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Do you have a special talent you’d like to share with the community? The San Bernardino County Fair is seeking competitive entries for categories including fine arts, wood carving, photography, ceramics, cooking, and much more! Deadline to apply is April 15. The fair will run May 28-June 5 at the Fairgrounds in Victorville. Learn more and apply here.

HESPERIA, CA— Several law enforcement agencies, including Hesperia Police, Victorville Police and CHP Victorville attended Hesperia Christian School’s First Responder Day last week. It was so wonderful to see deputies interacting with the students and inspiring them to pursue careers in public safety!

Easter will be celebrated on April 17 this year, and the First District is planning several fun family activities to honor the occasion.

In Apple Valley, don’t miss the annual Easter Egg Hunt and Eggstravaganza on April 16 at the James Woody Community Center. The event will include an egg hunt, food, games and more. For more information, call (760) 240-7880.

Town of Apple Valley will host its Bunny Run 5K and 10K at 7 a.m. April 16. The event will kick off at the James Woody Park and Community Center at 13467 Navajo Road. For more information, call (760) 240-7880 or visit them online.

Burning Bush Church will host a community event in Victorville from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 16. All are welcome to enjoy free bounce houses, games, food, music, covid testing (with a free gift card for everyone who tests), vaccinations (with free food from a food truck), a photo booth, and vendors. For more information, please call (760) 241-6221 or visit them online.

Calico Ghost Town’s Easter Celebration returns to Yermo on Sunday, April 17. Guests can enjoy photos with the Easter Bunny and a special pancake breakfast with eggs and bacon at the Calico House Restaurant. Learn more by calling 760-254-1123 or visit them online.

City of Victorville will host its annual Spring Festival on April 16 at Hook Park. Visitors can enjoy egg hunts (for kids 3-9 and special needs families), a kids zone, carnival games, visits with the Easter Bunny, vendors and more. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 14973 Joshua Street. For more information, call (760) 245-5551 or visit them online.

Hesperia Recreation and Park District will host its Kids Easter Egg Hunt at 10 a.m. April 16 at Hesperia Community Park, located at 10200 Datura Road. In addition to the egg hunt, guests can enjoy bounce houses, carnival games, car show, vendor booths, food trucks and photos with the Easter Bunny. For more information, call (760) 244-5488 or visit them online.

High Desert Second Chance is hosting its annual Easter celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 16. Enjoy free family activities, giveaways and prizes, and a classic car show and contest. The event will take place at 16666 Smoke Tree Street, Building B4, Hesperia. Public parking is available on Chestnut, C Avenue and Smoke Tree streets. For more information, call 442-267-4444.

The San Bernardino County Workforce Development and Victor Valley College are teaming up to host an Industrial Maintenance Mechanic Job Fair on April 14. Planned from 10:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., the event will include the following employers: Mitsubishi, Rio Tinto, Arden Companies, Robertson’s Ready Mix, UFI, Tree Island Wire, Amazon, CEMEX and CalPortland. The event will take place at 13313 Sabre Boulevard, Suite 2, Victorville. Register here.

LOS ANGELES, CA— PAFF announced the full lineup for the 30th annual Pan African Film & Arts Film Festival, the largest Black film festival in America, taking place April 19 – May 1, 2022. This year the festival will make its return to the Cinemark Baldwin Hills for in-person screenings, featuring over 200 films from 55 countries, in 18 languages, including 58 World and 32 North American premieres.  Of the films selected for the festival, 46% are helmed by female, queer, or non-binary filmmakers, and 80% are directed by filmmakers of African descent.  Many titles will also be available virtually for in-home screenings via the festival’s streaming platform Eventive to audiences worldwide.

The Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza will once again host its renowned Artfest, featuring over 100 established and emerging fine artists and quality craftspeople from all over the Black Diaspora.  Festival Passes and individual tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.paff.org.

BIG NIGHTS

The 30th Pan African Film & Arts Festival opens Apr. 19 at the Directors Guild of America with REMEMBER ME, a poignant look into the life and rise of gospel singer Mahalia Jackson and starring Grammy-winning singer Ledisi. The Centerpiece presentation are the winning films from the JOHN SINGLETON SHORT FILM COMPETITION.  Inspired by the legacy of the late Los Angeles-born legendary African American filmmaker, John Singleton, the competition is the result of a partnership between the City of Los Angeles and PAFF under L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson’s embRACE L.A. initiative and is designed to honor Singleton’s cinematic legacy while simultaneously celebrating his unapologetic approach to filmmaking. The Festival will also host the premiere of FX Network’s hotly anticipated “Snowfall” Season 5 finale and Showtime’s “The Man Who Fell From Earth,” starring Chiwetel Ejiofo. The full schedule is available in the online Festival Program.

Click here to download PAFF’s 2022 Quick Facts and Highlights

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS

7,200 miles away from Los Angeles in Ougadodo, Burkina Faso, the idea to showcase Black film and filmmakers in Los Angeles was born. It was 1989, the 20th anniversary of FESPACO also known as The Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou, the largest film festival in Africa. There, Ayuko Babu, Danny Glover (The Color Purple, Lethan Weapon), and others with the help of then-Chairman of the U.S. Subcommittee on Africa Rep. Mervyn Dymally and Burkina Faso President Blaise Compaoré conceived a plan to bring African cinema to the U.S. Thirty years later, the Pan African Film Festival (PAFF), is still going strong and is the largest Black film festival in America.

Ticketing
Festival Passes and individual tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at www.paff.org.

Festival Sponsors and Partners
PAFF is sponsored in part by the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell through the Department of Arts and Culture, LA Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson, LA Councilmember Curren Price, LA Councilmember Herb Wesson, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, LA Arts COVID-19 Relief Fund with the California Community Foundation, and the LA County COVID-19 Arts Relief Fund administered by the LA County Department of Arts and Culture.

The 30th Pan African Film & Arts Festival’s sponsors include major Festival sponsors: Stocker Street Creative, FX Networks, and Glassdoor.

 

About the Pan African Film & Arts Festival  

Established in 1992 by Hollywood veterans Danny Glover (The Color Purple, Lethal Weapon), the late Ja’Net DuBois (“Good Times”), and Ayuko Babu (Executive Director), the Pan African Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that has remained dedicated to the promotion of Black stories and images through the exhibition of film, visual art, and other creative expression. PAFF is one of the largest and most prestigious Black film festivals in the U.S. and attracts local, national, and international audiences. In addition, it is an Oscar-qualifying festival for animation and live-action films, and one of the largest Black History Month events in America.

For media inquiries please contact press@paff.org.

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2022 PAFF MEDIA
CREDENTIALS APPLICATION

 

 

2022 PAFF TALENT SUBMISSIONS APPLICATION

 

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The 32nd Annual San Bernardino County History Day competition featured more than 110 projects from nearly 180 participating students this year. The winners were honored during a virtual awards ceremony held on March 10.

 

“I applaud all the students involved in this year’s San Bernardino County History Day,” said County Superintendent Ted Alejandre. “They exemplify our best and brightest, and they’ve worked diligently to research local, national and worldwide events in preparation for this competition.”

 

History Day is an interdisciplinary program that encourages students to increase their knowledge of history through classroom activities within the content and process of social studies and language arts curriculum. This year’s theme was “Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences.” 

 

History Day provides students an opportunity to compete in a variety of categories within three divisions:

·  Elementary (grades four through five) 

·  Junior (grades six through eight) 

·  Senior (grades nine through 12) 

 

The elementary division competes in the poster and podcast categories.

 

Both junior and senior divisions compete in exhibit, podcast, documentary, performance, website and research paper categories. Submissions are judged by historians, educators and other professionals in related fields.

 

Participating school districts include: 

·      Adelanto Elementary

·      Barstow Unified

·      Central School District

·      Chaffey Joint Union High

·      Cucamonga 

·      Hesperia Unified

·      San Bernardino City Unified

·      Snowline Joint Unified

·      Upland Unified

·      Victor Valley Union High

 

Individual and group qualifiers will advance to the upcoming California History Day competition in May. 

 

2022 San Bernardino County History Day Champions:

 

Elementary Division

Poster, Individuals

·       Alanis Acuna – Cucamonga Elementary School, Cucamonga School District

·       Ariana Nares – Victoria Magathan Elementary School, Adelanto Elementary School District

·       Oliver Nieto – Victoria Magathan Elementary School, Adelanto Elementary School District

 

Poster, Groups

·       Juliet Araujo, Jay’Len Dews – Cucamonga Elementary School, Cucamonga School District

·       Lizette Acosta, Mariah Bautista, Alissa Garcia, Tajhe Thomas – Victoria Magathan Elementary School, Adelanto Elementary School District

·      Madrid Carcano, Ailani Garcia Mendoza – Cucamonga Elementary School, Cucamonga School District

 

Junior Division 

Documentary, Individuals

·       Jennifer Camacho Duenas – Cucamonga Middle School, Central School District

 

Exhibit, Individuals

·       Emma Aldrete – Cesar E. Chavez Middle School, San Bernardino City Unified School District

·       Sebastian Gutierrez – Lenwood Elementary School, Barstow Unified School District

·       Logan Loya – Cesar E. Chavez Middle School, San Bernardino City Unified School District

 

Historical Paper, Individuals

·       Anamarie Garay – Cesar E. Chavez Middle School, San Bernardino City Unified School District

·       Heather Kohler – Cobalt Institute of Math and Science, Victor Valley Union High School District

·       Leah Todd – Cobalt Institute of Math and Science, Victor Valley Union High School District

 

Performance, Individuals

·       Alina Hazen – Pinon Mesa Middle School, Snowline Joint Unified School District

 

Podcast, Individuals

·       Genesis Caro – Pinon Mesa Middle School, Snowline Joint Unified School District

·       Riley Hunter – Pinon Mesa Middle School, Snowline Joint Unified School District

·       Zayda Mercado – Cobalt Institute of Math and Science, Victor Valley Union High School District

 

Website, Individuals

·       Matthew Martin – Pinon Mesa Middle School, Snowline Joint Unified School District

·       Lucas Schultz – Cesar E. Chavez Middle School, San Bernardino City Unified School District

 

Documentary, Groups

·       Subhan Ahmad, Babur Barakzai, Kaden Batcheller, Hajed Bhri, Nebiy Habtie – Cucamonga Middle School, Central School District

·       Andrea Mejia Flores, Norah Gallegos, Allison Jimenez-Galvan – Lenwood Elementary School, Barstow Unified School District

·       Kiara Mann, Violet Valdez – Lenwood Elementary School, Barstow Unified School District

 

Exhibit, Groups

·       Izabella Cachora, Jamyah Lindsay – Lenwood Elementary School, Barstow Unified School District

·       Aubrey Chavez, Kendra Cloyd – Lenwood Elementary School, Barstow Unified School District

·       Vincent Felix, Miguel Lucero, Amari Newton, Angel Silva – Lenwood Elementary School, Barstow Unified School District

 

Podcast, Groups

·       Benjamin Lopez-Lobos, Matthew Rosales – Cesar E. Chavez Middle School, San Bernardino City Unified School District

 

Website, Groups

·       Violet Figueroa, Madelyn Sweda – Cucamonga Middle School, Central School District

·       Jaiden Hunter, Chloe Millet – Lenwood Elementary School, Barstow Unified School District

 

Senior Division

Historical Paper, Individuals

·       Jairus Ah Ching – Barstow High School, Barstow Unified School District

·       Annalise Delgado – Chaffey High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District

·       Justin Jaramillo – Barstow High School, Barstow Unified School District

 

Documentary, Individuals

·       Jaden Dominguez – Etiwanda High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District

·       Maximus Hernandez – Cobalt Institute of Math and Science, Victor Valley Union High School District

·      David Zavala – Barstow High School, Barstow Unified School District

 

Exhibit, Individuals

·       Sandra Martinez Rivera – Oak Hills High School, Hesperia Unified School District

·       Danielle Mitchell – Oak Hills High School, Hesperia unified School District

·       William Ortega – Chaffey High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District

 

Performance, Individuals

·       Elizabeth “Snow” Cameron – Upland High School Upland Unified School District

 

Podcast, Individuals

·       Julia Ann “Ell” Escano – Upland High School, Upland Unified School District

·       Miko Duterte – Upland High School, Upland Unified School District

·       Luke Tan – Chaffey High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District

 

Website, Individuals

·       Angela Liu – Upland High School, Upland Unified School District

·       Adrianna Rios – Cobalt Institute of Math and Science, Victor Valley Union High School District

·       Tania Torres-Gomez – Chaffey High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District

 

Documentary, Group

·       Alison Goetz, Julia Mendoza, Alexandra Ruel – Upland High School, Upland Unified School District

·       Kayla Logan, Emily McConnell – Upland High School, Upland Unified School District

·       Martin Shiekh, Oliver Shiekh – Upland High School, Upland Unified School District

 

Exhibit, Group

·       Christina Godinez, Christian Gonzalez, Steven Guevara – Oak Hills High School, Hesperia Unified School District

·       Denise Hernandez, Marbella Santiago – Chaffey High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District

·       Sarah Thomas, Emily Wright, Jessica Zapata – Upland High School, Upland Unified School District

 

Podcast, Group

·       Jazmin Gonzalez, Christopher Hartman – Upland High School, Upland Unified School District

 

Website, Group

·       Chloe Butarbutar, Monique Robles – Upland High School, Upland High School District

·       Harrison Cameron, Thomas Chang – Upland High School, Upland Unified School District

·       Lila Hernandez, Marco Hernandez, Aliitasi Josephine Lealofi, Leslei Minguela Navarro, Hailey Stradling – Barstow High School, Barstow Unified High School

 

For more news and information, visit the SBCSS Newsroom and follow us @SBCountySchools onFacebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.#transforminglives.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY— The First District office was pleased to award three $500 scholarships to deserving High Desert seniors during this week’s State of Education event at the Victorville Conference Center.

Hosted by the Greater High Desert Chamber of Commerce, the event celebrated the many accomplishments of their county schools over the past year.

Constituent Services Director Samuel Shoup was pleased to honor the following seniors with $500 scholarships on behalf of our San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors First District Office. The funds will go toward the schools of their choice.

• Samantha Allen of Oak Hills High School is graduating with a 4.0 GPA. Favorite quote: “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” – Forrest Gump
• Daniel Orellana of Apple Valley High School is also graduating with a 4.0 GPA. Favorite quote: “Reach for the stars so if you fall, you land on a cloud.” – Kanye West
• Emilia Yuja Matute of University Preparatory, is graduating with a 4.0 GPA. Favorite quote: “An action is worth more than a thousand words.” – Emilia Yuja Matute

A total of 27 scholarships were presented during the ceremony. Additional recipients included Ryleigh Ades, Navaho Augsburger, Tayler Avila, Ashely Awad, Sage Ginorio, Christopher Grantham, Isabella Jackson, Caitlynn Kelly, Jacob Kleinsmith, Anna Komonita, Regan Lafever, Matthew Miura, Stephanie Montealegre, Elshaddai Netsereab, Enrique Ordinal, Amara Pszoniak, Max Quijada, Bibianna Rodrigues, Gabriel Soto, Alexis Suttle, Stephenie Udeze, Brianna Vazquez, Veronica Vazquez, and Sara Wahl.

REDLANDS, CA—- Jalani Bakari and Janice Rooths were in the studio discussing Will and Chris at the Oscars with Empire Talks Back (ETB) host Wallace Allen on the April 3 edition of the radio broadcast.

Jalani and Janice are both Community Activists, Equity Advocates, and National Influencers who reside and work in the Riverside area.

ETB is broadcast each Sunday morning at 10 a.m. on KCAA 1050 AM radio. The program streams live video via http://www.kcaaradio.com.  The Empire Talks Back archive is available on all podcast sites as well as YouTube. Just ask for Empire Talks Back. If you would like to be a guest on ETB, call WssNews at (909) 384-8131.

MORENO VALLEY, CA— Learn how to create a soil amendment that’s waste free and great for gardens! On Saturday, April 2, the Riverside County Department of Waste Resources will host a free backyard composting and vermicomposting class at our headquarters in Moreno Valley (14310 Frederick Street).

Learn how to recycle organic resources, such as yard trimmings, as well as fruit and vegetable waste into a dark, crumbly, sweet-smelling soil conditioner called compost. If you don’t have yard trimmings, or lack suitable space to compost, vermicomposting is a fantastic alternative that can be done in an empty plastic bin, bucket, or kitty litter container.

Composting is nature’s way of recycling. It’s a great way to turn waste into a garden. In composting, organic material is mixed together in a pile or bin, where literally millions of tiny microbes digest the material and turn it into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. Vermicomposting puts worms to work, as red wigglers will break down organic waste, such as apple cores and melon rinds, and turn them into a nutrient-rich byproduct called worm castings. The free class covers both composting and vermicomposting, with composting starting at 9:00 am and vermicomposting starting at 10:00 am.

If attendees would like to put the principles taught in the class into practice, compost and vermicomposting bins are available for purchase at the end of the class. These bins are only available for purchase by Riverside County residents and have a limit of three per household.  Credit card or cash payment only, no personal checks are accepted.

The class is free and will end by 11 a.m. The class will be held outdoors in our resource garden, so dress to accommodate current weather conditions.  Attendees will need to observe social distancing during the class.  These programs are offered to educate residents about the ease and advantages of organic material recycling and how composting preserves valuable space in county landfills.

For more information, call (951) 486-3200  or visit  www.rcwaste.org/classes

SACRAMENTO, CA— According to a 2019 PPIC report, only 13% of community college freshmen earn their associate degree within two years. While these rates partly reflect the diversity of student goals, only about 48 percent of students aiming to receive an associate degree or certificate do so within six years.

In response to these findings, Assembly Majority Leader Eloise Gómez Reyes (D-Colton) introduced AB 2738: The Community Colleges Completion Act. This bill requires California Community Colleges (CCC) to reduce time to degree completion by increasing data transparency, publishing course schedules, and providing the classes necessary for students to complete their associate degrees or certificates within two years.

“Our community colleges play a key role in connecting California students, especially first-generation college students and those from low-income backgrounds to well-paying careers and four-year universities,” shared Majority Leader Reyes. “But two-year completion rates remain low, especially for our Latino and Black students. AB 2738 supports students’ goals of earning their degrees and certificates within two years by requiring colleges to take concrete steps to make this timeline possible.”

Completion rates vary by racial and ethnic groups and are particularly low for students of color. For example, while 78% of Latino students enroll with the goal of attaining a two-year degree or transferring to a four-year institution, two-thirds take six or more years to transfer.

Many students struggle to complete within two years, sometimes because of how difficult it is to plan their course schedules. While degree requirements are specified in course catalogs, students must often choose between hundreds of courses offered at inconsistent times and intervals. This makes it especially difficult for students with obligations outside of school, such as work or family, to plan for and complete their degrees.

“Because there is very little momentum through the community college pipeline, most California Community College students, especially those who are Latino, are being denied an opportunity for upward social mobility,” said Jose Fierro, President/Superintendent at Cerritos College and CALCCTA  President. “AB 2738 is a data-driven, innovative effort to close equity gaps by increasing degree and transfer rates for students of color across the State of California, and is an essential step towards equitable economic vitality.”

“The urgency to help students get ahead educationally and economically has never been greater,” said Dr. Scott W. Thayer, Interim President of San Bernardino Valley College. “With direct student support, guided academic and career pathways, state investment in community colleges, and AB 2738, we will ensure more community college students get to the finish line of their college and career goals.”

AB 2738 requires California Community Colleges to take action to reduce time to completion for students. This bill will increase transparency of data surrounding completion rates and ensure colleges develop plans to make two-year completion an achievable goal for all students.