User Posts : The Southwest Voice

Donation Drive for Southwest Residents!

The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center of Bakersfield will be hosting a donation drive in the main parking lot of St. John’s Lutheran Church, 4500 Buena Vista Road, on Saturday, May 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The drive will allow members of the community the convenience of donating items without having to schedule a pick-up.

Donations of usable goods — such as clothing, shoes, accessories, appliances, furniture, linens, toys, household items and other goods — will be collected. Proceeds acquired from thrift store operations support the organization’s Adult Rehabilitation Center, which provides support and counseling at no cost to those with alcohol and drug addictions in the community.

If you are unable to attend the donation drive, but would like to contribute, bring donations to Salvation Army Thrift Stores at 200 19th St. or 4130 Ming Ave.

To schedule a free pick-up, visit: www.satruck.org or call 1-800-SA-TRUCK.

Educator of the Month: Mr. Calderon

I would like to nominate Mr. Calderon as Educator of the Month. He is a third-grade teacher at Laurelglen Elementary School, and I’m very proud to have him as my teacher. He is a very kind and caring teacher, who spends part of his lunch time playing trench ball with students. When it’s time to line up after recess, the entire class does a Calderon Cougar Salute! Thank you for being my teacher, and I hope you like the picture.

California Association for the Gifted awards Warren educator

In a ceremony held at the Earl Warren Junior High School Library on April 4, Marily Anton accepted the California Association for the Gifted (CAG) Distinguished Service Award, in recognition of her work with Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) students. Joan Kerr, San Joaquin Region Educator Representative for CAG who reviewed Anton’s nomination, called her “a person truly deserving of being recognized by her colleagues.” She then added, “Her nominations were far beyond the others.”

Anton was nominated by her peers and colleagues and became the first Warren teacher to win this honor.

Anton is an indescribable teacher who has taught at Warren Junior High for over 14 years. Her teaching methods make students want to learn. She treats every student with the same hospitality, love, care, and encouragement and is tremendously supportive.

During the district oral language festival, she saw each of her students perform and receive their awards by dashing from classroom to classroom. She walked 2 miles that night! For the Henry Greve speech contest, she attended both the district and county competitions to watch only one student perform. She is a woman who believes everyone has a talent and refuses to hear any student say, “I have no talent.”

There are a plethora of reasons Anton deserves this recognition. She coaches students in many essay contests and speech presentations, she helps choose all the graduation speakers, and as she would say, “I spit, shine, and polish their speeches.” Mrs. Anton raised $700 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by encouraging her students to perform a selfless deed. She also grades 72 of her GATE students’ essays weekly.

One peer wrote, “Marily doesn’t just teach subjects, she brings the subject alive for her students.”

For example, in her French class, Anton’s vivid descriptions of French dining allows her students to imagine themselves eating escargot along the Champs Elysees.

Any GATE student at Warren would say that his or her favorite teacher is Mrs. Anton, and we all look forward to her class. We never knew English and reading could be so much fun! Not only have her peers and colleagues recognized her, but her students recognize her every single day as she encourages us to achieve our goals and ambitions.

Anton’s GATE classes would like to deliver a message to her by saying, “Mrs. Anton, no matter how many awards we receive in our lives and no matter how successful we become, we hope you will remember these three words: WE LOVE YOU!”

Living the Dream: Home-grown athlete finds success in MLB

Sixty feet. That’s the distance from the pitcher’s mound to home plate. At first, it doesn’t seem so far — a very tall baseball player could probably cover the ground in 20 steps.

But to one major league pitcher, it took many steps, a little adversity and a huge amount of heart to get where he needed to be — and the journey began right here in Southwest Bakersfield.

Phillip Dumatrait, 26, grew up in Bakersfield, graduated from Ridgeview High School in 1999 and hoped — but had no real idea — that a professional baseball career was ahead of him. At Ridgeview, he was a four-year starter on varsity and was selected to the all-area team as an outfielder, while he also led Kern County in several categories for pitching.

Local teammates will say that Dumatrait was at the baseball field all the time working on his game, whether it was at Ridgeview, the Southwest Baseball diamonds, the Bakersfield Baseball Academy or Bakersfield College.

No one can argue that it has paid off.

The Boston Red Sox liked his work ethic. So did the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates, for whom he is now in the starting rotation.

Although it has been a long and sometimes arduous journey from the baseball fields of Ridgeview to the glistening lights of PNC Park in Pittsburgh, it has been a trip that this local baseball product is happy to have taken. There have been successes and setbacks along the way, but with each day that passes, Dumatrait knows that he is on his way to a successful major league career.

Still a hometown boy, the 6 feet 2 inches pitcher remains Bakersfield-relaxed –– humble and unassuming –– as he sat down for this interview. It was approaching 9 p.m. in Los Angeles, where Dumatrait and the Pirates were in town to take on the L.A. Dodgers.

From the streets of Bakersfield to the pinnacle of baseball, Phillip reminisced about his journey as he ordered his food and talked about playing baseball in Bakersfield.

“I loved playing baseball at Ridgeview. I still talk to some of the guys that I played with, and some of them even came up to San Francisco last year when we played the Giants. Those guys are amazing teammates, and we are still great friends,” said Dumatrait.

Dumatrait laughed about old high school stories, and when asked about how he felt when received the phone call about being drafted, he said it was a moment he would never forget.

“It was surreal. It didn’t hit me until I was leaving for spring training that I was actually drafted,” Dumatrait said. “I can’t describe the feeling I had when I got the call. It’s one of those moments that words can’t describe.”

While there are many successes for Dumatrait, he has also endured a 12- to 18-month rehabilitation program after a career-threatening Tommy John surgery — a procedure to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in the elbow — and a less than stellar first year in the big-leagues.

“I think it’s important for young kids to know that everyone struggles at some point, but they also need to know to learn from those struggles so that they can succeed in the future,” said Dumatrait.

Dumatrait’s young professional sports career has already seen several ups and downs that would shake the confidence of most people, but Dumatrait takes them in stride and keeps working hard.

He is conscious of his own hard work, but Dumatrait is also quick to give credit to those who helped him along the way.

“I could not have done this alone. I have played for so many great coaches and trainers over the years. I have worked with Bobby Maitia since I was a kid, and we have become great friends as I have gotten older. During the off season, I still go to his school to long toss and work on mechanics,” Dumatrait said.

Dumatrait’s father, Jerry Dumatrait, said he always knew his son had the tools and the drive to succeed.

“I don’t think there was ever a thought in his mind that he would not succeed. He has wanted to be a baseball player since he was 4 years old, and I don’t think anything could stop him from living his dream,” said the elder Dumatrait.

In the off season, prior to the 2008 season, Dumatrait was picked up by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He views this opportunity as a breath of fresh air.

“I was so excited ... I wanted a chance to make the team out of spring training, and they gave me that opportunity.”

After making the move from starter to long reliever back to starter again, Dumatrait has proven that he has what it takes to survive the long walk through professional baseball.

A long walk that began with his first step right here in Southwest Bakersfield.

‘Three Little Pigs’ here to benefit Empty Space

Omnipresent Puppet Theatre will perform its production of “The Three Little Pigs” as a benefit for The Empty Space Theatre at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 14, at First Congregational Church in Plymouth Hall, 5 Real Road. Admission is $3 per person, and there are no reserved seats.

The Empty Space is Bakersfield’s only theater company that relies only on public donations.

“As far as we know, we are the only live theater in North America that charges no admission,” said executive director Guinevere Dethlefson.

The theater instead relies on donations from the community and accepts no government funding. Among the productions at Empty Space in the past five years have been Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” the musical “Hair,” a version of Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men,” and plays such as “American Buffalo.” The theater is also noted for tackling original plays by Bakersfield writers.

The Empty Space is also the theatrical home of Omnipresent Puppet Theatre, Bakersfield’s only professional theater for young audiences. Originators of the puppet theater are Don and Kam Kruszka.

The June 14 performance will also feature a raffle that will include a 26-inch mountain bike, a puppet theater show for a birthday party or other event, and tickets to watch the Bakersfield Condors.

Sports Shorts

Perhaps a potpourri of personal, pleasant pundit ponderings?

Stockdale’s High School varsity baseball team could not seal the deal as Centennial forced the Mustangs to put the broom back in the closet, averting the SWYL sweep. Hope to see these two teams in the rubber match at the Division I Central Section title tilt!

Speaking of, the Lady Hawks came out on top, as well, tallying a run in the bottom of the last inning to complete a sweep of the Stockdale varsity softballers.

Major props to Stockdale High valedictorian Brianna Curtis for earning the CIF Central Section Scholar-Athlete award. Lettering in 12 varsity sports (cross-country, track and soccer) in four years was quite an accomplishment.

The Stockdale boy’s golf team tore it up in the SWYL Golf Championship and followed that up with a resounding 18- stroke victory over runner-up Centennial at the South Area Golf Championship. Both teams qualified for the South Area Division I Valley Team Championships in Visalia.

Speaking of, part two: Bakersfield College men’s golf team, led by Western State Conference Player of the Year Bryce Holloway, captured the WSC golf title this season. Good job, ‘Gades.

Major League Baseball musings: Former Ridgeview High pitcher Phillip Dumatrait picked up his first major league career win against the San Francisco Giants on May 7. The victory was at the expense of Barry Zito, who now sports a perfectly inverted 0-7 record on the season. Promising this to be the last “speaking of” in today’s column, the approximate $126 million expense that the Giants are saddled with regarding Zito’s contract doesn’t quite seem worth it!

Conversely, Arizona D-backs’ Brandon Webb holds Zito’s record in the mirror to find a glossy 7-0 start to his ’08 campaign as the Diamondbacks sport the best record in baseball. This, after losing their top closer, Jose Valverde in the off-season.

With the Colorado Rockies rapidly descending in the NL West, perhaps Stockdale’s Sean Barker will get the call up sooner than later!

The Florida Marlins, with one of the lowest payrolls in the league, are swimming atop the NL East. It is early in the season however, and three avowed “sharks” lurk just below them as the Phillies, Braves and Mets are all legitimate, hungry contenders.

Broken promise: Speaking of the Phillies and Braves, Chase Utley and Chipper Jones, respectively, are vying for early honors for the National League MVP award.

Valley bound!

The Stockdale High School varsity boys Medley Relay will be defending their 2007 Valley Championship in the Medley Relay and trying to achieve an all-American time standard the weekend of May 17 at Clovis West. Tiffanie Boe, Emily Irvin, Sara Ramos, Tess Andrea, and 18 other Mustangs will also compete.

Relay fundraising yard sale held

Jerry’s Chargers Relay For Life Team Fundraising Yard Sale on April 19 in Westchester was organized by team captain Meikim Watson, who lives in the Southwest and founded this team in honor of her mother, who is fighting cancer right now, and her father, who was a cancer victim.

SW Voice newsletter, deadline, and last chance prom photos!

Greetings, Southwest neighbors!

You must feel like you're getting to know me by the frequency with which I send email. There's a lot going on in the Southwest this week, though, so let's get to it!

Last chance for PROM PHOTOS! Stockdale High School, I KNOW you had your prom this weekend! Hurry and submit pictures for our "Best prom photo contest!" I will give you until Thursday to submit your prom pics. Don't forget: Winner gets dinner on The Voice!
Do you know of a store front or great location for a Southwest Voice newspaper rack? If so, shoot me an email, and before you know it, the rack location faeries will magically appear!
Did you suddenly stop receiving your copy of The Southwest Voice? Well, the folks at the local P.O. are requiring that we have signatures on file for everyone receiving a copy (just to make sure we aren't spamming you!). If you didn't get the last two issues, then you fall into the group that needs to fill out a signature subscription card. Please EMAIL ME, and I will make sure a card is sent to you (incidentally, it could mean a free iPod Shuffle for one lucky new subscriber!)
Are you a teacher? Your school should be receiving bi-monthly copies of The Southwest Voice. If you aren't seeing those copies, please contact me!

Next....

It's time to send me your submissions for the next issue! The deadline to contribute to the 5/14 issue is this TUESDAY, May 6!
Forget how to submit? Log on to www.swvoice.com and click on the yellow banner "SHARE YOUR VOICE."
Have you noticed all the prom pictures in the new issue? Have you SEEN the new issue? No? Check it out!

Southwest Voice May 7th issue!

Inside this issue, you will find:

What's on your iPod?-- SW Voice reader and contributor Liane Whitson shares some of her favorite songs, categorizes her music into "moods" and challenges other readers to do the same! Click on the link above and read Liane's article.
Drop us a note! In response to Liane's article, I joined in the fun and added my OWN list of songs from my iPod. Click on this link to see my favorite songs and to share YOUR list!
Hey, Dad - columnist Dwayne Ardis gives one reader advice on how to get her husband more involved with their children. Have a question for Dad? Click HERE and Dad will share his warm-hearted advice.
One reader shares a lovely tribute to a long-time local librarian in "Librarian quietly leaving? (Shh! I think not!)."
Local sports guru Michael Elliott shares a little SW sports news in Sports Shorts.

One teacher at Olive Dr. Elementary is collecting much-needed toiletries to ship to our National Guardsmen stationed in Kosovo. To learn more, send an email to Voice user "LastRites."

Looking ahead, please let me know if you have any story ideas, but always keep in mind that this is OUR paper -- a community journalism publication created in a manner that allows regular people (some who don't typically write or who perhaps write only for fun) to publish the events or stories or announcements that are important to THEM.

Be well...

Dana

Editor on the move!

This month I was fortunate to attend the Bakersfield Women’s Business Conference. The guest speaker was TV journalist Soledad O’Brien (she was amazing!). It was a great experience for me to see so many women empowered about their futures!

The best thing for me was to get out and meet our readers! I ran into Dean and Rachel (from KGFM radio), and former TV anchor Galen Young (whose great-grandfather is Brigham Young). Galen gave a presentation on the future of journalism (how all forms of media are crossing into each other’s territory), meaning that newsprint is venturing into video, and television news stations are creating printed articles. We really are in the 21st century!

If you have the opportunity, I urge you to attend the conference next year!

—Dana

AVID students achieve great heights

Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) is a program that is sweeping not only through California, but also through the nation! Students on campuses like Ridgeview High School and Stonecreek Junior High School can take an elective course to develop the tools needed to survive higher-level academic courses and succeed in college.

When accepted into the AVID program, students have already individually decided their own futures — they are determined to go to college! The moment they walk through the classroom door, they have taken the reins of their academic future. AVID students learn academic strategies needed for college success, including test taking, Cornell notes, reading and writing strategies, and communication skills.

In junior high, AVID students are also gearing up for college preparatory courses they will take in high school. Students tour university campuses to experience college life so they have a vision of their future. The most important aspect of the AVID elective class is the support given to the students by college tutors, peer tutors, teachers and counselors when faced with challenging academic courses. The AVID class holds tutorials twice a week in which students go over new or difficult concepts from classes and gain clarity on confusing material.

As part of the AVID curriculum, students are exposed to culture through trips to museums and theatres. The goal is to create a well-rounded education, where students are given the opportunity to look at the world from many different viewpoints. They can begin to appreciate new avenues in life, something many do not discover until they are in college.

AVID is for students who have the potential, with a little extra support, to advance from college preparatory classes to advanced and honor courses. Students must maintain a 2.0 grade point average while enrolled in the AVID program. It is a program to help those who are self motivated to work harder to achieve success. AVID is an incredible program designed to make college happen for everyone, and it really works!

— Amy Luther and Lana Martin are AVID elective and English/reading teachers at Stonecreek Junior High School in the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District.

Stockdale HOSA Chapter State Competition

“Winner of the gold medal in the extemporaneous speech category, from Stockdale High School ... Joe Feghali!”

As I stood on the brightly lit stage facing the dark auditorium, the words rung out and echoed in my ears. Time seemed to come to a halt. I jumped with excitement as an explosion of applause emanated from the spectators.

Recently, my classmates and I traveled to Santa Clara to attend the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) state conference, where 24 competitors qualified for nationals, which will take place at Dallas, Texas in June.

This competitive conference encompasses over 30 healthcare events which are attended by more than 800 competitors. Stockdale HOSA members have enjoyed attending this annual four-day conference for the past 12 years along with Janell Burke, the chapter’s advisor.

Tryouts are held for the Stockdale team in February, and the conference always occurs in April. The events test competitors’ practical and written skills, and anyone can find an event perfect for their strengths. Medical spelling is available for spelling enthusiasts, while medical terminology is a popular event for vocabulary devotees. For the more practical members, CPR/first aid is the preferred event, which simulates a scenario of two victims suffering from medical emergencies.

Speaking events are also offered for the people who wish to endure the stares of judging evaluators as competitors present either a prepared speech or a spontaneous one.

Usually, events center around a specific theme, which is the case with biomedical debate. In addition to researching the use of alternative medicine training for doctors, this year’s participants had debate with some of the toughest competition in the state.

HOSA mainly focuses on competitive events, however, the excitement of the weekend is also enjoyed in other various opportunities presented by the conference. Students feel a sense of independence and freedom as they choose what to wear, where to go, and when to go to bed in a five star hotel.

Additionally, opening and closing ceremonies, dances, workshops, and showcases peppered the trip with thrilling occasions for fun and relaxation. The HOSA conference is not just an educational endeavor. It is a great chance for students to socialize with other teenagers across the state, whether by politely clapping for opposing teams during the announcement of the winners or by trading insults with our lifelong rivals from Palmdale High School during encounters in the hallways.

Finally, one of the most important aspects of HOSA is its ability to connect students with a network of major health care companies such as Kaiser Permanente, the American Red Cross, the Autism Speaks foundation etc. After all, HOSA members are interested in health care and its many opportunities.

Whether we strive to become dermatologists, speech pathologists, nurses, or surgeons, one hope unites my classmates and I — the hope for a better future in the medical field where huge numbers of health care providers are available to greatly improve the well being of every single patient in the country. With the help of HOSA, I believe this hope will soon become a certainty.

Hey Dad: Spouse isn’t as supportive as desired

Dear Dad,
I am a mother of three children (not toddlers). My husband is a good father, but he doesn’t always present the best example for our sons. I expect my sons to learn how to take care of the yard and take responsibility when they’ve made a mistake. My husband should be a Christian example, the father of our household, and other things. I am concerned that no matter what I try to teach them, our sons will grow up to mirror their dad, as boys seem to look to their father as their main example in life. I have tried talking to my husband about how our sons will mimic his actions (or lack of action), but he doesn’t seem to get it. What can I do?

— Frustrated

Dear Frustrated,
We live in a generation that places a high value on education and careers. Men spend years preparing and training to improve job skills, yet many men enter fatherhood with little or no training at all. We have to learn as we go. Your husband is probably doing the best he knows how. In past generations, dads had the benefit of other male role models, like their own fathers, uncles and friends of the family. If it is possible, encourage your husband to talk with other men who will give him good advice and help him to be more involved in a positive way. You can encourage him and praise him when he does the right thing. Men respond to positive motivation.

Don’t criticize him, but support him. Thoughts of failure and inadequacy may cause him to give up, leave, become overbearing from trying too hard, or develop a passive attitude and fade into the background of your children’s lives. Don’t wait for your husband to assume his leadership role. Get your husband’s support if you have to be the temporary “authority” figure to your sons.

I also suggest counseling from your pastor or a family counselor. Your boys need both parents working together with common goals. Don’t give up on your sons — or your husband.

Take care,
Dad

Drop us a note! Keep those iPod lists coming!

Community contributor Liane Whitson is at it again with her “What’s on your iPod?” article! Liane created a list of her “must-have” songs, and she encouraged the rest of us to follow suit.

Southwest Voice editor Dana Martin played along, contributing her partial playlist of songs she likes to listen to at the gym:

Do you like country? Rock? Do you have certain playlists for certain occasions? Select "Reply or Comment" below to contribute your own list. Give us your top-10 songs, and “stay tuned” to upcoming issues for our Reader Spotlight.

"Tessie" Dropkick Murphys

"Word Up" Korn

"Streets of Bakersfield" Buck Owens

"You Shook Me All Night Long" AC/DC

"Clumsy" Fergie

"Sweet Home Alabama" Lynard Skynyrd

"Rock Star" Nickelback

"Sunday Morning" Maroon 5

“Carry on Wayward Son” Kansas

“No News” Lonestar

Want to share your iPod "Top 10?" Just click "reply" below this post, and fire away!!

What’s on your iPod?

Have you ever been dining out when a song, barely audible in the background, prompts you to shout out, “I have this on my iPod!” — right in the middle of a dinner conversation? Somehow this is supposed to convey just how important this song is to you. You own this song. Do you watch people at the gym, young, old, male, female, fit and (sorry) unfit, and try to guess what their iPods are playing? The Rolling Stones? Rascal Flatts? Beyonce? Papa Roach? Mozart? I chuckle at what the younger couple on the treadmill next to me must assume I’m listening to. Frank Sinatra? (I do have him on CD.) Would they be surprised that it might be Eminem? Would they ever dream my husband (we’re old) is lifting weights to the sound of Static-X?!

Some songs sound so great the first few times you hear them, but after a week, can be rendered unbearable. My son feels this way whenever he hears Kelly Clarkson! Some songs remind us of a special someone or a special time in our past, like a long-forgotten Dan Fogelberg tune. Some songs make our list, and then we catch a glimpse of the artist on a music video or awards show, and suddenly wonder why we ever liked the song in the first place.

Can you narrow your favorite tunes down to a top 10 list? As for me, I would be hard-pressed. My songs vary as widely as my moods. I would have to have several top 10 lists, all categorized by situations. The headings could read:

• Just emerged from battle and won (over his teenage hair style) list
• Just been hit with sticker shock after trip down bread aisle list
• Just witnessed reflection in car window list (prompting songs from my youth)
• Sitting around pool while kids frolic by day list
• Sitting around pool with friends and martinis list
• Just attended daughter’s dance competition list (unbelievably great songs!)
• Dinner party background music list (everyone needs one)

For the sake of finding out what great songs I might be missing, I’d love to hear what’s on your iPod — who rounds out your top 10? I’ve struggled, but managed to come up with a starter list … not my favorites all the time, but songs that seem to stand the test of time in that I still really enjoy listening to them.

I notice that they are the slower of my collection, which means my mood must presently be in the “Good luck trying to narrow it down to 10 list.”

Top 10 songs I never seem to get tired of:
“Thank You”   Dido
“Broken”   Seether with Amy Lee
“You and Me”   Lifehouse
“Silent Lucidity”   Queensryche
“She Talks to Angels”   Black Crowes
“Only God Knows Why”   Kid Rock
“Big Girls Don’t Cry”   Fergie
“Apologize”    One Republic
“Crazy”   Seal
“Yellow Ledbetter”   Pearl Jam
“December”    Collective Soul
“Dust Bowl”   10,000 Maniacs
“When You Say Nothing”    Alison Krauss with Keith Whitley

The Southwest Voice wants to know what you listen to! Read what music other people enjoy and let us know what your favorite songs are!