Dr. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento), the American Chemistry Council (ACC), Keep California Beautiful (KCB) and the Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps (SRCC) today announced the winner of the Read, Write, Recycle! Challenge, a recycling contest for students in the San Juan and Natomas School Districts that teaches the importance and value of recycling.
Students from Whitney Avenue Elementary School emerged as the grand-prize winners after collecting and recycling 1,124 pounds of plastic, aluminum, glass and paper during the five-week contest. Today, the students received the $1,000 grand prize for their achievement. Along with the grand prize, one participating school in each of the two school districts was awarded a district level prize of $500. Witter Ranch Elementary School claimed victory in the Natomas School District and Whitney Avenue Elementary won in the San Juan School District.
In total, the six participating schools helped recycle a grand total of 2,892 pounds, more than one ton, of materials throughout the competition, including 467 pounds of plastics. The six participating schools included: Natomas Park Elementary, Heron School, H. Allen Hight Elementary, Greer Elementary, Witter Ranch Elementary and Whitney Avenue Elementary.
“The students at all of these schools should be proud of what they have accomplished by being part of Read, Write, Recycle!,” said Dr. Pan, a local pediatrician and State Assemblymember. “They should also know that, by recycling, they are connected to a larger effort to protect our environment, creating a healthy planet and healthy futures.”
“The efforts of the students in the San Juan and Natomas School Districts are phenomenal. The more we can do to spread the word about recycling among kids, the more kids can take that knowledge and apply it in their everyday lives,” said Steve Russell, vice president of ACC’s Plastics Division.
“It’s amazing how much our students, as well as the staff, learned about recycling by participating in this program,” said Vincent Arias, principal at Whitney Avenue Elementary. “Educating and involving students in recycling at the elementary school age will help ensure that they will continue recycling as they grow up.”
A total of 165 elementary school classes from the six schools participated in this five-week recycling challenge. In total, more than 4,300 students participated in the program, learning valuable lessons about recycling.
“The Read, Write, Recycle! Challenge has been a welcome addition to our ongoing conservation efforts and work training program,” said Dwight Washabaugh, executive director of the Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps. “Partnerships like these help ensure that the SRCC can provide the kind of on-the-job career experience that our corps members need.”
The Read, Write, Recycle! program was first conducted in February of 2012 in San Gabriel County where 1,500 students recycled more than 11,000 pounds of materials. Building on the success of this initial program, Assemblymember Dr. Pan and the partners brought the competition to Sacramento in the fall of 2012.
Read, Write, Recycle! is the latest recycling effort supported by ACC under the Plastics. Too Valuable to Waste. Recycle.™ campaign. ACC also works with LA’s BEST, an after-school enrichment program in Los Angeles, to educate students about recycling, and ACC is a key sponsor of Recycle. Goal., a recycling contest between young soccer players in Southern California and the Central Valley.

To learn more about Read, Write, Recycle!, please visit www.2valuable2waste.com.

Student greets recycling mascots at Whitney Avenue Elementary in Arden Arcade. Betty Bottle and Al Luminum from the California Conservation Corps entertained Whitney Avenue Elementary students during the official launch of Read, Write, Recycle!, a recycling contest for students of San Juan and Natomas Unified School Districts. / Photo courtesy of Timothy Douglas

Dr. Richard Pan, the American Chemistry Council, Keep California Beautiful and the Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps today launched Read, Write, Recycle!, a recycling contest for students of San Juan and Natomas Unified School Districts.

Six schools, two from the San Juan Unified School District and four from the Natomas Unified School District, will compete over the next five weeks to collect the most recyclable materials. One winning school in each district will receive $500 for the most recyclables collected.  A grand prize of $1,000 will be awarded to the single school in the two districts that recycles the most paper, aluminum, glass, and plastic.

“It’s no secret that schools have suffered tremendous cuts over the last few years, and we need to be creative to generate much-needed funds,” said Dr. Pan, who chairs the California State Assembly Committee on Health. “This partnership is an excellent example of working together to meet students’ needs, while still teaching valuable lessons like recycling.”

Each school will receive $150 for participating. These funds can be used for much needed school supplies.  In addition, each of the participating schools will receive several recycling bins. Teachers and students also will receive tips to help encourage recycling at school and at home.

“We are inspired by the enthusiasm these young people bring to recycling. Collecting valuable materials like plastic, paper, aluminum and glass and diverting them from the waste stream is a great way to be part of solutions that show commitment to a clean environment,” said Steve Russell, vice president of the Plastics Division at ACC. “We’re proud to be part of any program that helps create the next generation of recyclers.”

A total of 165 elementary school classes from the six schools will participate in this five-week recycling challenge. In total, more than 4,300 students will participate in the program, learning valuable lessons about recycling.

“We are delighted to work with the San Juan and Natomas school districts, Assemblymember Pan, the ACC and Keep California Beautiful to provide an opportunity to recycle in Sacramento-area schools,” said Dwight Washabaugh, executive director of the Sacramento Regional Conservation Corps. “Partnerships like these help our kids value the environment and help our corps members learn valuable skills in the workplace.”

The contest wraps up in November with an acknowledgment of the winners. To learn more about Read, Write, Recycle!, please visit  www.2valuable2waste.com.

In the late 1940’s and early 50’s high school baseball in Sacramento was at its zenith. McClatchy, Sacramento, and Christian Brothers all had outstanding teams and talent. Roger Osenbaugh and Jim Westlake of CKM signed pro contracts after the 1948 season followed by Woody Held (Sac), Richie Meyers (Elk Grove), Tony Stathos (CKM), John McNamara (CBS), and Harry Dunlap (Sac). Sacramento Junior College combined the city’s best baseball players to go for the state title for three straight years from, 51 to 53, winning the state title in 51 and 53 at the Edmonds Field.

Possibly the greatest high school baseball teams to ever play in Sacramento were the McClatchy teams of 1951 and 52. The 51 team won 22 without a loss and the section title, and the 52 team followed with 18 more wins before losing to CBS after McClatchy’s win streak reached 40 games.

With a McClatchy Athletic Hall of Fame starting this fall after 75 years, these two teams and their players were picked as one of the three greatest teams in McClatchy’s first 25 years. They will be honored on September 20, with a dinner at the Elk’s Club and on the 21st at half time of the McClatchy football game.

Led by the Rose brothers Earl (51) and Ralph (53), Peter Stathos (52), and Dick Traversi (52), six Lions made all-city in 51 and five made the all-city team in 52. Chris Chrstian, JC Masters, and Ralph Rose were the pitchers with Earl used in relief. Traversi played first, Stathos, second, and Earl Rose played in the outfield.

McClatchy hit .309 as a team with Earl Rose setting a school record getting 49 hits in 94 at bats for a .521 average. This record has never been broken. Junior Peter Stathos also broke the school record hitting .512. He had 42 hits and drove in 28 runs. Traversi was a unanimous choice for All City getting 28 hits and being an excellent glove man at first base. Traversi would go on in his senior year to lead the city in scoring for the McClatchy basketball team.
The pitching staff was led by seniors’ Chris Christian and JC Masters. Christian had eight wins and Masters had six. Bob Jones was the catcher and made all-city. Outfielder Jerry Pesavento and shortstop Bob Ayres made honorable mention.

McClatchy started the season with wins over Willows, San Juan, and Grass Valley. They reached nine straight when they beat Grant 11-2 and came closest to their only loss when their game with CBS was called for darkness after eight innings with the score 11 to 11. McClatchy had led 9-0 but four errors allowed the Pete Mikichich led CBS to tie the score and send it to extra innings.

Chris Christian next threw a one-hitter at Sac and the Lions won easily 11-2. Masters came back to beat the Dragons for their 15th straight 6-3. The Lions had to come from behind in this one as the Dragons scored two in the first. Stathos drove in two runs in the second and Ayres tripled home Masters to put the Lions ahead for good. Ralph Rose then threw a two-hitter to beat St Mary’s for their 16th straight. McClatchy beat Woodland 8-2 and came back for a close 6-5 win over Sacramento for their 22nd and final win of the season.

Coach Cliff Perry commented that, “This was the best team I have ever coached. Earl Rose was obviously the top senior with his .521 average, but seniors JC Masters, Chris Christian, Bob Jones, Dave Thomas (21 steals) , and Jerry Pesavento will be tough to replace.”

The 1952 season started up right where it left off with Ralph Rose, Roger Herscowitz, Don Deary, and Mike Toomey being the main pitchers. Sophomore Bill Werry handled the catching., Traversi played first, Stathos, second, Bob Ayres, short, and Bruce Parsons/ Hui Jackson third. Rose, Gene Huyrch, Jan Aitken, and Parsons were in the outfield.

All-city performers included: Aitken, Ayres, Stathos, Traversi, and Werry in the Sacramento Bee, and Aitken, Rose, Stathos, Traversi, and the Sacramento Union. Huyrch and Ayres made honorable mention. Peter Stathos led the team in hitting with a .438 average, Traversi hit .417 and Rose was .407. Werry .417 and Huyrch each hit four triples and Huyrch had six home runs. Stathos was chosen to play in the East-West All Star game in Oakland after the season.

The Lions started the 52 season fast with eighteen straight wins before falling for the first time at the end of the season They did win the city championship for the third straight year. Highlights included a 21-2 win over Rio Vista, 29-1 win over Turlock and their 35th straight win a 9-2 victory over St Mary’s of Stockton.

The streak finally came to an end in May when Dave Higgins (all-city) from Christian Brothers beat the Lions 11-4. McClatchy was never in the game as Higgins pitched six shutout innings before McClatchy scored twice in the 7th and 8th.
When asked about the McClatchy 51-52 baseball teams that won 40 straight games, Stathos commented, “We had a great coach, Cliff Perry, and great players, Traversi, Aitken, Ayres, and the Rose brothers. We had great pitching, JC and Chris in 51 and Ralph Rose, Herscowitz, and Deary, in 52. Werry and Hurych came out of nowhere to really help us in 52. Forty straight wins. Wow, nobody will ever do that again.”

This is the first in a series of articles as part of the McClatchy 75th year celebration, and the institution of a McClatchy Sports Hall of Fame. A banquet will be held on Sept. 20, at the Elks Clubs honoring 50 individuals and five teams from the first 25 years (1938-1962). All McClatchy graduates and family are invited to participate. For information: go to RestoretheRoar.org or contact Jim Coombs at (916) 422-9082 or Bob Sertih at (916) 441-0657.