Category: Youth

CSUCI earns Military Friendly School Award for the 12th year in a row

CSU Channel Islands’ (CSUCI) Veterans Resource Center (VRC) received a 2022-23 Military Friendly® Schools Awards designation recently for the 12th year in a row, having earned the award every year since the center opened in 2011. 

This year, MilitaryFriendly.com began a tiered reward system with Gold, Silver and Bronze levels of distinction, awarding CSUCI a Silver designation, which means the University ranked in the top 20% of the 665 schools that earned awards. More than 1,800 schools across the nation competed in the survey. 

Celebrate the Magic of The Holidays With A Seasonal Sojourn To Lompoc, On Scenic California Highway 1

Just in time for the holidays, step into relaxing, small town holiday charm with a weekend getaway in Lompoc!

Celebrate the season with an activity calendar of family-friendly activities, specialty retail shopping, or go wine tasting at one of 30+ local wine tasting venues. After the fun, kick back for a relaxing evening at one of our comfy hotels.

Below is the destination’s holiday happenings for the entire family:

Richard LeRoy appointed CSUCI’s Vice President for University Advancement

CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) President Richard Yao, Ph.D., has named Richard LeRoy as the next Vice President for University Advancement (VPUA), effective immediately.

LeRoy has served as Interim VPUA since January of 2022, having joined the campus in August of 2017 as Senior Director of Development. In November of 2021, he accepted the role of Associate Vice President for University Development.

“I am humbled to serve as the next Vice President for University Advancement and to continue to build upon our success in philanthropic support for CSUCI,” LeRoy said. “I love this University and our mission, and I am excited about the opportunities ahead of us where we will connect with donors and our 25,000 alumni in more profound ways.”

VCFD Awarded Grant to Increase Child Passenger Safety Awareness

CAMARILLO — Ventura County Fire (VCFD) received a $74,210 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to educate the community on preventing motor vehicle injuries to children, the agencies announced today. In collaboration with Safe Kids Ventura County…

Museum of Ventura County — Fall Freebie Festivities!

For this reflective exhibit, MVC will partner with the RAD Foundation and the artist Julie Dahl-Nicolle to showcase 100 floral mixed media canvas paintings. This exhibit dives into the loss brought by COVID-19; of loved ones and what could have been. During the opening of the exhibit, guests can participate in hanging their clouties (piece of cloth tied to a tree branch)– an homage to the Irish Rag Tree tradition. Click here to learn more.

Girls Inc. of Carpinteria Seeks Community, Local Business Support with Return of Holiday Giving Event that Aims to Spread Holiday Cheer

Girls Inc. of Carpinteria is once again making the holiday season brighter for local girls and families with the return of Operation Holiday Cheer, a holiday giving program presented by Cox Communications that launched in 2020 to provide gifts to local girls and their families.

“We are proud to host our 3rd Annual Operation Holiday Cheer in partnership with Cox Communications to once again spread holiday cheer for local girls and families and show them we are in their corner,” said Jamie Collins, executive director of Girls Inc. Carpinteria. “We encourage local businesses and community members looking for a way to support those in need this season to join our efforts to make a meaningful difference and ensure all families receive gifts for the holidays.”

Santa Paula Art Museum — My Home/My Land Community Outreach Project

Produced in partnership with House Farm Workers! and funded by California Humanities

Art About Agriculture also offers a glimpse into My Home/My Land, a community outreach project presented by the Santa Paula Art Museum in partnership with local nonprofit House Farm Workers! and funded by a grant from California Humanities.

My Home/My Land invites our local farmworker community to contribute their voices and art to the Art About Agriculture exhibition. In recent months, SPAM educators hosted workshops at farmworker housing sites in Ventura, Oxnard, Santa Paula, Fillmore, and Piru. Families shared their connections to the agricultural landscape through art projects designed to capture individual symbolism and meaning.

Oxnard College Awarded $3 Million to Support Latino and Low-Income Students

Oxnard College has received a $3 million federal Title V grant to boost enrollment and provide support for equitable student outcomes among Latino and low-income students as they pursue their college and transfer goals.

Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) throughout the country applied for the competitive grant, which will be distributed over a five-year period. The grant is directed by the U.S. Department of Education’s Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program (DHSI).

“Over the last decade, the U.S. Department of Education has placed its faith in Oxnard College by awarding our institution seven competitive grants totaling nearly $30 million to better serve our community’s Latino and underrepresented students,” shared Oxnard College’s Acting President Oscar Cobian. “This most recent grant will transform our students’ lives by helping them thrive academically and transfer to four-year institutions.”

CSUCI receives more than $200,000 for two programs promoting equity for underserved student populations

CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is one of 17 CSU campuses tapped to receive California State University HSI Community Grants, part of a CSU-wide initiative of the Global HSI (Hispanic-Serving Institution) Equity Innovation Hub (EIH).  

CSUCI’s “Channel Your Potential” initiative received $136,989 and a new program called “Serving Black Students” was awarded $64,460.  

The CSUCI grants were a portion of the more than $2 million awarded to the 17 CSU campuses. The grants will support CSU programs that inspire the next generation of creators and innovators to pursue high-demand careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and the creative and tech industries. 

Bilingual commentary — The Decision To Become a Doctor

A considerable number of children of immigrants decide to “do their family proud.” They decide to commit to studying medicine to become a doctor or dentist. Some of them are first-generation college students who become first-generation professionals. 

Although their ambition and successes are admirable, the backgrounds of immigrants’ children may not thoroughly prepare them for the financial jolts they will receive along the way as medical professionals. It is entirely possible that no one in their family ever sat down with them and talked about that traditionally taboo topic: money. It is entirely conceivable that no one talked with them about financial planning because the parents and other relatives themselves had little money with which to plan much of anything. 

Ventura County Office of Education announces winners of VEX Robotics Competition

One hundred and thirty students from throughout Southern California participated in a regional VEX Robotic Competition last Saturday at the Ventura County Office of Education in Camarillo. Student-built robots faced off in a game called Spin Up where they shot discs into baskets to score points. At the end of the competition, the following prizes were awarded:

Tournament Champions: Knight Time Bots 6627A and 6627D from Foothill High School, Santa Ana, CA
Excellence Award: Lancers 986A from Grace Brethren Jr Sr High School, Simi Valley, CA
Design Award: Peninsula High School 3050W from Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, Rolling Hills, CA
Judges Award: Lancers 6986E from Grace Brethren Jr Sr High School, Simi Valley, CA

Oxnard College Welcomes L.A. Rams Executive and Super Bowl Trophy

Oxnard College welcomed Oracio Galindo, head of employee experience for the Los Angeles Rams, for a student event hosted on Nov. 8. Galindo showed attendees the team’s 2022 Vince Lombardi Trophy and led a student workshop outlining various career pathways, paid internships and employment opportunities with the Rams organization and their Agoura Hills corporate office.

The event aligned with National First-Generation College Celebration Day, the anniversary of President Lyndon Johnson signing the Higher Education Act of 1965 into law.

Ventura County Fire Dept. — 2022 Spark of Love Toy Drive Kicks Off For Children in Need

The Fire Departments of Ventura County team up every year with ABC7 and local sponsors for the Spark of Love toy drive, the largest community toy drive in the nation. For 30 years, your local firefighters have been collecting donations for distribution to Ventura County children and teens in need of a happier holiday experience.

Island Packers Announces Holiday Cruises for 2022 Parade of Lights, Harbor Lights, Holiday Parties & Seasonal Whale Watching

Just in time for the holidays, Island Packers, the official boat concessionaire to the Channel Islands National Park, with daily departures to the Channel Islands from Ventura Harbor Village, will be offering seasonal cruises for family and friends, as well as group functions. Ventura Harbor Holiday Cruises and Whale Watching trips are splendid ways to celebrate the winter season. (Masks are optional). An array of holiday options include the following:

Moorpark College Partners with National Centers for Inquiry and Improvement on Student Financial Stability Initiatives 

Click here to read in web browser.  Moorpark student financial stability profile featured on NCII website MOORPARK — To address barriers impacting students’ success, Moorpark College partnered with the National Center for Inquiry and Improvement (NCII) to conduct an exhaustive,…

Westminster Free Clinic and Care Center announces funding of $1.5M from the State of California to support their programs and services

Westminster Free Clinic and Care Center received funding of $1.5M from the State of California to support their programs and services. Budget request was made by Assemblymember. Steve Bennett. 

Student Leaders Find Their Voice in VCCCD Student Leadership Academy

Ventura County community college student government officers are driven by wanting to make a positive impact on their campuses and beyond. To provide these student leaders with the tools they need to advocate for their peers and build their leadership skills, the Ventura County Community College District on Oct. 26 held its first in-person Student Leadership Academy since 2020.

VCCCD created the academy four years ago as a year-long professional and personal development program to support emerging student leaders from Moorpark College, Oxnard College, Ventura College and the VCCCD student trustee. It was on hold during the pandemic.

Day of the Dead / Día de los Muertos returns to the Oxnard Performing Arts Center on Nov. 5

OPAC celebrates the return of its annual Dia de los Muertos Celebration which will be held this year on Saturday, November 5th from 4 to 10 pm at the Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center. Admission is free and open to the public. The event will once again recognize Araw Ng Mga Patay, a Filipino holiday during which people pay homage to their deceased family members and loved ones by visiting their burial sites and making offerings such as food, flowers and prayers.

Guests will enjoy:

Opening remarks from The Mexican Consulate and Oxnard’s Mayor

Aztec Blessing and Ceremonial Dance by Kalpulli Huitzilin Ihuan Xochitl

Displays by local artists Checkos, BlotCamp, Erendira, CreationsByLoops, Carlos Heredia, Veggiecide, Melina Dominguez, Ambzy

Free Dia de los Muertos printmaking by SketchCrow and OPAC’s Teen Art Program students 

Performances by Poets Jesus + Sarahi Noyola, Chinas Niñas, Chinas Oaxaqueñas, Ballet Folklorico Mestizo of Oxnard College, Los Chinelos, Grupo Folklorico Fusión Mexicano, Los Diablitos

Community altars

Music provided by Radio Lazer DJs and local musicians

Family-friendly activities including face painting, a storytime corner, arts & crafts, complimentary photo booth, etc

Food representing cultures that celebrate Dia de los Muertos, including Filipino, Mexican and more

Vendors specializing in artesanias, crafts, and more!

Bilingual report — FSA’s The Little House By The Park Relocates

Family Service Agency (FSA) announced that The Little House By The Park (LHP) has moved to two locations in Guadalupe. Staff will be on-hand at Riverview Townhomes, located at 230 Calle Cesar E Chavez, from Monday through Friday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, residents can obtain services at Guadalupe Court, located at 4202 11th Street. Hours of operation are 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. for both locations.

November @ SPAM: Art About Agriculture, Gorgeous Gourds, and More

The 14th Annual Art About Agriculture Exhibition

Saturday, November 12, 2022, from 4 PM to 6 PM

$5 SPAM Members • $10 Non-members

Art About Agriculture, the popular, group exhibition presented annually by the Ag Art Alliance, returns November 12, 2022, through March 5, 2023! Now in its fourteenth year, Art About Agriculture promotes awareness of agriculture by exploring its many facets through art—from workers to water, from machinery to fields, to the food that goes on our plates.

CSUCI selects early childhood center site, nears 50% funding mark

CSU Channel Islands has chosen a site for construction of an early childhood center designed to address the dire need for quality, affordable and accessible care for children of CSUCI students, 40% of whom earn less than $24,000 a year, farm workers’ children in the region, and other community members, as well as for the children of University employees.

Museum of Ventura County — What’s New in November

Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal with Joe Sohm, Thur., November 3rd from 6:30-8pm

Joe Sohm (“America’s Photo-Historian”) has been published more than 500,000 times in publications that include the National Geographic, Time, Newsweek, New York and L.A. Times, Washington Post and featured on CNN, ABC, PBS, and the History Channel. He served as President Clinton’s photographer for the D.N.C and his work is featured in Ronald Reagan’s book The Great Communicator. Join host Ivor Davis for a riveting discussion with Sohm about his work as one of the nation’s greatest political photographers of our time.

Social Justice Fund for Ventura County Saticoy event update

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came to our Annual Fundraiser in Saticoy on October 16th. We are grateful for our speakers, who all brought an invaluable perspective and offered attendees a thorough look at the challenges and community efforts in Saticoy.

Boys & Girls Club of Greater Conejo Valley — Our Biggest Gala Yet

Our success is only made possible by YOU. Because of your support, whether you donated, volunteered, attended, or spread the word about our 2022 Gala, we were able to host our most successful event ever. Together we raised $684,000 for our community’s youth! As you know, putting this event together is no small feat, and we’ve already begun planning next year’s… and we have a date! The 21st Annual Stand Up For Kids Gala will be held on
Saturday, September 9th 2023.

Livingston Memorial presenting Survivors of Suicide Loss Grief Support Group

If you have experienced the loss of a loved one due to suicide, do not hesitate to join our Survivors of Suicide Loss grief support group. Livingston’s Grief and Bereavement Program are committed to maintaining an open, accepting, confidential atmosphere. All are free of charge. 

Santa Barbara County Food Action Network Fall Newsletter

Fall is in the air across Santa Barbara County. Winter squash’s orange and yellow hues abound at farmers’ markets, farm stands, and local food retailers. Farmers are milling locally-grown grains harvested in the summer, and local ranchers are raising turkeys for the holidays. Fishermen recently showcased the abundance of sustainably harvested, high-quality seafood at the 19th Annual Harbor and Seafood Festival.

From the mobile farmers’ market to shared agricultural equipment, food system changemakers across the Lompoc Valley are addressing critical needs by fostering community and developing food system infrastructure. As you’ll read in our latest regional highlight on the Lompoc Valley, farmers, ranchers, farmers’ market managers, food business owners, and educators alike are accelerating community-led solutions to build a more equitable, closed-loop food system.

As the seasons change, there are a number of opportunities to get involved in the Santa Barbara County food system. See below for more updates on how our region is building resilience, upcoming events to make new connections, and funding for your next project. 

Ventura County Office of Education — State Student Test Scores Released

New student test score data released today by the California Department of Education will help Ventura County educators provide support and interventions where they are needed the most. The test results show student performance in math and English Language Arts on the 2021-22 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). The 2021-22 school year was the first that CAASPP was fully administered since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020-21, only about half of Ventura County students took the test, and the year before that it was not administered at all. As a result, these new results can’t be meaningfully compared to prior years and are being used as a new baseline.

Bilingual report — Ventura County Parks To Complete Rincon Seawall Beautification Project

VENTURA — Ventura County Parks has launched the Rincon Seawall Beautification project located south of Solimar Beach. This pilot project is being funded by County Parks in an effort to introduce art into parks and inspire community beautification. The 285’ stretch of seawall will take approximately 5 weeks to complete and will depict an ocean scene with the sea life found off the Ventura County Coast. Successful completion of this project will provide an upgraded look to the day-use parking area.

For more information on County parks and trails, please visit www.ventura.org/parks-department or call (805) 654-3951.

SBCC celebrates grand opening of Dream Center during Community Colleges’ Undocumented Student Week of Action

Santa Barbara City College celebrated the grand opening celebration of the SBCC Dream Center in the Campus Center on its main campus (721 Cliff Dr.), Wednesday, Oct. 19. The Dream Center is a space where undocumented students can receive legal assistance, academic assistance, financial assistance, access to community resources and more.

As part of SBCC’s Office of Equity, Diversity and Cultural Competency, the Dream Center hosted a number of activities and events in recognition of the California Community Colleges system-wide Undocumented Student Week of Action, Oct. 17-20. On Tuesday, Oct. 18, Rafael Agustín was on hand for an in-person keynote speech and book signing. An award-winning television writer (“Jane the Virgin”), Agustín is also the author of “Illegally Yours: A Memoir,” a funny and poignant book about how as a teenager, he accidentally discovered he was undocumented and how that revelation turned everything he thought he knew about himself and his family upside down.

Guest commentary — On Power, Pendejismo, Race and Throwing the Proverbial Crumbs to the Mongrel Dogs

… “We black men have a hard enough time in our own struggle for justice, and already have enough enemies as it is, to make the drastic mistake of attacking each other and adding more weight to an already unbearable load.”… Malcom X

… Racism as American as Apple Pie

But, pathetically, we do attack one another. Always, it seems, fighting for the proverbial crumbs that the oppressor throws at our feet. Latino and Black folk in this country have had a troubled and checkered history when it comes to, as Rodney King implored, “to just get along”. American racism is complex, insidious, multi-layered and has been “as American as apple pie” and an evil and shameful scourge on this nation for 250 years. Racism permeates and infects every aspect of American life. No one is totally inoculated and immune from this highly infectious American pathology, Latinos and Blacks are no exception.

Striving Towards Great Futures — Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Conejo Valley Announces Greg Kovacs, CEO

Greg Kovacs joins the Boys & Girls Club with a lifelong passion for helping children and teens achieve their true personal and academic potential. Throughout his career, Greg has had the great fortune and opportunity to design, develop, and lead educational nonprofit organizations, schools, and camp programs towards great success.

He has dedicated more than two decades of his life, helping our nation’s youth find safe and engaging environments, to provide the opportunities needed to grow and achieve personal success. He has gained experience in both traditional school settings and in less formal outdoor experiential education learning environments. 

Bilingual report — Ventura College Foundation Acepta Solicitudes de Becas para El Año Escolar 2022-23

The Ventura College Foundation is now accepting scholarship applications for the 2022-23 school year. The deadline for application submissions is January 20, 2023. 

Students currently enrolled at Ventura College in the 2022-2023 academic year, who have completed at least six credits by the end of Fall 2022 semester, are eligible to apply. Units earned in previous semesters at Ventura College count towards the unit requirement.

“We recently lowered the minimum number of credits from 12 to 6 so many part-time students now qualify to apply,” says Anne Paul King, Ventura College Foundation executive director. “Many of our students work full time and have family commitments that prevent them from taking a full class load. Our new credit policy opens eligibility to these students.” 

New Legislation Removes Barriers to Success for California Community College Students

Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) held a press conference Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Moorpark Community College to highlight the passage of AB 1705 and AB 1187, as well as $64 Million secured in the 2022-2023 State Budget for the California Community College Equitable Placement and Completion Grant Program.

“Breaking down systemic barriers to student success is never easy, but today we proved that is possible,” said Assemblymember Irwin. “I am incredibly proud and thankful for the broad coalition of support that helped me push AB 1705, AB 1187, and the $64 million budget investment across the finish line. Together we will continue to put the success of our community college students first so that every student can achieve their educational goals.”

A Spook-Tacular Lineup of Halloween Happenings At Ventura Harbor Village

Listen up, it’s not just hocus pocus! Ventura Harbor Village is getting into the spooky spirit by brewing up a variety of fall festivities for visitors this Halloween. There is no better place to be than seaside as it casts a magical spell.

This spook-tacular destination invites guests from near and far to stop in for some enchanting entertainment. The real treat is complimentary community events for costumed kids, pets and parents who wish to celebrate the season in costume.

Festively decorated with local pumpkins, skeletons, and a myriad of scenic marina photo ops, Ventura Harbor is pulling out all the stops for Halloween weekend, made possible by partner, Underwood Family Farms.

October News from People’s Self-Help Housing

This month we have been reflecting on how we are doing.

A leadership retreat, and the publication of our annual Impact Report, provided us the opportunity to share the many positive outcomes and significant impacts achieved because of your partnership.  

The theme of this years report is ‘Twenty Years of Services’. The production of new housing, or the renovation of existing units, are outcomes we can clearly track. Harder to measure, but equally important, are the changed lives which happen when essential supportive services are partnered with those new homes. 

Santa Paula Art Museum — Introducing Jem and Gabriel, upcoming events

We’re delighted to introduce Jem Morris and Gabriel Islas as the newest additions to the Santa Paula Art Museum team! As Museum Educator, Jem Morris is leading SPAM’s ArtSPARK school tour program, monthly Free Family Days, our busy partnership with Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley, and much more.

Teatro de las Américas — Curso-Taller para niños/Kids Workshop | ¡Jimmie… continúa este fin de semana!

WHEN:

8 WEDNESDAYS: 4-5:30PM

October 19 – December 14 (no class Nov 23)

WHERE:

TEATRO DE LAS AMERICAS   

321 6TH ST. OXNARD

WHO:

Ages 7-15  

COST:

$50

(Scholarships available)

More info:

805 341-3837

cenalio@aol.com

Carve out some time for the Museum of Ventura County

1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30 — Día de los Muertos — We are thrilled to partner with the Santa Paula Art Museum and Pierce Brothers Cemetery to present a community-wide celebration! As one of three celebratory sites located in the Santa Paula, the Agriculture Museum will host cultural dance performances, display ofrendas created by the community, provide fun craft activities, and face-painting. We will also serve horchata and pan de muerto. Click here to learn more.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County (BBSVC) invites community to its 14th annual Bags, Bling & Bubbly champagne luncheon

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County (BBSVC), a youth mentoring nonprofit, invites the community to its 14th annual Bags, Bling & Bubbly champagne luncheon. The fundraising event takes place Wednesday, November 16th at the Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, CA. This sparkling event, benefiting BBSVC, begins at 11 a.m. with an amazing collection of designer and vintage handbags, jewelry, accessories, getaways, hotel stays and restaurant outings and more to be available for purchase or by auction.

The luncheon will also recognize Big & Little Sisters of the year, Karyn and Marcie, who will share the story of their long and happy mentoring relationship with guests

SBCC seeks community volunteers in search for new Superintendent/President

The Santa Barbara Community College District Board of Trustees is seeking community members to serve on a Screening Committee for the hiring of its new Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) Superintendent/President. The Board is seeking two (2) volunteers to represent the community-at-large. Volunteers should have an interest in and/or knowledge of higher education. 

The Board is expected to interview community members during a special meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 8 from 4-6 p.m. and appoint them at their meeting on Nov. 10. The Screening Committee will be responsible for reviewing applications and interviewing potential candidates for the Superintendent/President position. The committee will recommend finalists to the Board for its review and final candidate selection.

Santa Barbara County First District Supervisor Das Williams — Chipping Starting Soon for Carp-Summerland Fire District, Commissioners Needed, Domestic Violence Awareness Month and More

A big thanks to the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District for offering free chipping service again, starting November 7th, 2022. This is a great way to increase the defensible space around your property and your neighbors.

They will be starting the chipping in Summerland, and working East through the District. Residents are free to put piles of brush (non-fibrous, chippable material) in an easily accessible area for our contractor to chip. You can keep the chips if you would like, or we will haul them away. Please specify in your email if you would like to keep the chips. d.fawcett@csfd.net