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early one-third of staff out! My school is devas- tated. Not only physical- ly, but also emotionally. We’re talking about a championship school. The most amazing educators who work together, sharing everything; teachers whose students come first. Unfortunately, budgets woes are forcing seven teachers out of education while another two teachers will be forced out of our school. This is a school that just raised its Academic Performance Index by 44 points to 789 (which is a fabulous feat for those of you who don’t know!). I struggled with a way to com- municate how much those nine people mean to us — they’re so amazing. I figure the best way is to just share one let- ter of recommen- dation that I’ve written for one of our two physi- cal education teachers who are out of a job come May. Lacey Coppolo is highly qualified as both a PE teacher and a counselor — and has five years as a teacher in our district but is low on the totem pole. I like to think that the letter gives a window into a woman who rep- resents what’s wonderful about the people at our school. To Whom It May Concern: “While a letter of recommenda- tion would typically focus on an individual’s academic achieve- ments, this one won’t do that. I could go into detail about Lacey Coppolo’s extended educational foray into counseling, and how she has achieved at the collegiate level, but this letter is going to be down-to-earth. I have known Lacey since Stonecreek Junior High School opened in 2006. We, as fellow edu- cators, opened the school togeth- er. She was, and remains, a spark of energy on our campus because of her positive, can-do attitude as well as her warm personality embracing all others. In 2007, Lacey and I began work- ing very closely together — not as colleagues, but as teacher and stu- dent. Lacey allowed me, as a 47- year-old, to join her seventh-and-eighth grade physi- cal education class, where for the past four years I have been treated exactly like a student. The beauti- ful thing about Lacey is that I did- n’t need to have perks or advantages as a teacher, because the way Lacey treats her students is just that: a privilege. Every sin- gle day I — and her 250-300 other students — are treated with respect, kindness, encourage- ment, and structure. We learn, play, achieve, and compete in a loving environment with Lacey. I have seen her deal first hand with bullies; emotional, sobbing teens; students experiencing death; injuries (including mine when I had to get stitches after tripping on the street hockey court); and emergency situations. Does she scold? No, never. She treats all people with respect and positive encouragement in all cas- es. A bully she will take aside and talk to about behavior in a positive manner. A sobbing mess — and students suffering tremendous loss — will be compassionately lis- tened to by Lacey. Injuries and emergencies are dealt with quick- ly, calmly, and efficiently. I am sincerely a better person having had Lacey as a teacher (not to mention a much healthier one as well!). While I am a teacher who has been recognized for outstanding teaching at the school, district, county, and state level, it is I who has learned to be a better teacher — and human — because of the way Lacey models teaching. I give my highest recommenda- tion to Lacey Coppolo.” This is a sign of the times. Through no fault of their own, we are losing so many wonderful teachers like, and including, Lacey — and we are devastated. Peggy Dewane-Pope is a teacher in the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District. 2 The Bakersfield Voice Sunday, April 3, 2011 Share stories, photos, blogs www. bakersfieldvoice .com ■ Submitting your stories for The Bakersfield Voice is simple and FREE! Just go to: bakersfieldvoice.com and create a profile. ■ Choose what you’d like to contribute (an article, letter, picture or community event listing) and post it yourself. ■ For delivery issues, please e-mail: voicedelivery@bakersfield.com ■ Still need help getting your contributions onto our website? E-mail Sandra Molen at smolen@bakersfield.com YOUR EDUCATION N ‘Championship’ school devastated by loss of teachers, friends BY ADRIANA DURANTE Community contributor n Saturday, April 9, three- year-old Nicholas “Nico” Monge will join thousands of walkers at the March for Babies event in hopes to raise money to support lifesaving research and programs to make sure every baby has a chance for a healthy start in life. Preterm birth is the number one cause of death for newborns in the United States — and babies who survive often face lifelong health problems. March of Dimes is a non- profit organization that has been working diligently to find ways to prevent preterm births, and to pro- vide professional help to families coping with the experience of a baby being born premature. Every year, March of Dimes hosts the walk-a-thon in over 900 coun- ties across the country and has fam- ily ambassadors who represent March of Dimes and what they strive for. Nicholas was born premature, understands the struggles from it, and has joined forces with March of Dimes to raise money and aware- ness to the cause. Twenty weeks into her pregnan- cy, Candice Monge started bleeding due to her placenta moving over the cervix — also known as placenta previa. After seven weeks of bed rest, Monge gave birth to a 27- week-old baby boy, Nicholas. Nicholas was born 13 weeks early and had to spend eight weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Although Nicholas’ experi- ence had been a source of great tribulation, he has managed to become a healthy, joyful, rambunc- tious and funny little three-year-old boy. March of Dimes is honored to be working with the Monge family and have named Nicholas as Bakers- field’s March for Babies Ambas- sador for 2011. He and his family will walk to celebrate his triumph — and will also walk for those who are still struggling from preterm birth. The March for Babies event, pre- sented by Farmers Insurance and Mercy & Memorial Hospitals, will be held at Liberty Park, 11225 Brimhall Rd. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the walk beings at 9 a.m. For more information on the event visit our website at: www.march- forbabies.org or call 369-1181. The March of Dimes is the lead- ing nonprofit organization for preg- nancy and baby health. With chap- ters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and infor- mation, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org. Find us on Face- book and follow us on Twitter. Dive into fun! Hospital offers free child immunizations Three-year-old Nicholas Monge named March of Dimes ambassador O handler Bullman takes the plunge during a high school meet last year between Fron- tier High and Independence High at the North of the Riv- er Bakersfield Recreation and Parks District. Do YOU have a favorite sports or “action” photo you’d like to share with our Voice readers? Submitting your photos, stories, blogs, or events for The Bakersfield Voice is simple and FREE! Just go to: www.bakersfield- voice.com, create a free pro- file, and get started today! C CSUB to host annual free Veterans Information Day COURTESY OF CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD SU Bakersfield will host its annual free veterans information day on Saturday, April 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Albertson Room, located adjacent to the Doré Theatre on the CSUB campus. The event is geared toward veterans attending community colleges who may wish to pursue a four-year college degree. The pro- gram also gives discharged veterans and active-duty students an oppor- tunity to explore and learn how to continue their educational journey at CSUB. “CSUB will be joining forces with all community colleges in our serv- ice region to make this program as successful as possible,” said Steve Watkin, CSUB’s director of university outreach. “Through this collabo- ration, we can do a better job serving our Kern County veterans.” The event will begin with a continental breakfast at 9 a.m., followed by presentations about the new G.I. Bill, admissions, financial aid, scholarships and career opportunities. Lunch will be served at noon, followed by a campus tour. Registration to the free event must be made by Tuesday, April 5 via email at: [email protected] or by calling: 654-3138. Parking is free in lots B and C. For more information, contact Steven Watkin, director of university outreach at: 654-3277 or email: [email protected]. C PHOTO BY HALEY SULLIVAN PHOTO PROVIDED Nicholas “Nico” Monge, 3, with his parents, Candice and Javier Monge, and sister, Alyssa Monge. EXTRA EXTRA YOUR SPORTS EXTRA EXTRA CREATIVE CORNER BY FELICIA MORREL Community contributor is duty calls from across the sea Raises his head, says bye to his family The tears that fall don’t hurt half as bad As the ones falling from Mom and Dad Headed abroad to his job Flying away as his loved ones sob Seems an eternity until his return But fighting for freedom, respect he’ll earn Through letters received and those sent They learn of how this time has been spent Countless nights of eyes wide open Praying, dreaming, wishin’ and hopin’ That this soldier and all others too Return home safe, all too soon Do YOU have something to say? To submit your poems, articles, pictures and more, go to: www.bakersfieldvoice.com, create a free profile, and tell us what you have to say! A poem on sacrifice H PEGGY DEWANE-POPE Education columnist California Nation- al Guard Spc. Mikey Codman places a lock on his duffle bag be- fore leaving for additional train- ing at Fort Sill, Ok- lahoma with other Guardsmen in preparation for Operation Endur- ing Freedom in 2004. CALIFORNIAN FILE CALIFORNIAN FILE Students at CUSB campus. COURTESY OF SAN JOAQUIN COMMUNITY HOSPITAL an Joaquin Community Hospital will be offering FREE Childhood Immu- nizations for children against vaccine preventa- ble diseases at the follow- ing sites for the month of April: Sports Authority — Monday, April 4 4821 Ming Ave. (parking lot), Bak- ersfield, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Virginia Elementary School — Tuesday, April 5 3301 Virginia Ave. (parking lot), Bakersfield, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Walgreens — Wednesday, April 6 40 Chester Avenue (parking lot), Bakersfield, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m . Wal-Mart Supercenter — Thurs- day, April 7 6625 Colony St. (parking lot), Bak- ersfield, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m . Vons Shopping Center — Monday, April 11 3400 Stine Road (parking lot), Bak- ersfield, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wal-Mart — Tuesday, April 12 8400 Rosedale Hwy. (parking lot), Bakersfield, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m . Kern County Dept. of Human Ser- vices — Wednesday, April 13 100 E. California Ave., (parking lot), Bakersfield, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m . Wal-Mart — Thursday, April 14 2601 Fashion Place (parking lot), Bakersfield, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m . Taft Health Fair — Saturday, April 16 900 No. 10th St. (parking lot), Taft, from 8 a.m. to noon Vallarta Super Market — Monday, April 18 2705 So. H St. (parking lot), Bakers- field, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m . Greenfield Family Resource Cen- ter — Tuesday, April 19 5400 Monitor St. (parking lot), Bak- ersfield, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m . San Joaquin Community Hospital — Wednesday, April 20 2801 Chester Ave. (parking lot), Bakersfield, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Vallarta Super Market — Thurs- day, April 21 820 Main S.t (parking lot), Delano, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m . Tehachapi School District – Friday, April 22 400 So. Snyder Ave. (parking lot), Tehachapi, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m . NOR Neighborhood Sears Park — Monday, April 25 444 Norris Rd (parking lot), Bakers- field, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m . Save Mart Supermarkets — Tues- day, April 26 2325 State Hwy. (parking lot), Was- co , from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m . Vallarta Super Market — Wednes- day, April 27 5951 Niles St (parking lot), Bakers- field, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. S
