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San Bernardino County School Board District Members and Assemblymember Cheryl R. Brown gather for a group shot during the Grad Summit ceremony on Saturday, November 15. (Photo credit: Angela M. Coggs)

By Angela M. Coggs

On Saturday, November 15^th, Grad Summit 2014 was held at California State University, San Bernardino from 8:30am to 3:00pm. The event was organized by a coalition of local, state and national organizations that joined forces to make college and career readiness a core educational priority in San Bernardino.

The summit convened in partnership with America’s Promise Alliance and National GradNation Campaign and the San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) and CSUSB, among other groups, which was attended by parents, students, and community officials.

The primary goal of the National GradNation Campaign is to achieve a 90% graduation rate nationwide by 2020 with no high school graduating less than 80 percent of its students.

The summits goal is to build on dropout prevention efforts by elevating San Bernardino County-Wide efforts to link classroom innovation with career development to improve graduation rates and college/career readiness. The day-long summit featured inspirational speakers and dynamic workshop sessions that demonstrated rigorous academics emphasizing real-world application critical for college and career.

Dina Walker (Photo Credit:: Angela M. Coggs)

Officials in attendance included SBCUSD Superintendent Dr. Dale Marsden, SBCUSD Communications Director Linda Bardere, Superintendent Elect SBCS Ted Alejandre, CSUSB President Dr. Tomas D. Morales, SBCUSD Board President Mike Gallo, SBCUSD Board Member Abigail Medina, and Executive Director Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE) Rev. Samuel Casey.

Two SBCUSD students helped to kick off the morning with encouraging and inspirational words. Raihanah Medlock, Grand Terrace High School sophomore, recited an uplifting spoken word and Alexander Mattison, San Bernardino High School senior, also represented the student voice and challenged students to graduate from high school and to sign the pledge banner. His speech reverberated with the audience.

Dina Walker, newly elected member of the Rialto School Board and President/CEO of BLU Educational Foundation, was the moderator for the event.

“I thought the Summit was excellent. We had great buy-in from many community leaders, educational leaders, as well, parents and students. The connection for career and college was definitely evident. The feedback I received from some of the students was that they were very interested in everything especially about the entrepreneurship. It gave them ways to connect what they want to do and make money out of it. Even if they did not go onto college how they would be viable,” said Walker.

The keynote speakers, Eric Schmidt, Co-Founder of Exquadrum Inc. and Garner Holt, Garner Holt Productions, Inc. addressed the attendees with their inspirational stories of how their passion was realized at a young age and how they made a living from something the loved. Their message really resonated with the students, as well as the parents, in the audience. Walker agreed, “One of the things they (students) got out of the speakers today was taking their personal interest, even as a young person, and making into a business opportunity.”

Rev. Sam Casey with members of the SB County Sheriff Department (Photo Credit: Angela M. Coggs)

In addition to the speakers and the many valuable workshops, including Building Ideas for Teen Entrepreneurs, Career Pathway Success in Public Safety Academy, College Knowledge 101, and Building Ninjas Robots, there were vendors on hand with information and giveaways. Edison International representative, Wendell Jones, attended the summit to promote their 2015 Edison Scholars Program and was very impressed with the day-long event. “The Summit was amazing. It had a lot of valuable information for the students and the parents here. It was a great informational session and I look forward to being a part of it again next year.” Jones spoke to many students and parents about the scholarship opportunity from Edison in hopes to motivate them to apply for the program. “Edison is offering thirty (30) $40,000 scholarships to high school seniors looking to go into a four year university in an S.T.E.M (Science Technology Engineering and Math) program. They must live or go to school in an Edison region, have a 2.8 grade point average. The application pool was low last year and this is why I am out here and going to other events and schools and letting students know about this opportunity.”

Performances from local schools Richardson PREP Jazz Band, San Gorgonio High School Dance Group, and Arroyo Valley High School Dance Company in the afternoon were a real crowd pleaser. All the students put on a flawless routine and received standing ovations.

Brianna Robertson, 9^th grader from Cajon High School, was empowered after the Summit. “I was really surprised how much of a good time I had. I learned a few new things that will better prepare me for college. Plus, I had friends there and we will remind each other of what we learned and to stay on track. The school band, BSU dancers, lunch and raffle prizes made the day even better.” Robertson attended the event with her mother who was also a vendor. Devona Robertson is an engage mother of three, community leader, District African American Advisory Council (DAAAC) Officer and Vice President of Young Women’s Empowerment Foundation (YWE), signed the San Bernardino 2014 GradSummit Call to Action Pledge banner after accepting the challenge given to the educational leaders, parents/caregivers and students during the opening welcome and remarks.

As a growing movement of dedicated individuals, organizations and communities working together to end America’s dropout crisis, this day-long summit to help ensure that all students graduate from high school prepared for college and a career was a success.

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center has received the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines^®–Heart Failure Gold-Plus Quality Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology Foundation guidelines for heart failure patients.

This marks the sixth consecutive year that Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center has been recognized with a heart failure quality achievement award.

Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure is a quality improvement program that helps hospital teams provide the most up-to-date, research-based guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing hospital readmissions for heart failure patients.

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center earned the award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include proper use of heart failure medications, including beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, aldosterone antagonists, and diuretics while patients are in the hospital. Before patients are discharged, they also receive education on managing their heart failure and overall health, as well as referrals for early follow-up.

“Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is dedicated to improving the quality of care for our heart failure patients, and implementing the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure program helps us to accomplish this goal by tracking and measuring our success in meeting internationally-respected guidelines,” said Gregg C. Fonarow, M.D., director of the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center and co-chief of clinical cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

“We are pleased to recognize Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center for their commitment to heart failure care,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, M.D., M.P.H., national chairman of the Get With The Guidelines steering committee and Executive Director of Interventional Cardiovascular Programs at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. “Studies have shown that hospitals that consistently follow Get With The Guidelines quality improvement measures can reduce patients’ length of stays and 30-day readmission rates and also reduce disparity gaps in care.”

According to the American Heart Association, about 5.1 million people suffer from heart failure.  Each year, 825,000 new cases are diagnosed and more than 275,000 people will die of heart failure. However, many heart failure patients can lead a full life when their condition is managed with proper medications and devices and with healthy lifestyle changes.

About the UCLA Health System

The UCLA Health System has for more than half a century provided the best in health care and the latest in medical technology to the people of Los Angeles and the world. Comprising Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center; UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica; the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA; Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA; and the UCLA Medical Group, UCLA Health, with its wide-reaching system of primary care and specialty care offices throughout the region, is among the most comprehensive and advanced health care systems in the world. For information about clinical programs or help in choosing a personal physician, call 800-UCLA-MD1 or visit www.uclahealth.org.

About Get With The Guidelines

Get With The Guidelines^® is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s hospital-based quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 4 million patients since 2001. For more information, visit heart.org/quality or heart.org/myhealthcare.

Choir Director, Ayanna Smith (front, center), poses with the Park Avenue Baptist Church A.M. Simpson and Youth Choir during the Children’s Music Workshop in 2013.

RIVERSIDE, CA- Park Avenue Baptist Church presents it’s “1^st KIDZ Music Camp- Courageous, Contagious Praise!” This extraordinary camp will be held on Saturday, November 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the church which is located at 1910 Martin Luther King Blvd, in Riverside.

There will be offering workshops from highly skilled Christian musicians, dance instructors and voice coaches, and Marvina “Cooky” Levy will be making a special visit for the event.

Your children will be learning about basic music theory, liturgical dance, voice as well as how to play various musical instruments.  There will also be a bible class, arts and crafts and games.  This camp will give memories to the kids that will last a lifetime.  It plants seeds and inspires kids to use their music gift for God.  They get hands on experience on the instruments and are able to hear firsthand testimonies from Christian musicians. This will be a unique experience for the children to fellowship, learn and enjoy each other in a Christian environment.

They will culminate the camp with the Courageous, Contagious Praise Concert on Sunday, November 30 at 4 p.m.

“We are excited about what God has in store for this event! We pray that you will come and share in this awesome experience with us,” Ayanna Smith, choir director, said.

In addition to the festivities at Park Avenue, the church will also be celebrating their 99^th Anniversary on Sunday, November 16 at 3 p.m. The festivities for this year’s anniversary will be a lead up to the big centennial celebration which will be held in November 2015. Guests are welcome to bring their family and friends to both the afternoon service and morning service which starts at 10:45 a.m.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, Eta Nu Omega Chapter 2014/2015 Debutante Candidates

ONTARIO, CA- On Sunday, November 9, the ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Eta Nu Omega Chapter, Annette Weathington (President with The Inland Ivy Foundation), and Joyce Ballard held the “Timeless Elegance Through Timeless Pearlfection Fashion Show and Schloarship Benefit.” The event was held at the newly renovated Radisson Ontario Airport Hotel.

According to Ms. Twillea Evans-Carthen, Co-Chairman of the event, “This was not your typical fashion show! Ms. Kaylin Hart, Chairman along with her mother Ms. Tiena Johnson-Hall, Co-Chairman along with the fashion show committee ensured guests were welcomed with sweets from “Sweet T’s Equisite Candy and Dessert Buffet,” hors d’ oeuvres, door prizes and vendors to enjoy pre-holiday shopping before and after the fashion show presentation by Onlave Signature Productions and Franzine Beauty Management.”

The sorority’s 2014/2015 debutante candidates were on site to lend a helping hand along with students from Emerging Young Leaders (EYL) from Heritage Intermediate School.  Miss Charlisa Kelly, EYL student graced the audience with a musical selection prior to the fashion show. Also, special recognition was presented to the local chapters of The National Council of Negro Women, Option House, Incorporated, The Boys and Girls Club and United Negro College Fund.

Shown left to right are Chancellor Bruce Baron, President of the SBCCD Board of Trustees Donna Ferracone, 45 year employee of SBVC, Angelita Gideon, Dr. Gloria Fisher, interim president of SBVC and Dr. Cheryl Marshall, president of Crafton Hills College.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The San Bernardino Community College District employs more than 1,200 full and part-time employees on multiple sites stretched from the mountains outside Yucaipa to downtown San Bernardino. Last week, they came together to recognize 409 employees who each had worked for the District from 5 to 45 years – a collective total of more than 4,900 years of service to the students of the Inland Empire.

The District recognized 18 employees who have served the District from 30 to 45 years each and 25 who have been with the District for 25 years. Angelita Gideon, recipient of the 45 year award, is a supervisor in the San Bernardino Valley College library who came to the campus as a student, fell in love with the school, and stayed on. She said, “Every day is a wonderful day in the library. I love what I do and the people I work with and the students we serve.”

The San Bernardino Community College District is experiencing significant growth, with enrollment having jumped over 10 percent in the past year. The Board of Trustees for the District voted to fund an increased number of sections above the funding the District receives from the State of California to help meet the demand. They anticipate serving more students than ever before in the next few years.

Nichole Nordeman

LOMA LINDA, CA- This year’s seventh annual “ThankSharing” concert and food drive, sponsored by Loma Linda University Medical Center, will take place at the Packinghouse in Redlands on Friday, Nov. 14, beginning at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:00 p.m.

Award winning Christian music artist Nichole Nordeman will be the featured entertainer.  Her best-known songs include “Holy,” “Legacy,” “Brave” and “What If?”  In addition to her music career, Nordeman is also a recently published author.  Her book is entitled, “Love Story,” exploring pivotal moments of Scriptural characters.

The program will also feature local artists Roxie Jane and Khari Washington, as well as a 40-person youth choir, KAY-C. Details can be found at thanksharing.org.

Admission is free with donation of any non-perishable goods.

The Packinghouse is at 27165 W. San Bernardino Avenue in Redlands.  From I-10, take the Alabama Street exit north to San Bernardino Avenue and turn west. The church is on the left.

In addition to the food collected at the November 14 event, there are currently over 20 additional sites for donations. Donations will benefit the community through the ministry of three local food banks. For more information on the food drive and donations, contact Kathy McMillan at kmcmillan@llu.edu. Also find more information at www.thanksharing.org.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- For one day only, students can save a little extra change by riding OmniTrans for free on November 15. Download and print the pass below.

Omni Trans Free Pass

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- In appreciation for the contributions of the men and women who have served in our nation’s armed forces, Omnitrans is offering free bus rides to US military veterans on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11.

Veterans simply need to show retired military ID when boarding any Omnitrans route including the sbX rapid line, 215 freeway express, 25 local bus routes, or 5 OmniGo community shuttle routes. Acceptable veteran IDs include those issued by the US Department of Defense, Veterans Administration, and San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs.

Approximately 79,000 veterans reside in the Omnitrans service area of the San Bernardino Valley, stretching from Yucaipa in the east to the LA County line in the west. On January 5, 2015, Omnitrans will introduce a new reduced fare category for veterans.  “As part of our Veterans Day free ride offer, we hope to build awareness for the new fare and encourage veterans to get a retired military ID, if they don’t have one already,” said Omnitrans spokesperson Wendy Williams.

“Our veterans ID cards are offered to veterans with honorable military service at no charge and can be used to earn veteran discounts at over 1,000 local businesses,” said Bill J. Moseley, Director of San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs.  ID application information at http://hss.sbcounty.gov/va or 866-4SB-VETS (866-472-8387). Personalized trip planning assistance is available through the Omnitrans information center, at 800-9-OMNIBUS (800-966-6428), or online at www.omnitrans.org.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The 15th annual Cruizin E Street Veterans Day Parade and Car Show will be held Saturday, November 8. Activities take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and are free to the public.

The event includes a parade, a classic car show, exhibits and demonstrations, museum tours, musical entertainment, and food and merchandise vendors. The parade includes marching bands, vintage military vehicles, military marching units, classic cars and more. The Grand Marshall is Sgt. Pete Martinez, a Korean War combat veteran. Highlights of the parade are the beautifully restored military vehicles courtesy of the Inland Empire Military Vehicles Preservation Association.

The parade starts at 10 a.m. at San Bernardino High School, 1850 N. E St., and proceeds south on E Street, ending up at the site of the original McDonald’s located at 1398 N. E. Street in San Bernardino. There are two museums on the property: the Inland Empire Military Museum and the unofficial McDonald’s /Route 66 Museum.

Veteran organizations in the parade include The Catholic War Veterans Post 762, IE Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 47, Military Order of the Purple Heart and other VFW and American Legion Posts in the area. Following the parade, Veterans from all branches of the service who are present at Cruizin E will be honored.

More than 500,000 Medicare beneficiaries in Riverside and San Bernardino counties will have an additional option for accessing health care services. As of January 1, 2015, Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Advantage plans will be able to choose Loma Linda University Health as their primary and specialty care medical group. In 2015, UnitedHealthcare will be the only Medicare Advantage plan contracted with Loma Linda University Health, which provides access to hundreds of primary care physicians and specialists with expertise in a full spectrum of specialties at Loma Linda University Medical Center, as well as its centers of excellence, including the Proton Treatment Center, the Cancer Center and the International Heart Institute.

UnitedHealthcare members with questions about how this change affects them are advised to call the number on their member ID card. Beneficiaries can make changes to their Medicare coverage during the Open Enrollment Period, which began October 15 and ends December 7. (News report submitted by Casey Anderson on behalf of UnitedHealthcare).