“I wonder if anyone in this country was not affected by the genocide and its collective madness. The case of Rwanda is particularly odd in that ordinary citizens became ‘genocidaires‘, with neighbors literally killing neighbors. I asked my Rwandan friend if after witnessing such a thing he believed that people were inherently good or inherently bad. He said neither. ‘All people in the world are capable of being good or bad. It’s not something you’re born with, it’s something you become.’” – Kelsey Finnegan’s blog.

The last time I spoke with Dublin High School Class of 2007 and UC Santa Barbara Class of 2012 graduate Kelsey Finnegan was in 2010, when Kelsey was visiting family in Dublin before heading back to college. We spoke about her experiences in Hohoe, Ghana volunteering for, and helping develop, the Happy Kids orphanage. A lot has changed since we last spoke, but one thing has remained the same – Kelsey’s passion for making a difference in the lives of others and her love of the African continent.

This time we spoke over an international Skype connection, with Kelsey in Kigali, sitting in a cafe, surrounded by the clatter and chatter of Rwanda’s bustling capital, while I sat thousands of miles away in the comfort and quiet of a suburban home.

James Morehead: Before we talk about your charitable work in Rwanda and Ghana, tell me about your path to completing your degree at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Kelsey Finnegan: “To be honest, I didn’t take high school very seriously. When choosing a college I knew I ultimately wanted to attend a UC school and because my grades weren’t as strong as they needed to be, I decided to start at a community college and then transfer into the UC system. I chose Santa Barbara City College, which is one of the best city colleges in the U.S., became really invested in school, and did very well academically.

“When I started university I wanted to go into journalism because I love writing and ultimately I earned a degree in communications from UC Santa Barbara. I went to Africa for the first time when I was halfway through my degree and realized at that point that I wanted to do more global development work, but it was late in my schooling to shift my major, so I tailored my communication degree to international work. I studied inter-cultural communication and advocacy, and also earned a minor in global peace and security, which was really interesting.

“Along the way, I decided to study abroad. I chose South Africa because it is a more established African country, the education system is good and I could study what was relevant to my career, which is in development.

“During my time in South Africa, I studied at the University of Cape Town. I was one of the only people in my program who sought out a job while I was there, and I worked for a small non-profit based out of Cape Town. I spent a lot of my time working with refugees and I also studied genocide and poverty while I was there. It was really, really interesting and provided me with a jump start into my career.”

Morehead: Since we last spoke, what have you learned about how one person can have an impact on the lives of ordinary people?

Kelsey at the Happy Kids orphanage

Finnegan: “When we first spoke I was just starting to have large responsibilities at Happy Kids in Ghana, and at that point I was unsure as to what I could do while I was still so young and in college. But as time went on I realized that I was capable of running an organization, so over time my responsibilities increased, and I started planning more projects for the orphanage. I created a girls sewing program, I built more classrooms, we opened an Internet cafe, I started a nutritional porridge program where we distributed food to children in the community. At that point, the orphanage became my responsibility, in addition to the school which educates one hundred kids. I ultimately registered Happy Kids as an NGO to manage the facility, raise money and work on strategic planning.

“I was also accepted into the Clinton Global Initiative University; the conference was hosted by President Bill Clinton, and included leading development experts as well as celebrities like Sean Penn. We learned practical skills for development work. It was an amazing experience, being in the room with people my age, who were still in university but had worked on international projects.

“I was connected with my current job in Rwanda through one of my professors who does a lot of anti-genocide work. She connected me with an organization that offered me an internship in Rwanda. After completing my UCSB degree in South Africa, I returned briefly to the U.S. and then booked a one-way ticket to Rwanda on my credit card, and left. The internship in Rwanda was only supposed to be three months, and I didn’t have any experience working with genocide survivors, but I learned quickly and just last week my boss (who is based in the U.K.) asked me to become a permanent member on the staff as a Project Officer. It looks like I’m staying in Rwanda for a long time!

“In terms of what I’ve learned, it’s hard to sum up into words. A few years ago I never would have anticipated that this would be where I am, that I was capable of planning things like this and working with people at such a capacity in order to help them. But I’ve realized that while I’m here I don’t get a lot of guidance, and so I just have to do everything that I can do to make things happen, and I don’t necessarily doubt myself with new ideas. Every one of the projects that I’ve come up with were things I’d never thought would have happened: like how great it would be to teach kids how to sew, so that they would have an income-generating skill. I realized that if I have an idea I should act on it, and see what I can do to make an idea a reality.”

Morehead: Tell more more about your work with the victims of genocide and how organizations like the group you work for can make a difference.

Finnegan: “The work in Rwanda has been amazing. I work primarily with genocide widows, women who have not only escaped genocide but have watched all of their family members murdered, and who have experienced really significant trauma. Even though the Rwandan genocide occurred almost nineteen years ago, the victims still suffer the same consequences as if it was yesterday. It’s intense. Working in this environment is sometimes emotionally exhausting and it is really challenging to figure out ways to address such a horrible history. But at the same time the majority of my work ends up being positive because we’ve provided these women with business training, access to counseling, legal support and in some cases given them resources to buy food. We guide them through a loan process and they are able to apply for a loan from a bank to start a new business.

“The majority of the time when I’m speaking to the women they tell me their stories and challenges, how they still have recurring memories of the genocide and how their homes were destroyed and they still live in broken down homes. They lost everything so they weren’t able to support themselves. A lot of them also have HIV / AIDS from rape. They live with these challenges on a day-to-day basis, but the positive part of my work is seeing them transform their lives, getting the chance to have a productive life, and to move forward.

“The organization that I work with also does everything from giving solar lamps to children, so they can study at night, to giving goats to people, to advocating for legal rights for survivors. It is incredible to see what the Rwandan government has done with the aid that they have received. They’ve received a lot of aid and done something with it, which isn’t always the case. The roads are paved, there are some social services and there is a lot of growth in Rwanda. It’s really interesting to be in a country where people have experienced the worst thing that anyone could ever imagine and still have the capacity to rebuild.”

Morehead: For people reading this who are skeptical of charitable organizations because of something they’ve seen on the news or read on the Web, how can they have comfort that their donation will have an impact?

Finnegan: “While there are some bad organizations out there, I think a lot of what people hear are rumors and stereotypes. When you look at the financial reports of organizations like Oxfam and CARE they do donate a significant portion of their proceeds to projects. There are obviously some organizations that don’t, but it can be relatively easy to seek out organizations that do great work. There are websites like Charity Navigator that rate non-profits based on how they dole out their funds. On the one hand, as someone who works for a non-profit, I understand the scrutiny that goes into finances, but it’s pretty difficult to find an organization that gives 100% of its proceeds to the people because there is someone like me that has to be planning, implementing and tracking the projects. To a certain degree there is always going to be staff that has to be paid, but I think it is pretty easy to find the great organizations.

“The organization I work for isn’t huge. We’re based out of London and we only have ten staff members in Rwanda, and one staff member in the U.K., yet we provide more support for genocide survivors than any other organization. Even though our organization is small, we’re able to get a lot done – we’ve helped over 100,000 survivors. I think there are so many other great organizations out there, it’s just a matter of not being discouraged or daunted by what you hear, and actually taking the time to research the countries and causes that interest you, and the charities that support those causes.”

Morehead: What are your plans going forward including Happy Kids?

Finnegan: “I sometimes tell people Happy Kids is my heart and soul. I love Rwanda and I love traveling, but Happy Kids is my responsibility. When you take on something like committing to help kids, it’s a lifelong endeavor. These kids don’t have parents or people that are taking responsibility for their lives, and I turned out to be the person that took on the responsibility. I love the kids, I miss them, I even Facebook chat with some of the kids because they use Internet cafes to go on Facebook.

“In the future I’d like Happy Kids to be able to stand on its own and generate an income that supports and educates all of the kids, and that it will be a model facility for development. In terms of where I’ll be, it’s hard to say because a year ago I had no idea that I’d be living in Rwanda, I never thought that I’d have the job that I now have. Right now I’m developing a project for young university students in Rwanda that are also genocide survivors and we’re hoping that project will deliver training and entrepreneurship so that they can access quality employment.

“I definitely want to go back to grad school at some point to get a Masters Degree in Development, and my dream school is Columbia in New York. But I also recognize that it’s difficult to do development work from a desk in America, so I’ll try to stay in Africa as long as I have the opportunity before returning to school. Looking further out, maybe I’ll end up working for the U.N., or another big organization doing great things. But my focus is on development in countries experiencing conflict, or recovering from conflict.”

Morehead: Any thoughts for students inspired by your story?

Finnegan: “I think that a lot of people can be scared of the stories they hear about Africa, and that can push them away from volunteering; but I believe if you have something like this in mind then go for it. Recognize that taking this step will entirely define your life, in an amazing way, and that it will be one of the best things you’ll ever do. Nobody I’ve ever spoken to regrets coming to Africa.

“People always ask me if I’m ‘safe and healthy’. I think it’s important to understand that not all of Africa is falling apart; a lot of it is growing and developing. I mean, I’m sitting in a cafe, connected to the Internet and drinking coffee, in one of the poorest countries in the world.

“Having a job that you love and that stands for something makes a difference for me. It’s a lot easier to be motivated and happy working when you know what you do makes a difference in the life of others. I wish more people would pursue this type of work.”

Kelsey Finnegan’s Video Journal “I am not a statistic”

Related articles:

• Volunteering in Ghana, Africa: Interview with Kelsey Finnegan (Dublin High ’07)
• Kelsey Finnegan’s blog
• Eyes in Africa: Kelsey Finnegan’s photo journal on tumblr

College stress. I’m not talking about finals, scrambling to finish a paper or midnight group project crunches. I’m talking about the college stress that burns through families during the senior year of high school. For many colleges May 1st is the deadline to accept an offer. I expected our high school senior to be stressed about which colleges to apply to, and the onerous application process, and the waiting for approval (or rejection) from faceless admissions officers. What I didn’t expect was the most stressful moment of all is the moment of decision. If you are a parent with a knot in your gut, unable to sleep, talking endlessly with colleagues at work about college-college-college, take comfort in knowing that you are not alone – you are normal.

Below are stories from the trenches, from Dublin High School parents just like you:

Arzu Brown

Aslan Brown

Arzu’s son Aslan is currently attending the University of California – Berkeley. Aslan shared his experiences as a freshman as part of the Life in College Series.

The application process is so overwhelming that we want to see results that would make all these efforts worth it… and then anxiety builds up , along with hope. Reality, however, is so much different.

If I were to explain the college selection process in a word, it would be “paradoxical”; because we, as parents, were subjectively trying to be objective. We knew we needed to be on the same page with our son, but it was really hard without bringing in our own experiences and paradigms. We want the world for our children.

In the end our decision for choosing the right school depended on how well we knew him and how well he knew himself. Additionally, like many parents, who neither qualify for financial aid nor can afford the high-priced private schools, we were torn between “want” and “reality”. Looking back now, I think we all made the right choice by finding the common ground between these two states of mind, as well as between us.

Kristen Finn

Kristen’s daughter Sarah is currently attending St. Mary’s College of California. Sarah shared her experiences as a freshman as part of the Life in College Series.

Sarah Finn

For us the selection process was fairly easy, Sarah has wanted to attend Saint Mary’s since her sophomore year at Dublin High School. There was a period of time where other schools were considerations for her, but with her choice of a double major her options were limited. Sarah received early acceptance in December 2011 from Saint Mary’s and when that letter came it was a done deal for her. We still received acceptance letters from the other schools she applied to and with each one we asked “Are you sure you still want Saint Mary’s?” and the answer was always “Yes!”

The tough part is really letting your child choose where they want to go to school, not where we think they should go. They have to live the experience not us, so the bottom line is what is best for them. This is truly their first of many life decisions they have to make for themselves and our first time not making that choice for them. So when our friends were stressing about their child’s decisions we could sit back and say, “She has made her decision and we are the luckiest parents ever, because our daughter is only 30 minutes away from home”.

That said, be prepared for that drop off day, the mix of emotions was incredible. You are happy and excited for them but scared to death and sad to leave them. Even with Sarah being 30 minutes away, the day we dropped her off was the hardest thing for me to do. I cried all the way home And the first couple of weeks it odd not having them in-house. But when you get those phone calls and emails about how much fun they are having and new friends they are making, the loving of all of their classes the sadness goes away. I am also shocked at how quickly this first year has gone, Sarah is too. It’s a roller coaster ride, but it’s quick and not so bad in the end.

Alan and Tamara Elias

Tamara and Alan’s son Tristan has committed to attend University of Colorado at Boulder (CU).

For our son Tristan and the family it was a very stressful journey. First, he came to the extremely difficult decision that he didn’t want to play football in college — despite being actively recruited by nearly 20 top academic colleges and universities. It was actually an amazingly mature decision especially an 18 year-old. Somewhere during his senior year he decided he wanted to become an orthopedic surgeon and didn’t think he could balance the rigors of college football with the academic performance required to get into medical school. With that decision made, he then did his research and decided upon his top 2-3 choices.

I think the waiting was the hardest part for Tristan (and us). Having so much uncertainty and what really is a complete lack of control over your future is nerve-wracking. As the timeframe for hearing from colleges with their acceptance decisions approaches, both student and parents are on edge. All that can be done has been done and your child’s future—for the next four years and beyond—is out of your hands. The element of powerlessness adds to the tension.

The first college communication we received was in late February in the form of an email inviting him to Admitted Student Day at the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU). Since we weren’t expecting any responses yet, and we hadn’t actually seen an acceptance from the college, we were somewhat confused. After accessing his CU email, we learned—in reverse order—that he had been accepted into the Honors Program as an Integrated Physiology Major. To say he was excited would be an understatement. I think that first acceptance validated that he had a future at hand and a major weight was taken off his shoulders. I remember him saying, “Wow, I’m really going to college.” Everyone was happy and emotional.

From the time we learned that Tristan had been accepted, CU regularly reached out by email and social media, making him (and us) feel like he was already part of the family. Meanwhile, although he had been accepted by multiple UCs, we heard… nothing. Finally packets of impersonal, “form letters” began to arrive. We felt like a number to the UC system, but “the Elias family” to CU.

When we visited the University of Colorado, Boulder, it was really for a chemistry check. It had become his #1 choice on paper, but would all of the positive aspects of the University’s academic programs match up with the campus setting including the personalities of fellow students?

The University did a masterful job during Admitted Student Day, and within the first few hours, Tristan knew that he wanted to become a “Buff”. His smile grew throughout the day and whatever tension was still left in his body seemed to evaporate and was replaced with pure excitement for his decision and his future. A short walk to the Admissions Office and Tristan committed on the spot. He knew this is where he wanted to spend the next four years of his life.

At the end of that day when Tristan sincerely and warmly thanked us for the opportunity to go to college, and he told us how much he loved us, we both knew that not only did we do a pretty good job of raising this “kid,” but that he was absolutely going to make the most of his next four years. What more could a parent ask?

Our advice to parents and students embarking on this process in the future:

• Apply to as many colleges as you can afford. (Application fees add up.) It’s good to have options.
• Throw in at least one dark horse. You don’t know how your situation may change from the time you apply to when decision time arrives. Don’t limit yourself. Our son applied to CU on the very last day possible after dragging his feet following writing multiple essays for the colleges in the UC system, which is where he thought he wanted to be. Imagine how different his future would be if he hadn’t pressed the send button on that last day.
• Keep an open mind. Good or bad can be said about almost any college. What’s right for one, may be “wrong” for someone else.
• Be flexible. Roll with the punches. Don’t get into your first choice? Shuffle and designate another college your “first choice”.
• This one is easier said than done, but try not to doubt yourself when a rejection arrives. As amazing as you are—both on paper and in real life—there simply aren’t enough spaces available to admit everyone who is talented and qualified. This one is a tough pill to swallow but, it’s true.
• Understand the method of communication the college will use to advise you of their decision. At the beginning, I expected an email to drop into his/our personal email box. In reality, you have to proactively visit the student’s email address associated with the college to learn the decision. I’m not sure if this is the case with every college, but it certainly is with many.
• Research multiple payment options. I’m not sure if you know this, but college is EXPENSIVE.
• Bask in pride and amazement about this little person you’ve raised who is no longer little, but ready to go out and make his/her mark on the world.

Mary Lou Bullock

Mary Lou’s son Chandler is currently attending Syracuse University. Chandler wrote about his experience as a freshman as part of the Life in College Series.

Chandler Bullock

Chandler had applied to a dozen schools but when he was faced with the task of making a final decision about which school to attend, it came down to a choice between two: Syracuse University or Boston University. He felt very torn for a while, and kept weighing the pros and cons of each, relative to which he felt would be a better overall fit. Stephen and I had our opinions, but we tried our best not to influence Chandler’s decision.

Ultimately his choice of Syracuse was the one we all favored; and now, nearing completion of his freshman year, it’s clear he made the “right” choice. Making that decision was pretty difficult for him, I think because, even though he had visited the campuses and researched the schools thoroughly, there is still a huge unknown factor that remains “unknown” until you’re actually on campus and matriculated. Along with a leap across the country, he had to take a leap of faith that his intuition about the school he chose was solid, which can be especially difficult for a young adult, understanding that the school selected would influence the direction of the rest of their life.

Patricia Wilcox

Patricia’s daughter Paige is attending Chapman University and son Ian is attending Willamette University.

The first child was terrifying! The thrill was in how well prepared my child was for college. She had a dream school, and that’s where she went. The choice was made easy by the scholarship she received, and the tears she shed when she was accepted.

The second one was a matter of finding a personality fit. Visiting the school was an afterthought, since we had already made a deposit at another university. Walking on campus was like the sun came out, he belonged.

Chris Bennett

Chris’ son Nate is currently attending Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University.

Senior year is a roller coaster of emotions and decisions for students and their parents. Looking back a year later, I think the most important – and challenging – thing parents can offer their seniors is perspective: they will go to college, you will readjust as a family, and it’s far more important what they do with their opportunities in the long run.

Michelle McDonald

Michelle’s daughter Annie is currently attending Santa Clara University. Annie wrote about her experience as a freshman as part of the Life in College Series.

Annie McDonald

We spent spring break week visiting all three schools that were left on my daughter’s list and I could see the conflict in her the entire week. Trying to make things “fit” at one place, the frustration of knowing another was not the right place. By the time we visited Santa Clara on the last day of the break, I started to see her relax and I had a very good feeling that she had made her decision. We got in the car and she said “Can we pay the deposit when we get home?” and it felt like we could both breathe for the first time in days. That was a great feeling.

Michele Haubert

Michele’s daughter Katelyn is currently attending Chapman University. Katelyn shared her experience as a freshman as part of the Life in College Series.

Katelyn Haubert

It was important for us to visit all the campuses so we could see where our daughter might go, but we tried hard not to give too much input or fall in love with a particular school because it was up to our daughter to make up her own mind. When it came down to the decision, she just really felt comfortable at Chapman. She could picture herself best as a student in a smaller environment where she could get really involved and get to know as many people as possible. It was also important that she be able to finish her degree(s) in four years. Of course location and weather were also a factor. She is very happy about her decision and has had a great 1st year!

James Morehead

James’ daughter Emily has committed to attend the University of British Columbia (UBC).

The college selection process for us began well before senior year, with college campus visits disguised as vacations. Emily had provided clear guidelines about what she wanted, and didn’t want, which really helped. With thousands of good colleges to choose from in North America, it is stressful just deciding where to apply.

Emily’s criteria: she wanted to major in political science and have access to a strong theatre program. She wanted a big school near a large city. She wanted to be on the west coast. With that in mind, during Emily’s junior year, we toured California colleges by car, and flew northwest over Thanksgiving. We even included Vancouver-area schools in the selection mix (as Canadian citizens, we are familiar with Canada’s outstanding university system). Emily attended a day-long “Degree in a Day” program at the University of British Columbia (UBC) over U.S. Thanksgiving, and because Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated in October, the campus was bustling with activity.

Visiting a campus while in session in invaluable. There was an intangible something as we toured the UBC campus, a sense of belonging and correctness, of comfort and excitement. I sensed Emily felt the same way.

We – and I say we because the college application and selection process invariably becomes a complex family negotiation – ultimately applied to nine schools – public and private, in-state and out-of-state (and out-of-country). The first acceptances, even though expected, assured Emily she was going to college. The UBC acceptance arrived early, and old school, in a large envelope whisked upstairs by Emily and opened behind closed doors. The first word in the letter from UBC was simply, “Yes!” With a set of acceptances (and inevitable rejections) in hand, every day that passed without a decision kept the entire family in a state of suspended animation.

I will remember exactly where I was when Emily said, “Dad, I’m ready to commit to UBC!” I’ll remember the wave of relief, the feeling of being released from a holding pattern of uncertainty, the ability to move forward.

In reflection, college selection stress is normal. Selecting a college is arguably the biggest decision a teenager has made to that point. It is the first decision that has impacts in terms of years, not days, weeks or months. That decision is a taste of the independence and freedom right around the corner, exhilarating and scary.

Related Articles:

• Leaving Home for College – Advice from Dublin High Class of 2012 Parents
• Transitioning to College – Advice from Dublin High School Alumni

Whereas many school districts are struggling to address declining enrollment and school closure decisions, Dublin is managing rapid growth at the elementary school level. At tonight’s school board meeting (Tuesday April 16), the plan to add up to 18 portables at Dougherty, Green and Kolb Elementary School, at a total cost of $3M – $5M, will be discussed and action taken. The planned locations for the portables are shown at the bottom of this article. As noted in the board meeting agenda item:

“The next new elementary campus in the District, J.M. Amador Elementary School, is scheduled to open for the fall of 2015. Elementary growth in the District is projected to exceed the currently available elementary capacity in the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years. Additional classroom space to accommodate student growth over the next two school years is needed.

“The majority of these projected growth students will attend the J.M. Amador campus when it opens. At the December 18, 2012 Work Study Meeting, the Board of Trustees directed staff to proceed with the design of an Interim Housing Plan to include any space utilization adjustments that would be programmatically viable, and the installation of up to 18 portable classrooms configured in groups of up to 6 each at three sites, Dougherty, Green and Kolb.”

(l-r) Tomlinson, Buchanan, Hanke

Last week was a very busy time at the Dublin Unified School District office. On Thursday, California State Assemblywoman from the 16th District, Joan Buchanan, sat down with various District staff and community members. The day before, OneDublin.org had the opportunity to visit with District Superintendent, Dr. Stephen Hanke to discuss the proposed action to install portable classrooms at the Dougherty, Green and Kolb Elementary School sites. While the subjects are somewhat disparate, they are also both related as it refers to the state of school funding of construction in California. We will take them in inverse order.

Recently, families of children at both Green and Kolb Elementary schools were notified of the potential to add portable classrooms at their respective campuses. According to tonight’s school board agenda documents, portables are also planned for Dougherty Elementary School if needed. This notification was largely driven by demographic research that had been presented to the district over the past four years. As opposed to many other school districts in Alameda County, Dublin exists as an anomaly, as one of the few cities that is adding families/students to its rolls. The rapid growth in Dublin Ranch and to the areas in the east, have manifested many changes to the existing school boundaries. Families in these areas have been subjected to school site transfers – oftentimes affecting multiple children within a single family.

Though it has not often been easy, this rapid growth has reflected a generalized positive impact for this city. Unfortunately, many other Alameda and Contra Costa County cities are suffering from stagnated growth or declines – oftentimes resulting in a reduction in teaching staff, school closures, or both.

In recent years, DUSD has contracted with the demographics expert company SCI Consulting Group. Their lead planning representative is Blair Aas. When we met with Superintendent Hanke, he made a few points very clear: the frequency of the demographic data supplied by SCI has increased from an annual report to one that is produced two to three times a year – based upon the rapid population increases in Dublin. Further, the demographic estimations are largely based upon “yield projections.” In other words, statistically, the number of school-aged children produced from a condo residence will generally be smaller than those from a single-family residence.

As these are statistical projections, SCI has produced estimations on both the low, medium and high side. Lastly, Dr. Hanke affirmed the District’s mission to these key ingredients for all schools within the district: safety for all students, ongoing and appropriate programs and the complete functionality of a school site. According to Dr. Hanke, the proposed portables will provide appropriate and suitable classrooms in advance of the completion and population of Amador Elementary School slated for opening in fall 2015.

OneDublin.org reached out to DUSD Board of Trustees President Greg Tomlinson to further comment on this topic.

OneDublin.org: Armed with demographic data supplied from SCI Consulting Group, are you satisfied with their annual/interim projections for enrollment growth?

Greg Tomlinson: “In regards to the projections from SCI, I’m cognizant of the challenges in projecting growth patterns in a high growth city such as Dublin vs. cities that are in the mature phase of growth. At this point with the information I have available, I’m satisfied that SCI has done as good a job as I believe anyone is capable of doing under the circumstances. I believe a lot of the criticism of SCI, and by extension, the administration and board, is really inaccurate and unfair. The data shows that growth has been going through huge, dramatic swings and it’s just not realistic to believe that you can build and open schools in alignment with these wild swings.”

OneDublin.org: There could be a perception in the community that District administration and the seated Board of Trustees have been “behind the curve” on the growth issue. Please explain.

Tomlinson: “Schools are also very expensive and time consuming to build. The budget for J.M. Amador Elementary School (E4) is over $45,000,000. We are designing schools to be larger now to better accommodate growth and Amador is being designed for 900 students, equating to a cost of $50,000 per student, and that just gets them through 5th grade! Our development fees for new home construction are $4.76 per square foot on houses that are not otherwise covered by a development agreement. Most new homes in Dublin pay far less than this amount. Thus, a 2,500 square foot new home pays $11,900 for a home that could have any number of children and the district has to provide an elementary, middle, and high school for each children in the home where the elementary school alone costs $50,000 per student. Obviously, averages have a way of smoothing out over time but we still have to accommodate all kids whenever they present themselves to be educated.

“We have to also keep in mind that growth has many positive aspects to it as well. Growth has allowed us to broaden program options, especially at the high school level, and survive this recession without laying off one teacher. I believe our district is doing many things right and the results speak for themselves. Test scores are up across the board, we’re successfully closing the achievement gap, and the reputation and image of this district continues to improve which is a key factor why I believe so many people are moving to Dublin and enrolling the children in our schools.”

OneDublin.org: The issue of Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) is still being debated. What are your hopes for its ultimate outcome –as it relates to students in DUSD?

Tomlinson: “Words simply can’t describe how incredibly devastating this will be for our district if it materializes in anything close to its current form. According to the state, we will lose over $3,200 per student per year in funding. I plan to ask our superintendent to prepare a high-level rough draft of what our school district would look like if funded at this level which will allow us to see how it could affect the students in Dublin. My hope for an ultimate outcome is that existing funding for all districts across the state will be protected and that if the state wants to direct additional funding to certain targeted groups (English learners, Economically disadvantaged, etc.) that it does so with new funding generated by overall economic and tax revenue growth in the state. Even the name “Local Control” bothers me because it’s so disingenuous of how it will work in practice.”

The second portion of our story centers on the recent visit by 16^th District Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan at our district boardroom. Ms. Buchanan’s district encompasses cities from Lafayatte, Orinda, Moraga, Walnut Creek, Alamo and into Dublin and Livermore. She is also the Chairperson of the Education Committee for the General Assembly. Ms. Buchanan spoke largely on the subjects of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) proposed by Governor Jerry Brown. The LCFF projections released in mid March were based on the guidance of what was proposed for our state. The majority of the funds were based upon providing districts with the largest number of students that were in the “greatest needs” – lower income and the highest percentage of English language learners. The primary benefactors are those in the districts of Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose and San Francisco. According to this formula, DUSD would be a “loser.”

Ms. Buchanan went on to further explain what she perceived to be a flaw in this formula. As governmental projections largely view growth on an upward curve, a recession hit the Bay Area in 2007-08. So, the sustainable growth curve could not be met. The present proposal seeks to meet a new and modified level of funding – not associated with matching what was present in 2008. Here is the rub. While many school districts have become accustomed to being battered with budget cuts, the majority are delighted with anything that resembles an increase. It is Joan’s position that these moderate increases are woefully short of what they resembled six years ago. The debate will continue. Citizens will have the opportunity to chime in with their opinions. At the end of the day, the LCFF will have an impact upon how school construction will be viewed. Again, it was another busy week of debate within our city.

The Dublin Unified School Board of Trustees will be meeting on Tuesday, April 16th @ 6:30 PM to discuss the issue of potential portable classrooms, among other items. Public comment is invited.

Dougherty Elementary School Proposed Portable Locations

John Green Elementary School Proposed Portable Locations

Kolb Elementary School Proposed Portable Locations

Wells Middle School Principal Dr. Kevin Grier was recently checking his email. This was not uncommon. As with all of us, we do this multiple times per day. However, this day was a bit different. Sitting in his inbox was an email from California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson. This email notified Kevin that Wells had been selected as one of the 218 Middle or High Schools for the distinction of Distinguished School (CDS) for 2013. While it did not come as a complete surprise to him, Kevin reflected on the entire process from the declaration of eligibility, the development of an application, an independent site visit/validation and ultimately, the verdict. Without hesitation, he emailed his entire site staff with the great news. Further, he collected up as many salutary magnets from earlier distinctions he could find and placed one in every staff member’s mailbox. Wells Middle School had previously received this honor four separate times, in 1994, 1999, 2003 and 2009. However, the criterion for eligibility for this award has changed dramatically in recent years. This is the story of that journey.

As previously mentioned, in past years, applications for CDS status was open – any school could apply. Further, the Department of Education decided to award schools in alternating years – Elementary schools in even years and Middle and High Schools in odd years. Here is where the equation for eligibility became complicated. In order for schools to apply, they needed to meet or exceed Academic Performance Index (API) growth targets and to meet or exceed testing standards under Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. In English, what it meant was that specific demographic sub-groups (in this case, Hispanic and African-American students) would need to demonstrate academic advancement. So, the definition of eligible schools was clear. A year ago, what was not so clear was how to close this achievement gap.

OneDublin.org had the opportunity to sit down with Principal Grier to discuss this remarkable turnaround and accomplishment. Wells Middle School (WMS) collects students from three feeder elementary schools – Murray, Dublin Elementary and Frederiksen. One of the sites was placed into Program Improvement as specific sub-groups were not attaining adequate scoring growth. As a direct result, Wells was in danger of falling into the same category. Pinpointed action was required.

OneDublin.org: Eligibility to apply for the California Distinguished School recognition is specific. In some ways, the award is a reflection upon the previous year vs. the current year. Please expand on some of the structural highlights that were implemented in 2011-12.

Kevin Grier: “Wells was invited based on API & AYP and that all subgroups met either the federal targets for English & Mathematics OR the subgroup made safe harbor (a term used to indicate that the subgroup showed enough positive growth toward the target but not enough to make the target). At some point, the state also decided that the year to apply would alternate between elementary and secondary schools. This year, we were one of only 218 middle & high schools to receive this award!”

OneDublin.org: Achieving a Distinguished School designation in your second year as Principal is very significant. For those that support your vision for Wells, what would you like to say to your teachers, fellow administrators, classified and support staff?

Grier: “This staff and its students and its parents truly demonstrate on a daily basis that they are committed to working as hard as possible to maximize student learning. For staff, they really took to heart the process of emphasizing their targeted students and they also strengthened their curriculum and offered additional time (both in the day and after school hours) to work with students to truly learn the content.”

OneDublin.org: And to the students and parents?

Grier: “For the students, they gave it their all every day leading up to the test. And then on the testing days, I challenged them to “look me in the eye and tell me that they did their best on the test”. I was so pleased when so many met me at the front gate to school on their way home and stopped to let me know that they had done just that! For the parents, they supported their child at home with love and care and help where possible. The parents encouraged their kids to take advantage of what the staff offered in terms of support outside the classroom. It was a wonderful year watching as everyone pulled together as a team to prove that Wells was a school with heart AND brains!”

What we have not yet discussed is the application process. As required by the California Department of Education, two “signature practices” must be identified in order to differentiate the school site. In this case, Wells elected to highlight the Targeting of Students for Increased Achievement and Intervention Opportunities. Two of the primary contributors to the application were staff members Denise Saylor and Robbie Kreitz. We visited with Ms. Saylor to discuss her involvement in this successful effort. Denise attained her B.S. in Speech Pathology from California State University, Hayward. Subsequently, she completed a Masters in Education from the University of Phoenix. After many years of community involvement as a parent, Ms. Saylor started her teaching career at Canyon Middle School in Castro Valley. She then began employment in Dublin in 2008. Currently, she is a 7th grade CORE teacher and also teaches an 8th grade Expository Reading and Writing class.

OneDublin.org: When Wells received notice last fall that it was eligible for CDS, a team was assembled to construct the application. Tell us why you were interested in making a contribution.

Denise Saylor: “I was interested in helping in any way possible since I am proud of Wells and of being part of Dublin Unified. I also had experience writing a different application and hoped that my experience in that process could help with this process. I am also the Character Education Committee Chair for Wells and feel that our Character Ed program is a special part of our school environment and I want to try and have that included in the application.”

OneDublin.org: A significant portion of the application required the explanation of two “signature practices” demonstrated at the school. Please detail the process of choosing these practices and the approach to writing about them.

Saylor: “Kevin mentioned the practices he felt were important and the rest of the team agreed. I feel that Wells’ effort to develop intervention which helps students and character education are two practices which make Wells amazing. We began by looking at where we were last time we applied and then detailed the changes/ growth we have made.”

OneDublin.org: Anything else that you may care to add?

Saylor: “I hope others in the community are aware of how wonderful Wells is. Wells’ staff and students need a standing ovation for the work each group completed. Staff and students came together to turn this school around and make the changes need to show intellectual growth as well as emotional growth to demonstrate ownership and accountability for the success of our school. I love working at Wells, with this staff and for these students. I am truly blessed every day and love driving to work.”

We salute the teachers, leadership and students at Wells Middle School for this recent achievement. A formal presentation of this designation will occur in Santa Clara on May 17th.

Artist’s Rendition

Dublin High School performing arts students, and the community as a whole, are in for a treat starting in early 2014. If you’ve driven up Village Parkway in the past few months you will certainly have noticed the steel skeleton that has emerged out of the ground on the north side of the Dublin High School campus. The Measure ‘C’ funded Dublin High School Center for Performing Arts and Education is actually two projects – the brand new 500-seat theater (16,524 sq. ft.), and a complete renovation of the old cafeteria and band rooms (15,812 sq. ft.). The tallest part of the structure is 53 ft. off the ground, and will ultimately house a theatrical “fly” system where sets can be whisked off the stage for scene changes. The structure also extends 15 ft. below ground to house a whisper quiet ventilation system and to make possible an orchestra pit that can be raised and lowered depending on the needs of the performance.

For students of music and theatre the infrastructure upgrade will enable performances not possible today. For the City of Dublin, there is finally a theater for performing arts suitable for complex productions. Key features like the fly system will make possible mounting more than one production at the same time, increasing the options for the theater to be multi-use. In addition to the fly system and orchestra pit, the theater will also be a high tech wonder, equipped with modern sound and lighting facilities, as well as rehearsal space, dressing rooms, a scenery shop and lots of storage space. For those familiar with the existing Little Theatre, the contrasts are (appropriately) dramatic.

Construction Site

Dublin High School, and the City of Dublin almost didn’t get the high quality theater now under construction. Last year, a scaled back proposal was presented to the Dublin Unified School Board. The performing arts students, concerned parents, educators and members of the community presented a passionate and compelling case for the key features of the theater. After a vigorous debate, and sharpening of fiscal pencils, the project was approved. For decades to come, Dublin will benefit from the strategic decision made last year.

Recently, I was privileged to be granted a hard hat tour of the construction site, with Robert Thomas (DUSD Facilities) and Bill Branca (DHS Assistant Principal). Photos from that tour are included below, with updates planned this summer and in the fall as construction proceeds.

Dublin High School Music Director Paul Everts:

“I cannot say enough how excited I am for our Performing Arts students. The Performing Arts students will be able to be in a facility that matches the high quality of work they produce. It will be a great honor to be able to work in such an incredible facility. I am so grateful for all the voters who continue to support local education.”

Dublin High School Drama Director Bryant Hoex:

“The new Center for Performing Arts and Education will be great for Dublin in many ways. First of all, an increasing number of our Drama students are continuing to pursue theatre beyond high school, and the state-of-the-art facilities will help their training not only on stage but in technical theatre as well. On an even larger scale, this center will attract local and touring theatre companies, making quality live performances more accessible to our students and entire community. Exposure to the positive impact of art on our students can help create a culture where the arts are respected not only for their own sake, but as an integral component of a well-rounded education.”

Dublin High School Center for Performing Arts and Education

Dublin High School Center for Performing Arts and Education View from the Stage

Dublin High School Center for Performing Arts and Education Fly System Housing

Dublin High School Center for Performing Arts and Education Orchestra Pit

Dublin High School Center for Performing Arts and Education Catwalk

Dublin High School Center for Performing Arts and Education Backstage

Robert Thomas and Bill Branca

Related articles:

• Performing Arts Education at Dublin High – Preparing for College and Citizenship
• Dublin High Drama Builds Strength, Character and Confidence
• Dublin High School Concert Band Performs in New York’s Carnegie Hall
• Dublin High School Graduate’s Passion for Theatre Earns Full Scholarship to St. Mary’s College of California
• Life Backstage – The Magic Behind The Curtain at the Lyric Opera of Chicago
• Life at Pace University: From Dublin High’s Little Theatre to the Manhattan Stage
• Acquiring Leadership Skills from the Stage

Autism. Just the word itself can cause angst and confusion for a parent. Autism is a developmental disorder that generally appears within the first three years of life. It is a physical condition that is linked to an abnormal biology and chemistry in the brain. For those that are diagnosed, it affects the brain’s normal development of social and communication skills. The term autism is one of the three conditions recognized across a wider spectrum. The other disorders include Asperger Syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the incidence of Autism is approximately 20 per 1,000 in the United States in 2012. While it is unclear whether these numbers are rising, the ability to diagnose the condition has improved dramatically in the last two decades. We chose to share these facts to highlight the fact that April is Autism Awareness Month and to also spotlight a remarkable week of activities that recently concluded at Dublin Elementary School.

Pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade students that are diagnosed with these disorders and living within the Dublin Unified School District (DUSD) are enrolled at a specific program at Dublin Elementary School. The Language and Social Skills (LASS) program is housed in a classroom in the northwest portion of the campus. That location was recently converted into a “sensory room” – for the benefit of the entire school population. The goal was to have each and every classroom cycle through the lab and visit individual stations that would help the students better understand the types of sensory integration issues students with autism may have. The goal was completed as kindergarten through fifth graders each had their opportunity to experience the lab over a two-day period.

Seven stations were assembled. At one end of the room, students were asked to assemble a Mr. Potato head – while a strobe light was flashing in their eyes, thus highlighting sensitivity to light. In another area, they were asked to neatly write their names with a pencil while wearing a ski glove. This exercise demonstrated the disconnection between what one can mentally pursue versus what their faculties would allow them to accomplish. And, in another corner, they were asked to steady themselves on an unbalanced disk while threading a bead through a string. Class after class came through the lab and the kids were completely engaged. If it created a moment of pause for them in beginning to understand the autism spectrum, it was worth it. This program would not be possible without the leadership of the two LASS teachers – Jeanne Kane and Keira Andresen. Jeanne and Keira are also supported by eight aides that support their daily work. These aides assist in maintaining a 2:1 support to student ratio. OneDublin.org had the opportunity to sit down with both teachers to understand the genesis of this very important event.

Both instructors joined DUSD three years ago. Ms. Kane attained her B.A in English Literature from Stony Brook University in New York. She also achieved a M.A. and Early Childhood Education Certification from San Francisco State University. Jeanne teaches pre-K to Kindergarten. Ms. Andresen acquired a B.A. in Liberal Studies from California State University, Sacramento. Subsequently, she gained a Masters in Special Education from California State University, East Bay. She instructs students enrolled from Kindergarten through 2nd grade.

OneDublin.org: Why was it important to create the opportunity for all students to cycle through the sensory laboratory and to gain greater awareness of autism?

Keira Andresen: “It was really raising the awareness throughout the entire campus. We wanted to drive this understanding throughout the whole school. We also understood that this might reduce any negative comments by students that simply did not comprehend what it means to be living with this condition.”

Jeanne Kane: “We also wanted to help to build an inclusive community at Dublin Elementary. All of our general education students are currently – or in the future will be – friends, classmates and future colleagues of our students with autism. We want them to have the skills and understanding of how to build those relationships.”

OneDublin.org: While many of your teaching colleagues across the district are currently focusing in on preparation for STAR testing, the daily advancements that you make with your students are incremental. Please comment.

Kane: “It is fun and my co-workers are amazing. I really care about how the students have a meaningful school and social experience. For the preschoolers, it might be joining their friends while they pretend to be airplanes on the playground – that is a real blessing.”

Andresen: “Our kids are why we do what we do, why we stay late, get in early and to never stop thinking of how to improve what we do for them. It is a true joy and pleasure to be their teacher. To be honest, I think that I learn and get more joy from them than they do from me.”

OneDublin.org: Any additional thoughts about your students or support staff?

Kane: “One of the hallmarks of autism is the lack of conventional social skills. The intention for social interactions may be there, but the language and skills to be consistently successful are missing. Our general education students should have support in learning how to be effective in their friendships with our students with autism.”

Andresen: “Without the wonderful women/aides that I work with everyday, this position would be a job and a very trying one at that. They are the reason so much success occurs and is our team that makes the hard days possible and the good days wonderful. Our classrooms are a true part of the Dublin Elementary family. A large part of this is because of our teachers, support staff and our Principal, Lauren McGovern.”

Friday marked the end of the weeklong celebration with a morning parade for all of the students. All were asked to dress up for Autism. They were encouraged to be a “super hero” or to “sport it up” or to wear the Autism colors of teal, blue, yellow and red. We invited Site Principal Lauren McGovern to comment upon the week’s events and their importance to the growth for all Dublin Elementary students.

Lauren McGovern: “Our goal is to provide children with the opportunity to experience the day-to-day encounters of children who have special needs – what is it like to struggle with balance, gripping a pencil and to having a heightened sensitivity to sound and smell. Additionally, our goal was to encourage children to have more empathy for people who have special needs and to build a more cohesive and inclusive community.”

It was indeed a special week at Dublin Elementary School. The energy of the LASS teachers, aides and supporting families shined an enlightening light upon the subject of autism for the entire site. OneDublin.org salutes all of these individuals for their daily and ongoing efforts to help our community understand the nuances of this condition.

Note: Over 450 Special Education athletes from Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo counties and the Tri-Valley have been invited to participate in the second annual Bay Area School Games – Track & Field Competition. This event will be held at Acalanes High School in Lafayette on Tuesday, April 30th starting at 10:00 AM. A team from Dublin High School will participate for the second year in a row. Go to http://www.sonc.org/schools/bay-area-school-games-2013 for more information.

Dublin Elementary School Autism Awareness Month Parade (credit Keira Andresen)

Dublin Elementary School Autism Awareness Project Display

Dublin Elementary School Autism Awareness Project Display

The monthly business conducted by the Dublin Unified School District Board of Trustees is exactly that – business. In recent months, the Board has had to wrestle with topics including portables at some of our elementary schools, Bond Anticipation Notes to assist in floating financing to complete a new school site, approving funding for travel for various groups, hiring new staff and assorted other matters. In April, the Board looked forward to one of the most anticipated meetings – the annual Recognition Program.

Under the direction of Human Resources Director, Diane Manske, the District promoted the solicitation of nominations in numerous categories. In all, 18 awardees came from the ranks of Certificated, Classified, Administration and Volunteers. The last category of Volunteers yielded the last two that were honored. This year, the volunteers recognized by DUSD are Paula Allen and Rosemary Brassea. OneDublin.org had the opportunity to both attend the event and to visit with both honorees. Further, their respective site principals were invited to add their congratulations and observations.

Both of these women are unique – but they also share very similar traits. Paula and husband Jason will celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary in July. This is a blended family that shares six children. Daughter Kaytlin graduated from Valley High School in 2011 and son Luke graduated from VHS earlier this year. Their youngest, daughter Jennifer will attend Dublin High School in the fall. As VHS is Dublin’s continuation high school, Paula’s contributions to the site have been almost immeasurable.

OneDublin.org: Given your commitment to Valley High School, what does this recognition really mean to you?

Paula Allen: “I am honored to receive this award and I also believe that Valley High is one of the best schools in the Bay Area. Taking kids that don’t fit the typical mold and showing them how to be diamonds and rock stars is great. There are not many places that are able to say this and the honor or receiving this award is such a privilege.”

OneDublin.org: With all of your experiences as a parent volunteer, what made you feel that you were making an impact?

Allen: “The kids are what make the biggest impact. When one shares some time to take and make frozen waffles and sausages for the students. The kids are so thrilled that breakfast is something that they enjoy – you can’t help but to be happy to volunteer. Also, being with the students during large events, such as Every 15 minutes and Challenge Day were very meaningful. These are the things that I will never forget.”

OneDublin.org: Anything else that you would like to add?

Allen: “Each of us has the ability to make a difference. Don’t think of why not to do things, but that these little things you do can make a difference for the school that you believe in.”

We invited Valley High School Principal, Rinda Bartley, to offer her thoughts. “Paula has been Valley’s most vigilant guardian angel for many years. She has been our one-woman PFC, organizing fund raisers, speaking at gatherings of Valley parents to urge their involvement and networking in the community on our behalf. Though her time as an active volunteer at Valley has drawn to a close, she will always be a member of the Valley family.”

Rosemary and husband Rob celebrated their 26th anniversary on Tuesday. They are the proud parents of three boys, two that have graduated from Dublin High and one that will enroll there in the fall. For over a decade, Ms. Brassea has been involved in virtually every facet of activities at Neilsen Elementary, Dublin Elementary, Wells Middle School and at Dublin High. She has assumed various roles from Fall Festivals, Haunted Houses, Band Boosters to Senior Banquets. She currently serves as the co-President of the Wells Middle School PFC and has also enlisted to be a parent representative for the DHS class of 2017.

OneDublin.org: As a long time supporter of the district and its schools, how has your activism enhanced your experience as a parent?

Rosemary Brassea: “I feel that being active in all the schools has kept me aware as a parent of what’s going on in my kid’s lives. As our kids get older, we are sometimes inclined to disconnect and I’ve found that by volunteering, I have stayed connected with my kids and with others and their parents.”

OneDublin.org: Can you identify moments that mean the most to you during your many years of service? Please explain.

Brassea: “I don’t recall a particular moment. I’ve known that it was worth it when I’ve received a “thank you” from the students. I’ve also received some nice comments from the band kids.”

OneDublin.org: This was a district-wide honor. What was your reaction to receiving this award?

Brassea: “I’d sum up my feelings by saying that I’m just very grateful. I don’t do it for the glory. Honestly, I’m just as happy with a simple “thank you.”

Wells Middle School Principal Kevin Grier and Dublin High School Principal Carol Shimizu offered their thoughts on this recognition. Grier: “Rosemary is one of the hardest working and most humble parent volunteers that I have had the privilege to work with in my nearly 20 years in education. Tireless, diligent, respectful and caring are just a few of the many adjectives that could use to describe her. What a great person!”

Shimizu: “Rosemary is tremendously giving of her time and talent in a calm, supportive manner. She generously volunteers wherever she is needed and throughout the years she has been one of the most active parents in the DUSD to the benefit of all students and families. Whenever help is needed, parents know that Rosemary will make the time to assist in any way that she can.”

To close out the evening, we are paraphrasing Superintendent Stephen Hanke. He stated that “there are scores of parents across the District that willingly devote their time to their respective sites. Frankly, these parents and guardians are the reason why many of our programs “go.” OneDublin.org salutes both Paula Allen and Rosemary Brassea for enhancing the experience for hundreds of students over the years and to help their schools go forward.

Dublin High School was recently awarded a Silver Medal in the U.S. News and World Report annual ranking of over 21,000 high schools nationwide. Only 7% of high schools nationally achieved the Silver Medal status, which is based on a methodology jointly developed by U.S. News and World Report and the American Institutes for Research (read more…).

Additional information about Dublin High School:

• Dublin High School’s API rose to 880 last fall (read more…)
• Dublin High School placed the Dublin Unified School District on the CollegeBoard’s AP Honor Roll for achievement in expanding access to AP courses while maintaining or improving performance on AP exams (read more…)
• Dublin High School’s Irish Guard Band performed in Carnegie Hall last year (read more…)
• Dublin High School’s Engineering Academy Open House starring MythBusters attracted over 1,000 Dublin residents to a sold out display of science, technology, engineering and math programming last year (read more…)
• Dublin High School’s Drama Program won first place recognition at the Ohlone College High School Theatre Festival last year (read more…) and will be christening a state-of-the-art Center for Performing Arts and Education in early 2014 (read more…)
• Dublin High School Athletics has had an outstanding year with multiple teams reaching the playoffs, coach Tom Costello winning the NCS Honor Coach Award and the Dublin High Cheer Team winning first place at Nationals this winter in Las Vegas (read more…).
• 98% of Class of 2012 Dublin High School graduates reported plans to attend a 2- or 4-year college (read more…) and a numerous Dublin High School graduates have written for the Life in College Series (read more…)

For a decade Dublin and Pleasanton high school students of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have sacrificed sleeping in late to meet early, before school, to plan a very special event. On Sunday May 5, at the Pleasanton Stake Center, students, educators and members of the community gathered for an evening of giving thanks to teachers. The event featured student-led presentations introducing each Crystal Apple Award-winning teacher, along with emotional thank you’s from the Dublin High School, Valley High School, Amador Valley High School and Foothill High School teachers. The Crystal Apple Awards recognize teachers who take the extra time and care to look after each of their students and help them in their school career, while also giving guidance in living a good life.

During seminary, a religious study class held early each morning before school, students are given the opportunity to nominate a teacher that has not only made learning more meaningful, but also one who fosters character values they deem important to life.  The nominations are then considered by a committee comprised of students who review all nominations and then choose the recipients for the year. The emotional highlight of the event came with the recognition of retiring Amador Valley High School principal Jim Hansen. After four decades of service to students in Dublin and Pleasanton, Mr. Hansen fought off tears during his speech and was rewarded with both a Crystal Apple Award and a standing ovation.

The Crystal Apple Award recipients for 2012 are:

• Amador Valley High School (Pleasanton) – Tom Hall and Jon Grantham
• Dublin High School (Dublin) – Lisa Carhart and Kelly Beck
• Foothill High School (Pleasanton) – Chris Jones and Michael Leitz
• Valley High School (Dublin) – Laurie Sargent
• Special presentations to retiring Amador Valley High School principal Jim Hansen and Foothill High School principal John Dwyer (who is taking over as principal at Lynbrook High School)

A common thread in many of the speeches by teachers receiving awards was that the Crystal Apple Award is most special because the event is led by students. Foothill High School student Rachel Lanning on teacher Chris Jones: “He forces us to put in the effort required to learn and gain an understanding of the curriculum. He is a talented, passionate teacher, but what makes him outstanding is his concern for his students, both inside of school and out.” Dublin High School student Toni Shipp on teacher Lisa Carhart: “She is down to earth, relatable and kind. She’s wonderful at what she does and makes me actually pay attention in a history class!”

Given the response of the community for this special 10th anniversary event, it looks favorable that Crystal Apples will be feature on teachers desks for decades to come. Here are some of the student-authored comments for the recognized teachers.

Additional photos from the event are available here.

Dublin Unified School District 2013 Crystal Apple Award Recipients

Superintendent Hanke with teacher Lisa Carhart and Principal Carol Shimizu

Superintendent Hanke with teacher Kelly Beck and Principal Carol Shimizu

Valley High Principal Rinda Bartley with teacher Laurie Sargent and Superintendent Hanke

Pleasanton Unified School District 2013 Crystal Apple Award Recipients

Amador Valley High School teacher Tom Hall

Retiring Amador Valley High School principal Jim Hansen

Foothill High School teacher Chris Jones

Foothill High School teacher Michael Leitz

Past Crystal Apple Award recipients:

Chris, Becca and Michelle Jackson perform Medley of Praise to the Lord

Hally Hafford performs For Good from the musical Wicked

Hunger. It is the second resolution after finding shelter when under duress. Though unemployment claims have fallen to their lowest levels in two years, thousands of Bay Area residents combat this daily challenge for both themselves and for their families. These needs are often due to unemployment/underemployment, the high cost of living, medical bills, cuts to government programs and to other unforeseen issues.

At the same time, there are numerous “angels” living within our community that work to combat this problem. One of them is Wells Middle School 8th grader, Hailey Lampi. Ms. Lampi has been a Girl Scout for eight years and is a member of Troop 32595 in Dublin. Upon reaching the rank of Cadette, she began to contemplate a project to pursue for her Silver Award – the highest award available for a Cadette. The regulations and timeline for this are very clear. A Scout must ask herself about an issue that they truly care about. Further, with the help of an advisor, they must map out a project that would benefit the community and to build a team of helpers. The minimum investment of time into this project must equate to 50 hours.

Hailey’s issue was hunger. As a student, she had witnessed the benefits of free and reduced lunches that served some of her peers at both Frederiksen Elementary and at Wells Middle School. However, these programs do not exist during the summer months when school is not in session. She began to formulate a plan that would encourage donations through a community canned food drive in the vicinity of Frederiksen and other neighborhoods. The second portion of her concept included the organization of a “Me & My Guy Dance” at the same school that would also include non-Scouting girls. Part of the admission would be to deliver at least three food items. It’s a fascinating journey and OneDublin.org had the opportunity to visit with both Hailey and with members of the Alameda County Community Food Bank – the ultimate benefactor of this event.

OneDublin.org: When did you start the planning process for this project and how were you able to recruit help?

Hailey Lampi: “The planning actually started last August and moved into the spring. Our troop has eight members, but I knew that we needed additional help. I simply talked to fellow scouts that were younger and older, plus Wells Middle School Leadership students. It turns out that they were searching for additional service hours and we were able to gather a large group of volunteers. We even had students from as far away as from Concord – those attending Carondelet High School.”

OneDublin.org: You mentioned that the dance was open to Girl Scouts and to those that are attending Frederiksen. What was the turnout and feedback?

Lampi: “Originally, we were going to limit the attendance to 100 girls and their guys. However, the response was overwhelming and we ultimately expanded it to 158 girls. Everyone seemed to have a great time and all participants left with a gift bag and the memory of a special night. We were also able to collect additional food items that added to our total.”

OneDublin.org: You had a goal in mind. What was your result and how did it make you feel?

Lampi: “My personal goal was to collect 1,000 pounds of food to donate to the Alameda County Community Food Bank. We delivered our collection on Tuesday and the total was 1,767 pounds of food! I was pretty excited and I felt great that we could exceed our goal.”

A level of organization was required to make this project a reality. Part of it came in the form of Katherine Avila, Food Drive Coordinator at http://www.accfb.org. For Katherine, the subject of hunger is very near and dear to her heart. She shared that after growing up and working for years in the East Bay, she suddenly found herself unemployed due to a company consolidation. For the first time, she found herself on the “other side of the rope” and sought out State assistance through the Cal-Fresh program. After great perseverance and applying for a multitude of positions, she gained employment through the Alameda County Community Food Bank in 2012. Her circumstance and life perspectives gave her every ambition to help to make a difference.

OneDublin.org: Exactly who benefits from the work of your group and how are they eligible? How many citizens positively benefit from the work of your organization?

Katherine Avila (second from right)

Katherine Avila: “There is no single face of hunger. The Food Bank serves one in six Alameda County residents. Our services reach 49,000 people each week. What we do know is that when people find themselves in a difficult situation, food is the one place they think that they can cut, which leads to a number of hard decisions. These include not buying food to keep the heat on or for paying for medication.”

OneDublin.org: Can you approximate how much food is donated to your organization annually and are there slower times of the year for donations?

Avila: “We distributed 24 million pounds of food in 2012. From January through August, donations do decrease, except at schools, which are really champions during this time. During the holidays, people feel an incredibly spirit of generosity at that time. People tend to give their financial donations around this time in order to meet tax deadlines.”

OneDublin.org: Please describe how it feels when individuals/groups show up with donated items. Further, anything else you’d like to add?

Avila: “When I have a visit from someone like Hailey, it’s just pure happiness for me. My heart grows a little bigger when I see the fruits of compassion. We hear a lot about the negative in life, but there is so much good in people and I am heartened to know that there are many ways that people help others. When you consider the number of clients that we serve and the people who support us, it is no wonder that “Community” is our middle name. It’s directly impactful, meaningful and fun!”

1,767 pounds of donated food were delivered to the Alameda County Community Food Bank in Oakland on Tuesday. According to Ms. Avila, these items will have been disbursed by next week. OneDublin.org salutes the efforts by Girl Scouts like Hailey Lampi and all those who have chosen to support this ongoing effort.

Hailey Lampi’s Food Drive Website: http://365fooddrive.yolasite.com/

Alameda County Community Food Bank Website: http://www.accfb.org/about_us.html

Alameda County Community Food Bank 1767 pounds of donated food

Alameda County Community Food Bank 1767 pounds of donated food

Despite rising tuition costs and fiercely competitive entrance criteria for colleges nationwide, Dublin High School‘s Class of 2013 seniors have been rewarded with acceptance letters and emails.

A complete list of colleges acceptance Dublin High School seniors is listed below, including Stanford, Brown, Duke, Purdue, US Air Force Academy, every University of California (UC), every CSU campus and many more. The success of this year’s graduating class builds on the achievements of the Dublin High Class of 2012 (last year’s Dublin High School college acceptance results are available here).

In addition, eleven seniors in Dublin High School’s Class of 2013 have chosen to serve their country by enlisting in the military, along with one graduate that is pursuing a religious and several students entering vocational schools or entering the workforce.

Twenty-five Dublin High School alumni have contributed articles to OneDublin.org’s Life in College series. This unique series of articles by former Dublin High School students covers life at colleges across the country including Harvard, Stanford, Columbia / JTS, UC Berkeley, Chapman UC Davis, UCLA, UCSD, West Point, St. Mary’s, Pace, University of Chicago, UNR, Santa Clara, University of Arizona, Carroll College, Hamline University, Penn State, Sonoma State, Syracuse, and Santa Barbara City College.

Dublin High School Class of 2013 students are also taking advantage of cost-effective Community College Transfer Programs into 4-year colleges.  According to Dublin High School Counseling, 97% of Dublin High School students destined for a local community college are intending to transfer into a 4-year college for their junior year.  More information on Community College Transfer Programs is available here.

All told 97.9% of the Dublin High School Class of 2013 reported plans to attend college this Fall.  Dublin High School was recently awarded a Silver Medal in the U.S. News and World Report Best High Schools report, was again included in Newsweek’s list of America’s Best High Schools and received a statewide rank of 10 (out of 10) and a similar schools rank of 10 (out of 10) from the California Department of Education for its 2012 API of 880 (full results available here).

Congratulations Dublin High School Class of 2013 and good luck on your finals!

The full list of colleges that extended offers of admission to Dublin High School Class of 2012 seniors is provided below (source: Dublin High School Counseling’s Senior Exit Survey 2013):

Dublin High School Counseling has made available a wide variety of resources for parents (available here…).

Dublin High School Class of 2012

Both moving and entertaining, the fourth annual Jazzin’ for a Cure event raised over $2,800. Rivalries were set aside Friday night as Fallon Middle School (Music Director Lee Carpenter), Wells Middle School (Music Director Erik Bertleson), Dougherty Valley High School (Music Director Teri Musiel), Foothill High School (Music Director Josh Butterfield) and Dublin High School (Music Director Paul Everts) teamed up to entertain a full house at the Shannon Community Center.

As has been the case every year, when organizer Paul Everts asked if anyone in the audience had been affected by or knew someone who had been affected by cancer, nearly every hand went up. During the Dublin High School Jazz Band set, the importance of cancer research was reinforced when a freshman member of the band surprised his mother, who is battling breast cancer, with a solo. Their embrace following the performance brought the audience to tears.

Participating in middle and high school music programs isn’t just fun and rewarding, it’s also an advantage down the road when applying to and succeeding in college. According to data from Purdue University, Purdue’s band and orchestra participants earned a higher collective GPA than all undergraduate students at Purdue. Purdue’s band participants also earned a higher average number of credits per semester. And SAT / ACT scores (both math and verbal) are higher for Purdue band students than the average scores for all students.

OneDublin.org captured video and photographs from this year’s event (below). If you are inspired by these student performances, consider donating to the ALS Association or the American Cancer Society. Jazzin’ for a Cure returns next year on May 19, 2014, and will be held in the new Dublin High School Center for Performing Arts and Education (which opens winter 2014). The new theatre will also enabling live streaming over the Internet for those unable to attend, with the goal being to expand the fundraising potential of the event.

Related articles:

• The Value of Music Education from Elementary School to College and Beyond
• Thomas Dolby on Music Education and the Evolution of the Music Industry
• Meet Dublin High School Music Director Paul Everts
• Dublin High School, Fallon and Wells Unite for Drumline and Color Guard Show

Jazzin’ for a Cure 2013 Slideshow

Dublin High School Jazz Band Performance

Fallon Middle School Jazz Band Performance

Wells Middle School Jazz Band Performance

Dougherty Valley High School Jazz Band Performance

Foothill High School Jazz Band Performance

The stars were out last Thursday evening. These were not just the constellations visible on a clear night. They also included nearly 100 Dublin Unified School District (DUSD) students that were being honored at the new Dublin High School Student Union for their persistent contributions towards fostering positive characteristics to their respective school sites. It was a night of recognition and celebration and OneDublin.org was pleased to report on this positive event.

Established in 2006, the Dublin Integrity in Action movement was formed by a collaboration between the City of Dublin and the Dublin Unified School District. The premise was that the development of a young citizen should not be confined solely to academics. Rather, the “whole child” should also embrace character traits that would positively impact not only themselves, but to their community, as well. The traits are specific. They include being: Respectful, Responsible, Caring, Giving, a Positive Attitude, Trustworthy, Cooperative, to do My Best, Honesty and Self-Discipline. While these are high standards, scores of our students exhibit these characteristics each and every day.

The awards ceremony has held in the recently completed Dublin High School Student Union. Awardees and their families were invited to enjoy a dessert array and refreshments provided by the Dublin High School Culinary Arts and Catering Program. Subsequently, representatives from the school district offered their greetings for the event. Notably, Greg Clark, a former San Francisco 49er player and Founding Member of Dublin Integrity in Action offered a stirring anecdote about the importance of following one’s dreams and to never give up – regardless of any obstacles or physical limitation.

OneDublin.org reached out to two individuals that were instrumental in enlarging this event. Alan Brown is the current Chairperson of the Dublin Integrity in Action Board. Mr. Brown’s son, Aslan, graduated from Dublin High School in 2011. Alan has also served in multiple capacities n support of DUSD. He shared some of his thoughts that evening.

OneDublin.org: Thursday was the First Annual Recognition ceremony at DHS. Explain why it was important to move this event into a larger/public setting.

Alan Brown

Alan Brown: “The goal of the celebration was to recognize students from all of the DUSD schools who had been recognized as Students of Integrity throughout the school year. The list of students approached 100 and we had to consider that each student would be supported by parents or other relatives.”

OneDublin.org: The term “character” was mentioned repeatedly tonight. How do you expect these recipients to demonstrate this trait, not only today, but for years to come? How might they influence their peers?

Brown: “As a psychology major, one of the principles that I learned was that repeated behavior becomes a habit. The Character Development Program aims to instill in the students that good character habits pay off in personal benefits throughout one’s life experiences. It is expected that when peers observe the outcomes from those who practice good character habits, their behavior can change as they emulate their peers.”

Fallon Middle School Counselor, Kelly Zummo, also serves on the DIIA board in the role of Character Development. She has served as a middle school counselor for 16 years and has been employed by DUSD since 2006. Our initial invitation to cover this event was offered by her and we wanted to hear her perspective on this initiative.

OneDublin.org: Please describe why it is important for our school district to support a program like Dublin Integrity in Action.

Zelly Zummo and Paul Faris

Kelly Zummo: “It is important because Dublin is a great place to live, work and to raise our children and we want to keep it that way. A comprehensive program affects our school district as a whole, adding the student recognition piece was just natural. The DIIA community-wide character development program gets us all on the same page and additionally supports the district vision of the 2020 strategic plan.

OneDublin.org: For the students that received this honor tonight, how do you expect them to influence their peers – regardless of grade level?

Zummo: “It’s not really an expectation, it is reality! For some, it may have been the littlest thing that separated one student from the rest to earn the recognition. But these are also the students who embody all ten traits day after day. That is not to say that they are perfect – it is owning up to those mistakes and making things right that sets these kids (and many others) apart.”

OneDublin.org: Explain how more Dublin citizens can become more involved in this movement.

Zummo: “The school program was one of the earlier foundations, but DIIA’s connection has been unclear to many. All can plan an active role and we meet monthly to discuss how we can support and make a difference in our community. The more support and representation that we develop, the more that we will thrive.”

OneDublin.org commends the efforts by both Dublin Integrity in Action and DUSD for supporting the Integrity in Action program. The Stars of Integrity are shining brightly across the city of Dublin. They are adding positive characteristics to our community every day. The event program is available here.

Dublin High School’s annual Senior Awards Night filled the Dublin High Student Union with students, parents, educators and members of the community. More than $2,400,000 in scholarships and awards were presented to Dublin High School Class of 2013 students for their academic achievements, including over 30 merit scholarships for colleges nationwide.

Included in the event was the traditional passing of the gavel ceremony where outgoing senior and student body president Manuel Rubio (attending Oklahoma State University on a scholarship) introduced incoming student body president Luke Legins.

Valedictorian Malina Jiang

The Dublin High School Class of 2013 Valedictorian Malina Jiang was named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, among multiple awards, and is attending Stanford University. Among the many seniors winning awards, Steven Choi was recognized with a special presentation by a representative of the Air Force Academy. Over 12,000 applicants competed for a position in the Academy and less than 10% were accepted.

OneDublin.org prepared the fourth annual edition of the popular “I am Dublin High” video (see below) featuring 85 Dublin High School Class of 2013 seniors sharing their post-high school plans (in under 6 minutes). The full list of colleges that offered admission to Dublin High Class of 2013 seniors, which includes Stanford, Brown, Duke, Purdue, US Air Force Academy, every University of California (UC), every CSU campus and many more is available here.

Dublin High Senior Awards Night 2013 Full Results

Passing of the Gavel

• ASB President Manuel Rubio

  Outgoing Student Body President 2012-2013: Manuel Rubio

• Incoming Student Body President 2013-2014: Luke Legins

Senior Class Officer Recognition

• Senior Class President: Randi Nguyen
• Senior Class Vice President: Hillary Santuya
• Senior Class Treasurer: Adeola Olayomi
• Senior Class Secretary: Tisha Thimbunjuad

Senior ASB Officer Recognition

• President: Manuel Rubio
• Secretary: Tristan Elias

Josten’s Senior of the Year

• Manuel Rubio

Steven Choi

U.S. Air Force Academy

• Steven Choi

U.S. Army

• Gillom Smith

U.S. Marine Corps

• Christopher Foo
• Ricardo Martinez
• Tyler Mills
• Andrew Schullerts

Air Force Math and Science Award

• Bernard Yan
• Nan Zhou

U.S. Army Reserve – National Scholar/Athlete

• Tristan Elias
• Megan Zummo

United States Marine Corps

• Distinguished Athlete: Alex Cappa, Linda Tran
• Scholastic Excellence Award: Malina Jiang
• Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence: Tyler Mills

Dublin Rotary Student of the Month

• September: Seojin Park
• October: Mersal Danai
• November: Manuel Rubio
• December: Jaylin Redmond
• January: Kevin Ong
• February: Malina Jiang
• March: Amanda Neumann
• April: Natalie Collier
• May: Nan Zhou

Dublin Rotary Student of the Year

• Kevin Ong

Dublin Lions Club Student of the Month

• September – Manuel Rubio
• October – Tristan Elias
• November – Alexandra Brown
• December – Kristen Koury
• January – Ryan McRee
• February – Camille Chabot
• March – Michelle Goldstein
• May – Adeola Olayomi

Dublin Lions Club Student of the Year

• Michelle Goldstein
• Manuel Rubio

Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award

• Manuel Rubio

Tri-Valley Republican Women’s Scholarship

• Manuel Rubio

Tri- Valley Retired Educators’ Scholarship

• Manuel Rubio

Dublin High School Alumni Scholarship

• Camille Chabot
• Amanda MPonte
• Manuel Rubio

Dublin/San Ramon Women’s Club (GFWC) Scholarship

• Camille Chabot
• Tristan Elias
• Nazineen Khandahari

School Board Representative

• Alexandra Brown

Teresa Herrington Memorial Scholarship, CSEA

• Kendra Cheda
• Kevin Ong

Dave Burton Scholarship

• Linhui Li

Dublin United Soccer League Scholarship

• Eric Turner

Dee Ronchette-Dublin United Soccer League Scholarship

• Megan Zummo

Dublin High Athletic Boosters Scholarship

• Kenneth Ainslie
• Dennis Barber
• Connor Chin
• Hailey Zummo
• Megan Zummo

Dublin Teachers Association Academic Student Scholarship

• Karim Ibrahim
• Olivia Silva
• Megan Zummo

Sally Muhly Award

• Augustin Savella

Dublin High PFSO Scholarship

• Malina Jiang
• Alison Martinez
• Emily Morehead
• Michael Reinemann
• Nadia Zaka
• Nan Zhou                                              

Dublin High Irish Guard Band Boosters Scholarship

• Christine Daquinag
• Sean Kenney
• Aiden Mathieu
• Jonathan Woo

Dublin High Band Director’s Award

• Jeraldine Sibal

Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship

• Vin Lay                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Don Nelson Scholarship

• Alison Martinez
• Cesear Saavedra

Burger King McLamore Foundation Scholarship

• Alison Martinez
• Amanda MPonte
• Jonathan Woo

McDonald’s Future Achievers

• Amanda MPonte

Chevron REACH Scholarship

• Stephanie Chiu

Dr. Gerald G. Hatch Scholarship

• Adeola Olayomi

Paramount Scholarship

• Diego Ureta

College Scholarships

• Nicole Ahrens, University of California, Davis
• Tiye Brandon, Las Positas College
• Brendon Brekke, Menlo College
• Alex Cappa, Humboldt State University
• Marcos Castro, Culinary Institute of America
• Kendra Cheda, Adams State University, Colorado
• Feroez Chinkonsung, St. Mary’s College of California
• Natalie Collier, Whittier College
• Christine Daquinag, Oregon State University
• Tristan Elias, University of Colorado, Boulder
• Erin Gannon, Cogswell Polytechnical College
• Esther Gao, University of California, Davis
• Tiffany Harris, Metropolitan State University of Denver
• Spencer Hollie, Southern Methodist University
• Karim Ibrahim, University of Arizona
• Jun Han Lee, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Shi Lee, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
• Alison Martinez, University of Santa Clara
• Ryan McRee, University of Southern California
• Natalie Miller, Oregon State University
• Natalie Park, California Baptist University
• Manuel Rubio, Oklahoma State University
• Noirita Saha, University of Nevada, Reno
• Olivia Silva, St. Mary’s College of California
• Myiesha Simmons, Grambling State University
• Diego Ureta, University of Arizona
• Nicholas Vernor, University of Arizona
• Shawn Vincent, University of Arizona
• Nadia Zaka, San Jose State University
• Hailey Zummo, St. Mary’s College of California
• Megan Zummo, St. Mary’s College of California

GAEL Achievement Awards

• Consumer & Family Studies: Marcos Castro
• Dramatic Arts: Ryan McRee, Emily Morehead
• English: Shabnam Habibi, Jasmine Virk
• ESL: Manuel Agredano
• Fine Arts: Julie Lai
• French: Amanda MPonte
• History: Natalie Collier
• Instrumental Music: Jordan Nguyen
• Journalism: Ana Cruz
• Mandarin: Brianna Baker
• Mathematics: Nan Zhou
• Physical Education: Manuel Rubio
• ROP: Japna Kalra, Amanda Neumann
• Science: Bernard Yan
• Social Science: Megan Fukamaki
• Spanish: Malina Jiang
• Vocal Music: Taylor Weber

California Interscholastic Federation Farmers Insurance Scholar – Athlete of the Year

• Alison Martinez

The California Department of Education & The California Mathematics Council Award

• Mitchell Kless

Perfect Attendance (2009-2013)

• Danny Lin

Dublin High School Counseling Department

• Camille Chabot
• Shabnam Habibi
• Kristin Horrillo
• Allison Rimshaw
• Manuel Rubio

Dublin High School French Department

• Mersal Danai
• Erin Ganon
• Amanda MPonte

AVID Student Award

• Ashley Barlow
• Randi Nguyen

Culinary Academy Scholarship Recipients

• Samantha Brown
• Marcos Castro
• Reginald Elzey
• Camaron Farrington
• Marlon Joee Mendoza
• Patrick Taugher

Culinary Academy Student of the Year

• Marcos Castro

DECA Leadership Award

• Amanda Neumann

DECA Northern California Academic Achievement Award

• Japna Kalra
• Adeola Olayomi
• Corey Yee

DECA California State Academic Achievement Award

• Japna Kalra
• Amanda Neumann
• Toni Shipp
• Linda Tran

DECA International Academic Achievement Award

• Japna Kalra

California Scholarship Federation Life Members

• Nicole Ahrens
• Kenneth Ainslie
• Yang An
• Symon Arambulo
• Natalie Bouri
• Alexandra Brown
• Hannah Burgardt
• Camille Chabot
• Cassandra Chan
• Winnie Chan
• Connor Chin
• Stephanie Chiu
• Natalie Collier
• Mersal Danai
• Christine Daquinag
• Mireille Darby
• Tristan Elias
• Whitney Estrada
• Roland Estropia
• Kathryn Foster
• Esther Gao
• Heather Garcia
• Shabnam Habibi
• Audrey Hansen-Judd
• Kristin Horrillo
• Malina Jiang
• Japna Kalra
• Nazineen Kandahari
• Alexandra Keihl
• Rahbar Khan
• Vin  Lay
• Jun Lee
• Marissa Louie
• Eman Maghrbi
• Carissa Martin
• Alison Martinez
• Ryan McRee
• Emily Morehead
• Amanda MPonte
• Briana Nguyen
• Jordan Nguyen
• Michael Nguyen
• Randi Nguyen
• Seojin Park
• Michael Reinemann
• Allison Rimshaw
• Taif Rizvi
• Robyn Rowell
• Manuel Rubio
• Noirita Saha
• Hillary Santuya
• Komal Sehgal
• Farzana Shirzad
• Jeraldine Sibal
• Olivia Silva
• Courtney Starr
• Tisha Thimbunjuad
• Linda Tran
• Josephine Tseng
• Eric Turner
• Anand Varma
• Maria TB Villa Real
• Jasmine Virk
• Jonathan Woo
• Bernard Yan
• Nadia Zaka
• Nan Zhou
• Jonathan Zhu
• Megan Zummo

President’s Silver Award for Educational Achievement

• Nicole Ahrens
• Abu Sina Azizullah
• Camille Chabot
• Ryan Durflinger
• Megan Fukamaki
• Erin Gannon
• Nathaniel Hale
• Karim Ibrahim
• Veronica Kang
• Kevin Keller
• Linhui Li
• Marissa Louie
• Natalie Miller
• Michael Nguyen
• Hayley O’Driscoll
• Allison Rimshaw
• Olivia Silva
• Nicholas Sinai
• Kritin Soong
• Tisha Thimbunjuad
• Maria Thalia Bernice Villa Real
• Johnny Wang
• Jonathan Woo
• Megan Zummo

Gael Scholars & President’s Gold Award for Educational Excellence

• Kenneth Ainslie
• Yang An
• Symon Arambulo
• Natalie Bouri
• Alexandra Brown
• Hannah Burgardt
• Adolfo Cancino
• Cassandra Chan
• Winnie Chan
• Connor Chin
• Stephanie Chiu
• Natalie Collier
• Mireille Darby
• Tristan Elias
• Whitney Estrada
• Roland Estropia
• Kathryn Foster
• Esther Gao
• Heather Garcia
• Raymond Gau
• Shabnam Habibi
• Robert Hair
• Kristin Horrillo
• Isabelle Huang
• Malina Jiang
• Japna Kalra
• Nazineen Kandahari
• Mitchell Kless
• Alison Martinez
• Ryan McRee
• Emily Morehead
• Amanda MPonte
• Briana Nguyen
• Jordan Nguyen
• Seojin Park
• Akash Patel
• Michael Reinemann
• Taif Rizvi
• Noirita Saha
• Katherine Sanchez
• Hillary Santuya
• Courtney Starr
• Josephine Tseng
• Anand Varma
• Jasmine Virk
• Bernard Yan
• Nadia Zaka
• Nan Zhou
• Jonathan Zhu

National Merit Semi-Finalist

• Malina Jiang
• Nan Zhou

National Merit Finalist

• Malina Jiang

Salutatorian

• Raymond Gau

Valedictorian

• Malina Jiang

The Dublin High School Engineering and Design Academy is expanding for the 2013-14 school year. Based on the success of the program so far, Dublin High School was selected by Project Lead the Way (one of 46 out of 116 applicants) to pilot the new Computer Science & Software Engineering (CSSE) class. Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) is also be added to the curriculum. In the future, Dublin High School may also build a dedicated building for the Engineering and Design Academy with funding provided by the most recent voter-approved bond measure.

At last week’s Dublin Unified School District (DUSD) Board of Trustees meeting, the Engineering and Design Academy, along with representatives from the Dublin High School Gael Force Robotics Club, had a chance to talk about the program and show off their VEX robotics skills. In addition to presentations by Dublin High administration and Engineering Academy teachers, several students commented on how the program has positively impacted their high school experience (see their complete comments and a robotics demonstration in the video later in this article):

“I enrolled in the [Introduction to Engineering Design] class year because I had never taken an engineering course or anything like it before, and it looked like it would be a fun class. I was right – right now it is one of my favorite courses in my entire high school career.”

“I’m currently enrolled in Principles of Engineering. The engineering program in our school is one of the most engaging programs we offer. As part of our Principles of Engineering class we learn skills such as creative thinking and time management in a real world setting.”

“This is my third year in the Engineering Academy. In my freshman year I took Principles of Engineering and in my sophomore year I took Introduction to Engineering Design, and this year I’m taking the new Digital Electronics class. This class has really sparked an interest in electronics within me. People in our class are really interested in what we learn, and I’m sure many of us will end up in an engineering field. I’m really excited about the classes that are coming next year!”

Video of the Student Presentations and Robotics Demonstration

New Dublin High Engineering Academy Course Descriptions

Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM)

How are things made? What processes go into creating products? Is the process for making a water bottle the same as it is for a musical instrument? How do assembly lines work? How has automation changed the face of manufacturing? While students discover the answers to these questions, they’re learning about the history of manufacturing, robotics and automation, manufacturing processes, computer modeling, manufacturing equipment, and flexible manufacturing systems.

Computer Science & Software Engineering (CSSE)

How do creative abstraction and computational power change our lives? In this course, students will engage in problems focused around computer science, web design and information technology, information science, and software engineering. Students will learn to use Python as well as HTML to create interactive web-pages,develop their own Android app and explore computer simulation.

Slideshow from the Board Presentation

Related articles:

• Dublin High School Robotics Team Win Qualifies for 2013 VEX World Championship
• MythBusters Adam Savage and Kari Byron Meet Dublin High and Fallon Students
• GoldieBlox Founder Debbie Sterling’s Social Mission to Inspire More Female Engineers
• UC Berkeley’s Madeline Girard on Becoming a Scientist and Researching Animal Behavior
• Harvey Mudd College President Maria Klawe on Women in Science, Math and Engineering
• Heather Knight and Social Robotics: The Intersection of Storytelling and Technology
• Becoming a Google Product Manager – Interview with Google’s Johanna Wright
• Kari Byron – Host of Head Rush, MythBusters – speaks with OneDublin.org
• The Poetry of Programming (How I Created my First iPhone App)

Senior Camille Chabot: “We are not here to receive anything, we are here to reflect … and share Gael stories of pride, challenge, success and disappointment.” So began the Dublin High School Class of 2013 baccalaureate, an annual event that brings together seniors, educators, parents and extended family members to share in a very personal series of memories before the pageantry of commencement.

Despite the 100-degree heat (and a lack of air conditioning in the Dublin High Sports Complex), the rows of seniors, sharp in their commencement robes, and family members behind them filling the stands, sat in rapt attention to the speakers, performers and slide show of memories. Both students and their parents shared in the tears and laughter of this wonderful event.

Senior class president Randi Nguyen and vice president Hillary Santuya: “Whether we’re going away or staying home, we all fear the unknown. We are terrified to be going on our separate ways, so we’re trying to make memories that never fade. We know nothing will ever be the same,  yet this is a day we’ve all been preparing for, since the day we walked through the first classroom door. Now it’s time to say goodbye, spread your wings, you’re ready to fly. Shed a tear and share a smile, and be sure to remember all the while, that although it may be time to move on, today’s memories will last you all life long.”

In an event that had so many highlights, including a beautiful rendering of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by senior Norita Saha, and a collage of thank you’s from teachers presented by class advisor  and teacher Jennifer McCort, nothing was more powerful than the keynote speech delivered by Dublin High School teacher Ron Rubio. Introduced by his son, and outgoing student body president Manuel, Ron Rubio’s speech masterfully balanced a message to the graduating seniors and a shared empathy with their parents.

Ron Rubio to the Class of 2013 seniors: “This time of year can be a very tough for your parents. I know what I’m talking about, this is my second kid graduating through Dublin High School. This is very tough on your parents – it was just a blink of an eye when you were a small child. They turned around for a minute, and now you’re here. When you were little and you came home you’d run and throw your arms around your parents, and squeeze them, and tell them you loved them, and couldn’t wait to see them, crawled into their laps, held their hands, hugged them.

“Now when they try to talk to you, you act bored, you roll your eyes and get dismissive. So these next few days be nice to your parents. When they want to hug you, hug them back. When they want to take the extra picture, and get a little misty-eyed, be nice to them, and let them do it.”

The connection of students and parents continued with seniors Kendra Cheda and Christa Hunt emotionally thanking and introducing the class parent representatives (and their mothers), and senior Spencer Hollie introducing his mother, Rev. Sharon Hollie, who used the journey of friendship from elementary school to college as the foundation for her speech that blessed the leaving class.

In her words to close the event, senior Samantha Theard shared, “It is such a rush to be at this point in our high school careers, there are so many emotions tied into this one moment in our lives, and as excited as we all are to move on, I think it is safe to say we have a lot to be thankful for. Events like these remind us how blessed we are to have grown up in a community unlike any other. We look around this room and we see our incredible family, inspiring teachers and truly lifelong friends.But, it is far too easy to be caught up in this whirlwind of celebration. We can’t forget the people who have made this moment possible. So, on behalf of my class, thank you. Thank you to our friends and to our family and to this entire community for making us the people we are today and creating a foundation that is unbreakable for our future.”

Following the speeches, the air-conditioned Student Union welcomed students and their families with snacks and colorful student memory boards prepared by the parents for each student. With only a few days before commencement, days that include high school exam finals, baccalaureate provided a wonderful moment of reflection.

Dublin High School’s Engineering and Design Academy closed out the 2012-13 school year with an evening of engineering creativity, invention and a Shark Tank-style competition. Prior to the evening of competition, teams of students from Ms. Chou and Mr. Uken’s Introduction to Engineering Design and Principles of Engineering classes had two weeks to create and develop their own ideas for products that they could sell in today’s marketplace. Ms. Chou hopes to make this an annual event.

First Place Presentation

Eight teams made it to the final round where a  panel of judges from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Chevron, IBM, Support.com and Dublin San Ramon Services District followed a strict rubric to score and judge the presentations. Each team had 5 minutes to present and 2 minutes to answer questions. Prizes included a posted signed by MythBusters Adam Savage and Kari Byron from the Dublin High School Engineering Academy Open House Starring MythBusters and a one-of-a-kind set of coins created for the event by a 3D metal printer.

In addition to the live presentations, student teams also competed for the best display in the showcase competition.

After difficult deliberations, the judges announced the winners:

• First Place: Measuring Seasoning Dispenser – Zoie MacDougall, Navneedh Maudgalya, Kana Mishra, Connor Rathjen
• Second Place: Chalk n’ Roll – (Kenneth Ainslie), (Brandon Hilomen), Mike Reinemann
• Third Place: Shopping Cart 3000 – (Connor Burzynski), Rahbar Khan, Jun Lee

• Sales & Marketing Award – Mike Reinemann
• Technical Challenge Award: Delivery Drone – (Karl Johansson), Winnie Liu, Rithvik Reddy, Ajay Singh
• Green Award: JUMPS – Elizabeth Child, Aileen Jeong, Alison Jones
• Fun Award: Deskopus – (Corey Dickson), Luis Dominguez, Connor Last, (Parviz Nouripour)

• Best Showcase: The Arbiter – Calvin Loebrich, Savigion Nugen

Presentation Teams:

• JUMPS – Elizabeth Child, Aileen Jeong, Alison Jones
• Beverage Shaker – Justin Gau, Abdul Kasim, Curtis Lee, Billy Sahota
• Chalk n’Roll – Kenneth Ainslie, Brandon Hilomen, Mike Reinemann
• Delivery Drone – Karl Johansson, Winnie Liu, Rithvik, Ajay Singh
• Measuring Seasoning Dispenser – Zoie MacDougall, Navneedh Maudgalya, Kana Mishra, Connor Rathjen
• Megastroller 9001 – Naser Abotel, Brayden Benzien, Sidney Kim, Nick Johal
• Deskopus – Corey Dickson, Luis Dominguez, Connor Last, Parviz Nouripour
• Shopping Cart 3000 – Connor Burzynski, Rahbar Khan, Jun Lee

Showcase Teams:

• The Arbiter – Calvin Loebrich, Savigion Nugen
• Deskopus – Corey Dickson, Luis Dominguez, Connor Last, Parviz Nouripour
• Graphene Supercapacitor – Robert Kaehms, Nazineen Kandahari, Jeffrey Jenkins, Nick Sinai
• Groovie Smoothie – Tim Elkana, Goutham Marimuthu, Jordan Romero, Ajah Singh
• Hoverboard – Tim Fong, William Hearne, Jasmine Lin, Sruthi Veerangandham
• JUMPS – Elizabeth Child, Aileen Jeong, Alison Jones
• Measuring Seasoning Dispenser – Zoie MacDougall, Navneedh Maudgalya, Kana Mishra, Connor Rathjen
• Port-a-Fold Board – Rei Echizenya, Justin Rabe, Rile Smith
• Scrubby Shoes – Sirin Baireddy, Wesley Estrada, Bryce Knox, Dylan Tuell
• The Swivel – Aaron Colmenares, Chandler Cruz, Krishna Rammohan

Valedictorian Malina Jiang

Thursday June 13, 2013 turned out to be a lucky day for the Dublin High School Class of 2013, the 43rd graduating class. A week after a heat wave forced the cancellation of a the Del Oro High School commencement ceremony in Sacramento when heat sickness sent five people to local hospitals, perfect weather welcomed Dublin High’s graduating class. Dublin High’s Class of 2013 also featured two sets of triplets (Toni – Tori – Troy Ship, and Anastacia – Trinity – Katarina Sims), and six sets of twins (Celine -Mireille Darby, Hayley – Ryan Durflinger, Allison – Brittany Mitchell, Garrett – Ryan Passmore, Matthew – Ryan Victoriano and Hailey -Megan Zummo).

Parents, grandparents, siblings, friends and educators gathered at the Alameda County Fairgrounds Amphitheater for the last time on Thursday June 13, 2013, with the ceremony returning to Dublin High School for the Class of 2014 commencement. According to Principal Carol Shimizu, continued growth at the school and completion of major construction on campus (as the new Center for Performing Arts and Education opens in winter 2014) opens the door for returning the ceremony to Dublin.

The event included speeches and presentations by Dublin High School Gael Scholar Ryan McRee (who is attending the University of Southern California this Fall to study Theatre, and who was awarded a full scholarship), Dublin High Alumni Association Representative and City of Dublin Council Member David Haubert, Principal Carol Shimizu and Assistant Principal Theresa Young, School Board Trustee Sean Kenney, City of Dublin Mayor Tim Sbranti, Senior Class President Randi Nguyen and Senior Class Vice President Hillary Santuya. The Dublin High Color Guard and Band, bagpiper Jeff Campbell and members of the Air Force Color Guard brought fanfare to the ceremony. The full text of Mr. McRee’s speech is included below.

OneDublin.org had the honor and privilege to attend the event, capturing highlights on video including a time-lapse movie of the diploma presentations (compressing over 45 minutes down to just 5 minutes):

This year’s theme was “The Journey” – and the Class of 2013 has a lot to celebrate. Over 97% of Dublin High’s Class of 2013 will be attending college this Fall, including Stanford, Brown, US Air Force Academy, Cornell, Duke, Purdue, every University of California (UC), every CSU campus and and many more.

Dublin High’s students continued to drive academic excellence forward increasing the school’s API to 880. Dublin High’s visual and performing arts, and athletic programs also brought home awards and recognition.

The moment every high school student waits for – the traditional turning of the tassels led by senior class president Randi Nguyen:

For those who couldn’t attend (and for those that want to relive some of the highlights) here is more from the memorable event:

Dublin High School Gael Scholar Ryan McRee

Dublin High School Senior Class President Randi Nguyen and Vice President Hillary Santuya

Dublin High School Principal Carol Shimizu

Dublin High School Alumni Association Representative David Haubert

DUSD Board of Trustees Vice President Sean Kenney

Gael Scholar Ryan McRee:

“Class of 2013, welcome to the world.

“That’s all I’ve got. In all my experience in performing and giving speeches, I’ve learned that just because you give someone a microphone or make them the center of attention doesn’t mean they have any clue of what to say. But that was the most significant thing I could come up with. “Welcome to the world.” I took writing this speech very seriously, and I really treated it like a homework assignment. And so as soon as I ran out of ideas of what to write, I got on Facebook. The senior class has this group on Facebook where we can post our college decisions with pictures of our school and what our major is. I spent a couple of minutes scrolling down the page, looking at all the beautiful campuses and the interesting and diverse plans people have made for themselves, and I knew exactly what I wanted to write about.

“Our fellow students, seniors, classmates and friends are all going in such different directions. We have students going to community colleges, four-year universities, the military, the workforce… We have students staying local, traveling across the state, or the country… We’ll have alumni in San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Arizona, Oklahoma, Canada! Dublin High is producing scientists that will make groundbreaking discoveries in medicine, biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, engineering! It is producing politicians who will represent us and govern us with a fair and just hand. It is producing artists whose writing, music, films, pictures, visual masterpieces and performances will entertain us and change the way we see the world. It is producing athletes who will dazzle us with their spectacular feats of strength, endurance, and skill. Entrepreneurs who will change the way business is run with new innovations and ingenuity, philanthropists who will work to make the lives of the less fortunate a little easier to bear. Teachers who will produce the next generation of all these things. We have students majoring in psych, accounting, culinary arts, economics, journalism, mathematics, and all forms of science! We even have a student majoring in football!

“And then there are a lot of us who don’t really know what we wanna do with our lives. And I look at our parents and I’m not sure you ever really figure it out. But that’s okay, because it’s all about the journey. It’s about trying new things, and exploring, and discovering new things about yourself and the world around you, and never settling for less than you could have. Life is about dynamic and change, and making an impact. This age, and the change that we’re all going through right now is a rite of passage, in which we’re all given a piece of the world to call our own and do with it what we will. Each generation redefines what it means to be a human being. We’re gonna decide how we want to look at the world, and we’re gonna develop opinions, and we’re going to write laws and make changes and try to make the world a place in which we want to live, that suits us and our beliefs. And then we’re gonna get older and our kids are going to take all of the good things we did and ruin them, but that’s okay! Because we said what we needed to say, and we did what we needed to do, and we left a mark. A legacy that will remain on this Earth until long after we’re gone. We all have an individual voice now. And the way we choose to use that voice and what we say will define who we are. But it’s not going to be easy. We all have different voices, and when we’re all using them sometimes it will seem overwhelming. Sometimes it’ll seem as if we’re all shouting for our voice to be heard, and everyone’s trying so hard to shout over each other that all we hear is a jumbled mess of noise. But not today. Today we will experience one of those rare and beautiful moments in which we’re all shouting in unison. Today we will share a voice, as we shout together and we all shout the exact same thing, and what we shout will resonate across the city and the state and the country, and the entire planet will hear us. And what we shout will be, ‘Class of 2013, welcome to the world.’ Thank you.”

One of the inherent joys of supporting this blog is the opportunity to both tell compelling stories and to meet extraordinary people. This again was the case as OneDublin.org attended the 2013 graduation ceremony at Valley High School last Wednesday. On a sunlit and slightly breezy evening, 35 graduates were in attendance to receive their diplomas. The majority of them were Valley High School students and the others were students from Quest Independent Study or Adult Education. As previously stated, Valley High is the continuation high school for the Dublin Unified School District. This school site serves as an excellent alternative to the comprehensive setting at Dublin High. As the learning environment is much more intimate, it also provides opportunities for more one to one learning opportunities and guidance.

We approached Principal Rinda Bartley to gain her insights into this year’s graduating class.

OneDublin.org: As you have been the Principal at Valley High School for a number of years, how would you characterize these seniors?

Rinda Bartley: “The class is playful, kind and very close. We have had a large number of them enrolled with us since their sophomore year and it’s going to be very different not to have them here. There is a lot of talent and skill there that they are still in the midst of discovering. We are thrilled to see them graduate and step up to their next challenges and opportunities – but we will miss them.”

OneDublin.org: We were fortunate to report on Challenge Day earlier this spring. Were there other events that stood out this year at Valley?

Bartley: “We sent students to assist with the Special Olympics events at Dublin High earlier in the year. They really enjoyed lending a hand and talking with the special Olympians as they participated in the events. In the last couple of weeks, the seniors have participated in a morning-long panel by several members of Dublin agencies and city government – which included the City Manager, Police and Fire chiefs, engineers, the Recreation Department and many more. This panel was focused on career opportunities in local government.”

As with any commencement ceremony, there were encouraging words and awards to bestow. DUSD Superintendent Dr. Stephen Hanke took to the podium and offered a very simple message. After briefly sharing his personal journey, he asked the graduates to take away three concepts. One, embrace and express gratitude to anyone that has helped them achieve their goals – be it family, friends, neighbors or a teacher. Two, always possess a “can-do” attitude. Many of these students have overcome a myriad of obstacles and yet they had made it across the finish line. Finally, be prepared to always ask yourself – what’s next? What will be my next goal on the ladder of success? The message was relevant as the awards presented spanned from Journalism to Perseverance and onto Integrity in Action. However, the highest available award is the Dragon Award. According to Principal Bartley, it means that the recipient exemplifies the spirit of the dragon – a benevolent dragon. This person has often shown great growth over his/her time at Valley and has risen to be a leader for the school. They also tend to have a strong moral compass and not only conduct themselves in ethical and caring ways, but will notice when something in the community is amiss and will speak up against injustice or harmful actions or words.

This description leads us to this year’s recipient of the Dragon Award – Ms. Georgia Richey. We sat down with Georgia on the last day of school to discuss the impact of receiving this honor and to reflect upon her last three years at Valley High School. Make no mistake, this has not been an easy road for her and her family. We thank Georgia for her candor and willingness to share her story.

Though she was born in Walnut Creek, Ms. Richey has lived the entirety of her life in Dublin. Until recently, her family has lived on a sprawling property in the northeastern portion of town. It is about the closest to a rural setting in this vicinity – perhaps five miles away from the nearest storefront. She and her two siblings matriculated through the Dublin Unified School system. Georgia promoted up through Dougherty Elementary and then Fallon Middle School. However, upon her arrival at Dublin High, a series of events seemed to derail her. The environment at the comprehensive high school was clearly not a “fit” for her. Her interest in school began to fade and her anxiety about being on campus increased. It ultimately led to her to simply not attending school at all. The family agreed to have her enroll in the California Virtual Academy. It turned out to be less than sufficient and it also lacked the element of inter-personal contact. To compound matters, Georgia was the victim of a completely freak accident at Emerald Glen park. An unsecured tree branch struck her and caused a rotator cuff injury. Additionally, another impact of the incident affected the vision in her right eye. What should not be lost in all of this was the passing of her grandmother – her closest friend and confidante. Her world was closing upon her and staying at home seemed to be the safest option. Fortunately, the story doesn’t end here.

After she rehabilitated from her injuries, she turned to an old friend – one that she had established years ago through her church. Seth Frazier had differing, but related motives for pursuing his diploma at Valley High – and he was thriving. Armed with this reference, Georgia begged her family to allow her to enroll at VHS. While her parents initially resisted, they ultimately relented. This was to be her sophomore year in high school. While she may have been a bit nervous on her first day, all of that apprehension quickly evaporated. For the first time, she felt that people were looking out for her. She quickly gained lunch partners, phone numbers were exchanged and her nervousness turned into excitement.

Ms. Richie began to thrive in this new environment. While it was far from perfect, she began to understand how to navigate her studies and interpersonal relationships. We offered these questions to her.

OneDublin.org: Receipt of the Dragon Award is highest available to a graduating senior. One of the primary tenets is to exemplify leadership. Do you consider yourself a leader?

Georgia Richey: “Well, I’ve always tried my best. When Ms. Sbranti was out on medical leave, it left a void for our leadership class. When the substitute teacher stepped in, I wanted her to feel welcome and to keep all of the students motivated. I understand how it feels to be the new person. So, because I stepped up, I do feel like I was being a role model.”

OneDublin.org: Your journey has been a long one and perhaps not the easiest. What would you like to say to your teachers and your fellow students? And what is your next step?

Richey: “I would just want to thank everyone for all that they have done for me. Valley High is my second home – and it is also my FAMILY. We’ll always stand behind and by each other. My next step? On September 9, I will be enrolling at Carrington College in San Leandro.

OneDublin.org: Looking back at your lowest point, did the diploma mean that much to you?

Richey: “At the time, I thought why did I need a piece of paper with someone else’s signature on it? Where did I belong? What helped to carry me through was a passage from Anne Frank’s: The Diary of a Young Girl.

“How lovely to think that no one need wait a moment, we can start now, start slowly changing the world!”

OneDublin.org would like to thank Georgia Richey for the courage to share her story. There are countless stories at Valley High that mirror this experience. We celebrate the students and staff at VHS for another successful year in guiding these young people across this finish line. So Georgia, the Dragon has mystical and spiritual powers. We ask you now: What’s next?

Fallon Principal Sheryl Sweeney

While the commencement of the 2013/14 academic school year is still eight weeks away, there was activity on the Fallon Middle School campus on a quiet and very hot day. The newest member of the Dublin Unified School District staff was busy unpacking boxes and turning her workspace into an office. Her name is Sheryl Sweeney and she is the new Principal at Fallon. OneDublin.org recently had the opportunity to sit down with Sheri (this is what she prefers to go by) to discuss her background and to gain insight into her approach to leading a middle school. During Superintendent Dr. Hanke’s tenure, a point of emphasis has been for the District to attract the best and brightest employees – be it Certificated/Classified staff or in Leadership. The discussion with Sheri was an eye-opener, both in terms of her experiences and principles.

Even as a young girl growing up in Oklahoma, Ms. Sweeney had a passion for learning – one that might someday translate into a teaching career. She attained a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. While some of her peers pursued larger institutions, she was attracted to the smaller campus size and the opportunity to gain more one-on-one exposure with her professors. Subsequently, she gained admittance to Yale University where she earned her Juris Doctorate at Yale Law School. This was an amazing period of growth for her as she ended up being a Rhodes Scholar finalist. Her love of the law blossomed and it was a period of time where she could explore new ideas, expand her critical thinking skills and to examine social policy concepts.

However, the “candy store” of being in academia needed to make way for a professional path. She practiced corporate law for several years in Houston and also supported a housing development program for the United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast. After marrying her husband, Mark in 1993, they moved to the Bay Area. After earning a teaching credential from Chapman University, she taught for several years in middle schools. Upon starting a family, she took a break and was an active parent, joining PTA’s and School Site Councils.

Five years ago, Sheri returned as a teacher to the classroom. Never quenching her thirst for knowledge, she also managed to complete a Masters in Educational Leadership from Brandman University. For the past three years, Sheri has functioned as an Instructional Program Specialist – essentially a “coach” for classroom teachers at Oak Grove Middle School in Concord. Sheri applied for the Fallon opportunity, interviewed twice and was appointed at the June 25th Board of Trustees meeting.

OneDublin.org: For the last three years, DUSD has embraced the concept of Professional Learning Communities (PLC) in order to advance learning and to create a more collegiate atmosphere. Do you have experience with PLC?

Sheri Sweeney: “As a matter of fact, yes. It was our Principal at Oak Grove that was ahead of the curve on this concept and enacted it before the District did. Oak Grove is a “high needs” school that is populated with a significant percentage of English Language Learners and Socio-Economical Disadvantaged students. Particularly in this information age, it is not reasonable to think that teachers know how to do everything. So much value is found in the assessment of data. Teachers actually have a collective responsibility to all students. The way to achieve this is to work together – to share strategies with each other. Together, we are stronger.”

OneDublin.org: The Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) was formalized into law this week by Governor Brown. Though some of its initial language was watered down, the early analysis is that DUSD would be one of the “losers” in the program based upon fewer English Language Learners in our District, thus lower funding. What are your thoughts?

Sweeney: “I am optimistic that it will work out for Dublin. What I’ve learned is that it is not always about the level of funding, but how resources are actually allocated. I’m confident that our board will utilize a clear focus in managing the funds that we receive. While the funding levels are not the same as 2008, they will be higher than they have been in recent years.”

OneDublin.org: While there has been a great history of family/parental support in Dublin, some of our school sites have experienced a drop off in volunteer activity. Some of this could be attributed to the economy as some spouses return to the workforce. What is your take on this development?

Sweeney: “As an avid parent volunteer, I recognize that it is more critical than ever to support our respective schools through volunteering. As a former School Site Council leader, there is great value in becoming active in the academic discussion and to understand your school’s goals. Beyond that, I know that parents know and understand their children the best. Why not enhance their experience during these years?”

OneDublin.org: How do you plan to put your imprint on Fallon MS and for the students that you will serve?

Sweeney: “I’m pleased to be here and I’m ready to make a positive difference. My teaching career has been largely devoted to 6th -8th graders. While I can understand the importance of shepherding our young ones through elementary school and the vitality of focusing in on graduation requirements and beyond in high school, middle school is sometimes overlooked or thought upon as an “after thought.” I would beg to differ. Physiologically, these students are changing. At the same time, they need to reinforce the disciplines that will help them to succeed at the next level.”

OneDublin.org would like to congratulate Sheri Sweeney on her new position. As she has demonstrated with her devotion to life-long learning, the students and families at Fallon Middle School have landed an impressive role model for what success looks like in the 21st century.

Sheri and her husband, Mark, reside in Moraga. Their children, Sarah and Eric will be 11th and 9th graders, respectively, at Campolindo High School in the fall.