Archive for August, 2008

August 29th 2008

labor day!

labor day!

It’s Labor Day and we’re on vacation in Placerville, CA, on Highway 50 about 30 minutes out of Sacramento.  We always stay at the same Bed and Breakfast, and if you ever are in that area, don’t push on through to Lake Tahoe, stay at the GlenMorey House a night or two!  Family run, Tom and Alison have 3 kids with another on the way–we’ve been coming here almost four years, now, and it’s something to watch the family grow and the B & B to change.  We love it there.

We’re up here, in part, because my father-in-law lives in Placerville and we’re taking him to a Cal fooball game this weekend!  They play Michigan State in their home opener and since dad was a Cal grad, we’ll be in our gold T-Shirts, screaming for the Bears.  It’ll be a welcome escape from the valley heat and a good game I hope.

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August 22nd 2008

COSPuente a Semifinalist for Excelencia in Education Grant

COSPuente a Semifinalist for Excelencia in Education Grant

My Puente partner, Teresa Guadiana, submitted our program for an Excelencia Grant and we just learned we’re a semi-finalist!  Frankly, the amount of effort Teresa puts into the project is phenomenal and it is no wonder it is being recognized.  It is a group effort, though, and we have fantastic support, both from the campus–our president is one of the mentors for us–and from the community, and I am thinking particularly of Fred Ruiz of Ruiz Foods and Dr. Robert Aguilar who have both contributed extensively to keep our project healthy.

When you have a chance, visit the COSPuente web site and look at the faces of the students succeeding with us.  Every smile is worth all the work.

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August 22nd 2008

4Cs 2009 Convention in San Francisco

4Cs 2009 Convention in San Francisco

Not only is it too cool to have the 4Cs Convention in our state next year, but it is in my favorite city!  I lived in SF for a year or so a long time back, but I’d lived there in my head from the moment I stumbled on Gary Snyder in high school (more than a long time back).

So, I talked to some other people and wrote up a proposal for a panel presentation–and we’re in!  I suppose there are people who have written and presented at 4Cs so much that it’s nothing any more.  Not me; I’m like a kid over it.

Our panel is on the Puente Project in California and srategies we use that can filter back to others, we hope.  My co-presenters and friends are Scott Sandler, Susie Huerta, Maria Tuttle, and Grace Ebron.  If you’re there, come root for us!

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August 21st 2008

Neighborhood Story Project on NPR!

Neighborhood Story Project on NPR!

Besides 4Cs, the most interesting thing I did in New Orleans was take a tour of the devastated area hosted by the co-founders of the Neighborhood Story Project, a nonprofit helping to rebuild and revitalize New Orleans communities.  They publish a series of books by and about the various communities hardest hit by Katrina and in so doing give the residents a voice and, because many of the books are authored by young adults, empower a huge underserved population.

Rachel Breunlin led the small van I was in and I became fascinated with the dialect lilt in her voice as she caught us all up on the aftermath of the hurricane and the, frankly, dim future for most of the poorest denizens of the city.

Driving today with the news in the background, I heard her!  Turning up the radio, I listened to Neda Ulaby’s report on the Cornerstones project, NSP’s latest book.  Her report is in two parts on the NPR web site:  Part One is called Charting New Orleans’ Everyday Landmarks and Part Two is New Orleans Empty Lot Brings Neighbors Together.

Listen to the episodes and then check out my experience with NSP at 4Cs.  When you’re done with all that, buy one of their books to help them help New Orleans.

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August 3rd 2008

Vacation 2008–Overview

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August 2nd 2008

Vacation 2008–Last Day, White Wolf Campground

Vacation 2008--Last Day, White Wolf Campground

Tioga Pass was beautiful, and I did get to a nice campground in spite of leaving Bodie late.  But.  So many people.  Yosemite is just so overrun with cars and people, I didn’t enjoy it.  I found a decent spot in the White Wolf campground, which has the added luxury of a small store and lodge/restaurant.  I had breakfast there on my way home in the morning and it was a nice end to a nice vacation.  Not too many pictures here, as I just didn’t feel the urge.

I did see a bear and her cubs, crossing the road right in front of me near Crane Flat.  That was worth Yosemite’s crowds.

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