Category: Education

New Year’s Resolutions Can Start at Home

By Javier Saucedo / emPower Central Coast Energy Coach Now that the holiday decorations are packed away and that pesky New Year’s Eve confetti is finally swept up, many of us are going to take a look at how we…

Local Youth Giving Back: Channel Islands YMCA Youth and Government Delegates Hold Clean Up Day

SANTA BARBARA — Delegates from the Channel Islands YMCA Youth and Government team recently gave back to the community by helping clean up the baseball fields at Mackenzie Park in Santa Barbara. Students from the Stuart C. Gildred (Santa Ynez),…

SBCC Scheinfeld Center Receives Funding from Spirit of Entrepreneurship Foundation for Student Awards and Scholarships

SANTA BARBARA — SBCC Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation is pleased to announce it has received $15,000 in funding for students participating in the 2017 New Venture Challenge business plan and pitch competition. Two checks were provided to the…

CSU Channel Islands senior’s award-winning research compares success of immigrant Latinos to U.S.-born Latinos

CAMARILLO — Educating immigrants will strengthen a labor force in the long run by providing them with better skills and higher incomes. Further, Latino immigrants who arrived as children seem to fare even better with an education than children born in…

VCCCD Board of Trustees names Bernardo M. Perez, Chair and Arturo Hernández, Vice Chair at December Board meeting

VENTURA COUNTY — The Ventura County Community College District Board of Trustees named Bernardo M. Perez and Arturo Hernández Chair and Vice Chair, respectively. The vote was taken during open session at the Board meeting held on Tuesday, December 13, 2016.…

SBCC Center for Lifelong Learning Receives Top National Awards for Excellence in Marketing

SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara City College Center for Lifelong Learning (the CLL) received the Excellence in Marketing Award from Learning Resources Network (LERN), the world’s largest professional association in continuing education and lifelong learning. LERN announced the CLL as the top winner for…

NSF-funded program gives academically strong, low-income engineering undergraduates get the boost they need to complete their degrees

By Sonia Fernandez / UCSB If you’re a college undergrad, you know full well your third year is your moment of truth. Gone are the days of tentatively exploring your major; gone is much of the flexibility you had to…

Jan. 5-8 — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! to present Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano. New York’s Ballet Hispanico to perform (Feb. 6-12), Mariachi Femenil Nuevo Tecalitán (April 27-30)

CENTRAL COAST — From cowboy traditions of Colombia and Venezuela, to the Latin dance scene of New York, and many rich cultural traditions between, ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! announces its twelfth season of free family performances in neighborhood venues…

Through Jan. 29 — De Colores Art Show continues at the Santa Paula Art Museum

SANTA PAULA — The annual De Colores Art Show continues through Jan. 29 the Santa Paula Art Museum. The group exhibition features art by 30 contemporary artists whose vibrant works are inspired by Latino culture. The premiere party will include live music…

UCSB Professor Francisco Lomelí is elected to the prestigious North American Academy of the Spanish Language

By Jim Logan / UCSB Francisco Lomelí had no idea he was being considered for membership in a prestigious organization of Spanish language scholars. And then out of the blue word came that he was in. A professor of Spanish and Portuguese and…

New book by UCSB scholar examines the impact of globalization on an indigenous group in Mexico

By Amy Bentley / UCSB Many miles away from the popular Mexican seaside resort towns of Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas lie the poor, rural villages of Mexico’s Mixtec people, also known as “the People of the Land of…

Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard announces new CAM studio guest artist: Antonio Arredondo Juarez

OXNARD — The Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard has announced its new CAM studio guest artist: Antonio Arredondo Juarez. Antonio Arredondo Juarez was born in Villa Guerrero, Jalisco, Mexico. A graduate of California State University, Channel Islands, he received a Bachelor’s degree…

Our Voice: Latino voting 2016 — From facts to action

Editor’s note: Well, that was easy. Opened up my early ballot form, selected my candidates and propositions, sealed it and dropped it off at the local election office. Your turn! By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 One sentence stands out…

SBCC’s Scheinfeld Center partners with Pelican Products for their Global T Immersion Micro-Internship Program

SANTA BARBARA — On November 10, Santa Barbara City College’s Scheinfeld Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, along with its business partner, Pelican Products, hosted 22 Hawthorne Math & Science Academy High School students and staff, for a Global T Immersion Micro-Internship.…

SBCC Career Skills Institute Partners with Local Industry to Provide Free Career Advancement Training to Employees and Job Seekers

Over 25 certificate programs deliver huge return on small investment of time SANTA BARBARA – The growing need for competitive skills in the local and global economy has placed mounting pressure on job seekers, business owners, and employees. The Career Skills Institute…

UC Santa Barbara undergraduate one of only 10 college students nationwide selected as a Frederick Douglass Global Fellow

By Shelly Leachman / UCSB It’s a long way from Wilmington to London. But Georgina Aguilar will soon make the trek from her home city of nine square miles and 57,000 people to 600-square-mile London, nine million people strong. And…

U.S. Dept. of Education awards CSU Channel Islands $6 million grant to promote STEM education

CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CI) has received a grant from the U.S. Department of Education for nearly $6 million to help Hispanic and low income students gain greater access to a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education. The grant is…

Guest commentary: History of Professors — Stories to Connect with Students, especially First Gens. Part 1

Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. Frank P. Barajas. Courtesy photo.…

RISE Receives $20,000 Grant from The Mary Kay Foundation to Help Maintain Critical Shelter Programs

Domestic Violence Shelters Nationwide Receive $3 Million in Unrestricted Funds SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY – During Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, RISE received a $20,000 unrestricted grant from The Mary Kay Foundation to help combat domestic violence and provide…

El Concilio Family Services announces nominations now open for 28th annual Latino Leadership Awards

OXNARD — El Concilio Family Services has announced that nominations are now open for 28th annual Latino Leadership Awards. We are asking for award nominations of individuals or businesses that have made an outstanding contribution in enhancing the educational experience of…

Museum of Ventura County to present community outreach meeting on Nov. 10 at the Mexican Consulate in Oxnard

OXNARD — The next Community Outreach Meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10 at the Mexican Consulate, 3151 W. Fifth St., Suite E 100. “We have been getting valuable feedback from you, our Museum family, at our Community Outreach Meetings–thank…

Santa Paula Art Museum to present Gallery Talk: Sergio and Diane Hernandez on Nov. 10

SANTA PAULA — Join us on Thursday, November 10, at 3:00 p.m. for a gallery talk with featured artist Sergio Hernandez and his wife Diane. The pair will share the story of Con Safos magazine, one of the earliest Latino literary publications,…

UCSB’s Mario Garcia being honored in separate events for distinguished contributions to the history of Latino activists

By Jim Logan / UCSB Few scholars have done more to document the lives and activism of Mexican-Americans than Mario García. For more than four decades the professor of Chicano and Chicana studies and of history  at UC Santa Barbara has given voice to the…

Family Service Agency announces $500K in funding for evidence-based Holistic Defense Program

SANTA BARBARA — Family Service Agency (FSA) has received a $498,524 grant from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation to conduct a pilot study of Adult Holistic Defense Case Management (AHDCM) in partnership with the Santa Barbara County Public Defender’s Office.…

Governor signs Jackson’s bills on Title IX rights, teaching healthy relationships skills in school

SACRAMENTO – Gov. Jerry Brown has  signed a bill by State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) to ensure that students and schools are aware of their rights and responsibilities under Title IX, the landmark federal law that prohibits gender discrimination in education. Senate…

Ventura County Public Works Agency gives lessons on Ventura County water use at CSUCI’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

VENTURA COUNTY — Ventura County Public Works Agency (VCPWA) can add college educators to its impressive body of work. The agency has been invited to lead an 8-week course for California State University, Channel Islands’ Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLL)…

Bilingual commentary: The Rose Bush

Editor’s note: Amigos805 welcomes guest columns, letters to the editor and other submissions from our readers. All opinions expressed in submitted material are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of Amigos805. By David Magallanes / Guest contributor David Magallanes…

United Way of Ventura County provides update on ‘Building Healthy Smiles’ initiative

Dear Friends, We have so much to share with you in this newsletter. Thanks to your generosity, our programs are expanding and serving more local residents throughout Ventura County. Please scroll down and take a moment to read more about…

Hispanic Heritage Month: One month is not enough

Too many issues and events to squeeze into one month of reflection and celebration By Frank X. Moraga / Amigos805 Many folks wonder why Hispanic Heritage Month is divided between September and October. Yes, at least we get a month,…

‘California’s water crisis must be attacked now to guarantee water will be flowing from taps’

LAS VEGAS —  “California’s water crisis must be attacked now to guarantee water will be flowing from taps,” veteran water expert Mohammed Hasan told the Tri-State seminar in Las Vegas this Tuesday. Addressing water professionals from California, Nevada and Arizona, Hasan discussed…

CSU Channel Islands now accepting applications for Fall 2017

OXNARD — CSU Channel Islands (CI) is currently accepting admissions for the fall of 2017. Enrollment staff members advise high school seniors and transfer students to apply early at www.csumentor.edu “The college application process can be stressful for students,” said CI Assistant Vice…

Foster VC Kids, Ventura County Office of Education Collaborate on Innovative Support Systems for Foster Youth

Parent Teacher Forum to be held Oct. 11 VENTURA COUNTY — School stability is extraordinarily difficult for youth that experience life in foster care. Less than 50% of foster youth graduate from high school and only 3% go on to…

LULAC Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month by Urging Latinos to Register to Vote

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Hispanic Heritage Month is a time when our nation reflects on the contributions Hispanics have made to our history and culture. For the third year, LULAC joins the Hispanic Heritage Month of Action campaign in an effort to encourage the…

Spanish-language presentation on farmworkers labor rights to be held Oct. 20 in Oxnard

VENTURA COUNTY — The California Rural Legal Assistance invites farmworker community members to join us for the following Spanish presentations on labor rights in Santa Paula and Oxnard. Santa Paula Date: October 11, 2016 Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: Police StoreFront, 431 N.…

Rick Najera’s Latino Thought Makers Series Returns to Oxnard College Performing Arts Center for Fourth Season on Oct. 12

2016-2017 Season Kicks Off October 12 with Hollywood & Politics featuring Award-winning Actor Emilio Rivera, Columnist Ruben Navarrette Jr. & Radio HostWendy Carrillo OXNARD —  In collaboration with the Ventura County Community College District and Oxnard College, Rick Najera’s Latino Thought Makers Live Series will return…

California Rural Legal Assistance to present information sessions on renters, workers rights on Oct. 28

OXNARD — The California Rural Legal Assistance will present: INFORMATION SESSIONS / PRESENTACIONES DE INFORMACION SECOND AND LAST FRIDAY OF EVERY MONTH / SEGUNDO Y ULTIMO VIERNES DE CADA MES   Friday-Viernes October 14 and October 28 14 de Octubre y 28 de…

¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! to present Yolotecuani through Oct. 23 in free concerts

SANTA BARBARA — ¡Viva el Arte de Santa Bárbara! presents the local premier of Yolotecuani, music and dance of Tixtla, from the state of Guerrero, Mexico. Yolotecuani offer free family concerts on Friday, October 21, 7 pm at Isla Vista School;…

Latino Thought Makers Series to present ‘Hollywood and Politics’ at Oxnard College on Oct. 12

2016-2017 Season Kicks Off October 12 with Hollywood & Politics featuring Award-winning Actor Emilio Rivera, Columnist Ruben Navarrette Jr. & Radio HostWendy Carrillo  OXNARD —  In collaboration with the Ventura County Community College District and Oxnard College, Rick Najera’s Latino Thought Makers Live Series will return to…

‘El Proximo Paso’ Event Provides College Information to Spanish-speaking Parents and Teens

SANTA BARBARA — The young members of the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara’s Teen Night program recently hosted an innovative event to address what they had identified as the most pressing challenge for Santa Barbara teens – information…

Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project to present Día de los Muertos Celebration on Nov. 6

OXNARD — The Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project will present “Día de los Muertos: An Annual Indigenous Celebration” from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6 at Heritage Square, 731 S. A St., Oxnard. The event includes an altar contest, food, music,…

Two of SBCC Engineering’s Best Named Great Minds in STEM™

SANTA BARBARA — A current student and an alumnus of the Santa Barbara City College Engineering program were both awarded top recognitions by Great Minds in STEM™ for their achievements in engineering and technology. Ana Isabel Espinoza-Agundis, a mechanical engineering major, was awarded…

GranVida Educates Community on Memory Care Services

CARPINTERIA — Most seniors expect to live out their lives enjoying time with their families and making more memories to cherish, however more than 5 million Americans are affected by Alzheimer’s disease, leaving them dependent on others to help them…