November 2023 - Growing Up in Santa Cruz

United Way’s Innovative 211 Program Delivers Free Meals and Much More

growingupsc — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 20:59:43 +0000

While everyone is familiar with calling 911 for emergencies, some may not know about another important resource that offers help with non-emergency issues. The number to call is 2-1-1. Established in 2010 by the United Way of Santa Cruz County, 211 connects individuals and families to social and health services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The 211 mission is simple: provide access to services to individuals and families in need. Those needs could range from help with smoking cessation to obtaining low-cost broadband to assistance with taxes or even rent relief. The service enables people to ask questions, understand their options, resolve problems, and ultimately improve their lives. It provides information that is easy to access, while providing referrals to a wide variety of social services. In its latest innovative offering for 211 in the community, United Way of Santa Cruz County has partnered with DoorDash to bring Ride United Last Mile Delivery (RULMD) to local residents via the 211 hotline. The program reduces transportation and health barriers for neighbors by delivering food and essential items to their doorsteps. The 211 and DoorDash partnership leverages DoorDash’s logistics to power deliveries from local food banks, food pantries, and other distribution points to senior citizens, low-income families, pet owners, and those who can’t leave home, providing food and essential items to those in need. The program was designed in response to rising levels of financial hardship, food insecurity, and natural disasters. Last year, United Way of Santa Cruz County delivered nearly 2,600 pantry items and meals to homebound residents, supporting the Second Harvest Food Bank’s participating food pantries. RULMD is a home delivery program that brings food and essential supplies to vulnerable populations, to help address hunger and other complex community challenges. The “last mile” represents the last hurdle in getting food to people who face challenges in accessing basic needs because of health considerations, lack of public transit, or other barriers. RULMD launched in select cities in April 2020 and currently serves people in 35 states and over 500 cities. During that time, community members have received over 850,000 free deliveries, including 11.1 million meals. “RULMD extends the ways we already help people respond to, recover from and rebuild after challenges, including those caused by systemic inequities, the COVID-19 pandemic, and our recent disasters, such as the Winter Storms,” said Keisha Browder, CEO, of United Way of Santa Cruz County. “Too many neighbors face ongoing financial challenges, especially when it comes to putting food on the table and covering other basic needs. By partnering with DoorDash, we can make sure our community continues to have sustainable solutions and every person gets the support they need.” During the 2023 Winter Storms, Ride United was able to deliver food pantry items and meals to those affected by the flooding, providing a total of 705 pantry items or meals delivered to those in need. A Vital Service211 is a vital service leveraged by thousands of people across Santa Cruz County. Every day, clients contact 211 to access free and confidential crisis and emergency counseling, disaster assistance, food, health care and insurance assistance, stable housing and utilities payment assistance, employment services, veteran services, and childcare and family services. Additionally, last year, 211 responded to over 6,000 requests for assistance across the county and provided nearly 10,000 referrals for community resources.Whether it’s day-to-day challenges or during times of crisis, disasters, or other difficult situations, 211 plays a critical role in connecting affected individuals with emergency services, shelters, food distribution, and other essential resources. The program seeks to reduce barriers to accessing services by providing information in multiple languages and through various communication channels. People who need help finding available local resources, including food, can call 211 or visit 211.org for more information. For more information about the United Way of Santa Cruz County, please visit, 211santacruzcounty.org

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David Bowie’s Sax Player Finds Success After Aptos High

growingupsc — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 20:57:25 +0000

When Saxophonist Donny McCaslin and his New York-based band blazed through one of the best-received sets at the 66th Monterey Jazz Festival in September, McCaslin was standing on familiar turf.As he told the audience at his Friday evening set on the West End stage, McCaslin has played the prestigious festival a number of times, starting at age 14. That year, McCaslin and his Aptos High School jazz bandmates won that year’s high school compeitition, and with it, a slot at the festival. The effects-laden set McCaslin and his band played wasn’t the kind of music that would appeal to jazz purists, but it was atmospheric and high-energy, with plenty of dynamics and improvisational surprise.If you wanted to design the perfect incubator for a jazz musician, it might look a lot like the Santa Cruz scene Donny McCaslin grew up in, circa 1980s. There was a percolating, local jazz marketplace in those days, with steady gigs for musicians, a renowned jazz program at Cabrillo College and in 1975, the opening of the Kuumbwa Jazz Center, providing an unshakeable stage for both local players and traveling icons. McCaslin returns to familiar turf this weekend. Friday night at 7 p.m., He and his quartet will play the West End stage at the Monterey Jazz Festival. McCaslin played at the festival several times while still in high school. They’ll play music from his new Album “I Want More,” on Edition Records. McCaslin’s late father, Don, was at the epicenter of the scene as a steadily gigging, dedicated pianist and vibraphonist who sometimes played as many as 13 gigs in a week, according to one former band member. Don McCaslin died of congestive heart failure in early 2020. In those days, jazz people could hold down long-running, standing gigs, and Don McCaslin had a lot of them (according to a Good Times article from a few years ago): 17 years at the Cooper House before it was wrecked by the Loma Prieta earthquake, almost 20 years at the Wharf House in Capitola, and nearly 25 at Severino’s in Aptos. He also had long runs at the 2525 Club in Soquel, the old Bayview Hotel in Aptos, and the New Riverside in Capitola, along with steady bookings at places like the — Crow’s Nest, the Balzac Bistro, and many other clubs that live in memory. The Santa Cruz nightclubs where his father’s bands worked regularly are long gone, for the most part. But Donny, now based in Brooklyn, has very early memories of going to his dad’s Cooper House gigs one day a week, “helping him set up and then sitting on the bandstand all day.” He started learning the saxophone at age 12. Thinking back, McCaslin thinks his interest in the tenor sax might have been sparked by his father’s tenorman, Jesse Braxton, “a very charismatic player.” Once he made the choice he started taking lessons from the still-active sax player Brad Hecht and then Paul Contos, who has a prominent position in the education department at SF Jazz in the Bay Area. Although McCaslin was not very old when his parents divorced, he has fond memories of his father bringing a Wurlitzer piano over to the Happy Valley home where Donny and his mother lived, and playing keyboard chords for Donny to practice over. He would do this on a weekly basis. “My dad gave me so much info that was brand new to me, talking to me about players like John Coltrane and Michael Brecker, and I started exploring the jazz language.” The younger McCaslin didn’t take long to achieve fluency. Living with his mother in Happy Valley after his parents divorced, McCaslin attended Aptos High School and got an early start with Aptos’ renowned jazz program, led by Don Keller. “He had all these Duke Ellington charts, bequeathed to him by Bill Berry, who had a big band in L.A. and toured with Ellington.” McCaslin auditioned with the jazz band at Cabrillo College and found he wasn’t ready yet, but soon after started participating in Cabrillo band rehearsals several days a week. He also learned a lot in a combo class at the recently opened Kuumbwa Jazz. He also remembers seeing jazz titans like Elvin Jones. McCoy Tyner and others lead their bands at Kuumbwa. He started sitting in with his dad’s bands several days a week. “All those elements gave me a real immersion in the music’; I had the opportunity to make some mistakes and learn from the best.”His father “really worked hard at music, but for him it wasn’t just a job. He knew a million songs and the whole word of music was a huge part of his identity.” McCaslin’s adolescence as a developing musical prodigy wasn’t always smooth sailing, with the emotional turmoil of his parents’ split. But, “musically, it was an ideal environment.” Relying on scholarships he won in soloist competitions, McCaslin enrolled at prestigious Berklee College of music in 1984. In his sophomore year, he turned down an offer from drum icon Buddy Rich to go on tour, deciding he wasn’t ready for the big leagues. In his senior year, he joined vibraphonist (and Berklee prof) Gary Burton’s quintet. In 1990, he moved to the center of the jazz world, NYC, where he freelanced with a long list of top players, among them Cuban pianist Danilo Perez, bassist Eddie Gomez and vibraphonist Mike Mainieri. Along, the way McCaslin started composing original music and became a bandleader. “The composing happened organically because of the instrument I play,” he notes. “Sax is a lead instrument.”McCaslin’s career took a major leap around 2015 when the late David Bowie heard him solo with the Maria Schneider Orchestra. Bowie’s people came to hear McCaslin’s combo “and the next day he emailed me asking to record some music.“ The music became Bowie’s epic’ final album, 2016’s “Blackstar.” The record won multiple Grammy awards, and McCaslin shared the spotlight. The experience also influenced his music; his first album introduced elements of alt-rock along with the jazz. Dipping further into the pop music waters, McCaslin spent part of this summer touring with Elvis Costello and the Imposters, as part of a three-piece horn section. Since the Bowie project, McCaslin says his phone has been ringing more often with front-man opportunities. He has been touring in Europe and japan with a new album he will perform at Monterrey with his quartet, which includes pianist Jason Lindner, bassist Tim Lefebre and drummer Nate Woods.Using the music he helped Bowie create as “a jumping off point,” McCaslin has also developed a Blackstar symphony that debuted last year in Tel Aviv, with his band, a 75-piece orchestra and three vocalists. He’ll start a Pacific Northwest tour in November, and play the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., early next year. He always looks forward to returning home to Santa Cruz, when his hectic schedule allows.McCaslin last sat in with his father at a gig in January, 2020, when the elder McCaslin was struggling with health problems. Two months later he died of congestive heart failure at the age of 93. He hasn’t forgotten what he considers the most important lesson his dad passed on to him. It wasn’t about riffs and chords, but rather the personal finance tightrope-walk of the jazz life. He often said to me “if you’re going to go into something, do it because you really love it, not to become affluent.” by Dan Emerson

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Easing the Pain of Ride Breakdowns

growingupsc — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 20:55:20 +0000

I recently returned from a few days in Southern California to visit Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain for the first time since 2019. Being that it was my first visit since before the pandemic, I was thrilled to hit my favorite rides, after wondering three years ago if I would ever have the opportunity again. The primary purpose of my visit was for both parks’ Halloween spectaculars. Word of advice: try every other theme park Halloween event before going to Knott’s Scary Farm. Knott’s haunt is second to none, and will seriously ruin every other due to the impossibly high bar it sets. If my trip, however, was just for the rides, I would’ve been sorely disappointed. Two of my favorite roller coasters at Knott’s Berry Farm have been down for a combined total of nearly three years. At Magic Mountain, another two of my favorites were shut tight, while many others were running only one train, which automatically doubles the amount of time it takes to ride. Even worse, I experienced multiple breakdowns while waiting in lines, including one coaster that “experienced a temporary delay” twice in the hour-and-fifteen minutes I was standing in line. Maybe next year, Full Throttle. The ride closures, breakdowns and overall uncertainty over operations got me thinking: how can parks handle this unfortunate reality better? In a post on LinkedIn, Neil Wilson, a theme park industry veteran whose resume includes stints at Walt Disney World and Alton Towers, described a recent breakdown he experienced at the Bourne Stuntacular ride at Universal Orlando, an action show that combines virtual screens with real-life props and actors. The stage manager took to the stage to address the audience, first to apologize to the crowd, but then took the time to describe all the complex technical aspects of the performance in an interesting way that gave the audience an inside look at how everything operates. This interaction goes above and beyond what most other parks do when their attractions break down, oftentimes telling people they can leave or wait until things get back up and running. Here, the audience can get some sort of entertaining experience for the amount of time they waited in line. Time wasted is the biggest gripe most park-goers will cite when asked what frustrated them the most because of a breakdown. What else can be done? Offering those in line food discounts or front-of-the-line passes would help ease the pain. While most parks have TVs in line that screen advertisements or trivia, take it a step further by offering an app where people stuck in line can compete with their fellow park-goers for prizes through games on their devices. At the very least, there should be benches and constant shade in line for those of us exhausted from being on our feet all day. Boardwalk introduces two new rides for 2024 In a previous column, I wrote that the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk was in the process of adding a new Ferris wheel after the ride’s six-year absence. The Boardwalk made the news official recently, unveiling a name for the ride, Dream Wheel, and a targeted spring 2024 opening date. The Dream Wheel, at 65 feet tall, replaces Rock & Roll, the spinning and swinging ‘50s-themed car ride that has been dishing tunes since 2002 near the first drop of the Giant Dipper. The colorful ride, which is sure to make a splash in the Boardwalk’s skyline, will feature 15 gondolas that can sit up to four adults or six children at a time. “Ferris wheels are as much a part of a classic seaside amusement park experience as wooden roller coasters, carousels and cotton candy,” Boardwalk spokesperson Kris Reyes said. “We are thrilled to add Dream Wheel to our lineup of amazing rides, and I know our guests will love the stunning views.” Also coming in 2024 around Memorial Day weekend is Surge, replacing the long-standing Cliff Hanger ride. Surge is a spinning and tilting ride that can seat up to 24 riders on a dizzying 360-degree journey. Save the Dates Holiday Season: Our regional parks are once again ready to get festive. Most events begin near the end of November. Check their websites for dates and times. New Year’s Eve Celebration: Gilroy Gardens will ring in the New Year with a dance party, food, fireworks and more. May 17, 2024: The Giant Dipper at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk celebrates its 100th birthday. What will be in store for the momentous occasion? By Erik Chalhoub

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Ready or Not, Here They Come

Laura Maxson — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 20:51:20 +0000

There is so much to think about and do to prepare for a new baby. Nine months of pregnancy can seem like plenty of time, but it can go fast. Suddenly, the baby is here, and the to-do list goes out the window, exchanged for busy days filled with the many small demands of a tiny new person. Parents everywhere think, “What in the world did I do all day before this baby came?” So, while there is still time to sit and focus, here are a couple of tasks to move to the top of the to-do-BEFORE-baby-arrives list. One involves acquiring a skill you hope to never use, and the other is for one you hope to use day-in and day-out for months on end. First- learn CPR. Of course, your little one is unlikely to have a heart attack, but an obstructed airway is one of the most common reason parents to need to provide lifesaving action. A complete adult, infant, child, CPR, AED (defibrillator), and first aid class may take the better part of a Saturday, but it will provide great peace of mind – not only around a new baby, but maybe around the grandparents as well. Life tends to only get busier as children and families grow. Take a class now – ask anyone who has been around a near drowning or choking situation – it is a skill set to have readily available. A course that includes an instructor to check your technique is highly recommended, but there are on-line and mail order versions that also impart valuable skills. Some classes provide education only, while others offer a certification. Courses can range from free, to well over $100. Check out some of the many options for CPR instruction in our community: • American Heart Association (AHA) “Infant CPR Anytime” kit can be ordered for about $45.00. This includes an inflatable infant manikin (with extra lung for another user), DVD and more in English or Spanish – shopcpr.heart.org/courses/cpr-anytime • Defib This, in Santa Cruz offers AHA classes – defibthis.com • Above the Bar – Friends & Family CPR for $20-40 – abovebarcpr.com • The American Red Cross online class starts at $37. A variety of local in-person classes are also offered. – redcross.org • Central Fire District offers a monthly, free “bystander” CPR class. – www.centralfiresc.org/2221/CPR-Classes • Our local family support centers, such as Circle Family Center, RC Fam/ RC | Raíces y Cariño, Full Moon Birth & Family Wellness Center, as well as local hospitals and clinics periodically offer these classes. They are often interest-driven, so asking for a class may prompt one. Second, start learning about infant feeding before baby arrives. While many parents wait until baby is born to attend one of our community’s many feeding-support groups, many find they aren’t ready to get out of the house during those first tender weeks after birth. It can pay to get a head start on building skills while still pregnant to help things go more smoothly. While exploring a few different options in-person while pregnant, make a list of contacts including when each feeding-support group meets, to put on the fridge for after the baby arrives for easier scheduling. By Laura Maxson

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An Effective and Unique Parenting Approach

growingupsc — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 20:47:04 +0000

Growing Up In Santa Cruz recently featured Positive Discipline articles discussing the differences between punishment and discipline. These are the key take-aways: punishment is something that usually stems from adults getting angry with children and mistakenly believing that it is the effective option to change their behavior. Over the long term, however, punishment results in resentment, revenge, rebellion, and retreat. Positive discipline, on the other hand, is expressed not with anger but with compassion, and it is exercised with a balance of kindness and firmness (the authoritative parenting style) so as to help children feel better (the relationship-focused approach) and in turn do better (what we all think of as respectful, positive behavior). Traditional parenting approaches are behavior-focused with the short-term goal of gaining compliance; however, such approaches ultimately undermine the very safety, connection, and true discipline we want to provide for our children. In this article we will outline the main reasons that Positive Discipline is not only unique but effective over the long term. Many of us have heard before that humans are social beings. For more than a century, people have explored the implications of that, if for no other reason than to improve our understanding of human behavior. Alfred Adler and Rudolf Dreikurs are the psychologists whose ideas/theories are most prevalent in and relevant to the Positive Discipline approach. They believed that human behavior is best motivated by something more meaningful than rewards and punishments. Their work culminated in the idea that all human beings (especially children), have three fundamental social needs: physical and emotional safety, a sense of belonging and connection, and what Adler referred to as gemeinschaftsgefühl, a feeling of significance emanating from the positive contributions that people make with and for one another. When these needs are met, children are more likely to discover and develop their capabilities, experience intrinsic motivation (the desire to make good choices for their own reasons), and enjoy positive relationships with themselves and others. Adults play a critical role in helping children get their needs met both through our own behaviors (modeling) and our interactions with them. At the same time, we recognize that Positive Discipline concepts, while easy to understand, require patience, empathy, and lots of practice. Based on the extensive research conducted both in the world of neurobiology and trauma-informed care, Positive Discipline considers safety as a top priority. When our safety is compromised, our brains tend to go into a fight, flight, or freeze mode. When we feel safe, however, our brains are better prepared to think, learn, and problem solve. Positive Discipline tools are specifically designed to prioritize and meet everyone’s need for safety. One of the Positive Discipline tools that best demonstrates this is the positive time-out. In contrast to the traditional, punitive time-out, the positive time-out offers caregivers and children alike the time and space they need to cool off when a conflict becomes heated and then regroup once everyone is feeling better to attempt to work out a solution. Positive Discipline takes Abraham Maslow’s concept of belonging in his hierarchy of needs to the next level through its focus on enhancing and preserving the long-term relationship between adults and children. While other parenting methodologies promote a power over (as opposed to power with) approach, Positive Discipline helps parents practice connection before correction (an extension of what Dreikurs referred to as discovering the beliefs behind the behaviors). As a way of synthesizing those two concepts, consider Adler’s and Dreikurs’ assertion that behavior is a purposive form of communication that conveys met and unmet needs, and that unmet needs lead children to feel discouraged and thus behave accordingly. Connection before correction can be as simple as asking children curiosity questions to ascertain how/what they are feeling, offering empathy and validation, or providing them the encouragement they need to feel better before we attempt to address their challenging behavior(s) and uphold our limits. Thankfully, there are times when unmet needs are easier to address due to the fact that they are more biological in nature. For example, sometimes children are uncooperative simply because they’re hungry and/or tired. In those cases, giving children something to eat and/or letting them rest are the best solutions.Finally, unlike so many other approaches, Positive Discipline is developmentally appropriate as it takes children’s ages and stages into account. As such, while sharing common core elements, the Positive Discipline tools that are designed for toddlers are quite different from those that are designed for school-age children and adolescents. Being developmentally appropriate also entails recognizing and honoring the uniqueness of each child (e.g., appealing to their individual temperaments) and having reasonable expectations of children based on what they can and can’t do. To learn more about Positive Discipline, download free parenting tip sheets, and sign up for workshops and trainings, please visit Positive Discipline Community Resources online at www.pdcrcc.org. This article was co-authored by Sarah Nofi and her husband Steven Weiss.Sarah is a Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator, a former Montessori teacher, currently an educator at the Cabrillo College Children’s Center, and a proud parent of her now adult son. Steven Weiss is a Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator, a former child welfare social worker and clinical therapist, and currently an alternative education instructional aide for the Santa Cruz County Office of Education.

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The Family That Studies Together

growingupsc — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 20:42:33 +0000

For the past couple of years, I have watched and supported my husband Bob in his quest to earn his Bachelor’s Degree. I have always admired his tenacity and skill to learn something new. He has been retired for several years, but is always busy. In addition to his schoolwork, he also coaches’ football, wrestling and track. I have three older children who are in their mid to late thirties and we have two high schoolers at home. In addition, we have grandchildren who range in age from Elementary school to early twenties. Since my retirement from Law Enforcement, I have obtained my certifications in massage therapy and personal training. Other than working a few hours a week, I have mostly been taking care of home tasks and supporting the kids with their school and sports activities. I have recently dealt with health issues and decided I needed to refocus and give myself a goal. This fall semester, my older daughter Elizabeth, my grandson Raymond, my high school daughter, Sophie, and I decided to enroll at Cabrillo College. My older daughter Elizabeth has been attending Cabrillo since last year. Her long-term plans are to receive a degree in social work. She is a true success story and inspiration. For years she struggled with drug addiction and homelessness. Beth (as I call her) has been clean and sober for almost four years (in October), has a home and a wonderful job that she loves. Cabrillo has been an amazing place for her and I have no doubt that she will fulfill her dreams. Beth is a very compassionate human being and would give someone the shirt off her back. She has extra clothing in her car that she gives to needy folks on the street. Beth is very caring, and I am sure she will have a lot to offer in her chosen field of study. My daughter Sophie is a senior at Aptos High. She also decided to register at Cabrillo this fall and take English and Kinesiology classes. From the time she was 5 years old, she has always said she wanted to be a doctor. Sophie plans to go to a four-year university when she graduates next year, her first choice is Stanford. Sophie plans to be a pediatrician, specializing in Orthopedics. My 20-year-old grandson Raymond, who attended Cabrillo in the past, is also attending this fall. Raymond is a talented artist and is taking graphic design and 3-D art classes. Although Raymond has had some learning challenges, he continues to push forward to realize his dream of becoming a graphic artist and I know he will. Inspired by my family’s motivation, I decided to challenge myself and register at Cabrillo this fall. I thought it would be a good idea to start with one online class. I chose Kinesiology because I have always been an athlete and I thought it would be something relatable. I have not been in school for over 20 years, and I rarely use a computer, which is only going to add to the challenge. Cabrillo is a few blocks from our home. The staff has been amazing, helping us navigate through enrollment and answer any questions. Everywhere I have been on campus, I have met people who are more than willing to help and guide me. Cabrillo is an extremely comfortable and inclusive campus. I am so very blessed and proud of my husband and children who continue to further their educations and work towards their educational and professional goals. Three generations of my family are at Cabrillo this fall and looking at the picture we took reminds me that it is never too late to follow your dreams. My hope is that by sharing our story, we will inspire others to challenge themselves and follow their dreams. I am not sure what I want to be when I grow up, but I am sure I will figure it out by my 63rd birthday next year…. GO SEAHAWKS! By Ramona Pursley

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Watsonville Teen is County’s First Student Trustee

growingupsc — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 20:37:30 +0000

The Santa Cruz County Board of Education has for decades made innumerable decisions that affect the lives of students.Oscar Alvarez-Delgado, a 17-year-old senior from Pajaro Valley High School, was chosen from five applicants.Santa Cruz County Office of Education Board President Bruce Van Allen said the new appointment reflects the board’s mission of putting students first.“We care so much about the lives and the health and the learning and the futures of the students of this county,” he said.County Superintendent of Schools Faris Sabbah, who swore in Alvarez-Delgado, agreed.“The why of education and the why of the County Office of Education is students, and having a voice as part of the decision making process is absolutely fundamental,” Sabbah said. “It just seems so right and appropriate for us to have a student representative.”Before he took his seat for the first time, Alvarez-Delgado said he was “excited and nervous.”“Now that I’m here and I was chosen, I feel like this is an opportunity,” he said. “I can come forward and do a lot for the students here in the county and as well as some teachers who can have their voices be heard here too.”Among the things he hopes to address is the inequities between schools.“I want there to be equity so that everyone can be on the same level and everyone has the same resources,” he said.Alvarez-Delgado is involved in the Youth Led Leadership Alliance, a student leadership network facilitated by the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, and is a current member of both Youth for Environmental Action and the Youth Mental Health Leadership Council.His appointment coincided with the swearing-in of a new Area 4 Trustee, Edward Estrada.Alvarez-Delgado said his decision to apply for the position stems from a commitment to serving as a voice for underrepresented students.“I want to bring awareness of the issues faced by the Latino community and the underrepresented and begin to address why we have such a lack of resources, and then to be able to build those up,” he said. “I believe that if we are willing to face the underlying issues, then we can begin to resolve some of the inequities across Santa Cruz County.”Student trustees are recognized and seated as part of the Board and may present motions, make comments and ask questions of presenters.While they cannot make votes that determine the outcome of board business, they can cast preferential votes.The Santa Cruz County Board of Education adopted Board Policy 9150, creating the role of student trustee, in October 2022.Estrada has held a number of positions advocating for LBGTQ+ youth. He previously served on the board of GLSEN San Diego, was a member of San Diego Unified School District’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee, and was a youth ambassador for San Diego Pride.Estrada said he applied for the position to advance an educational system based on equity, growth, community development and innovation.“I am deeply passionate about equity,” said Estrada, who works as a Housing Navigator at Housing Matters where he assists unhoused veterans.Trustee Area 4 encompasses Live Oak, Soquel and Capitola. The Area 4 trustee seat was vacated by Rose Filicetti, who resigned from the Board on Aug. 31 citing personal health reasons. By TODD GUILD

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Berry, Berry Fun

growingupsc — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 20:19:29 +0000

Dozens of Radcliff Elementary School students on Monday got a dual surprise: a berry feast from Driscoll’s, along with a free children’s book recently produced by the Watsonville-based company.The book—“A Sofia Special”—tells the story of a young girl whose bad day at school improves once she gets home and shares a berry treat with her father.The visit included a read-aloud by the book’s author, award-winning children’s book author Julie Falatko.Driscoll’s, which grows and sells its ubiquitous berries around the world, partnered with Washington, DC-based Reading is Fundamental (RIF) in making the book.In addition to Radcliff, the company brought its berry-fest to Starlight Elementary in Watsonville and to Virginia Rocca Barton School in Salinas.Radcliff Elementary School student Mathew Aguire shows his English copy of the book “A Sofia Special.” Photo: Tarmo Hannula/The Pajaronian“This is a wonderful opportunity for the schools,” said RIF President and CEO Alicia Levi. “Driscoll’s is a local organization, and they are investing in children’s literacy in the communities that they serve.”In addition to “A Sofia Special,” the children also chose another kids’ book to bring home. Such advocacy of placing books in children’s hands is particularly important in communities where many may not have books in their homes, Levi said.“Reading is about engagement, it’s about frequency and it’s about motivation,” she said. “Every child should have the opportunity to read. And how do we make sure that they can read? We engage them, we make reading fun, we create joy, and that is really what RIF is all about.”Alejandra Sanchez, Driscoll’s Sustainability and Social Impact Marketing Manager, said that one focus area for the company’s philanthropy arm is childhood development.The entire marketing team had a hand in developing the book, which was inspired by Driscoll’s “Sweetness Worth Sharing” campaign.“It’s a big part of our philanthropy and charitable giving focus areas in the communities where we operate, and we really looked at this opportunity as a way to focus on literacy with the partnership with RIF,” she said.“A Sofia Special” is available in English and Spanish in bookstores and on Amazon. It will soon be translated into other languages. By Todd Guild

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Robot Bees and AI Cars Teach Tech

growingupsc — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 20:11:45 +0000

Students across Santa Cruz county will be learning computer technology from the most unlikely of teachers – robotic bees and artificial intelligence toy cars.As computer technology becomes more of a necessary skill in the classroom, teachers throughout Santa Cruz county are finding unique methods of teaching these skills at a young age.Dozens of educators and industry partners from across Santa Cruz county gathered on Thursday, Sept. 14 at the Santa Cruz Office of Education to discuss new exciting methods of teaching students computer technology.Many of those attending are members of the CSTA – Computer Science Teachers Association – who strive to encourage and assist the rapidly modernizing field of computer science.Just like many others in the room, Stephanie Sumarna (a former third grade teacher herself) works with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education.She acts as a distance learning TOSA – Teacher On Special Assignment – with the objective of teaching the fundamental principles of computer science to impoverished regions of Santa Cruz county.“The idea is that we want to make computer science accessible to all students in our county,” said Sumarna. “We want to eliminate the barriers.”At the beginning of the K-12 education spectrum, Bee Bots give building blocks for more advanced levels of computational thinking for kids ranging from Kindergarten to Second Grade. It’s the starting hive toward mastering computer skills.The way her Bee Bots work is with buttons at the top that move the robot six inches in either direction that allow the kids to tackle the concept of cause and effect in controlling computer technology.Early-aged technology activities including Bee Bots are designed to enhance social and emotional learning skills, which is the biggest difference that Sumarna sees in the students that use them.“One of the skills I always tried to get my students to do was how to work together and share the load when solving problems,” she said. “I think computer science has students doing that naturally.”One step more advanced than the Bee Bots is Luma – a programmable robot designed for grades 4-6.Much like the Bee Bot, Luma also builds student collaboration and identification of problems while building upon elementary tools for coding.C.J. Runyon works for Pitsco education to build student’s strength in STEM, and allows kids to have invaluable hands-on experience working with robotics.“You have some students who’ve had exposure, and others who haven’t,” said Runyon. “One of my goals is to get teachers more comfortable using coding because they have a lot on their plate.”The room full of county educators walked across the street for a tour of Joby Aviation.With some of the greatest engineers and computer scientists in the country working for them, Joby designers were hard at work creating drones whose mission it is for them to save a billion people one hour every day as the Uber of the sky.Many schools send their students to similar tours to witness the limitless possibilities.Jack Michael, who helps establish career pathways for K-12 students through the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, believes students should pursue the field of computer science “Because it’s interesting now as a teenager and there are a lot of opportunities for good paying jobs down the road.”Michael helps students receive financial aid, as well as funding school technology services such as Robotics Clubs in which students get to work together and expand upon their curiosity for computer technology.Teaching students the basics of this technology through simplified games will form an early understanding of computational thinking – which expands into more complex coding such as Python and C++ as they enter high school and college level courses.Chris Miller, CEO of a local software developing company, works with the County Office of Education for a pilot program that teaches artificial intelligence to K-12 students by programming a toy car to drive itself.“It’s an easy and approachable way for kids to get into computer science and artificial intelligence through gamification,” said Miller.This is done after school through a virtual program that allows students to utilize Python coding to train a computer model.In a world where AI is becoming more prevalent in the lives of many for functions that oppose creative learning, these skills become increasingly important.While technology will continue to improve and methods of teaching along with it – educators across Santa Cruz county will find ways to ensure every student has access to learning skills of computer technology – one bee bot at a time.By Quinn Southall

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8 Easy Steps to Build Strong Study Skills

growingupsc — Sun, 05 Nov 2023 20:07:39 +0000

Now that students are back in school, let’s set them up to build strong study skills. I’m teaching these skills to students of all ages – even my high school seniors – to improve their grades and to reduce their stress. To start, they’ll need to get organized so they don’t stress out when facing their long lists of things to do. By using Google Calendar (GCal), they’ll see how and when each homework, paper, or test prep will be done. I like GCal because it’s easy to use and it’s right on their cell phones so they have it with them all the time. Here are the 8 steps to building strong study skills using GCal: Set up GCal Enter each class in GCal for the entire week, and make it repeat (recurring feature) for the school year. Some schools have the same class schedules Monday through Friday. Others have block days with longer classes. Refer to your school’s bell schedule to get the approximate times for each class. Then look at the school’s minimum days, teacher in-service days, and school holidays. Make sure that their GCals are accurate for the entire school year. Enter Due Dates Looking at each class’s syllabus or online homework reminders, enter homework, test dates, and other deadlines on the dates that they are due (not the days they are assigned). This will help your child prioritize what should be done first, and allow enough time to complete all necessary steps. If teachers don’t give students official due dates ahead of time, your child will need to adjust the study plan daily. Add Extracurricular Activities Next enter in all extracurricular activities and include time for transportation. They might block off 2 hours for practice plus 15 minutes of driving to and from the game. Remind them about sports, music lessons, doctors’ appointments, and social activities. Consider dinner time; do you have a set time for dinner each night? Block off time for all after-school activities including showering after games. Plan When to do Homework Now that you know when homework is due, your child could block off time to do each facet of the assignment. If they have to complete all math problems on page 8, have them block off one hour to complete it at a time that works for them. They could plan homework around commitments so they could see how they might juggle homework and baseball practice. Steps for Test Preparation(not cramming) Test preparation will take a little more planning than homework. First, make a list of each step needed to prepare for the test. They may need to read a chapter, review lecture notes, make a study guide or flash cards, meet with a study group, and research other sources (Khan Academy, Google searches). By blocking off time to do each of these tasks over a week in GCal, they’ll learn the concepts at a deeper level than cramming the night before a test. This also gives them time to ask the teacher for help if they don’t understand something before the test. Organize Writing Papers Writing a book report or research paper will take even more planning than for tests. They’ll need to select the topic, research the subject, write a thesis statement, make an outline, write a rough draft, edit the paper, add a bibliography, include other required materials, and submit it. Some of these steps may take several hours over several days. Like preparing for a test, make a list of all of the steps they’ll need to take to complete the assignment a few days before it is due, and then block off time for each task in their GCal. This will reduce the stress and give them plenty of time to write their report or paper. Reschedule for a Healthy Balance Review the GCal to see how much time is dedicated to school and after-school activities. Some students create different calendars (school, extracurricular activities, friends, college prep) with different colors so they can quickly see how balanced their lives are. If there isn’t enough time to relax and have fun with friends, then your child could move tasks to another day to ensure that there is a healthy balance of academics, exercise, and social activities. Just check deadlines and test dates and prioritize accordingly. Prepare for Finals Now Once a week, have your child review everything covered in classes to date. They can glance over previous quizzes and tests, flashcards, and lecture notes over the weekend. Simply block off time to study “Alls” each week. This will help build a deeper conceptual understanding of the material and improve long-term memory. That way, when they need to prepare for midterm or final exams later in the year, they won’t have to cram because they’ll already be prepared. Highlight the Activity When it’s Done After your child goes to class, does the task, or participates in an activity, they could highlight with their favorite color. That way, they’ll see what they’ve accomplished throughout the day. Success begets success. If they didn’t go to class or do an assignment, they just need to move it to another time or day so they can still meet the deadline. If they know it’s going to be late, they could email the teacher to let them know ahead of time. This teaches responsibility and good etiquette. Spend a weekend teaching your child these valuable skills. It’s easy to do and your child will appreciate knowing how they’re going to juggle school, extracurricular activities, and their social lives. This is a skill they’ll use in high school, college, career, and beyond. Susan Tatsui-D’Arcy is the founder of Merit Academy (one-on-one classes)and Merit Educational Consultants (college and educational advisory). She has written books on projects, free child care, education, and parenting. Susan hosts TEDxMeritAcademy for students to present their innovative projects and solutions. In 2019, she was California Mother of the Year. meritworld.com

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