Hundreds of volunteers perform service at East Lawn

Volunteers of all ages help with cleanup and painting at East Lawn Children’s Park and East Lawn Cemetery on Mormon Helping Hands day. // Photo courtesy R Leach Photography

On Saturday, April 27, the annual program of Mormon Helping Hands performed cleanup, painting, and gardening at the City of Sacramento’s East Lawn Children’s Park, as well as at the East Lawn Memorial Park cemetery.  Hundreds of volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joined with other community members in an effort that began the Wednesday before when dozens of church youth showed up to do prep work, cleaning and scraping of fences and other structures in preparation for the painting that took place on Saturday.

“They had about 200 feet of wrought iron fence that they cleaned and prepped for the paint job (Wednesday),” said Igor Kalenyuk, East Lawn’s facilities superintendent and project manager.

Saturday’s activity began at 6:30 a.m. with setup for the work, and volunteers began arriving at around 8:30 p.m.  The work was completed from 9-11:30 a.m., after which the lunch crew served hamburgers and hotdogs to the workers.

The volunteers paid special attention to the children’s park at the corner of 42nd and Folsom Boulevard.  This property was donated a few years ago by East Lawn Memorial Park to the City of Sacramento to create the East Lawn Children’s Park.  Workers cleaned up the ivy and debris, raked leaves, and repainted the iron fence.

The fence was a big job and at mid-morning the supervisor for that area, Wanda Yañez of Sacramento, called for help.  About 100 of the volunteers descended on the children’s park with paint and brushes in hand, and finished the job within the hour.

In the cemetery itself, the volunteers painted benches, curbs, and hose spigots, and cleaned the area.

“We all appreciate it,” Kalenyuk said.  “It was a very organized group.”

Blythe Passanando of Rancho Cordova was stationed with her crew throughout the morning at the Alzheimer’s Memorial at the cemetery.  With computers set up, they provided help to any who wanted to seek out records of their ancestors, creating colorful family ancestral fan charts.

Toward the conclusion of the day’s work, event organizer Christina Barnett presented East Lawn Cemetery Manager Craig Peterson with a terra cotta pot with painted hand rints of the dozens of children who participated in the activities.

“I think probably the best thing that this day does for people, and for families and children,” Peterson said, “is it allows children to learn respect for the dead and respect for the cemetery, as well as allows them the chance to learn not to be afraid of being in a cemetery.”
John Hartman and Margaret Snider are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

El Camino alum launches new career, publishes first novel

Annie Laurie Cechini

Annie Laurie Cechini

Annie Laurie Cechini was a sullen seventh-grader when she swore she would never write again after sharing a creation that caused her classmates to laugh. She wasn’t trying to be funny.

It was a senior year English teacher at El Camino High School, however, that pushed her to nurture her natural gift for words and regain her confidence.

Today, the 1998 El Camino graduate is kicking off a new career as a full-time writer, already holding book signings for her debut novel, Liberty, a young adult work about a space captain navigating life after losing her ship and crew.

In an interview earlier this year with San Juan Unified School District’s marketing department, Chechini discussed what motivates her work, how she is a relentless self-editor and how young writers have more resources than ever to pursue their passion. Here are excerpts from the conversation:

Explain your book for us.
Liberty is about a teenage girl who has lost her family. And she’s a space captain. She’s trying really hard to be tough and run everything and find a little piece of the world that she feels safe in. And everything just keeps backfiring. She’s got bad guys chasing her for something that she feels like she has that she shouldn’t, and her friends get threatened, and it’s just a big fun mess.

Were you a sci-fi fan growing up? What inspired you to tell this story?
I’m kind of a very big geek. I had very, very long hair when I was five years old, and Return of the Jedi came out that year, so I kind of grew up thinking that I was Princess Leia. … There’s something about science and the fact that we don’t have all the answers yet that lends itself to more imaginative writing. Because there’s still just a little bit of magic in science and space – because there are so many things we still don’t understand – there’s a lot more wiggle room to do some really interesting things in science fiction.

The central character is trying to find her place and is overcoming obstacles. Did you draw on any personal experiences for inspiration?
When I wrote Liberty, I was trying to remove myself as far away from the character as I could. Some writers feel like they need to have a direct life experience that correlates, and for me, that’s just therapy that I don’t want to deal with. I would love to just leave that at the door and write interesting characters.

But inevitably what happens is little parts of you sneak in, and I think authors try really hard not to let that go completely crazy. But I know one of the things that was really hard is there’s this theme of loss in Liberty, and I know everyone has had experiences with loss, but the year that I wrote Liberty there were some pretty big losses in my life, and that kind of found its way in. I didn’t even notice it until I was talking to a writer.

This is your first novel. Had you had any other writing published before this?
When I was at El Camino, I actually tried to publish a poem I wrote, and I think it was soundly rejected for being kind of terrible.

That’s good experience, too, right?
It absolutely is a good experience, because rejection is a permanent aspect of being an author. The sooner you can learn to tolerate rejection, the better.

Was this book difficult to get published?
Yes and no. I actually tried to start writing full time in 2009, and the first novel I tried to write was a total train wreck. It was huge and cumbersome and just a disaster. Liberty I actually wrote for fun on kind of a lark. I finished writing in March and I signed a contract in January of the next year. That’s pretty quick.

Can you talk about submitting your work to publishers and what that process is like?
Just in the time that I’ve been writing, there have been incredible changes. And really good ones, too. The first manuscript, or query letter, that I ever sent out to an agent, I had to send him a big manila envelope … and now, everything is digital. And because everything is digital a lot of publishers, small presses, agents, anyone connected to the industry – they’re online, they’re on social media, they have blogs, they tell you exactly what they want. So once upon a time, you had to … try and figure out who was accepting your type of book and then figure out if they were querying or not. And sometimes they wanted manuscripts, and you would have no clue what they wanted, so you were just throwing stuff out there hoping something sticks. And it’s not very effective.

Now, you can go online and visit a site like Query Shark – it’s a blog that I love – and it will tell you what not to do in a query letter to an agent, and … you can look at agents individually and see what they’re looking for and what they represent. … There are so many great resources out there for the aspiring writer to get their career going.

Can you talk about why you dedicated Liberty to your grandfather (a former English teacher at Rio Americano)?
When I was a kid, I lost a sibling to cancer, a younger brother, and when I was 7 or 8 years old I was just an angry, angry nightmare child. My parents were going back to school, so we lived with my grandparents for a time, and my grandpa would give me grammar sheets … for me to play with. And I did, and I learned stuff.

Then I started hounding him to let me help him grade papers, and of course that was never going to fly. But he did let me help him correct text, and I just developed this fierce love of the red pen.

Do you use the red pen a lot on your own work?
Yes. I think that’s one of the best things that you can possibly develop as a writer: the ability to see your stuff, and see where it sucks, and learn how to fix it. If you’re not able to take that step back and say, “This really isn’t working,” then it’s really hard to progress as a writer. You have to be really critical of your own stuff.

This story is courtesy of the San Juan Unified School District.

Congratulations St. Francis Class of 2013!

Editor’s Note: St. Francis will hold a farewell mass and celebration on Wednesday, May 15 from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Parents and grandparents are welcome to celebrate Mass with the school community. To get in the graduation spirit, the Valedictorians and Salutatorian provided The East Sacramento News a taste of what St. Francis has meant to them. Also included below are statements from students selected to be speakers at graduation and baccalaureate

Valedictorians:

Ashley Jones and Jasmine Florentino


Ashley Jones:
My name is Ashley Jones and I am a graduating senior from St. Francis High School. At St. Francis, I developed a love of performing, participating in four different singing and dancing groups, including A Cappella, Hawaiian Hula, Hip-Hop, and Show Choir. In the fall, I will be attending UC Davis with an undecided major in Life Sciences. My future plans are not set in stone, but I want to go into the medical field in order to use my education and my passion for learning to give back to my community and help others. St. Francis has instilled in me a love of service, helping me to get involved with various programs such as St. John’s Shelter, Vacation Bible School, and Therapeutic Recreation Services (TRS) over the past four years, which has influenced me to choose a career path in which I can serve and benefit the community. I also believe that the rigorous and challenging college-prep curriculum of St. Francis has well-prepared me for all of the challenges that come with pursuing a career in the medical field, helping me to develop the leadership skills, motivation, and dedication necessary to succeed.

Jasmine Florentino:
My name is Jasmine Florentino and I attended St. Ignatius Parish School for ten years prior to attending St. Francis. In my four years at St. Francis, I have played soccer, basketball, and diving and have been the Co-President of the Patriots Club, on student council, and a Christian Service and Retreat Team Leader. Outside of school, I am actively involved at my Church, Presentation. I love going to Mass and youth group! Also, one of my favorite things to do is to babysit because I love playing with children and babies! Next year I will be off to the University of Notre Dame, where I intend to pursue my passion for language and continue to deepen my Catholic faith. I plan to major in Theology and Spanish, and hopefully also study Italian. Not only has SF prepared me academically, but it has also been a great journey to find and grow in my Catholic identity. Although it will be hard to leave my home here, I hold fast to my faith, knowing that this is God’s plan for me.

Salutatorian:  Ashley Rose
During my four years at St. Francis I have been involved in the arts and have performed in almost every play and musical.  I have also been an ambassador each year and served as a senior big sister this past year.  I currently volunteer at Eskaton Monroe Lodge and am in charge of the club I created this year, the Brit’-Lovin’ Troubies (an anglophile club)!
I will attend Folsom Lake College and plan to transfer to UCLA. I intend to major in Theater and minor in communications because I want to pursue a career in acting.
My St. Francis education has definitely prepared me to handle the college workload and curriculum.

The following are students selected to be speakers at Graduation and Baccalaureate:

Class of 2013 Graduates’ Prayer: Victoria Quiniola
I am incredibly grateful to have spent the past 4 years at St. Francis High School, and am now headed for the University of San Francisco. Several involvements at St. Francis have helped me construct a path for the future, including leading underclassmen retreats, campaigning for political figures, and attending a weekly SFHS bible-study group. At USF, I look forward to joining the Army ROTC program and accepting a commission upon completion as I incorporate my Christian faith into military leadership and service. I thank my family and the faculty, staff, and fellow students at St. Francis for their never-ending love, instruction, guidance, and support.

Baccalaureate Welcome:  Maia Evrigenis

Maia Evrigenis has greatly enjoyed her years at St. Francis. She spends most of her time on campus in the music department jamming on her saxophone with the Jazz Ensemble. Maia also enjoys studying American History and is the president of the SF Patriots Club. As a member of the St. Francis retreat team, Maia helps underclassmen strengthen their relationships with God. Maia is attending New York University in the fall and plans to become a Hospital School Teacher, a teacher for students suffering from life threatening illness.

Mid-Century Modern enthusiast discusses Land Park home tour highlights

Photos by Sutter Buttes/John DiDomenico Photography These photographs were taken at the June 26, 2010 Mid Century Modern Tour in South Land Park. This year’s tour will be held Saturday, May 18. See sacmcmhometour.blogspot.com for more information.

Architectural design is a subject I don’t know a whole lot about. I ain’t gonna lie. But I know cool Mid-Century Modern when I see it. “Hey, look at that cool building!” I always just called it “retro” or “old school”.

I decided to get schooled on everything Mid-Century Modern by local MCM enthusiast Gretchen Steinberg. She is the President of SacMod (SacramentoModern) and researcher/blogger at Eichlerific. She is a resident of South Land Park Hills, and of course, resides in a beautiful Eichler home with her husband and two children.

She’s gearing up for another Mid-Century Modern Home Tour on Saturday, May 18. The tour will highlight more than 30 spectacular mid-century modern residential and commercial structures in South Land Park and Land Park neighborhoods of Sacramento. There will also be a vintage transportation show, historic displays and exhibits, and lots of goodies!

Photos by Sutter Buttes/John DiDomenico Photography

Here’s my MCM Q & A.

Greg Brown: How did you become interested in Mid-century Modern architecture and all things Modern?

Gretchen Steinberg: I was raised by my grandparents in SoCal near Palm Springs. We went there every weekend to hang at their second home. I would say MCM was imprinted in me big time from my childhood. But I didn’t realize it until I got older.

GB: How would you describe Mid-Century Modern?

GS: Mid-Century Modern in architecture has:
- clean lines with an emphasis on the horizontal/vertical
- a blend of natural and manmade materials
- large windows to allow maximum light and promote “indoor/outdoor living” (hangin’ on the patio, Daddy-O)
- open floor plans
- low-pitched, wide-angled or flat rooflines
and usually depicts the era between 1945 (post WWII) and 1970, give or take. It has roots dating back to 19th century design movements and Japanese design — but that’s a long history lesson.

GB: What’s the difference between architecture and design?

GS: Architecture is a type of design that focuses on structures that shelter people where they live, work and play. Design is a wider category that includes a wide array of items that are made to enhance our daily living — such as consumer products, graphics, fashion, machines, etc.

Photos by Sutter Buttes/John DiDomenico Photography

GB: I notice the slew of Eichler homes along South Land Park Drive and the surrounding areas. How many Eichler homes were built and why were they mostly all built in South Land Park?

GS: Eichler Homes wound up building roughly 60 homes in Sacramento. All Eichler Homes in our town are in South Land Park.

GB: I also notice the same type of homes in Carmichael. Would you call these homes Eichler inspired?

GS: Those are likely Streng Bros. Homes, designed by Carter Sparks. We have one on our tour. They built roughly 3800 homes in the Sacramento, Placer, and Yolo counties.

GB: Three of your most decadent points of interest on the Mid-Century Modern Tour are Marie’s Donuts, Mahoroba Japanese Bakery, and the Pancake Circus. Will there be free samples?

GS: We are providing the feast for your eyes – but don’t let that stop you from indulging your inner sugar monster!

GB: A lot of Mid-Century modern homes do not have a garage, they have a carport. Where the heck do you store all your stuff? A hoarder would panic in a Mid-Century Modern home!

GS: The carport was designed so that the post-WWII consumers could show off their gigantic finned cars! A well-designed MCM home has plenty of interior storage. Our home originally had a carport but the previous owner closed it in. Nowadays, garages are treated more like closets. Some people can’t even fit their cars in them.

GB: Why is preservation important? New is always better, right?

Photos by Sutter Buttes/John DiDomenico Photography

GS: Preservation is important because our very cultural identity and sense of place is inherently rooted in our historic landmarks. Take those away and you have a generic McCity. No one wants that.

GB: How important is color in Mid-century modern design?

GS: Very important! Hard to extrapolate from the old black and white photos — but if you look at old Kodachrome slides you will see that that era was quite colorful.

GB: Mid-Century Modern design is finding its way back into pop culture. Do you think the show Mad Men has helped popularize Mid Century Modern? You watch that show? And if so, do you find yourself looking at the furniture more than Don Draper?
GS: Definitely — but I think MCM was already starting to regain popularity before Mad Men. They just tapped into it. MCM has always been the darling of Hollywood. You can’t watch television or movies without seeing MCM in the background. Speaking of which, no time for me to watch TV — too busy with my family and volunteer work!

GB: I’m a “Generation Xer and mid-century modern is the look of my childhood. I think that is why I like some of its features. Which elements of Mid-Century Modern most appeal to you?

Photos by Sutter Buttes/John DiDomenico Photography

GS: I totally agree. I was born December ‘63 – the last month of the Boomer generation. I tend to gravitate toward the early 60s designs. I have a weakness for commercial buildings and neon signs of that era.

GB: Mid Century modern is being celebrated at the California Museum. It’s MCM Mania! Don’t you have some artifacts at the museum?

GS: I did some volunteer background research into Ray Eames’ childhood years in Sacramento and contributed some books that are displayed in the exhibit.

GB: You have some surprises at this year’s Mid-Century Modern Home show don’t you? Can you spill the beans for us here?

GS: We will have extra goodies and swag. Plus a surprise remodeled room at SacMod HQ. Here’s a hint: it abides, Dude.

GB: Preserving and protecting modern architecture is important, but I also think it would be cool to preserve the original concepts! I say bring back Woody’s Smorgasburger and The Zombie Hut to Freeport Boulevard. Whaddya think?

GS: I have been hoping someone would bring these classics back! In our guidebook we have devoted a two-page retrospective to Zombie Hut.

GB: A few of your favorite things:
Favorite Sacramento neon sign?

GS: Jugglin’ Joe in front of Gunther’s Ice Cream. I used to live in Curtis Park and would take the long way home just to see him throwing scoops at night.

GB: Favorite architect?
GS: That’s like asking who your favorite kid is.

GB: Favorite designer?
GS: See above.

GB: Favorite Mid-Century Modern home on the tour?
GS: See above.
GB: Favorite Point Of Interest on the MCM tour?
GS: I’d have to say the neon signs are my favorite points-of-interest. Our historic signs are really taken for granted. But we sure notice when they are gone.

GB: Okay, last question. Brady Bunch House. Mid-Century Modern or not?

GS: Oh sure — split level modern ranch. There’s a wacky one in SLP Hills. Absolutely enormous! Mr. Brady was an architect you know. Note that we will have four open buildings besides the homes and 22 additional drive-by points of interest. Ultimately what I’m hoping for is that people will know more about the stuff they pass by daily — and have an increased appreciation for and fondness of all that is around us. I’m proud to be from Sacramento. Everyone who lives here should be.

If you go:

What: MCM Home Tour
Where: Through out Land Park, starting at Sacramento Executive Airport, 6151 Freeport Blvd.
When: Saturday, May 18. The vintage transportation show is 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., registration and exhibits open from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Homes and other tour locations open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Tickets: Get your MCM Home Tour tickets at www.sacmod.brownpapertickets.com til May 15th. $30 general admission $20 for SacMod members. SacMod is also on Facebook

Orange Grove Graduates: Arcade area adult school to close after 38 years and hold graduation for everyone

“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” Those were the words posted on the office door of Orange Grove Adult School Principal Paige Ashley. Due to budget cuts, as of June 5, Orange Grove will no longer be a school to the adults with disabilities it served for 38 years.

The sentiment on the door –“That has become my mantra,” Ashley said in a phone interview on Tuesday, May 7.

“We have benefited so much from those students. We have more to learn from our students than they have to learn from us. They see joy in everything. They are completely open. If we were all like that, this world would be a whole better place.

“It’s easy to get into a pity party, but what I want to do is remember all the gifts we have enjoyed together and be grateful for that time. We all would have continued working but the powers to be have decided differently. My thing is let’s not cry because it’s over. Let’s smile because we were lucky to be here,” Ashley said.

To that end, Orange Grove will hold a graduation for everyone on Tuesday, June 4 because everyone who is a part of the school will graduate from it. As Ashley said: “Everyone graduates because we are all done.”

Graduation will be followed by a barbecue, and families, who have been very much a part of the community atmosphere, will talk of all the good times and memories their students have had over the years. Then on the last day, there will be a yearbook signing and dance with photo booths.

“We are focusing this year on having the best year we can and having as many fun events as we can. We are trying to generate many great memories,” Ashley said.

Serving 170 students with varying disabilities from age 25 to 77, the Orange Grove Adult School has been funded by the California Department of Education, similarly to how it funds the K-12 program, but when the state decided to allow local school districts to use categorical funding more liberally, San Juan Unified decided to use the funds for the K-12 program instead, Ashley said.

Over the years, many of the students have had the option to take six classes a day, be it journalism, performing arts, computers, PE, math and even cooking. The school is home to a 4-acre nature area. Eighty percent of the students live in family homes and 20 percent in care homes.

Starting July 1, three programs – Futures Explored (a vocational program), United Cerebral Palsy and Aim Higher – under the regional center Alta will lease the school property from the district and offer programs to these students. But how the students’ days will be spent, is not entirely known yet.

Some students have been at the school for 35 years.

During the last month of school, students have enjoyed a Mariachi Festival, a family barbecue, prom, talent shows, and even Folklorico dancing by students from a nearby elementary school.

At the talent show held April 25-26, students remembered their lines, sang beautifully and high-fived each other for a job well done. One student performed Lionel Richie’s “Three Times a Lady”, another did an Elvis remix, one impersonated Rhianna. “It was lots of fun,” Ashley said. “This year we wanted to go all out.”

“It was just adorable. The families come. Some of them brought flowers … Every year we do a jazz festival, but this year we did it differently. We celebrated dos de Mayo. We had a Mariachi band and had snacks in the nature area and spent the day out there,” Ashley said.

Out in the four-acre garden, students have been growing vegetables and flowers. “There’s a labyrinth, pond, bocce court. We always do our fall walk wheel-a-thon out there. It’s a third of a mile path that goes over the pond and through the woods. We have turkeys nesting,” Ashley said.

The stories seem endless and parents are crushed the school is closing. “It’s been a big family,” Ashley said, explaining how parents have been a fantastic group. They’ve held fundraisers, spearheaded special projects, helped with garden beds, raised money for iPads, and etcetera.

The students at Orange Grove run the gamut of disorders out there. A third have down syndrome, some are autistic. “We are just a little of everything,” Ashley said. “But everyone gets along great,” she said. “This is their home away from home. This is where they choose to be … This is their place. It belongs to them. Parents are always welcome … It’s a community. Parents feel lucky to have a place that’s safe and valued. Challenged. And loved.”

Land Park Community Comes Together to Help Young Family

On Saturday, May 18, friends of the Land Park community invite the public to attend a free music event at the Riverside Clubhouse in support of the family of David Magnan. David, a bright 33 year old, recently graduated from McGeorge School of Law and was sworn in as an attorney in 2011. Sadly, in 2003 David was diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma, a type of skin cancer that can manifest in many part of the body. The cancer was removed and the medical team was very hopeful that with David’s young age and low risk factors, the cancer would not return. This was not to be the case, as unfortunately the cancer has returned with a vengeance and David is now in the advanced stages of this disease.

David’s difficult journey nonetheless has been brightened by the birth of his daughter, Sophia, who is now eight months old. David had wanted to move his family from their current rental home in Oak Park to a house in the Land Park area. Several months ago, he had the opportunity to make this a reality. As David and family were approaching moving day, a group of men and women in the Land Park community along with members of Holy Spirit Parish Church, organized in order to help David, his wife Mariela, and their baby Sophia make the move as smooth as possible.

“David was very weak and ill and couldn’t move all the heavy furniture and boxes. A group of us all pitched in and moved the family”, said Eric Hintz, a Holy Spirit parishioner.

This group, wanting to help beyond the move to the new home, decided to focus on helping make daughter Sophia’s future a bit more secure.

“After the move, some of us came up with the idea that could help this family in this difficult time in their lives”, said Jack Morris, one of the event organizers and band member. “With the help of friends in the Land Park community, the LP Drive band and the Riverside Clubhouse, we have organized a music benefit for this wonderful family.”
All benefit donations will go directly toward an educational fund for Sophia.

Jenny Gravette, a close friend of the family, said it best: “David and Mariela are amazing, giving people. They are the kind of people that collect donations for the homeless and deliver them on the streets of Sacramento each Christmas Eve. As kind and giving as they are, let us show our support for their 8-month-old daughter Sophia. This is a simple, direct and personal way for you to make a difference in our community. We would greatly appreciate your support with a donation to this effort and by bringing your positive energy to the event at Riverside Clubhouse.”

If you go:
What: Benefit concert for Sophia Magnans’ educational fund
When: Saturday, May 18, from 8-11 p.m.
Where: Riverside Clubhouse, located at 2633 Riverside Blvd.

National History Day – California draws 1,056 students to Sacramento

The NHD-CA team dedicated many hours to assuring the successful operation of this year’s state competition. They are, from left to right: Josh Barton, Vivian Goldschmidt, Rhonda Cameron, Imelda Cavazos, Melissa Alvarado, Julie Hull, Christine Olmstead, Julie Escala and Rob Vicario. Photo by Lance Armstrong

The NHD-CA team dedicated many hours to assuring the successful operation of this year’s state competition. They are, from left to right: Josh Barton, Vivian Goldschmidt, Rhonda Cameron, Imelda Cavazos, Melissa Alvarado, Julie Hull, Christine Olmstead, Julie Escala and Rob Vicario. Photo by Lance Armstrong

A sea of students – 1,056 to be precise – recently showcased the results of their year-long involvement in preparing for the National History Day state competition at the Red Lion Hotel – Woodlake Conference Center (formerly the Radisson Hotel), off Highway 160.
This year’s edition of NHD-CA was held on April 26-28 and drew a total of about 3,000 people, including students, teachers, parents and volunteers.
One hundred and ninety schools from 21 counties participated in the state competition, and Sacramento County was represented by 94 student participants.
The annual educational program, which has most recently been sponsored by the Orange County Department of Education, is designed to encourage students to “explore local, state, national and world history.”
In discussing details about the program, NHD-CA consultant Julie Hull said, “History Day is the premier social science academic competition. The national program was recognized last year by President Obama and it received the (National Humanities Medal), so just recently it’s gained much more notoriety, because it was recognized by the White House. And it’s a year-long educational program where (4th through 12th grade) students engage in research and analysis to come up with a product.”
Every year, a new theme is selected, and this year’s theme was “Turning Points in History: People, Ideas, Events.”
Through the program, students analyze their resources, interpret their findings and draw conclusions regarding their topic’s significance in history.

Aishwarya Nadgauda, a sophomore at Sacramento Country Day School, was recognized as the runner-up in the individual documentary category. Photo courtesy of the Nadgauda family

Aishwarya Nadgauda, a sophomore at Sacramento Country Day School, was recognized as the runner-up in the individual documentary category. Photo courtesy of the Nadgauda family

The students worked on their projects individually or in groups of two to five students.
Fourth and 5th graders could make a poster, and 6th through 12th graders had a choice of making a documentary, a Web site, an exhibit or a historical paper, or participating in a performance.
Students generally begin working on their projects in June and participate in their school competitions, which are typically held around February, and county competitions, which are typically held around March.
Each year, more than a half a million students participate in the NHD program, which allows students to improve upon their critical thinking, problem-solving, research, reading, oral and written communication and presentation skills.
In speaking about the students’ participation in NHD, Hull said, “The exciting thing about this (program) is it really empowers them to think like a historian and view things in history from a different lens.”
Hull also noted that 60 percent of the students’ projects were evaluated on the quality of their research.
“It’s not just a showcase of pretty projects,” Hull said. “They’re really doing extensive research and they use libraries and archives and museums and do oral histories. Whether they win or lose, they’re doing college-level research, college-level writing, and they’re learning skills that are helping them in science and math and English and all across the curriculum. The national office did a study that showed that History Day students outperformed non-History Day students in all subject areas and in all standardized tests. So, it’s an exciting program that really feeds into teaching them the skills and the rigor required for college and careers.”
After the students presented their projects at this year’s NHD-CA event, they awaited their results. The top two projects in each category were selected to be entered into the national competition, which will be held June 9-13 at the University of Maryland.
Altogether, California will be represented in the national competition by 36 entries, 65 students and 37 teachers.
Although no representatives from Sacramento County were selected to make the trip to Maryland, Aishwarya Nadgauda, a 16-year-old sophomore at Sacramento Country Day School at 2636 Latham Drive, was recognized as the runner-up in the individual documentary category. There were 34 entrants in the state level in her category.
In discussing how she selected the topic for her 10-minute documentary, Nadgauda said, “The title of my project was ‘Setting off a Reaction that Changed the World Forever,’ and it was about the first controlled, sustained nuclear chain reaction (which occurred at the University of Chicago on Dec. 2, 1942, and led to the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb). I was trying to find a topic that fit (this year’s theme). So, I was reading this book called ‘Nuclear Weapons Pose a Grave Threat,’ and I came across all these instances where the world had come so close to a nuclear war, and it really interested me. So, I started going back from there, trying to see how was it that the world came to know about nuclear power, and kind of backpedaling from there, I came across the first controlled, sustained nuclear chain reaction.”
Nadgauda, who was participating in NHD for the fifth consecutive year, said that while seeking information related to her topic, she enjoyed the process of learning about many things that she would have otherwise never investigated.

San Francisco students, Christie Lum (left) and Elizabeth Leong, were among the more successful participants in the state competition. Photo by Lance Armstrong

San Francisco students, Christie Lum (left) and Elizabeth Leong, were among the more successful participants in the state competition. Photo by Lance Armstrong

And in commenting about her project-related trip to Rancho Seco, Nadgauda said, “Radioactivity is a major concern when it comes to nuclear power plants and (one of the plant’s decommissioning officers) showed me this chart of all the radioactivity in the area surrounding Rancho Seco, just in the soil. I would have expected that Rancho Seco had more radioactivity, but it was actually one of the least radioactive soils in the area even though there had been a nuclear power plant there at one point.”
While sharing details about her overall experience at the state competition, Nadgauda said, “What I really took away from it was just really being able to communicate. Communication skills are just really important and that’s one of the best things that I learned from this is how to analyze information and pick and choose what’s reliable and what you want to get across to the person who is watching your documentary.”
Several other students from different parts of the state participated in interviews with this publication.
Among these students were Emily Moreno, Robert Fernandez and Rhianne Esparza, who are each 17-year-old students at La Habra High School in La Habra, Calif.
Moreno, whose group was a runner-up in the “Group Web site” category, said, “History is not my favorite thing, but (the History Day program) actually made it interesting.”
One of the student participants who was in high spirits at the event was Olivia Ghosh. Along with her schoolmate, Soren Hansen, she was selected to compete in the national competition.
Ghosh, who attends Francis Park School in San Diego and participated in the national competition when she was in the eight grade, noted that her senior group exhibit was both a time-consuming and interesting project.
“We got up to (spending) six to 10 hours a week (on their project, ‘Fall of the Berlin Wall’),” Ghosh said. “One of the interesting things we learned is we interviewed a man who lived in West Berlin when the wall fell. Obviously, he was excited about the fact that they were reunifying and Germany was coming together again, but he also mentioned, just from a logistical standpoint – he lived near the wall – he still thought about daily needs, like traffic and pollution and lots of every day needs.”

Left to right, Emily Moreno, Robert Fernandez and Rhianne Esparza of La Habra, Calif. pose together in front of the Red Lion Hotel – Woodlake Conference Center after competing in this year’s National History Day state competition. Photo by Lance Armstrong

Left to right, Emily Moreno, Robert Fernandez and Rhianne Esparza of La Habra, Calif. pose together in front of the Red Lion Hotel – Woodlake Conference Center after competing in this year’s National History Day state competition. Photo by Lance Armstrong

Thirteen-year-old Elizabeth Leong of Zion Lutheran School in San Francisco was also in a joyful mood while she was speaking about an award that she had won at the state competition.
“I won a special award for county,” said Leong, who also won an excellence award for her project about the history of the Golden Gate Bridge. “The (special award recipients) are people who have done a lot and have competed in NHD for three years. So, I was lucky enough to win this award and I’m very happy about it.”
Standing alongside Leong was one of her schoolmates, 11-year-old Christie Lum, who participated in a runner-up project in the junior division.
Francis Parker students, Avi Waldman, 13, Amanda Wasserman, 12, and Ellie Hanson, 12, who were also interviewed by this publication, noted that although they did not win awards, they enjoyed their time participating in this year’s state competition.
Rob Vicario, NHD-CA state director, referred to the state competition participants as inspiring.
And while discussing the diversity and creativity of the competition’s projects, Vicario said, “We have one exhibit on the (history of) the toilet. The girls, I happened to be walking by and they were there taking questions from many folks that were visiting during the public viewing. They explained how they were inspired to look into this topic and how it became a turning point in history because of its impact on health issues, sanitation, etc. One of (the students) said, ‘I got so fascinated by the research behind this (project) that I’m now considering a career in sanitation when I get older.’”
Leslie Smith, one of the state competition judges and the history-social studies curriculum coordinator for San Bernardino County, noted that she was very impressed by those who participated in NHD competitions.
“It is amazing what these kids can accomplish,” Smith said. “(They conduct) authentic research using primary and secondary sources, personal interviews. They have no fear. They will e-mail, write, seek out congressmen, university professors to get the information that they need to improve their projects.”
Sacramento County NHA coordinator Craig Irish, who ran the state competition judging room with two other coordinators, expressed his own impressions of NHD.
“I’m amazed every year at the types of projects we see and the amount of work that is put into this competition,” Irish said. “They do a great deal of research and analyzing to put their projects together. It’s a great learning opportunity for these students.”
Next year’s NHD-CA competition will have the theme of “Rights and Responsibilities in History.”

Moms and their babes who live at The Sacramento Zoo

Sumatran Tigers
Bahagia and CJ

CJ – Born March 3, 2013
Bahagia – Born November 27, 2000

CJ is Bahagia’s fifth living offspring and latest cub. Currently both are spending time off-exhibit while CJ learns what it means to be a tiger. Almost all of his teeth have grown in and he is starting to follow mom around and plays with her every chance he gets (he loves pouncing on her tail). Bahagia is a very patient mother who has always been playful with her cubs. Sometimes you will even find her initiating playtime with CJ, but when she has had enough she will gently put her paw on CJ’s head and push him away.
Mimi and Baby

Wolf’s Guenon (monkeys)
Baby – Born January 26, 2013
Mimi – Born July 12, 2007

Mimi and mate Eddie are amazing first time parents. They have both been very protective of their little one. When the baby was less mobile Mimi would use one of the planters in the exhibit as a playpen, it allowed her to take a break while still keeping an eye on the little one. Because they are so protective veterinarians and keepers have not been able to get close enough to determine the sex of the baby. However, the Zoo has started a naming contest for the little one with gender neutral names. The final name will be announced May 10th.

Brazilian Rainbow Boa
Mom – Born in 1987
Pantanal – Born July 12, 2009

July 12, 1009, the Sacramento Zoo’s female Brazilian Rainbow Boa gave birth to a clutch of three through parthenogenesis. This means that a male was not involved in the making of the young ones, mom did all the work. After birth, as with most reptiles, mom provided no parental care. Currently one of her offspring, Pantanal, lives in the Zoo’s Interpretive Center where she can be seen in shows and at school visits. Pantanal has iridescent scales that look like a rainbow in the sun and she will continue to grow her entire life. Mom can be seen in the Zoo’s Reptile House.

Mongoose Lemurs
Catherina and Natasha
Catherina – Born April 19, 2009
Natasha – Born March 30, 2012

The Sacramento Zoo is home to a family of three Mongoose Lemurs. Mom and daughter, Catherina and Natasha are quite the pair. Mongoose Lemurs are matriarchal, a viewer can often identify the male lemur by looking for the one who is constantly pushed out of the way or has food taken from him by Catherina and his daughter Natasha. When Natasha was first born she would cling to her mom’s belly so that she could easily be protected and carried from place to place. In Madagascar nectar is part of the mongoose lemurs’ diet; this makes them important pollinators in their native eco-system.

‘Ian Harvey + Koo Kyung Sook: Together + Alone’ exhibit going on now at JAYJAY

By MONICA STARK
editor@valcomnews.ocm

The story of husband and wife team Ian Harvey and Koo Kyung Sook is rich and deep, as they investigate their own individual works as artists and as they work on monumental collaborative pieces, which are now on display at JAYJAY art gallery on Elvas Avenue.
Together + Alone is a continuation of an exhibit with the same title mounted at JAYJAY in 2010.
Using the figurative imagery of Sook, and the alchemic abstract painting approach of Sacramento State painting professor Harvey, the two artists make thousands of paintings on business card stock (2”x 3.5”), and build works on a grid to form large-scale figurative paintings (112”x132”) for their collaborative pieces.
If it sounds labor intensive, it is.
The process begins with Sook in a dark room, where she exposes photo paper to light and drops Sumi ink on top, which creates a look of abstract lines and squiggles. She does this hundreds (sometimes thousands) of times and chooses which ones to piece together to form a face or body.
Once an image is complete, they project the image and use it as a guide, for a totally different work, creating an interpretation of the black and white image. Then they piece thousands of business cards that they have painted to large, colorful displays.
For some of the projects, a lot of color is portrayed, sometimes by mistake as chemical reactions with alcohol, polyurethane and powders occur. When done, each 3×5 card resembles individual blood cells. “We want to think of the body as a corporate entity of cells. The body is made up of all these individual cells.” When you get them together, something magical happens – art pieces showing the body in its most whimsical form.
“Sometimes people think it’s like a puzzle — that it’s ready made — but it’s not,” Sook said. “If we chose 800 (painted cards), that means we made at least 2,000,” she said.
The two first met in Vermont in 2002 at the Vermont Studio Center Press, where Harvey worked as a fundraiser and Koo was selected as a Freeman Fellow, which included 10 Asian artists over the course of a year to work on projects for two months each. “So Koo came and I ignored her while she was there and then after the two months passed, I came (over to her) … Yeah, I am pretty slow,” he said.
After that Sook was living in South Korea, working as a professor at the University of Korea. So they two went back and forth from the states to Korea. “When we were together we would do the collaborative work over school vacations … and in between we would work on our own work,” Harvey said.
Since they have been living together, they have been focusing on their collaborative work. “We had a  (collaborative) show in Seoul last September. So we were in good shape for that,” Harvey said. But he hadn’t done any substantive individual work in over almost a year and a half. But he said JAYJAY wanted to do another show. “We said, ‘yeah, of course’ because we like working with JAYJAY.’ They’re great. But then we sort of had to hustle,” Harvey said.
Harvey said over his career, he’s pretty much just stuck to abstract painting, while Soak has worked with many media. Over time, their relationship as married artists evolved.
“Our relationship with materials is the common ground,” Harvey said. “She’s using this photographic material to invent an image; I’m using paint to invent an image. It’s basically the same thing. She’s making figures; I’m making imaginary landscapes or whatever you want to call them,” Harvey said.
He said he has always admired Koo’s images. “I am an abstract painter. I don’t make images of the figure perspective. I did try at one point, but they always came out like illustrations. They were really corny, really bad,” he laughed.
So he became an abstract painter, using Sook’s images as a kind of model for the image they are going to make.
In practice, they share the same interests.
Harvey, a former New York based artist with his MFA from Columbia University School of the Arts, was introduced to the Sacramento region in a West Coast premier solo exhibit at JAYJAY in 2007. He received rave reviews for his “maximalist” approach to compositions with various paint mediums.   Harvey, a painting professor at CSU Sacramento, has continued to impress collectors with his obvious love of paint and its ability to move on a surface, forming complicated abstract narratives.
Koo Kyung Sook was a professor of fine arts at Chung Nam National University in Taejon, Korea for the last couple of decades, and is recently retired and has immigrated to the US.   She received her first BFA from Hongik University in Seoul, Korea, following with a BFA from the Art Institute of Chicago and an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan.   She has exhibited widely in Korea and the United States, focusing on her interest in the figure with gestural images on paper, most recently in a digital medium.

Harvey–Koo

The story of husband and wife team Ian Harvey and Koo Kyung Sook is rich and deep, as they investigate their own individual works as artists and as they work on monumental collaborative pieces, which are now on display at JAYJAY art gallery on Elvas Avenue.

Together + Alone is a continuation of an exhibit with the same title mounted at JAYJAY in 2010.

Using the figurative imagery of Sook, and the alchemic abstract painting approach of Sacramento State painting professor Harvey, the two artists make thousands of paintings on business card stock (2”x 3.5”), and build works on a grid to form large-scale figurative paintings (112”x132”) for their collaborative pieces.

If it sounds labor intensive, it is.

The process begins with Sook in a dark room, where she exposes photo paper to light and drops Sumi ink on top, which creates a look of abstract lines and squiggles. She does this hundreds (sometimes thousands) of times and chooses which ones to piece together to form a face or body.

Once an image is complete, they project the image and use it as a guide, for a totally different work, creating an interpretation of the black and white image. Then they piece thousands of business cards that they have painted to large, colorful displays.

For some of the projects, a lot of color is portrayed, sometimes by mistake as chemical reactions with alcohol, polyurethane and powders occur. When done, each 3×5 card resembles individual blood cells. “We want to think of the body as a corporate entity of cells. The body is made up of all these individual cells.” When you get them together, something magical happens – art pieces showing the body in its most whimsical form.

“Sometimes people think it’s like a puzzle — that it’s ready made — but it’s not,” Sook said. “If we chose 800 (painted cards), that means we made at least 2,000,” she said.

The two first met in Vermont in 2002 at the Vermont Studio Center Press, where Harvey worked as a fundraiser and Koo was selected as a Freeman Fellow, which included 10 Asian artists over the course of a year to work on projects for two months each. “So Koo came and I ignored her while she was there and then after the two months passed, I came (over to her) … Yeah, I am pretty slow,” he said.

Koo_Markings_12-3After that Sook was living in South Korea, working as a professor at the University of Korea. So they two went back and forth from the states to Korea. “When we were together we would do the collaborative work over school vacations … and in between we would work on our own work,” Harvey said.

Since they have been living together, they have been focusing on their collaborative work. “We had a  (collaborative) show in Seoul last September. So we were in good shape for that,” Harvey said. But he hadn’t done any substantive individual work in over almost a year and a half. But he said JAYJAY wanted to do another show. “We said, ‘yeah, of course’ because we like working with JAYJAY.’ They’re great. But then we sort of had to hustle,” Harvey said.

Harvey said over his career, he’s pretty much just stuck to abstract painting, while Soak has worked with many media. Over time, their relationship as married artists evolved.

“Our relationship with materials is the common ground,” Harvey said. “She’s using this photographic material to invent an image; I’m using paint to invent an image. It’s basically the same thing. She’s making figures; I’m making imaginary landscapes or whatever you want to call them,” Harvey said.

He said he has always admired Koo’s images. “I am an abstract painter. I don’t make images of the figure perspective. I did try at one point, but they always came out like illustrations. They were really corny, really bad,” he laughed.

So he became an abstract painter, using Sook’s images as a kind of model for the image they are going to make.

In practice, they share the same interests.

Harvey, a former New York based artist with his MFA from Columbia University School of the Arts, was introduced to the Sacramento region in a West Coast premier solo exhibit at JAYJAY in 2007. He received rave reviews for his “maximalist” approach to compositions with various paint mediums.   Harvey, a painting professor at CSU Sacramento, has continued to impress collectors with his obvious love of paint and its ability to move on a surface, forming complicated abstract narratives.

Koo Kyung Sook was a professor of fine arts at Chung Nam National University in Taejon, Korea for the last couple of decades, and is recently retired and has immigrated to the US.   She received her first BFA from Hongik University in Seoul, Korea, following with a BFA from the Art Institute of Chicago and an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan.   She has exhibited widely in Korea and the United States, focusing on her interest in the figure with gestural images on paper, most recently in a digital medium.

If you go:
What: ‘Ian Harvey + Koo Kyung Sook: Together + Alone’ exhibit
Where: JAYJAY, 5520 Elvas Ave., Sacramento, 95819
When: Now-June 22, with an artists’ reception on May 2, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., including a gallery talk at 7 p.m. A Second Saturday reception will be held May 11 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Contact: 453-2999

editor@valcomnews.com


By MONICA STARK

After 26 years, Kennedy band teacher George Miles is calling it quits. But before he leaves his position, he has one last show he hopes alumni come see. It’s a combined concert with Sutter Middle and Leonardo da Vinci students on May 16 at 7 p.m. in the JFK Auditorium.
Miles has had generations of students and some have gone into teaching and other music fields. He harbors mixed emotions about his retirement as he has fond memories of his career. The Kennedy band has played at the tree lighting ceremony for Governor Brown; he’s taken students to Hawaii, Florida and other places closer to home like Disneyland.
“I love to make music and I will miss that. And I will miss the kids,” Miles said. “When you are teaching kids to make music, there is a lot of collaboration and personal investment both ways and it’s something you share with the kids. People who haven’t done music, they don’t really understand … that musical connection. That’s not something you can describe, something you can’t put into words. It’s just something you do together,” Miles said.
But while he will miss making music with the kids, he also feels like it’s time to move on. “I am old enough,” he said “and marching band gets to be physical. It’s been hard in recent years to keep up with it.”
Originally from Illinois, Miles studied at Northern Illinois University for undergrad then continued on to Western Oregon University, which was then called Western Oregon State College. “When I was in Oregon I thought I was going to stay in Oregon but I heard about an opening down here and interviewed. I ended up being really impressed with what I saw and came here instead,” he said.
Twenty-six out of the 34 years he’s taught have been at Kennedy. Previously, he taught for five years in Oregon and two years at an Indian reservation in Illinois.
Miles looks forward to having more time to play music with friends. A trombone player, Miles used to get frequent requests to play with various groups, but often had to turn them down because of work commitments. Also, he has been putting off traveling to Europe, but adds that unfortunately his wife Sheryl isn’t ready to retire. So, he said, he’ll probably have to wait a year or two before he does that.
Sheryl teaches music at Caroline Wenzel and comes to Miles’s band room during her lunch to teach drumming. Sheryl also travels all summer with the Concord Blue Devils as the band’s manager.
Miles said the Kennedy band has about 85 students, which fares quite well in size compared to other bands. “There are bands much larger but they are in areas that are densely populated and they have an elementary program which we no longer have,” he said.
“When times get tough, you can tell what they value. Haven’t seen as much money as we used to,” he said. Besides paying Miles’ salary, he said the district provides $250 for repairs and supplies. “That was about it,” he said. “Everything else was provided by boosters or stuff I’ve had to buy out of my pocket,” he said. Some of those things included drum sticks, drum heads – “all kinds of stuff,” he said.
Though Miles will be sorely missed, Jeremy Hammond, the band teacher at Sam Brannan will split his time between teaching at Kennedy and teaching at the middle school. Miles speaks highly of Hammond. Miles said he has spoken to Hammond a lot about the personal connections he has made with students before or after school and that splitting time between the two schools may make that difficult for Hammond.

“When you are a teacher, you make a personal connection. You get to talk before or after school, but with a split (schedule), you give up a lot,” he said. “That’s something Jeremy and I have talked a lot about.”
For those who may be interested in music but have not had the opportunity to play, Miles has words of wisdom: “I would just say get in there. You know — old school: try.” He said the district is fortunate in that they have a lot of instruments. For students who can’t afford to buy own instruments, the school has some for them. “I think for a lot of kids it’s one of the bright spots in the day … it’s one of the classes you really get to look forward to,” he said.
Miles has brought such joy to many students and families over the years and several of them had such nice things to say about the beloved teacher:
Drummer Alex Pfiefer said: “Mr. Miles is and always will be one of the greatest music instructors I have ever known. With him, you can always tell he understands and loves the music because of the benevolence he has towards the piece that he is teaching.  His striving to improve the band as a whole is always apparent due to the support he gives to each individual band member.  But, when those members are irresponsible, the gloves come off and his iron fist comes down and establishes order with irrefutable leadership that everyone should take note of.”
JFK senior Joseph Barrett has been in the marching band for four years. To him, Miles has done such a great job and is very committed to his work. “He keeps us motivated and inspired to thrive musically and educationally. His ever-funny jokes he cracks in class are sure reminder of his awesome personality. His best trait is that he really cares about us all in the band. I would say what really makes the JFK band is Mr. Miles. Without him, the band won’t be the same. I will miss him greatly. He is a great role model to all of us,” Barrett said.  Barrett has played the clarinet for almost 10 years and will go to Sacramento City College with plans to transfer to Sacramento State University or Chico State to work towards a history major. He wants to teach history in high school.  
Barrett’s brother, alumnus Brian Barrett (former band drum major) said: “One memory in particular is seared into my mind in regards to Mr. Miles. The memory is of a day when the schools power went down and as a result the band room was in complete chaos. Mr. Miles stood there playing half-notes on his trombone in a chromatic scale like it was any other day. That is Mr. Miles at his core, turning chaos into order through music, the results are always magnificent.”
Joseph and Brian Barrett’s father, Alan Barrett, has been involved in the band since 2001 and is former band booster president. Alan Barrett said: “George and Sheryl Miles have had a positive and dynamic impact musically, enriching the lives of thousands of kids for over two decades in the Sacramento area. Many of George’s students have gone on to major in music and teach themselves. I would like to thank George for his tireless devotion over the years, especially in teaching all three of my sons about the importance of music and a good education.”

editor@valcomnews.com