Children’s Day at Frederiksen Elementary School
As we turn the calendar to May, one of the first notable dates is Mother’s Day. Contrary to popular belief, this day was not created by a commercial enterprise. Rather, it became a nationally recognized holiday due to the efforts of Anna Jarvis of West Virginia. After Anna’s mother passed away in 1905, she sought a way to honor her and all mothers. Through her active campaigning, the second Sunday of each May would be known as Mother’s Day. It became official when President Woodrow Wilson signed the proclamation in 1914.
On the other hand, Children’s Day is celebrated all around the globe and at many different times throughout the year. Universal Children’s Day is not just a moment to celebrate young people. Rather, it is a movement to bring awareness to those that have succumbed to violence, abusive circumstances, exploitation and discrimination. It is hard not to think about children that have been displaced by either natural disasters or in areas of armed conflict.
For years, Frederiksen Elementary School teacher Lynette Butsuda has been a supporter of Puentes Unidos. She has actively sought to provide a bridge to Latino parents. By percentage, Frederiksen houses the highest number of Latino or mixed race students. So, the benefits of forming this organization have become obvious. However, in order to achieve maximum exposure, a weeknight event was needed. Recently, Lynette joined forces with Lupita Barattino of Cultura Y Bienestar. Cultura is a mental heal program dedicated to the Latino community in the Tri-Valley. Lupita volunteered to work with the parent group and to organize a gathering. On Thursday, April 30th – the same day that it is celebrated in Mexico, Frederiksen opened its doors to the lunch pavilion at 6:00 PM. The occasion was the first Dia del Nino or Children’s Day. Dozens of parents, children and their families filed in to enjoy an evening of games, snacks and fellowship. We sat down with Ms. Butsuda to discuss the significance of this celebration.
Dougherty Elementary School STEM
As we have learned through our popular Difference Makers series, adult volunteers at all of our school sites come from varied backgrounds and offer many wonderful attributes. OneDublin.org recently approached Dougherty Elementary School Principal Brett Nelson to guide us on a profile of his site. He gladly shared the names of two volunteers that are making significant contributions – particularly in the area of STEM. We are pleased to share the story of these individuals and to let them express why they appreciate the opportunity to make a difference at Dougherty.
We will start with the fascinating journey of Francis Anaya. She moved to the Bay Area from Mexico in 2000. She attained a B.S in Electronics Engineering from Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana – Mexico City and a subsequent specialization certificate in Fundamentals of Computing from Rice University. Her family initially landed in Newark, but they ultimately moved to Dublin in search of better schools. Both Francis and her husband are Software Engineers and possess a love of all things mathematical and scientific. Her two sons, Daniel and Alejandro are in the fifth and first grades, respectively. This has been a year of increased activity for Ms. Anaya as she has she supported the Family Math Night, has been active in running Science Labs and also became an officer in the PFC. Francis shared some of thoughts on the past year and what she looks forward to in the future. Read more…
Congressman Eric Swalwell
Recently, OneDublin.org was granted some rare “face time” with 15th Congressional District Congressman Eric Swalwell during his visit at Chabot College in Hayward. The purpose of his presence was to continue a series of public forums to address the important subject of rapidly growing student loan debt and college affordability. For Mr. Swalwell, this subject is very real. As the oldest of four boys, he was the first in his family to attend and to complete college. While attending as a Division I Soccer athlete, he attained both an undergraduate and Law degree from the University of Maryland.
As a member of a working-class family in Dublin, California, this journey would not be easy – specifically related to financing his education. His family decided to make many sacrifices in order to help Mr. Swalwell achieve his dreams. While in college, he interned in Representative Ellen Tauscher’s office. Upon returning to California, he served as a Prosecutor in the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office. He also served in local capacities and then successfully ran for a seat on Dublin’s City Council. In January 2015, he was sworn into his second term in the U.S House of Representatives.
One of the major factors facing students at high school age and their parents is the subject of financing their post-secondary education. Looking back merely 20 years ago, the landscape of paying for tuition/housing in the UC/CSU system was vastly different. Adjusted for inflation, the overall costs were relatively reasonable. Today, many families are petrified by the potential costs for furthering the education of what this cost for their children may represent. Public programs in California have been heavily impacted to the degree that a four-year college completion will not be possible – based upon the availability of classes. This has led some local area families to contemplate having their children enroll in private programs or those that are located out of state. This has been done largely due to the fact that some of these institutions cannot guarantee graduation within four years.
Dublin High School Alum Marcos Castro Conquers Cuisine at the Culinary Institute of America in New York
Marcos Castro
The magical preparation of a delicious meal happens out of sight, behind the swinging doors of a bustling kitchen. Our next Life in College profile catches up with Dublin High School graduate Marcos Castro, who started his journey to becoming a chef in Dublin High’s Culinary Arts program and has continued for the past two years at the famed Culinary Institute of America in New York.
Mr. Castro and his mother relocated from the San Diego area to the Bay Area at the time when he was becoming a middle school student. He attended Wells Middle School and then matriculated through Dublin High. In a moment that changed everything, Marcos wanted to surprise his mother by baking a cake for her birthday. Knowing that by doing this at home would ruin the surprise, he innocently approached Culinary Arts instructor Jackie Lawson and inquired if he could utilize the school’s facilities. Ms. Lawson agreed and the surprise remained intact. Subsequently, Jackie reached out to Marcos and invited him to become a full-fledged member of the newly burgeoning culinary arts program at Dublin High. After contemplating, he agreed and the result was a life-changing moment. Mr. Castro immediately thrived during this experience as he quickly gained mastery as both a student and as a leader among his peers.
While his potential was evident to Ms. Lawson, the question remained: What might he pursue upon graduation? There are numerous culinary programs available locally, including well-respected programs at both Diablo Valley College and City College of San Francisco, among others. But, why not shoot for the moon? One the most prominent culinary learning destinations in the United States resides at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, New York. Without a hint of trepidation or a “fear of failure”, he applied. Armed with a resume that was filled with real world experiences and a strong recommendation letter from Ms. Lawson, Marcos was accepted to Culinary Institute of America.
The Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre‘s production of the moving and Tony awarding-winning musical “Fiddler on the Roof” opens tonight in Pleasanton’s Firehouse Arts Center (4444 Railroad Avenue) at 8:00pm with performances continuing Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm through May 3.
Winner of 9 Tony Awards in 1965 and still touching audiences worldwide today with its humor, warmth and honesty, Fiddler on the Roof is a musical theatre tradition! Set in the little village of Anatevka, the story centers on Tevye, a poor dairyman, and his five daughters. With the help of a colorful and tight-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to protect his daughters and instill them with tradition in the face of changing social mores and growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia. Rich in historical and ethnic detail, this universal theme cuts across barriers of race, class, nationality, and religion, leaving audiences crying tears of laughter, joy and sadness.
A free Inside the Show discussion with the actors and directors will take place after the matinee performance on Sunday April 19 providing theatre lovers with a special opportunity to interact with the actors.
Dublin High School Planning to Extend School Day by 32 Minutes, Make 7th Period Mandatory
Dublin High School’s plan to extend the school day by 32 minutes by adding a mandatory 7th period is currently being debated by the Dublin Unified School District Board of Trustees. The plan, delayed one year due to a lack of parent support last year, is back on the table for implementation in the 2015-16 school year. The primary motivations for the change are to strengthen the freshman program to include a Freshman Seminar, provide struggling students with more support opportunities and to provide more flexibility with existing classroom space as Dublin High School’s student population continues to grow by 100-200 students per year.
The Dublin Unified School District will be holding a pair of Town Hall meetings to discuss the proposal on Thursday, April 23 and Monday, April 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the Dublin High School Library. The sessions will include a presentation from District and Dublin High officials, and most importantly a question and answer session to hear community concerns. Parents and students are strongly encouraged to attend one of the two sessions.
Dublin High School and District staff presented the proposal at the Dublin Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting on March 24. Presentation available here… On demand video replay of the Board meeting available here… (select agenda item J-1).
Based on our review of the material provided the changes can be summarized as follows: Read more…
Eric Turner
For our next Life in College Series article we travel to Auburn University in Alabama to profile Dublin High School Class of 2013 alum Eric Turner.
Eric writes about the difficult decision to go to school thousands of miles from friends and family, what inspired him to pursue a degree in aerospace engineering, how Dublin High School prepared him for the rigor of an engineering curriculum and provides advice for high school students who are completing their senior year in preparation for the transition to college.
OneDublin.org: You’ve decided to attend a college far from home, in Auburn, Alabama. Was that a difficult decision?
Eric Turner: “When I was applying for colleges the summer before my senior year at Dublin High School, Auburn was among the furthest schools I chose. It was easy to apply to Auburn because I had my sights set on staying in California and really I had no initial intention of going there. During February of my senior year, my grandfather and I decided to tour Auburn and it was that weekend that really sold it for me. Auburn’s campus is absolutely gorgeous and it was tough to go back and tour colleges in California after because of how beautiful it was. With that said, it wasn’t the campus that helped me make my decision to become an Auburn Tiger. What really set Auburn apart from other schools was how much the students really enjoyed the school. The sense of school spirit and pride was unmatched anywhere else I looked and it was this love that people had for Auburn that drew me to love it as well.
“As the summer after I graduated began to come to an end, I started to hesitate whether or not deciding to move to Auburn was a good idea. There were so many friends I had to leave and I would have to be more than 2,000 miles from my home and family. I really had no idea what I was in for when I committed to living so far from everyone I knew. Looking back now though, leaving California was a great for me because it has given me a chance to experience something new and given me a better perspective on how great living in the San Francisco Bay Area is. College to me has really been about trying new things and growing as an individual and it has done so much more than that. Leaving California was absolutely a difficult decision to make but it was one that I would recommend to anyone.”
OneDublin.org: What sparked your interest in engineering in general, and specifically a major in Aerospace Engineering? Read more…
Dublin High School Lady Gaels Basketball
Spring sports are presently in full flight at Dublin High School. Some of these endeavors include baseball, softball, tennis, swimming, track and lacrosse. But, before we turn the page on fall sports, we wanted to recognize a DHS team that just completed an epic season – and of historic proportions.
In early February, OneDublin.org posted a story featuring the successful season that the Lady Gaels basketball team was enjoying. When published, their record was 20 wins versus only two losses. At this point, the team was beginning to approach the end of their regular season. However, what loomed on the horizon was an opportunity to compete in the North Coast Section (NCS) tournament. Would this team, that started its season just before Thanksgiving, allow itself to dream even bigger than before? Might an opportunity to compete in the CA state tournament even be possible? The team and their supporters were about to find out.
In the NCS Championships, teams are seeded into different brackets based largely upon the size of school enrollment. While one of the larger schools competing, the DHS Lady Gaels were slotted into Division 2. They were fortunate to host their first two post-season games against Del Oro and Saint Francis, respectively. These victories set up a showdown with athletic powerhouse Carondelet on a neutral court at St. Mary’s College in Moraga. The tone and the stakes were clearly higher.
Murray Elementary School
The focus of the OneDublin.org Difference Maker series now turns to Murray Elementary School. Principal Carrie Nerheim quickly volunteered two individuals to spotlight for this feature. They are two of simply numerous individuals that are making a positive and significant difference in the lives of students and families at this school site. Several years ago, Murray might have been characterized as the smallest and most unique elementary site in the Dublin Unified School District and it housed the unique Pathways program. In 2015, it possesses many of the same characteristics, but it is also experiencing the same enrollment gains that are occurring across the district. And, with that, is managing the challenges of growth. Murray Elementary has benefitted from the infrastructure development opportunities due to Measure C. A new kindergarten complex has been constructing in the rear of the campus. Additionally, a new ingress/egress pathway has been opened which has added an immense improvement to facilitating movement at drop-off and release on a daily basis – in addition to providing much needed parking for staff and visitors.
Our profile focuses on two key parent volunteers. Their contributions to Murray share a commonality, yet are different at the same time. OneDublin.org appreciated the opportunity to recently visit with both. It is no wonder that this site is referred to as “Magical Murray.”
Jillian Colwell
OneDublin.org’s popular Life in College Series continues with a profile of Dublin High School Class of 2014 alum and Whitman College Class of 2018 freshman Jillian Colwell.
Jillian shares how Dublin High School athletics, including cross country, track, and soccer, helped shape her high school experience, how she’s adjusted to life in Walla Walla, Washington far from the major cities of the Bay Area, and offers advice to high school seniors looking forward to their first year of college.
OneDublin.org: What was your thought process during your senior year that led you to Whitman College?
Jillian Colwell: “Like most, my senior year at Dublin High School was spent full of excitement and query, comparing colleges, jotting down pros and cons. Quite early in the process and after several campus tours, my focus began to narrow to smaller, Liberal Arts colleges as I enjoyed their smaller feel and moreover I was still unclear about the direction I was planning to major. Along with my search for a fit academically, I was also determined to include athletics, running cross country, as part of my college experience. In the end I applied to a handful of private schools mostly in southern California, to two UCs, two schools in Washington State, and one in Oregon. My final decision was difficult as each school that offered me acceptance had distinct and appealing qualities, however after a second visit to Whitman College, it was clear to me that this was my best fit.”
OneDublin.org: Would you describe the Whitman experience?
Colwell: “My Whitman experience has been an amazing introduction to creative thinking, independence, and a whole new world of outdoor adventure. I have definitely been challenged in the classroom, with a full schedule of courses required in a Liberal Arts distribution as well as courses unique to Whitman such as “Encounters” a class for all freshman where we are learning to analyze a variety of classic texts and novels and recognize their parallels. On the flip side Whitman’s Eastern Washington location lends to and offers a renowned Outdoor Program where I’ve been introduced to rock climbing, cross country skiing, sand dune sliding and I hope to soon learn sea and whitewater kayaking.”
OneDublin.org 