Never Stop Grinding Impact is Hiring, Passionate Instructors for Youth Development Are Encouraged to Apply

Never Stop Grinding Impact, a leading organization dedicated to youth development, announced its latest hiring initiative, emphasizing the importance of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in its programs. The organization seeks passionate individuals to fill part-time positions as SEL Boxing Instructors and SEL Facilitators in the Rialto, Colton, and San Bernardino areas. Founder and CEO of Never Stop Grinding Impact, Darious Harris, expressed his enthusiasm for the new hires, stating, “Our mission has always been to support the holistic development of our youth. By integrating SEL into our programs, we’re not just teaching skills, but we’re nurturing our students’ emotional and mental well-being.” The SEL Boxing Instructor role is unique, combining physical activity with emotional learning. Instructors will be responsible for teaching students basic boxing fundamentals while weaving in SEL competencies and mentorship. On the other hand, SEL Facilitators will focus on facilitating SEL lessons, assisting students with homework, and providing mentorship. Harris further emphasized the importance of the roles, saying, “We believe in the power of mentorship and the positive impact it can have on a young person’s life. Our instructors and facilitators are not

San Bernardino City Unified Superintendent Hosts Forums to Form Vision

San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) is seeking feedback from District employees, students, families, and community partners in order to identify and align key priorities for the District. “I’ve been spending time meeting with our staff, families, elected officials, community partners, groups and organizations so that together, we can start to build out our multi-year vision for what we would like San Bernardino City Unified to look like in 2030,” said Superintendent Mauricio Arellano. “We need to identify what is working well and should therefore be continued, what needs to be polished or enhanced, and we also need to know what needs to be put in place because it is in the best interest of our students.”  There were eight in-person forums held, four were for employees to voice their concerns and their desires for the District, while the other four were for students, their families and the community at large. Among the topics covered during these forums were transportation and pedestrian safety near schools; praise for the District’s award-winning career-technical programs called Linked Learning; the need for more parent and community engagement, as well as the

Los Osos High School’s Third Annual Heritage Festival Celebrates Diversity and Cultivates Future Business Leaders, Community Invited 

Los Osos High School‘s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), in collaboration with the school’s choir department, is set to host its Third Annual Heritage Festival on Friday, September 22nd, from 4-9 PM.  The event promises a rich tapestry of cultural experiences and aims to raise funds to support students’ participation in forthcoming leadership conferences. The festival, located at 6001 Milliken Ave, will feature 13 cuisines from clubs on campus and food trucks, allowing attendees to embark on a gastronomic journey worldwide. From the savory mac and cheese and fried chicken by the Black Student Union to the sweet delights of turon and lumpia by the Filipino club, there’s something for every palate. Last year’s festival saw vendors offering boba drinks, hot chocolate, warm tea, Japanese taiyaki treats, and more. This year promises a broader representation of cultures, with clubs selling cultural items and sourcing products from local businesses. Raghu Chowdhry, FBLA Vice President of Finance and a proud Los Osos student, emphasized the event’s significance. “Diversity is something we celebrate at Los Osos High School, in Rancho Cucamonga, and across the IE. In our

Op-Ed: The Youth Power Hub, A Vision of Freedom Dreaming and Youth Liberation

Written by Torie and Gayle Weiston-Serdan, co-founders of The Youth Mentoring Action Network, a youth power-building organization in the Inland Empire When it comes to curating spaces for young people, generally, little thought is given to building an inspiring environment. Typically, civic areas like schools, recreation centers, and community outreach centers are made with only function in mind. Although it’s been demonstrated that youth display more positive outcomes when transformative spaces are curated for congregation and self-expression, some authority figures still struggle with the concept. The Youth Mentoring Action Network’s (YMAN) Youth Power Hub is a possible model for promoting rest, healing, and play — critical aspects of youth development. In 2007, we formed YMAN as an alternative to the limited support we could give our students as high school educators. For years, we watched several students enter in and out of a cycle of survival because, among other reasons, they lacked the most basic access to loving and affirming spaces. When it was time for YMAN to expand, we chose a one-acre estate to break up the monotonous standards of the educational institutions we

State Superintendent Thurmond, CNN Producer, Alumni, Inspires RUSD Family Summit 

The 16th Annual Rialto Unified School District Family Summit soared to new heights while featuring two remarkable speakers who left an audience of families, students and staff inspired. Emmy Award-winning CNN producer and Eisenhower High School graduate, Vanessa Rumbles and California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond took center stage at Rialto High School Knights Gymnasium on Saturday to deliver a powerful and uplifting education-based message at this year’s event, attended by over 1,500 community members. Rumbles, who was invited in August to be the keynote speaker at the Family Summit, attended RUSD’s Lena M. Preston and Lida M. Henry Elementary Schools and Ethel Kucera Middle School before graduating from Eisenhower High School in 2003. She has gone on to have a distinguished career in television, which includes two Emmy nominations and an Emmy win in 2020. She currently serves as the producer at CNN for the three-hour morning program “CNN News Central.” From humble roots in the City of Rialto to working for one of the largest cable television media outlets, Rumbles said she was never afraid to “work hard and dream big”

Rialto Unified School District’s Summer Feeding Program Drew Thousands with BBQs and Education

The Rialto Unified School District kicked off its annual Summer Feeding Program on June 9 with a beach-themed BBQ event at Frisbie Park, drawing over 1,900 attendees from the community, district, and local businesses. The program, recognized for its commitment to nutrition education and family engagement, showcased the Child Nutrition team’s new “Aloha Bowls.” These dishes, made possible by the United States Department of Agriculture’s contributions to school nutrition, featured homemade huli huli sauce over grilled chicken, whole grain fried rice with grilled vegetables, and green onions sourced from student gardens. Accompanying the main dish were cherries, dragon fruit, and pineapple chunks. All meals were offered free of charge to children aged 1-18, with adult meals sponsored by The Dairy Council. Fausat Rahman-Davies, Lead Child Nutrition Agent, Gianni Vergara, Eisenhower Student, Mrs. Stephanie Lewis, Board President, and Dr. Cuauhtémoc Avila, Superintendent at a Summer Feeding Program event in 2023. June’s BBQ wasn’t just about food. The Dairy Council of California provided an outdoor nutrition lesson and introduced their cow, Wednesday Addams. Attendees were also treated to performances by Eisenhower High School’s Polynesian Dancers, Xiuh Arte

Colton Community Members Plan a Day of Service in Honor of Dr. Tom Rivera’s Birthday

The Colton Community will mark the first “Dr. Tom’s Day of Community Service” on Friday, Sept. 22 by uniting around a volunteer service project at Colton High School.  Dr. Tom’s Day will mark Dr. Tom Rivera’s birthday each year with a community service project throughout the City of Colton, drawing volunteers from Colton High School students, the Inland Empire Future Leaders Program (IEFLP), Kiwanis, Colton Area Museum, San Bernardino Valley College and CSUSB alumni and the community at large. The project this year will include painting of the awning and poles over the senior benches and picking up trash throughout Colton High School’s campus.  Dr. Tom’s widow expressed gratitude for the Inland Empire Future Leaders for spearheading the project, saying that he would have been delighted at being remembered through acts of community service.  “Tom would be beyond proud about this project. It fully captures his belief in having people come together for the common good,” Dr. Lilly Rivera said. “And Colton High School was very dear to his heart.” “Dr. Tom” was raised in Colton and attended Colton schools, Valley College, California State University

San Bernardino Community and Leaders Unite for Student Success in the City and Beyond for 2023/2024 School Year

Late August saw an inspiring display of community spirit as local organizations came together with a unified mission. 501c3 organization ‘Knock it Off and Forgive’ joined forces with the San Bernardino Police Department, UPS, and the Women’s Leadership Development Business Resource Group at The Johnson Hall Community Center. Their shared goal was evident: to ensure that every student in the San Bernardino City Unified School District and beyond is equipped with the tools and necessities they need for a successful 2023-2024 school year. The day was filled with joy as approximately four dozen students from San Bernardino and neighboring Rialto eagerly made their way through each supply station. They collected backpacks with supplies and books, their faces lighting up with each new discovery. The community center was excited, offering free snow cones and train rides, while volunteers from across the Inland Empire worked diligently to ensure every child left with a smile. Members from UPS, Women’s Leadership Development Business Resource Group, Knock it off and Forgive, and San Bernardino Police Department snapping a quick photo shortly after prepping for the start of the event. Councilmember

CSUSB’s Bold Vision: President Morales Unveils 2023-28 Strategic Goals Emphasizing Student Success, Faculty Growth, DEI, and Global Outreach

University President Tomás D. Morales celebrated the successes and outlined the challenges facing Cal State San Bernardino as he welcomed new and returning students, faculty and staff during his annual Convocation address on Aug. 17. The annual event, attended by faculty and staff in Coussoulis Arena, formally kicked off the 2023-24 academic year, which will see the launch of the university’s 2023-28 Strategic Plan, continuation of “Our Defining Moment: The Campaign for CSUSB,” challenges posed by the state budget, and a special recognition event for alumni. Fall semester classes begin Thursday, Aug. 24, with move-in day for students living on campus on Sunday, Aug. 20, and Saturday classes beginning on Aug. 19. “For the past several years, during Convocation we have reflected on our achievements through the lens of our strategic plan,” Morales said. “These goals and objectives have framed our efforts since the previous plan was implemented in the fall of 2015. “This year, I wish to focus on where we are with two major campus initiatives, which were launched at last year’s Convocation: our new 2023-28 strategic plan, which will shape our work

CIELO Fund at IECF Announces $125k in Scholarships for Inland Empire Latino Students

The Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) announced today that the Cultivating Inland Empire Latino Opportunity, or CIELO Fund, is awarding $125,000 in scholarships to 83 Latino students throughout the Inland Empire as part of the inaugural CIELO Fund Scholars Program. Funding for the inaugural round of CIELO Fund Scholars was made possible thanks to generous support from the Gimbel Foundation and SoCal Gas’ ¡GENTE! Latino Employee Committee.  “We can’t go wrong investing in our next generation of college students,” said Jesse Melgar, IECF Board Member and CIELO Fund Founding Chair. “Our research last year showed that only 1 in 10 Inland Empire Latinos have a bachelor’s degree or higher so our committee wanted to do our part to support students breaking barriers for their families, for their communities, and for our region. We thank the Gimbel Foundation and SoCal Gas for their generous support, and wish our inaugural round of CIELO Fund Scholars the best in their educational pursuits, including the overwhelming majority who are on track to become the first in their families to graduate from college.”  The CIELO Fund Leadership and Grantmaking Committee is proud to

CSUSB Hosts Topping Out Ceremony for New Performing Arts Center 

On a sunny Tuesday morning on Aug. 29, the Cal State San Bernardino campus community gathered for the topping out ceremony for the university’s Performing Arts Center, set to open during the 2024-25 academic year. Kathyn Ervin, retired professor of theatre arts, emceed the event. Carlos Two Bears Gonzales, coordinator of the First Peoples’ Center, gave the land acknowledgement, followed by speeches from Rafik Mohamed, provost and vice president for academic affairs; Sam Sudhakar, vice president and chief information officer of CSUSB’s Information Technology Services; Robert Nava, vice president for advancement and executive director for the CSUSB Philanthropic Foundation; and Rueyling Chuang, dean of the College of Arts and Letters. Kathyn Ervin, retired CSUSB professor of theatre arts, emceed the topping out ceremony for the new Performing Arts Center at California State University, San Bernardino on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023. Photo by Corinne McCurdy/CSUSB A topping out ceremony is a construction tradition that has been occurring in some fashion for centuries as a celebration of project milestones. Traditionally, the ceremony occurs when the final structural beam is raised into place, completing the building’s frame. The

Carter High School’s Keiyne Galazo Sworn In As RUSD’s New Student Member

The Rialto Unified School District welcomed Keiyne Galazo, a dynamic and motivated senior from Wilmer Amina Carter High School, as she was sworn in as the newest Student Member recently.  Galazo will serve as the representative for the entire student body within the District for the 2023-2024 school year. She smiled proudly as she took the oath of office, which was administered by Board of Education President Stephanie E. Lewis, at the RUSD’s Board of Education Meeting on August 23. She was surrounded by her mom Kate Rabang, and her younger brother Ethan, who is a kindergarten student at Dunn Elementary School, and Carter High School Principal Dr. Robin McMillon as she took the oath.  “We are excited to have you join us, and we are excited to hear the voice of the students, who you represent,” stated Lewis as she welcomed Galazo into her new leadership position. Galazo’s appointment to this esteemed position was the result of a thorough selection and interview process at her school site. When it came time to speak, Galazo confidently stepped up to the podium and stated that she