About a month ago, I shared with my 4th grade class that our local Joint Forces Training Base deployed 900 California Army National Guard soldiers overseas and my students decided to write them thank-you letters.
The students also learned that soldiers needed gummy bears, toothbrushes and toothpaste as they are being sent to a place where there is no store, no restaurants, and very little personal supplies.
The class decided to try and make treat bags for as many soldiers as they could. We discussed how to raise the money to do this and it was agreed that the students had to earn the money for whatever they wanted to send. Nothing had been set in stone but it was decided to put a pay-it-forward plan together in the next few days.
That same night, one of my students went home and had a lemonade stand. He earned enough money to buy two bags of gummy bears and brought them in the next day. It brought tears to my eyes to think that a 10-year old took the initiative to do something so kind for someone he will never meet. The next day, more students earned money to buy treats for the troops and thus began the letter writing/care package campaign. I shared the story with one of the soldiers from our base, who is also a Los Angeles County firefighter, and the story spread like a wildfire among department. More and more people began to hear the story of the “kid who started the lemonade stand for the soldiers” and they wanted to do something to help out our campaign.
Word began to spread about what our class was doing and the whole school ended up wanting to participate. Each class has been writing letters and gathering donations to reach the goal of 900 letters and 900 bags for local soldiers. The whole process has been overwhelming as we have had many groups call and offer to donate to the campaign.
Recently, the JFTB sent some of their soldiers to pick up the letters and donations. The Los Angeles County Fire Department also sent a fire truck to take items to their museum as we have received so many donations and needed a central location to take our treats. They will be packed up and sent on Jan. 9 and we will have many students and community members making up the boxes to ship.
There are so many other small moments to add to this story but it truly has been amazing to watch this whole idea unfold. It has become bigger than I ever imagined and it has reassured me that the youth of our community understand that no matter how much you have or don’t have, you always have something to give to others.
Act of kindness goes a long way
Great end to the year for Los Al
The end of 2015 was an exciting time for the Los Alamitos boys soccer program. All teams were busy with their last tournament play before the Sunset League games kick off Jan. 6.
Teams were still in the process of developing team chemistry for the upcoming whirlwind season that challenges the body as well as the mind with two league games a week through the end of the season.
Los Alamitos was entered in the So Cal High School Classic for the second year in a row. The tournament is a true showcase tournament in the top National division, which includes several top 10 teams in Cathedral, Servite, St. John Bosco, Richmond (Northern California), Loyola, Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) and Brophy College Prep out of Phoenix, A.Z. The competition was top of the line and all games were competitive with each goal being crucial to the advancement out of pool play.
Los Alamitos played Servite to a 2-2 draw where a 2-1 lead slipped away with less than 90 seconds remaining in the opening game match. The second match was against Cathedral Catholic which resulted in a 1-0 contest that was not that close. The final game in pool play was against Richmond and was one of the “lopsided” matches of the tournament with a 3-1 victory as the team generated many opportunities with only 3 resulting in points on the board.
With a 2-0-1 record resulting in 22 points and Servite also having the same record and number of points, the tie breaker was Goals Against which with Los Alamitos giving up 3 and Servite giving up 4, Los Alamitos was the number one team coming out of pool “A” play to come out to face the number 2 team from Pool “B.” The semi-final was an exciting match with Brophy College Prep. The game was a tight contest that could not be resolved in 80 minutes of regulation but had to add two potential 10 minute overtime periods to find a winner.
The Golden Goal came in the first overtime period on a throw in from the Los Al side of the field to midfield where Kevin Herring passed the ball up to Julian Guerrero who took the ball closer to the net and placed the ball perfectly away from the keeper for the winning goal. The play was controversial as the throw in by Senior Adam Havstad had a Brophy player foul Adam and the Center Ref called advantage while warning the player but let play continue. That resulted in a wild victory celebration with Senior Julian Guerrero racing to show his excitement on the pitch.
The Wednesday night victory allowed Los Alamitos to represent Pool “A” in the Final against one of the top soccer programs in California, Cathedral Catholic from Los Angeles.
The 9 a.m start meant both teams had to deal with endurance and stamina issues as it would be the fifth game in four days for both programs and the intense play at this level resulted in a lot of aches, pains, cramps and sprained ankles. Several of the Los Alamitos players were barely able to walk after the game and as the grind from the previous games mounted, it became obvious, the players would suck it up and leave everything on the field for the chance to bring home the championship.
The game was an even match all the way and the winning goal came off a Adam Havstad throw in that Julian Guerrero was able to tip and alter the path of the ball just over the reach of a crashing keeper and into the goal with a defender desperately reaching to keep the ball out. Both teams put some nice plays and attempts at the goal but with Senior Alec Lazer making several key saves, the victory was Los Al’s to celebrate and hoist the trophy presented to them for their outstanding team effort and accomplishment.
The 2016 season is geared to be another exciting and successful run by the Griffins as they challenge to bring the Sunset League title back to Los Alamitos and build on last year’s deep run in the third round of the CIF Playoffs.
Safety is top priority for Los Al Unified
As we begin a new year, the Board of Education, Dr. Barke, David Boyer, Meg Cutuli, Diana Hill, and Karen Russell, have continued to make student/school safety a top priority. The Board works diligently with all stakeholder groups to improve programs, stay abreast of best practices, implement new procedures, and provide education opportunities. The Director of Safety, Chris Vlasic, regularly interfaces with law enforcement and city and county officials to improve safety measures in and around our schools.
In the past two years, Los Alamitos Unified has made many improvements. There is a Los Alamitos Police Officer serving as a School Resource Officer at Los Alamitos High School, financially supported by the Los Alamitos, Seal Beach, and the District. Safe school assessments, in collaboration with law enforcement, were completed at all sites, resulting in updated Comprehensive Safe School Plans. A Crisis Response Team meets regularly, and we are creating a new Emergency Operation Center.
Education is a critical part of safety. Several workshops have been conducted for parents and staff, and practice drills are regularly scheduled at all sites in order to prepare students and staff for emergencies. All sites receive annual training regarding violent intruder protocols. Automated External Defibrillators have been installed across the District, first-aid and search and rescue equipment has been updated at all sites, and first-aid and CPR training are provided on an annual basis.
Much work has begun regarding safe routes to School. The School District is soliciting data from families and working with Cities and Orange County Public Works for recommendations. We have additional cross walks and crossing guards for all of our elementary and middle schools. We lowered the cost of transportation and have more than doubled the number of students riding a bus to school, which dramatically improves traffic in and around our schools. And, we have made site improvements with parking, red curbs, etc. to improve traffic flow and student safety.
Part of student safety includes our ongoing work with our Substance Abuse Prevention, Bullying Prevention, and Violence Prevention and Response Task Forces, as well as our Internet Safety Program. Regularly student education and activities, such as Red Ribbon Week, help teach students the importance of physical and emotional health. Recent parent education evenings have focused on cyber safety and mental health.
Some additional improvements include the following:
• Keys in knox boxes at all sites
• Protective window film on all windows
• Lock Blocks on all doors
• Numbers on buildings and roofs
• Training for all campus supervisors
• Visitor Management System installed district-wide
• Improved fencing
The District remains steadfast in our commitment to providing unlimited possibilities for our students, which can only happen when students are and feel safe and secure at school.
Griffins turned away by Edison in league opener
The Los Alamitos High girls soccer team had been on a roll heading into Sunset League play. They had won the Mater Dei Invitational and defeated the No. 1 ranked team in the county, in Santa Margarita.
However, the road through the Sunset League is rarely without bumps and Edison provided an early bump for the Griffins as the Chargers held off the Griffins 1-0, in the league opener for both teams on Thursday at Edison.
“While our league campaign did not begin the way we would have liked, the girls expect to continue to improve our play as league play continues,” Head Coach Mossy Kennedy said.
After a win over Foothill and tie against Long Beach Wilson, to open the Mater Dei Premier Invitational, the Griffins won three straight to capture the title of the prestigious tournament. Carley Brown scored the game-winner in a 1-0 victory over Long Beach Poly in the final.
The Griffins followed their tournament run with a 2-0 win over Santa Margarita, which had just been ranked No. 1 in the county rankings.
Randi Geffrey and Mo Ponce each had a goal in the win over the Eagles. Goalkeeper Taylor Vanis had four saves in the shutout.
The Griffins had two ties and a win in the Excalibur Tournament before starting league play. The Griffins will hosted Fountain Valley on Tuesday and will be at Newport Harbor on Thursday Jan. 14 at 5 p.m. They will host Huntington Beach on Jan. 18 at 5 p.m.
Griffin boys split league openers
The Los Alamitos High boys soccer team opened Sunset League play with a 2-0 win over Marina, but were shutout by Edison, 3-0, last week.
Louie Arrelano and Brian Chung each had a goal in the win over Marina.
The win over Marina was the sixth consecutive victory for the Griffins, who are 10-2-5 overall and 1-1 in league play.
The Griffins play at Fountain Valley today at 3 p.m. and will host Newport Harbor on Friday at 5 p.m.
Kobe Bryant: The Black Mamba lives
When Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers went to the mat against the Boston Celtics for the NBA championship, the onus was on the Orange County resident to dig deep to help the Purple and Gold pull off winning their 16th league title.
Oxford Academy defeats Sage Hill and rival Whitney High
The Oxford Academy Lady Patriots girls basketball team began Academy League play this past week with road contests versus Sage Hill of Newport Coast and Whitney High of Cerritos. The Lady Patriots were tested in both games but persevered and came out with victories in both games to start out league play with a 2-0 mark. This stretches the Lady Patriots’ win streak to six games and gives them an overall record on the season of 12-3 record, which is good enough to be ranked No. 3 in Division 5A of the CIF Southern Section. On Friday night, the Lady Patriots went on the road to take on their fiercest academic and athletic rival, Whitney High of Cerritos, who Oxford had not beaten in five years. The gymnasium was packed with students and alumni who came back to celebrate homecoming and it made for a lively environment for the home team Wildcats. To start the game, Oxford didn’t seem intimidated by the large opposing crowd or impacted by their recent lack of success versus Whitney as the Lady Patriots took a 16-4 lead with two minutes left in the first quarter as Whitney struggled with Oxford’s full court press resulting in transition baskets. But the Wildcats settled down and with the crowd support rallied back using double teams on defense to frustrate the Lady Patriots who didn’t score a field goal over the next 10 minutes. In fact, Oxford who averages over 56 points a game, managed to score just two points in the second quarter. Whitney was powered by Nicole Lee scoring 11 first half points, and was able to get six rebounds from freshman Justine Wu. The Wildcats went on a 21- 2 run to finish up with a 25-18 lead at halftime. The Lady Patriots were stunned. In the second half, Whitney’s opening possession resulted in a Wu three-point basket to stretch the Wildcats’ lead to 10 points. Oxford continued to struggle to score and only managed six points in the third quarter. Wu converted another three- point shot late in the quarter as Whitney maintained a commanding 31-24 advantage to end the period. Oxford was in unfamiliar territory as this was only the second time in 14 games this season that the Lady Patriots started the fourth quarter from behind. Coach David Clifton made adjustments including installing a four-guard line up to pressure Whitney’s perimeter game and to spread the floor on offense for the Lady Patriots. The additional guard on the floor was junior Celine Tran who sparked the defense and the Oxford held Whitney to a single field goal in the fourth quarter. The small lineup also opened up the inside for freshman center Austyn Masuno, who immediately went to work and scored four quick points. Then on Oxford’s next possession, Angie Gagnon hit a 3-point shot to cap a 7-1 run and close the Wildcat lead to 32-31 with four minutes left. Whitney managed to score two free throws to go back up 34-31, but Tran making the most of her minutes drilled a baseline jumper to cut the lead to 34-33. This was followed by four more points from Masuno to cap off a 6-2 Oxford run giving the Lady Patriots a 37-33 lead. But Whitney wasn’t done yet as freshman Christine Hamakawa drilled a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left to cut the lead to 37-36. In desperation, the Wildcats had to foul Masuno, who calmly converted a one and one and the bonus to close out the game and secure a 39-36 victory for the Lady Patriots. Top scores in the game for Oxford were Austyn Masuno with 18 points, while Angie Gagnon scored nine points. Whitney was led by Nicole Lee, who scored 16 points. Justine Wu contributed nine points. Whitney has dominated the Academy League over the past seven years, winning five league titles. In four of those years, the Wildcats went undefeated in league play. Despite the loss to Oxford, the Wildcats are still expected to be near the top of the league and can make up for the loss as the teams meet up again on Thursday, Jan. 28 at Oxford.
Maderas serves holiday meals
One-hundred-thirty meals were served to homeless veterans on Christmas day at Maderas restaurant in Los Alamitos. Art Garcia, owner of Maderas, said he expected veterans to attend but this year’s number exceeded those expectations “I am always unable to [know who will attend], but not only did we get to 120 meals but we served an additional 10,” said Garcia. “Thank you to all the volunteers and donors. Today, we were blessed by God’s love. Bellies and hearts were filled. To veterans: we love you and we are so grateful for your service!” Maderas served Christmas meals to 45 local homeless men and woman veterans, Wounded Warriors, and single veterans with no place to go on Christmas Day. In addition, 80 meals were delivered to the VA Long Beach Healthcare Facility. Maderas restaurant is located at 3642 Katella Ave.
Photo by Tanya Pham
Bright holidays for a family in need
Much to the surprise of one local family in need, The Youth Center in Los Alamitos made the holidays a little brighter by arranging for a monetary donation and Christmas tree this year.
Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous Youth Center supporter, grandmother and sole guardian Barbara Hallberg, 82, of Garden Grove, and her grandson, Hunter Rakutt, 11, who attends The Youth Center’s After School Program, had a brighter holiday season with a surprise delivery of a Christmas tree from the Youth Center’s annual tree lot and a gift of $200 for their little family.
“The donation and tree made our Christmas,” said Hallberg.
“We didn’t have any presents, we have no family to be with, and it helped. You made a little boy very happy.”
The money helped Hunter with long pants and a coat for the cold weather when he walks to the bus stop.
He also got shoes and socks plus a couple of video games, and a charger for a laptop his aunt bought for him.
“These things were so important to him,” said Hallberg. “The donation went really far as I’m a really good shopper.”
This year, they celebrated with a gorgeous, real tree with red lights. Hunter was so excited he ran to a bag of gray and silver bulbs they got from Goodwill. “It was all the tree ornaments we had. We had nothing to celebrate Christmas with except a hand-carved wooden manger scene that says, ‘He (Jesus) is the gift,’” she continued.
Hallberg went on to say that the Youth Center has transformed her grandson’s life of disappointment of not having his parents in his life, to one of purpose and meaning.
“Hunter hasn’t heard from his father in several years and his mother hasn’t been in his life for years as well,” she explained. “We live on my Social Security and two very small pensions.”
“People like all the workers at the Youth Center, who know about his disappointments, work with him, and have made a huge difference in his life,” she continued.
”Their kindness and understanding have enriched his life and the lives of other children. They have changed Hunter’s life, and it’s helping him to get ahead in life. He’s a very smart boy.”
She recommends anyone who has a school age child to send their kids to the Youth Center, as it’s helped Hunter to get ahead in life.
“The workers at the Youth Center are not there because of the salary,” she said. “They are there because they care about the kids.”
Griffins make statement in win over Orange Lutheran
With Sunset League play arriving quickly, the Los Alamitos boys basketball team certainly looked ready last week, in a win over Orange Lutheran. The Griffins pulled away in the final minutes for a 72-61 win over the Lancers in the Orange County North/South Challenge last week at El Toro High. Senior guard EyassuWorku led the Griffins win 35 points, nine rebounds and six assists. Senior guard Pepe Garcia had 21 points, including five three-pointers and also added four rebounds. Orange Lutheran had opened at No. 3 in the Orange County rankings, while the Griffins were No. 4. In the CIF rankings, the Lancers were the No. 1 team in the 4AA rankings and Los Alamitos is No. 15 in Division 1AA. It was a win that the Griffins can certainly use as momentum heading into the second half of the season. “Hopefully we can build off of this,” Griffins Coach Eddie Courtemarche said. The Griffins had a quick start against Orange Lutheran and an early lead in the game. But Orange Lutheran soon closed the gap and the game was tight into the fourth quarter. The Griffins took a 56-51 lead at the end of the third quarter on a rare five-point play. Tied at 51-51, Worku drove across the key and was fouled as he scooped a shot up for a basket. Orange Lutheran was also issued a technical foul and Worku hit all three free throws to extend the lead. Orange Lutheran would rally in the fourth to take a 57-56 lead, after Ty Lassiter dropped in a high-arc bank shot. Worku responded with a baseline driving layup to regain the lead, 58-57. After the Lancers regained the lead 59-58, the Griffins went on a 14-0 run to seal the win. “I think this was probably the toughest game on our schedule,” Worku said. Drew Platt scored an open layup after Connor Laines drove the baseline and dished a pass to Platt under the basket, for a 64-59 lead. Garcia followed with a baseline jumper that pushed the lead to 66-59 with 1:40 left in the game. The Griffins hit six free throws down the stretch as the Lancers were forced to foul to try to rally. The defense kept the Lancers at bay. Platt was key in slowing Lancer power forward Kavaughn Scott, who led the Lancers with 19 points, in final minutes to shore up the defense. The Griffins also prevented second chances. “I think we got some key rebounds that we didn’t get in the first half,” Courtemarche said of the late-game stand. The Griffins had one more tough tournament on their schedule at the Torrey Pines Holiday Classic, starting on Dec. 26. They will host their home-opener at 7 p.m. on Jan. 5 against Buena Park and will start league play on Jan. 8 at home against Edison.
Adidas Cerritos hosts Boys & Girls Club of Cypress
On Thursday, Dec.10, 25 lucky Boys & Girls Club of Cypress members were selected to visit the Adidas store at Los Cerritos Center for a special holiday shopping spree. The members were selected based off of their overall improvement since beginning at the club, as well as for displaying outstanding behavior and citizenship. This event was one of eight across the nation during this holiday season. Each child received $125 to spend at the Adidas store, as well as a gift bag filled with a variety of Adidas apparel.
Oxford Academy wins first basketball tournament in school history
The Oxford Academy Lady Patriots girlsbasketball team finished in first at the Liberty Christian Winter Showcase tournament which occurred Dec. 18-21.The tournament championship was Oxford’s first ever in basketball for either the boys or girls team in the fifteen year history of the school. Oxford won 4 games in the Liberty Christian tournament and improved their record to 9-3 and helped catapult the team to a #3 rank team in the CIF Southern Section Division 5AA. “It feels great to earn the first basketball championship for the school and start to get some recognition for our accomplishments, but right now it’s time to enjoy the holidays then start to get ready for Academy League play on Jan. 5th,” Oxford Coach David Clifton said. The Liberty Christian tournament featured some of the top teams from Division 4A – 5AA including undefeated Rock Academy of San Diego, plus Academy League rivals Calvary Chapel Downey and Brethren Christian. Two weeks ago the Lady Patriots finished 2-2 in the Ocean View tournament while battling big South Orange County schools El Toro, Irvine, El Modena and Dana Hills. Oxford’s strong showing at Ocean View gave the team confidence going into the Liberty Christian tournament as the Lady Patriots would be paired up against schools similar in class.Going into the tournament, The Lady Patriots offense has been clicking with the team averaging 56 points a game, while defensively they have averaged holding opponents to fewer than 46 points a game. In the first game, Oxford met up with The Rock Academy from San Diego who came in with a record of 5-0.The game was tight as The Rock held Oxford’s front court to 5 points, but the Lady Patriots still managed to lead at halftime 23-21.In the 3rd quarter, Oxford broke the game open with tough defense leading to transitions baskets and outscored The Rock 15-3 in the quarter.Oxford coasted the rest of the way ending with a 46-36 victory. The difference in the game was tough defense that limited The Rocks playmaking opportunities.Jessica Pham provided a defensive spark off the bench for the Lady Patriots and they also got solid defensive efforts from Debrah Graver who secured some key rebounds early in the game, Sophia Chan with 6 steals and Serena Ing who had 3 steals.The Lady Patriots had balanced offense output led by Angie Gagnon who led all scorers with14 points,Austyn Masuno scored 12 points and gathered 13 rebounds,Sophia Chan had 11 points, andMylee Madrazo scored 8 and dished out 4 assists. Next up for the Lady Patriots was Academy League rival Calvary Chapel Downey.Oxford came out strong right out of the gate and took a first quarter lead of 22-10.Austyn Masuno was on fire as she scored 10 points, grabbed 4 rebounds, had 4 steals and dished out 2 assists in the first quarter alone.Masuno ended up with a game high 23 points for the contest and the Lady Patriots downed the Grizzlies 50-24.Sophia Chan added some strong perimeter shooting and knocked down 3 – three point shots and finished the game with 11 points, while adding 4 assists to her stat line. Point Guard Mylee Madrazo scored 10 points and also had a huge contribution on defense where she had a game high 9 steals for the Lady Patriots.Oxford got solid front court play from Claire Alcanar who grabbed some important boards and from Debrah Graver who pulled in another 6 rebounds for the Lady Patriots. In the 3rd game, Oxford met up with Connolly, the college prep Catholic high school for girls in Anaheim.The Lady Patriots dominated from start to finish and beat the Koalas 59-21 and earned a berth into the tournaments championship game.Connolly had no answer for Austyn Masuno who scored 26 points and had 12 rebounds. SophiaChan scored 12 and had 8 steals.MyleMadrazo had a balance stat line scoring 6 points, grabbing 4 rebounds and dishing out 4 assists.Both Debrah Graver and Jocelyn Lopez kept the Koalas off the boards and picked up 6 rebounds each. In the championship game, Oxford paired up again against Rock Academy.Mylee Madrazo was a spark plug that got the Lady Patriots going as she scored 7 of the team’s first 10 points as Oxford jumped out to a 16-4 point lead at the end of the first quarter.The Rock Academy was focused on stopping center Austyn Masuno via physical defense and held her scoreless in the first quarter. The Rock got back into the game and outscored Oxford 18-12 in the 2nd quarter as the Lady Patriots turned the ball over 9 times allowing the Warriors to close the lead to 28-22 at halftime.In the 2nd half, Oxford played solid basketball and limited their turnovers to just 3 and Masuno took over the game.She went to the line 15 times and made 11 and ended the game with 21 points.Madrazo added the knockout blow scoring six 4th quarter points to finish off the Warriors 52-42, and launching the Lady Patriots to their first ever tournament championship. Madrazo earned player of the game honors with her outstanding stat line of 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists, plus she played stifling defense against The Rock backcourt. In the 3rd place game, Connelly took on Calvary Chapel Downey and the game was tight as it was tied at 33 after the 3rd quarter.However, in the first 90 seconds of the fourth quarter, Connelly went off on an 8-0 run and The Koalas never looked back as they outscored the Grizzlies 18-6 in the 4th to earn a 51-39 victory and finished in 3rd place. Winter Showcase Top Performers Over the four game tournaments, Oxford averaged scoring over 52 points a game.Center Austyn Masuno averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds. Point guardMylee Madrazo averaged 10 points and 3 assists.Sophia Chan dropped 9 points a game and averaged 6 steals.Angie Gagnon averaged 7 points a game and had six 3 points field goals.Jocelyn Lopez averaged 4 points and gathered 6 rebounds a game. Oxford Academy is now 9-3 on the season and will be back in action when Academy League starts on Jan. 5.The Lady Patriots travel to Newport Coast to take on the Sage Hill Lightning at 6p.m. Oxford Academy Lady Patriots Basketball Enter Academy League Riding High Oxford Academy Lady Patriots Girls Basketball competes in the Academy League, which is made up of college prep schools and includes Oxford Academy, Whitney (Cerritos), Sage Hill (Newport Coast), CreenLutheren (Irvine), St. Margarets (San Juan Capistrano), Brethren Christian (Huntington Beach), and Calvary Chapel Downey.Oxford only won 6 games last year but the team is off to a great start this year and believes they can compete for a league title, something the school has not won in its fifteen year history.
Change of command at JFTB
Artillery fire filled the air during the 79th Sustainment Support Command’s change of command ceremony held Saturday, Dec. 5 at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos. Lt. Gen. Jeffrey W. Talley, commanding general of the nearly 200,000 U.S. Army Reserve forces, officiated the ceremony.
Maj. Gen. Mark W. Palzer assumed command of the 79th SSC from the outgoing commander Maj. Gen. Megan P. Tatu.
“There is no better leader for this command than Mark Palzer,” said Tatu during her farewell speech. “He brings great energy and enthusiasm.”
Palzer recently served as the Director for Logistics Operations for the Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, DC and is a New Jersey native. Tatu is a Southern California native with more than 30 years of active and reserve service. She will be reassigned as the chief of staff for Lt. Gen. Talley at United States Army Reserve Command in Fort Bragg, N.C.
The 79th SSC’s change of command ceremony included a salute battery by Bravo Battery, 143rd Field Artillery and ceremonial music by the 300th U.S. Army Band. Talley serves as the 32nd Chief, Army Reserve and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Reserve Command (USARC).
Hundreds of local Soldiers, as well as state, national and local government and civic leaders attended the event.
The 79th SSC, which is headquartered at Los Alamitos, is subordinate to USARC and executes command and control of the 4th, 311th, 364th, and 451st Expeditionary Sustainment Commands. These Brig. Gen. level commands account for approximately 19,000 Army Reserve Soldiers and Civilians assigned to 209 Sustainment units dispersed across 19 states west of the Mississippi River. Soldiers representing these units participated in this change of command ceremony based upon the tradition started by General George Washington when our nation was founded.
The 79th SSC traces its lineage as a combat infantry division dating back to World War I. The 79th Infantry Division was established in August, 1917, and immediately saw extensive combat in the Meuse-Argonne area where it earned the name of the “Cross of Lorraine Division” for the defense of France.
The division inactivated in June, 1919 and returned to the United States. The division again activated for WWII in June, 1942. After training in the United Kingdom from April 17, 1944, the 79th Infantry Division landed on Utah Beach, Normandy, June 12-14 and entered combat June 19, 1944.
For more information please contact Lt. Col. Bettina K. Avent, 79th SSC Public Affairs Officer, at be*****************@**il.mil or 1-562-936-7663 / 7660 or cell 1-562-343-3349.
Hygienist society donates $4,000
The Long Beach Dental Hygienist’s Society presented a $4,000 donation to The Children’s Dental Clinic at Long Beach Memorial Hospital. Pictured are Jean Petrillo RDH representative of the clinic along with members Shetal Nair RDH, Arlene Parker RDH, Leslie Sehremelis RDH, Katelyn Houska RDH and Beth Wilson RDH. The Children’s Dental Clinic serves thousands of children a year with dental treatment.
Lead roles for local dancers
For the past 12 months, Sydney Kaminski has been in the dance studio practicing steps, rehearsing sequences, studying DVDs of previous performances, and perfecting the routine to land the role of a lifetime in an iconic holiday ballet.
Sometimes that meant staying up late to finish homework, declining party invitations, and skipping opportunities to hang out with friends.
But the hard work paid off – Sydney won the coveted lead role of Clara in “The Nutcracker” at Downey Civic Theatre this year.
“I have wanted to dance as Clara since I was little and first performed in this ballet,” said Sydney, a Seal Beach native and McAuliffe seventh grader who also attended McGaugh Elementary School. “I am really excited – this is a new and challenging role for me.”
“The Nutcracker” has become the most-performed ballet of all time and tells the dreamy story of young Clara who helps the Nutcracker Prince defeat the Mouse King before continuing with Christmas magic and celebrations. Like Clara’s magical dream, Sydney’s dreams are coming true by dancing this role.
Sydney will also dance the part of The Doll, which includes a solo.
And, Sydney will also be dancing with her friends.
Alexi Zoolakis, a seventh grader at Oak Middle School and Rossmoor resident, will also play the role of Clara, in addition to a Snowflake and Mirliton Corps. McAuliffe seventh grader and Seal Beach resident Elizabeth Tsamous, will dance as a Party Girl, a Snowflake and as a member of the Spanish Corps. The trio have been good friends for most of their lives.
“I’m excited to dance as Clara because I’ve never been the lead,” said Alexi, who is preparing for her ninth year as a “Nutcracker” dancer. “It’s every dancer’s dream to be a lead. I love dancing because it allows me to truly be myself. It also allows me to show my self-confidence.”
In addition, Los Alamitos High School freshman Gabriela Fellingham will dance one show as the Arabian lead and the other as the Dew Drop Fairy. The Seal Beach resident has been dancing for six years and this is her fifth performance in “The Nutcracker.” Her sister Lucia, a sixth grader at St. Hedwig School, will perform as a Party Girl and in the Chinese Corps.
The girls dance for the Southern California Dance Theatre and take classes at the Southern California Dance Academy in Long Beach. They began dancing in “The Nutcracker” nearly 10 years ago, starting with roles such as Mother Ginger children and Soldiers, working their way up the ranks to become Party Boys, Snow Angels, and then Party Girls before moving on to lead roles, which include Clara.
To land the Clara role, Sydney and Alexi have worked tirelessly over the last several years, taking multiple classes, including Sunday intensive classes with the American Ballet Theater in Costa Mesa. They also spent their entire summer dancing and volunteering at the dance studio.
Performances for “The Nutcracker” are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19 (Sydney will dance as Clara) and 2:30 p.m. Dec. 20 (Alexi will dance as Clara) at the Downey Civic Theatre at 8435 Firestone Boulevard in Downey.
For more information about The Nutcracker performance or to purchase tickets, go to www.downeytheatre.com or call the Downey Civic Theatre box office at 562-861-8214.
Los Al tennis double advance in playoffs
Los Alamitos Seniors Hope Hairell and Karoline Pintar advanced to the CIF Individual Tennis Championships. Six Sectional competitions were held on Nov. 23 to determine the CIF Southern Section round of 32 Singles and Doubles competitors for the next level of playoffs.
Both Hairell and Pintar earned a place at the CIF Championships after winning the Sunset League Varsity Doubles. It was the first time the Los Al doubles pair had ever played together. This marks the fourth consecutive year that a different Los Al Doubles team has taken the Sunset League title. The doubles team came back after being down a set to first seeded Newport Harbor to win the best of three sets match and take the title. This win marks another winning season for the Griffin Girls’ Tennis team finishing the season with nine team wins to seven losses.
The Griffin girls also saw Juniors, Catt MacEachern take Bronze and Erika Cheng take fourth in Sunset League Girls Singles competition. In Junior Varsity, Taryn Chow finished in the medals with a fourth place finish.
Cypress FC has undefeated season
This team was formed at the very last week of August 2015 just before the Fall season began in September. Under great odds and tremendous effort from the coaches and players, the boys not only finished with the only undefeated record at 10-0 but also went 4-0 in the first playoff tournament for the SCDSL League. They beat LA Galaxy 2-1 in the semi- final and played on Sunday for the Championship against a tough Laguna United FC 4-1. With the new age changes to US Soccer this team is looking to add additional players to their roster. The team is comprised of (bottom row and left to right) : Joey Chavez, Jared Andalon, Brandon Parra, Tony Honorio, Miguel Gonzalez, Ivan Solano, Gerald Kamenski, Hussein Essayli (top row and left to right) Andrew Salazar, Frankie Araiza, Noah Aguirre, Aedan Cooper, Rufino Rodriguez, Paul Giangualano, Bradley Weaver, Danny Ramirez, Nick Leal, Nathan Slevcove and coaches Ajay Godhania and Eddie Chavez
Griffins soccer team starts off with a victory
Los Alamitos boys soccer coach Donovan Martinez knows that the season is long and tough. But at least the Griffins got off to a good start with a 2-0 win over Warren High in their first game of the Aliso Cup Tournament, on Monday at Los Alamitos High.
The Griffins had goals by senior Kevin Herring and freshman Louie Arellano in the first half and the defense kept Warren out of the net to hold on for the lead. Ryan Ayale had assists on both goals.
Warren was a solid test for the Griffins to start the season. The Bears won 21 games last year and were the San Gabriel Valley League champions. They are a program that consistently fields solid teams that play a physical style of soccer.
“We were able to match that physicality,” Martinez said.
But the game could have easily been a different story. Both teams had opportunities that they failed to capitalize on and the Bears had some strong attacks that just missed the mark. Griffin goalie Alec Lazar made several big saves to help preserve the shutout.
The Griffins certainly have potential, but with five freshmen on varsity, they are a young team and Martinez is expecting a long learning curve as the young players learn to play varsity level soccer.
“We have a long way to go,” Martinez said.
Martinez said there is plenty of talent on the team and they have a core of experienced players who should provide some stability to the younger players. Herring has a lot of speed and will give the Griffins a scoring threat against most defenses. Another senior, Julian Guerrero, will help shore up the midfield and defensive line. His presence on the back line against Warren was pivotal in holding off the Warren offense.
Guerrero could also see a lot of time at midfield, where he can have more of an impact on both ends of the field. The Griffins finished third in the Sunset League last year, two wins behind Huntington Beach and Edison and just one win ahead of Fountain Valley.The Sunset League is traditionally a tough and balanced league and if the Griffins are to compete for a league title down the stretch, it will depend on how they develop through the first half of the season. For Martinez and his staff, that will require them to make sure the players are ready to play.
“We just have to be physically and mentally prepared,” Martinez said.
Hedwig volleyball wins tourney
The St. Hedwig’s Girls seventh/eighth grade volleyball team won the OC Parochial Athletic League Large School Championship on Thursday, Nov. 12. The girls lost the first set 15-25, but rallied back to win the next two sets 25-8, 15-12 and win the championship. This is the third year in a row that St. Hedwig captures the title, and their ninth title in the 16 years Coach Jack Senske has been the coach. Bottom row from left to right: Maya Patel, Molly Clark, Shea Hurley, Co-Captain Isabella Bareford, Co-Captain Chloe Allen, Brooke Hill, Katherine Davidson. Back row from left to right: Claire Flores, Abby Karich, Gabi Szymczyk, Kendall Osgood, Paulina Gibson, Dani Maxwell, Ashley Retzer, Fiorella Barreto, Diana Hollis, Coach Jack Senske.
Los Al students sign to college
Los Alamitos High School celebrated National Signing Day for Division 1 students on Thursday, Nov. 12 in the high school gym. These students signed their National Letters of Intent in front of a packed house of family, friends and fellow teammates.
Nicqueline Rettberg (Texas Christian University)
Kailani Marchak (University of California, Berkley)
Kelly Boyle (University of San Diego)
Dani Iwami (Hawaii Pacific University)
Julia Patterson (University of Arizona)
Eyassu Worku (University of California Irvine)
Jenna Holcomb (University of Tennessee)
Kyle Mora (University of California Los Angeles)
Riley Smith (University of Southern California)
Jade Loe (Cal State University Dominquez Hills)
Allison Young (Fort Lewis College)
Easy Choice, WellCare Community Foundation give $5,000 to Orange County Food Bank
WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (NYSE: WCG), a leading provider of managed care services for government-sponsored health care programs, announced today that the WellCare Community Foundation gave $5,000 to the Orange County Food Bank on behalf of the company’s Easy Choice Health Plan. The donation will help provide nutrition for those in need as part of the food bank’s “Hope for the Holidays” campaign.