The Black Diamond Middle School band and orchestra.

By John Crowder

On Saturday, March 21, three ensembles of students from Black Diamond Middle School (BDMS) performed at the 2014-2015 California Music Educators Association (CMEA) Bay Section Solo/Ensemble Music Festival at San Jose State University, achieving two excellent and one superior rating.

Then, on Friday, March 27, at the CMEA Large Ensemble Festival held at Deer Valley High School (DVHS), both the Advanced Orchestra and the Festival Band received awards. Superior is the highest rating possible, and Excellent the second-highest.

Excellent ratings were earned by the String Trio of Jeremiah Franco, Joseph Griego and Sophia Thoman and the Woodwind group of Tiffany Danh, Brianna Keleti, Tia Zaiser, and Julian Uy. The superior rating was earned by the Percussion Duo of Abraham Moina and Patrick Queiroz.

A composite Superior Rating in performance and an excellent rating in sight-reading was achieved by the Advanced Orchestra. The Festival Band topped the rankings, and earned the coveted Unanimous Superior rating in performance, and another Superior in sight-reading.

The talented students making up the music groups will be performing in concert at the BDMS Open House, 6:00 p.m., on Thursday, May 7, then again on Tuesday, May 12, at the BDMS Spring Concert.

Phyllis James, principal at BDMS, credited the hard work of music teacher Damian Ting for much of the success of the music program.

“His caring and concern for our students is only surpassed by his love of music,” she said.

Hundreds of Belshaw Elementary School students will sit down to a surprise on Thursday, April 23, 2015: a meal made from foods grown in California and prepared freshly just for them. And, if organizers of California Thursdays are successful, this will become a regular part of menus for Antioch Unified School District students as well as students across the state.

The program is predicated on the simple logic that California children will benefit from more fresh California-grown food. Forty-two school districts, large, small, urban, suburban and rural, that collectively serve over 250 million school meals a year, are participating in today’s statewide rollout. Schools in the Antioch district, alone serve almost 2,500,000 meals annually.

But implementation of California Thursdays is far from simple. The district’s nutrition service director, Stephanie Siemering, has worked countless hours alongside her counterparts statewide to reform an entrenched, centralized food system that ships produce around the nation, sometimes moving California produce out of state before returning it, highly processed, to the district. Added to that are the challenges of creating recipes that kids enjoy and that meet federal standards, finding local farmers who can supply local schools, training staff to cook and serve fresh meals, and encouraging students to try them.

The Antioch district has collaborated with other districts in Contra Costa County to plan for the event. The school districts in Contra Costa have planned their menus together and have taken the unique step of purchasing food together from local farmers. This collaboration has meant that the districts combined were able to order over 3,000 pounds of local produce to serve to their students.

Why bother? The district knows that buying, preparing and serving local California food is a triple win.

“Whenever we serve fresh, locally grown food to children with these recipes, they devour it,” says Zenobia Barlow, Executive Director of the Center for Ecoliteracy. “That alone is a victory. Properly nourished children are healthier and ready to learn. California Thursdays also benefits local economies and the environment.”

So, on Thursday, students at Belshaw Elementary School will enjoy menus featuring healthy, student-tested recipes cooked from scratch with local ingredients. Options range from farm fresh sub sandwiches to chicken and asparagus rice bowls, to a full salad bar that includes California grown produce. Students will also have an opportunity to taste test a future California Thursday recipe, Summer Chicken Stew.

California Thursdays was originally developed and successfully piloted with Oakland Unified School District a year ago and rolled out to an additional 14 school districts this past October. The program includes scaled recipes, staff training, and procurement guidelines to assist schools in their transition to a healthier, more sustainable meal program, as well as a website with resources for teachers and parents at www.californiathursdays.org.

Nourished Students Are Better Learners

Less than one in ten children consumes enough fruits and vegetables a day, yet studies show that kids are more likely to eat school meals if the food is fresh and attractive. This provides an ideal opportunity for the district’s food service staff to have a major impact on the community and students’ lives.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, better nutrition improves academic grades and standardized test scores, reduces absenteeism and strengthens memory. 57 percent of Contra Costa County children live in food insecure households, and another 33 percent are overweight or obese. Since many kids consume over half their day’s calories at school, it is important that the district ensures that the meals it serves are healthy and balanced.

Nutritious school meals also make perfect financial sense. Healthy kids put less strain on school districts’ health, counseling and special education services, while lowering absentee rates and improving school finances. School districts are funded based on how many kids show up to class, so it’s worth investing in quality meals that children are more likely to eat.

In addition, California Thursdays will take taxpayer funds that might otherwise go out of state and redirect them back into the local economy. Economists say that every $1.00 spent on local food fosters $2.56 in local economic activity. Every job created in the production of local food also leads to an addition of more than two new jobs within the community.

“California Thursdays is a great first step in celebrating all that California agriculture has to offer,” says California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross. “It brings awareness to the fresh, wholesome and seasonally appropriate bounty of our great state. If we feed our children good, healthy food, if we connect them back to the place and the people and the practices that it came from, I think we’re going to have great decision makers in our future.”

The Center for Ecoliteracy and its partners are planning to expand today’s California Thursday to a weekly program and invite more school districts to participate. Antioch Unified School District will start monthly and expand weekly district-wide during the 2015-2016 school year.

For more information about the California Thursdays program, visit www.californiathursdays.org.

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By John Crowder

Antioch residents shared their concerns about a lease between the Antioch Unified School District (AUSD) and Kids’ Club Preschool at the Wednesday, April 15, 2015, regular meeting of the Antioch School Board.

Ariana Sanchez was the first member of the public to address the board about Kids’ Club. In a moving statement, she credited the preschool with allowing her the opportunity to graduate from high school, since she was able to have her daughter in the program. “Kids’ Club holds a very special place for me,” she said. “Thanks to them, I am where I am today, and my daughter is, too.”

Other Antioch residents also came forward to speak about the preschool, with one parent presenting a stack of, “over 700 letters” in support of Kids’ Club. Calling the program, “one of the most successful preschools,” he asked the board, “Please, renew Kids’ Club’s lease.”

Mark Mokski, Executive Director of Kids’ Club Preschool, and the last member of the public to speak on the matter, first told the board about Kids’ Club being founded by an AUSD administrator and board members. He then stated he was not asking for a renewal of the lease, but help in raising “$100,000 to $200,000” to renovate one of a number of buildings he said he had, with the assistance of a real estate broker, which Mokski claims able to house the program, going forward.

The fate of the preschool has been the subject of some debate recently, both at public meetings, in a letter to the editor, and in an AUSD statement posted on their website. Kids’ Club is currently located at the former Bidwell Elementary School site, 800 Gary Avenue in Antioch.

In a letter written by Mokski and Sara Octaviano, Chairperson, Parent Advisory Committee for Kids’ Club Preschool, and posted on another news website on March 31, 2015, several statements are made which appear to make AUSD staff seem capricious and unconcerned about the preschool.

In the first paragraph, they state, “Kids’ Club Preschool…will be closing permanently in June 2015.” In the second paragraph they state, “The closure is due to the loss of the lease with Antioch Unified School District.” Later, they state, “AUSD is currently unwilling to renegotiate or continue with the lease.” Then, the letter states, “Why does a district with reduced enrollment need the space occupied by the preschool?” and “AUSD administration has not negotiated on the current space, nor have they presented viable options for alternative locations on district property.”

AUSD has a response posted on their website. The response states that, Kids’ Club, “has no relationship with the District other than leasing facilities from the District,” and “Kids’ Club is not a School District program and is not associated with the District.” It goes on to explain that, “As a result of the District’s growing need for special education, the District found it necessary to expand its current special education programs at Bidwell.” The statement then says that District personnel informed Kids’ Club that it did not intend to renew the lease in May, 2014, that they have attempted to assist Kids’ Club to identify alternative space, and that, although, “the District’s primary obligation is to provide an education to its students and plans to do so by utilizing the Bidwell property,” it has, and “is prepared to continue to assist Kids’ Club to find alternate space.”

Through a public records request, Antioch Herald staff obtained a copy of the lease agreement between AUSD and Kids’ Club, and a letter acknowledging the Bidwell facility would no longer be available for Kids’ Club at the end of this school year.

The Lease Agreement, dated August 1, 2012, allows Kids’ Club the use of the Bidwell facility for two years, the original lease expiring on July 31, 2014, but with a one-year option to renew. Further in the agreement, it states, “AUSD may terminate this Lease upon sixty (60) days’ written notice in the event that AUSD determines…the Premises are needed by AUSD for carrying out its primary mission of educating school children.”

The accompanying letter, sent from Kids’ Club to AUSD, signed by Mokski and dated May 22, 2014, states in part, “Kids’ Club Preschool acknowledges, based upon a verbal conversation on May 20, 2014 that the leased space will no longer be available after next year.”

The next Antioch School Board meeting will be held on May 13, 2015. Meetings are held at the AUSD School Services Building, located at 510 G Street, and begin at 7:00 p.m.

Katia Williams

By John Crowder

Katia Williams, a 17-year-old senior at Deer Valley High School, who is an Advanced Placement (AP) scholar and ranks in the top 1% of her class, was recently named as a recipient of a National Achievement Scholarship.

The National Achievement Scholarship Program, part of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, was established as an academic competition in 1964. It provides recognition for outstanding Black American high school students. Students qualify for the program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). More than 160,000 competed for the award last year, and Katia was one of only 700 students across the nation to receive one of the $2500 scholarships awarded.

The prestigious award is only one of several that Katia has garnered for her academic endeavors as far back as her fourth grade year, when she won the school spelling bee at Jack London Elementary School and went on to reach the semifinals in the Contra Costa County Spelling Bee.

Since then, her awards have extended beyond academics. Through the years she has received numerous awards at the Contra Costa County Fair for her creative writing. Katia also sings with the Deer Valley High Show Choir and dances with the high school’s Dance Crew.

More recently, Katia and her science partner, who are both taking AP Calculus AB and AP Physics this year, placed third in the Contra Costa County Science and Engineering Fair, for their project, “Simple Calculus: The Transformation of an Oxymoron into a Reality.” The project, entered in the Math and Computer Science Category, was selected to advance to the California State Science Fair. Established in 1952, the fair will be hosted this year at the California Science Center in Los Angeles on May 18 and 19. Katia will be one of over 1,000 students competing for over $50,000 in prize money at the event.

Katia does not spend all her time on academic pursuits and art competitions, however. Last August, she traveled to Honduras on a mission trip and helped build seven homes, distributed food to the poor, and assisted in a medical clinic. She is also a camp counselor for underprivileged children and children from foster care. This last Easter, she could be found at Shepherd’s Gate, a shelter for battered women and children, serving a traditional Easter meal.

Katia has applied to, and been accepted at, all four of the University of California schools to which she sent an application; no surprise given her list of accomplishments and her 2060 SAT score (which places her in approximately the 97^th percentile of all students taking the test). Her plan is to attend either UC Berkeley of UCLA in the fall, and to major in Statistics. She would like to pursue a career in Data Science.

While she may not have settled on a choice of school, one thing is certain: Katia will continue to achieve success wherever she goes, and DVHS can take pride in this soon-to-be alumna.

Eddy Crowder outside of the County Spelling Bee.

By John Crowder

Students representing 120 schools from throughout Contra Costa County came together to compete at the 39th Annual Contra Costa County Spelling Bee sponsored by the Contra Costa Times, on Saturday, March 21, 2015. Antioch was well-represented at the event, as students from elementary and middle schools in the city, both public and private, vied for the top prize, an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee to be held in late May.

Two of the young spellers attending Antioch schools, Eddy Crowder (this writer’s son) and Cassidy Derita, made it to the second round in the written competition. Although both were ultimately thwarted from reaching their goal of advancing to the national level, each expressed their excitement and desire to continue competing in the future.

Eddy, an 11-year-old 6th grader who attends Paideia Academy, comes from a family of spelling bee participants. One of his uncles was a second-place finisher in a state spelling bee, and other uncles and aunts had also reached the state level. This was the second year that Eddy had competed at the county level, and he placed 36th in the contest, going out on the word, facetious.

Asked about his experience, Eddy said, “It was scary and exciting. I like spelling, because I like learning the new words.”

Eddy, whose hobbies include reading, Pokemon, and building with LEGO blocks, plans to continue studying and compete again next year. After college, he hopes to become a video game designer or a teacher (following in the footsteps of his mother and father).

Cassidy Derita, a 5^th grader from Marsh elementary, and daughter of Krishanna and Kurt Derita, also has spellers in the family.

Cassidy Derita at the County Spelling Bee.

“My older brother was in the spelling bee when he was my age,” she said. “My family gave me the confidence.” They inspired her to take up the spelling challenge.

Cassidy ultimately finished 55th in the bee, a strong showing in her first attempt at the county level. She went out on the word, rhinoceros.

When asked about her experience, Cassidy described it as, “challenging.”

“I studied with my parents and grandparents every night!” she said.

Like Eddy, Cassidy is planning to study and participate again, next year. Cassidy’s hobbies include reading, playing games, and bowling. Her near-term goal is to make it to the National Spelling Bee, and, after college, she hopes to be a veterinarian.

Given the strong work ethic these two, and many others in our local community display, Antioch will surely be represented with distinction at the County Bee next year, and in years to come.

Jacob Yano and Scott Lombardi show their third place certificates in front of their entry. Photo courtesy of Mrs. Lombardi

By John Crowder

Students from Antioch’s Holy Rosary School were among the approximately 300 who participated in the Contra Costa County Science and Engineering Fair, on Saturday, March 28, 2015 at Los Medanos College. Two of Holy Rosary’s students, Scott Lombardi and Jacob Yano, came away with a third place award for their project, entitled, “H2O: If Only It Were That Simple.” Their project was one of 262 entered in the competition from students throughout the county, and was entered in the junior division in the Environmental Category.

The fair, in its eleventh year, is an Intel-affiliated contest, meaning winners advance to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. The prestigious Intel competition, the largest pre-college scientific research event in the world, brings together more than 1,500 students from about 70 countries and territories to compete for college scholarships, including one for $75,000.

The county fair was established when businesses in Contra Costa County joined together with K-12 educators in 2005. This year 130 judges, each reviewing multiple projects, worked all day and into the evening the Friday before the awards ceremony in order to complete the difficult task of selecting the winners from among the many outstanding projects entered into the local competition.

For their project, Jacob and Scott tested four different water samples: softened water, raw water, Delta water, and reverse osmosis water, for chemicals known as Trihalomethanes (THMs).

“My partner and I chose this project because we wanted to find out what was in our drinking water and see how safe it really is,” Scott said. “THMs are known carcinogens that appear in water both naturally and through treatment.”

Jacob added, “We learned that THMs evaporate before they get into the Delta, and that reverse osmosis takes out all THMs. Softened water will increase the count of THMs.”

Both young scientists expressed their appreciation for their parents, who helped with their presentation. They were also particularly appreciative of Jim Yano, Jacob’s father, who works at Agilent Technologies, and was able to provide them with access to the instruments needed in order to undertake the project.

Both Jacob and Scott are completing their 8^th grade year and planning to attend De La Salle High School in the fall. Each of them expressed a desire to continue entering science fair competitions while in high school.

Jacob and Scott had only good things to say about their experience with the science fair.

“We have learned a lot and feel that this experience will help us with future science fair projects in high school,” said Scott.

Jacob concurred with his lab partner.

“I thought being in the science fair was really fun,” he said. “I enjoy walking around and looking at all the other projects and learning about what they have discovered. I also like talking to the judges.”

The county’s science and engineering fair is a program of the Contra Costa Economic Partnership (CCEP), a nonprofit economic development organization of business, government, and education leaders dedicated to retaining and creating quality jobs in the East Bay. The science fair is open to junior high and senior high school students in Contra Costa County.

Many volunteers from the county come together each year, filling roles that range from judges to support staff, in order to ensure a successful program for the students who participate, and there are many roles that interested community members can fill. For more information about CCEP’s STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] Workforce Initiative, contact April Treece, ccep@cococo.org.

By Shirley Kalinowski

REadingADvantage, Inc.(READ), hosted a lovely Grandma’s Tea on March 21, 2015 in the community building at Buchanan Park in Pittsburg. We want to publicly thank the generous sponsors who were instrumental in contributing to this event: Assemblymember Jim Frazier, Dow CAP, CostCo, and Stewart Memorial CME Church. Our Grandma’s Tea was attended by over 50 local grandmothers and was centered around a workshop put on by READ entitled (Grand) “Parent Power! Learn the ABCs of Early Literacy.”

Over warm tea, cookies, candies, and pizza, our grandmothers learned about the many benefits of reading daily with their grandchildren. On the surface our workshop message to our grandmothers was simple: read to your grandchild every day for 20 minutes and we’ll give you several free books for your daily reading. Beneath our message lay a multitude of benefits that daily reading can bring to a grandchild, including vocabulary development, reading comprehension, language development, grandparent-child bonding, early identification of potential health issues, grandparent-child conversational techniques, and, even, help with a grandparent’s own difficulty in reading. We also suggested easy ways grandmothers could use books as a relationship-building tool even when not physically present in her grandchild’s life. We provided our Grandma’s Tea message in both English and Spanish.

At the conclusion of our Grandma’s Tea, Karen Tedford, Senior Staff Assistant to Assemblymember Jim Frazier, presented California Legislature Assembly Certificates of Recognition to Delbra Gibbs, Deborah Polk, and Lorraine Manly, our Grandma’s Tea Planning Committee

“For your outstanding service and unwavering dedication to provide children of Contra Costa County with books that educate and entertain. On behalf of the 11th Assembly District of California, I commend and thank you for your inspired work and dedication to the joy of reading and lifelong learning,” the certificates read.

Incorporated in 2014, REadingADvantage, Inc. is a relatively new nonprofit in Contra Costa County. Over the last 18 months we have given our workshop to over 800 parents and have given out over 7,000 free children’s books and dictionaries.

For more information visit www.reading-advantage.org.

Kalinowski is President of the Brentwood-based ReadingADvantage, Inc.