OXNARD — El Concilio Family Services is seeking nominations for 2016 Latino Leadership Awards. The deadline is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15
The 27th annual Latino Leadership Awards will recognize individuals and business partnerships that have made significant contributions to education or have demonstrated outstanding individual academic achievement.
The event will be held May 6, 2016.
Visit http://www.elconciliofs.org for the nomination form. Email nominations to events@elconciliofs.org or send a FAX to 805-267-2288.
OXNARD — El Centrito Family Learning Centers has announced it has been selected to receive up to three full-time AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) members whose efforts will strengthen service delivery and sustainability within El Centrito’s pioneering After School & Summer STEAM (Science, Technology,Engineering, Art & Math) Academy.
El Centrito is currently recruiting motivated individuals to serve a one-year term as VISTA members in this project. VISTA members will have the opportunity to make a positive impact on their community, while developing rigorous professional skills; with guidance and mentorship from El Centrito’s leadership team, VISTA members will develop skills in curriculum development, fund development and grant writing, or community relations and volunteer management.
The purpose of VISTA is to support efforts that build sustainable community capacity and alleviate cycles of poverty, and the hands-on learning opportunities offered by El Centrito’s STEAM Academy are essential to that goal.
El Centrito’s STEAM Academy, which serves predominantly English Language Learner students, provides comprehensive support to both students and their parents in order to boost academic achievement and propel a trajectory towards higher education, a fulfilling career, and a path out of poverty. El Centrito’s STEAM Academy participants gain confidence and 21st Century skills that strengthen their long-term employability, which strengthens local workforce development and supports their path out of poverty.
El Centrito’s Executive Director, Joseph Castañeda Carrera said, “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate with the AmeriCorps VISTA program. The skills and energy that VISTA members will bring to the STEAM Academy will be a boon to the program and will support El Centrito to advance its mission, ‘to create a multicultural community of excellence by inspiring children, youth and families of Ventura County to learn, lead and reach their greatest potential.’ ”
For those interested in investigating the benefits of the program or applying to become an AmeriCorps VISTA member with El Centrito Family Learning Centers, visit www.elcentrito.org for more information.
For more information, contact executive director Joseph Castañeda Carrera, jcastaneda@elcentrito.org or 805-483-8685.
OXNARD — Teatro de las Américas has announced the casting of the play “Locuras en Wichita / Wild in Wichita” by Lina Gallegos, to be directed by Denise Blasor.
The play will be staged at Oxnard College’s Black Box and run from Feb. 19 through March 12.
Teatro is looking for two of the following actors, the English speaking Lillian and Raul.
These two actors will speak in Spanish:
Make an appointment for the casting available beginning at 10 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 12. Come with a prepared monologue.
To make an appointment contact Margaret Cortese at mcortese83@gmail or leave a text message at 805-231-0127.
VENTURA COUNTY — Clinicas del Camino Real Inc. will conduct its annual toy distribution at its clinics its pediatric patients from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11 at 200 S. Wells Road, Suite 100, Ventura; 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12 at 355 Central Ave. Fillmore; from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14 at 1000 Newbury Park Road, Suite 150, Newbury Park; from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 221 E Ventura Blvd, No. 126, Oxnard; from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 1200 Maricopa Highway, Ojai; from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17 at 4279 Tierra Rejada Road, Moorpark; from 2 to 5 p.m. 405 W. Clara St., Oxnard; from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19 at 1200 N. Ventura Road, Suite E, Oxnard; from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21 at 4370 Eve Road, Simi Valley; from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 21 at 1424 Madera Road, Simi Valley; from 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 650 Meta St., Oxnard; and from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 4400 Olds Road, Oxnard.
“This event can be especially meaningful for patients because for many of them, the toy they receive from Clinicas is the only toy they will receive this holiday season,” event organizers reported in a media release. “The Clinicas Toy Giveaway offers staff an opportunity to not only thank their patients, but also meet with the families and community members Clinicas serves. All Clinicas patients, ages 2-10 years, who have attended an appointment at Clincas within the past year are eligible. Patients can receive a voucher from their health center to attend the event. Santa Claus will be distributing the free toys, so bring your camera.”
Call 805-647-6353 for more information.
CAMARILLO — Zindagi Games Inc., a Camarillo-based video gaming company, has challenged three local charities, FOOD Share, Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo and RAIN Transitional Living Center, to collectively raise $50,000 before Dec. 31 as part of its 2015 Zindagi $100,000 Challenge. In addition, Zindagi is encouraging other businesses to join the challenge in an effort to rally Ventura County employers and their employees to “give where they live.”
Umrao Mayer and George Simmons, the principals of Zindagi Games, have agreed to match dollar for dollar raised—up to $50,000—by the three Ventura County nonprofits between now and the end of December. Zindagi has historically supported each charity individually, but chose to collaborate with the three agencies for the first time last year in an effort to make a bigger impact and achieve greater results.
Zindagi’s hope is that its annual donation challenge will encourage other corporations to support local non-profits and ultimately, create a year-round cycle of generosity and giving.
“We are so grateful for Zindagi’s continuous support and their philanthropic leadership,” said Bonnie Atmore, FOOD Share president and CEO. “We invite all Ventura County residents and businesses to be a part of the Zindagi $100,000 Challenge and know that by working together, we can make our community a better place to live.”
Donations to these charities for the Zindagi $100,000 Challenge can be made at http://www.foodshare.com/
SANTA BARBARA — Peoples’ Self-Help Housing (PSHH) celebrated its 45th Anniversary at the affordable housing provider’s Central Coast Taste of Hope dinner and auction gala on Nov. 13, garnering more than $106,000 in sponsorships, plus $30,000 that was raised that evening.
Businessman and reality television personality Andrew Firestone emceed the event at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, celebrating PSHH’s sapphire and gemstone anniversary. The Taste of Hope served as a thank you to the supporters who helped PSHH grow from a small community initiative in San Luis Obispo to an award-winning nonprofit and the largest affordable housing developer on the Central Coast. Peoples’ Self-Help Housing has developed more than 1,600 affordable rental units housing more than 5,000 low-income residents. PSHH has also assisted nearly 1,200 low-income self-help home builders build and own their own first home.
SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara City College ranks 6th among the 113 community colleges in the state for students who transferred to a University of California campus in fall semester 2014, according to transfer data recently released by the UC Information System. A total of 569 SBCC students transferred to UC campuses with UCSB the top choice with 285 enrollees.
“SBCC’s transfer program with the UC system, especially with UCSB, is a long-standing and robust one,” said SBCC President Lori Gaskin. She applauds the recent University of California System announcement to extend the deadline for students to file transfer applications to UC campuses for fall 2016 to January 4. “We wholeheartedly support UC’s commitment to admit more community college transfer students,” Gaskin said. “Transfer to a four-year college or university or completion of a two-year degree/certificate completion are our top priorities for our students.”
Among its programs, SBCC’s Transfer Center offers the Transfer Academy which helps students meet the requirements to be guaranteed admission to four-year colleges or universities. The college has articulation agreements with over 70 four-year institutions, including all 10 UC campuses. The center also administers the Transfer Achievement Program, which supports underrepresented and first-generation-to- college students in preparing to transfer to a four-year college or university.
CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands Vice President for Student Affairs, Wm. Gregory Sawyer, Ph.D., has been honored by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA). NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, named Sawyer one of 14 “Pillars of the Profession” for 2016. NASPA is the leading association for student affairs professionals in higher education. Each year, NASPA selects a “class” of student affairs professionals from across the U.S. who have distinguished themselves in their careers.
“Greg is a visionary, who works well with people across campus. He is a solid and inspirational leader and a go-getter,” said former CI faculty member Ching-Hua Wang, now Dean of the School of Health and Natural Sciences at the Dominican University of California. “Throughout his career, he has mentored numerous students and colleagues and many of them have become outstanding leaders themselves.”