MLB Network Analyst Harold Reynolds Heads Second Hall of Fame Class

Harold Reynolds, a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star and currently the lead analyst for the MLB Network, headlines a list of eight former Cañada College athletes that will be inducted into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame.

The formal ceremony is scheduled for June, 2013 but a special reception is planned for Friday, Dec. 14 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Cañada Vista. All faculty, staff and administration, along with last year’s inaugural Hall of Fame Class are welcome. The Cañada Men’s Basketball team will be playing the same night in the Stable Center. For more information, call (650) 306-3212.

"This second group of former athletes and coaches is an exceptional class," said Cañada College Athletic Director Mike Garcia. In addition to Reynolds, it includes:

• Jerry Drever, former men's basketball and golf coach who guided the Colts to the 1988 state championship in golf.
• Gordon Gray (posthumously), women's softball coach and an assistant coach for the baseball team and a former athletic director at the college.
• Javier Sanchez, a key member of the school's 1988 state golf championship team. Sanchez was a state medalist at the finals and went on to become a member of the PGA Tour. He is currently competing on the Seniors Tour.
• Mike Legarza, a former athletic director and men's basketball coach. Legarza is a California Community College Basketball Association Hall of Fame member. He's also founder, president, and CEO of Legarza Basketball and Volleyball Camps.
• John Hursh, a two-time conference champion in tennis and a member of the 1973 state championship team.
• Mike Garcia, the current athletic director and former head baseball coach. Garcia is a member of the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
• Keith Comstock, a former baseball player who went on to play for four different MLB teams including the San Francisco Giants. he is a member of the San Mateo County Athletics Hall of Fame.

Free Tax and Accounting Workshop for Small Business Owners and the Self-Employed

The Cañada College Center for Entrepreneurial Opportunities is teaming up with Housing and Economic Rights Advocates (HERA) and the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center to offer a free tax and accounting workshop for small business owners and the self-employed.

The workshop will be held Saturday, Nov. 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Renaissance Mid-Peninsula, 1848 Bay Road, East Palo Alto. Registration is available online or by calling (650) 321-1102 Ext. 1102 or by emailing trussell@rencenter.org.

The featured speaker at the workshop will be Arnold Pinck, retired enrolled agent and counselor for SCORE, an organization dedicated to helping small businesses grow. Participants will learn:

• Accounting Principles
• Tax Record Keeping
• Business Deductions
• Employee/Independent Contractor Files
• And more...

The Center for Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) helps small business owners and budding entrepreneurs develop their ideas. The CEO offers courses and workshops to fit the unique needs of small businesses. CEO services include affordable web-based tools to evaluate business ideas, write business plans, conduct market research, test markets through surveys, learn accounting and bookkeeping, website development and more.

Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center is a nonprofit small business development organization dedicated to helping women and men to traditionally lack access to resources and information to achieve financial self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship. Renaissance provides training, support services, resources, and networks for business owners at every stage of business development, from idea feasibility through start-up, growth, and expansion.

HERA is a California statewide, not-for-profit legal service and advocacy organization. It's mission is to ensure that all people are protected from discrimination and economic abuses.

Danielle Pelletier Leads Statewide Effort to Teach English in the Workplace

Danielle Pelletier, ESL instructor, has been named coordinator for the Teaching English in the Workplace for the California Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (CATESOL). Pelletier has been serving in her new role since last spring.

"The primary initiatives of the CATESOL Teaching English in the Workplace Interest Group is to make sure that there is representation for those California ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers who teach English in the workplace," Pelletier said. "This group is comprised of teachers who teach workers at all levels. This could mean teaching basic English to hotel employees or teaching presentation skills to an executive at a bio-pharmaceutical company."

As the coordinator, Pelletier's primary responsibilities are to recruit, maintain, and develop membership so the group has proper representation. She also works with the members to organize professional workshops in all parts of California. "The workshops are designed to help our members continue with professional development between CATESOL conferences."

Whereas most schools are cutting back on ESL teachers, companies throughout California are realizing the value of having their employees feel confident about speaking English and understanding the U.S. culture of business, Pelletier said. "The TEW (Teaching English in the Workforce) group is fortunate to be in a field that is continually growing and I feel fortunate to be coordinating this group," she said.

Pelletier has also been named President of English League, a Translations and Workforce Language Training company. The company started in 1995 in Boston and moved to the Bay Area in 2002. Pelletier has been with English League since 2000 as a Senior ESL Instructor and Program Director, teaching in companies such as Bose in Boston and Genentech in the Bay Area. "I'm happy to be at the helm- a new adventure for me - and will continue to provide our customized English classes to international professionals all over Silicon Valley and the Bay Area," she said. “It’s also exciting to be working with organizations in this global economy, providing translations services.  It’s a great new world!”

 

Cañada to Crown a Monopoly Champion Saturday, Oct. 27

Cañada College will host its third annual Monopoly Tournament on Saturday, Oct. 27. Registration begins at 10 a.m. and tournament play begin at 10:30 a.m. All proceeds fund the Cañada College Accounting Scholarship. The tournament will be held in "The Grove" located in Building 5.

The tournament is open to everyone. Students and seniors are $10 and the general public is $15. Pizza and water will be provided to participants between the two 90-minute tournament rounds. This year's grand prize is a Kindle Fire. There will also be a silent auction and raffle prizes. 

If Monopoly isn't your game, you can join the UNO Attack game that occurs during the tournament or bring your own board game and enjoy the atmosphere.

In the past, this event has raised nearly $1,000 for student scholarships.

To register to play, contact Leonor Cabrera at cabreral@smccd.edu.

Cañada Students Chosen for Leadership Conference

A select group of seven Cañada College students recently honed their leadership skills at a special invitation-only conference in Sacramento for math-based majors. The event was sponsored by PG&E and six other companies.

The Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Student Leadership Conference held last weekend offered extensive professional and leadership development through direct interaction with industry mentors and speakers. The hand-picked MESA students, all science, engineering, or math majors, represented over 30 universities and community colleges from across the state, including Cañada College.

Participating Cañada students were: Moises Bautista, Norman Ettedgui, Juan Guevara, Jose Salgado, William Berrios, Curtis Carpentier and Michael Nobida.

Students participated in mock interviews, connected with industry representatives from seven national and California companies and heard guest speakers such as former NASA astronaut Tammy Jernigan, who also led a women in STEM panel discussion. California Public Utilities Commissioner Tim Simon was named the 2012 MESA Champion for the commission’s longstanding support of the program. Students also participated in a MESA Business Case Challenge in which they presented a business solution to a panel of energy and utility industry leaders.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) was a major sponsor of the event. The company’s  $40,000 grant allowed  students from 20 Northern California campuses to  attend. PG&E employees volunteered their time to work closely with the students during the conference.

PG&E Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer Bill Harper encouraged students to continue in their educational pursuits and awarded winners of the MESA Business Case Challenge. PG&E has supported MESA since 1979 and was recognized its the extensive support in helping educationally disadvantaged MESA students graduate in math-based fields.

Other sponsors included Edison International, Southern California Gas Company, Vanir Construction Management, Inc., Lawrence Livermore National Lab, San Diego Gas & Electric and the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District. 

Cañada College, Sequoia Union High School District to Host College Night

Cañada College, in partnership with the Sequoia Union High School District, will host its annual College Night from 5 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 24. The event will be held in the Cañada College gymnasium, Building 1, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., Redwood City.

The event brings together universities and colleges from in-state, and out-of- state to help area high school students as they consider which college or university is best for them. Students will be informed on a wide variety of topics including freshman and transfer admission requirements, academic programs, cost of attendance, living expenses, distance, size and nature of the student body, and activities.

In addition, workshops will be provided on topics such as financial aid availability, overview of university requirements, and how to navigate the different college and university systems.

Parents and students are encouraged to attend. Admission and parking are free. For more information, visit the Cañada College Transfer Center home page or contact Soraya Sohrabi at (650) 306-3493.

Transfer Day Brings More Than 60 Colleges and Universities to Cañada

Transfer Day will be held Tuesday, Oct. 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Learning Center. Representatives from more than 60 colleges and universities will be available to meet with students to discuss program and course offerings.

"This is a great opportunity for students to meet with university representatives and begin to chart their future educational path," said event organizer Soraya Sohrabi. "It also gives students a chance to practice their communication skills."

Students can learn about admission requirements, scholarship opportunities, internships and other programs offered at various universities.

Pizza will be available for students who gather information from universities on their "transfer passport". The event is open to all students at any level from freshman to transfer ready.

Voter Registration Deadline is Monday, Oct. 22

As a college student you can help decide the future of California by voting on November 6.  But the first step is to register as a California voter before the deadline on Monday, October 22.

Registering to vote has never been easier.  For the first time, Californians can register to vote online.  http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm

Critical choices will be made at this election. California voters will decide issues affecting education funding and college tuition, the state budget process, punishment for crimes, and food labeling rules.  And the candidates chosen will shape the policies of our state for years to come. 

You are eligible to vote in California if you are:

• A United States citizen,
• A resident of California,
• 18 years of age or older on Election Day,
• Not currently serving any part of a felony sentence (see the Secretary of State’s website for more information).
• Not found by a court to be mentally incompetent.

If you have moved from your previous address, or changed your name, you should register again.  http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm

The power is in your hands—don’t miss the opportunity to make your voice heard. Register before the deadline, Monday, October 22. Then vote on Tuesday, November 6. 

Earthquake Drill on Thursday, Oct. 18

Cañada College will participate in a statewide earthquake drill on Thursday, Oct. 18 at 10:18 am and again at 7:18 pm.

Millions of Californians will “Drop, Cover and Hold On” as part of the Great California ShakeOut – the largest earthquake drill in the country.








Here is what we need you to do for the drill:

• Prior to the drill, please review the evacuation map in your classroom. In addition, please review this link  http://www.shakeout.org/dropcoverholdon/ for additional information about the ShakeOut.
• At 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. all faculty, staff and students will be reminded of the drill time through an AlertU text message (for all registered cell phones).  You can sign up for AlertU text messages at  http://www.smccd.edu/alertu/
• At 10:18 a.m. and 7:18 p.m. the Emergency Announcement System will be activated with an announcement “Drop, Cover and Hold On” for one minute. Stay calm and follow instructions. If for some reason, you do not hear the announcement, proceed to “Drop, Cover and Hold On” for one minute.
• While down on the floor, look around at what would be falling in a real earthquake.
• After one minute, scan for anyone who needs assistance. 
• Evacuate your class to your evacuation zone and make certain the room is empty. Building monitors will assist in evacuating the building.  Evacuation maps are located in classrooms on the red 911 Zone posters.  Please be quiet as you exit buildings and gather in the evacuation zones so you can hear instructions.    
• Once everyone is out of the buildings and in the evacuation zones, the Emergency Announcement System will announce an “all clear” message. You may then return to you classrooms.

 Major earthquakes may happen anywhere in California and the ShakeOut is a chance to be more prepared.  For more information, here are some websites you might find useful:

Why Drop, Cover, and Hold On?

http://earthquakecountry.info/dropcoverholdon/

AlertU

http://www.smccd.edu/alertu/

Renovation Begins on the Campus Tennis Courts

Cañada College is renovating its tennis courts, work that will continue through December.

The college is removing and replacing the tennis court parking lots, installing a modular restroom, security cameras, and parking lot lighting. The initial work will be begin with trenching from the campus road outside of the tennis courts uphill to tie into the sanitary sewer outside of the Cañada Vista Housing.

Students, staff, faculty, and visitors should expect the immediate closure of the right hand lane of traffic on the Campus Loop Road.

 

Cañada Student to Present at Biomedical Research Conference

Dominic Lopez-Toney, a 2010 Sequoia High School graduate and current Cañada student, has been chosen to present at the 2012 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students to be held Wednesday, Nov. 7 in San Jose.

Dominic will present at this year's poster presentation. His presentation is titled "Fluorescence Analysis of α-Catenin Chimeras and an Overview of the Adherens Junctions."

This past summer, Dominic worked as a research intern in the Structural Biology Department at Stanford University under Professor William Weis. It was there that he began researching how epithelial cells react to the introduction of tension.

"The goal of our lab was to analyze the structure of various proteins associated in tension regulated responses at cell-cell contacts," he said. "The protein that my lab supervisor and I worked most closely was a-catenin."

Dominic said a cell’s ability to sense and react to various stresses created from both intracellular and extracellular interactions is vital to maintaining proper morphogenesis and cell differentiation including basic organ formation and tissue repair. Errors in these processes contribute to the formation of various diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. "It was the goal of my lab, as well as other associated labs, to understand how cells react to stress at cell-cell junctions in order to maintain a stable and uniform overall structure," he said.

Dominic is currently in his fifth semester at Cañada. he is a Molecular and Cellular Biology major. "I am hoping to transfer next fall and I am applying to several schools including UC Davis, UCLA, UC San Diego, and Berkeley."

His career goal is obtain either a PhD in one of the biological sciences and pursue a career in research, or to go on to medical school to pursue a career as a sports doctor or surgeon.

Dominic said he decided to attend Cañada because of the schools reputation for academic excellence and its proximity to his home.

"This will be the first biomedical research conference where I have presented but, as part of the program that sponsored my internship, I will be presenting another poster in a conference in Washington D.C. with other Cañada students who participated in the program."

Another former Cañada student, Mayra Rios, will also be presenting at the San Jose conference. Rios will present a poster titled “Examining the Effect of Mechanical Strain on Epithelial Cell-Cell Adhesion.”

Project READ's 23rd Annual Trivia Bee Buzzes Into Cañada Oct. 12

The 23rd Annual Trivia Bee, presented by Redwood City Friends of Literacy, will be held Friday, Oct. 12 at 6:30 pm.

The Trivia BEE event is designed to promote literacy awareness and raise funds to support Project READ's mission of a literate community.

Established in 1987, Project READ is a free, volunteer-based literacy program serving adults, children and families.  It is committed to providing literacy training throughout the community. Tutoring lessons are student-centered, focusing on reading, writing and critical thinking skills and are supported by volunteers. Project READ's intergenerational programs are designed to break the cycle of illiteracy by surrounding adults and families with literacy services that promote education and a lifelong love of learning.

The Trivia BEE competition is fun and simple. Each team consists of three members with the Team Captain serving as the team spokesperson. Teams attempt to correctly answer trivia questions. One point is given for each correct answer. There are no penalties for wrong answers. Teams start with zero points for each new round. The qualifying round consists of 30 questions and the 15 teams with the highest score will compete in the semifinal round of 15 questions. The final round for the top five teams will have a total of seven questions.

The Zap Think Tank is the team to beat, as they've won the competition that past two years.

To learn more about the competition or to form a team visit the Trivia Bee website or call 650-780-7077 or email rclread@redwoodcity.org.

STEM Center Membership Day is a Success

The STEM Center Membership Day held on Sept. 12 was a great success, with hundreds of new students interested in studying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics attending.

The event was designed to help students learn more about programs and resources for STEM majors. More than 200 students have now signed up to become members of the STEM Center.

"This was a fantastic way for us to engage with our students and educate them about the academic and support services available to them while they attend Cañada," said Cathy Lipe, Director of the MESA Program.

Lipe said the STEM Center team is now going through the student data to determine which students are eligible for various programs and services and they are organizing the students into cohorts to be supported by Retention Specialists, Chris Woo and Melissa Ibarra, and STEM Counselor Will Reyes.

Woo will work directly with a cohort of students who are new to campus while Ibarra will work with students in their final year. "In addition, we will work in focused ways with groups of students are are eligible for the NSF Scholarships or California Connects Program but who have not yet received those resources," Lipe said.

Lipe said many of the faculty members in the Science & Technology Division continue to offer their office hours in the STEM Center. "It's really a hub of activity for our students," she said. "They talk to faculty during office hours, participate in study groups, and hold club meetings here."

Visit CSU Monterey Bay on Oct. 13

If you are considering transferring to CSU Monterey Bay the Transfer Success Tours will be visiting the campus on Saturday, Oct. 13.

Transfer Success Tours is a free program to give all Cañada College students an opportunity to explore their transfer options by visiting local universities. Free transportation and lunches are provided.

The tour to CSU Monterey Bay is open to all Cañada student in good academic standing. First-generation students are highly encouraged to attend. Only 40 sports are available. To sign-up, go to the Welcome Center desk located on the ground floor of Building 9.

For more information, contact Loretta Davis at davisl@smccd.edu or call 650-306-3452.

Jessica Kaven Joins Beta Zeta Nu as Faculty Advisor

Jessica Kaven, Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Cañada, has joined the board of faculty advisors for the Beta Zeta Nu chapter of Cañada College.

The Redwood City resident is a former volleyball player at the University of Hawaii. She received her master’s degree from San Jose State University and is currently pursuing her doctorate at CSU, Stanislaus. Jessica attended high school in Esperanza near Anaheim where she was recruited to play volleyball at Hawaii.

Prior to coming to Cañada, Kaven served as an adjunct faculty member at Foothill, De Anza, Cabrillo, San Jose State and Ohlone.

A New Book Details a Debt-Free Spending Plan

Mike and JoAnneh Nagler understand the spiraling problems of debt. "We were in a situation where it felt like we would never get out from underneath our debt," he said. "Something would always happen and an unexpected expense would hit us."

Now, JoAnneh has written a new book titled "The Debt-Free Spending Plan" that will be released this month by AMACOM, a division of the American Management Association.

JoAnneh is a former fundraiser and grantwriter who, along with Mike, developed their own system to get out from under debt. It's an easy five-minute-day approach that she now teaches other individuals and couples to help them revolutionize their relationship with money.

The Debt-Free Spending Plan is billed as a system created for people who hate math, rarely balance their checkbooks, and need help now. The plan keeps things simple. It doesn't matter whether you make $14,000 or $14 million, this practical, straightforward system will show you how to:

• Live on your cash income, and live well
• Use your creativity instead of your credit cards for needs and wants
• Pay back debts without gouging your living expenses

"I worked with JoAnneh to edit and proofread the book and I'm helping her market the book," said Mike, an instructor in the Humanities Department. "Our goal is to help other people by sharing our experience."

Beatles Tribute Band to Headline Arts & Olive Festival Sunday, Oct. 7

The annual Arts & Olive Festival, the largest student scholarship fundraiser at the college, will take place Sunday, Oct. 7 from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is $5 with all proceeds going to the student scholarship fund while parking is free.

The Arts & Olive Festival at Cañada College began in 1998 as part of Cañada’s 30 year anniversary celebration to benefit student scholarships. The festival has since grown to be one of the largest scholarship fundraisers of the year providing much needed financial assistance to students. The celebration brings together more than 80 vendors consisting of some of the olive industry’s top experts to provide the community with olive education, olive and olive oil tasting, olive related products, and an abundance of quality art works and gifts.

The Sun Kings, the Bay Area's top Beatles tribute band, will headline the main stage, playing two sets beginning at 2:30 p.m. The band has a repertoire of more than 150 Beatles songs and wins over fans with their driving energy, joy, and vitality that recall the earliest Beatles shows.

There are plenty of kids activities including a puppet show, face painting, and balloons. All kids activities are free and will be held in the bottom floor of Building 9 on the north side of the building. The schedule includes:

• Arts, Crafts & Face Painting - 10 am to 5 pm
• Aladdin Puppet Show by Fratello Marionettes - 12:30 to 1 pm
• Storytelling by Armando Ramirez of the Redwood City Library - 2 to 3 pm
• Aladdin Puppet Show by Fratello Marionettes - 3:30 to 4 pm

For more information, go to www.olivefest.org.

There will be a live olive curing demonstration by Don Landis at 1 p.m. in the North end of the Upper Plaza. He'll talk about the history of the olive in California and give a thorough description of how to de-bitter olives with no lye. All through the day, Don will be at a booth with Olive Oyl talking olives, sharing olives, cheese and crackers and olive tapenade. There will also be a discussion of the olive fruit fly, control products, and a description of how to battle the olive fruit fly. 


An interior design sale will be held in Building 13, room 17 from 10 a.m. to p.m. Fabric, accessories and showroom designer items will be available for sale at greatly reduced prices.

Music & Dance Entertainment, Outdoor Amphitheater

11:30 to   12:00 p.m. - Zambalita Middle Eastern Dance Company
http://www.zambalita.com/index.html

12:20 to   1:30 p.m. -  Terry Hiatt and the Big Science Band -  "gumbo fusion"
http://www.terryhiattguitars.com/

 1:40 to  2:10 p.m. - Samba Mundial Brazilian Dance Troupe
http://www.musicishealing.com/sambao/about.htm

2:30 to  5:00 p.m. – The Sun Kings (premiere Beatles tribute group; two sets!)
http://www.thesunkings.com/