CSUMB students wins $2,000 film commission's scholarship

Briana Gonzales, a student at the Cinematic Arts and Technology program at California State University, Monterey Bay, was named the 2017 winner of a $2,000 scholarship in the Monterey County Film Commission’s Director Emeritus Richard Tyler Film Student Scholarship Award Program. She is a Seaside resident, originally from Porterville, Calif.

Gonzales is set on pursuing a filmmaking career, and is focused on stop-motion animation which she feels offers opportunities to be creative and innovative. “It is rigorous work, but rewarding when I see my set and characters come to life,” Gonzales said in a statement.

“This award will allow me to invest in equipment and create a more intricate production set and well-constructed characters which would in turn show off my skills to studios and film festivals and help further my career in the art that is stop-motion animation,” Gonzales said.

The Monterey County Film Commission film student scholarship program was created in 2008 to provide financial aid and incentive to students of film as well as beginning filmmakers who reside in Monterey County or those enrolled in a college or university in the county. The fund was established as a permanent endowment with the Community Foundation for Monterey County.

Contributions to the film commission’s Director Emeritus Richard Tyler Film Student Scholarship Award Program were made by the Craig and Paula Tigerman family, in-kind support from the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and numerous local donors.

Donations are welcomed for next year’s program, according to Jeff Clark, film student scholarship committee chairperson and chair of the board of the Monterey County Film Commission. For more information call 831-646-0910 or email info@filmmonterey.org.

Luke and Victoria Phillips, recipients of 2017 MPC President's Award

Luke and Victoria Phillips will be honored on April 28 for their contributions to the Monterey Peninsula College and the community at large.

Luke and Victoria grew up in the Monterey Peninsula and graduated Monterey Peninsula College. Luke was a prominent athlete and co-captain of the college's first football team in 1947, and later became the first football coach, according to the Monterey Peninsula College Foundation. After retirement from coaching football, he spent 14 years coaching golf teams. He retired in 1999 and has been inducted in several halls of fame, honored in various committees, and helped raised over $150,000 in scholarships for students.

Victoria received a degree from MPC in secretarial sciences and worked for 43 years on campus as secretary to the registrar then as administrative assistant to the dean of instruction. She dedicated the last 23 years of her career as executive assistant to the superintendent/president and the governing board. She has raised about $200,000 for scholarships for students.

Victoria and Luke have been married for 40 years, have six children, 14 grandchildren, and 23 grandchildren.

The couple will be recognized during the 11th Annual President’s Address to the Community from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event will take place at the Monterey Marriott, 350 Calle Principal, Monterey, CA 93940.

Cost: $60.00 individual Tickets, $800 Table of 10 seats Sponsorship.

For more information or to purchase tickets, click here or call (831) 646-4120

Eduardo Ochoa to receive Americanism Medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution

The Daughters of the American Revolution will be awarding the DAR Americanism Medal to Eduardo Ochoa, President of California State University Monterey Bay.

The Americanism Medal is awarded to an adult man or woman who has been a naturalized United States citizen for at least five years. Candidates for this prestigious award must have shown outstanding qualities of leadership, trustworthiness, service, and patriotism. They must have actively assisted other immigrants to become American citizens or displayed outstanding ability in community affairs, preferably with emphasis on the foreign-born community.

Ochoa was honored at the California State Society, DAR, State Conference earlier in March, as well as by the local Commodore Sloat Chapter in Monterey on April 8, 2017. Additionally, Ochoa will be recognized for this award at the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Continental Congress in Washington, DC, on June 28.

Monterey County students and teachers: learn about the Normandy invasion in D.C. and France. Free

It's trip to Washington D.C. and Normandy, France, to study World War II and D-Day. It's for only 15 teams of one student and teacher, so get your applications in soon! National History Day is now accepting applications for the 2017 Normandy: Sacrifice for Freedom Albert H. Small Student and Teacher Institute. The program accepts only 15 student and teacher pairs for an immersion program in Washington, D.C. and on the beaches of Normandy, France. The institute covers nearly all expenses for accepted students and teachers including travel, visits to historic sites, and lodging in both Europe and Washington, D.C.

The institute teaches students about the sacrifices and challenges faced by U.S. service members during and after the D-Day landings. Each student selects a single service member, called a Silent Hero, from his or her home state or territory who died in the line of duty.

Students spend months researching their Silent Heroes under the guidance of their teachers. In June 2017, all 15 teams travel to Washington, D.C. Their first event is a welcome dinner with the White House Historical Association. Then, historians and archivists guide the students and teachers through primary source material from World War II at the National Archives. Guest historians and speakers teach them about the importance of D-Day and Operation Overlord to the outcome of the war. Finally, teams journey to Normandy, France to walk in the footsteps of their Silent Hero and learn about D-Day where it happened. On the final day, students read graveside eulogies to their Silent Heroes at the Normandy American Cemetery.

Applications for this program are due by November 28, 2016 at 11:59 p.m. ET. All participants must apply as one team and must be available to travel June 17-29, 2017. Students must be either a sophomore or junior in high school as of fall 2016. All applications must be fully completed and submitted as a single PDF document. The application, and more information, can be found online here.

Math pays for Will Calciano during the Mathletics competition

Will Calciano of York School earned the $1,000 Richard Morgantini Scholarship for being the top-scoring student taking the advanced calculus exam during the 48th annual Mathletics Competition Saturday, May 14, at Salinas High School.

Mathletics is a math contest held annually to encourage excellence in math, and recognize the achievements of individual students and the schools they represent.

Nearly 300 upper elementary, middle and high school students from 36 Monterey County public and private schools participated in the event, which tests students in one of ten levels: fifth grade math, sixth grade math, seventh grade math, eighth grade math, integrated math 1, integrated math 2, algebra 2, math analysis, calculus AB and calculus BC.

First, second, and third place winners in each level received an Olympic-sized medal and gift card. In addition, top-scoring schools for each of the ten tests were awarded certificates.

More than 100 students were recognized for the top-scoring abilities, be it with a medal or an honorable mention. You can get the full list of the winners here.

In addition to a Gates Millennium Scholar, Everett Alvarez has a Questbridge scholar

One of the things I love about covering education is how much of an education I get on a regular basis.

For instance, I've never heard of the Questbridge scholarship before. This week I found out about it, thanks to Yasmin Marquez, a Everett Alvarez senior who just became a Questbridge scholar.

A Questbridge scholarship is not as generous as a Gates Millennium scholarship (awarded this year to two North Salinas High students and another from Everett Alvarez -- see my story here) but I would not say 'no' to it. It's worth over $200,000 for four years, and it covers room and board, travel, books, with a combination of federal grants and other assistance. Students have to be matched with a top university that will accept them, and Marquez will be attending the University of Southern California.

Marquez is a first generation student. At Alvarez she earned a 4.428 GPA and has participated in  volleyball, theatre, National Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation, Puente Club, Interact Club, Math and Science at Alvarez (MASA).

"Over the summer, in my community, I volunteer as a tutor for the migrant education program. Also, I participated in the CHAMACOS Youth Community Council, and I helped plan Ciclovia Salinas, totaling approximately 420 hours of service in my community.

She plans to major in Business Administration and Public Policy, and she plans to return to Salinas to help improve the community.

Love my fellow Trojans. Fight on!

Everett Alvarez teacher Jordana Henry flanked by scholarship winners Rebeca Escamilla and Yasmin Marquez

York Students shine on "Chinese Bridge"

Three York students earned top spots at the “Chinese Bridge” U.S. West Coast Competition: Chanha Kim and Justin Wong tied for second and Genevieve Roeder-Hensley third place.

The "Chinese Bridge" language proficiency competition is a large-scale international contest assessing students' Chinese language proficiency and knowledge about China, Chinese cultural talents, and comprehensive learning abilities.

The competition was started to kindle interest and passion in foreign youth learning Chinese and to further their understanding of Chinese language and culture. Over 20,000 students from more than 50 countries around the world participated in the preliminary competitions.

To qualify for the U.S. West Coast Competition, students submitted a four to five-minute recording on Chinese language in their lives. Judges selected the best submissions to attend the competition where students delivered their original recordings in person. In addition, students prepared a two to three-minute presentation on a cultural activity or talent like the art of Chinese paper making or playing a Chinese instrument.

York School Chinese teacher, Lei Lei Bates, is understandably excited.

“I am so proud of our students," she said in a statement. "This is a highly competitive competition, and for our first time competing, I was very pleased with their preparation and results.”

Justin Wong , Chanha Kim , and Genevieve Roeder-Hensley

Four schools in Monterey County earn Gold Ribbon distinction

Virginia Rocca Barton, Creekside, Monte Bella, and Robert Down elementary schools were named Wednesday among the 772 schools statewide to earn the Gold Ribbon School award.

Barton, Creekside and Monte Bella are in the Alisal Union School District. Robert Down is in Pacific Grove.

The award is in recognition of quality implementation of Common Core content and performance standards for all students, including English learners, as well as school culture and technology practices which provide a supportive learning environment. The state intends to showcase Gold Ribbon schools so that their practices can be replicated by other local educational agencies.

“It’s a great and validating day at Alisal,” said Alisal Superintendent John Ramirez. “It’s a true testament to what our kids can achieve."

Schools applied for the award based on a model program each has adopted that includes standards-based activities, projects, strategies, and practices that can be replicated by other local educational agencies. The award recognized middle and high schools in 2015.

“These schools shine as bright beacons for others, putting forth an exemplary effort to ensure that every student is ready for 21st century college and careers,” State Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlakson said in a statement. “California teachers are developing an education model for the nation, training the students of today to be the problem-solvers, inventors, and pioneers of tomorrow.”

The Monterey County schools will be recognized later this month during a regional ceremony held in Santa Clara.

Students at Virginia Rocca Barton lead a validation team site visit

Congressional art winners include Everett Alvarez senior

Makayla Magdaleno, a sophomore at San Benito High School, is the winner of the 2016 Congressional Art Competition: An Artistic Discovery. Her winning piece, “Red Sova”, will be displayed in the halls of the Capitol along with other students’ works from across the country.

“This was my last year hosting the Congressional Art Competition and I continue to be amazed by the works by our local students,” said Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel. “The arts are an important part of the Central Coast’s identity and it is great to see so many young artists add their passion and talent to that rich tradition.”

Magdaleno will travel to Washington, D.C. to be honored at a Congressional reception in June. She also received a $3,000 renewable scholarship from the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Julia Ramos, a senior at Aptos High School, was named the 2nd place winner with her piece “Seeds.” Her artwork will be prominently displayed in the congressman’s Washington office. Alvarez High School senior Jesus Gil was named the third place winner, with “Blue”. His piece will be displayed in the congressman’s Salinas office.

Maya Yokoyama, Aptos High School; Oscar Gonzalez, North Salinas High School; Isabella Arreola, San Benito High School; Meghan Brandt, Georgiana Bruce Kirby and Trinity Esola, Georgiana Bruce Kirby were all selected as Honorable Mentions.

The annual Congressional Art Competition is open to all local high school students in the 20th congressional district. A total of 21 entries were submitted from seven different Central Coast high schools. The entries were judged by Melissa Pickford, Director of the Monterey Peninsula College Art Gallery.

1st Place

2nd Place

3rd Place

CSUMB students earn Barry M. Goldwater scholarship

Juan Cerda and Jordan Collignon, who will be seniors in the fall, are the first students in the university’s history to earn the Barry M. Goldwater scholarship. Both are involved with the university’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center.

The Goldwater scholarships were established by Congress in 1986 and are awarded to undergraduates working toward degrees in engineering, math or the natural sciences. The goal of the program is to encourage a source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers by awarding scholarships to students who intend to pursue research careers in these fields.

Cerda, a biology major from Hollister, plans to pursue a Ph.D. in genomics or molecular and developmental biology, conduct research at the university level, and eventually become a university professor.

As a UROC scholar last summer, he worked with plant pathologist Timothy Miles to develop molecular tools to detect a fungal species in crops.

Collignon, from Seaside, is a math major who plans to pursue a Ph.D. in applied mathematics. Last summer, he spent eight weeks at Valparaiso University in Indiana where he performed simulations involving the reintroduction of the passenger pigeon, a bird that went extinct in 1914.

The Goldwater scholarship, named after former U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater, helps recipients cover the costs of books, room and board, and tuition up to $7,500 for their remaining period of study.

More than 1,100 students were nominated for the scholarships; 252 were awarded.

“Needless to say, the competition for this honor is fierce, and earning it is quite an accomplishment,” said John Banks, UROC director. “Notably, Juan and Jordan were the only 2016 Goldwater awardees in the entire CSU system.”

CSUMB students earn National Science Foundation fellowships

Beth Alger and Elisabeth Carrillo have received graduate research fellowships from the National Science Foundation totalling $138,000 each, which will cover an annual stipend of $34,000 and a $12,000 cost-of-education allowance.

Mentored by Timothy Miles, Alger will graduate in May with a major in biology. She will pursue a Ph.D. in plant genetics and breeding at Michigan State University.

Carrillo, who was mentored by Aparna Sreenivasan, is also a biology major graduating in May. She plans to attend graduate school at UC Santa Cruz in the molecular, cell, developmental biology program.

The students participated in rigorous research and scholarship through the university’s Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center. They won research awards, published their findings and presented their work at professional conferences. Since UROC was established in 2009, 20 students have earned Graduate Research Fellowships. That’s one of the reasons UROC has earned a national reputation for excellence, achievement and leadership.

The fellowships were awarded to 2,000 students – from more than 17,000 applicants – across the country; about 600 of them were awarded to undergraduates.

Dan and Joanne Albert to receive MPC's President's Award

Former Monterey Mayor Dan Albert and his wife Joanne have been selected to receive the 2016 President’s Award by the Monterey Peninsula College and its foundation. The award will be presented at the 10th annual president’s address to the community on April 22 at the Monterey Marriott. For tickets, click here.

The President’s Award is presented annually to those that have made extraordinary contributions to the Monterey Peninsula community and the college. It recognizes the importance of the strong connection between MPC and the communities it serves.

“Dan and Joanne Albert provide us with extraordinary examples of how our lives can include dedicated service and selfless work to improve both our community and our college," MPC President Walter Tribley said in a statement. "They are Lobos and Lobos give back. We are so proud of their legacy of service and commitment to education and community development.”

Tribley will present the state of the college during the event. He's expected to outline MPC’s accomplishments, challenges, and future plans.

Stevenson's Chapman Caddell, a scientist in the making

Chapman Caddell, a senior at Stevenson School, was named a U.S. high school semifinalist for the Intel Science Talent Search earlier this year. The talent search is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious pre-college science competition and it honors exceptional high school seniors for their scientific research and their potential as future leaders in the scientific community. Chapman received a $1,000 award from the Intel Foundation, and an additional $1,000 grant was made to Stevenson School.

He was one of 300 out of 1,750 that applied to qualify for this national contest, although he did not qualify to be one of the top 40 finalists. Quite an achievement, given that the application process is extensive and requires original research, multiple faculty recommendations, transcripts, AP test scores, standardized test scores, personal essays, summer institute participation, and a listing of awards.

Chapman’s apparatus that earned him this recognition resulted in his discovery of—among other things—methods to reduce the threshold “Leidenfrost Effect” temperature by half (from 650F to 300F) and condense airborne moisture, an important application in a drought environment.

I've written about Chapman's accomplishments in the past and no doubt we'll continue to hear about his success in the future. Way to go!

Jennifer Gerard gets award for food program at MPUSD

Jennifer Gerard, nutrition chief at Monterey Peninsula Unified School District, just received a 2015 California Food for California Kids Innovation Award for the program “Bay2Tray” local seafood procurement program.

The epicurean, whose programs and ideas we've extensively covered at the Herald, worked with local fishers to identify a new protein source: Grenadier, a by-catch that is usually discarded. This light and flaky fish made its way into the lunchroom in various forms: fish tacos, a chipotle-fish and cilantro-lime rice bowl, and fresh fish & chips. Students are responding enthusiastically, according to the Center for Ecoliteracy, which bestowed the award.

“We are privileged to honor the great work of entrepreneurial leaders like Jennifer Gerard,” Zenobia Barlow, executive director of the Center for Ecoliteracy, said in a statement. “And, thanks to the California Thursdays network, these innovative ideas are ‘catching.”

The idea for Bay2Tray began when Gerard noticed something problematic in her district. The students looked out over the Monterey Bay each day and then went back to the cafeteria for lunch to eat frozen fish sticks from who knows where. “It's a disservice to our fishing community,” Gerard says.

The California Food for California Kids Awards was presented to five school districts at a ceremonial dinner in San Diego. No word if they awardees were served grenadier.

Junior scientist Kapil Sinha takes top honors at state science fair

Kapil Sinha, a junior at Salinas High School, was awarded first place for his plant biology project on sugar beets at the 64th annual California State Science Fair held May 18-19 at the California Science Center in Los Angeles.

Sinha’s project examined factors related to increasing a plant's resistance to Rhizomania, a disease that poses a major threat to sugar beet production worldwide.

Sinha designed and conducted the experiment himself, with the assistance from researchers at the U.S. Agricultural Research Station in Salinas.

Two other students from Monterey County who were top finishers at the California State Science Fair were:

Kyle Groves, a senior at Salinas High School, received a second place award for his physics and astronomy project on solar flares.

Roha Bhusha, a freshman from Monterey High School, took third place in the microbiology classification for his project on a freshwater microorganism.

CHP names Greg Perez school bus driver of the year

Since joining the Monterey County Office of Education in 1981, school bus driver Greg Perez has logged over 780,000 accident-free miles, while transporting special needs students around the county. That’s roughly the equivalent of circling the globe 31 times without an accident.

On Friday, the California Highway Patrol named Perez its School Bus Driver of the Year at a ceremony held at the Monterey County Office of Education in Salinas. The CHP award is given annually to a school bus driver who has shown outstanding performance and exceeded expectations.

“This is a big deal,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “I don’t think many people realize what Greg and the state’s 34,000 other bus drivers are asked to do. We entrust them with our children’s safety. It’s a huge responsibility, and Greg does it quietly, efficiently and safely, every single day.”

Perez attends monthly training sessions on safety, first aid, fire equipment, bus evacuation, and procedures specific to transporting special needs students.

In addition to being named School Bus Driver of the Year, Perez received the Commissioner’s Medal of Distinction, the CHP’s highest honor, and a resolution from the California State Senate.

Congratulations, Mr. Perez! And thanks for your hard, safe work.

Story contributed by Barry Brown of the Monterey County Office of Education.

Monterey County names teacher, employees of the year

Kevin Dufault, a AVID and GATE science teacher at Harden Middle School in the Salinas Union High School District, was chosen as the 2016 Monterey County Teacher of the year. He will represent Monterey County in the California Department of Education 2016 Teacher of the Year program.

Six classified school employees were chosen as Monterey County Classified School Employees of the Year. They are:

Grace Bobian in the child nutrition category from King City Union School District. 
David Gaboni in the maintenance, operations and facilities category from the Monterey County Office of Education.
Diana Curtice in the support services and security category from the Carmel Unified School District.
Stephanie Domingos in the para-educator and instructor assistance category from the King City Union School District.
Ruben Parra in the transportation category from the Monterey County Office of Education.
Anita Ayala in the office and technical category from the Salinas Union High School District.

All Nominations were submitted by Monterey County school districts and reviewed by a selection committee. All the winners were recognized at an awards ceremony on Monday.

Carmel High again named among country's top high schools

Carmel High School has once again received the highest ranking as a Gold Medal Winner in the U.S. News and World Report list of the best high schools in the nation.

Carmel High moved up this year to 33rd place in the state and 196th in the nation. The list considers more than 21,000 U.S. schools for the list, making Carmel High place firmly in the top 1 percent of all schools in the country.

Carmel High was awarded the Gold Medal “based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college” according to the U.S. News & World Report article. “A great high school must serve all of its students well, not just those who are college bound, and it must be able to produce measurable academic outcomes to show it is successfully educating its student body across a range of performance indicators,” the article reads.

“This reinforces the fact that the work we are doing is paying off for all students" departing Superintendent Marvin Biasotti said in a statement. “We are particularly proud of our ranking in the state."

School officials analyzed the schools that placed ahead of Carmel and found only eight comprehensive high schools ahead of them -- the others are magnet schools, academies, or charter schools that have selective enrollment processes.

"Of the eight, none of them have as high a ratio of socio-economically disadvantaged students as Carmel High," Biasotti said. "In fact, their percentages of disadvantaged students are less than half the level of (Carmel High School). It appears that no comprehensive high school with a population that approximates our demographics is doing a better job of preparing students for college.”

Find the U.S. News and World Report here.

Carmel High receives "Gold Ribbon" award

Carmel High School has been honored with California's new "Gold Ribbon Schools Award" program, which is temporarily taking the place of the California Distinguished Schools Program.

The California Distinguished award is on hiatus while officials create a new accountability system. The awards go to schools that are academically successful and innovative. A total of 193 middle schools and 180 high schools received the Gold Ribbon Schools Award this year.

The schools "provide great examples of the things educators are doing right—embracing rigorous academic standards, providing excellence and creativity in teaching, and creating a positive school climate," California Superintendent of Public Schools Tom Torlakson said in a statement.

Schools applied for the award based on a model program their school has adopted that includes standards-based activities, projects, strategies, and practices that can be replicated by other local educational agencies. The new award is recognizing middle and high schools this year and elementary schools in 2016.

The Gold Ribbon schools will be recognized later this month during regional ceremonies held in Sacramento, San Diego, Visalia, and San Francisco.

Charles Page will receive 2015 President’s Award by Monterey Peninsula College

Charles Page, former Monterey Peninsula College trustee and long time community activist, has been chosen to receive the 2015 President's Award by Monterey Peninsula College and its foundation.

The President’s Award is presented annually to a community leader who has made significant contributions to the Monterey Peninsula and has helped fulfill the college’s mission of providing educational opportunities to diverse communities.

Page was selected to receive the award because of his work as an attorney, his service as Monterey city councilman and a longtime member of the Board of Trustees at Monterey Peninsula College, MPC President Walter Tribley said in a statement.

"But that’s not all. Charlie, along with his late wife, Caroline Page, and other community leaders, began meeting in 1994 with the idea of starting a foundation to support Monterey Peninsula College," Tribley said. "Even then, before a rash of budget cuts, these community leaders realized MPC would never have enough money to reach its full potential unless the community stepped up. They understood that a foundation would bring additional money to help the college thrive - and it has done exactly that.”

The award will be presented May 1 at the 9th annual president’s address to the community at the Monterey Conference Center.