Kirsten Stephen, dressed in her green alien costume, reads Aliens Like Underpants to preschoolers who attend the Hawk's Nest Preschool, a preschool on the campus of Silverado High School in Victorville. Teens who work with Kirsten at the school also participated in the story time. Earlier, Kirsten who is an advanced student in the child development courses offered at Silverado High School, read the same book and gave a similar lesson to judges for FHA-HERO's Child Development Competitive Recognition Event. Kirsten competed at the state level in this event, and while she did not win a trophy there, she gained the perhaps more valuable experience of meeting students from throughout the state with goals similar to hers.
(FRESNO, Calif.) Kirsten Stephan of Victorville and Rachel Peng of Millbrae didn’t know each other until the morning of Sunday, March 29. By the end of the day, the two 11th-graders were good friends.
A statewide competition in Child Development brought them together. The competition was one of many taking place in Fresno that day for FHA-HERO, a student co-curricular organization to which both girls belong.
Other competitions were in such topics as commercial food preparation, fashion design, and energy conservation. In all there were 20 competitions, which FHA-HERO calls Competitive Recognition Events.
Kirsten and Rachel competed in one of the more popular competitions. There were 28 other students involved in Child Development, and both of these girls were near the end. This left them the entire day to discuss their common experiences as high school students in FHA-HERO, and learn how, otherwise, their lives are quite different.
“I like meeting people and making new friends,” Kirsten said after the end of her competition. “After this week, I may not see Rachel again until next year’s State Leadership Meeting, but I’m looking forward to that already.”
“People from all over California are coming together and making friends,” Rachel said. “We may only have one connection, FHA-HERO, but we are all working towards the same goal and we are all learning together.”
Learning and working towards their future goals is exactly what Janice DeBenedetti, the state adviser for FHA-HERO wants Rachel, Kirsten and thousands of other students in the organization to do.
“FHA-HERO prepares students for success in life, both knowing how to work with others and learning specific skills they can use in a career,” she said.
Like many of the 400-plus students who were in Fresno for the competition and FHA-HERO’s State Leadership Meeting, the girls had traveled to Fresno the day before with their classmates. For Rachel, it was about a three hour drive from the Bay Area. For Kirsten, it was a five and a half hour drive from the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County.
That night they had stayed up late with friends, not just from their schools, but from their regions. FHA-HERO has previously given Rachel, a student at Mills High School, an opportunity to make friends with students from the Bay Area. As an FHA-HERO member at Silverado High School, Kirsten had previous opportunity to befriend students in this organization from throughout Southern California’s “Inland Empire.”
Sunday morning, they were up early. Dress check, where FHA-HERO advisers made sure their uniforms were close to perfect, began promptly at 8 a.m. This is where Kirsten and Rachel first met.
After dress check, the competitors walked from one part of the Fresno Convention Center to another, where two more FHA-HERO advisers went over the rules and procedures for the day. Judges were brought in, and students were then sent outside to wait their turn.
Around 10 a.m., one of the advisers called the first student in. While the rest waited outside, Student Number 1 gave her presentation.
In Child Development, the competition calls for students to give a dramatic presentation to young children that would help them learn. Up until several years ago, FHA-HERO brought in real children. For liability reasons, the competitors must now only pretend.
Most of the group, 29 teenage girls and one teenage boy, read children’s books for their presentation. A few of them made up their own stories or songs.
Kirsten was the very last student to give her presentation, and Rachel wasn’t far in front of her. This gave the two girls four or five hours to get to know each other.
Students usually decide in fall if they wish to participate in a Competitive Regional Event. They’ll need to spend the entire six months remaining to get ready if they want to do the best in the state. Both Rachel and Kirsten chose to compete in the Child Development event because they’re interested in teaching young children, and are reaching towards that goal by taking Child Development at their respective high schools.
In her course at Mills High School, Rachel learned there are statewide expectations as to what children will learn in school. That applies to high schools, where teachers in every subject must develop curriculums based on state standards. It also applies to preschools, where teachers plan lessons from the California Desired Preschool Results.
As if she were an actual preschool teacher, Rachel put together an entire day’s curriculum using the California Desired Preschool Results. She also listed the materials her “students” would use, and what she expected them to learn.
For the actual performance, Rachel made up and led her students in a song called “The Shape Song.” It was a little like Simon Says, but she’d brought colorful shapes for props and the song directed children to do things like “put your left hand on the yellow rectangle.”
Kirsten’s two Child Development courses give her first-hand knowledge of what working with young children is like. In one course, she works as a teacher’s aide in a first-grade class at Discovery School for the Arts Elementary School in Victorville. In another, she actually teaches preschool at Silverado’s own on-campus child care center.
From this experience, Kirsten knew that young children love aliens. She found a story titled Aliens Love Underpants, which is a fictional tale of an alien invasion of a family’s laundry while drying on their backyard clothesline.
To better convey the excitement of aliens landing in someone’s backyard, Kirsten dressed up as an alien, wearing lime green tights, a striped lime green and white shirt and grey shorts. She brought in “Marvin,” a loveable stuffed alien with three eyes and four arms, and read the story to him as well as to the “boys & girls” in her audience.
She also had a about a dozen brightly-colored paper aliens, each with anywhere from one to nine eyes. She led the children in counting the aliens’ eyes.
Winning trophies for their performance was not part of the overall experience for either of these girls. But it didn’t need to be.
“Winning isn’t the most important thing,” DeBenedetti told the students before the competitions had even begun. “The most important thing is that you enjoy and make the most of your time here.”
Kirsten and Rachel most certainly did.
There are more than 750 schools offering the Home Economics Careers and Technology program in California, serving more than 300,000 students. Many of these also offer the co-curricular student leadership and career development program FHA-HERO. For more information, call State Adviser Janice DeBenedetti at (916) 323-5025.
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Thursday, April 16, 2009
FHA-HERO Brings California Teens Together
The Inland Empire - Down But Not Out
Rikke Van Johnson, San Bernardino Mayor Pro Tem and Inland Empire African American Chamber of Commerce President Carl Dameron plan for the future at the 2009 Inland Empire Black Summit.
125 Black leaders meet to plan for the future at the 2009 Inland Empire Black Summit in January of 2009..
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) While high unemployment and an imploding housing market has rocked the Inland Empire’s economy the future still holds bright for the region.
“This is why Dameron Communications and I are committed to Riverside and San Bernardino Counties said, Carl M. Dameron, founder and creative director of Dameron Communications, the area’s leading advertising and public relations firm.”
The Inland Empire is a metropolitan area made up of two counties, Riverside County and San Bernardino County. These counties are two of the largest in the continental United States and larger than 24 of the nation’s 50 states.
“Most metropolitan areas grow up around a central city, but the Inland Empire differs because it is made up of different size cities and unincorporated communities. It is known to be one of the most complex and growing regions in Southern California,” said Dameron.
The Inland Empire consists of 27,298 square miles, in eight different sub-regions; four in Riverside County, and four in San Bernardino County. Together they add up 50 cities and 158 unincorporated communities.
Riverside County: Riverside Central: Riverside, Moreno Valley, Corona and Norco.; The Pass Area: Banning, Blythe, Calimesa and Beaumont; Palm Springs/Coachella Valley: Palm Springs, Coachella, La Quinta, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City and Indio; and Temecula: Temecula, Murrieta, Perris, Hemet, Canyon Lake, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, San Jacinto, and Wildomar.
San Bernardino County: San Bernardino Central: San Bernardino, Rialto, Redlands, Loma Linda, Colton, Fontana, Highland, Yucaipa, Grand Terrace, and Big Bear Lake; The West End: Ontario, Chino, Chino Hills, Montclair, Pomona, Upland and Rancho Cucamonga; The High Desert; Victorville, Barstow, Apple Valley, Adelanto, Hesperia, and Needles; and Yucca Valley: Yucca Valley, 29 Palms and The 29 Palms Marine Training Base.
While the current unemployment rate in the Inland Empire is 12.2 percent (Bls.gov) due to the credit crunch and an end of the housing bubble the median income in the area is $54,991. This is $509 less than two years ago.
According to local economic expert John Husing (JohnHusing.com) from 2000-2008 this metropolitan area added 888,562 people to the region to reach 4,144,088, a 2.8 percent compound growth rate, giving us the 14th largest population in the United States.
We are not just small towns either. Ten cities in the region now have more than 100,000 people including Riverside (296,842), San Bernardino (205,493), Fontana (188,498), Moreno Valley (183,860), Rancho Cucamonga (174,308), Ontario (173,690), Corona (147,428), Victorville (107,408), Temecula (101,057), and Murrieta (100,173).
According to the U.S. Census Bureau the population in the region is very diverse: Hispanics make up; 45%, Whites: 39.8%, Blacks 8%, Asians: 5.7%, American Indian and Alaskan Native 1.3% and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0.4%.
Why is the Inland Empire growing?
There are several reasons why the Inland Empire is growing and will continue to do so in the following years. First of all as John Husing says – CHEAP DIRT!
This region has large areas of inexpensive undeveloped land ready to be built. Businesses can find real estate at very inexpensive prices. Warehouse spaces are under $1.00 square foot, retail spaces start under $2.00, and class A office spaces begin at $1.00.
Secondly, families move here to afford a home. The Inland Empire has acquired residents from surrounding counties.
According to DataQuick, the average median new and existing home prices in the following counties are: Orange County, $493,000; Ventura County, $425,000; San Diego County, $405,000; Los Angeles County, $403,500; Riverside County, $277,000; and San Bernardino County, $257,500.
“With this region’s inexpensive house prices, people are opting to move not only to afford a home, but also to increase their disposable income,” said Dameron. For example, approximately 65 percent of IE residents work out of the area. Many people drive to Orange, Los Angeles and San Diego counties where salaries are 2-10 percent higher.
On the other hand, with prices not able to stabilize due to foreclosures, people who moved to the Inland Empire and lost their jobs, or could not keep up with their house payments are slowly moving from the San Bernardino/Rialto/Fontana, Riverside/Moreno Valley and Perris/Hemet area where homes are more expensive, to the outer high desert areas of Adelanto, Barstow, Desert Hot Springs, Twenty-Nine Palms, and Needles where homes are under $130,000.
Thirdly, the Inland Empire has an accommodating political environment for builders and business.
As mentioned above the undeveloped land is inexpensive, and as this metropolitan area becomes more affluent, developers are building and selling million-dollar homes in the first six of the area’s sub-regions.
The median home price is $830,000 in Chino Hills, a prosperous bedroom community on the western edge of San Bernardino County. The median income of the city’s 79,000 residents is $100,371, which surpasses that of Beverly Hills.
The region also has the major north, south, east, and west transportation corridors that link the nation’s food basket and Pacific Rim through rail, freeways, and airports.
Some of the nation's largest manufacturing companies have selected the Inland Empire for their distribution facilities: Toyota Motor Corporation's North American Parts and Logistics Distribution (NAPLD) center in Ontario, APL Logistics located in Rancho Cucamonga, just to mention some. (Wikipedia.org)
Last but not least Riverside and San Bernardino County have lots of water. The Inland Empire relies on a mixture of groundwater and surface water from the State Water Project, local streams and reservoirs.
Recently the Governor of California proclaimed state of emergency due to water shortages. The Inland Empire Utilities Agency immediately took action by calling all households and businesses within the Inland Empire to step up their water conservation efforts. (Ieua.org)
“Even though the area has been in a drought for the last three years, there are reservoirs and groundwater basins in San Bernardino, Colton, Highland, Big Bear, and Rialto that can supply the region during these periods” said Dameron.
To increase available water supply, the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (Ieua.org), in partnership with local water agencies, is working on two new projects in response to the statewide water shortages; water recycling and extreme water conservation activities.
Water recycling is expected to reduced by 10 percent the need for expensive imported water and at the same time help the area save money. The United States senate approved an omnibus appropriation bill that includes $5 million for the Inland Empire Regional water recycling projects. (Ieua.org)
Extreme conservation activities are requested to increase 20 percent by the Governor’s proclamation, and if this percentage is not met other additional steps will be considered; mandatory water rationing, mandatory reductions in water use, just to mention a few.
About Dameron Communications Since 1989 Dameron Communications has creatively met the needs of our diverse client base locally, regionally and nationally. We are an award-winning agency that creates integrated marketing solutions to increase sales and profits, win elections, inform the public or gain acceptance of potentially controversial issues. We use our 20 years of communications knowledge and experience to advance our clients’ objectives.
Monday, April 13, 2009
FHA-HERO Pushes Teens to Excel
State winners of the Consumer Education, Senior Division Competitive Recognition Event, smile as they accept trophies for their work. This was one of 20 competitions sponsored annually by FHA-HERO, each of which culminated with a state championship on March 29. These winners are Akyra Frisch, second place, Kern Valley High School in Lake Isabella; Katie Jones, first place, Los Molinos High School in Los Molinos and Pofun Wang, third place, Rowland High School in Rowland Heights. Pofun and others in her chapter, including her advisers, say that FHA-HERO pushes them to excel, both through these competitions and in other aspects of the co-curricular student organization, offered alongside the state's Home Economics Careers and Technology courses.
(FRESNO, Calif.) “I love seeing a student who is shy in class come out of her shell and give a speech to a room full of strangers,” said Tracy Taylor, an advisor to Rowland High School’s FHA-HERO co-curricular student organization.
As she said this, Taylor smiled at her student, Pofun Wang. Pofun had earlier in the day taken part in the Senior Division Consumer Education competition, which required her to give a speech to three industry experts serving as judges, two FHA-HERO advisers who were running the competition and whom she had never met before, and others who were interested in what the students had to say.
“I was nervous,” Pofun said. “But I wanted to win.”
Two days later, Pofun smiled and accepted a third-place trophy for her effort. Her schoolmates Josh Cruz and Ujala Batool also received third-place trophies, as winners in the Prepared Speech and Job Application & Interview events. Joanna Guo, a ninth-grader at Rowland High School, took second place in the Junior Division of Menu Planning & Table Display.
Carnie Chung and Josh Huang, who attend Alvarado Intermediate School, took second in the Junior Division of Nutrition Education, rounding out the winning contingent from Rowland Heights at the Competitive Recognition Events state championship held in Fresno recently. This was part of the State Leadership Meeting, an annual leadership training event for members of FHA-HERO from throughout California.
There were other students from Rowland Heights who competed in the state championship. While they did not take home trophies, these students and others throughout the state have benefited from trying their best. So have the many students in FHA-HERO who did not compete, but who are active in the organization.
Taylor sees FHA-HERO helping her students in several ways. One is through the Competitive Recognition Events in which some of her students took part. Another is through the leadership experience more of her students gained at the State Leadership Meeting and by taking part in the Region 9 (Los Angeles/Orange County) meetings earlier in the year.
“They’re getting to meet many different people and build connections,” she said. “And in the competitions, it gives them a taste of their future. Now they know what they might face when they are older and looking for a job.”
A third benefit Taylor sees is building confidence in her students. At Rowland High School, some members already have a healthy dose of confidence, because they have taken part in FHA-HERO Competitive Recognition activities since they were seventh-graders at Alvarado Middle School.
Even if they have yet to bring home a trophy, they keep pushing forward. They hope that next year, they will do better.
“We like to compete,” said Rebecca Sun, a Rowland High School 10th-grader. “We like to win.”
Others, like Pofun, competed for the first time this year. Winning has certainly boosted her confidence.
This confidence is exactly what State FHA-HERO Adviser Janice DeBenedetti wants students in FHA-HERO to have.
“FHA-HERO builds confidence,” she said. “It prepares students for success in life, both knowing how to work with others and learning specific skills they can use in a career.”
There are more than 750 schools offering the Home Economics Careers and Technology program in California, serving more than 300,000 students. Many of these also offer the co-curricular student leadership and career development program FHA-HERO. For more information, call State Adviser Janice DeBenedetti at (916) 323-5025.
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Friday, April 10, 2009
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS TO RECOGNIZE CARL DAMERON & 16 OTHER COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS AS CITIZENS OF ACHIEVEMENT
Hollywood entertainers participating in Urban Dreams Film Festival
(ONTARIO, Calif.) Hollywood TV and film producers Bentley Kyle Evans, Gus Blackmon and Stacey McClain will be participating in the Inland Empire’s First Annual Urban Dreams Filmworks Festival.
This unprecedented two-day event offers aspiring filmmakers the unique opportunity to showcase their talent and get recognized by Hollywood’s most revered entertainment professionals.
Industry leaders will lend their expertise to aspiring filmmakers who want to get their start in the entertainment industry. The festival will take place at the Ontario Convention Center June 19th and June 20th 2009. It is the first of its kind and is a major opportunity for new filmmakers in the Inland Empire and around the world who desire to excel in the industry.
Applicants can expect to showcase their skills as well as learn some new ones from Hollywood’s top TV and film executives who will be teaching seminars in scriptwriting, music video production and choosing actors. Expert entertainment financial planner Terrell Hickman will also be conducting a finance seminar.
Other notable entertainment professionals participating in the festival include singer Mark Wood, the original singer of Lakeside. Judges for the festival will include actor and producer Anthony Herron, who will also teach a screenwriting class. Ken Dickson, a Warner executive producer with an acting background in stage, TV and film productions, will also be at the event.
Erick Benson, Founder of The Urban Dreams Filmworks Festival, adds, “Stacey McLain-Fields has been a head writer for ‘The Parkers’ sitcom, and “The Jamie Foxx Show.” Fields was also a screenwriter of a B.E.T. Movie of the Week and a story editor for a decade or more. Stacey will be an award presenter and will hold a seminar on Writing for Television.”
For further information on festival events, submission guidelines and fees, student entries, seminar offerings and more, please visit www.urbandreamsfilmworks.com or call (909) 268-5303.
About Urban Dreams Filmworks
The founder of Ontario, California’s Urban Dreams Filmworks Inc., is Erick Benson.
He created Urban Dreams Filmworks as a cutting-edge film company to write and produce quality films with positive messages. The goal is to expose the world to stories that can change lives and create tomorrow’s horizons today.
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Educators Say "Education Is A Civil Right"
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) The Rialto Alliance of Black School Educators (RABSE) tackles a pressing issue in education during its first annual Spring Conference and Educational Luncheon from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m., Saturday, April 11.
The conference’s theme is “Education is a Civil Right.” The event, sponsored by the University of Redlands, will be held on campus at Orton Center, 1200 E. Colton Ave. in Redlands.
“One of the goals of the conference is to inform both educators and parents how to better prepare their children for school, college and life.” said Craig Aguillard, a member of RABSE.
Aguillard, and his wife Suzy, are founders of ACQUIRE Educational Services, Inc., a company that provides tutorial services for adults and students. “We want to make sure African American students, and other students of color, receive an adequate education.” Aguillard said.
The keynote speaker is Dr. Charlie Mae Knight, an educator and civil rights activist. Knight’s more than 40-year career includes spells as president of the National Alliance of Black School Educators, associate superintendent of the California Department of Education, superintendent of Lynwood Unified School District and superintendent of Ravenswood City School District.
The opening speaker is Dr. Lawson Bush, director of the University of California, Irvine/Cal State University, Los Angeles Joint Doctoral Program. Bush is the author of Can Black Mothers Raise Our Sons.
Bush has also worked as a school principal and conducted research into African American education history. He is the founder of Imani Saturday Academy, a program that provides K-12 students with instruction in math/science, Language Arts, African history and martial arts.
Conference registration is $40 per person. Checks can be mailed to 6331 Haven Ave., Suite 13, Mailbox 187, Alta Loma, CA 81737. For more information e-mail Rabse@gmail.com
ACQUIRE Educational Services Inc. operates its ACQUIRE Learning Center at 1188 W. Leiske Avenue, Ste. 100 in Rialto. ACQUIRE Educational Services can also work with students in their homes. For more information, call (909) 875-3356 or visit www.Acquire3.net.
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Thursday, April 9, 2009
TWO ART INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA – INLAND EMPIRE DEGREE PROGRAMS STIRRING UP INLAND EMPIRE’S PASSION FOR FASHION
Tiffany Leilani models a gown designed by Adrianna Diaz, a Fashion Design student at The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire. The Fashion Design and Fashion Retail Marketing programs at The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire prepare students for exciting careers in the fashion industry.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – “If you want to see the world, fashion is a great industry to be in.”
So says Academic Director for Fashion Sherry West, who oversees The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire’s fashion programs. There are two programs of study within this discipline, Fashion Design and Fashion & Retail Management.
“You would spend three to four years in a Fashion Design program to obtain a position as an assistant fashion designer,” West said. “That is only the beginning. There are hundreds of opportunities within this field.”
Every level of fashion, from discount to luxury, relies on designers, she pointed out. And within each level there are men’s, women’s and children’s clothes. Designers create clothing from swimming suits to evening gowns to theatrical costumes, as well as accessories like belts and purses. They also create the designs for patterns (i.e. floral) and trims seen on clothes.
“You could pick a brand and go for it,” West said. “
“I don’t recommend anyone go straight from college to having their own fashion line” West said. “I think they should get the experience, travel and see their creations made and successfully marketed, without the pressure of being responsible for the overall success as a business owner.”
An ability to draw is one skill a fashion designer must possess, according to West. “They have to be able to convey their ideas in an illustratable form,” she said.
Another must is a love of travel. The fashion capitals of the world are Los Angeles, New York, Paris and Milan, West explained.
Ontario’s Anchor Blue is one of several fashion designers in the Inland Empire, and there are many others farther away from Los Angeles or New York. Still, these designers will need to travel, she said.
There is another side of fashion that’s just as exciting as design work, according to West. That’s the marketing side, and these are the careers for which the Fashion & Retail Management degree program prepares students.
“Fashion & Retail Management is an exciting program for our area retailers,” West said. “The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire has determined this area is a prime location for this program.”
“The Inland Empire area needs a qualified labor force in the fashion marketing industry, said Phyllis Clark an Art Institute of California – Inland Empire fashion programs instructor and member of the programs’ advisory board. “There are a growing number of large, upscale retail centers in the two-county area. A few of these are Victoria Gardens and the Ontario Mills Outlet Mall in the west San Bernardino Valley, the Galleria at Tyler and Riverside Plaza in Riverside, and the Cabazon Outlet Mall in Cabazon and El Paseo in Palm Desert.”
Fashion Design & Retail Management can prepare students to work as merchandise or store managers in these high-end malls or major department stores in the Inland Empire.
“We want them to aim high,” she said. “And to do that, most will have to leave the Inland Empire.”
Fashion advertising is another career field for which this degree prepares students, West said. Some of these people work for fashion magazines; others create brochures and catalogues used to market new fashions.
People with bachelor’s degrees in Fashion & Retail Management might also work in a design firm’s marketing or product development departments, as a human resources manager for either a design house or a retail chain or as a “visual merchandiser,” according to West. A visual merchandiser is a person who sets up creative marketing displays to help persuade either the wholesale or retail consumers to purchase fashions.
While the career paths for which The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire’s fashion programs prepare students are different, they are closely related, West said.
“Fashion designers need retailers to sell the clothes they design,” she said. “Retailers need fashion designers to have clothes to sell. I teach these students to work together.”
“There are entry-level opportunities for fashion designers and fashion and retail marketers with Bachelor’s degrees,” West said. “But they have to obtain an education. It is such a fast-paced industry they will need as much knowledge as possible. The more knowledge they have, the more marketable they are.”
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate of Science degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin May 14 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information or a tour, call The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), a system of over 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
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Wednesday, April 8, 2009
“BOLT” ANIMATOR TELLS STUDENTS HOW TO OBTAIN BALANCE IN DEMANDING CAREER
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) – Charles “Boola” Robello will tell how he balances his duel roles as a character animator and father of two in a 12 noon presentation Saturday, April 18 at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire.
Robello, who works with the Los Angeles animation studio Rhythm & Hues, most recently did character animation for Disney’s movie “Bolt.” He also worked on Monster House, Spiderman 3, The Incredible Hulk and I Am Legend, as well as many other films.
“He’s one of the top animators in the industry,” said Santsosh Oommen, academic director for Animation & Media Arts and Game Art & Design. “He worked in traditional animation and now does character animation by computer.”
The presentation is open to the public at no cost. Those who wish to attend should RSVP by calling Santosh Oommen at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100 or (800) 353-0812.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate of Science degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate Degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin May 14 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information, or to arrange a tour, call The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.
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Gospel Singer to Perform Easter Concert
Gospel singer Helen McNair will perform Saturday, March 11 at the Victoria Woods Senior Apartments.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Gospel singer Helen McNair is scheduled to perform at the Victoria Woods Senior Apartments, 1095 Kendal Dr, San Bernardino, as part of Easter festivities. The event, sponsored by Gene Chandler, president, and Helen Chandler, activities director, at the Victoria Woods Senior Apartment, is scheduled for 4 p.m., Saturday, April 11.
“Easter is a time of celebration and joy for people around the world,” McNair said. “It’s an honor to perform for the residents of Victoria Woods Senior Apartments on this special occasion.”
McNair began her professional career in the 1960s, along with her two sisters, in New Brunswick, N.J. in a group known as the Georgettes. They began by singing in their church and traveling to New York City to record as background singers for professional and upcoming artists.
McNair has performed with The Clara Ward Singers, Prof. James Cleveland, Prof. Raymond Raspberry, Gregory Perkins-Bowen, Vernard Johnson, Shirley Caesar and Albertina Walker.
Currently, McNair performs for weddings, banquets, community organizations and church functions throughout the Inland Empire, Los Angeles and beyond.
Her repertoire includes, gospel, spirituals, songs for special occasions and the classics. She is a member of the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in San Bernardino, and is active in the Sanctuary choir, the Mass choir and the Mission chorus.
For more information about booking McNair contact (909) 888-0017.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
THE ART INSTITUTE OF CALIFORNIA – INLAND EMPIRE TO DELIVER CAN STATUE TO SALVATION ARMY
That’s the message The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire has for everyone the week of April 19-25, as it partners with The Salvation Army for a canned food drive. It’s conducting this drive as part of the National Week of Service, a project in which most campuses of The Art Institutes schools are participating.
These cans collected by The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire will provide nourishment to the more than 200 people The Salvation Army feeds every day at its Hospitality House shelter on Fifth Street. But first, they’ll be used for what The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire does best – create art.
“Our students will create a sculpture with the cans,” said Thomas Bustamante, dean of student affairs. “We will then display this creation during our open house on Saturday, April 25.”
Hospitality House dinner guests will actually benefit from The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire’s community service project twice during the week. A second project calls for Culinary Arts students and staff from all departments of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire to prepare and serve a dinner at the Salvation Army’s Hospitality House shelter one day during the National Week of Service.
“The goal in both of these projects is to positively affect the Inland Empire, and to show the importance of service to our students,” said Emam El-Hout, president of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. “This is our opportunity to have an impact on all of our communities.”
The public is invited to visit The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at its San Bernardino campus during the April 25 open house, at which the “can sculpture” will be displayed. The campus address is 630 E. Brier Drive.
The open house, which begins at 10 a.m. is an opportunity to learn more about the school’s programs, discuss educational goals, tour the facilities, learn about tuition scholarship opportunities and gain a first-hand look at how a creative education from an Art Institutes School can be the preparation for an exciting career.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate of Science degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin May 14 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information, or to arrange a tour, call The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu
ATTORNEY BARNES HELPS NAVIGATE COMPLEX REAL ESTATE MATTERS
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Sharon Barnes combines her expertise as an attorney and Real Estate broker to help investors and homeowners find solutions to today's complex Real Estate issues.
(COLTON, Calif.) Sharon Barnes, attorney and Real Estate broker, helps people find solutions in today’s complex Real Estate market.
“They’re in default and underwater, trying to understand their options they are faced with infomercials and new regulations,” Barnes explained. “Many homeowners and Real Estate investors are feeling overwhelmed. They just want a person with integrity to explain their options in way they can understand.”
What if someone owns multiple investment properties they’re having trouble renting to qualified tenants in this cold economy? Or something has come up that makes it necessary to sell the properties? Or what if they need to resize their business operations?
Barnes also helps homeowners and investors understand the impact of a short sale or foreclosure on their credit, and decide if selling at a loss is better than walking away
“I bridge the gap between legal services and Real Estate services,” Barnes said.
Barnes has worked as an attorney for 20 years and owns APEX Legal Corporation. She also obtained a Real Estate broker’s license three years ago, and works as an associate broker with the Colton office of MGR Services, Inc. This corporation assists its clients in both commercial and residential sales, as well as property management.
In both of her professions, she’s seen many situations where the services of both an attorney and a Real Estate broker are needed. Barnes provides both.
“In these situations, most Realtors will tell you, ‘We need an attorney,’ “ Barnes said. “I deliver that service as part of the Real Estate services I provide. Most of the time it is not necessary to incur the costs of an attorney outside the Real Estate transaction.”
She also helps busy professionals, such as doctors, attorneys and certified public accountants who wish to invest (or disinvest) in Real Estate. Barnes can handle the purchase and sale of these homes, help her clients obtain whatever insurance they will need on the property, and find tenants to live in and care for the property through MGR’s property management division.
One service, which she can offer through APEX Legal Corporation, is the creation of a living trust. Another strategy she can help investors work through is to create multiple limited liability corporation or LLC’s to protect their assets.
“Many investors utilize living trusts to manage millions of dollars in real estate assets without creating an LLC,” Barnes said. “Some types of Real Estate holdings are not conducive to an LLC and must be handled under a corporation or Real Estate Investment Trust. Investors who appreciate the various investment strategies are those to whom I can deliver the best service.”
Another benefit to living trusts is that unlike a will, a living trust allows a spouse or other designee to make decisions should someone become incapacitated.
“If you are married, or if you have children, you should have a living trust,” Barnes said. “This is especially true if you are self-employed.”
In California, Real Estate and businesses are considered community property, Barnes explained. This usually means one spouse can’t make a transaction affecting these without the consent of the other. A living trust gives the spouse, adult child or partner authority to make these decisions on the other’s behalf.
Barnes recalls one client, a middle-aged couple that did not have a living trust. The man, who was self-employed, had contracted bacterial meningitis and could no longer speak.
“His wife didn’t know what to do,” Barnes said. “She couldn’t get any money out of the business without his signature. She couldn’t get any money out of the equity in their house. A living trust would have allowed her to.”
Likewise, a living trust would have allowed an elderly woman whose husband had end-stage Parkinson’s’ disease, and who needed to sell property to pay for $200,000 in debt the couple had incurred. But, with her husband alive but too ill to sign papers, she could not do so.
“We had to file for a conservatorship, and an attorney was appointed by the court, supposedly to represent the husbands’ interests,” Barnes said. “He tried to prevent my client from getting some of the money she needed, in case he would need it to pay for care in a convalescent hospital. But he didn’t need convalescent care. She had been married to him for 47 years, and if he needed diapers, she would have put diapers on him. A living trust would have made that clear.”
Yet another of Barnes’ clients was a couple in their 80s, whose 56-year-old daughter had a medical condition that caused her to lapse into a coma. The parents weren’t able to prove they were responsible for their daughter, and were prevented from making decisions about her medical care.
“Living trusts also allow the transfer of a home to a child or children upon the parent’s death, “ Barnes said. “Without them, the transfer must be handled by probate, which can get expensive, especially if you have more than one child, or if survivors do not agree.”
Sharon Barnes is an experienced Real Estate attorney and certified commercial broker. Her expertise includes working with developers, contractors, investment groups, mortgage bankers and business owners. By combining legal and Real Estate expertise she provides valuable service to investors and property owners throughout the Inland Empire.
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Monday, April 6, 2009
STUDENTS NETWORK WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AT ‘PORTFOLIO’ SHOW
Tracy O'Bannon, a recent graduate of The Art Institute of California - Inland Empire's Interior Design program, showed her portfolio at the recent Winter Graduate Portfolio Exhibit held at the Riverside Art Museum. Manny Otiko photo
(RIVERSIDE, Calif.) New graduates received some help entering the job market when The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire hosted its Winter Graduate Portfolio Exhibit recently at the Riverside Art Museum.
Cindy Jones, director of career services, said The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire hosts a Graduate Portfolio Exhibit each quarter. One of the main goals of the exhibit is to introduce students to industry experts who can offer critiques and feedback on their work.
“Apart from educating students for careers in the creative field, the school is also responsible for providing them with skills that will help them succeed in the workforce,” said Jana Rawling, academic director for Graphic Design.
“I want to make sure that all of our students are hirable, and have the ability to get and keep a job,” Rawling said. “It’s important that students know how to dress up and show up in a professional manner.”
Another important part of the exhibit is helping students develop important ties with key members of their industry. “Some industry members are looking for future employees, while others are trying to figure out where the industry is going,” Rawling said. “The best way they can learn that is by talking to students, who are the future of the industry.”
Rawling said the exhibit featured work from interior design, culinary arts and graphic design students. Rawling said students are required to produce a portfolio before they graduate.
Tracy O’Bannon, an interior design graduate, was one of the students who displayed her work at the exhibit. “Creating a portfolio is a great way to keep track of all the work you have done during your degree program,” O’Bannon said.
“You sum up everything you have learned at school. My portfolio contains all the work I have done over the last three years,” O’Bannon added. “You don’t know how much you have done until you sit down and compile everything.”
O’Bannon said she talked to several potential employers at the exhibit who gave her great feedback. “They were very impressed with my graphic design work,” she said. “Most of the feedback was positive.”
Cesar Bahena, an interior design graduate, said the Graduate Portfolio Exhibit allows students to rub shoulders with industry experts and learn about the job market. He said he met several industry professionals and explained his design concepts to them. “They gave me great feedback on my 3D design work, and they liked my concepts,” Bahena said.
Bahena said that interior design graduates can pursue employment with design firms, architecture firms or do freelance work. They are often employed to redesign restaurants, office buildings and homes, Bahena noted.
Bahena also added that the Graduate Portfolio Exhibit is a great way for students to showcase their work to the public and industry professionals. “It gives us an opportunity to show everyone what we are capable of,” Bahena said.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate of Science degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate of Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management. Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin May 14 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information or a tour, call (909) 915-2100.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), a system of over 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
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WORKSHOPS HELP EXECUTIVES DRAW LEADERSHIP LESSONS FOR TODAY’S BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT FROM PRESIDENT OBAMA
Kathleen Dameron, owner of KD Conseil, has created a series of workshops to help business leaders draw inspiration from United States President Barack Obama in their own leadership.
(PARIS, France) – United States President Barack Obama inspires millions of people on both sides of the Atlantic.
KD Conseil will host a series of workshops to help international business executives turn President Obama’s success strategies into personal success. These workshops take place on evenings and weekends.
“In his 2008 presidential campaign, Barack Obama inspired many in today’s challenging environment,” said Kathleen Dameron, owner of KD Conseil. “Obama managed one of the best campaigns in history. He won in a landslide to be the first African American president. These workshops will show business leaders how they can use Barack Obama’s leadership skills to win in whatever situation they face,”
KD Conseil is hosting a series of three-hour workshops that explore aspects of President Obama’s winning campaign strategy and how they can apply to today’s business environment.
“The first of the five workshops inspired participants to implement opportunities in their business and professional environments to lead with the skills they admire in Obama,” Dameron said.
The remaining sessions are:
• Gaining the Vision — April 29th 7pm-10pm
This session explores how Obama found unifying messages that brought diverse people, opinions and agendas together.
• Creating Balance in Your Life — TBD (May) 7pm-10pm
This session shows that even though the campaign for President of the United States is one of the most demanding jobs in the world, President Obama still had time for the things that gave him balance in his life. The participating business executives will learn how, like President Obama when he was on the campaign trail (and now as United States President), they too can lead a balanced life.
The evening workshops take place at Espace Trinité, 3 rue de la Trinité 75009 Paris and cost $35 Euros. This includes heavy hors d'oeuvres and refreshments.
Dameron has experienced first-hand the effectiveness of President Obama’s leadership skills. Although she lives in Paris, this native of East St. Louis, Illinois was so impressed with Obama, after he won the Iowa caucus she came to the United States for several weeks to campaign for him in the swing state of Missouri.
“Working on this highly successful campaign inspired me to think about how I could use my own skills, which are in training and coaching, to contribute to developing leadership in more people, and more of the leadership skills we need to face today’s challenges. From that, I came up with the idea for these workshops,” she said.
“What impresses me the most about Barack Obama is how much he stays in touch with his people,” Dameron said. “After the election he quickly sent all of his staff and volunteers an email detailing what we could expect next, and what he could and could not do. I continue to receive emails from him about once a week.”
“What about him most impresses you?” she asks. “That’s probably where your leadership potential lies.”
KD Conseil is also hosting weekend workshops designed to help business executives take what they admire about Obama and use it in their own way.
The upcoming weekend workshops is ““The Art and Power of Life Balance,” to be held May 21-24. Cost for the May weekend workshop is 600 Euros.
The participants in these workshops will discuss their impressions of Obama. Then they will provide feedback to other participants as to how they could best use their own skills in the same area.
Dameron, owner of KD Conseil (a consulting firm offering international business executives training and coaching in how to manage their companies in a global environment) and Alan Steinborn, an authority on business leadership, facilitate the workshops.
Seating is limited. To reserve your seat or for more information about KD Conseil and any of the workshops it is holding, call 33 (01) 42 21 00 73 or email info@kdconseil.com
French and English speakers may obtain information about the company through the website www.kdconseil.com.
Kathleen Dameron, born in East St. Louis, Illinois, lived in southern California before moving to Europe. She graduated from University of Redlands in California. She also has a degree from the Universitè de Paris. She resides in Paris, France, where she established KD Conseil in 1992.
KD Conseil helps multi-national firms understand the different cultures within their organization. By understanding and working through cultural differences, KD Conseil helps the firm develop “shared practices” that will be highly efficient ways of delivering their services and products in a global market.
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Friday, April 3, 2009
Some people are turning to canned food to cut costs at the grocery store.
At the Inland Empire Art Institute of California, culinary students are learning how to stretch food dollars by making meals mainly from cans. According to Executive
link
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/7_on_your_side&id=6272149
By Lori Corbin
Some people are turning to canned food to cut costs at the grocery store.
At the Inland Empire Art Institute of California, culinary students are learning how to stretch food dollars by making meals mainly from cans. According to Executive Chef Eyad Joseph, that can be a great way to cook and save.
"Very affordable, healthy, you can make it taste great and it's something new that a lot of people haven't experienced," said Chef Joseph.
At a recent fundraiser, called the "Canstruction Luncheon," Joseph competed against other seasoned chefs in a challenge to create great meals from canned cuisine.
"And we were told we were going to make a dish out of a canned item and make it look great, taste great, and affordable," said Chef Joseph.
One chef made an English salmon curry made of canned salmon, coconut milk, sweet peas and white beans as the main ingredients.
"Another chef used a chicken item that he incorporated with canned tomatoes and canned beans and other vegetables like canned asparagus and water chestnuts and made a beautiful salad out of it," said Chef Joseph.
Chef Joseph, who was raised in the Middle East, created dishes like a simple pizza, tuna salad, hummus and baba ganoush. Joseph chose meals where vegetables played a major role on the plate and cost as little as 80 cents to make.
Fresh food loses its nutrients the moment that it is picked. Then there is the time it takes for the food to get to the warehouse and then to the market. Finally, food may lose even more nutrients depending on when the food was purchased, and then consumed.
"From factory to farm you're talking less than a day and the reservation of the nutrients is incorporated into that, so you don't lose a lot of flavor or nutrients," said Joseph.
It is important to know that fresh produce is usually picked before its prime so that it holds up well at market. Canned food is allowed to ripen longer, then immediately canned, preserving freshness.
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English Salmon Curry
Yield: 3
Chef Brien Clements
Omakase
3720 Mission Inn Ave.
Riverside, Calif.
(951) 788-8820
12 oz coconut milk
1/4 lb butter, unsalted
12 oz salmon, canned, skin and bone removed
12 oz peas, canned
12 oz tomatoes, diced and no salt added
12 oz white beans, canned and rinsed
1 tbsp curry powder
1 oz lemon, cured in salt and sugar, white pith removed
tt salt, kosher
tt pepper, black and fresh ground
-- In a large saucepan, combine the coconut milk and butter and bring to a boil. Continue to simmer until a nice thick glaze forms. -- Add all remaining ingredients, heat for another 2 minutes, or until warmed through, thick and well-coated. -- Serve immediately.
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Chicken Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
Luis Martinez, CEC/Executive Chef
Riverside Marriott Hotel
Riverside, Calif.
1 12-oz can of chicken breast
3 oz of canned Mandarin oranges
2 oz of roasted cashews
2 oz of crispy Chow Mein noodles
2 strawberries cut in quarters
1 oz of toasted sliced almonds
7 oz of spring mix salad
In two 12-inch pasta bowls, place equal parts of the spring mix salad and top with the chicken, Mandarin oranges, cashews, almonds, noodles and drizzle about 3 oz of the strawberry dressing.
Strawberry Vinaigrette
1 cup of fresh strawberries
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup of fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon of fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon of fresh chopped garlic
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
1 cup of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon of chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon of chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon of chopped fresh parsley
In a blender add the strawberries, honey, rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, orange juice , lime juice, salt, garlic, Dijon mustard, basil, tarragon and parsley. Blend in until puréed consistency. Add the olive oil slowly to emulsify the dressing.
Dressing must be used with in 72 hours
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The costs of the items prepared on the show were as follows:
Foul (garbanzo bean/fava bean stew) costs $2.34
Veggie Pizza - $3.16
Hummus - $1.82
Baba Ghanoush - $2.01
Light Tuna Salad - $3.71
All the dishes' pricing was valued at four servings.
For these recipes, please e-mail: Eyad Joseph, ejoseph@aii.edu
It's getting tougher to make ends meet these days, and ABC7 On Your Side is a campaign to help you save money. Watch Eyewitness News for money-saving tips and freebies to help stretch your dollar.
Click here for more headlines from ABC7 Eyewitness News
(Copyright ©2008 KABC-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Art Institute Confers First Degrees
Founding Art Institute of California – Inland Empire President Byron Chung and current President Emam El-Hout were as proud as the graduates on Friday, March 27 when the campus’s first students received Bachelor’s and Associate degrees. Photo by Robert Swapp.
The first graduating class of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire received degrees on Friday, March 27. Photo by Robert Swapp.
Students are: Associate degree in Culinary Arts recipients Ronnell Lawson and Roberto Pulido-Vasquez: Associate degree in Graphic Design students Regina Cortez, Elizabeth Horn, Christopher Kujawa, Nicole Lee, Richard Macias, Marcia McClellan, Alyssa Mees, David Monge, Jhanelle Ocampo, Salvador Vasquez Jr.; Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design students Raysa Cerna, Michelle Cossota, Anthony Guevara and Rachel Makowski; Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design students Cesar Bahena, Bob Chen, Alysha Cintas, Marissa Loudon, Tracy O’Bannon and Paige Petersen and Bachelor’s degree in Web Design & Interactive Media students David Dresner, Mary Nina Gonzales and Raymond Heredia.
(SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.) Graduation is always a milestone for students.
A graduation ceremony held Friday, March 27 was also a milestone for the school sponsoring it, The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. It was the school’s first graduation ceremony.
“This is a big night for our graduates and their families and friends,” said founding Art Institute of California – Inland Empire President Byron Chung. “But it is something I have dreamed about for four years.”
That’s longer than any of the new graduates were enrolled in the school, as it didn’t open until January 2006. Although some of the bachelor’s degree recipients got head starts by attending other schools in California within The Art Institutes system of schools, many of the students finished early by taking advantage of the school’s year-round programs.
Chung, who is now president of The Art Institute of California – San Francisco, was given the job in 2005 of starting the Inland Empire campus. His work that year included hiring the rest of the executive team and the first term’s instructors as well as finding a building in San Bernardino the college could call home.
When The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire opened its doors to students in January of 2006 there were only 40 students. The college has since grown to about 1,200 – minus the 26 who received degrees in the recent ceremony.
One of those graduates, Alyssa Mees, actually completed her Associate of Science degree in Graphic Design and left The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire in March 2008. Mees got hired at FiveTen, a Redlands manufacturer of rock-climbing apparel and sports shoes. As part of the company’s art department, she is designing packaging, t-shirt illustrations, logos and advertising layouts.
Over the ensuing year, more students completed their degree requirements. In December 2008, some of the first students completed their bachelor’s degree requirements and more did so in March.
As these students completed their degrees, The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire’s executive team determined the number of graduates would be more than two dozen in March 2009.
It has also determined that subsequent terms, starting in June, will have substantially larger numbers of graduates. Therefore, the team determined it should honor its small, but formidable, first graduating class at the end of the Winter 2009 term, which was March 27.
“They have worked hard at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire for three years,” said Emam El-Hout, the current president. “Today is very special for them, and for us.”
El-Hout determined that because Byron Chung had done so much to help these graduates during their enrollment and first two years of study, Chung was the perfect choice to address them as the graduation’s keynote speaker. Many people at the graduation agreed, as he received a standing ovation.
“Wow!” Chung said. “It’s good to be home.”
He recalled some earlier times at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire such as an animated haunted house the first-year students sponsored at Halloween 2006 that took up most of the small original campus; ordering pizza from Costco for the entire school (the school still has pizza parties, but they’re now created by the Culinary Arts Department); and celebrating with students as they won awards for their work.
“Statistics say that about one half of all college freshmen who start with the greatest intentions never finish,” Chung said to the graduates. “But you have what it takes. You have worked hard while others played, and you have stayed focused while others rested. Others gave up half-way up the mountain. But as a result of your hard work, you have reached the top. I now celebrate with you as the first graduates of The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire.”
Marissa Louden, a Bachelor of Science degree recipient in Interior Design, was named the class valedictorian. She also addressed her fellow graduates and encouraged them to take this moment and move forward with what it meant.
“We have had success, not just in our individual programs of study, but also in learning to be focused and organized in life,” she said. “What does that mean for us? No doubt, a better life.”
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate of Science degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate of Science degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management.
Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin May 14 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information, or to arrange a tour, call Richard Green at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire), a system of more than 40 locations throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
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The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of The Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu), with more than 40 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
ART INSTITUTE’S HUMAN RESOURCES COORDINATOR EARNS CERTIFICATION
Perez, who lives in San Bernardino but grew up in Moreno Valley, has served as The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire’s human resources coordinator for two years.
Working with Michele Ferren, director of human resources, Perez conducts orientations for newly-hired employees, administers benefit plans, coordinates special events for training and employee recognition and processes and verifies the employee payroll. She also assists with prescreening of, and background checks on, job candidates.
“We are incredibly proud of McKenzie’s accomplishments,” said Michele Ferren, Director of Human Resources for The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. “She is a consummate professional, and a great asset to our campus.”
The certification, awarded by the HR Certification Institute in Alexandria, Virginia, signifies that Perez passed a rigorous examination to qualify as a professional in the human resources field. To become certified an applicant must pass the exam and demonstrate a strong background of professional human resource experience.
"Certification as a human resources professional clearly demonstrates a commitment to personal excellence and to the human resources profession," said Mary Power, executive director of the HR Certification Institute.
The HR Certification Institute is the credentialing body for human resources professionals and is affiliated with the Society for Human Resource Management, the world's largest organization dedicated exclusively to the human resources profession. The purpose is to promote the establishment of professional standards and to recognize professionals who meet those standards.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers Bachelor of Science degrees in Game Art & Design, Graphic Design, Web Design & Interactive Media, Interior Design, Fashion & Retail Management, and Media Arts & Animation. It offers an Associate degree in Graphic Design, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design.
The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire offers an Associate degree in Culinary Arts and a Bachelor of Science degree in Culinary Management.
Each program is offered on a year-round basis, allowing students to work uninterrupted toward their degrees.
It’s not too late to start a new term at The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire. Courses begin May 14 and classes are offered in the day, evening and on weekends for new and reentry students.
For more information, or to arrange a tour, call The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire at (909) 915-2100 or go on line to www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire.
The Art Institute of California – Inland Empire is one of the Art Institutes (www.artinstitutes.edu/InlandEmpire), a system of more than 40 locations throughout North America, providing an important source of design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts professionals.
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