Tulare County Office of Education

2007 Partner Recognition

On July 18, 2007, the Tulare County Office of Education School-to-Career Project, the Tulare County Workforce Investment Board Youth Council and other partners recognized the outstanding contributions of area business, education, and community leaders or organizations at the annual Partner Recognition event. Twenty-one honorees were recognized at the luncheon for their exemplary efforts in advancing career development and transition for the area's students and young adults.

2007 Partner Recognition Honorees

Christina Jones, Staff Analyst
Tulare County HHSA
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Nominated by: Mary Rodarte, CSET

Christina performs many roles besides her demanding job. In addition to her work, she is an advocate and role model for many young people placed in TulareWORKS. Offering opportunities and an open heart, many grateful young people will tell you that Christina Jones is a woman who goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Claudia Garcia, Store Manager
Dollar Tree

Nominated by: Antonio Salazar

Claudia has opened doors at the Dollar Tree in Porterville for youth to learn the proper work skills needed to retain their job after an internship. She also helps them grow as professionals to become leaders. She is always willing to help youth who need to advance their skills, even those who have limited English skills.

Colleen Mitchell Veyna, Artist & Muralist
Veyna Design Studio
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Nominated by: Sharon Phillips and Candy Hilvers, TCOE School Health

Colleen Mitchell Venya is an artist who recently designed a mural based on the Six Pillars of Character Counts, utilizing input she got from students at Mid-County Community School. She magnanimously volunteered her time and talent to help the students at Mid-County paint it. Because of Colleen, the school now has a beautiful mural that is a source of pride for staff and students, and the students had the opportunity to participate in a wonderful Community Service Learning Project.

David Crawford, Deputy Director
Tulare County HHSA - TulareWORKS
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Nominated by: Sylvia Castelle, CSET

David is the founder of the successful Youth Transitions program. This program was designed to help foster youth, as well as other vulnerable young people, obtain viable career opportunities. Not only has he created the program, but he also serves as a mentor to youth in need. He promises each one that he will help them transition to permanent county positions and he has kept his promises. David is the "Papa Mentor" to many youth who have not had a "Papa" in their lives.

Don, Corlene, Doug and Dan Smith, Owners
SmithCare
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Nominated by: Karen Rappleye, Porterville Adult School

For approximately 10 years, the Smiths have been active supporters of the Porterville Adult School nurse assistant program - providing many students the necessary clinical experience needed for successful training as nurse assistants. The Smiths have opened the doors of their nursing home facilities, Sun Villa (formerly Villa Manor), Valley Care, and Lindsay Gardens. Through their generosity, students gain maximum exposure to their job responsibilities. The staff at the Porterville Adult School says of the Smiths: "You're the best, thank you!!"

Erika Salamanca, YEOP Opportunity Specialist
California State Employment Development Department
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Nominated by: Eldonna Caudill

Erika is a COS student who works part time as a youth counselor at EDD. Despite her busy schedule, she somehow managed to put on two successful job and resource fairs for at-risk youth within the past ten months. Through her organizational talents, she is able to provide a service to help young people overcome personal barriers and become successful adults.

Estella Sandoval, Store Manager
Dollar Tree

Nominated by: Tony Tadeo

Estella has restructured the department store and has actively collaborated with CSET to hire many youth from this program. She has been open, encouraging, and patient in her determination to provide opportunities for youth to learn job skills and never stay stagnant. Her positive working relationship with CSET participants and the agency is commendable.

Isabel Palomon, RN and Donna Duke, LVN
Director of Nursing Services and Director of Staff
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Nominated by: Steven Holdridge, Tulare High School District Health Careers Academy

Isabel and Donna have been invaluable to the Tulare High School Health Careers Academy. They provided a site for work-based learning, job shadowing, and volunteer/leadership activities for our academy and adult school nursing students. Both ladies demonstrate a very positive attitude and expect our students to maintain the same high standards that promote outstanding quality of care. Fairly new to their positions, they have been a delight to work with this past year.

John Longley, City Manager
City of Porterville
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Nominated by: Linda Wammack

John's unwavering belief that our community, mainly our youth, are underserved because of the lack of a four-year university has led him to actively seek a remedy. Working closely with Assemblyman Bill Maze to establish a Baccalaureate Partnership Program in Community Colleges has led him to the creation of Sequoia Regional Institute for Higher Education. He also helped the City of Porterville seek grant funding from the U.S. Department of Economic Development to explore entrepreneurship training in Porterville.

Jorge Gonzalez, Assistant Coordinator
21st Century After School Program
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Nominated by: Emilia Villagomez, CSET

Jorge, an advocate, is an active recruiter for the Orosi CSET In-School Youth Program and has offered continuous placement and work experience for his youth. His devotion towards the community youth to establish a work history and learn valuable work ethics and morals is exemplary. Jorge's selflessness and care for the youth have been expressed in his spending time and money, stating, "if these youth (our future) are hungry, they cannot perform on their job site, or in school."

Joshua Huerta, Neighborhood Youth Counselor
Wittman Village Community Center
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Nominated by: Juan R. Guerrero

A youth advocate and former gang member, Joshua Huerta is actively involved with Wittman Center's Gang Prevention Program as a Neighborhood Youth Counselor. Using his talent as a "rap artist" he dedicates many hours training youth on music. He also oversees "Pearl Street Productions" used by the youth as an artistic expression. Mr. Huerta's positive leadership skills have helped to create a gang prevention center, being a paradigm of a former gang member contributing to society.

Kelly Saechao
North County One Stop / Mobil Unit
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Nominated by: Angela Ruiz-Alvarez

Kelly's remarkable personality and perseverance has impacted those who have received assistance from her services. She has a "no quit" attitude which pushes her clients to set a higher goal and accomplish them. When Kelly is not in her office, she can be found interacting with those who need help by taking them grocery shopping or job- and apartment-hunting. The Tulare County Youth Corps thanks Kelly and the One Stop for providing quality service by going beyond the job requirement.

Kris Costa, COS Tech Prep Coordinator
Consortia
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Nominated by: Steven Holdridge

Kris's energy, motivation, and a positive personality, provide continuous and outstanding leadership/development and youth support to others throughout the state. She is always looking for ways to improve and prepare students for the work force. Her marvelous support is spread throughout Kings and Tulare County for teachers. Kris has the will-power to do what she can to support student success.

Matt Lee
Mid-County Community School
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Nominated by: Sharon Phillips and Candy Hilvers

Matt Lee, a strong supporter of Tulare County Office of Education-School Health Community Challenge Grant's activities, is always looking for opportunities to acknowledge his students' strengths. Because he is willing to implement new programs that would benefit his students, Matt has been a very accommodating and helpful partner. Under his leadership, the atmosphere in the school provides a secure, structured, environment where students have the opportunity to learn.

Merced Doria, Maintenance and Operations Supervisor
Lindsay Unified School District

Nominated by: Nou Cha

For the past several years and continuing, Mr. Doria has been a major partner in collaborating with SEE and our annual summer enrichment project. He provided valuable job skills to our youth where they can relate these skills, academically and to "real world" applications. SEE is honored to have such a high caliber individual such as Merced Doria of Lindsay Unified School District Maintenance and Operations as one of our partners.

Mid-County Community School Student Body, 2006-07
Mid-County Community School
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Nominated by: Sharon Phillips and Candy Hilvers

The "Six Pillars of Character Counts!" mural located at Mid-County Community School could not have been successfully completed without the cooperation and talent of these students: Aaron Arenivaz, Alma Vasquez, Carlos Parra and Jorge Vargas. This Community Service Learning project was sponsored by the Tulare County Office of Education's School Health Community Challenge Grant. The students volunteered their time and conscientiously worked to complete the mural, which is a source of pride for the staff and students. They were dedicated and attentive towards every detail. Their enthusiastic contributions were an important factor in the successful completion of this project. Thanks to these students, a beautiful mural adorns Mid-County Community School.

Michelle Reynoso, Independent Living Supervisor
Tulare County HHSA

Nominated by: Bonny Parks

Michelle oversees the Independent Living Program that services Foster youth ages 16-21 in Tulare County. Her demanding schedule does not stop her from helping the youth; she plays an active role for them both on and off hours. She coordinates many workshops to improve their abilities and pique their interest to attend college. Her ambitions for the youth have been described as "inspirational, smart, witty, diligent, passionate, and willing to seek out ways to service the local youth."

Ray Palomino, Building Supervisor
City of Visalia Public Works
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Nominated by: Mang Chang

Ray has given our youth the opportunity to establish a work history, learn valuable work ethics, and gain valuable hands-on work experience in the building and maintenance industry. He demonstrates teamwork, leadership and excellent ethics in the world of work around his environment. Several of our youth have been hired because he believes in giving them the opportunity many of them have never been given before.

R-N Market and David Peterson
Personnel Director

Nominated by: Yolanda Hernandez

R-N Market has been affiliated with Proteus, Inc and assisted Proteus youth with work experience and internship opportunities for many years. By giving the youth of Tulare County the opportunity to gain skills and knowledge for future reference, they have really made a difference in the lives of young people.

Visalia-Sequoia, Lindsay, and Porterville branches of the American Association of University Women
AAUW-CA Tech Trek, American Association of University Women
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Nominated by: Mary Leavitt

The American Association of University Women promotes education and equity for women and girls on a national, state and local level. For ten years, the three Tulare County Branches of AAUW have been raising funds and developing community partnerships to raise scholarship funds to send girls from local middle schools to Tech Trek camp at California State University-Fresno. AAUW and the Tulare County branches of AAUW have combined to enable girls to not only envision their future, but also to begin it.

Greg Nichols, Resource Specialist/Special Day Class Instructor
Golden West High School

Nominated by: Marilyn Willers

Mr. Nichols takes a sincere interest in helping special needs youth understand the importance of working by taking responsibility for their job tasks, respecting team members and supervisors and setting goals. His seamless connectivity between academic requirements and employment standards truly benefits the special needs youth. "Working with special education kids during their summer employment is a great experience that gives students the opportunity to experience the world of work and gain confidence," says Mr. Nichols.

Recognized Partners from Previous Years

2006 Partners
2005 Partners
2004 Partners
2003 Partners
2002 Partners
2001 Partners
2000 Partners

Randy Wallace, Project Director
phone: (559) 733-6101
fax: (559) 737-4378

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