On Thursday, May 10, the Sacramento Elks 6 honored students and educators at their annual scholarship dinner. The event opened with a welcome from Stephen B. Clazie,
Scholarship Chair, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Boy Scout Troop 259, an invocation by Chaplain Valerie Keyser, and a prime rib dinner served by JFK criminal justice students.

The following is information provided by the Elks Lodge about each of the awardees.

Elks #6 Educators of the Year

Outstanding Middle School Educator for 2013
Mrs. Mikila Fetzer, Genevieve Didion K-8 School

Outstanding High School Educator for 2013
Ms. Lori Jablonski,  C.K. McClatchy High School

Sacramento City Teachers Association  & Elks #6 Scholarships
Presented by Debbie Eto, Exalted Ruler

Elks #6 & Boy Scout Troop 259
Eagle Scout Scholarship
Presented by Debbie Eto, Exalted Ruler

Dillon S. Thomas, C.K. McClatchy High School, $700

Mark A. Thompson, John F. Kennedy High School, $700

Elks #6 Golf Club Scholarship
Wes Okuhara,  C.K. McClatchy High School, $500
Chloe Kashiwagi, C.K. McClatchy High School, $500

Elks #6 Middle School Scholarships
Presented by Debbie Eto, Exalted Ruler

Tilton Hoyt, Sutter Middle School
He strives not only to do ‘A’ work but makes it as creative and original as possible. He is continually thinking outside the box.  He participates in spirit activities, has joined clubs and plays soccer.  He is involved in his local church and does community service.  He is an all-around student that would serve as a role model for our community.

Emily Louie, Genevieve Didion K-8 School
She is co-captain of the cheerleaders and has been a Girl Scout for eight years.  As a Girl Scout, she volunteered at the Special Olympics and distributed Girl Scout cookies for her church. She coordinated the collection of donated materials for military officers stationed overseas.  She earned a level four certificate of merit for piano, and was Elks 6’s April Student of the Month for Didion K-8 School.

Dipp Nguyen, Will C. Wood Middle School
This year, she has participated in Mathletes, MESA , Club Live, Korean Club, and Book Club.  In these numerous endeavors, she strives to uphold leadership roles.  She is team captain of her robotics team, treasurer of Korean Club, and president of Club Live.  Her commitment to these organizations shows her dedication to bettering herself and her peers.

Sacramento Elks #6  Elks National “Most Valuable Student” 2013
Presented by Debbie Eto, Exalted Ruler

Daniel Mingrue Li
As a junior at John F. Kennedy High School, he started the International Student Society, and the club has collaborated with Amnesty International. The group is starting an international women’s rights campaign.  He had a very unique opportunity of traveling across the world to Sacramento’s sister city in China as a youth ambassador.
(DISTRICT $400 & STATE $800 & $1,500 from Emblem Club and $36 from Elks 6 for a total of $2,736)

Keegan Pincombe
He has always been a positive force for hard work.  He has been in the Sacramento Children’s Choir, a youth ambassador to China through a Sister Cities program, and is an Eagle Scout. (STATE $800 & $1,500 from Emblem Club $436 from Elks 6 for a total of $2,736). John F. Kennedy High School

Derek Taylor
He is intensely competitive as an athlete and compassionate as a citizen.  He is wise beyond his years.  He will make his mark in the world in a way that will be both significant and positive.
($1,500 from Emblem Club & $1,236 from Elks 6 for a total of $2,736)
C.K. McClatchy High School

Keiko Jordan Fong
She completed the highest level of math C.K. McClatchy offers by her junior year, and as high school senior received an A in Math 402 at Sacramento City College.  She is an athlete, Girl Scout and accomplished musician, a professional math tutor, artist and an active member of he church group.  She also performs a wide variety of community service, both independently and with her dance troop, often entertaining the elderly at nursing homes.
($1,500 from Emblem Club & $1,236 from Elks 6 for a total of $2,736)
C.K. McClatchy High School

Christina Fang
She assists in the UC Davis Medical Center Trauma Department by performing basic patient care and completing clerical duties.  As a true leader, she is also humble and listens to other’s input.
(ENF SCHOLAR $1,000 for four years for a total of $4,000)
West Campus High School

Allison Yamamoto
Her passion for educational equality empowered her to initiate a volunteer tutoring program at my local library. The positive feedback she received from parents was overwhelming.  She has learned that she can create positive change in my community when there is passion motivating that change.
(ENF SCHOLAR $1,000 for four years for a total of $4,000)
C.K. McClatchy High School

The Gunther & Lee Weigel Medical School Scholarship
The Elks National Foundation is pleased to offer an exclusive scholarship opportunity just for Elks scholars pursuing a medical degree. The Gunther & Lee Weigel Medical School Scholarship will go to six Elks scholars (current or alum) entering the first year of medical school in 2013-14. The $20,000 scholarships were established through the generosity of Lee Weigel, widow of Gunther Weigel. Lee lost her husband of 51 years in November 2009. Gunther was a longtime member of Miami, Fla., Elks Lodge No. 948. He was passionate about the Foundation’s scholarship programs. Lee established these scholarships to help Elks scholars pursue a career in medicine. The application will be available in mid-March 2013 and will be due in mid-May 2013. If you are an Elks scholar pursuing a medical degree starting in 2013-14, email scholarship@elks.org for more information.

The Association of California School Administrators has selected five Sacramento City Unified School District administrators to be honored at its annual awards ceremony in May.

Congratulations to:  Becky Bryant, Special Education Administrator; Paula Hanzel, principal of Sacramento New Technology High School; Lilia Ibarra Pelegri, assistant principal at Hiram Johnson High School; Dave Rodriquez, principal of Sutter Middle School; and Rachel Lane, principal of Nicholas Elementary School.  They will be honored May 15 at the ACSA Region III Awards Gala of the Year.

The five were chosen for promoting the success of all students and for their commitment to educational quality and student achievement.

Also that night, the Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center (SCCSC) will be honored as an excellent community partner at Hiram Johnson High School and Nicholas Elementary.

For the last three years, the After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens Program (ASSETs) has helped support student achievement by developing and implementing multiple academic support programs geared toward student’s success.

The ACSA ceremony in May will start out with the C.K. McClatchy High School Jazz Orchestra performing the national anthem.

On Jan. 12, parent Evette Tsang, Kungfu Master Xena Wu and East Sacramento Acupuncturist Tian Li Wu from Tiao Chao Herbs came to Sutter Middle School’s Mrs Hendrikson’s class to share Chinese New Year traditions with 7th grade students. Students were delighted to participate in an abacus addition contest, first class kungfu and Chinese Medicine origins and an acupunture demonstration. Chinese New Year of the Snake started on Feb 10 and lasts until to Feb. 24.

The Youth Art & Design Expo at the California State Fair has a number of impressive entries this year, with many from Sacramento County students. / Photo by Susan Laird

For the last 158 years, Californians have proudly celebrated the talent and bounty of this great land at the annual California State Fair.
Whether in good times or tough ones, somehow the good folks of the Golden State manage to “step up to the plate” and show why there is always hope for the future.
Case in point, a number of Sacramento County’s youth artists – those in middle school and high school – submitted art work for the Youth Art & Design Expo. This is juried art show at the State Fair. And the young people did very well.
In fact, there were some 840 entries from Sacramento County’s young people that were judged good enough to win ribbons for first, second and third places, plus honorable mention. Not every entry was awarded a ribbon, so honorable mentions from this juried show are a significant accomplishment.
The titles of the submitted works are lively and imaginative – and seeing the creativity and talent of this younger generation is a great encouragement to fairgoers, as well as fun entertainment.

Here are a few of the schools in the Valley Community Newspapers readership area that are represented at this year’s fair:
West Campus High School
Pocket resident Isabel Moniz won first place for “Ode to Nature” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking) and a third place ribbon for “Feathers” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking). Arden Middle School
Jessica Allen received an impressive seven ribbons for multiple entries in different art categories at this year’s fair. Her 3D sculpture, “Googlie,” received an IMCO Ceramics Award and a second place ribbon. Two more 3D sculptures, “Chicken” and “Peace of Pie” received honorable mentions. Jessica received two third place ribbons for “Lucid Mindset” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking) and “Glow” (Photography). She received an additional honorable mention for “Tree of Life” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking).
Sam Brannan Middle School
Erinn Wong won a second place ribbon for “My Memory of Grandma Po Gee Lo” (Scrapbooks & Collections).
California Montessori Project
Sarah Bauer won two first place ribbons for her photography in the age 5 to 9 category. Her images of “Graffiti Wall” and “One Lonely Light” are on display. She received an honorable mention for “Chinese Restaurant.”
Christian Brothers High School
Morgan Gable won a second place ribbon for “Moon and Sun” (Wood items) and an honorable mention for “Cabin Sweet Cabin” (Any Other Craft or Hobby).
Julia Grajeda won the Best of Class trophy and a first place ribbon for her “Travel Backpack” in the Any Other Sewing Project category. She won two additional first place ribbons for “Plaid Sweatshirt” (Single Clothing Item) and “Pretty Pink Pillow” (Any Other Sewing Project). Julie also won a red ribbon for “Tie-Dye Tote Bag” (Any Other Sewing Project) and a third place ribbon for “Purple Skirt” (Single Clothing Item).
Crocker Riverside Elementary
Annabelle Long won a first place ribbon for her watercolor painting, “Hungry,” and an honorable mention for her painting, “Awe.”
Del Dayo Elementary
Ressa Eliza Artz received three ribbons at the fair: first place for “The Call of Autumn” (Quilts), first place for “Carmelo Mission” (Digitally Manipulated Photography) and an honorable mention for “Pondering Woodpecker” (Photography).
Nathaniel Heron received a third place ribbon for his entry, “Frosty Friend” (Mixed Media).
Mary Deterding Elementary
This local school had a significant number of entries at this year’s fair.
Liliana Adkins won a second place ribbon for her Mixed Media category entry, “Transformation.”
Azul Baker received an honorable mention for “Wild Warrior” (Any Other Craft or Hobby).
Christopher Chang won third place for “Eagles’ Eye” (Paintings).
Harper Colby won a first place ribbon for his “Sea Turtle Seascape” (Paintings).
Benjamin Davis received an honorable mention for his “Ramshead Still Life” (Watercolor).
Sophia Deboer received an honorable mention for “New York” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking).
Mark Elliott won a second place ribbon for his Pastel & Charcoal entry, “Chimera.”
Bella Espinosa won two first place ribbons for “Pastel Piece” (Pastel & Charcoal) and “Plants in the Sunlight” (Watercolor).
Kailey Hall won the Prismacolor Art Excellence Award and a first place ribbon for “Leaves And Caterpillars” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking).
Jack Harris won third place for “Still Life In Spain” (Watercolor).
William Heron won first place for his “Self Portrait” (Watercolor).
Tucker Marlin received an honorable mention for his Mixed Media entry, “The Super Gumball Machine.”
Ethan McHugh won two third place ribbons for “Monsters at Sea” (Mixed Media) and “Red Eyed Bird” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Ashley Poole won a second place ribbon for her 3D Sculpture entry, “The Spirit Of The Walrus.”
Levi Rankin won the Fay Schusterman Award and first place for his Mixed Media work, “Dragons Of The Sun.”
Hunter Witham received an honorable mention for “Pastoral Seraffito” (Mixed Media).
Hallie Yong received an honorable mention for her Pastel & Charcoal entry, “Cupcakes for Sale.”
Vivian Zerkle won a second place ribbon for “Washington Monument” and a third place ribbon for “Cherry Blossom” both in the Photography category. She received honorable mentions for “Sinningia bullata” (Photography) and “Botany And A Bug” (Watercolor).
Genevieve Didion Elementary
Derek Yuan won a first place ribbon for “Pacific Fair” (Mixed Media), second place ribbons for “Sunset On The Shore” (Watercolor) and “After Snow” (Pastel & Charcoal). He received honorable mentions for his Pastel & Charcoal entries, “What A Blossom!” and “Enjoy The Vacation, Enjoy The Life!”
Evan Yuan won a first place ribbon for his Mixed Media entry, “Three Pals.”
John F. Kennedy High School
Kelly Peng received honorable mentions for her Pastel & Charcoal entries, “Chinese Orchid” and “Spring Bird.”
Briana Santiago won a first place ribbon for “No Two Alike” (Mixed Media).
Casey Wong won a third place ribbon for her 3D Sculpture entry, “Scenic Lantern” and received an honorable mention for “Bridge Of Hope” (Wood Items).
Matsuyama Elementary
Gabriela Ham won two third place ribbons for “Cherry Blossom Hills” (Mixed Media) and “Spring Fountain” (3D Sculpture). She received an honorable mention for “Easter Bunny” (Paintings).
Lauren Ham won second place for “A Day In Fruit Garden” (Pastel & Charcoal). She received honorable mentions for “Rose And Butterflies” (Watercolor) and “My Neighbor’s Dog” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Janice Ng won a first place ribbon for “Myths of Dragon” (Mixed Media) and a third place ribbon for “Birds’ Paradise” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking).
C.K. McClatchy High School
Maxwell Bauer’s photography was well received at the fair. Maxwell won first place for “Primary Houses,” a third place ribbon for “A Modern Concert” and an honorable mention for “Rows.”
Sierra Brown won a blue ribbon for “Spirals of Smoke” (Photography) and a second place ribbon for “A Cat Always Nose” (Photography). Sierra received honorable mentions for “Another Day on the Farm” (Photography) and “Jack the Rabbit” and “Overflowing” (both 3D Sculpture).
Mira Loma High School
Sarah Liu received honorable mentions for “Two Orchids in Bloom” and “Hibiscus With Leaves,” both in the Pastel & Charcoal category.
Mission Avenue Open School
Jake Reuter received an honorable mention for “Crysanthimum” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Tina Reuter won a first place ribbon for “Your Heart Is In My Hands” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School
Caroline Crowley received an honorable mention for her Watercolor entry, “Penguino.”
Cecilia Crowley won a first place ribbon for “Birch Trees” (Paintings) and two honorable mentions for “Beaded Garden” (3D Sculpture) and “Time” (Wood Items).
Presentation School
Jake Melavic won first place for “Coit Tower In Spring” (Watercolor).
Megan Melavic received two honorable mentions for “Owl” and “Sea Life” (both Pastel & Charcoal entries).
Rio Americano High School
Aaron Boulger won first place for “New Orleans Entertainer” and third place for “Domino Sugar” (both Photography). He received an honorable mention for “Mather Bunkers” (Photography).
Leah Curry won a second place ribbon for “Water Drop Rose” (Watercolor).
Austin Hicks won Best of Class and first place for “Taxi Tails” (Photography). Austin also won first place for “You Caught Me” and second place for “A Warning in Red” (both Photography).
Saint Francis High School
Always a powerhouse in the world of the arts, the Troubadours proved that they continue to have “the right stuff” at the State Fair. Art is just a one semester requirement at St. Francis, but over 80 percent of the student body take additional art classes.
Tessie Berghoff won third place for “The Dark Rose” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Katie Chappelle won third place for her untitled work in Photography.
Jessica Cosca won second place for “I’m Thirsty” (Photography).
Megan Daly won first place for “Synesthesia” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Morgan Finegan won second place for “Tears” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Megan Foy received an honorable mention for “Maya” (Paintings).
Jessica Gutierrez won third place for “Flora” and received an honorable mention for “Laconsentida” (both Photography).
Grace Hollingsworth won first place for “Angel” (Photography).
Clarissa James won third place for “Above Bunny Falls” (Paintings).
Jinyan Li received an honorable mention for “Blessed Mother” (Paintings).
Victoria Ogorodnikov received an honorable mention for “Spence In The Kitchen” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Bianca Quiroz received an honorable mention for “True Beauty & Snow Queen” (Digitally Manipulated Photography).
Gabriella Riegos won second place for “Tomassy” (Digitally Manipulated Photography).
Melanie Rogers-Mantel received honorable mentions for “Venice In Blue” (Paintings) and “Self Portrait” (Pastel & Charcoal).
Natalia Smith won third place for “Tiger” (Pen, Pencil & Printmaking).
Kenall Spector received an honorable mention for “The White Moon” (Digitally Manipulated Photography).
Danielle Villaluna won first place for “A Bus In London” (Pastel & Charcoal) and received an honorable mention for “Gypsy” (Mixed Media).
Sydney Wall won a third place ribbon for her “Self Portrait” (Photography).
Frances Wiese won a third place ribbon for “Native To The Sun” (Mixed Media).
Saint Ignatius Loyola Parish School
William Legrand received an honorable mention for “Foothill Cottage” (Paintings).
Kaj Olson won a third place ribbon for “Velvet Two” (Photography).
Saint Mary Elementary School
LeeAnn Matthews received much recognition for her sewing talents. LeeAnn won first place ribbons for “Blue Dot Skirt” (Single Clothing Item) and “Pillow Fight Pack” (Any Other Sewing Project), second place ribbons for “Calico Flower” (Quilts) and “It’s a Hoot” (Quilts) and a third place ribbon for “Groovy Dot” (Single Item Clothing).
Amelia Ross received an honorable mention for “Hearts On A String” (3D Sculpture).
Fiona Ross won a third place ribbon for “Green Scarf” (Needlecraft).
Shalom School
Oliver Black won first place for his 3D Sculpture entry, “Folding Cup.”
Daniel Levine won third place for “Hamburger” (3D Sculpture).
Zoe Osorio received an honorable mention for “Blooming” (3D Sculpture).
Sutter Middle School
Benjamin Bauer won a third place ribbon for “Tic-Tac-Toe” and an honorable mention for “Patterns” (both Photography).
Santana Garcia won two third place ribbons for “Puddle of Youth” and “You Make Beautiful Things” (both Photography). Santana also received an honorable mention for “Nature’s Heart” (Photography).
Caitlin McLaughlin won third place for “Beautiful Treasures” and received an honorable mention for “Unique” (both Pen, Pencil & Printmaking).
Aaron Won won first place for “Escape” and received honorable mentions for “Mysterious Garden” and “Reflection” (all Watercolor).
The California State runs through July 29 at Cal Expo, located at 1600 Exposition Boulevard in Sacramento. Fair hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Visit www.bigfun.org for admission and Midway information.

Erik Swanson, principal at Sutter Middle School, will be the new chief of talent and professional development officer for the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Sacramento. He will leave his position at Sutter Middle School on Sept. 19.

According to a press release issued by Rick Maya, director of Catholic Schools at the Diocese, Swanson will be responsible for attracting and retaining top principals. Swanson will be involved in creating new procedures for the evaluation, development and support of diocesan administrators and teachers. Maya explained that Swanson’s duties include serving as a personnel manager as well, to provide greater resources for the Catholic schools.

Swanson said this is a really tough opportunity.

“I am so happy with the staff and community at Sutter,” Swanson said. “They are second to none and I will miss them dearly.”

He said the opportunity to work as the new chief overseeing 46 schools makes the best use of his skill sets.

“At this stage of my career, I could not pass it up,” Swanson said.

Gabe Ross, chief communications officer for the Sacramento City Unified School District said Swanson is going be missed.

“Vice Principal Cristin Tahara-Martin will be the interim principal,” Ross said. “There is no doubt the school will run smoothly until the new principal is hired.”

Ross said they are working on finding Swanson’s replacement. A meeting has been set up on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m. to discuss with parents and staff what characteristics they want in the new principal.

Editor’s Note: This is part two of a two-part series regarding the history of East Sacramento’s former New Helvetia Cemetery.

It has been nearly 162 years since Captain John A. Sutter set aside 10 acres for his establishment’s first formal burial ground, the now nonexistent New Helvetia Cemetery.

The cemetery, which was eventually doubled in size, served the community for many years before evolving into a public park, which was known as Helvetia Park.

The old cemetery grounds, with the exception of a tombstone-like marker presenting information about the former cemetery, are no longer distinguishable. The land is presently the site of Sutter Middle School at 3150 I St.

In the process of creating Helvetia Park, the old cemetery, which actually adjoined East Park (today’s McKinley Park), had its headstones removed and replaced with flat gravesite identifying markers.

Unfortunately, various decisions and actions connected to the processes of creating the park and removing the cemetery in its entirety resulted in many missing tombstones and markers and even unidentified graves.

Other gravesites were presumably left unidentified in earlier times due to such possible causes as the deterioration of wooden markers and flooding that carried away wooden markers. Because of recurrent flooding in the area, there were no burials at the cemetery from 1850 to 1857.

A classic example related to the old cemetery’s missing markers was presented in the Aug. 11, 1989 edition of The Sacramento Bee, as a story was related in which a lecture about Sacramento cemeteries at California Middle School was interrupted by a boy who raised his hand and said, “We have some of those stones in our yard.”

In a meeting with the East Sacramento News last week, Dr. Bob LaPerriere, co-chair of the Sacramento County Cemetery Advisory Commission, discussed the topic of missing tombstones and other markers from the New Helvetia Cemetery.

“When they removed the bodies in the 1950s, we’re not sure exactly what happened, but some people recall that these concrete markers were kind of stacked up along the street,” LaPerriere said. “A couple years ago, we located – just between two homes behind Sutter Middle School – over 70 of these flat, concrete markers. They were used for stepping stones and kind of to widen the driveway.”

LaPerriere said that a unique event occurred following the discovery of these markers, as the stones were transported from Sutter Middle School to East Lawn Memorial Park at Folsom Boulevard and 43rd Street via a horse-drawn wagon.

The decision to deliver these markers to East Lawn Memorial Park was a simple one, considering that the city had purchased property at the cemetery for a mass, unmarked burial site, where 4,691 unidentified human remains from the New Helvetia Cemetery were reinterred.

Unfortunately, this large number of “unknowns,” as these unidentified remains are often referred to, account for the majority of the remains from the New Helvetia Cemetery.

The Sacramento Historic City Cemetery at 1000 Broadway is the site of the remains of about 400 additional people who were once buried at the New Helvetia Cemetery.

However, these remains are individually identified and are located in three separate areas at the Broadway cemetery, west of Riverside Boulevard.

Other individually identified remains from the New Helvetia Cemetery were reinterred at the following Sacramento city and county cemeteries: East Lawn, Masonic Lawn Cemetery at 2700 Riverside Blvd., Odd Fellows Lawn Cemetery at 2720 Riverside Blvd., St. Joseph’s Cemetery at 2615 21st^t St., St. Mary’s Cemetery at 6700 21st St., Sacramento Memorial Lawn at 6100 Stockton Blvd., Elk Grove Cemetery at 8540 Elk Grove Blvd. in Elk Grove and the Sylvan Cemetery at 7401 Auburn Blvd. in Citrus Heights.

Despite this long list of other cemeteries, LaPerriere notes that a relatively low number of remains from the New Helvetia Cemetery were relocated to these cemeteries.

LaPerriere provided the following numbers regarding the relocations of these remains: 410 sent to Broadway cemetery, 84 to East Lawn, 32 to Odd Fellows, six to Sacramento Memorial Lawn, three to St. Joseph’s, three to Elk Grove, two to St. Mary’s and one to Masonic.

In regard to the many flat markers from the New Helvetia Cemetery site that are still missing today, LaPerriere mentioned that he would not be surprised if some of these markers are presently located on residential properties within the nearby vicinity of this former East Sacramento cemetery.

Although the aforementioned mass burial at East Lawn Memorial Park is recognized as consisting of “unknowns” or unidentified remains, this does not mean that there are no records of any of the names of the deceased people from the New Helvetia Cemetery who were reburied there.

To the contrary, records exist for many people who were buried at the New Helvetia Cemetery and it is by deduction from the names of those who were reinterred in other local cemeteries that a list of assumed names was created for the mass burial site at East Lawn Memorial Park.

LaPerriere said that East Lawn Memorial Park, although it was not obligated to do so, greatly contributed to the cemetery’s mass burial site.

“The city never put up a marker or anything (at the mass burial site), absolutely nothing,” LaPerriere said. “It took John Bettencourt (the late cemetery historian and preservationist who was vital in the formation of the Old City Cemetery Committee) and I working with East Lawn, quite a few years ago, to get the area memorialized. East Lawn, of course, had no responsibility to do it. The city bought the area, buried the people and the city should have taken care of things. But East Lawn, being very community minded, worked with us and they put four (right angle) corner walls in around the area to demarcate the area and they put a nice monument in the center memorializing those who were moved from New Helvetia (Cemetery).”

In addition to this burial site’s corner markers, most of the perimeter of the site is outlined with the flat, concrete markers that had been retrieved from the residential yards near Sutter Middle School.

As of about two years ago, the whereabouts of only one verified original tombstone from the New Helvetia Cemetery was known.

But fortunately, it was discovered that another original New Helvetia Cemetery tombstone – that of members of the Asch family – was located in Auburn.

About a month ago, the stone was relocated to Sacramento and it will soon be placed in the Sacramento Historic City Cemetery’s already existing Asch plot.

LaPerriere said that anyone with information regarding missing headstones or markers from the New Helvetia Cemetery is encouraged to call the Sacramento County Cemetery Advisory Commission at (916) 874-9103 or write to the e-mail address: cemeterycommission@saccounty.net.

Anyone with information regarding missing headstones or markers from the New Helvetia Cemetery is encouraged to call the Sacramento County Cemetery Advisory Commission at (916) 874-9103 or write to the e-mail address: cemeterycommission@sac

county.net

Tall and lean, Chad Sweitzer had a contagious smile on his face as he begins to talk about his new role as principal of Kennedy High School.

Chad Sweitzer’s academic journey has come full circle, from his time as a student in the Greenhaven area to his new job as principal at John F. Kennedy High School. / Valley Community Newspapers photo by Sally King.

“I want to bring back good culture, good athletes and a strong student curriculum,” Sweitzer said. “I am going to focus on meeting graduation requirements.”

Sweitzer was the principal at Sutter Middle School for three years. Prior to that he was assistant principal at Kennedy from 2004 through 2006. He has come full circle and said he is happy to be back.

Linda Okada, office manager at Sutter Middle School, said he will be sorely missed.

“Chad is unique in his administrative style in that he brings the no-nonsense demeanor of authority, the compassion and guidance of a counselor and the common sense of an educator whose experience is such that nothing surprises him anymore,” Okada said.

Sweitzer said he enjoys working with the students, getting involved in activities such as sports and rallies.

“I see Kennedy being very competitive this year in sports,” Sweitzer said. “We are back to the old metro system and great rivalries.”

Sweitzer grew up in Greenhaven, off Riethmuth Way. He attended Caroline Wenzel Elementary School and Sam Brannan Middle School. He graduated from Kennedy in 1990. Sweitzer lives in Elk Grove with his wife of 13 years, and two children, ages 10 and 6 years old.

Sweitzer remembers his physical education teachers and coaches mentoring him as a young student and from an early age he wanted to work in the field of education.

Sweitzer’s career began as a counselor at Luther Burbank High School. He said when the position opened up at Kennedy; he thought this was his chance to be back home.

“I want a personal connection with the students,” Sweitzer said. “I want students to be able to remember me as someone they can trust and have fun with. I enjoy being silly and goofy.”

Sweitzer said as part of the focus for graduation requirements, he believes early intervention articulation works to help students from dropping out of high school. He said when eighth graders visit high school and become familiar with the layout, the students and teachers, it is no longer a scary place and the transition is easier.

Sweitzer said the school has lost a tremendous amount of money due to budget cuts and will be looking to parents to help with school supplies and needed items like tissues.

Kennedy has a staff of 85 people and five school counselors. Sweitzer wants the staff to feel like a family. He said the teachers at Kennedy love to work with the students.

Kennedy has a program called ASSETS, which stands for After-School Safety and Enrichment for Teens and serves up to 250 students. Sweitzer said it is a great program that provides a study hall and tutoring, a safe place for teens to hang out after school.

“I want a school where students know that people care about them and there are high expectations of the students,” Sweitzer said.