Category Archives: Youth

Certificate of Merit for excellence in Math and Science presented to young ladies

Several Ventura students were honored by the Society of Women Engineers.

The San Buenaventura Chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) honored 62 female high school juniors from Ventura County with a Certificate of Merit for excellence in Math and Science. Over 125 students, parents and teachers attended the award event held at Moorpark College on Friday, March 23.

Dr. Scarlet Relle of the Moorpark College Engineering Department faculty hosted a tour of the engineering laboratories and coordinated with Moorpark College to host the event. Sheryl Shatz, Professional Geologist and SWE chapter president, along with Elena Woodard, a microchip process engineer, hosted the event. Seven other SWE members ensured that the evening went smoothly. In her keynote speech, Vivian Goo, retired engineer from Point Mugu, gave academic and career advice to the young women and their parents

In Ventura, the following students were selected from their schools: Buena – Delaney A. Jannone; El Camino – Sophia Nguyen, Cayla Rosene and Sierra Futterman; Foothill Technology – Anna Lapteva, Abbey Bufford, and Rachel Chang; Ventura – Isabel Mercado and Sarah Clench.

From Ojai, the following students were selected: Nordhoff – Abilene Runyan and Claudia Adelman, Oak Grove – Bria Schraeder; Ojai Valley School – Junwei “Ivy” Sun, Wendy Lazo-Dowdy, Peiwen “Cici” Feng; Villanova Prep – Keily Valdez, Maria Reed and Jiale Sherry Zhu.

Math and science teachers, and guidance counselors throughout the county are invited to submit two or three female student’s names from each school to receive SWE’s Certificate of Merit. Students are encouraged to add the award to their resumes or college applications.

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a not-for-profit educational and service organization that empowers women to succeed and advance in the field of engineering, and to be recognized for their life-changing contributions as engineers and leaders. SWE is the driving force that establishes engineering as a highly desirable career for women through an exciting array of training and development programs, networking opportunities, scholarships, and outreach and advocacy activities.

On the national level, SWE also offers over $715,000 in 233 scholarships. For more information about SWE SBV, go to http://sbv.swe.org/.

Deadline for Ventura County Fair Poster Contest

The deadline to submit entries for the 9th annual Fair poster contest will be Friday, April 6. The contest is open to young artists in grades 5 – 12 who reside in Ventura County.

The theme of the 2018 Fair is “A Country Fair with Ocean Air” and will serve as the guideline to the imagery.

Artwork may be created in any medium but may not include the use of glitter, metallic paint, or 3 dimensional objects attached to the artwork.

Poster designs will be judged on Theme, Originality, Composition and Skill. Entries will be accepted until the entry deadline, Friday, April 6. Entries can be brought to the Fairgrounds administration office at 10 W. Harbor Blvd. in Ventura. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8AM until 5PM.

Rules, deadlines and other information can be found on the Fair website, www.venturacountyfair.org. For more information about the contest call 648-3376 or send an email to [email protected]. (Please put “Poster Contest” in the subject line)

Prizes will be awarded to the top three entries, First prize: $500, Second Prize: $250, Third Prize: $100

The winning design will be used to advertise the Fair on Fair posters, souvenirs, advertisements and other applications. Second and third place winners will also be used in various applications. All contestants entries will be displayed in the Youth Expo at the Ventura County Fair.

The Ventura County Fair will begin its annual 12-day run Wednesday, August 1 and continue until Sunday, August 12.

Become a soccer star

Ventura’s AYSO Region 39 will hold upcoming tryouts for its boys’ 12U and girls’ 14U EXTRA teams in April.

The boys’ 12U tryouts, for players born 2007 and 2008, will be Sun., April 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Huntsinger Park, 1198 S Saticoy Ave., Ventura.

The girls’ 14U tryouts, for players born 2005 and 2006, will be Sun., April 22 from 2 to 4 p.m. at Huntsinger Park.

Region 39 plans to have two girls’ teams, with 14 players per team, but may decide to limit it to one squad depending on the number of girls that tryout. There will only be one boys’ 12U team.

Please RSVP to EXTRA program coordinator Daniel Wolowicz at [email protected] with child’s name, date of birth and contact information of parent or guardian. Registration fees and details will follow.

Some key differences between EXTRA and the core AYSO program are:

Tryouts are required. Cost is about $250 per player. Level of play is more competitive than the core program. Teams can stay together from one season to the next. Travel is required, as teams play other EXTRA squads in neighboring cities. EXTRA teams can also compete in tournaments in the spring.

Should a child not make the team or should the team not play due to too few teams in Area 10W, players will still be eligible—and are encouraged—to play in AYSO’s regular fall season.

For more information, call Wolowicz at 415-9177.

VMF Student Jazz Competition

All four delivered compelling interpretations from the jazz standards songbook.

by Paul Peterson

A curated list of top flight high school jazz talent was showcased at Squashed Grapes, on Sunday, March 18 as they competed for cash prizes and live appearances as The Ventura Music Festival produced their 12th annual Student Jazz Competition. Four young musicians from area high schools took the stage, backed by professional jazz players and performed before a packed house of fans, families and judges.

When the music ended and judges results were tallied, all four were winners. First place went to Mathew Kuperberg on piano, a senior at Agoura High School, who offered a charming version of “I’ll Never Find Another You”, second place went to Henry Urschel on alto sax who is a junior at Dos Pueblos High School, and third place was a tie between Jonah Goldstein, guitarist and also a senior at Agoura High (which speaks well of their program) and shared with Finn Dunham, on alto sax , just a freshman at Thousand Oaks High School. All four delivered adept and compelling interpretations from the jazz standards songbook and demonstrated a genuine commitment to the art form, surprising for their age and inspiring to those in the crowd.

The process of curating these musicians begins early in the year, according to VMF executive director, Susan Scott. “We begin with a wide swath of Southern California high school jazz players”, she says. They submit their performances on mp3’s to the VMF offices and in January the judges begin listening and ranking them.

“They submit their mp3’s blind, with no names to the judges, who then evaluate them”, says Charles Levin, drummer and host of the showcase. “That’s how we selected these four. There was a fifth player who was selected but couldn’t come”. Levin, along with other jazz professionals Bevan Manson on piano, and Domenic Genova on standup bass, held down the rhythm section as each musician stepped up and smoothly narrated their instrument on their chosen song. After totaling up the points, the winners were ranked and all the musicians came back up for a spirited jam on the jazz standard “The Chicken”.

This year’s judging team included such notables as the pianist Bevan Manson, Eddie Arkin and Tom Buckner, who made the selection of the winners. Each year the winners package includes $500 for the top prize, $250 for second place and $100 for third. The package also includes three or four live shows during the year including slots on VMF’s annual Rising Stars Concert, a 90-minute concert of jazz, classical and choral music, scheduled for May 18th at 8pm at the United Methodist Church. These are paying gigs for the musicians.

Adam Randall, owner of Squashed Grapes, 2351 East Main, enjoys helping the next generation of young musicians develop on his stage. Like the musicians, he wants to perpetuate the jazz art form. His wall is festooned with signed head shots of hundreds of jazz and blues artists who have graced his stage.

” We’ve had all this year’s winners perform here before but this is their first time with the contest”, he said. Randall also has plans to move Squashed Grapes to a new larger building, a few blocks away, later this year. That’s good news for jazz fans in Ventura, and for these four winners. The commitment of these people to keeping jazz alive is good news for all Venturans.

Seven young women are presented at 61st Annual Debutante Ball

Sophie Buffo, Maddie Kelly, Lauren Powell, Anna Casillas, Hannah George, Jackie King and Sadie McCormic are new debutantes.

Seven local young women made their debut as debutantes at the 61st Annual Las Patronas Presentation Ball held at the Ventura Beach Marriott. The Debutantes were presented by their fathers and grandfathers, and celebrated with family and friends at the white-tie fundraiser gala. The guests were welcomed by Las Patronas Chairman, Wendy Eales. Chuck Spence presided as Master of Ceremonies for the evening.

It was a magical evening with the ballroom filled with exquisite floral arrangements and the use of the Las Patronas fan, a time honored tradition. The girls wore a small gold and pearl fan necklace as a gift from the Las Patronas Auxiliary.

All high school seniors, the 2018 Debutantes represent 4 cities and 7 high schools in Ventura County. In their high school careers, they have distinguished themselves in academics, school government, community service and philanthropy, science, performing arts, and athletics.

All proceeds from the ball benefit Assistance League philanthropies, including the Assistance League School, the Girls Club/Teen Club, B.U.F.F.Y. Bear Program, and Operation School Bell ®.

The following are the 2018 Debutantes:

Miss Sophie Buffo, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Michael Buffo, Camarillo.
Sophie attends Newbury Park High School .

Miss Anna Lauren Casillas, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Casillas, Simi Valley.
Anna attends Oak Park High School.

Miss Hanna Elizabeth George, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James George, Westlake Village. Hanna attends Oaks Christian High School.

Miss Madeline Grace Kelly, daughter of Ms. Suzanne Kelly, Camarillo.
Madeline attends La Reina High School .

Miss Jacqueline Marie King, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph King, Camarillo.
Jacqueline attends Buena High School .

Miss Sadie Josephine McCormick, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jack McCormick, Camarillo. Sadie attends St. Bonaventure High School .

Miss Lauren Powell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold William Powel III, Ventura. Lauren attends Ventura High School .

Cypress Place accepting scholarship applications

Ventura High School students Daniela Aranda and Sierra Conboy) were awarded “Senior to Senior Legacy Scholarship” in 2016.

When the owners of Cypress Place Senior Living decided to create a scholarship fund for local high school students wanting to pursue a college degree, the Cypress Place Senior Living “Senior to Senior Legacy Scholarship” was created.

By awarding two $2500 scholarships to local high school seniors, residents at Cypress Place are attempting to pass on opportunities for young people in the community, according to Steve Spira, executive director at Cypress Place.

Applicants need to have a verified 3.2 or higher GPA and to have applied for fall 2018 admission to a college or university with the intention of obtaining a degree. Applicants are also asked to submit an essay about their reason for pursuing higher education along with a personal account of how a senior or seniors has affected their life, including specific examples of intergenerational experiences of the applicant.

Residents on the Resident Scholarship Committee at Cypress Place will read the essays, then hold oral interviews with the semi-finalists to determine the two award winners.

The scholarships are open to senior students at Ventura High School, Buena High School, Foothill Technology High School, El Camino High School, and St. Bonaventure High School. The deadline for submitting a completed application packet is Friday, April 20, at 5:00pm. Qualified applicants will be invited to a mandatory oral interview on May 11. The presentation of the two scholarships will be held Thursday, May 31, at 5:30p.m. at Cypress Place Senior Living. The recipients must be available to attend the presentation event to receive an award.

For more information or to receive an application packet please contact Pam Staniland, Director of Sales and Marketing at Cypress Place Senior Living 656-9500 x 201,or via email at [email protected].

Cypress Place Senior Living is at 1200/1220 Cypress Point Lane. To learn more about Cypress Place Senior Living of Ventura, visit their web site at www.cypressplaceseniorliving.com.

Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation has received a $10,000 Edison International grant to help fund the 2018 Rodney Fernandez Leadership Fund STEM Scholarship Program.

The Rodney Fernandez Leadership Fund STEM Scholarship Program, created in 2011, honors the legacy of Rodney Fernandez, Cabrillo’s founder and Executive Director for 30 years (1981–2011). The Scholarship continues Fernandez’s legacy of community building by cultivating the leadership of residents to attain their goals, empower themselves and to take action and improve the quality of life in their communities.

“Cabrillo will provide STEM scholarships for underrepresented groups to help reduce financial barriers for those with academic and leadership potential and the desire to pursue STEM careers. We recognize that to increase diversity in the technology workforce, we must increase diversity in undergraduates,” said Cabrillo CEO Margarita H. de Escontrias.

In addition to high quality, safe and secure affordable housing, Cabrillo creates a ladder of opportunity for its low-income residents through comprehensive housing services and educational programs, which include the Rodney Fernandez STEM Scholarship program.

The program provides scholarships for students who wish to pursue education and careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). To be eligible, students must be enrolled in and/or continuing college education, in the process of applying to an accredited institution, or enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, and household income must be less than or equal to 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Ventura County. High school applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to apply.

Cabrillo is currently scheduling applicant information sessions. Dates for these sessions, applications, and additional details will be available on the Cabrillo website (cabrilloedc.org) in April. Please contact the Resident and Community Services Department at [email protected] with any questions.

Cabrillo Economic Development Corporation’s mission is to provide comprehensive housing services and community economic development activities through a community-building approach that facilitates self-sufficiency for individuals and families who are most lacking in opportunity in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, and adjacent areas of Los Angeles County.

Get your game on and power up with robotics!

Get your game on this spring at Ventura College for the FIRST(For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition. Watch 41 high school teams “Power Up” as they form alliances and do battle in order to secure a place at the National Competition in Texas. In its fourth year, this regional competition has truly become an international event. Three teams from China, one from Turkey and one from Switzerland are on board to test their skills with some of the finest robotics teams Southern California has to offer. Bring the whole family to this free event on March 30th and 31st from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. Parking is also free and the enthusiasm is contagious! Cheer on your favorite team, including six new teams from Oxnard Unified School District. Don’t miss it!

For more information: Velma Lomax [email protected] or Anne Campbell [email protected]

To see this year’s games so far https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/frc/game-and-season.

To volunteer visit https://my.firstinspires.org/FIRSTPortal/Login/VIMS_Login.aspx.

Applications available for Rodney Fernandez Leadership Scholarship

The Rodney Fernandez Leadership Scholarship Program, created in 2011, honors the legacy of Rodney Fernandez, Cabrillo’s founder and Executive Director for 30 years (1981–2011). The Scholarship continues Fernandez’s legacy of community building by cultivating the leadership of residents to attain their goals, empower themselves and to take action and improve the quality of life in their communities.

The Scholarship will award a total of $12,500 to its recipients with $10,000, provided by an Edison International grant to be divided among STEM recipients and $2,500 among recipients of all majors. The amount of each scholarship will be determined based on participation and qualifications.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • Applicants must be a resident of Ventura County
  • Household income must be less than or equal to 80% AMI (Area Median Income, See application for more detail)
  • Applicants must be enrolled in their senior year in high school and/or continuing their college education, in the process of applying to an accredited institution, or enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program.
  • Applications must be completed, signed, and submitted with all the required attachments on or before 5 p.m. on Friday, June 1, 2018.

The first priority for awards shall be granted to existing residents of Cabrillo properties.

Applications are available on at https://www.cabrilloedc.org/resident-services. For more information, contact Cabrillo’s Resident and Community Services department at [email protected] with the subject RFL Scholarship, or call 652-2588 or 659-3791 ext. 141