Students ages 11-17 selected from over 300 applicants 

Finalist pitch event February 6th at Lafayette library will determine $1,000 winner

MORAGA, CALIFORNIA –Ten students in Contra Costa County have been selected as finalists for the first Contra Costa Shark Tank Youth Competition (www.contracostasharktank.org). 

The competition, open to all Contra Costa County students in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade, is a fun way to promote youth entrepreneurship. When young people succeed as entrepreneurs, they improve their own lives while also contributing to the economic development of their local communities. 

Antioch 7th-grader Lydia Stewart is one of the finalists and owns Lydia’s Soap. According to her business website, Lydia’s “soaps are good for sensitive skin and fun for bath time. Try my rub a dub soap for kids who love to play hard. Each hand wash gets you closer to a fun toy inside.”

“My parents bought me a soap making kit and I loved making soaps,” she shared. “My mom decided it would be a great way to learn economics. I have fun making great soaps and I get to share them with all my friends. I learn how to keep a budget and run a business, but most of all I get to spend time with my mom. Mom is my manager, teacher and employee. We make a great team.”

High school junior Maya Hammerman, the competition founder and one of the judges said, “The best way to learn about entrepreneurship is by starting a business. My journey as an entrepreneur started in elementary school. I created the competition to inspire kids in Contra Costa County to start or grow any type of business from traditional ones such as lemonade stands, to innovative new products or services that they create.” 

The ten finalists listed below were selected by members of the Campolindo High School Entrepreneurship Club from over 300 applicants.  

1. SportzCity, Hunter Smith (5th Grade, Burton Valley Elementary, Lafayette)
2. Experimental Kids, Archit Kundu (5th Grade, Bella Vista Elementary, San Ramon)
3. Lydia’s Soap, Lydia Stewart (7th Grade, Homeschool, Antioch)
4. Loonies, Valerie Castellanos, Angie Alvarenga, Giovanny Perez (7th, Summit Tamalpais, Richmond)
5. Tied Up in a Bow, Himna Imam & Mahum Malik (9th Grade, Venture & Dougherty Valley, San Ramon)
6. ElderSafe, Ronen Jain (10th Grade, Monte Vista High, Danville)
7. MiracleAlgae, Nicolas Angel-Ordonez & Shashank Koundinya (11th Grade, San Ramon Valley, Danville) 
8. Synchroma Studio, Hector Espinoza (12th Grade, Freedom High, Oakley)
9. ScrubWoofer™, Beatrice Roberge (12th Grade, Campolindo High, Moraga)
10. Workout Wizard, Fatimah Hussain (12th Grade, Dougherty Valley High, San Ramon)

Winners will receive $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $250 for third place. Sponsors for the competition include Chevron, Visa, PG&E, Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, and Campolindo Parents Club. Winners will be chosen by a panel of five judges at the Finalist Pitch Event at the Lafayette library on Tuesday February 6, 2024 at 7pm. For ticket information visit www.contracostasharktank.org

Contact Information: 

Contra Costa Shark Tank Youth Competition

Maya Hammerman, Founder 

Email: contracostasharktank@gmail.com

Celebrating Antioch’s Citizens, Businesses, Non-Profit and Youth of the Year; deadline Feb. 9

By Antioch Chamber of Commerce

At 6 pm on Friday March 22, 2024, the Antioch Chamber of Commerce will host our annual awards Gala. The Chamber is pleased to open nominations for 2023 in the following categories:

-Youth of the Year

– Non-profit of the Year

– Citizen of the Year – Most Impact

– Citizen of the Year – Lifetime Achievement

– Small Business of the Year

– Large Business of the Year

Nomination forms must be completed and received by the Antioch Chamber of Commerce no later than 5p on Friday, February 9, 2023.

Please return forms to the Antioch Chamber of Commerce office at

640 W 2nd Street, Antioch or

mail to: P.O. Box 1711, Antioch, CA 94509

or by email to frontdeskadmin@antiochchamber.com.

For additional information please call 925.757.1800

Click Here to Download the forms

Or

DOWNLOAD THE NOMINATION FORMS BELOW:

Download Large Business of the Year Nomination Form

Download Small Business of the Year Nomination Form

Download Citizen of the Year Nomination Form – Most Impact

Download Citizen of the Year Nomination Form – Lifetime

Download Non-Profit of the Year Nomination Form

Download Youth of the Year Nomination Form

To be honored during 30th Annual César E. Chávez Commemorative Celebration March 26; deadline Feb. 16

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is now accepting nominations for the 2024 Contra Costa County Youth Hall of Fame Awards. These awards are presented annually to outstanding county residents between 12 and 18 years old.

Students will be recognized at the 30th Annual César E. Chávez Commemorative Celebration on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at 11 am in Board Chambers at 1025 Escobar St. in Martinez. Community members can also join the event live on Contra Costa Television channels and the County’s website.

Nominees should demonstrate exemplary behavior in one of five categories:

• Good Samaritan: Goes out of their way to do for others without seeking recognition
• Volunteerism: Lends a helping hand for the good of the community; Gives their time and energy to a worthy cause or organization
• Teamwork: Works unselfishly for the good of the team
• Leadership and Civic Engagement: A natural leader who inspires others and works to make a difference in school and the community
• Perseverance: Has worked hard to overcome obstacles and achieve success

For more information and the application form to nominate youth in our community, visit Form Center • 2024 Contra Costa County Youth Hall of Fame Awards.

We invite you to submit your nomination by completing the form and uploading it to the County website or emailing the application and your letter of recommendation to Lia Bristol at YouthNomination@dcd.cccounty.us.

Nominations must be received or postmarked by February 16, 2024. Recipients will be recognized at the March 26, 2024, Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors’ César E. Chávez Celebration.

By Troop 153, Antioch CaRav

Do you need your Christmas tree picked up? Have the Boy Scouts do it.

We are asking for a donation of $30 for unflocked trees and $40 for flocked trees.

Please use this link to schedule your pickup: https://pickup.antiochtroop153.org/  

Please use the link, it is going to improve our services and help our parents and Scouts doing the tree pick up. Even if you already emailed us, please fill out the link. We are picking trees up on the weekends of Dec 30/31 and January 6/7. Please have your tree on the curb by 9 A.M. Our parents and Scouts will be picking up trees all day and might not pick up your tree until later in the day. If you have issues, please email us, we will follow up shortly.

We are all volunteers and have limited resources. No direct messages, no text messages, we have multiple parents monitoring the troop email account.

Please only email once, we may not respond to your email until later in the day.  To pay, please use Zelle and look for: Boys Scouts of America Troop 153. Use FULL name (no abbreviations). Zelle makes it easier. You can use our troop tree pick up Google email for Zelle: troop153treepickup@gmail.com

If you’re unable to use Zelle, checks are appreciated made out to: BSA Troop 153. Checks can be left under your doormat on the day of pick up. For taxes you can claim it as a donation to the Boy Scouts of America. BSA Troop 153, Antioch CA Nonprofit id: 94-1156249 

Thank you!

For more information visit snugasabugbags.org or www.instagram.com/allysnugasabug. For more information about the GFC Antioch Woman’s Club visit www.gfwcwomansclubofantioch.org.

Includes Mission Elementary School’s 50th Anniversary mural project

Saturday, January 15, 2024, 10:00am-1:00pm

“Life’s most persistent and urgent questions is, ‘What are you doing for others?” – Martin Luther King Jr., Montgomery, Alabama 1957.

Join us this Martin Luther King Jr. Day as we spend “a day on, not a day off,” encouraging all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.

Let’s work together to build a stronger Antioch!

Join us at the Antioch Senior Center/Nick Rodriguez Community Center

Bring your senior relatives (e.g., grandparents, aunts, uncles, parents, etc.) or neighbors to the Antioch Senior Center and Nick Rodriguez Community Center, at 415 W 2nd Street in Antioch, to take part in a day of engagement with community members of all ages. Experience exciti19ng and engaging activities, be part of thoughtful discussions and enjoy lunch served by school-age volunteers.

#10892: Volunteer and lead an installation/ mural-based project at Mission Elementary School

Sign up and join us to help create a mural at Mission Elementary School at 1711 Mission Drive in Antioch in celebration of their 50th Anniversary.

#10899: Senior to Senior (ages 14-18) (max 30)
We are looking for high school volunteers to have a moderated discussion with Senior citizens about the impact of MLK, equality and equity on our society. Students can also perform spoken word poems and read other MLK related speeches.

#10900: Arts & Crafts (max 20)
Volunteer and lead a Martin Luther King Jr. arts and craft themed project for the community.

#10902: Karaoke (max 20)
If you like to sing and dance, sign up to volunteer to lead karaoke with the community. Music will consist of themes based on MLK, Jr., freedom, community and celebration of life.

#10903: Activities (max 30)
Volunteer to join us for a room full of fun board games, puzzles, and other games. Lead a round of a game or simply take part in playing.

#10904: Lunch Services (max 15)
Volunteer and lead the service of preparing and providing lunch to the community and other volunteers

Register at Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service – City of Antioch, California.

By Lt. Rick Martin, Investigations Bureau, Antioch Police Department

On Friday, December 22, 2023, at approximately 11:30 p.m. Antioch Police Officers responded to the intersection of W. 6th Street and G Street on a report of a traffic collision with injuries. Officers arrived and located two vehicles involved. One of the vehicles involved had two juvenile males inside (12 and 13 years old, both from Antioch). Both juveniles were transported by AMR ambulance to local hospitals. Both succumbed to their injuries and were later pronounced deceased.

The other driver involved fled on foot leaving the vehicle behind.

We are withholding the names of the decedents until proper family notifications have been made. It appears speed and reckless driving were factors in this incident. (See video of accident scene posted on X by Henry K. Lee of KTVU)

UPDATE: Asked who was driving the victim’s car, Sgt. Rob Green responded, “We are still working on that. The vehicle does not have current registration, but we are working with video.”

No further information will be provided at this time. Anyone with information is asked to call Lieutenant Rick Martin at (925) 779-6972 or the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441.

Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.

Coaches raising funds for current season through Dec. 29

By Coaching Staff, Antioch High School Boys Soccer Program

We are honored to represent our original high school established in 1955, Antioch High School Panthers.

Athletics are huge for a young high school student to develop teamwork, communication, leadership and good work ethics in a positive, structured environment. This encourages the most important part of high school, the academics.

We are proud to announce that our Frosh, Junior Varsity and Varsity teams of 75 student athletes own an average of a 3 to 4 GPA. That is a real winning season!

“These boys are very special positive students with 3.5-4.0 GPA’s, as well as local athletes,” added Coach Conrad Diaz. “They will make a difference in our future community.”

Please support our fundraiser for the success of our Antioch youth. The goal is $5,000. To contribute visit https://raise.snap.app/donors/antioch-high-boys-soccer-23-2023

Thank you for your support!