October 2009 Archives
The 25-member Superintendent's Budget Advisory Committee met for the first time this week, the Pomona Unified School District announced in a statement.
The district's Board of Education voted to create the committee this summer.
Committee members will have the job of becoming familiar with the district's budget and expected state budget cuts. Committee members will then make recommendations to interim Superintendent Richard Martinez on educational programs and their priority levels as a budget for the coming academic year is developed.
"The school board and I deeply appreciate the fact that these people would volunteer their time and energy to help us make these difficult budget decisions," Martinez said in the statement.
"After having to make reductions of about $40 million over the past two years, we're now looking at a cut just for (the) 2010-2011 (academic year) of about $36 million. We can't do this alone. Our entire community has to have a say in these choices," he said.
The committee includes teachers, classified employees, students, parents, principals and community members, the statement said.
Committee members are expected to meet again at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 10 at district Education Center, 800 S. Garey Ave.
Applications are being accepted from young women interested in entering the Miss Pomona Scholarship Pageant.
The deadline to submit an applications is Dec. 11.
The event is being organized by the Downtown Pomona Owners Association with the Miss Pomona coronation ceremony scheduled for Jan. 23, at the Pomona Masonic Lodge, 395 S. Thomas St. in the city's downtown.
The pageant is open to young women ages 21 or younger who are unmarried residents of Pomona, according to a statement from the association.
Applicants must currently be enrolled as a junior or senior at a high school located in Pomona and have a grade point average of 3.0 or better.
Participants are not required to have a talent but they must be able to demonstrate they have a track record of community involvement.
The successful candidate must be able to represent Pomona at a variety of events.
A series of interviews will be scheduled leading up to the selection of finalists.
Scholarships will be awarded to Miss Pomona and her court.
Information on the pageant, applications, along with information on sponsorship opportunities is available by going to www.metropomona.com or calling (909) 469-1121.
POMONA - Like many cities before it, Pomona has placed a measure on the Nov. 3 ballot that if approved would update the city's utility users tax.
Measure PC, the city's Telecommunications Utility Users Tax initiative, focuses on modernizing language in the telecommunications portion of the utility tax ordinance.
"Our belief is the nature of this legislation is to maintain what we have," City Manager Linda Lowry told a group of residents who gathered at the Willie White Park Community Center recently.
Lowry was invited to explain what the measure is about.
"The real driving force for this has been changes at the federal level," said Councilwoman Paula Lantz.
The federal excise tax "was passed when everyone had a hard-lined phone," she said.
Many cities that drew up their utility tax ordinances more than 15 years ago fashioned them using models that made reference to the federal excise tax, said Michael Coleman, an expert in California local government finances.
In recent years, changes to federal regulations were made. Telecommunications technology has advanced, and there have been changes in the way companies charge for phone service, he said.
It's now possible to have services charged based on a flat rate rather than based on the length of a phone call or the distance between the callers, Coleman said. These and other factors have prompted cities to review their ordinances.
Pomona's ordinance was adopted in 1969 and contains references to federal regulations that are no longer in place.
Without the changes the city's ordinance can face legal challenges as has occurred in other places, Assistant City Attorney Andrew Jared has said.
That would put in jeopardy about $4.5 million that the telecommunications portion of the tax generates, according to information from the city.
If the measure fails the city would then have to cut $4.5 million worth of services, Lowry said.
In order to be approved, a simple majority of voters would have to approve Measure PC.
The city's 9 percent utility users tax generates about $18 million a year for the city's general fund which goes to pay for services such as police, fire protection, recreation and the library.
Pomona's update would include language allowing it to collect a tax on new telecommunications technology now available such as voice-over Internet protocol.
The update would also allow the city to collect the tax on any future telecommunications technology that allows one person to speak to another the way people do now using a telephone.
"Our expectation wasn't that were broadening" the tax, Lantz said. Instead it's about "bringing the code language into the 21st century."
In recent years and across the state, cities have been taking steps to put measures on their ballots asking voters to approve updating their utility users tax ordinances.
Most California cities are updating their ordinances without asking for a tax increase but are putting measures before voters to comply with Proposition 218 which requires an existing tax that is being modified or expanded to be placed on a ballot.
POMONA - Prayers and the urging of numerous speakers weren't enough to prompt the City Council to reject a state grant that will partially pay for traffic checkpoints.
Council members voted 5-1 in favor of accepting the one-year $369,955 grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety on Monday night.
Councilwoman Cristina Carrizosa voted in opposition. Councilman Steve Atchley did not attend the meeting.
Before council members took up the issue, checkpoint opponents held a candlelight prayer vigil that drew more than 40 people to the Civic Center Plaza.
People prayed for council members to recognize the checkpoints overwhelmingly affect undocumented immigrants, those of low income and people of color.
Those gathered also heard from such speakers as Moises Escalante an organizer with the Riverside office of CLUE (Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice) California.
"At no moment should we accept in the name of public safety the terrorizing of people," Escalante, who is also a workers rights advocate, said in Spanish. "We're here to say no to that injustice."
During the council meeting both sides spoke about checkpoints.
Among the supporters was Michael Gallagher, who said "there's nothing racial" about a checkpoint.
Gallagher said the city needs grants to carry out the operations, then proceeded to tell the council it must not be intimidated by those opposed to checkpoints.
"You will be held accountable," he warned.
Among the speakers opposing the checkpoints was Jose Calderon, president of the Latino and Latina Roundtable of Pomona and San Gabriel Valley.
He said if the purpose of the checkpoints is catching drunken drivers, they should be rescheduled.
"Why not start at 1 in the morning when people are coming out of the bars at 1 and 2 in the morning?" he said.
Carrizosa said that for about a year and a half the council has received letters from residents and business people opposed to the checkpoints.
The councilwoman said they have a negative effect on nearby businesses, resulting in drops in income that in turn affects the city's revenues.
She said that while a handful of people dislike her for her stand on this issue, she would never relinquish her "right and my responsibility" to vote in the best interest of her constituents.
Council members had questions about the checkpoint, including how many directions of traffic are affected by an operation.
Police Sgt. Michael Olivieri said Tuesday his department uses one- and two-way checkpoints.
Two-way checkpoints are preferable and make the best use of available resources, but in some instances where officers encounter geographic or space limitations they conduct one-way checkpoints, he said.
Councilman Freddie Rodriguez said checkpoints play a role in saving lives.
"Even if it's one (life), hopefully we do something to prevent someone from getting killed," Rodriguez said.
The council approved accepting the grant but moved checkpoint starts from 6 to 9 p.m. Rodriguez said after the meeting results of the change can be evaluated after "a couple of times."
Earlier, Olivieri said the reason for the 6 p.m. starts is it serves to raise public awareness and to deter people from driving under the influence.
Pomona police credit traffic checkpoints with helping reduce the number of fatal injury collisions in the city.
In 2003, 22 fatal traffic collisions occurred in the city, according to police statistics.
The following year, the department went from one to two checkpoints a month and saw the fatal traffic collisions drop to 11.
In 2008, the city had four such collisions, Olivieri said.
POMONA - OneLA, a grassroots organization, has organized an "accountablity session" with candidates for the Pomona Unified School District Board of Education.
The session will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday at First Christian Church Pomona, 1751 N. Park Ave.
In preparation for an accountability session candidates meet with OneLA representatives ahead of time to discuss issues of concern to the organization, according to information from the organization.
OneLA focuses on matters such as housing, education, schools, public safety and other issues that are of concern to families.
Candidates who met with organization representatives will be asked at Thursday's meeting if they will commit to working with OneLA on a set of issues if elected.
OneLA would like to have the involvement of successful candidates in the following areas:
- improving the district's volunteer policy to gain greater parent involvement across the district.
- working to have sufficient resources in adult education so people can retrain and secure jobs in an evolving job market.
- making sure a well-thought-out process is established that causes as little disruption as possible should it be necessary to send layoff notices to certificated personnel in the spring.
- support in exploring and implementing innovative programs that help improve student performance in the district.
POMONA - Voters in the Pomona Unified School District may have noticed incumbent candidate Andrew Wong is identified two different ways in their sample ballot booklet.
The sample ballot lists Wong's ballot designation as "School Boardmember, Pomona Unified School District."
Several pages back, where his candidate statement appears, Wong's occupation is listed as "Teacher/School Boardmember."
During the summer three Pomona residents who are also teachers in the district along with the Associated Pomona Teachers objected to Wong's use of the term "teacher" in the designation.
Lawyers for the residents and associated Pomona Teachers filed court documents seeking a court order changing Wong's ballot designation.
They argued Wong's use of the term teacher was misleading because he is employed as an attorney.
Wong has said his job involves teaching since he provides continuing education to other lawyers in his firm.
In September as the deadline for printing ballots approached, lawyers for Wong, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder County Clerk and the three Pomona residents went before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Chalfant.
Chalfant ordered the ballot designation to read "School Boardmember, Pomona Unified School District."
With the judge settling the matter how is it that Wong is listed both ways in the booklet?
The two designations appear in the sample ballot because the challenge only involved the ballot designation and not all references, said Eileen Shea, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
POMONA - A community group has begun preparing to focus their efforts on drawing young people away from unhealthy lifestyles and putting them on a path leading to productive lives.
The first step to carrying out their mission involved an all-day training session with a member of the National Gang Center to learn about an approach to working with teens and young adults who are already involved in things such as gangs and drugs.
City residents, educators, law enforcement, clergy, representatives of social service agencies, non-profits and members of the Pomona Youth and Family Master Plan Community Board were among those who gathered at the Pomona Valley Mining Company late last week to learn about the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Comprehensive Gang Model.
"Gang violence is a complex issue and requires a comprehensive solution," said Community Board member Bernardo Rosa.
Rosa said he's been following how cities have used the federal model since 1994 and has observed the impact it can have on a neighborhood, he said.
"I've been watching it galvanize a community," Rosa said.
Among the components of the model is creating teams made up of educators, law enforcement, parole, social services, and outreach workers who together concentrate on providing services ranging from job training to substance abuse counseling to young people.
Before the model can be implemented crime data must be collected to identify crime problems connected to gang activity, said Michelle Arciaga, senior research associate with the National Gang Center, which works with the federal government to teach communities to use the model.
Gathering the data is critical because it will show where the greatest need within the city exists providing a starting point for the model's implementation, she said.
Arciaga said Pomona is better prepared tha some who seek to use this model.
"They are way ahead of some cities" that trained under this model, Arciaga said. "That's huge because (the city) is much more organized."
What has given Pomona that head start is the work leading up to and following the creation of the Youth and Family Master Plan, Arciaga and others said.
The master plan is a strategy designed to create a healthier environment for youth and families where young people can reach their potential.
"The Youth and Family Master Plan is the foundation...It irrigated the field," Rosa said.
After listening to Arciaga's presentation some attendees said the federal model can have a significant impact in Pomona.
Pomona Police Chief Dave Keetle said such a model can work as a piece in a three part approach to addressing some of the city's crime problems.
Prevention and suppression are the two other elements that complete the picture and must not be forgotten, he said.
"This can work but it can be one of the three pillars of an overall plan," Keetle said. "We need to work on all three pieces together to have a long term effect."
Community board member Nancy Matarrita said Pomona must start collecting data to use in identifying a part of the city where efforts can begin. Once that's done grants can be sought and written agreements developed with those who will be part of the teams working with future clients.
Pomona Unified School District's Interim Superintendent Richard Martinez also believes this is an approach that can help teens and young adult who are taking part in risky behavior.
Martinez said such approaches have been used and worked in other parts of Los Angeles County.
One important ingredient is the use of outreach workers who have direct contact with young people they work with and makes sure the youths are using the services they need.
Jobs are another critical piece of the formula that requires working with businesses to make sure young people pulled away for gangs and violence don't go back to that life, Martinez said.
A concern Martinez has about implementing the model is funding.
City Manager Linda Lowry said during the training session the city can serve as the lead agency if the decision to move forward with the model is made. As the lead agency it would seek grants and help from county and federal elected officials to secure funds for some parts of the model.
Using the federal model would fill a gap that is not being addressed now in dealing with certain types of negative behavior such as gangs, Martinez said.
"We have a lot of programs that deal with prevention but this fills the gap in intervention," he said.
Questions on various topics including independent studies and the absence of the arts in schools were among the topics addressed this week by candidates seeking election to the Pomona Unified School District Board of Education.
Most candidates participated in the Thursday night forum organized by the Willie White Park Focus Group in the Willie White Park Community Center. Candidates Robert Torres and Jason Rothman did not take part in the forum which drew more than 35 people to the small center.
Candidates were asked to comment on the use of independent studies, or home study, programs for some students.
Challenger Frank Guzman said placing students in such a program is not beneficial because they have very limited access to teachers.
"I think we need to re-evaluate it," he said adding it could become a good program but it needs "someone that nurtures people back to regular school."
Challenger Hank Mollet said such programs work for students who are doing well academically or "when you have a motivated student."
Outside of those instances such programs don't usually work and parents need to bring their concerns to their child's principal and district personnel, he said.
Appointed incumbent Adrienne Konigar-Macklin said independent studies must still be structured and should have greater staffing so students have structure and adequate time with a teacher.
To do that requires funds to make changes that will create a better academic environment.
"The same things children get in class, students and parents should have at home," she said.
Challenger Roberta Perlman said in some situations "to have (students) on their own is not a good idea."
With "home study I think we do a tremendous disservice to students," she said, adding alternatives such as the School of Extended Education Opportunities, a dependent charter school of the district, provide better options.
Challenger Nancy Matarrita said more options are needed for students besides independent studies. Aside from the School of Extended Education Opportunities, families should have other resources including home schooling "but that's for the highly motivated."
Incumbent John Avila said home study needs greater supervision and support but that also requires more funding.
However, the district has established other programs such as the Credit Recovery System which is producing positive results and is giving students an alternative to complete their studies at home.
Incumbent Andrew Wong said when he was elected he promised he would seek educational options for students. The School of Extended Educational Opportunities is just one of those options.
The school "was the first dependent charter school in the district," Wong said adding that the Credit Recovery System is another option that has been set in place recently.
Appointed incumbent Steve Lustro said: "I think home study should be the last option plain and simple."
In such a program a student is unable to get "a full educational experience."
Other options are available that are much more beneficial to students but the goal should be to work with a student and his parents so the young person can return to a traditional classroom, Lustro said.
Candidates were asked how students can have a well-rounded education if in some instances they are not receiving instruction in areas such as the arts, social studies, geography or economics.
Mollet said, "They won't be unless they have great parental support." With the limited funds available now parents need to play a part in providing exposure to arts and other areas, he said.
Konigar-Macklin said culture in school is necessary and when the state is cutting back on funding such courses are lost. However, in such times partnerships with organizations that can provide such programs should be sought.
Perlman said she has participated in community events designed to offer students exposure to science and the arts but more is needed.
"To have a well-rounded education is imperative to our students," she said.
Matarrita said teaching multiple subjects in one lesson is one way of bringing in more areas of education to children.
Topics such as the arts do more than educate, she said, adding, "the main thing those programs do is inspire our students to stay in school."
Avila said the arts are important to education and can play a part in keeping a student interested in school but when there is limited time, personnel and funding they can end up being sacrificed. Still the district is trying to keep some arts programming in schools.
Wong said providing a well-rounded education has been a priority for him and he has advocated for the district to work with other institutions to provide greater academic opportunities for students that can lead to improved performance in class.
Lustro favors the creation of a committee in which community members will be able to offer recommendations on budget issues to elected officials, including the place of the arts and other valuable courses, but parents and family must also help in educating children by exposing them to subjects they don't get in school.
Guzman said, "Simply we cannot have a well-rounded child without those programs," adding he will seek to bring such programs to schools.
Monday will be a long day for members of the Pomona City Council.
Council members will be meeting for a team-building session beginning at 8 a.m. at the Sheraton Suites Fairplex, 601 W. McKinley Ave.
The session is expected to have discussions on various topics including council members working with each other and protocols for directing staff, handling public complaints and council decision making.
The meeting is expected to take most of the day.
The council will meet at at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall for the closed portion of the regularly scheduled meeting. The open portion begins at 7 p.m.
]A proposed resolution accepting a state grant for traffic enforcement will go before the City Council Monday night.
If the council accepts the one-year state Office of Traffic Safety Selective Traffic Enforcement Program Grant for $369,955 it would allow the Police Department to carry out various activities designed to reduce traffic collisions, according to a city staff report.
The funds would pay for operations such as stings designed to capture people who have been arrested for driving under the influence, have a suspended or revoked driver's license and drive a vehicle after having appeared before a judge.
Special details will also be carried out focusing on speeding motorists, aggressive driving, seat-belt enforcement and activities designed to reduce motorcycle injuries and collisions, the report said.
In addition the grant is expected to provide funds to carry out 10 DUI/driver's license checkpoints.
City Council members and the Planning Commission met Wednesday evening for what is expected to be the first of five meetings dealing with the city's general plan amendment.
All members of Planning Commission were present. Council members Freddie Rodriguez and Steve Atchley did not attend. Mayor Elliott Rothman was present for the start of the meeting and then turned over responsibilities of running the session to commission Chairman Arturo Jimenez after saying he had to leave early.
Council members and planning commissioners met at Westmont Park Community Center with representatives of the San Francisco-based firm of Freedman, Tung and Sasaki.
The session included presentations on the city's history, background, layout and design as well as Pomona's economy.
The information presented was intended to create a foundation leading to the discussion of planning concepts and proposals for the city.
The sample ballot for the Pomona Unified School District board races shows incumbent Andrew Wong's occupation listed as "teacher/School Boardmember."
This summer, lawyers for Wong, for three Pomona residents and the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/ County Clerk's Office met in court over the candidate's ballot title.
The residents, who are also Pomona teachers, objected to Wong's use of teacher to identify himself on the ballot.
Wong works as an attorney.
On Sept. 1, with the county's deadline for printing materials approaching, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Chalfant determined Wong, who had asked to be identified as a "teacher/school board member" should be identified as "school board member, Pomona Unified School District."
Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center will offer a free drive-thru seasonal flu clinic Oct. 24.
Vaccines will be provided from 8 a.m. to noon or until supplies run out, the hospital said.
The annual clinic will take place at the hospital's parking lot at 360 Vinton Ave., which is located between Orange Grove Avenue and Royalty Drive.
Parents who have experienced the death of a child will gather Thursday evening at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center for the annual "Walk to Remember."
The two-hour free event begins at 7 p.m. in Pitzer Auditorium on the hospital's grounds, 1798 N. Garey Ave.
The gathering is designed to help parents as they grieve and begin to heal following the loss of an infant or child and to do so among others who have gone through similar experiences, according to a hospital statement.
This year's event has as a theme, "I Will Remember You."
The evening will include a memorial service, special poem readings, a candle-lighting ceremony followed by a candlelight walk honoring the memory of infants and children who have died.
To conclude the event, participating parents will gather at the hospital's Memorial Wall for a moment of music and reflection.
"The walk is so important for parents who have lost children to help them understand that they are not alone," the Rev. Francisco Munoz, chaplain at the hospital, said in the statement.
"There is strength in knowing that you can turn to others for companionship on the journey following the loss of a child."
Information: (909) 865-9858.
Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation will offer a seminar on concussions in young athletes and the importance of seeking prompt and effective medical attention.
The free two-hour event is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Nov. 5 at Casa Colina's Tamkin Education Center, Building 1D, located on the grounds of Casa Colina, 255 E. Bonita Ave.
The seminar is open to coaches, parents and care-givers and will be hosted by clinicians with the Casa Colina Sports Medicine Center specializing in concussions.
Dr. David Patterson, medical director of Casa Colina Hospital and a board-certified physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, will talk about undetected concussions in athletes as well as what a concussion is, how it's detected and its treatment.
Additional speakers will discuss testing before injuries occur and after, along with the importance of accurately diagnosing head injuries.
Seating for the seminar is limited. To reserve a spot call (866) 724-4132.
Herbs - how they are grown, how they the are used and their different varieties - will be topics of discussion today during Herb Fest at The Garden, 867 N. Garey Ave.
A different workshop will be offered every hour beginning at 11 a.m. with the last one starting at 3 p.m.
Various herbs in pots will be available for sale along with seeds suitable for fall and winter planting.
Information on the medicinal use of herbs, soil preparation and regional herbs will be offered.
State-of-the-art Banfield, The Pet Hospital of Western University, will begin providing services to the public beginning today, according to a university statement.
The facility is at 611 E. Second St., within the campus of Western University of Health Sciences.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Drop off of pets begin at 7 a.m.
Saturday hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Pet owners should make appointments before seeking services. Appointments can be made by calling (909) 865-2433.
Among the services to be offered are vaccinations, spaying and neutering, microchiping, surgery, dental exams and cleanings, along with flea, tick and heartworm control.
The animal hospital opened August 2008 as part of Western University's Banfield Veterinary Clinical Center with services being offered to the pets of the University's students, faculty and staff, the statement said.
Some care was also provided to animal under the care independent rescue groups, the statement said.
The veterinary care facility is now prepared to offer care to pets brought in by the public.
"It's a full-service hospital," said David Clark, doctor of veterinary medicine and the facility's director. "We're going to offer all services available at any Banfield hospital. The public will benefit from our experienced veterinarians, state-of-the-art equipment, and modern facility."
"We hope students will be exposed to these cases, but primary care will be provided by licensed veterinarians," Clark said.
Pomona residents, business owners and Neighborhood Watch members are invited to attend the Northeast Area commander meeting on Tuesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at City Hall, 505 S. Garey Ave.
Although the meeting will focus on the questions and concerns of those living and working in the northeast quadrant of the city, all are welcome.
The city's northeast quadrant is the area east of Garey Avenue and north of Holt Avenue.
Lt. Alex Rilloraza, who is responsible for this area, will host the meeting.
Residents and business owners who have questions about local issues in this area can e-mail them to Rilloraza at AreaCommander-Northeast@ci.pomona.ca.us or call (909) 802-7494.
Pomona Unified School District sixth and seventh graders interested in pursuing a career in one of many health fields can sign up for the Pomona Health Career Ladder.
The program is open to students interested in becoming doctors, nurses, physical therapists, physicians assistants or professionals in other health careers, according to a statement from Western University of Health Sciences.
Through a series of free monthly Saturday workshops, the first of which is scheduled for Oct. 17, students will learning about the various aspects of the many medical careers available to them.
Students who complete the workshop series successfully will be eligible to begin the next phase of the program which involves a long term commitment of students and parents leading to admission to Western University of Health Sciences.
Participants will have supported through mentoring, academic assistance and other services designed to prepare students across middle school, high school, college and through their professional education until they reach graduation.
The Pomona Health Career Ladder is a joint partnership of Pomona Unified School District, Cal Poly Pomona and Western University of Health Sciences.
Information and sign-up forms for the program are available by going to http://www.westernu.edu/xp/edu/pusd/pusd-application.xml Information is also available by e-mailing phcl@westernu.edu or by calling Carolina Alirez at (909) 708-3844.
The coming Pomona Unified School District elections will be the focus of the upcoming Willie White Park Focus Group's next meeting.
Candidates seeking election to the Pomona Unified Board of Education have been invited to participate in a forum scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at the Willie White Park Community Center, 3065 Battram St.
Eight of the 10 candidates have confirmed their participation in the forum.
District voters will have a chance to elect board members to fill three seats with four-year terms and vote to fill a two-year term seat.
A representative of the Pomona City Manager's Office will also be present to speak on Measure PS, the city's telecommunications utility users tax initiative.
The measure calls for updating the portion of the city code related to the utility users tax. The update is meant to bring the code in line with current and future telephone technology without changing the current tax rate.
Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation was recently honored by the California Communities Foundation and the Eisner Foundation.
The Unsung Heroes Award, which comes with a $10,000 prize, recognizes non-profits for their "innovation, resilience and impact in improving the quality of life for low-income" residents of Los Angeles, according to a statement from Casa Colina.
The awards are presented to organizations working in the arts, education, health care, human development and neighborhood revitalization fields.
Accepting the award on behalf of Casa Colina was President and Chief Executive Officer Felice Loverso.
Actor and California Community Foundation donor Noah Wyle presented the award during a recent ceremony at The Getty Center in Los Angeles.
"This honor is a testament to how much pride our employees take in their profession, where they work and the patients' lives that they touch," Loverso said in the statement. "I have the honor and privilege of working with a professional and compassionate group of people who I proudly give credit to making Casa Colina Centers for Rehabilitation a unique house for healing."
"These awards are welcome news amid a string of challenges our nonprofit sector faces every day. We are proud to honor and support these terrific organizations," said Antonia Hernandez, president and chief executive officer of the California Community Foundation in the statement.
"This is a time when top-performing non-profits like these will shine more than ever before because they have been able to weather the storm and at times come out even stronger," she said.
State-of-the-art Banfield, The Pet Hospital of Western University, will begin providing services to the public beginning today, according to a university statement.
The facility is at 611 E. Second St., within the campus of Western University of Health Sciences.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Drop off of pets begin at 7 a.m.
Saturday hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Pet owners should make appointments before seeking services. Appointments can be made by calling (909) 865-2433.
Among the services to be offered are vaccinations, spaying and neutering, microchiping, surgery, dental exams and cleanings, along with flea, tick and heartworm control.
The animal hospital opened August 2008 as part of Western University's Banfield Veterinary Clinical Center with services being offered to the pets of the University's students, faculty and staff, the statement said.
Some care was also provided to animal under the care independent rescue groups, the statement said.
The veterinary care facility is now prepared to offer care to pets brought in by the public.
"It's a full-service hospital," said David Clark, doctor of veterinary medicine and the facility's director. "We're going to offer all services available at any Banfield hospital. The public will benefit from our experienced veterinarians, state-of-the-art equipment, and modern facility."
"We hope students will be exposed to these cases, but primary care will be provided by licensed veterinarians," Clark said.
POMONA - Films, book discussion groups, art projects and more will be part of the Pomona Big Read 2009 which kicks off this weekend.
For the third year Pomona will participate in the Big Read, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts.
With the help of a grant secured by the Pomona Public Library this year, people across the city will come together around one book, Jack London's "The Call of the Wild."
The book is the story of Buck, a dog who is taken from his family in California and ends up in Canada and Alaska under the care of different people - some of them kind, some of them abusive.
Through the book "we hope there is a an appreciation of all living things," said Pat Lambert, Pomona Public Library senior librarian and this year's Big Read project coordinator.
Each year more and more people begin looking forward to the Big Read asking about the start of activities related to the month long event, Lambert said.
Other organizations have sought to be involved by organizing an event, she said.
Around the city, activities for people in different age groups will be offered and range from discussion groups for seniors to teen mural projects, Lambert said.
The goal of the Big Read is to encourage people to take the time to read more literature.
Through the various activities "people are coming together and groups are working together around a common goal of reading and literacy," Lambert said.
Seeing "people picking up a book for us is very rewarding," she said.
But that's not the only thing that comes out of the Pomona Big Read.
As more organizations become involved more people are interacting with each other, said Jonnie Owens, director of community outreach for Cal Poly Pomona's College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, a major partner in the city's Big Read.
In Pomona, the Big Read offers people a way to interact - either individually or through groups - with others in the city, said Owens, who secured the Big Read grant the previous two years.
Through a book like "The Call of the Wild" people can begin talking about the main character in the book and feel empathy for an abused creature, she said.
That leads to discussions where people talk and begin to share experiences, Lambert said.
People also begin to empathize with the main character and that can lead to greater empathy for other animals, children and adults who find themselves the victims of abuse, Owens said.
Pomona Big Read activities begin at 6 p.m. Friday with a screening of the film, "Never Cry Wolf" which fits in with the theme of the book, organizers said.
Saturday will bring several events with one of them being the visit of former long time Los Angeles Times columnist Al Martinez.
Martinez will talk about his career and his book "Barkley: A Dog's Journey" starting at 5 p.m. at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 600 N. Garey Ave.
Pilgrim Congregational Church is a new partner in the Pomona Big Read, Lambert said.
In the tradition of the Congregationalists, reading is very important, said Megan Parnell, church librarian.
Pilgrim has three different book discussion groups and every year holds an annual event where the featured guest is an author, Parnell said.
This year, after attending the annual author's talk, Lambert contacted Parnell and extended an invitation to participate in the Big Read.
Participating in such an project was a good fit, not only because it is linked to reading but because of the community involvement component, Parnell said.
A variety of activities connected to the Pomona Big Read begin Friday, all centered around this year's book, Jack London's "The Call of the Wild."
Activities will be offered around the city through mid-November.
The following is a list of activities taking place this weekend. For a complete list of Big Read activities visit the Pomona Public Library's Web page at http://www.youseemore.com/pomona/ and click on the Pomona's Big Read box or go to Pomona Now.
Friday
- 6 p.m., Cal Poly Pomona Downtown Center, 300 W. Second St. - The film "Never Cry Wolf"
Saturday
- 1 to 3 p.m. - Pomona Public Library, 625 S. Garey Ave. - Children can practice their reading skills by reading out loud to a canine of the Reading Education Assistance Dogs team that is part of the Paws to Heal group.
- 2 to 3 p.m. - Diamond Bar Public Library, 1061 S. Grand Ave., Diamond Bar - Adventure Quest Institute brings "Adventures in Dog Sledding." Using humor and hands on experiences, children will learn about dog sledding.
- 5 to 7 p.m. - Pilgrim Congregational Church, 600 N. Garey Ave. - A reception and talk with Al Martinez, author, former Los Angeles Times columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner. Martinez will talk about his career and his book "Barkley: A Dog's Journey" following a book signing.
Monday
- 2 to 3 p.m. - At recreation centers operated by the city's Community Services Department across the city - Big Read Youth Reading Circles - City staff will lead reading circles for young people ages 6 to 12 using books with themes similar to the one found in "The Call of the Wild." The reading circles begin Monday and will continue until Nov. 12.
POMONA - Samuel Torres is the first male principal at the all-girl Pomona Catholic High School, but his gender is not what makes him stand out to students or parents.
As far as students are concerned, the principal "could be an alien from outer space" as long as that person "does a good job," said Dani Rose Meave-Cateril, the school's student body president.
So far, Torres is doing just that.
"His door is always open. He is here all the time," Meave-Cateril said. "Questions or ideas you have, he is completely open minded."
Parents have noticed his enthusiasm and commitment to the school as well as its students.
"He is so energetic and has such a positive attitude," said Rosie Gonzalez, president
Samuel Torres, a native of Los Angeles, leads Pomona Catholic High School as the new principal. He comes to the Pomona post after working as an educator in Maryland. (Eric Tom/Correspondent)
of the school's parent group.
Students, faculty and others today will gather at the school for a special Mass, during which Torres will be installed as principal.
Torres on July 1 took over the duties of principal of the academic institution, which is in its 111th year of educating young people.
Torres took over after his predecessor, Kimberlee Gazzolo, left to take the position of superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Lake Charles, La.
Torres is well aware of Pomona Catholic's legacy and its tradition of preparing young people for the future both academically and spiritually - a challenging job in today's society.
"The biggest challenge for our young people today is to look beyond themselves and the lesson then is to serve others," Torres said.
Young people are influenced by the media as well as popular culture to look and act a certain way and consume certain products, he said.
"In many ways our faith calls us to be counter cultural," Torres said.
Places such as Pomona Catholic are institutions that instill values, moral integrity and commitment to service, he said.
Torres comes to Pomona Catholic from Bishop Walsh School, a pre-kindergarten to 12th grade school in Cumberland, Md.
Torres, a native of Los Angeles, wasn't always an educator.
The Cal State Los Angeles alumnus earned a bachelor's degree in business administration.
He worked in the private sector and owned a construction business before he and his family decided in 1996 to move east to be closer to relatives.
After the move, Torres found an opening for a high school Spanish teacher at Bishop Walsh School. He applied and got the job, which also provided him with the opportunity to coach sports, he said.
Torres went on to earn a master's degree in administration and curriculum from Frostburg State University in Maryland while his responsibilities increased at Bishop Walsh.
In 2007, he became the school's principal.
Torres said he comes to his new job with experience as an educator and a parent.
Students need affirmation, encouragement and the opportunity to dream, he said.
Adults must also send a message that not all things come quickly.
"First of all, the challenge to our girls is to be educated, spiritually enlightened and with that comes delayed gratification," Torres said. "I'm here to say the work and the sacrifice are worth the wait."
As head of Pomona Catholic, Torres has much to do.
One of his goals is to attract more students to the school, which has a 197-member student body. One way that will be accomplished is by creating the best college preparatory curriculum possible, which is being done by contacting the nation's top colleges, Torres said.
The information gathered will be used to build up and create a more rigorous academic program, he said.
Torres also plans to work with parochial middle schools so children and their families can begin thinking of college and what they must do to prepare for it, he said.
In five years, Torres said he would like to have an enrollment of more than 400 high school girls, a new gymnasium, state-of-the-art technology for the campus and "the continued excitement and courage of praising God for opportunities."
Torres is a person whose "priority is first and foremost the education of the young ladies that attend Pomona Catholic High School," said Adela Solis, principal of Pomona Valley Catholic Middle School, which is on a portion of the high school's property.
Torres has welcomed her faculty members, Solis said, and has expressed an interest in creating a curriculum that allows for smooth transitions from students going from one school to the other.
He also knows what is needed so students receive "the education that will make them successful in college," Solis said.
Word is getting around about Torres, parents and students said.
Alumnae are interested in what's going on at their alma mater as well as parents who had girls attend there in the past and have daughters approach the start of high school, said Gonzalez.
Parents who haven't been active in school are coming back and inquiring about being involved, she said.
"There's just a new buzz about the school," Gonzalez said.
POMONA - For 240 high school peer counselors, Tuesday morning was a time to brainstorm and come up with plans to address problems such as violence and sexual harassment.
The students gathered at the Cal Poly Pomona Bronco Student Center for the Pomona Peer Resources annual leadership retreat.
The teens discussed issues of concern on their campuses and ways to make improvements.
Students focused on four general areas:
- School safety.
- Class instruction.
- Human relations.
- Peer services.
Under those areas students looked for approaches to dealing with a wide variety of concerns from drug use and gangs to teen pregnancy and sexual harassment.
Pomona High School junior Samuel Russell IV, who attended a workshop on school safety, said his group was concerned that school rivalries can cross a line that goes from young people supporting their school to trying to start fights with their opponents.
Students on his team, which included youth from different Pomona Unified high school campuses, came up with ideas that included organizing lunch time assemblies to talk "about violence with ourselves and our schools," he said.
Finding solutions to the different issues "is definitely a challenge but we have people from different schools here," Samuel said. "We're all here and I like (that) we're all mixed up getting different ideas" to address student concerns.
Garey High senior Jessica Franco, her cousin, Victor Franco, a Garey junior, and Trayvon Booker, Garey High's student body vice president, were part of a team focusing on sexual harassment.
Students often don't realize sexual harassment involves more than touching, Victor said.
Trayvon said sometimes boys will make comments to girls intended to be compliments but it comes across as harassment.
"A lot of people don't know what the true identity of sexual harassment is," Victor said.
Through an education campaign that includes fliers, posters and class discussions the matter can be addressed so that both boys and girls learn harassment can include verbal remarks and much more, students said.
Part of addressing the topic includes letting students know where they can go if they are being sexually harassed and what the protocol is for handling such a matter, Victor said.
"If we get a group of peer counselors together they can talk about it" with students, Jessica said. "That way (students) understand better."
Done right, students can shine a light on the topic and make a permanent impact, Trayvon said.
The peer counselors will take the plans they developed Tuesday and further refine them at their schools and proceed to implement them, said Mike Russo, a counselor with Pomona Peer Resources.
Every school will have two or three plans they will implement in the coming weeks, Russo said.
"They created plans that are realistic, specific and simple," he said.
After the student planning sessions, a few adults who stopped in to encourage the students addressed them as a large group. Among those in attendance were Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Daniel Lopez and interim Superintendent Richard Martinez.
"I thank you in advance for the leaders you are going to be and the leaders you are now," Martinez said.
With more support from students such as those taking part in Tuesday's leadership retreat a greater impact would be made in the lives of students who don't always make the right choices in life, he said.
More involvement from students such as those involved in peer counseling "might make a difference in your friends lives," he said.
POMONA -- City Council members will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday for a hearing to consider the modification, suspension and/or revocation of a downtown business' conditional use permit.
The meeting will be in City Hall, 505 S. Garey Ave.
Council members will hold a hearing to determine how to proceed with the case involving Angelo's Pizzeria.
The establishment, on East Second Street, was granted a conditional use permit in 2007 allowing it to serve alcohol and have entertainment.
However, city representatives have said changes have occurred at the business, including crowds larger than the establishment can accommodate, reports of semi-nude dancers and other complaints.
The operator of the business has made personnel changes designed to address city concerns.
POMONA -- Board members of the Pomona Unified School District will meet Wednesday night and are expected to discuss behind closed doors the search for a superintendent.
The board will meet at 6:30 p.m. for the closed portion of the meeting with the public meeting beginning at 7:30 p.m.
At the conclusion of the open portion, the board is expected to go back into closed session.
Six candidates seeking the job of Pomona Unified's superintendent of schools participated in a series of interviews with school board members, district labor groups, staff, district residents and others.
Three candidates - Brian Centeno, Edna Davis-Herring and James Hammond - were interviewed on Monday. The remaining three candidates - Robert Alfaro, David Linzey and Richard Martinez - were interviewed on Tuesday.
School board members have several options on how to proceed.
They can select one to three candidates and invite them to return for a second round of interviews; they can visit he candidates in their current districts; or they can select a finalist, the district's search consultant said recently.
POMONA -- Six applicants seeking to become Pomona Unified School District's superintendent of schools next week will be in the city.
Of the six applicants invited to interview, five are from California and one is from Nevada.
"The quality of these six finalists is very good," said Jim Huge, a search consultant working with Pomona Unified school board members. "There are some really stellar people here."
Fifteen qualified people completed applications, Huge said.
Applicants will go through a series of interviews on Monday and Tuesday with school board members, district labor groups, school administrators, district staff and district residents.
Public forums will be offered both days to give people a chance to meet three applicants each day.
Forms will be available after each forum that members of the public can use to provide comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the applicants, Huge said.
The information will be compiled and presented to school board members before Wednesday when they have a meeting, he said.
Board members have the option of inviting one to three applicants for a second round of interviews; going out to see them in their current jobs or simply select one person they wish to negotiate with, Huge said.
Monday's group of applicants consists of Brian Centeno, Edna Davis-Herring and James Hammond.
On Tuesday Robert Alfaro, David Linzey and Richard Martinez will interview.
The candidates:
Brian Centeno
Centeno is past deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction of the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District.
Centeno, who has family in Southern California, said he is impressed with Pomona Unified and the improvement it has made in increasing Academic Performance Index scores.
"This is a school district that is absolutely on the move," he said.
In addition he likes the work the district has been doing to empower parents and prepare them to be advocates for their children while the district gains greater parental involvement.
"That is the sort of thing all districts should be doing because it's substantial," he said, adding it's a critical piece in students' education.
Centeno said something he would like to do if he becomes superintendent is talk with the community.
"We go back out to the public and talk about the mission and the vision for the district," he said.
"If we've identified the mission, what will it look like in 10 years?," Centeno said.
Leading a successful school district isn't easy, especially in the current financial climate, but it can happen if parents, residents, business and others work together, he said.
Edna Davis-Herring
Davis-Herring headed the Rialto Unified School District for about 6 1/2 years before announcing her departure following the November 2008 election.
Her tenure in Rialto was contentious.
Davis-Herring's experience includes teaching in various Inland Empire school districts along with serving as assistant principal and principal. She held administrative positions in Colorado and Louisiana before returning to lead the Rialto district.
Davis-Herring said he has studied data on Pomona Unified and sees an urban school district with a population and challenges similar to those in Rialto.
"It's almost like a sister school district," she said.
The district faces challenging financial times but leadership can't throw up its hands.
"It takes everybody to collaborate and to compromise and say 'We are here for the kids,'" she said.
Although there four school board members who are running in this November's election she said she is not concerned.
"I'm coming in with a tremendous amount of wisdom and knowledge," Davis-Herring said.
Davis-Herring said she can "bring Pomona out of that political arena" where politics may interfere in doing what is best for children.
James Quezon Hammond
Hammond is superintendent of the Davis Joint Unified School District and before that served as a superintendent in Tukwila, Wash.
He's been a counselor, a middle school teacher and a principal in Washington state.
Pomona Unified caught Hammond's attention after former Superintendent Thelma Melendez de Santa Ana was tapped by President Barack Obama to serve in his administration.
Hammond is familiar with the area having grown up in Whittier and briefly attended Cal Poly Pomona.
If he became Pomona Unified superintendent, "It puts me in a region I'm very fond of," he said.
Hammond, who has led the Davis district since 2007, is a commuter spending weekdays in Davis and returning to Southern California on weekends to be with his wife and children.
Although he's currently working in a more affluent district with high-performing schools, Hammond said he has worked in districts with diverse populations and were students have more needs.
"I feel blessed to have worked in both ends of the spectrum," he said.
Melendez de Santa Ana left a strong foundation to build on, he said.
Pomona Unified, like all other school districts in the state, is facing challenging times.
"Pomona is very attractive even with its challenges," he said.
Robert Alfaro
Alfaro, an area superintendent for the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, could not be reached for comment.
Alfaro began his career as a migrant education teacher in Plainview, Texas. He taught middle school in Texas schools and worked his way up to principal and finally superintendent of a small, rural and economically disadvantaged school district in Premont, Texas.
From there he headed to San Antonio, where he was an area superintendent for the San Antonio Independent School District.
He served in various capacities in San Antonio and from there moved to Clark County where he began working in 2005 starting out as region superintendent.
David Linzey
Linzey has been a teacher, counselor, assistant principal and principal.
He served as principal of Diamond Ranch High School and left to work in Huntington Beach while his own son was in high school.
He is chief academic officer and assistant superintendent for The Alliance for College-Ready Schools, a nonprofit that manages a number of charter schools in south and east Los Angeles within the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Linzey said he is familiar with Pomona Unified, with many of its teachers and its staff.
Returning to the district would be "a natural progression of my career," he said.
During his tenure with The Alliance, several of the schools under its management have made significant advancement in raising their academic performance index scores, some going on to become California Distinguished Schools.
Linzey said he can bring that knowledge to Pomona Unified and combined with the collaboration of parents and teachers help students prepare academically so they are ready to go to college.
"The parent community just wants what's best for kids. I think I really do bring about success for kids," he said.
Richard Martinez
Martinez is Pomona Unified's interim superintendent and has been with the district since 2001 starting in pupil resources and going on to serve in different capacities.
Prior to moving into the interim superintendent's post, Martinez was as assistant superintendent overseeing the pupil and community services division, which includes areas such as special education, adult education, alternative education, after-school programs and community and employee relations.
Three years ago, Martinez applied for the job of superintendent.
"At that time, the board made the right decision in selecting Thelma. She was the right person at the time and I say that not because Thelma is a friend," he said. "At the time, the district needed someone from the outside who was healing for the district."
Martinez said he came to Pomona seeking to use the skills he developed over the course of his career to serve a district that resembles Montebello Unified, where he started his education career in 1989.
Martinez said he'd like to provide Pomona students the same types of opportunities students in other more affluent areas have by providing the tools to empower them and their parents to overcome barriers.
Even though the district faces great challenges "I believe in working together. I don't work unilaterally," he said.
Working together -- parents, labor groups, businesses and clergy -- the district will weather the challenging times ahead, he said.
Six applicants seeking the post of Pomona Unified School District superintendent will take part in a series of interviews Monday and Tuesday.
District staff and the general public will have a chance to meet and talk with the applicants on those days.
Three of the applicants will be available Monday and three more on Tuesday from 7 to 8 p.m. both days.
The meetings will be in the board room of the district Education Center, 800 S. Garey Ave.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health will offer a free seasonal flu shot clinic Saturday at the Pomona Health Center, 750 S. Park Ave.
The clinic will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. No identification is required and no appointment is needed to attend.
Vaccines will also be offered at the Pomona Health Center Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.
Vaccinations are recommended for adults age 50 or older, children, pregnant women, adults with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and lung disease, officials said.
They also said health-care workers and those who care for the chronically ill or young children, should also be vaccinated.
Information: (909) 868-0241.
Newly appointed Police Chief Dave Keetle will be sworn into his new post during Monday night's Pomona City Council meeting.
The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 505 S. Garey Ave.
City Council members approved Keetle's appointment on Sept. 21.
Six council members voted in favor of the appointment. Councilwoman Cristina Carrizosa abstained.
Keetle has been serving as interim chief since December following the retirement of Chief Joe Romero.
Women are being encouraged to take advantage of low-cost digital mammograms being offered this month by the Robert and Beverly Lewis Family Cancer Care Center at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center.
The service is being offered in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the hospital announced this week.
The service will be available for $50.
"In this uncertain economy we are very pleased to be able to offer this low-cost program to women who don't have or have lost their insurance coverage," Jan L. Eggleton, supervisor at the Breast Health Center in the hospital's Cancer Care Center, said in a hospital statement.
"Mammograms are the 'gold standard' for early detection of breast cancer when it is the most curable," Eggleton said.
To be eligible for the low-cost screening a woman must meet the following criteria:
- Age 40 or older.
- No breast implants.
- No history of breast cancer in the last five years.
- No current breast problems.
The low-cost mammograms will be available at three Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center health facilities in the region:
- The Breast Health Center, in the Robert and Beverly Lewis Family Cancer Care Center, 1910 Royalty Drive, Pomona
- The Pomona Valley Health Center at Claremont, 1601 Monte Vista Ave., Suite 107, Claremont
- Pomona Valley Imaging Center, in the Pomona Valley Health Center at Chino Hills, 2140 Grand Ave., Suite 11, Chino Hills
Exams must be completed by Oct. 31 with payment due at the time the service is provided.
Cash, check or credit card payment will be accepted.
Screenings require appointments. An appointment can be made by calling (909) 469-9395.
Vintage homes and the recently restored Fox Theater will be showcased during Pomona Heritage's 25th annual Home Tour on Oct. 18.
Five homes of various architectural styles will be part of the tour, according to a statement from the organization.
This is an opportunity for visitors to view the Fox Theater and have a tour led by docents who will offer guests information on the history and the restoration of the the Art Deco movie palace.
Advanced sale tickets are available for $20 each at the Pomona Ebell Museum of History, 585 E. Holt Ave.; Frantz Cleaners, 1490 N. Garey Ave.; the UPS Store, 101 W. Mission Blvd., Suite 110; and The Garden, 845 N. Garey Ave.
Tickets can also be purchased online by going to pomonaheritage.org.
Tickets will be sold the day of the tour for $25 each at the Ebell from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The tour will begin at the Ebell.
The homes and the Fox will open their doors to guests at 11 a.m. and close at 5 p.m.
Members of the Historical Society of Pomona Valley will sell boxed lunches at the Ebell.
Proceeds from the Home Tour will go to support Pomona Heritage's annual Old Home Restoration Workshop and its Historic Restoration Grant program.
For additional information, go to pomonaheritage.org or call (909) 238-8553.
Inland Valley Hope Partners will hold the 36th annual "Walk for the Hungary" on Oct. 11 at Chaffey High School, 1245 N. Euclid Ave., Ontario.
Proceeds from the benefit walk will go toward supporting the nonprofit's four food pantries, located in Pomona, Ontario, San Dimas and Claremont.
The pantries serve residents of eastern Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino County.
Collectively the pantries have provided food to more then 5,000 families per month this year, according to a statement from the organization.
The fundraising event will also help support the organization's family residential emergency shelter and its weekly farmers market in Pomona.
Registration for the walk will begin at noon with the 5K walk starting at 1 p.m.
In addition to the walk, family friendly activities will be offered, including face painting, a visit by Tremor, mascot for the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, along with members of the Ontario Fire Department.
Additional information on the walk is available at www.hope-partners.com or by calling (909)622-3806, ext. 242 or 231.
Cal Poly Pomona has been recognized for its efforts leading to more Latino students seeking bachelor's degrees in mathematics and science, staying in college and achieving graduation, the university announced this week.
Excelencia in Education has given its Examples of Excelencia award to Cal Poly's Science Educational Enhancement Services program, according to a university statement.
Excelencia in Education is a nonprofit that promotes policies and practices supporting higher educational achievement for Latino students.
Through this award Excelencia in Education highlights programs that assist Latino students to succeed in higher education, the statement said.
Information on the programs is then passed on to educators and policy-makers, the statement said.
The award comes with a $5,000 prize and a profile of the program that will be published in a publication of Excelencia in Education.
Cal Poly's program offers students access to mentors, academic excellence workshops and other opportunities.
Under-represented students who join the program as freshmen have a higher retention and graduation rate than those who don't take part in it, the statement said.
In addition, more then 65 percent of the students in the Science Educational Enhancement Services program, referred to as SEES, are Latino, the statement said.
"Colleges have a responsibility to help Latino students succeed," said Sarita Brown, president of Excelencia in Education.
SEES "is a program that we hope other colleges and universities around the country will be looking to as a model to adapt and replicate on their own campuses."
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