfrey has an arraignment date set on May 31st for offenses related to an incident that occurred on April 26th at John Swett Elementary School on Alhambra Avenue in Martinez.

At approximately 1:00 pm, Martinez Police were dispatched to the school campus to investigate reports of a known adult male who was in the school parking lot. Police were told that the man was not a welcomed presence, and he frequently carries a firearm.

When officers arrived at the school, they approached Childressfrey in a parked vehicle. He was cooperative, and when asked, Childressfrey said he was in possession of a firearm. Law enforcement authorities placed Childressfrey under arrest for gun possession in a school zone and carrying a loaded concealed firearm. Later, police seized two additional weapons from Childressfrey’s residence. Childressfrey was taken into custody and immediately posted bail before the investigation could be referred for prosecution.

While the incident was resolved peacefully, parents and neighbors have expressed their concern over the matter, and that Childressfrey posted monetary bail the day of his arrest.

District Attorney Diana Becton said, “This incident is understandably distressing– my Office worked in conjunction with the Martinez Police Department to ensure a swift filing determination. After receiving a request for prosecution from Martinez Police on Friday, the DA’s Office reviewed the case and filed the necessary documents with the court to initiate prosecution on Monday.”

Case No. 01-23-01358 | The People of the State of California vs. Childressfrey, Michael Joseph

College District announces finalist for Contra Costa Community President

May 4, 2023 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Meet Dr. Kimberly Rogers during in-person forum Monday morning, May 8

By Marisa Greenberg, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Contra Costa Community College District

Dr. Kimberly Rogers. Photo: 4CD

The Contra Costa Community College District (District) announces the selection of one finalist for the position of President of Contra Costa College. The finalist is: Kimberly Rogers, Ph.D.

An in-person forum has been scheduled for May 8, 2023, on the Contra Costa College campus. Employees, students, and community members are invited to attend the forum which will last 60 minutes, beginning at 11:00 a.m., and will be recorded. A detailed public forum schedule, recording of the forum, and an online survey to provide feedback on the candidate will be available on the District website at www.4cd.edu.

Dr. Kimberly R. Rogers has over 20 years of administrative and teaching experience in higher education and currently serves as the Acting President of Contra Costa College (CCC) in the Contra Costa Community College District (4CD). Since joining CCC as the Vice President of Instruction in January 2021, Dr. Rogers has worked to promote and expand academic and career pathways for CCC’s students. Under Dr. Rogers’s leadership, CCC was selected for the inaugural Achieving the Dream Accelerating Equitable Outcomes for Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and People of Color Cohort; was chosen as a NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) campus; established a Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) program; and became the first 4CD member of the Rising Scholars Network, a program to improve educational and career outcomes for justice-impacted individuals.

Dr. Rogers’s background in Instruction and Student Affairs has allowed CCC to halt a several-year-long enrollment slide and begin a recovery despite the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Under her leadership, CCC has now experienced several consecutive terms of enrollment increases. Dr. Rogers has overseen the implementation of student-centered scheduling; advocated for new personnel to alleviate understaffing and enhance CCC’s ability to serve its community; and demonstrated open-mindedness and creativity in embracing ways to serve students and meet the diverse needs of West County. Dr. Rogers organized a $500,000 multi-year partnership between CCC and the Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, brought the Phi Theta Kappa international honors society to CCC, and started the Comets to Careers professional clothing closet.

In recognition of the twin crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation, Dr. Rogers launched several initiatives to support students’ basic needs. CCC started a Free Lunch program, expanded mental health counseling, extended a one-time housing grant, expanded food resources in the Comet Market to include supplies for parenting students, and offered free fitness center access to all. This was accompanied by the creation of the first full-time staff position for basic needs at the college.

Prior to joining CCC, Dr. Rogers served as the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs at Roxbury Community College (RCC), where her duties included accreditation oversight, curriculum development, assessment of student learning, faculty and staff development, federal and state grant administration, and the integration of academic and student affairs with a focus on equity. She partnered with faculty to launch new programs and credentials in Nursing, Early Childhood Education, Aviation Maintenance Technology, and Smart Building Technology. With her background in music, Dr. Rogers prioritized reviving RCC’s arts and humanities curriculum. In December 2018, for the first time in more than a decade, students and faculty held an Arts Showcase to demonstrate their achievements in music, visual, and performing arts.

Born and raised in South Carolina, Dr. Rogers was a first-generation student and remains a lifelong learner. She earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education from the Pennsylvania State University, master’s degree in education from Harvard University, and BA degree in French, with a minor in chemistry, from the University of South Carolina Honors College. She has held academic appointments at the State University of New York at Buffalo, the University of Massachusetts Boston, and the Université de Haute Alsace in France. Earlier in her career she was a violin teacher for K-12 students at the University of South Carolina String Project, a nationally recognized program that provides accessible music education for youth and adults.

Opinion: The importance of early civic engagement for teens

May 1, 2023 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Anay Pant during his video presentation for the 2023 Youth Hall of Fame Awards. Video screenshot.

By Anay Pant

Last year I participated as a High School student poll worker in the 2022 November Midterm elections. This was the first time I felt civically engaged practicing democracy in some form in my country. In a couple of years, I can cast my vote!

Historically, youth voter turnout has stayed around the 25% mark in the USA. It does not indicate that the youth are averse to voting, however studies show that there are structural barriers for youth to participate.

One such barrier is early education and awareness. The USA high school curriculum requires at least 1 semester of American Government class. Topics include the constitutional framework, federalism, the three branches of government, bureaucracy, civil rights and liberties, political participation and behavior, and policy formation. However, the content is not realized in an interactive way, as most students stop at reading a few chapters or watching a documentary.

The reason I got inspired and action oriented was due to my teacher. My teacher gave us practical opportunities such as forums to hear from and interact with our elected representatives e.g., Rep. Mike Thomspon (CA-4), Monica Tranel (MT-02 runner up) and authors such as Mick Rappaport, who have written extensively on the subject. We had lively discussions in class and homework assignments that did not feel like regular homework. We spoke about current events such as the Nov 2022 midterms, and the importance of student poll workers. I only wish I had been exposed to this subject and my teacher much earlier.

Another structural barrier is the individual themselves. At home, early civic education largely depends on the motivation of parents and children’s interest in the subject. Most teens spend little time (<120 minutes per day in the USA) with parents due to the many engagements and distractions.

Teens are constantly occupied (I know it firsthand!) with daily activities such as schoolwork, sports, after school clubs, internships, hobbies, spending time with friends, social relationships, college admissions planning etc. It is also a period of emotional growth and hormonal changes with ups and downs and mood swings. A smartphone is perhaps the biggest time sink. Research shows that 95% of US teens have access to smartphones today.

I am a second generation American, with interest in the subject. However, my parents are not well versed in this subject and are themselves learning their civic duties. Therefore, for the 7.2 million second-generation Americans, civic education at school might be the only option.

As an example, as a Junior, I spend about an hour with my parents daily, maybe two on weekends. Our conversation is usually about academics, family, sports, our pet dog, a movie or food. In my case, my dad and I share a love of history and politics, so we occasionally talk about WWII or political satire from Saturday Night Live or John Oliver. For a second-generation teen like me, school becomes the most important and sometimes the only resource for civic education.

Considering these barriers, it makes sense to start civic education and engagement much earlier. I can also attest through experience that:

Middle schoolers have more time than High Schoolers
Middle schoolers are at the age where they start to form their own opinions about the world around them. Giving them a chance to get involved in their community can help them develop a sense of duty, ownership and responsibility.

Why is this so important?

It is important for each individual to understand their civic duty and make it a habit to vote. The habit should be inculcated in the younger years. Over time when diverse voices from all walks of life exercise their right to vote, it will lead to an equitable and just democracy that most communities can benefit from.

In the 2022 mid-terms, the youth (ages 18-24) turnout was the second highest in three decades⁶ and quite impactful. Young people across the country had their voices heard and were able to support causes they cared about. According to a Harvard poll around 40% of young voters indicated that they would vote in the election. Overall, around 27% youth ballots that were issued were cast in total.

So, in conclusion I urge my readers to advocate for civic education in Middle School and share the tips below with your school boards and community leaders.

What can schools do

Start civics education early – in middle school
Encourage students to participate as volunteers in polling stations – local or state-level
Expose students to experts, community leaders, and other activists
Allow students to organize and run creative programs such as podcasts, talks
Recognize students who participate in civic engagement programs

What can communities (Non-Profits, Community Leaders) do

Community leaders can create educational programs e.g. field visits to city hall, high courts, etc.
Recognize students who participate in Civic engagement programs
Nonprofits e.g. Campus Votes could expand their college programs to create school specific programs as well.

I would also love to hear more tips from the readers!

Research Links

[1] https://circle.tufts.edu/understanding-youth-civic-engagement/dispelling-myths-about-youth-voting#myth:-youth-voting-has-been-declining-for-decades

[2] https://circle.tufts.edu/understanding-youth-civic-engagement/dispelling-myths-about-youth-voting#myth:-young-people-are-all-liberal-college-students

[3] https://www.financialsamurai.com/the-average-amount-of-time-parents-spend-with-their-kids-a-day/

[4] https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/

[5] https://cis.org/Report/ForeignBorn-Population-Hits-Nearly-48-Million-September-2022

[6] https://circle.tufts.edu/2022-election-center#youth-turnout-second-highest-in-last-three-decades

[7] https://iop.harvard.edu/fall-2022-harvard-youth-poll

[8] https://www.campusvoteproject.org/

About Anay Pant

I am a Junior at The Athenian High School in Danville, California. I got interested in civic engagement during the American Politics class I took last semester. The class had a profound effect on me. I was motivated to participate as a student poll worker in the Nov 2022 midterms. I wanted to continue with finding ways to motivate my peers to become aware and action oriented. I launched a civic engagement platform called Qrated (https://qrated.weblium.site/) last year with some success. I am working towards finding avenues to help me outreach my platform

On April 4th, I was awarded the Contra Costa County – Youth Hall of Fame Awards for Leadership & Civic Engagement by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. (See related article here)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anay-pant/

LMC Baseball: Mustangs win Bay Valley Conference Championship

April 28, 2023 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Los Medanos outfielder Nico Torrez of Brentwood watches a pitch by the Laney College Eagles pitcher be called a ball by the homeplate umpire. Photo by Mohammad Najimi, LMC Experience

Decisive victory against Laney College puts Los Medanos College on top

By Juliet V. Casey, Marketing Director, Los Medanos College

Pittsburg, Calif. – In a staggering 18-7 victory over the Laney College Eagles on Thursday, April 27, the Los Medanos College Mustangs baseball team secured the top spot as 2023 Bay Valley Conference champions.

“I’m just so proud of this group,” LMC Head Baseball Coach Matt Lisle. “It isn’t just one player that has stood out. I’ve preached since Day One, that we are in in this together and for us to win a championship it’s going to take everyone all-in. All-in on the field, in the classroom and together as a family and that’s exactly what we did. Truly a championship effort by each and every player.”

The Mustangs head into post-season play with a 28-10 season record and 17-3 in conference. The team is poised to break the school record for season wins – the most wins has been 29 – with at least four games left.

The last home game of the season will be today at 2:30 p.m., 2700 E. Leland Road. LMC hosts the first round of postseason baseball competition May 5 and May 6.

“Congratulations to our new Baseball Head Coach Matt Lisle, his assistant coach, Sparky Bray, and our student-athletes for such a phenomenal season,” said Tanisha Maxwell, athletics director and vice president of student services. “I hope to see everyone come out and support our championship team.”

Maxwell noted the team has shown outstanding character and attributed their success to “covenants” players adopted to keep each other positive, productive and accountable to each other on an off the field. Among the promises, “Make smart decisions off the field, make healthy decisions, represent LMC well and sharpen skills.”

“Last night’s victory is a testament of the quality program and tradition in place at Los Medanos College,” Interim President Pamela Ralston said.

Los Medanos Mustangs pitcher Colton Trudeau throws a pitch to the Laney Eagles batter in hopes of getting out of the inning during Thursday’s game. Photo by Mohammad Najimi, LMC Experience.

Several players this season are being recruited by NCAA Division I and II schools, and two players are being drafted by Major League Baseball teams for the upcoming June Amateur Draft.

Since the 2012 baseball season, 114 LMC baseball players have taken their athletic and academic careers to the four-year level and 67 have received All-Bay Valley Conference Honors. LMC has had 67 Academic All-Conference and 25 Academic All State selections. Since its founding, the Los Medanos Baseball Program has also produced 21 professional draft picks.

Read more details of Thursday’s game on LMC’s Experience student news website.

Student arrested for attempted murder and mayhem against another student at Northgate High School Tuesday

April 25, 2023 By Publisher 1 Comment

By Lt. Holley Connor, Walnut Creek Police Department

Walnut Creek Police are investigating a violent assault on a student at Northgate High School, 425 Castle Rock Road, that took place this afternoon, Tuesday, April 25, 2023. Walnut Creek Police Department officers and detectives arrived, detained the student believed to be responsible, and quickly determined this was an isolated incident between two students. Based on the initial investigation, the suspect was arrested for PC 664/187 – Attempted Murder and PC 203 – Mayhem. He was transported to Contra Costa Juvenile Hall and is being held without bail.

The victim is currently being treated for her injuries at a local hospital and her condition is unknown.

The names of the involved parties will not be released, as they are juveniles. No other details are available at this time because this is an active investigation.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Walnut Creek Police Department at 925-943-5844 or call the Anonymous Tip Line at 925-943-5865. Case #: 23-13721

“César Chávez: Honoring a Legacy” Awards ceremony at Los Medanos College Friday night

April 18, 2023 By Publisher Leave a Comment

College board president, Brentwood non-profit leader, Antioch and Brentwood educators to be honored

By Juliet V. Casey, Direct of Marketing, Los Medanos College

Los Medanos College (LMC) is proud to announce the return of its annual awards to honor the legacy of César Chávez. The event had been on hiatus to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and will be in person once again.

This community event celebrates the life of the labor leader and human rights activist. The celebration also recognizes East Contra Costa County community members who embody Chávez’s great tradition of voluntary service, civic activism, and non-violent social change.

The festivities, which are free and open to the public, will be from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, April 21 in the Student Union Conference Center, Pittsburg Campus, 2700 E. Leland Road in Pittsburg.

This year’s honorees:

César Chávez Award for Exemplary Community Service Recipient

Fernando Sandoval, Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board president, for work as president of Latino Voices of East Contra Costa County Chapter; community activist and education advocate; author; veteran; and Pittsburg resident.

East County Educator Award Recipient

Violeta Orozco, Jack London Elementary school counselor, for her work as head counselor at Antioch High School (AHS); and leadership for Puente at Antioch High School.

Chávez Spirit Award Co-Recipients

Diana Hidalgo for volunteer work at One Day at a Time (ODAT) and as president of ODAT Leadership Council.

Norma Guadalupe Zamora Arreguin, a human trafficking case specialist and certified investigator, for work as a paraprofessional at Garin Elementary School special education program (Brentwood); her own afterschool program for children with special needs; and as a part-time student at LMC.

The César Chávez Award for Exemplary Community Service, established in 1995, is presented to local residents who represent the core values modeled by César Chávez: “Service to Others, Sacrifice, A Preference to Help the Most Needy, Determination, Non-Violence, Acceptance of All People, Respect for Life and the Environment, Celebrating Community, Knowledge, and Innovation.”

The East County Educator Award honors members of the educational community who demonstrate a commitment to student success and equity, particularly for students of color and those from low-income families.

The Chávez Spirit Award recognizes up-and-coming leaders who have made a difference in the local community through advocacy and social justice.

For more information about all of LMC’s activities celebrating César Chávez, visit www.losmedanos.edu/chavez/events. Questions about the events or awards may be directed to Jennifer Adams at jadams@losmedanos.edu or (925) 473-7302.

About Los Medanos College (LMC): LMC is one of three colleges in the Contra Costa Community College District, serving the East Contra Costa County community. Established in 1974, LMC has earned federal designations as a Minority-Serving and Hispanic-Serving institution. It offers award-winning transfer and career-technical programs support services, and diverse academic opportunities in an inclusive learning environment. With exceptional educators, innovative curriculum, growing degree and certificate offerings, and state-of-the-art facilities, the college prepares students to succeed in their educational pursuits, in the workforce, and beyond. LMC’s Pittsburg Campus is located on 120 acres bordering Antioch, with an additional education center in Brentwood.

Hosts needed for international high school students throughout San Francisco Bay Area

April 5, 2023 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Source: AFS

Experience the world without leaving your home

By Meaghan Airey, AKCG – Public Relations Counselors

NEW YORK, New York – In an age when international relations are often tenuous, AFS-USA Intercultural Programs, a leader in international high school student exchange for 75 years, is focused on providing opportunities for intercultural exchange that can help lead to a more just and peaceful world.

AFS-USA invites families and individuals from the San Francisco area and surrounding communities to become hosts for international students for 12 weeks, a semester, or an academic year.

Hosting provides individuals, families, high schools, and communities with opportunities to learn about the unfamiliar by exploring a diversity of cultures, all while sharing their own culture with a young person from a different country.

“AFS-USA nurtures active global citizens who make the world a better place,” AFS-USA President and CEO Tara Hofmann said. “Every new AFS student is another global citizen in progress—an individual primed to help build a more just world that reflects peace and fellowship. The impact doesn’t stop with the students. Host families’ lives are transformed by students from across the globe and host communities gain greater cultural diversity.”

Exchange students represent nearly 80 countries and cultures, including Kenya, Ukraine, Egypt, Türkiye, Italy, Germany, Chile, Thailand and more. They are among the more than 1,000 international AFS students hosted in the U.S. each year.

AFS-USA host families represent a broad range of U.S. cultures, including individuals and families of multi-national/ethnic backgrounds, those with and without children, those who are members of the LGBTQ+ community, and more.

In addition, AFS-USA has a more than 50-year partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), which offers numerous sponsored scholarships for international students to study abroad in the U.S. including the following programs:

Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (KL-YES): Through the U.S. Department of State’s YES program, high school students from countries with significant Muslim populations live and study for an academic year in the United States. Participants live with a host family, attend an American high school, acquire leadership skills, and engage in activities to learn about U.S. society and values; they also help educate Americans about their home country and culture.
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX): Jointly funded and managed by the U.S. Department of State and German government, CBYX provides full scholarships for German students to live and study abroad in the U.S. for an academic year. Participants live with a host family, attend an American high school, acquire leadership skills, and engage in activities to learn about U.S. society and values; they also help educate Americans about Germany and German culture.
Future Leaders Exchange (FLEX): Through the U.S. Department of State’s FLEX program, high school students from Europe and Eurasia live and study for an academic year in the United States. Participants live with a host family, attend an American high school, acquire leadership skills, and engage in activities to learn about U.S. society and values; they also help educate Americans about their home country and culture.

Once students and host families are matched, they receive ongoing support from trained staff and are welcomed into their local chapter of dedicated volunteers, alumni, and fellow host families. One thing that sets AFS-USA apart is the network of almost 3,000 volunteers throughout the U.S. Many volunteers have hosted international exchange students or studied abroad with AFS and will support families, students, and schools in gaining the most from their hosting experience.

Hosts are expected to provide their student(s) with a bed, meals and support and encouragement throughout their program. Students arrive with their own spending money and medical coverage.

“These students attend local high schools, participate in local community life, and are encouraged to share aspects of their culture,” Hofmann said. “They also discover first-hand what it’s like to live in America and form lasting friendships that create enduring links between the U.S. and other countries. In many cases, the bonds that form between AFS students and their host families last a lifetime.”

AFS-USA is the largest organization within the international AFS network that includes 54 partners around the globe.

For More Information

Those interested in hosting an AFS Exchange Student are encouraged to contact 1-800-AFS-INFO or visit www.afsusa.org for more information. For those interested in studying abroad please browse our programs and apply now to start your journey. You can also get involved as an AFS-USA Volunteer. Visit www.afsusa.org/volunteer to get started or learn more about opportunities to make a difference.

Public’s help needed in legal action against Christopher George Miller

March 30, 2023 By Publisher Leave a Comment

Arrested for sex crimes against minors in Contra Costa

By Ted Asregadoo, PIO, Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office

As the seven-count felony case against Christopher George Miller continues in Superior Court in Martinez, the investigative team who arrested him in a sting operation for arranging to engage in sex acts with a minor are asking the public for help.

The investigation into Miller started in 2022 when he was employed at Deer Valley High School in Antioch as a campus supervisor. A parent of a student reported to school officials that Miller was sending inappropriate texts to the student regarding marijuana use at the school, as well as sexually suggestive messages. (See related article)

The Contra Costa County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) adopted the case about three weeks ago to see if Miller (who was then a former employee at the high school) would sell marijuana and arrange to meet for sex. Posing as a 13-year-old girl on a chat app Miller used, a Detective with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office started communicating with him. At one point while exchanging texts, Miller offered to sell the fictitious teen marijuana — and later the chats became more sexual in nature.

Miller arranged to meet the teen for sex at a park in Martinez on March 16th, 2023. Participating ICAC members from the Sheriff’s Office, Concord Police, Danville Police, Pittsburg Police, and the District Attorney’s Office met him at the park and arrested Miller on marijuana possession with the intent to sell to a minor and other charges related to contacting and arranging to engage in lewd and lascivious acts with a minor. He was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility and arraigned on a total of seven felony charges on March 21st. His preliminary hearing is set for April 3rd at 8:30 am in Department 25 in Martinez.

According to the charging document filed on March 20 by the CCDA’s Office, Miller was charged with seven felonies, including P0288.3(a), Contact with Minor for Sexual Offense on or about June 14, 2022; PC288.4(b), Meeting Minor for Lewd Purposes between March 10 and 16, 2023; PC288.3(a), Contact with Minor for Sexual Offense on or between March 10 and 16, 2023; PC288.2(a)(2), Distributing Or Showing Pornography To A Minor on or about March 14, 2023; PC288.2(a)(2), Distributing Or Showing Pornography To A Minor on or about March 15, 2023; PC 664/PC288(a), Attempted Lewd Act Upon A Child on or about March 16, 2023; PC 664/HS11360(a), Attempted Sale/Offer To Sell/Transportation Of Marijuana on or about March 16, 2023.

ICAC Senior Inspector Darryl Holcombe notes that Miller may have been in contact with other victims. He’s asking the public to email him at the District Attorney’s Office if they have information related to Miller’s case. He can be reached at: DHolcombe@contracostada.org.

Case No. 01-23-00820 | The People of the State of California v. Miller, Christopher George

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Brentwood college student, Pittsburg native and Antioch High grad in running for scholarship

March 16, 2023 By Publisher Leave a Comment

One of seven Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s 459 semifinalists from Contra Costa County for highly competitive undergraduate transfer scholarships

Other college scholarship programs offered for middle, high school students

By Julia Florence

Lansdowne, Virginia – On March 9, 2023, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation announced 459 semifinalists for the highly competitive Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. Brentwood resident Ryan Mattson, in his last semester at Sacramento City College, was selected as the only representative of the Los Rios Community College District to be named a semifinalist.

The native who grew up in Pittsburg, CA and is a 2006 graduate of Antioch High School is one of seven semifinalists in Contra Costa County. The six other community college students named semifinalists are Eliette Bustos Barocio and Hosna Ramzi from Los Medanos College and Ivan Hernandez, Jessica Kim, Karla Morales De Leon and Mayari Lanz Amezcua from Diablo Valley College.

The Foundation awards community college students who have demonstrated exceptional academic ability, leadership, service and a determination to complete their bachelor’s degrees at top four-year institutions.

“I was accepted into Columbia University in New York City and await confirmation or denial from Stanford, Yale and UC Berkeley,” Mattson shared.

He plans to study political science and history but has not finalized his major at Columbia.

Mattson has worked in the trades, specifically automotive repair and maintenance at Winter Chevrolet in Pittsburg and has a 15-year-old son who attends Liberty High in Brentwood.

“I believe the reason for my singularity comes from students not being informed of this scholarship opportunity,” he said. “If the community knew age did not matter and scholarships were available to the determined, I believe our community would garner not only the nation’s best minds but also the most driven individuals.”

This year’s semifinalists were chosen from a pool of more than 1,700 applicants and attend 215 community colleges in 38 states. Some of the latest research from the American Talent Initiative estimates that roughly 50,000 high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds could transfer to four-year colleges each year but don’t, often due to cost. The Cooke Transfer Scholarship is designed to create a clear pathway to a four-year degree by offering up to $55,000 per year along with academic advising and access to a network of peers.

“By lifting the financial burden of pursuing a four-year degree off their shoulders, our goal is to help students take full advantage of a four-year college experience without taking on student debt,” said Seppy Basili, Executive Director of the Cooke Foundation. “This year’s selected semifinalists reflect the deep bench of talent across our community colleges today, and we’re looking forward to getting to know them better in our final application review process.”

The Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship offers unparalleled support to community college students. In addition to the generous financial support, selected Cooke Transfer Scholars will receive educational advising from the Foundation’s Deans of Scholar Support to guide them through the process of transitioning to a four-year school and preparing for their future endeavors. They will also have access to opportunities for internships, study abroad, graduate school funding, and the incomparable connection to a robust network of more than 3,000 fellow Cooke Scholars and Alumni.

According to the foundation’s website, scholarship recipients earned a 3.92 average community college GPA, 70% participated in an honors program or pursued honors coursework and 67% held a leadership role in a club or activity. They will be announced in April.

A list of this year’s Cooke Transfer Scholar semifinalists, their respective community colleges, and hometowns can be viewed here. To learn more about the Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, visit the website here.

Named for and Funded by Canadian-American Businessman

According to Wikipedia, “Jack Kent Cooke was a Canadian-American businessman in broadcasting and professional sports. Starting in sales, Cooke was very successful, eventually becoming a partner in a network of radio stations and newspapers in Canada. Cooke moved to the United States and built a business empire in broadcasting and professional sports franchises. Cooke was the owner of the Washington Redskins (NFL), the Los Angeles Lakers (NBA), the Los Angeles Kings (NHL), the Los Angeles Wolves (United Soccer) and Toronto Maple Leafs (IL minor league baseball team). He also developed The Forum in Inglewood, California, and FedExField (named Jack Kent Cooke Stadium when it opened, months after his death) near Landover, Maryland.”

According to the foundation’s website, Cooke was born in Canada in 1912. “As a young man, he was an athlete and musician, with a love for ice hockey, the saxophone, and the clarinet. He dreamed of pursuing a formal education, but that dream was cut short when he left high school during the Great Depression to work full time to help support his family. Nonetheless, Mr. Cooke believed education was a life-long pursuit. He was a passionate student his entire life and was knowledgeable in fields as diverse as literature, music, sports, and architecture. When he died in 1997, Mr. Cooke left the bulk of his fortune to establish the Cooke Foundation and provide remarkable students with the chance to soar.”

More Scholarship Programs for Middle, High School Students

The foundation also offers three other scholarship opportunities. The Cooke Foundation College Scholarship Program is the largest undergraduate scholarship program available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend the nation’s best four-year colleges and universities. The high school seniors will receive up to $55,000 per year for up to four years to complete a bachelor’s degree. They will also be eligible to apply for the Cooke Graduate Scholarship after graduating with their bachelor’s degree, which is worth up to $150,000.

The Cooke College Scholarship Program is available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend and graduate from the nation’s best four-year colleges and universities.

This year’s 45 recipients entered the Cooke Young Scholars Program as 8th graders in 2019. As a cohort, they have attended two residential summer programs together. During the summer before 8th grade, Young Scholars spent three weeks at the University of Pennsylvania exploring social and political issues through project-based service-learning and academic study. This past summer, Scholars took part in an inquiry‐based enrichment experience at the University of Connecticut, participating in experiential research projects.

The Cooke Young Scholars Program is a selective five-year, pre-college scholarship for high-performing 7th grade students with financial need. It provides comprehensive academic and college advising, as well as financial support for school, Cooke-sponsored summer programs, internships, and other learning enrichment opportunities.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.