Recognizing schools that have made an exceptional contribution to promoting, nurturing, protecting and/or cultivating a campus that is safe, welcoming and equitable.
Continuing a tradition of leadership and educational quality, Anaheim High School promotes student excellence through self discipline, self esteem and academic achievement. The school has implemented a number of initiatives to encourage student success. These include programs to increase the numbers of students attending college, such as UC Outreach, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), The Puente Project, Partnership Academies and BRIDGES. Project Say works with students who are particularly at risk and holds an annual after-school College Carnival that attracts over 400 students.
This year Los Amigos High School BRIDGES Program students have concentrated the majority of their time on a school wide project, The Mendez Family Book Campaign, which is sure to have a lasting impact. The campaign educates Los Amigos students on the legacy left by Westminster's Mendez family, whose lawsuit in 1947 established the legal precedent for Brown v. Board of Education. The BRIDGES Program participants were concerned about the lack of mention in their history books of this family who courageously challenged segregation in Orange County. As a result, the BRIDGES Task Force undertook a fundraising initiative that resulted in the purchase of 50 books featuring diverse voices that represent Los Amigos students, their history and their stories - a special section of the School Library now houses the books.
Four years ago, under the direction of teacher Paul Beidler, Trabuco Hills High School (THHS) Off the Wall Theater Company drama students first performed the powerful anti-violence play “Bang, Bang You're Dead". The playwright, William Mastrosimone, based his drama on an actual incident of school violence that, regrettably, has been played and re-played much too often over the past decade. It is the story of a young man pushed to the brink by pressure from peers and parents; unfortunately, his easy access to weapons helps create a nightmare situation. The play was so well received that it now is performed annually at Trabuco Hills in every sophomore social science class - the troupe perform the play seven times a day to 700 students!
Community Leader Awards
Recognizing individuals or groups who have made extraordinary contributions to Orange County in the area of human or civil rights.
Alan Chancellor, the chair of the Huntington Beach Human Relations Task Force, has been a dedicated volunteer member since 2001. The nine members of the Task Force are appointed by the City Council to "promote and celebrate diversity in our community through education and understanding." As a member of the Task Force, Alan chaired the Education Committee where he worked with student representatives to support student human relations efforts in their Huntington Beach schools. Programs for students include an annual district-wide inter-campus Day of Dialogue and field trips to the Museum of Tolerance.
In the last 3 years Erin Lopes has impacted the climate of Laguna Hills High School and produced a new generation of Latino Youth leaders. She and a group of dedicated students created Moviemiento Juvenil Latino (Latino Youth Movement). To foster their work, Erin organizes workshops in the summer and on weekends, has arranged for motivational speakers and gives up her lunch times to hold meetings. Using her own times, Erin provides support and understanding and motivates students to push themselves to be leaders and examples on-campus.
Helping the disadvantaged, young children in Newport Mesa Unified School District by bringing together families, troubled youth and the wealth of resources in the community is what Joe Rosener has spent the last eight years doing. At 76 years of age Joe started a non-profit agency to work with pre-school through 6th grade youth - this volunteer project, FAST (Families and Schools Together) has become a full-time volunteer job for Joe. And, at 84, he's still going strong!
The Orange County Dream Team is a coalition led by volunteer undocumented students whose purpose is to advocate and educate on the plight of undocumented students, the opportunities afforded by Assembly Bill 540 and the hope offered by the national Dream Act. The ODCT fundraises to help undocumented students with scholarships, provides educational workshops, maintains a website, publishes a newsletter, coordinates advocacy efforts and mentors students.
Ralph Sanders is a passionate advocate and tireless volunteer who has worked diligently to enable homeless adults to get back on their feet with jobs and housing. Working part-time with the Interfaith Shelter Network, Ralph finds temples and churches willing to house and feed homeless guests. He remains in daily contact with the homeless participants and works to ensure they gain the skills necessary to allow them to reintegrate back to the community.
The West Fullerton Community Local Organizing Committee is a group of 25 volunteers that has worked diligently on issues of substandard and affordable housing. They have met with city, non-profit and legal agencies to bring their concerns about under-maintained housing and negligent landlords to the attention of Code Enforcement officials and provoke the adoption of the West Fullerton Community Preservation Program.
Community Policing Awards
Recognizing exemplary community-oriented policing projects or initiatives.
Anaheim Police Department's Community Affairs Officer Omar Adham and the Executive Director of the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California, Shakeel Syed, have been two of the key players and driving forces behind the establishment and success of the Muslim Arab-American Law Enforcement Network (MAALEN). The goal of MAALEN, as envisioned by Shakeel, Omar and Garden Grove Police Department's Steve La Fond, was to improve the communication and create positive relationships between law enforcement and the Muslim and Arab-American communities countywide. The six major mosques in the county, the Council on American-Islamic Relations and interested law enforcement agencies were invited to the first Network meeting, facilitated by OC Human Relations.
In addition to traditional crime-prevention programs, the Garden Grove Police Department Community Liaison Division Staff staff have created unique community policing outreaches including - a Child Safety Seat program, a Community Emergency Response Team, a Apartment Team, child-outreach that includes mentoring, homework clubs, book clubs and ESL classes. In addition, the CLD outreaches to one of the most diverse cities in Orange County and has links with the Vietnamese, Korean, Muslim and Latino communities.
Police Chaplain Steve La Fond passed away unexpectedly in December of 2006 leaving a legacy of service and commitment to the community. Steve was a volunteer police chaplain with the Garden Grove Police Department and was instrumental in helping the department make their program one of the most diverse in the country. He provided many volunteer hours to the community with organizations such as his church, the Boy Scouts, the Kiwanis Club, the Interfaith Council. Literally hundreds of people from all walks of life and Orange County communities attended his funeral - he truly had a gift of bringing diverse people together to create common good and mutual understanding.
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