SAN BERNARDINO, CA—- San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) is proud to recognize the 22 salutatorians graduating in the Class of 2022. Earning the rank of salutatorian is a sign that a student has the drive and dedication to succeed in college and beyond.

Erika Alfaro is graduating as salutatorian from Cajon High School with a 3.9 unweighted G.P.A. She is on her way to UC Berkeley to study society and environment after enjoying a busy high school life filled with varsity soccer, Best Buddies, and Speech and Debate Team. Erika said the teacher who had the greatest impact on her education was Mark Stowitts. Erika said, “His abilities as a coach and teacher are amazing. Being a part of his program was nothing short of inspirational.”

Cajon salutatorian Aisha Ashamu managed to maintain a 4.78 weighted G.P.A. while also participating in girls’ tennis, National Honor Society, Best Buddies, Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council, NMS 100, International Baccalaureate (IB) League, and California Scholarship Federation. She was accepted to UCLA, UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara, and University of San Francisco, but she has decided to attend UC Berkeley, where she will be majoring in Psychology.

Indian Springs High School salutatorian Fernando “Ferny” Cruz Rodriguez is off to study pre-law at the University of Redlands after a high school career of tennis, cross country, Best Buddies, Calculus Club, Psychology Club, AVID and study habits that earned him a 3.98 unweighted G.P.A.

Nathaniel Gallardo will be going from a hawk to a bear when he graduates from Arroyo Valley High School (AVHS) as salutatorian with a 3.97 unweighted G.P.A. and enrolls at UC Berkeley. He had his choice of colleges, including UC Davis and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, but this member of the high school cross country, basketball and track teams decided to study political science at UC Berkeley.

Cajon’s Jazmin Garache is another SBCUSD salutatorian headed to UC Berkeley. Her 4.7 weighted G.P.A. and extracurricular activities like marching, concert, and jazz band; SB Percussion; Best Buddies; Nojac; Latino Student Union; and National Honor Society had many schools interested, including Cal Poly Pomona, UC San Diego, and UC Irvine.

San Gorgonio High School (San G) salutatorian Isabel “Izzy” Guadalajara is aiming for a career as a criminal lawyer and eventually a judge. She’s already shown she has the dedication to do whatever she puts her mind to through her participation in varsity basketball, SBCUSD Honor Orchestra, Academic Decathlon, ALA Girls’ State Delegate, and string quintet while maintaining a 4.0 unweighted G.P.A. Izzy said her orchestra teacher, John Brannon, taught her “there is always room for positivity and growth, and that I should never falter but keep pushing forward.”

Middle College High School (MCHS) salutatorian Adrianna Gutierrez is reaching for the stars, both with her 4.65 weighted G.P.A. and her goal of becoming an aerospace engineer. She was accepted to UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, and Illinois Institute of Technology, but she has decided to study at Iowa State University.

Fifth-grade teacher Cheryl Pester-Ayala had the greatest impact on Mireya Gutierrez’s education. “She knew what I was capable of and believed in me,” Mireya said. “She showed me how to be brave and once told me that I was going to be successful.” And Mireya has proven those words true as the Pacific High School salutatorian, who will graduate with a 3.93 unweighted G.P.A. and a spot at UCLA to study for a career in social work.

National Honor Society, varsity volleyball, varsity water polo, Calculus Club, Rotary LIFE, and Key Club were just a few of salutatorian Jordan “Jordy” Kam’s extracurricular activities at San G. That and his 4.72 weighted G.P.A. were more than enough to get him accepted to Cal Poly Pomona, CSUSB, UC Davis, and San Diego State University, but Jordy will be heading to UC Berkeley in the fall to study aerospace engineering.

San Bernardino High School (SBHS) salutatorian Raul Lozano has an impressive 4.0 unweighted G.P.A. and participated in soccer and robotics. He was accepted to UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, Arizona State University, and Redlands University, but Raul has decided to make UC Irvine his home in the fall as he studies biology.

When AVHS salutatorian Leticia “Leti” Morales-Ruiz heads off to UC Irvine in the fall, she will be leaving behind the Young Legislators, Best Buddies, Students for Change, Club de Español, AP Calculus Club, and the 4.8 weighted G.P.A. she worked so hard for, but she’ll be gaining knowledge in the field of computer science in preparation for a successful career.

It was third-grade teacher Lidia Wandrie who taught salutatorian Emma Nikol that there was more to school than simply showing up every day. It seems Emma took that message to heart as she maintained a 4.7 weighted G.P.A. while taking both college and high school classes, as all MCHS students do, and participating in Earth Buddies, Peer Leaders, and Literature Appreciation Club. Emma is on her way to UCR to study environmental science.

When Cajon salutatorian Brianna Rodriguez Rojas joins the campus of UC Berkeley, not only will the university be gaining a National Honor Society student with a 3.98 unweighted G.P.A., but they will also be gaining a musically inclined student, as evidenced by Brianna’s involvement in the Cajon Chamber Choir, the Teen Music Workshop, GSR Marching Band, and SB Indoor Drumline.

San G salutatorian Yvette Salgado was accepted to UC Irvine, UC Riverside, Cal State Long Beach, and UC Davis, but she is going to attend Cal State San Bernardino to earn her B.S. in Nursing. She leaves behind a high school career that included soccer and Key Club and a perfect 4.0 unweighted G.P.A.

English teacher Brenda Sing was a huge influence on ISHS salutatorian Star Santos, so it is no surprise that Star plans to major in English and earn her teaching credential at UC Irvine. In addition to a love of English, Star also enjoyed AVID Club, AP Calculus Club, and Psychology Club. She was an AVID tutor who inspired other students to do their best by modeling good grades with her 4.6 weighted G.P.A.

UC San Diego will soon be welcoming Cajon salutatorian Adrian “Alex” Tellez. Adrian is planning for a career in either nanoengineering or medicine. With a 4.0 unweighted G.P.A. and involvement in National Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation, cross country, and track and field under his belt, Alex is ready for the next stage of his academic career.

AVHS salutatorian Leonardo “Leo” Torres was inspired to achieve academically by his Riley College Prep Academy teacher Christine Jenkins. She gave Leo the Jordan Jenkins scholarship when he was in fifth grade, and it was the motivation he needed to earn a 4.83 weighted G.P.A.; participate in Academic Decathlon, Club de Español, AP Spanish Club, Young Legislators, and Calculus Club; and pursue a computer science or math degree.

SBHS Cardinal City salutatorian Daniel Tremblay is a scholar-athlete. In addition to earning a 3.94 unweighted G.P.A., he was a member of the water polo, swim, baseball, and basketball teams. Daniel was accepted to Cal Poly Pomona, UC Riverside, and UC San Diego, but he’ll be heading to CSUSB in the fall to study computer engineering.

As a member of Key Club, Associated Student Body (ASB), the Principal’s Focus Group, and the Inland Empire Future Leader Program, MCHS salutatorian Maribel “Marble” Trujillo stayed very busy in high school, and that doesn’t include her high school and college classes. She’s taking the work ethic that helped her juggle that and a 3.9 unweighted G.P.A. to UCR.

Cajon salutatorian and varsity soccer player Reiniery Villalta is planning to study computer science at the University of La Verne. Reiniery credits his fourth-grade teacher, Rebecca Besheer, with supporting him in soccer and encouraging him to be the best person he could. And Reiniery’s best included earning a 3.9 unweighted G.P.A.

Max Zepeda is graduating from Cajon High as salutatorian with a 4.78 weighted G.P.A. and fond memories of his time with the Students for Change Club and his track and field and cross country meets. He plans to study neuroscience at UC Riverside and eventually become a neurologist.

In order to qualify for the honor of valedictorian or salutatorian, a student must be among the top 10 to 20 students with the highest grade value based on the specific courses that every student at an SBCUSD high school campus has access to for seven semesters of high school. Additionally, the student must complete all SBCUSD graduation requirements and complete the eighth and final semester at the school from which they have been selected as valedictorian or salutatorian.

Unweighted G.P.A.s are based on the standard grade-point system of four points for every A grade, three points for every B, and two points for every C grade. Weighted G.P.A.s are determined by adding a point to grades earned for Honors-level, Advanced Placement (AP), and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses. For example, an A grade earned in a Chemistry AP class would be worth five points instead of four.

By Edward Henderson | California Black Media

Judge Trina L. Thompson of the Superior Court of Alameda County, who is African American, was confirmed to the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

The United States Senate voted 51-44 to confirm Thompson, who President Biden nominated.

Appointed under Article III of the U.S. Constitution, federal district court judges serve lifetime appointments upon good behavior.

“All of us in the Northern District are grateful and excited to have Judge Thompson join us,” said Chief Judge Richard Seeborg of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

“She brings a wealth of experience as a highly regarded trial judge, which will be most welcome on our very busy Court,” he said.

Since taking office, the Biden Administration has made it a priority to diversify federal courts.

“Our current federal bench is not representative of the diversity of our democracy,” said U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) in remarks on the floor last week. “We have a lot of work to do to rebuild a judiciary that deserves the faith of the American people.”

More than 70% of President Biden’s 92 district and appellate court picks have been women, and a vast majority have been people of color.

Prior to her appointment, Judge Thompson served as a juvenile court commissioner, a criminal defense attorney in private practice for nearly a decade, and as an assistant public defender as well. Thompson holds the distinction of being the first African American woman elected to the Superior Court of Alameda County.

In addition to her work on the bench, she serves as a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, where she received her bachelor’s degree in 1983, and her juris doctor from the university’s School of Law in 1986.

Thompson has contributed to educating the public and her peers about equity and equal rights under the law. Her work contrasted the tenets of American law with the history and contemporary realities of discrimination when she participated in the ‘Continuing the Dialogue’ series for the Center for Judicial Education and Research Division (CJER) of the Judicial Council of California. She discussed the history of housing discrimination in California effected through illegal racial covenants, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968. She has also presented a CJER lecture on wrongful convictions and the learnings judicial officers can adapt to prevent them.

Thompson is a member of the Association of African American California Judicial Officers, Inc., (AAACJO). The organization was established in 2017 to address the professional interests of Black state and federal judicial officers presiding in the California. The membership includes Superior Court Judges and Commissioners, Appellate Court Justices, Administrative Law Judges and State Bar Court Judges.

“Given her body of work and her dedication to the community, it is clear Judge Thompson will be an invaluable asset in her new role as District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California,” the AAACJO said in a statement congratulating Thompson.

YUCAIPA, CA— Crafton Hills College’s Class of 2022 veteran graduates were recognized during a lively ceremony on May 17.

Hosted by the Veterans Resource Center (VRC), the event was planned to honor not only each grad’s academic achievements but for their service to the United States.

“These are the veterans who stuck around through COVID, and because of their hard work, we are here today,” remarked VRC services coordinator Steven Rush, to kick off the celebration.

Lisa Mills, a VRC counselor, and Cody Long, a mental health counselor at the center, each took turns sharing stories about each graduate. Each veteran then received a customized stole and cords to wear during CHC’s campus-wide commencement ceremony on May 25.

Alumni in attendance included Michael Hendrix, a Marine Corps veteran focused on business administration, and Steve Rodriquez, an Army veteran studying radiologic technology and recently accepted into a rad tech program to continue his studies.

Jose Aaron Rosales, a Marine veteran who was accepted into Harvard University to study medicine, and Sebastian Romeropreciado, also a Marine transferring to Cal Poly Pomona to continue pursuing his degree in computer science were also recognized.

“The obstacles you overcame were immense,” said CHC President Dr. Kevin Horan.“As you know as veterans, ceremonies are important .We are pleased at this accomplishment, and I look forward to meeting each and every one of you.”

Located next to Campus Police, the Veterans Resource Center supports veterans and their dependents in utilizing educational services available to them. In addition, the center provides work-study opportunities, counseling, personal and professional development workshops and career exploration and guidance. To learn more, go to craftonhills.edu/veterans or send an email to veteransservices@craftonhills.edu.

VICTORVILLE, CA— Victorville’s Juneteenth Community Day Celebration, commemorating the emancipation of slaves in the United States, will take place on Saturday, June 18. This family-friendly event will include live entertainment, vendors, and free backpacks for the first 300 kids who register. The event will run from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, located at 16138 Molino Drive in Victorville. For more information, please call 760-241-9900 or go to ChanHD.com

United Aviate Academy’s first class of students is 80% women or people of color, outpacing the airline’s goal to train about 5,000 new pilots at the school by 2030 with at least half being women or people of color

Unprecedented training commitment will dramatically expand access to lucrative and rewarding careers while upholding United’s world-class safety and training standards

United CEO Scott Kirby, United President Brett Hart, and other officials on hand at Phoenix Goodyear Airport to officially open new school and welcome students

By California Black Media Staff

Eight Black-owned media organizations serving African American audiences across California are among 46 ethnic media news outlets awarded over $5 million in grants by the state.

The grant program is a collaboration between the California State Library and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs. It was created to support media outlets serving communities where hate crimes are likely to happen.

The funding will also help raise awareness about a related program: the Stop the Hate campaign that the California Department of Social Services has been spearheading with an initial investment of $20 million over the last year. The campaign funds community-based organizations working to reduce hate crimes and promote intercultural and interracial cooperation and understanding.

“Crimes targeting victims because of their race or ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender or a disability have no place in the state of California,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The six Black-owned media organizations targeting predominantly Black audiences that received grants are: California Black Media ($400,000); The Black Voice News in Riverside County ($100,000); L.A. Focus ($96,000) in Los Angeles County; Pace News in Los Angeles County ($95,150); The Precinct Reporter in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties ($88,000); The San Francisco Bay View ($85,000); The Sac Cultural Hub in Sacramento County ($80,000); and Indian Voices in San Diego County ($59,741).

According to the California State Library the grants will allow ethnic media outlets to hire or contract with “specialized reporters, fellowships, and internships at ethnic media outlets, news briefings and roundtables, digital and social media content, community gatherings and partnerships with grassroots organizations and Community Based Organizations.”

“We live in the state with the most racial, ethnic and cultural diversity in the United States. Yet, the deep tensions and misconceptions among us can trigger violence and rip our communities apart,” said Regina Brown Wilson, Executive Director of California Black Media (CBM).

“This funding is necessary because it equips media organizations with resources we need to educate, inform and connect the communities we serve, encouraging honest conversations, which are believe are opportunities to teach each other and learn from each other,” Wilson continued.

The grant program is a part of the Asian and Pacific Islander Equity Budget, a three-year investment of $166.5 million allocated to address the sharp increase in hate incidents.

“The California Asian American & Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus (API Caucus) and I pushed for these funds to help strengthen California’s more than 350 ethnic media outlets,” said Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco). “We’re looking forward to subsequent grant awards being even more helpful to more ethnic media outlets around the state.”

Joe Bowers, a Los Angeles County-based researcher, will be working on identifying multicultural communities vulnerable to hate crimes that Black-owned newspapers in the state serve. He says he looks forward to providing data that will be key to helping CBM’s partner publications target their audiences with information that elevates and promotes interracial and cross-cultural relationships in their communities.

“There have been a number of demographic shifts in the state. It is critical for media to understand who their audiences are, where those people live, who they live next to, and what the potential challenges and opportunities may be,” Bowers continued.

Several supporters and news publications said they are pleased with the intention of the program and support the scaling up of it over the next few years.

Most publications are expected to kick off their programs over the next month.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— The County’s 2021-22 Adopted Budget was honored this month with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), which the organization states is “a testament to the government’s commitment to producing annual reports that evidence the spirit of full disclosure and transparency.”San Bernardino County can now add the “Triple Crown” for transparent financial reporting to the hundreds of accolades the County has received from peers and professional organizations in recent years.

San Bernardino County has claimed this award 15 times since fiscal year 2006-07. Combined with two other GFOA awards this year – the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting and the Popular Annual Financial Reporting Award – the County has earned the highly coveted GFOA Triple Crown medallion.

“San Bernardino County has long been a pioneer in government transparency,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “We were the first county to make many important documents available online, including Board agendas and associated reports and contracts, Form 700 Statements of Economic Interests, and campaign finance reports, and much more.”
“The County budget team works hard to make our annual budgets informative and easy to read,” Hagman continued. “We are honored that GFOA consistently recognizes our annual budgets among the many things we do make our work visible to the public.”

The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA), founded in 1906, represents public finance officials throughout the United States and Canada. The association’s more than 20,000 members are federal, state/provincial, and local finance officials deeply involved in planning, financing, and implementing thousands of governmental operations in each of their jurisdictions. GFOA’s mission is to advance excellence in public finance.

ONTARIO, CA– Ontario International Airport, in partnership with the County’s Workforce Development Board, will host a career fair on June 8 inside Terminal 1, 1940 Moore Way, Ontario.

Several airport vendors, business partners and cargo airlines will participate in the event, which will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

ONT has been named the fastest-growing airport in the U.S. four years running and is one of the Top 10 cargo airports in North America.For more information, contact CommunityEngagement@flyontario.com.