Daly City-based ASK Academy supports a youth-led anti-bullying campaign, “In Our Own Words,” and peer support services to address and create a culture of peace and nonviolence in the Jefferson Union High School District.
“In Our Own Words” is in the running to win $10,000 from KIND Healthy Snacks, a natural food company headquartered in New York, which promotes a monthly grant program that celebrates people spreading kindness in their communities. ASK Academy is asking the public to vote for its campaign at http://causes.kindsnacks.com/cause/in-our-own-words/ no later than Feb. 28.
Students from the Jefferson Union High School District said that bullying is a top issue in their school, with cyber bullying and bullying related to race or ethnicity being the most common. When asked, “Is bullying directed at one particular group due to race, gender or appearance?” One student answered, “People who don’t speak English too good.”
Local date indicates disparate rates of bullying among populations of color, with African Americans experiencing the highest rate of bullying at 48.2 percent, followed by Pacific Islanders at 36.4 percent (kidsdate.org).
If “In Our Own Words” wins, the $10,000 will be used to:
* Develop educational presentations, activities, events, and posters for local schools, superintendents, school boards, PTAs, local city councils, after school programs, community-based organizations, and the “Friends Build Up, Bullies Tear Down” annual anti-bullying conference.
* Produce “Bully Free Radio” Internet segments for prevention and intervention advice.
* Create and broadcast professional anti-bullying public service announcements on local community channels.
There are a number of inspiring causes competing for the $10,000 so your vote is important. The cause that receives the most support will receive the grant and the KIND team will then help them to increase their impact. Through voting, people are also committed to carrying out a kind act in their own life — all in the spirit of paying it forward!
ASK Academy was founded by Daly City residents Shakeel Ali, educator, entrepreneur, and gun violence survivor, and Amro Radwan, technologist, social entrepreneur, and youth mentor, to focus on peace building, whether there is bullying occurring or not. Their goal is to help create a bully-free zone. To learn more, email: askacademy.org@gmail.com.
Peninsula Orchid Society Show and Sale to take place this weekend
The Peninsula Orchid Society Show and Sale will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Community Activities Building, 1400 Roosevelt Ave., in Redwood City.
“The show will feature displays of hundreds of gorgeous blooming orchids, educational seminars, and orchid sales by 10 distinguished California orchid nurseries,” Mike Drilling, show chairman, wrote in an email.
The topics and speakers scheduled for Saturday are:
* 10:45 a.m., Miniature Orchids, Mary Gerritsen.
* 12:15 p.m., 10 Rules of Thumb, Debra Atwood (Napa Valley Orchids).
* 1:45 p.m., General Cymbidium Care, Weegie Caughlin.
* 3:15 p.m., Caring for your Phalaenopsis, Chaunie Langland.
Sunday’s topics and speakers will be:
* 10:45 a.m., Slipper Orchids, Chris Mende (Tiny Jungle).
* 12:15 p.m., General Orchid Culture, Dennis Olivas (D&D Flowers).
* 1:45 p.m., Settling Your Orchids on Mounts, Tom Mudge.
* 3:15 p.m., Orchids to Grow Outdoors, Amy Chung (Amy and Ken Jacobsen Orchids).
The participating orchid nurseries are: Amy and Ken Jacobsen Orchids; Botanico; Brookside Orchids; Cal-Orchid; D&D Flowers; Napa Valley Orchids; Orchid Design; Orchids and Gardens; Paphiness; and Tiny Jungle. A member sales area will also be included. All the vendors and member sales accept credit cards.
Admission cost is $5 per adult; $3, senior or a youth 12 to 16 years of age; and children under 12 are free with an adult.
Tickets may be purchased at the door; no advance ticket sales are available.
For questions, call Mike Drilling, orchid show chairman, at 650-302-2828 (mobile) or email mike.drilling@gmail.com.
Visitors are also welcome to attend the Peninsula Orchid Society meetings held at 7 p.m. on the fourth Friday, February through November, at the San Mateo Garden Center, 605 Parkside Way, in San Mateo. The December meeting is held on the third Friday and there is no meeting in January because of the annual orchid show. For more orchid society information, go to penorchidsoc.org.
Former Rep. Gene Mullin to be honored at anti-bullying programs fundraiser
Gene Mullin, former California State Assemblyman and former High School Teacher of the Year, will be honored on Feb. 19 with the Warren Dale Teal Teddy “BER” Award at Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center’s fourth anti-bullying programs fundraiser, “Building Empathy & Respect” Benefit Dinner.
PCRC, a nationally recognized leader in mediation, facilitation, conflict resolution and training, invites the public to attend the event that will celebrate PCRC’s success with compelling stories, captivating visuals, and fine wines from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Marriott Hotel, 1770 S. Amphlett Blvd., in San Mateo. A reception begins at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and the program at 8 p.m.
The award, created in 2011, will be presented to Mullin by its namesake, Pastor Warren Dale, who helped start the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center in 1986, serves on its board of directors, is chairman of the fund development committee, and is an internationally renown trauma specialist.
Mullin, who will also be the event’s guest speaker, embodies PCRC as shown by his skills of building empathy and respect between himself and others both in school among his students, and with his constituents and colleagues while serving in elected and appointed office.
The proceeds from the fundraiser directly benefit necessary services that improve the quality of life for more than 35,000 residents of San Mateo County and surrounding counties, without regard for race, religious affiliation or gender.
Ticket cost is $125 per person. The deadline to RSVP is Jan. 31. Sponsorship levels are available from $1,250 to $50,000.
To purchase tickets or become a sponsor, go to http://tinyurl.com/n73c6zy. To learn more about the Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center, go to www.pcrcweb.org.
Senior Showcase Health & Wellness Fair to be held in Millbrae
The Health Plan of San Mateo, Daily Journal, and the Magnolia of Millbrae are sponsoring a Senior Showcase Health & Wellness Fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 31 at the Millbrae Recreation Center, 477 Lincoln Circle, in Millbrae.
Free services will include:
* Blood pressure and cholesterol check
* Health screening stations
* San Mateo Pharmacists Association and more
* Door prizes and giveaways
* Refreshments
More than 40 exhibitors from senior resources and services from all over San Mateo County will also highlight the event. Goody bags will be given to the first 250 attendees.
Admission is free and open to all.
For more details about the Senior Showcase, call 650-344-5200 or go to www.smdailyjournal.com/seniorshowcase.
Internationally recognized educator to speak at education series
Denise Pope, Ph.D., nationally and internationally recognized educator, will present “The Well-Balanced Student” as part of the Menlo-Atherton Parent Education Series being held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 3 at the Menlo-Atherton Performing Arts Center, 555 Middlefield Road, in Atherton.
Pope, who is also an award-winning lecturer at Stanford University, and co-founder of Challenge Success, Stanford Graduate School of Education, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the well-being, engagement, and integrity of students, will talk about how today’s high pressure, fast-paced culture can interfere with healthy child development.
Open to parents, students, faculty, staff and community members, the workshop will examine the tensions that can occur between students, parents, and educators over issues such as homework, grades, and the culture of competition.
Attendees will learn:
* How students today are — or are not — coping with the academic pressure they face
* Ways to reduce academic stress without sacrificing achievement or engagement in school
* Strategies to increase resilience, creativity, and well-being for your child
M-A Parent Education Series events are free, sponsored by the Menlo-Atherton PTA, Sequoia Healthcare District, and Sequoia Union High School District. This event is also made possible by a grant from the La Entrada PTA. Spanish interpretation will be available.
For more information, email Charlene Margot, Parent Education Series founding director, at cmargot@csmconsulting.net or call 650-868-0590.
Mission Fusion after-school dance instruction program to showcase dancers
Mission Fusion, an after-school dance instruction program serving 80 to 90 Jefferson High School students and about 60 students from Thomas R. Pollicita Middle School, both in Daly City, will showcase a variety of dances at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 5, 6, 7 and at 2 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Jefferson High School Theater, 6996 Mission St., in Daly City.
Directed by Heike Mansel, of Mission Fusion, the multicultural, multimedia, thought provoking, and spectacular two-hour show is entitled Storyteller and its themes revolve around fairy tales, myths and legends … with a twist!
“Students voluntarily partake in this extracurricular program to develop their own personal technique and style among 10 different dance genres,” Brian Gopez, a junior at Jefferson High School and a Mission Fusion member who contributes by dancing and serving as a light technician, wrote in a press release. “The goal is to choreograph and rehearse the 25-26 dance routines (that include dances, rhythms, songs, oral histories, and community traditions of all these cultures that are represented on Mission Street), which are performed every February.”
Formed 15 years ago, Mission Fusion is sponsored by the generosity of Spencer Holeman, founder and executive director of Children’s Empowerment Inc. in Colma; however, donations are always welcome.
Tickets prices range from $8 to $10. To buy tickets, donate, or for more details, go to www.missionfusion.org. Tickets may also be bought at the door, if available, as the shows tend to sell out.
Pasta fundraiser to be held at Oceana High School in Pacifica
Oceana High School’s Student Parent Teacher Organization is hosting an All-You-Can-Eat Pasta Dinner Fundraiser from 6 to 8 p.m. Feb. 6 at the high school’s cafeteria, 401 Paloma Ave., in Pacifica.
The event, which raises funds to benefit all Oceana High School students, will be highlighted by a pasta bar, raffle, silent auction, and live entertainment provided by the school’s students.
The Oceana Student Parent Teacher Organization provides support for programs that make Oceana unique, such as its Senior Exhibition Day and its Interim Week, both activities that allow students the opportunity to explore a topic of special interest in depth.
Ticket cost in advance is $10 per adult and $5 per student and youths 18 years old and under. Tickets are available online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1030962 or at the school office. Tickets sold at the door will be $12 per adult and $6 per student and youths 18 and under.
University of Pacific to hold dental health fair for children
University of Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, is holding a Give Kids a Smile dental health fair for Bay Area children from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Dugoni School of Dentistry’s 2nd Floor Pediatric Clinic, 155 Fifth St. (at Minna St.), in San Francisco.
More than $100 in free dental services — including dental screenings and cleanings, orthodontic evaluations, fluoride treatments, and an opportunity to have oral health questions answered — will be provided to each child up to age 17, all of whom must be accompanied by an adult.
In addition, children will enjoy educational games with prizes, and entertainment, such as the Little Explorers Petting Zoo.
The event is open to the public and is located 1.5 blocks from the BART/MUNI Powell Station. For a map and directions, go to www.dental.pacific.edu.
Registration is not required; however, if an organization is interested in bringing a large group of children, an RSVP is requested by calling 415-929-6550.
Redwood Symphony to present works of Daugherty and Berlioz
Redwood Symphony, the premiere community orchestra on the San Francisco Peninsula, is presenting a unique pairing of Daugherty and Berlioz at 8 p.m. on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, in the Canada College Main Theater, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., in Redwood City.
The West Coast premiere of an electric guitar concerto by the hippest composer of classical music and Berlioz’s “Fantastic Symphony” will be opened by Assistant Conductor Kristin Link, who will conduct Rossini’s overture to “La Scala di Seta (The Silken Ladder)”.
Gee’s Bend by contemporary composer Michael Daugherty, conducted by Redwood Symphony Music Director Eric Kujawsky, will follow. Inspired by the unique quilts created by the women of the small Alabama hamlet, this piece continues Redwood Symphony’s long association with Daugherty’s music, including performances of “Metropolis Symphony” (based on Superman), “Dead Elvis,” and, most recently, “Hell’s Angels.”
Guitarist Jon Mulvey will play the brilliant solo part in the concerto.
“In the ‘Fantastic Symphony,’ the composer uses the word ‘fantastic’ in the original sense, meaning ‘conceived or appearing as if conceived by an unrestrained imagination, odd and remarkable, bizarre, grotesque,” wrote Kujawsky. “It was written by the 27-year-old Berlioz just three years after Beethoven’s death, but the two composer seem to be from different planets.
“The symphony, which spans the movements, depicted hallucinations the composer experienced after a nearly fatal opium overdose,” Kujawky continued. “Many of these visions involve the woman he loves but who has scorned him. The final movement recasts her as a cackling witch on a broomstick, while in another magical moment, the composer’s head is chopped off by a guillotine. Just the ticket for Valentine’s Day!”
Kujawsky will give the sordid details in his preconcert lecture at 7 p.m.
More Redwood Symphony information and tickets — $25 per adult ($30 at the door) and $10 per student — are available at www.RedwoodSymphony.org and children 17 years old and younger, accompanied by an adult, are admitted free. Online sales end 24 hours before the concert. Parking at the college is ample and free.
Three more concerts still to come for Live at Mission Blue’s season
The Live at Mission Blue’s 11th Season, and its second decade Chamber Concert Series, still has three of the four concerts scheduled for the public’s enjoyment at the Mission Blue Center, 475 Mission Blue Drive, in Brisbane.
Concert One — the dynamic young ensemble MUSA — was held on Jan. 17 in partnership with Brisbane Education Support Team/Parent Teacher Organization for students from Brisbane and Panorama elementary schools.
The next performances will be held:
* Feb. 14, Concert Two, Masters of the Baroque featuring Elizabeth Blumenstock, baroque violin; JungHae Kim, harpsichord; and John Dornenburg, viola da Gamba.
* March 7, Concert Three, Kitka performing exquisite repertoire from the Eastern European folk tradition that explores the depth and breadth of the female experience in celebration of International Women’s Day.
* April 4, Concert Four, The Lee Trio with Jodi Levitz performing Brahms: “Intermezzo Opus 118 #2”, Dvorak: “Piano Trio in F minor Opus 65,” and Brahms: “Piano Quartet in C minor Opus 60.”
All programs start at 8 p.m. with a pre-concert talk by Bruce Lamont at 7:30 p.m.
Kevin Fryer, renowned master harpsichord maker, Brisbane’s Arts Advocate of the Year 2014, and an outgoing member of the Brisbane Parks and Recreation Commission, is the founder and artistic director of Live at Mission Blue, which is supported by the City of Brisbane through its Resident Artist Co-sponsorship Program. The program recognizes the value of its resident artists and the important contribution the arts make to Brisbane.
Fryer was also instrumental in getting city ordinance No. 588 passed by the Brisbane City Council on Oct. 2, which provides a method for private development to fund Public Art in Brisbane.
Concert single ticket cost is $20, regular; $15, seniors and students.
For tickets, make check payable to City of Brisbane and mail to Live at Mission Blue Tickets, 50 Park Place, Brisbane, Calif., 94005 or go to www.liveatmissionblue.com. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door. For questions or to donate, call Kevin Fryer at 650-219-4956.
Gerald Kohlmann chosen to be new fire chief in South San Francisco
Gerald Kohlmann, who has 32 years of experience as a firefighter, has been chosen by the city of South San Francisco to serve as the city’s new fire chief.
Interim Fire Chief Bill Reilly, who served since July while the city recruited for a permanent fire chief, transferred command of the South San Francisco Fire Department to Kohlmann during the Change of Command Ceremony held Jan. 7 at Fire Station 61 on Canal Street.
Working his way up the ranks from firefighter to deputy fire chief of the San Jose Fire Department, Kohlmann then served as fire chief of the Redwood City Fire Department.
In his new position, Kohlmann will guide all activities involving the city’s innovative, all-risk fire department, which includes leading three key divisions and the 90-member department in fire suppression, emergency medical services, hazardous materials response, urban search and rescue, rescue boat, code enforcement, fire investigation, public education, and basic life support transport services.
“To be part of the South San Francisco Fire Department and be a member of the South San Francisco management team presented a unique opportunity,” Kohlmann said in an email statement. “I had known of South San Francisco’s innovative past, but after providing training to department personnel and then hearing Chief Bill Reilly’s enthusiasm about the fire department’s future, I was very motivated to seek the fire chief’s position. The dynamic nature of South San Francisco, the scope of services provided by fire department personnel, and the opportunity to be part of Team SSF made this an opportunity not to pass up.”
Besides his public sector background, Kohlmann brings private sector experience as a consultant and as a senior public safety specialist with PG&E when he taught incident command courses; developed emergency response plans; and worked with local public safety agencies on emergency response training.
“I am pleased with the selection of Gerry Kohlmann as our new fire chief,” Mayor Richard Garbarino said in an email.
“The experience that he brings to the position will keep the South San Francisco Fire Department one of the finest in the county. I want to thank Chief Bill Reilly for his service and for helping with the transition.”
“Having known Kohlmann for many years, I am secure in the fact that he will be an outstanding role model for the organization and a great asset for Team South San Francisco,” Interim Chief Reilly said in an email as he expressed his pleasure in seeing him take command of the fire department.
Redwood City Library Foundation gets $48,875 grant
Redwood City Library Foundation received a $48,875 grant for a financial literacy service-learning project from the State Farm Youth Advisory Board at the Jan. 12th Redwood City Council meeting.
State Farm Agent Hector Flamenco presented the check to Redwood City Library Director Derek Wolfgram and to Redwood City Library Foundation Executive Director Georgi LaBerge.
Ryan Traynor, 15-year-old creator and president of the Library Foundation’s Youth Literacy Council who was instrumental in writing the successful State Farm grant and teaches the classes involved in the project, attended the presentation. A Redwood City resident, he is a sophomore at St. Francis High School in Mountain View,
Maria Kramer, division manager, Redwood City Public Library, and Ryan’s mother, Martha Traynor, Library Foundation board member, were also on hand for the donation to the Foundation that is one of 65 community organizations across the U.S. and Canada to receive a service-learning, youth-led grant.
“This program will benefit the community,” said Ritankar Das, State Farm Youth Advisory board member, in an email statement. “Service-learning is an excellent way to complement and further classroom education, and our board really liked this project’s core goals.”
A volunteer group of teenagers working with the Redwood City Library Foundation board, the Redwood City Youth Literacy Council, has designed a program named Money Smarts for Teens, which offers classes about money basics for 120 teens each month. The course has been created around school curriculum and provides information not offered in most schools about successful money management.
“We’re very proud of our teens from the Youth Literacy Council who are working with area financial experts to design, coordinate, and instruct the class,” wrote LaBerge in an email. “This gives them invaluable service-learning knowledge that will contribute to their school and career success.”
“State Farm supports service-learning because it integrates service to the community into classroom curriculum using a hands-on approach to mastering subject material while fostering civic responsibility,” Ric Baldiviez, State Farm Agency field leader, said in an email statement. “The State Farm Youth Advisory board is a prime example of State Farm’s commitment to education, our community and our youth.”
Since its inception in 2006, the State Farm Youth Advisory Board has granted more than $32 million in grant money, which has empowevred youth to implement service learning in 520 communities.
If youths, ages 17-20, are interested in becoming a member of the Youth Advisory board, an application and more information may be found at www.sfyab.com/apply/the-board.
Leslie Hatamiya appointed as San Bruno Community Foundation executive director
Leslie Hatamiya, former executive director of the California Bar Foundation from 2004 to 2012, was unanimously appointed by the San Bruno Community Foundation board of directors on Jan. 15 to serve as the foundation’s first executive director effective Feb. 1.
The Foundation was established by the San Bruno City Council to administer — for the long-term benefit of the San Bruno community — the $70 million restitution from PG&E that the city received after the 2010 gas pipeline explosion in the city resulting in the significant loss of life and property in the city’s Crestmoor neighborhood.
A graduate of Stanford University and Stanford Law School, Hatamiya has more than 20 years of experience in building organizations and programs. Over seven years, she transformed the California Bar Foundation into a vigorous center of philanthropy for California’s legal community.
Hatamiya also rebuilt the Foundation’s board of directors, developed a growing fundraising program, and started a highly successful scholarship program to increase diversity in the legal profession. In addition, she sharpened its grant-making strategy, led a remake of its brand and public image, and strengthened its relationship with the State Bar of California. During her service at the Foundation, Hatamiya earned recognition as one of the “Best Lawyers Under 40” from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association.
Before joining the California Bar Foundation, Hatamiya was chief of staff and director of corporate communications and special projects at wireless broadband startup SOMA Networks; directed the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs in San Francisco; and was deputy campaign manager for former U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley’s 2000 presidential campaign.
Recently, Hatamiya staffed the John Paul Stevens Fellowship Foundation and began the “Vote with Your Mission” campaign for the California Association of Nonprofits. She also has held positions at Stanford and Yale universities, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and in Bradley’s Capitol Hill office.
A longtime volunteer at Stanford University, Hatamiya has served on the university’s board of trustees, the alumni association’s board of directors, and was chairwoman of the National Advisory Board of the Haas Center for Public Service. She is also author of “Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and the Passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988,” published by the Stanford University Press.
Hatamiya has also been a PTA leader, volunteer for San Bruno Pee Wee Baseball, and a former American Youth Soccer Organization coach since she became a San Bruno resident in 2003. Her mother and grandparents were among the Japanese Americans interned at the assembly center on the site of when is now The Shops at Tanforan.
“The San Bruno Community Foundation presents a unique opportunity to benefit San Bruno’s dynamic, diverse, and resilient community over the long term,” said Hatamiya in an email statement. “I am honored to help build the Foundation into a valuable community resource that supports all of San Bruno.”
San Bruno Community Foundation directors Regina Stanback-Stroud, Ed.D., Skyline College president; Frank Hedley, retired San Bruno police chief and city manager; and Nancy Kraus, board president, and a self-employed public relations adviser (NAK Consulting), were members of the board-appointed Search Committee that sought to fill the executive director position. The recruitment process, led by the nationally recognized firm, The 360 Group, took several months.
“Ms. Hatamiya has wide-ranging experience in the public, nonprofit, political, and private sectors,” commented Kraus in an email statement. “She has the perfect combination of experience, energy, vision, and sense of the community to lead the Foundation forward in its important work.”
If you have any news tips about our county communities, call or fax Carolyn Livengood at 650-355-5533 or e-mail her at carolynlivengood@sanbrunocable.com.
