This very talented Senior Softball team from Antioch is undefeated at this point and has earned a spot in the Western Regionals tournament in Missoula, Montana. The tournament runs from July 21st – July 26th but they need your support to get them there.  These 13 girls and three coaches must be there by July 21st. All funds raised will go towards travel, food and lodging for the team.

This team is made up of girls who have played together for years through little league either on the same team or against each other. They have grown not only as team mates but as a family. This tournament means a great deal to each and every one of them as well as to our league as a whole.

This is only the second team to go this far in the last 40 years of softball. Please help support our girls and coaches by clicking here: www.gofundme.com/2ehwdgec. Any and all donations would be greatly appreciated. Thank You! Go Antioch!

By Luke Johnson

Antioch High School’s football team has become a national recruiting hotspot during this offseason as seven returning players have received college offers.

Senior running back Najee Harris has garnered the most attention as the world’s number one recruit according to Rivals and Scout.com. At 6-foot-2, and a lean 228 pounds, he has astonished scouts with his explosive athleticism. Last season, he set numerous school records including rushing for 2,744 yards and scoring 39 touchdowns. The five-star recruit has earned 32 scholarship offers from the top collegiate program, but has been verbally committed to the University of Alabama since April 2015.

The rest of roster with offers goes as followed: seniors cornerback Isaiah Dunn (5), cornerback/wide receiver Antoine Tanner (1), safey/wide receiver Issac Freytes (1), juniors linebacker/running back Omari Harris (4), tight end Iuni Mauga (1) and sophomore wide receiver Gaudie Campbell (2).

“I was relieved that my hard work is starting to pay off. My mom isn’t wasting her money for nothin’,” Tanner said about being offered by Kentucky Christian University.

Assistant head coach Brett Dudley said his relationship with college recruiters has changed drastically in the past two years. At one point, he could not get a college representative to click on a link in an email even if he paid them, but during May, he had 10 to 20 college coaches visiting him on campus each week. Earlier this year, the likes of Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly and Alabama’s Lane Kiffin stepped onto AHS grounds.

Dudley added that the best part about this quantitative amount of exposure is that all levels of college football are giving Antioch their attention. Not everyone on the team is like Najee Harris and built to play in the SEC, but this gives other players the opportunity to play at lower-level colleges and receive a free education.

Several of these offers are coming from the state of Utah with four produced by Brigham Young University (N. Harris, Dunn, Freytes and Campbell) and three by the University of Utah (Harris, Harris and Dunn). Three offers have came from Eastern Washington University (O. Harris, Mauga and Campbell) while two have came from the local, prestigious school of Cal-Berkeley (Harris and Harris).

Campbell and Mauga’s offers come under rare circumstances as they have yet to play at the varsity level. Dudley said recruiters are attracted to their potential, and “what they can become.” Both are 15 years old. Campbell is 6-foot-2 with a high vertical and a father whom is 6-foot-6, while Mauga is already 6-foot-2 and 222 pounds.

Players and coaches alike feel that these accolades have boosted the team’s confidence, but it has also put a target on their backs for opponents.

By Luke Johnson

Nearly 300 graduates assembled in Eells Stadium for Antioch High School’s Class of 2016 Commencement Ceremony, Friday night, June 3rdd. This marked the first graduating classes for three academies: Media Technology, Environmental Studies, and Leadership and Public Services.

It was also the Engineering Academy’s third graduating class. With all these separate academies, Principal Louie Rocha likes to describe it as “four schools within one large high school.”

The campus has gone through several changes over the past two years with a new football field, administrative building, library and modernized classrooms. Still to come on the construction timeline is a new cafeteria, aquatic center and media center.

In her speech, Associated Student Body President Julia Odom emphasized that this moment was bitter-sweet, because although she was receiving a diploma, it signified that there will be some activities she will never get to do again, such as getting ready for prom and attending sports games.

“I’ll probably miss being a student athlete most, because that’s like a real big part of who I am, and it’s helped build my character throughout the years,” Odom said after the ceremony.

AHS’s athletic department reached milestones that had not been seen in decades. Its football team went undefeated in the regular season for the first time since 1977, and its boys’ volleyball team won a league championship for the first time since 1996. Rocha said the school’s athletic and academic success this year was like combining the old Antioch High School with the new one.

By Luke Johnson

The largest high school in the Antioch Unified School District, Deer Valley High School, held its annual Commencement Ceremony for the Class of 2016, honoring approximately 600 graduates in its newly resurfaced football stadium, Thursday evening, June 2nd. These diploma recipients have left a lasting impression according to Vice Principal Blair Wilkins.

“The Class of 2016, as a whole, are some of the most selfless students I have worked with in my 10 years in the AUSD,” Wilkins said. “In conversations I have had with students, they spoke about the legacy they wanted to leave so that the students behind them inherited a better school.”

Students and faculty alike feel that Deer Valley High School receives unfair and out of perspective negative criticism from the public on a regular basis. But this year, students decided to stand up for themselves and conducted a positive protest in October. They stood in front of the campus, waving signs that read, “Stop the Hate,” and “This is the real Deer Valley,” among several other messages.

Student speaker and Senior Class President Emma Hamilton said what she will remember most about her high school experience is the diversity to come out of Deer Valley.

“We have a huge variety of personalities,” Hamilton said. “We have people who achieve well in school, people who want to pursue a rap career and all of the above. It’s just amazing.”

Senior Class President’s singing inspires students, faculty, staff and Principal to join in dancing

By Frances Spijker

Students at Dozier-Libbey Medical High School displayed their knowledge and talents during an evening that included a science fair, as well as art and talent shows, in the school’s multipurpose room on Friday, May 6. A variety of students participated with the Garden Club serving a pizza dinner.

Following are the winners of the Science Fair.

9th/10th Grade:

1st place:  Chinyere Umozurike   $100 prize

2nd place:  Stephanie Spijker  $75 prize

3rd place:  Jordin Lara  $50 prize

11th/12th Grade:

1st place:  Andie Lindeman  $100 prize

2nd place:  (group project)  Matthew Beland, Sierra Abel, Mina Hernandez  split the $75 prize.

3rd place:  Lucas Stuart-Chilcote $50 prize.

Honorable mentions for great projects:  Madison Miller, Sarah Bohannon, both freshmen. Were given Starbucks gift cards

I have requested from the science teachers that they offer some type of extra credit to their students for their extra effort and helping us to promote this new annual event that I hope to grow bigger and better each  year.  I hope to work with the administration next year as PTSA Pres. to set up the fair earlier so that the students have time to participate in the larger fairs available in the district/region.  Thanks to Callida Martinez, one of our science teachers, for her help in organizing this event.

The awesome participants in the art show by the DLMHS Art Club, included Matthew Beland, Chinyere Umozurike, Cheyanne Jellich, Madison Miller, Ismal Obad and Graciela Ornelas.

Club Sponsor:  Gretchen Kohl (she did an awesome job organizing the amazing artwork.)

Talent Show performers:

The Hula Club

Freshman Nicole Cadigan sang Love Story by Taylor Swift

Sophomore Xavia Tanner sang NO by Meghan Trainor

Sophomore Merry D Wilson played Hey Jude on the saxophone and the audience sang along with “nah, nah, nah, nananana, nananana, hey Jude.”

Senior Class President and President of the Garden Club, Lucas Stuart-Chilcote sang the 1972 song Dancing in the Moonlight with Senior Andreas Soto, as his back up dancer.

Chilcote’s performance inspired other students and staff, and even Principal Scott Bergerhouse to join in and dance to the music.

We would like to give a special Thank You to our prestigious Science Fair judges:  DLMHS science teacher, Callida Martinez;  AUSD Board President Diane Gibson-Gray, Trustees Walter Ruehlig and Fernando Navarro,  and Interim Superintendent Stephanie Anello.  Thanks also to School Board Trustee Debra Vinson for representing the board and attending our event.

Our upcoming year will be filled with many new and exciting events at Dozier-Libbey to stimulate the young minds of the future.

Spijker helped organize the science fair. She is the Executive Vice President of the Dozier-Libbey PTSA.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

 

 

Website: YASSEMBLE.CO

Register: YASSEMBLE.eventbright.com

Everything from how to find a job or preparing for college to how to make a film to dating relationships will be offered to the youth who attend the 16^th Annual Youth Conference & Empowerment Summit. Formerly known as the Youth Summit, this year’s countywide gathering of young people from 6^th grade through high school, will discover that have a plethora of new offerings for their workshops, an integral part of the summit, which will be held at Pittsburg High School on May 21, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The first 250 youth who walk through the door will get a free summer bus pass. A tasty lunch  will also be offered. The entire day is free. Plus a musical concert has been added to cap the daylong event.

“We are changing the flavor of the summit this year,” says Contra Costa County Supervisor Federal Glover, who sponsors the conference. “We are updating some of the workshops and offering new ones to make them more relevant to today’s youth. There’s a stronger emphasis on the STEM fields and how the new technology affects our everyday lives.”

The charismatic Shaun Derrick will be returning for the third year to emcee the proceedings and to guide the youth through the day’s activities.

“He connects with young people through straight talk and music,” says Glover.

The youth summit will start the day with a team of Deer Valley High School graduates who will give the keynote presentation.

Lenard The KYD Jackson, who graduated Deer Valley High School two years ago, is being joined by Team KYD, which includes fellow DVHS alumni Lawrence Eyo White, Jr., Cherokee White and Ledell Jones. Performing at the annual youth conference is a way of giving back to their community. The interactive presentation called Talkback will consist of comedy skits, standup comedy and a personal testimony from KYD members and a Q&A with the students.

Since he left Antioch, KYD has worked in film, stage and in comedy clubs. As an actor and a musician, he has worked with Kevin Hart, Paul Mooney, Dick Gregory, Sinbad, Charlie Murphy and Condoleeza Rice.

Eyo White and Ledell Jones are still students at LMC and Cherokee White is a student at San Francisco State University.

Following the conference, students who stay for the entire conference will be treated to a free, live concert featuring up and coming artist Samaria, a 19­‐year-old singer from Oakland who is on the verge of breaking out. Her music has a 1990’s R&B vibe to it but her sound is so distinct that it extends beyond just R&B or soul. Her sound cannot be placed into a box. Samaria said her musical style is heavily influenced by her heritage ­‐ Jamaican and Puerto Rican.

One of the more intriguing workshops will talk about the results of a research project by Rising Youth for Social Equity, based in Richmond. It will explore the coping strategies for stress caused by living in an environment where friends and family are shot and killed is an everyday experience of growing up. The young people growing in such a stressful environment are showing signs of PTSD, a malady usually associated with veterans of warfare.

Here’s a sampling of the other 40 workshops being offered:

•Dance movement

•Developing trust

•Navigating the media maze

•Healthy relationships

•Empowering youth to change communities

•Find your voice, find your ‘hustle’

•Building a rocket

•How to cope with violence

•Access to new technologies

•How to build a robot

•The alcohol industry’s marketing towards youth

•Trademarks of an effective leader

With Team KYD, Samaria and M.C. Shaun Derrick, almost 40 workshops, resource tables, fun activities and a free lunch Y.ASSEMBLE will be a full day for young people. Doors will open at 8 a.m. For the day’s schedule and a list of the workshops, go to YASSEMBLE.CO or YASSEMBLE.eventbrite.com. The free concert starts about 4:15 p.m. and is open only to YASSEMBLE participants.

“I hope the event opens the eyes of the young people,” said Glover. “Through the inspirational speakers, resources and opportunities that we’re offering and the impact of the day will help them make some critical choices in their lives. That’s what it’s all about.”

Y.ASSEMBLE Youth Conference & Empowerment Summit

Saturday, May 21, 2016

9 a.m. ­‐ 4 p.m.

Pittsburg High School

1750 Harbor Street, Pittsburg

Host Irvington High from Fremont in NCS playoff game, tonight

By Luke Johnson

For the first time in two decades, Antioch High School’s boys’ volleyball team brought home the Bay Valley Athletic League Championship after finishing undefeated (10-0) in inter-league competition, on top of a 25-6 overall record.

The Panthers’ crosstown rival Deer Valley dominated the BVAL the past decade by going unbeaten in league play the previous nine seasons without losing a single set the latter five seasons. But the departure of legendary coach Lou Panzella, who won three consecutive North Coast Section Titles, along with graduating multiple key players among that dynasty, caused contention for the BVAL crown to become wide open.

“I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t [think this was possible],” senior outside hitter Josh Johns said, who led the NCS in attack kills with five per set, more than double the amount of anyone in the BVAL. “I thought Deer Valley was going to win it all four years that I was in high school.”

Coach David Diskell was a junior in 1996, when Antioch last won BVAL, but said he did not play on the team due to an injury. Ironically, the coach of the Panthers back then was Panzella; the year before he transferred to the newly established high school on the other side of the city.

“Anytime you’re in the same category as a Lou Panzella-type coach, who in my eye is a legend, is an honor,” Diskell said. “To even be thought of as a such a great coach to bring a championship back to Antioch as he did is a huge compliment, and I never thought I’d be in the position to be talking about Lou Panzella and myself.”

Along with Johns, a pair of other fellow seniors propelled the team to prosperity. 6-foot-8 middle hitter Jake Perky led the BVAL in blocks with 67, and was third in attack kills with 203. Setter Jordan LaBier was also a leader in NCS with 8.5 assists per set.

Antioch High School was in a dry spell the past four school years (2011-15), and did not win one league championship. But the Panthers rallied for two this year in boys’ volleyball and football.

Antioch 16-year-old Rebecca Boyer has been missing from home since March 29th. According to her parents, she may be with her boyfriend who is over age 18. She has experienced two head traumas in the past three years, from a pool diving accident and an amusement park ride, which also caused a heart murmur.

If you know who and her whereabouts, please contact Antioch Police at (925) 779-6900 or her parents Johnny & Bonnie, who are offering a cash reward for information that leads to her safe return, at (415) 990-7319.

Her parents say “We love her and just want her to come home. Whatever she’s going through we can work it out.”

Please see and download the flyer, here: Rebecca Boyer