Enlarge Photo

July 31st marked the official date that ASB officers, juniors and seniors, started their training for freshman orientation. These dedicated students took time out of their summer to help guide incoming freshman and to teach them the confidence to be a Fillmore High School student. The Orientation began the following day bright and early in the morning, the heat slowly grew overhead. Volunteers arrived an hour earlier than the incoming freshman, getting ready to register . . . setting the scene for the official Orientation. When the clock struck 9:00am in came nervous-looking freshman faces. The Orientation began officially with motivational speaker Keith Hawkins, giving one of his trademark romantic speeches about high school life, emphasizing its spiritual nuances. As Hawkins set the scene, the freshman grew more comfortable by the minute. Following a brief exchange of games, laughs, and upper classmen reflection, the freshmen were off with their assigned groups of upper classmen leaders. The following hours consisted of all classmen alike providing personal details and getting to know each other better through games and other activities. The day wrapped up with upper classmen leaders giving their expertise on campus life. Welcome to Fillmore High School Class of 2018.

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) invites community friends, alumni, students and employees to make its 11th Annual Alumni & Friends Dodger Day the loudest and proudest ever, as the Dodgers take on the Arizona Diamondbacks Saturday, Sept. 6.

Dodger Day – CI’s largest signature alumni event – is expected to draw a record crowd of over 1,000 CI supporters to Dodger Stadium for a fun day of baseball and bonding. Guests can also cheer on Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen as he throws out the ceremonial first pitch. CI chose Lorenzen as its guest of honor in gratitude and tribute to all the firefighters who protected the campus and community during the May 2013 Springs Fire.

For the cost of admission, participants will enjoy commemorative T-shirts, giveaways and prizes, and deluxe round-trip bus transportation between CI and Dodger Stadium.

Alumni & Friends Dodger Day is open to the public. Proceeds benefit the Alumni & Friends Association endowed student scholarship fund. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis at prices ranging from $29 to $59 per person, and can be purchased at http://go.csuci.edu/DodgerDay.

Dodger Day is sponsored by Pacific Oaks Federal Credit Union, the event’s Grand Slam Sponsor; Ventura County Star, Coffee News, and Coastal Embroidery.

Visit www.csuci.edu/alumni/ to learn more about CI’s Alumni & Friends Association.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI’s Social Media.

August 6th-Grades 7/8
9:00-12:00 and 1:00-2:30

August 7th-Grade 6
9:00-12:00 and 1:00-2:30

Please call the school office at 524-6070 if you have any questions. If you have not received a student registration packet, the office is open weekdays from 8:00-3:00 for registration packet pick up

Senior, Danny Felix and Junior Angel Figueroa are aspiring artists and students in Mrs. Mitzenmacher’s Advanced Art class at Fillmore High School. Their passion for art has spilled over to an extended canvas, the buildings of Fillmore High School. With materials from Mrs. Mitzenmacher’s class they were able to create stencils for the shield and the lightning bolt. Danny and Angel strategically chose 14 locations on campus to display their art work and then started the process of visually linking the buildings together with their creation. Using two stencils, several coats of paint and a whole lot of patience for each emblem, they spent nearly a week on this worthwhile project. When asked why they were willing to spend a week of their summer vacation painting, Angel said that, “I enjoy helping the school and applying my art skills to improving things.” Danny commented, “Art is a passion of mine and it is a natural extension into the real world.”

Ventura, CA - Between 1978 and 2013, the cost of college textbooks increased 812 percent*. With the significant cost of today’s textbooks, many students struggle to buy needed books for their classes. To ease their burden, on Aug. 13 at the college’s Library & Learning Resource Center, an expected 1, 000 Ventura College students will borrow up to three textbooks each for the semester through the Textbook Lending Library program.

In addition to the free lending service, the Ventura College Foundation supports a reserve textbook collection of nearly 1,500 books, where students can use the book for two-hour periods within the library. Between the two collections, including books at Ventura College’s Santa Paula campus, nearly 7,000 textbooks are accessible as a free alternative to purchasing books.

“Students are always very grateful for the opportunity to get free textbooks. Some of the students even choose their classes based on the availability of free textbooks,” said Tanya Shaffer, interim learning resources supervisor. “It’s great to see the generosity of the Foundation helping thousands of students achieve their academic goals.”

The Ventura College Foundation annually funds over $50,000 for the Textbook Lending Library. Between the lending library and reserve collection, approximately 9,000 students take advantage of the program.

“The Textbook Lending Library is an important Foundation initiative that greatly increases student success rates and helps keep college more affordable,” said Norbert Tan, executive director of the Ventura College Foundation. “Textbooks account for 72 percent of a two-year college’s tuition cost**, making the program critical for our students.”

The program primarily is supported through the generosity of donors. To make a donation, contact Norbert Tan at (805) 289-6160 or ntan@vcccd.edu.

For more information about the Textbook Lending Library, visit http://bit.ly/1nbWiRE.

Established in 1983, the Ventura College Foundation provides financial support to the students and the programs of Ventura College to facilitate student success and grow the impact and legacy of Ventura College as a vital community asset. The Foundation also hosts the Ventura College Foundation Marketplace, an outdoor shopping experience held every weekend on the Ventura College campus east parking lot. For more information, contact Norbert Tan at (805) 289-6160 or ntan@vcccd.edu. Or visit www.venturacollege.edu/foundation.

*Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics' consumer price index data
**Source: U.S. Government’s Accountability Office

(l-r) Breanna Berrington and Santana Carrera

This past weekend the Flashes Pep Squad attended the United Spirit Association Summer Camp at Cal Lutheran College. The squad spent three days learning cheers, chants, dances, rally routines, stunts, pyramids, and much more. The squad spent time focusing on team unity and how to develop pride, not only within their squad, but within Fillmore High School as well. The squad is proud to announce that they received the “Spirit Award” two days in-a-row, the “Camp Superior Award” and the “Most Improve Award”, which is the award that USA holds in the highest regard.

Two of our squad members Captain Breanna Berrington, 4 year senior and Santana Carrera, 4 year senior, were chosen to be a part of the 2014-2015 all American Cheer Team. A special honor was also given to Breanna as she was personally asked to join the USA Staff and be a USA instructor next year. (That is a very big deal and an awesome opportunity.)

Dear Parent, Teachers & Community Volunteers:
It’s that time of year…….REGISTRATION TIME!!!!!
If you are willing to volunteer to help with registration, please let me know. Email me at blemons@fillmore.k12.ca.us . Let me know which day(s) and what hours you can help!! The more, the merrier !
Registration is Thursday, July 31st (11th & 12th graders) and Friday, August 1st (9th & 10th graders) from 9 – 3:30. If you are able to help ANY or BOTH days , I would really appreciate it. It will be a great time to meet our new principal, Tom Ito.
Thank you very much!
Barbara Lemons

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Christine N. Garvey, J.D., and Scott B. Zolke, J.D., to its Foundation Board. Garvey, 67, is a retired banker and attorney. Zolke, 60, is a Partner with law firm Loeb & Loeb LLP in Los Angeles. Per Foundation Board bylaws, each may serve up to two three-year terms.

“It’s my privilege to welcome Christine and Scott to the Foundation Board,” said CI President Richard R. Rush. “Their experience in education and connections to individuals and organizations supportive of our goals will have a direct impact on our students and the future of this campus. I look forward to seeing what we will accomplish together.”

Garvey is a director on four public company boards (Toll Bros, Prologis, Union Bank and Healthcare Properties) and four not-for-profit boards (iCivics, Habitat for Humanity Southern Santa Barbara County, La Casa de Maria, and the Immaculate Heart High School in Los Angeles). A graduate of Suffolk Law School, she practiced law for six years before transitioning into banking and real estate. She held senior leadership positions at Wells Fargo, Bank of America, and Deutsche Bank before her retirement in 2004. Currently a Santa Barbara resident, Garvey received CI’s 2014 Business and Community Leader of the Year Award at the recent Business & Technology Partnership Leadership Dinner.

Zolke is an CONTINUED »

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, Calif., June 10, 2014 – CSU Channel Islands (CI) will hold a presentation and awards ceremony on Friday, June 20, for students participating in the Project ACCESO Summer Research Institute. The ceremony culminates a three-week program that partners students from CI, Oxnard College, Ventura College and Santa Barbara City College with CI faculty members to conduct intensive research in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) disciplines. The event will take place from 5-7 p.m. at the Aliso Hall Plaza on the CI campus.
Forty-five students organized into teams representing 15 different projects will present their research discoveries. The projects include:

• Researching winning algorithms for Nim games (based on mathematical strategy) and implementing them on the Android platform

• Developing carbon-neutral alternatives to current industrial processes (includes a study of the role bacteria can play in creating cement)

• Applying physics and chemistry principles to develop new materials for use in electronic devices such as transistors, batteries and solar cells

• Developing nucleic-acid-based drugs, specifically RNA molecules, for use in the treatment of viral infections and cancer diseases

• Assessing genes at a molecular level – examining their sequences and determining mutations associated with disease

• Assessing potential adaptive evolution of muscles that whales, dolphins and porpoises use for swimming

• Collecting local insects and assessing plant preference behaviors

• Investigating occurrence of longest subsequences meeting specific criteria within sequences of numbers

• Using lasers and electro-optical equipment in experiments

• Modifying or developing new laboratory experiments for general chemistry courses

• Mathematically deriving the Fourier Series and investigating some real-world applications

• Studying the sandy beaches biome, particularly ecology and challenges associated with stressors such as rising sea levels, erosion and human disturbance.

Awards will be presented to all of the student research assistants, and several special recognition and appreciation awards will be announced.

The Project ACCESO Summer Research Institute aims to increase the number of Hispanic and low-income students seeking degrees in STEM disciplines and to help them develop critical skills necessary for success. The Institute is open to students from CI and its regional community colleges. This is the sixth year that students have taken part in a research institute at CI.

Project ACCESO is funded by the Department of Education through the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (HSI-STEM) grant program. CI is using the nearly $6 million grant to increase the number of underserved students who are succeeding in and graduating from STEM majors, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in STEM, and developing critical STEM skill sets, such as critical thinking, analytical reasoning, scientific literacy and interdisciplinary communication.

Limited parking is available on campus with the purchase of a $6 daily permit; follow signs to the parking permit dispensers. Free parking is available at the Camarillo Metrolink Station/Lewis Road with bus service to and from the campus. Riders should board the CI Vista Bus to the campus; the cash-only fare is $1.25 each way. Buses arrive and depart from the Camarillo Metrolink Station every 30 minutes from approximately 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. For exact times, check the schedule at www.goventura.org.

For more information contact Connie Baker at 805-437-3599 or connie.baker@csuci.edu.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI’s Social Media.

A regional consortium led by Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) has been awarded a $13.2 million grant from the California Department of Education. VCCCD will serve as the fiscal agent for the multi-year project called “Ventura County (VC) Innovates.” The project is designed to better prepare future workers and leaders for the local workforce, develop project-based career technical education curriculum, provide work-based learning opportunities for all students, and address skill shortages in high-demand, high-growth industries and occupations. Goals focus on creating sustained career pathways from high school through community college, increasing articulation agreements between high schools and community colleges, increasing dual enrollment opportunities for high school students, and increasing employment and career opportunities for all students.

The regional consortium includes VCCCD, seven high school districts representing 15 high schools, three adult schools, and over 50 employers and community partners. Participating districts and school partners include Simi Valley Adult School; Ventura Adult and Continuing Education; Conejo Valley Adult School; Conejo Valley Unified School District (Newbury Park High School, Thousand Oaks High School, Westlake High School); Fillmore Unified High School District; Moorpark Unified School District (Moorpark High School, Community High School); Ojai Unified School District (Nordhoff High School); Santa Paula Unified School District (Santa Paula High School); Simi Valley Unified School District (Royal High School, Santa Susana High School, Simi Valley High School, Apollo Continuation School); Ventura Unified School District (Buena High School, Foothill Technology High School, Ventura High School); and the Ventura County Office of Education.

The VCCCD Board of Trustees will take action to accept the award at its Board meeting on June 17 at the District Administrative Center in Ventura. “The Board congratulates staff and our community partners on their collaborative efforts, which have resulted in a successful outcome,” stated Board Chair, Art Hernández. VCCCD Chancellor, Dr. Jamillah Moore, commented, “We are proud to be in a position to partner with our colleagues in education to make a difference for years to come.”

The California Career Pathways Trust was established in 2013 by the State Legislature under Assembly Bill 86 to provide a one-time competitive grant to K-12 schools and community colleges that will better prepare students for the 21st century workplace. Groups throughout the State of California competed for $250 million in available grant funding. State officials received 123 eligible applications requesting approximately $709 million. VC Innovates was one of 12 grant recipients in the category receiving up to $15 million.

America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College is now accepting enrollment for its Junior Safari Summer Camp program, which runs June 16 through August 8 for children ages 6-13 years. Junior Safari Summer Camp allows campers the unique opportunity to interact with the Zoo’s animal collection while participating in age appropriate science-based learning experiences. Camp activities include animal presentations, handling opportunities, art projects, and science projects. Activities occur within the safety of Zoo grounds under direct supervision of trained camp staff. Camp hours run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with “early bird” and “night owl” options available. All camp sessions begin with a drop-off/sign-in with a camp counselor.

Age groups and themes for summer 2014 include:
6-7 years of age, June 16-20, Planet Superheroes
6-7 years of age, July 7-11, Zookeeping 101
6-7 years of age, July 21-25, Animal Detectives
8-10 years of age, July 28-Aug 1, Wacky World of Wildlife
8-10 years of age, June 30-July 3, Wild in the City
11-13 years of age, July 14-18, Animal Dream Jobs
11-13 years of age, Aug 4-8, Zookeeping 101

For detailed information, camp availability, and registration forms, visit the “Teaching Zoo” at www.moorparkcollege.edu/zoo or call (805) 378-1441.

Are you a middle school student curious about career possibilities and interested in exploring them? Do you like to invent things or build houses? Do you dream of becoming a rocket scientist, work for CSI, or become a millionaire? Ventura College’s Summer Career Institute will give you the resources needed to put you on the fast track to charting plans for the future. The camp’s main focus is to expose students to real world encounters in career and technical education. College faculty and staff will provide participants an opportunity to explore exciting careers in the fields of criminal justice, robotics, business, and drafting and architecture.

The Summer Career Institute is free and runs July 7-10, 2014, from 9 a.m. to noon each day. Register now to reserve your spot! Applications are available at http://www.venturacollege.edu/careerpathways/camp.shtml. For additional information, contact Celine Park, Ventura College, at 805.289.6058 or by email at cpark@vcccd.edu.

Interested in serving on Fillmore High School’s 2014-2015 Site Council? If so, please contact Barbara Lemons at (805) 524-6100 or blemons@fillmore.k12.ca.us to have your name placed on the Site Council ballot. Parents of Fillmore High School students will receive a ballot in the summer registration packet.

Fillmore residents Juan Villalobos and Armando Vidal each received a $1,000 Southern California Edison Green Jobs Initiative Scholarship. These scholarships were established by Southern California Edison for students studying science, including physics, chemistry, geology, mathematics, and chemical or mechanical engineering. (20 of these $1,000 Green Jobs Initiative scholarships were awarded in total.)

Also in March, Fillmore resident Christopher Salazar was awarded a $1,000 Eileen Taylor Phoenix Scholarship. Phoenix scholarships are awarded to select re-entry students based on their academic goals and progress, along with their financial need who are returning to school to learn new skills in order to be competitive in the marketplace or who are returning to school after an extended break.

Ventura, CA - On May 19, Ventura College will graduate its 50th class of nurses as 43 students receive their nursing pins, symbolic of service to others, by veteran registered nurses during an emotional ceremony whose roots date back 1,000 years to the Maltese Cross worn by crusaders.

The pinning event kicks off a celebratory year that honors Ventura County’s oldest nursing program with the inaugural distribution of the Paul and Bessie Carter Nursing Scholarship totaling $20,000, and receipt of a $65,000 program grant from the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation for the nursing assistant program.

Events honoring alumni and current nursing program students will be held throughout the year-long celebration, culminating May 2015.

“Just in the past 14 years, Ventura College has produced more than 1,700 nurses. You can’t enter a patient floor in any hospital in the county and not find several of our graduates. We are proud that our program is known for its rigor, and our graduates are known for their high level of skills, knowledge and compassion,” said Sandra Melton, PhD, RN, nursing director.

The popular program attracted the support of the late Bessie Carter, who used the bulk of her estate to establish a scholarship fund with the Ventura College Foundation. In early May, four students each received $5,000 from this new scholarship program. The recipients include Angie Salcido, Shannon Franco and Benjamin Romero III, all from Ventura, and Rashea Paquette of Oxnard.

More reason to celebrate is the $65,000 grant from the Dorothy D. Rupe Nursing Program fund at the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation in support of the certified nursing assistant program. The foundation’s grants are awarded to programs providing quality entry-level healthcare training for students, thereby creating economic opportunity for individuals, as well as increasing the availability of certified nursing assistants and home health assistants in California communities demonstrating a critical need in the workforce.

“The program support and scholarship funds we are receiving create a tremendous ripple effect that touches so many lives, from our program’s students, graduates and their families, to all the patients and their loved ones. Nursing changes lives in a profound and positive way,” said Melton.

An 80-year Ventura resident of modest means, Bessie Carter passed away in 2012 at 100 years old. She and her husband worked as civil servants at the Naval Base Ventura County before retiring in the 1960s. “They are proof that you don’t have to be wealthy to create a lasting legacy,” said Norbert Tan, executive director of the Ventura College Foundation.

For more information about scholarship funds and other giving opportunities, contact the Ventura College Foundation at www.venturacollege.edu.

The Ventura College registered nursing program offers an associate’s degree in nursing science, and is accredited by the California State Board of Registered Nursing, and the National Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.

Established in 1983, the Ventura College Foundation provides financial support to the students and the programs of Ventura College to facilitate student success and grow the impact and legacy of Ventura College as a vital community asset. The Foundation also hosts the Ventura College Foundation Marketplace, an outdoor shopping experience held every weekend on the Ventura College campus east parking lot. For more information, contact Norbert Tan at (805) 289-6160 or ntan@vcccd.edu. Or visit www.venturacollege.edu/foundation.

Camarillo, CA - More than 1600 CSU Channel Islands (CI) candidates for graduation will receive degrees in separate morning and afternoon ceremonies on Saturday, May 17, including CI students who have completed their degrees in business and psychology in partnership with Santa Barbara City College and the first graduating nursing class from the CI and Cottage Health System extended campus located in Goleta, California.

The morning ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. and will include the following academic programs:
Applied Physics, Biology, Business, Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, Biotechnology/MBA, Chemistry, Communication, Computer Science, Economics, Environmental Science & Resource Management, Information Technology, Mathematics, Nursing, and Spanish.

The afternoon ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. and will include the following academic programs:
Anthropology, Art, Chicana/o Studies, Credentials (teaching), Early Childhood Studies, Education, English, History, Liberal Studies, Performing Arts, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.

Students eligible to receive degrees or credentials include candidates from fall 2013, spring and summer 2014. A live Web streaming of the ceremonies will be available by visiting: http://go.csuci.edu/live. Students and guests attending the ceremonies can use #cigrad on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, App.net, Vine, and Google+ to be featured on our official Tagboard at http://go.csuci.edu/cigrad.

For more information, contact commencement@csuci.edu or 805-437-3100, or visit www.csuci.edu/commencement.

MASTERS

Master of Science in Biotechnology & Bioinformatics
Nishita Reddy Avula, Sukhada Bhojane, Blake Broaten, Dominique Burns, Kate Caves, Brandon Chackel, Kali Cottingame, Stephanie DeSanti, Adam Dudik, Surbhi Dutta, Maribel Espinoza, Jesus Fajardo, Grant Gabrelow, Zonia Garcia Gonzalez, Derrick Hau, Valerie Hennes, Daniel Hynes, Chuan Jiang, Daniel Joseph, Kusum Kumar, Rex Lacambacal, Arumugapradeep Marimuthu, Daniel McCoy, Aja Meng, Petronela Mikhaltsevich, Artemis Naderkhani, Arthela Osorio, Shane Patao, Shwetha Phatarpekar, Joshua Plat, Eric Samuels, Joseph Saweres, Brook Sell, Jay Sharma, Mandana Shirdast, Shivangi Shirpurkar, Michael Silva, Suharika Thotakura, Kim Tran, Takahiro Watanabe

Master of Science in Biotechnology/Master of Business Administration (dual degree)
Kenneth Connell, Sam Dabestan, Armaun Emami, Dustin Fishel, Deborah Gaines, Bora Kim, Emmanuel Manasievici, Mai Nguyen, Anthony Palanca, Ryder Paredes, Erik Petersen, Luella Roma, Gregory-Thomas Stanger, Vincent Sui, Mirela Todorova, Jonathan Weitz, Sherine Yassa

Master of Business CONTINUED »