July 2010 Archives
Don Keller tucked in a blue and gold uniform shirt nearly every week day - and many nights and weekends - for what he called his "dream job": Co-Principal of Millikan High School.
During his five years as co-principal, he wore the school colors with the same pride that he wore varsity football jersey number 48 as a member of Millikan's Class of 1968. "Once a Ram, always a Ram," he would say. Don retired recently from Millikan's co-principal position after 37 years in education.
"My favorite part of being a principal was having the opportunity to make Millikan better," Don says. "Having attended this school and being competitive by nature, I always strived to make Millikan the very best, and that was fun for me."
Don attended Lincoln and Emerson Elementary Schools, Stanford Middle School, Millikan High School, Long Beach City College, and Cal State Long Beach. He began his education career as a classroom aide at Edison and as a recreation director and Newcomb, Longfellow, and Signal Hill. A teacher, coach, and administrator, Don worked at campuses including Wilson, Newcomb, Lakewood, and Lindbergh. His storied career in Long Beach was interrupted by a stint as a Fountain Valley principal, but in 2000, he returned to Stanford Middle School, also his alma mater. He came home to Ram High in 2005.
Don's irrepressible sense of school spirit infused every inch of his beloved Millikan campus. Like a proud parent, he carried his digital camera everywhere to snap photos of his students, teachers, and parent volunteers. He loved to chronicle their Moore League titles, scholarships, and other achievements in more than 150 weekly Web articles.
He approached a middle school podium at eighth-grade recruitment nights with the same enthusiasm as graduation in Veteran's Stadium. He sang the words to "Hail Blue and Gold" along with the student chorus every time. He shared his photos and his list of the "top 10 things" about Millikan with anyone who would listen or look. They listened. They looked.
Recently more than 3,000 students applied to Millikan's magnet programs. More voices lifted up the spirit song he saved in his heart.
Snug in his navy blue sweatshirt with a letterman-styled "M," Don was confident people would love Ram High as much he did.
He was right.
Submitted by Katie Hickox,
Girl Scout Troop 5253 out of MacArthur Elementary School had a fun time spending the night at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. The girls learned about dinosaurs and sleeping in the North American animal room was a highlight. Pictured from left to right, back row, Zoe Farag, Karina Paylan, Annie Mason, Valentina Lane, Reyanna Watts, Delaney Russell. Left to right, front row, Alexis Watts and Ekaterina Lane. Submitted by Joan Russell
Lakewood
Lakewood
On a recent trip to Spain to visit our daughter Rebecca Gotz, who was spending the semester in Sevilla, we, Jon and Cindy Gotz, made a visit to Barcelona. This picture is taken in front of the most famous unfinished church in the world, La Sagrada Familia. The church was designed by the Spanish Architect Gaudi who died during early construction. With the Spanish Civil war ruining many of his models, they have been working for close to 100 years to rebuild his models and complete the church.For more on the church visit www.sagradafamilia.org/
Submitted by Jon Gotz
In April, Mike and Sheryl Shanks, Long Beach residents sense 1970, went on a cruise to Cozumel Mexico. We met Greg and Kay Bielman Greg, who grew up in Long Beach. Greg and Kay run a scuba dive villa in Cozumel.
In April, Annette and Glenn Groen and Doug and Linda Drummond visited the American Cemetery in northern France, where 9,386 Americans who died on the Normandy battlefield are buried.
Lynn and Jay Montoya of Long Beach vacationing at the Westin Lagunamar Resort in Cancun, Mexico in April.
Here are pictures from our last adventure to the Long Beach Dog Beach. Symba and Sophie enjoyed being buried and fell asleep as soon as they were covered in sand. We snuck a quick picture with our friends and their new pup Monroe. Symba and Sophie's sister Sydney got out of the water just in time to be apart of the picture with us! Symba, Sophie, and Sydney are at the beach every weekend. My pets are the coolest, they're game for just about anything!Submitted by Erica Harris-Olloque
Mark Bryan, front row in the white shirt crouching down, visited South Korea this summer with his dad, Herb Bryan, a Korean War Veteran, his mom, Gayle Bryan and a group of other local veterans and families from the Cerritos area. This picture shows them on their week long trip visiting Gyeongbok Palace. It was very hot there, but they were able to come together and take a photo with the Press-Telegram. It was a great trip hosted by the Sae Eden Church of Korea. Seoul is a very beautiful and modern city with tall buildings everywhere. We were all very sad to leave. I will always cherish this trip and how special we were treated. It was truly a trip of a lifetime.Submitted by Mark Bryan
Dianne Bradfield and Barbara Smith, retired teachers from John Marshall Middle School, recently traveled to Washington, DC with their husbands, Barry Bradfield and Mike Smith. While visiting the Supreme Court, they saw the statue of John Marshall, the Chief Justice of the United States from 1801 to 1835.
Long Beach residents, Juan and Stacie Manrique, recently went on their honeymoon to the U.S. Virgin Islands. In this picture, they are overlooking Coral Bay, St. John. The newspaper they are holding features their long time family friend, Andy Osman, as music teacher of the year.
Middle School students and parents from Cubberley School in Long Beach studied history while traveling in Jamestown, Williamsburg and Washington DC over their spring break. Here we are in front of the Capitol.Submitted by Kathy-Lee Miller
Thirty-eight students from Millikan High School's Compass program enjoyed a visit with the preschool children of the Comprehensive Child Development (CCD) Child Development Center at the Village at Cabrillo. It was the young children's opportunity to thank Mary Massich's economic class members. The class had adopted this CCD center as a project to learn about the needs of a charity organization, where their money comes from and how they get donated support. The students gathered many boxes of donated food and baby items as well as cash donations at the high school. They studied about this nonprofit agency, developed displays and planned an Open House event for the public to attend in January. The students were bright, well spoken and are definitely the leaders of tomorrow. The field trip on April 1st brought the class to meet the children whose lives their efforts have touched. The children broke a piñata, which showered the ground with handmade "thank you" notes made by the preschool children, who gathered them up and ran to give one to each student. No one on the playground left with his or her heart untouched.
For more information about CCD, go to www.ccdlb.org.
Submitted by Louise Cunningham
Development Director
Development Director
The Jerome Richardson scholarship was set up in 1988 in memory of Jerome Richardson, a 1986 Poly High School graduate and Long Beach City College student, who was killed in 1987.
Today, 22 years later, the scholarship is committed to encourage and award students who are socially conscientious, morally and spiritually focused and academically sound.
Lolisa BoykinChrist Full Gospel Church, Los Angeles
Centennial High School, Compton
GPA: 3.10
Prospective College: Cal State Univeristy, Dominguez Hills
or Tuskegee University
Major: Biology
Caleb FarmerVictory Christian Church, Los Angeles
Crenshaw High School, Los Angeles
GPA: 3.87
Prospective College: Morehouse College
Major: Biology (pre-med) and Psychology
Darrell PattersonWestside Baptist Church, Long Beach
Long Beach Poly High School
GPA: 3.14
Prospective College: Cal State University Long Beach
Major: Environmental Science/Environmental Engineering
Shannon PennVictory Christian Church, Los Angeles
Crenshaw High School, Los Angeles
GPA: 3.73
Prospective College: San Jose State University or Tuskegee University
Major: Kenisiology/Sports Medicine
Robert WilliamsChrist Second Baptist, Long Beach
Long Beach Poly High School
GPA: 3.38
Prospective College: Morehouse University or
Cal State University, San Diego
Major: Pre Law or Business Administration
From left, Thomas La Rocque, Tom La Rocque, Lt. Michael La Rocque and Alan La Rocque Sr.Michael La Rocque, grandson of long time residents Alan and Kathryn La Rocque, graduated in the top 20 percent of his class at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point on May 22nd. The proud grandparents have lived at the same Lakewood address for over 55 years, where they raised four children, Alana, Linda, Alan Jr. and Tom. Michael La Rocque, the youngest son of Tom, also received his commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army.
Alan La Rocque Sr. was thrilled to attend the graduation ceremony. The commencement address was delivered by President Barack Obama who personally congratulated each graduate as they received their diplomas.
Michael will be stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky, prior to attending jump school and ranger training. Upon returning to California, the family received confirmation that Michael's brother Thomas La Rocque has been accepted to Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia. There will be two U.S. Army officers in the family next year. Friends and family are extremely proud of both of these young men and wish them good luck as they begin their service to our country.
Both our songleading squad and cheerleading squad won first place national titles at USA spirit nationals comeptition USA Spirit Nationals in Anaheim on March 26-28, 2010. The Songleading squad won their 6th national title in seven years. It was the first time in Cerritos history that our cheerleading squad won nationals. Our cheerleaders also won a state title at King of the Bleachers in Long Beach on February 28th.Submitted by Jennifer Dorosky
Cerritos High School Pep Squad Advisor
Cerritos High School Pep Squad Advisor
Larry and Judy Dearing of Long Beach visited the Bangkapi District of Bangkok from March 6 to April 4, 2010. We were teaching English at the Santisuk English School.
Mollie Matthews of Alta Loma, Gretchen Cacciotti of Lakewood, Kathy Mahaffey of Altadena, Nancy Ondeck of Long Beach, and Barbara Miller of San Marino traveled to Da Tan La Waterfall in Da Lat, Vietnam.
Mary Utha, a resident of Los Angeles and a native of Thailand came to California with her husband Smitty Bortat over 49 years ago.In her younger years she work as a professional nurse and served in the community working at local convalescent hospitals and home day care. Now retired, she lives at home in Los Angeles.
She has been attending Memorial Day services at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Long Beach for more than a decade. This year, Utha won the event's raffle.
"It is a joy to come and attend this wonderful service, always very well presented, they provide us with free drinking water and ice cream which I love very much," she said.
"When (the)Forest Lawn representative called I couldn't believe it; I was a real winner. My husband did not believe it either, until we confirmed it was real; Forest Lawn made it possible. Thank you Forest Lawn Memorial."
Lote Kinney, far right and his wife, Audrey along with Arturo Alarcon and Letty Pena traveled to Tamarindo, Costa Rica for great surfing and some wild inland zip lining.
Mike Newey of Naples Island and Debbie Coleman of Rossmore, in front of the King Hassan II Mosk in Casablanca. 
Elvin Greenhagen of Long Beach in San Pedro Altacam Chile
Long Beach family Dan and Renee Stoeckle, both 34, and their kids Wyatt, 11, Juliette, 4, and Aidan, 2.In February, we were treated to a wonderful VIP day with the London Pass after we unknowingly purchased the one-millionth sight-seeing pass online before our trip. We had planned on using the London Pass to see the sights while we visited my parents outside of London. Last year, we bought two-day passes during our visit and had great time, although we felt two days really wasn't enough time to see everything we wanted to see, so this year we bought the 6-day passes.
We feel that history and culture are important and we wanted to show the kids different ways of living. In London, we loved to show them art, museums, have them eating different foods - and wanted to feel that the kids got a good cultural experience. Heritage is important to learn and to experience first-hand instead of reading about it in a book and the London Pass was the best way to see the sites, visit attractions and experience all London has to offer in a short amount of time.
We had an absolutely amazing day and really couldn't believe our luck. We bought a London Pass the last time we visited because it offers great value and gives you the ability to plan in advance, so we thought we'd take the opportunity to see even more of London this time. But we certainly never dreamed we'd get the full VIP treatment.
We were given the use of our very own London black taxi and cabby for the day as we fed giraffes at ZSL London Zoo and had the opportunity to raise the lever to bring the city to a standstill by lifting the Tower Bridge. We were treated to a special lunch at the Hard Rock Café, which included a private tour of their Vault, and we even got the chance to channel our inner rock star!
We ended our day with the Beefeaters at The Tower of London in the historic Ceremony of the Keys. It truly was an amazing experience.
Geographic Bee SemifinalistAndrew Schaeffer, an 8th grader at St. Joseph elementary, was notified by the National Geographic Society that he was one of 100 semi-finalists in the 2010 California Geographic Bee. He began his journey by winning the school geography bee at St. Joseph Elementary school where he bested nine other students in a competition in front of the entire student body. Following his school win, Andrew took a qualifying test which was submitted to the National Geographic Society. Andrew's performance on the qualifying test placed him in the top 100 in the state and earned him a trip to Sacramento.
According to his father, Dave Schaeffer, the 'map gene' runs in the Schaeffer family. Andrew's grandfather was a navigator with American Airlines before computers, when maps and geography were used to locate a destination.
"It doesn't surprise me that Andrew would be the first student ever from our school to qualify for the state level of competition," said Erin Wright, a Social Studies teacher at St. Joseph. "He is one of our top students and does well retaining his composure under pressure."
The 2010 California Geographic Bee was held at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento on April 9. The state winner received $100, the "National Geographic Collegiate Atlas of the World," and a trip to Washington, D.C., to represent California in the national finals in May. The national winner received a $25,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. In addition, the national winner will travel to the Galapagos Islands to experience geography firsthand. Unfortunately, Andrew did not make it to the finals, but he represented his school beautifully.
For additional information the National Geographic Bee please visit www.nationalgeographic.com/geographicbee.
Submitted by Nancy Cusato-Gallegos
Standing, left to right: Mike Kimmel, Tip Kiker, Roy Welty and Ron Diecidue. Seated, Robert "Sarge" Bentley, whose birthday was May 14.What better place to celebrate my husband, Robert "Sarge" Bentley's, 93rd birthday than with his neighbors in his Los Altos backyard? Sarge has Alzheimer's, and these neighborhood gentlemen help me when I need something done around the house to make life easier for us. These special guys can fix almost anything and will come at a moment's notice. They help me care for my husband if needed, and they won't accept anything other than chocolate chip cookies in return. We have lived in our house since 1953, and are blessed with great neighbors and their families. This neighborhood is like one big family, and I want to thank all of them for all they do to make our street the richest, most special place in Long Beach.
Submitted by Eileen Bentley
Long Beach
Long Beach
This is a my cat Chovie. My brother-in-law found him when he was kitten on a boat in Huntington Beach. He is 13-years-old. He loves life and reading a book every now and then. He's a great cat and we love him. Submitted by Tina Marie Givens
My grandson James Pacheco of Lakewood brings me so much joy and happiness. He is very sports motivated. His soccer team just finished the Cal-South National Cup Championship and won first place! Alyssa, Joey, Kaylee, and Jayden also bring me great joy! I am so very thankful!! Lucky Lakewood Grandma,
Mary Lou Bastieri
Mary Lou Bastieri
Wayne McEwan of Lake Forest, Steve Sellers of Rossmoor, Sandee McEwan of Lake Forest, Sandra Sherrard of Huntington Beach, Natalie Sellers of Rossmoor, John O'Neil, Miriam Kelley, Aya O'Neil, and Hy Kelley all of Seal Beach on the Malecón in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Theatre aficionados Debby Griffin, Don Griffin, and Lucy Daggett of Long Beach and Allen Cagle of Whittier thoroughly enjoyed a recent winter theatre tour in London, England. In nine days they saw 12 productions, including a new revival of the Lionel Bart musical "Oliver!" at the famous Drury Lane Theatre in the West End. Though they were in London during the coldest winter in 30 years, it made for virtually no lines at London tourist attractions and it certainly freed up great seats at the theatre.
In March, Rob and Nancy Johnson of Cypress visited their daughter Liz Johnson, who is studying at Freie University Berlin. They visited the Berlin Wall, Sans Souci in Potsdam, Munich, Prague, Vienna and Salzburg.Submitted by Rob Johnson
