Board of Trustees President, Jim Moreno

For his longtime leadership in promoting academic achievement among young students, CCCD Board President Jim Moreno was honored last month with KinderCaminata’s Corazon Award, which recognizes significant contributions in advancing academic achievement of kindergarten students.

KinderCaminata is an Orange County nonprofit community organization that provides outreach to kindergarteners and their families to guide them on a path to one day realize a college education.  “I am honored to be rewarded for doing what I love and for what I feel is important for our future citizens,” said Moreno. “I will continue to do my best to motivate children and help them realize they can go to college and succeed in whatever they put their minds to.”

Jim Moreno was elected to the Coast Community College District Board of Trustees in 2006 and currently serves as president. He resides in Trustee Area 1, which includes the cities of Seal Beach and Westminster and portions of Huntington Beach.
 
The Corazon Award is the highest recognition the organization gives to an individual. Through KinderCaminata, disadvantaged children from local school districts visit area college campuses each March, near the March 31 birthday of civil rights leader Cesar Chavez. 

District Schools Show Support for CA Community Colleges at Rally

Comedian, Dat Phan

Students and staff from Coastline, Golden West and Orange Coast showed their support for California community colleges at the We Are the Key! Rally at Pasadena City College. More than 200 people attended the rally, which was sponsored by the Community College Public Relations Organization (CCPRO) and emceed by former community college student and winner of the NBC hit, “Last Comic Standing,” Dat Phan.

The rally, which was originally intended to lobby lawmakers to pass a state budget, turned into a showing of support after the California budget was approved and community colleges fared better than most other state-funded programs.

Students who have found success after community college and Dat Phan, who attended Grossmont Community College, treated attendees to a half-hour long comedy routine. The speakers and Dat reiterated the message that community colleges are vital in training people for important careers, such as nursing and law enforcement.

Student Trustee Michael Battistone summed it up best when he said, “It was especially motivating to me when I realized that each of the speakers, from comedian Dat Pham to the Stanford student, started at community college.” This is the message the rally participants hope will resonate with politicians.

Reminder: Certificates Required for Eligible Dependents

The deadline to submit the required documentation to continue dependent benefit coverage is April 30, 2009. Below is a breakdown of the types of certificates needed. Please contact the District Benefits office at x84727 with any questions.

Legally Married Spouse – certified copy of the Marriage Certificate

• A certified copy is stamped and signed by the County
Recorder/Registrar. A certified copy of the officially registered document may be obtained by contacting the Office of the County Recorder/Registrar where your marriage ceremony was performed.

• A Birth Certificate is not required for your spouse.

Registered Domestic Partner – certified copy of the Declaration of Domestic Partnership

• A certified copy is stamped and signed by the Secretary of State. A certified copy of the officially registered document may be obtained by contacting the Secretary of State.

Dependents Under 26 Years of Age – certified copy of the Birth Certificate or Court Documents

Your unmarried child under age 26

• A certified copy is stamped and signed by the County Recorder/Registrar. A certified copy of the officially registered document may be obtained by contacting the Office of the County Recorder/Registrar where your child(ren) was born.

• Court documents requiring you to provide medical benefits.

• Court documents of Adoption, proof of Legal Guardianship, or Foster Child who does not receive State benefits.

Your step child under age 26

• A certified copy of the Marriage Certificate or Domestic Partnership and a certified copy of the Birth Certificate showing that you are related to your step child through marriage or domestic partnership.

Your unmarried child or step child over age 26 – must be totally disabled
.
• A Verification of Disability must be signed by a licensed medical doctor.

Service Awards

The Service Awards will be held on April 15 in the Board Room. Please join us in honoring friends and colleagues for their years of service to the District. If you have any questions, please contact the Board Office at ext. 84848.

Coastline Recognized By LULAC for Commitment to Local Latino Youth

Coastline Community College was awarded the national “Presidential Award” by the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) for the college’s development and support of the annual Latino Youth Leadership Conference, a special event that encourages local Latino youth. LULAC presented the award to Coastline President, Dr. Ding-Jo Currie, at the LULAC 80th anniversary gala event held at the Garden Grove Community Center on February 27.

“Coastline has been a positive force in the development of our youth,” announced LULAC Foundation President, Benny Diaz, as he addressed a crowd of more than 200 event attendees. “It’s been a rewarding experience to work hand-in-hand with such a strong supporter of Latino youth.”

Coastline, along with the Orange County Chapter of LULAC, will host the 3rd annual Latino Youth Leadership Conference on Friday, March 27 at Coastline’s Garden Grove Center.
Boxing Hall of Famer, Carlos Palomino is slated to appear as keynote speaker, and 300 teens are expected to attend.

Coastline and LULAC first teamed up in 2006. Their immediate goal was to develop the leadership skills of Orange County’s Latino youth as well as to contribute and coordinate academic activities that improve Latino student success rates in the transition from high school to college. Each year, the planning committee for the annual event has sought out positive Latino role models that would offer great insight for youth.

“Carlos [Palomino] has a powerful story of overcoming many obstacles in his life,” said Dr. Richard Baiz, co-chair of the event’s planning committee. “The students will be motivated and encouraged to seek a life surrounded by education.”

This year’s conference, entitled “Ethics, Trust and Loyalty,” will also feature tongue-in-cheek columnist Gustavo Arellano (famous for his “Ask a Mexican” column in O.C. Weekly and segments on KROQ 106.7 fm radio) as well as Timothy Canova, Associate Dean and Professor of International Economic Law at Chapman University School of Law.

Local teens are invited to attend, but pre-registration is required. For details on the event, visit www.coastline.edu/lyc or call ext. 16370.

Coastline’s Acquired Brain Injury Program Holding Walking Fundraiser

Students in Coastline’s Acquired Brain Injury program learn cognitive retraining techniques that improve memory, reasoning, time management and more.

According to the Brain Injury Association, more than 700,000 Americans sustain brain damage each year from traumatic head injuries alone. Coastline’s Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Program is hoping to build awareness of this fact and encourage prevention at their upcoming event.

The Walk for Brain Injury Awareness and prevention will be held Saturday, March 28, 2009 at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley. Hosted by the college’s ABI Program faculty, staff and students, the walk has three primary goals: to inform the public about brain injury and some of the resources available to those with brain injuries, to celebrate rehabilitation through a day of exercise and community-building, and to raise money for Coastline’s ABI program.

The funds raised at the event will be distributed through the Coastline Foundation in the form of program enhancements and scholarships for ABI students. The scholarships assist ABI students with transportation or living expenses, tuition, books, fees, child care costs, and even medical bills while they attend the Coastline ABI program. The funds raised at the walk also go towards the enhancement and support of the ABI program’s PDA-enhanced learning technique. This technique—which employs the use of a personal desktop assistant (PDA)—was developed to help students implement memory compensation techniques that apply to brain injury-related deficits such as attention to detail, visual memory, sequencing, categorization and time management.

The ABI Program is currently helping more than 150 students learn cognitive retraining techniques as they struggle to re-gain their independence and confidence after experiencing a brain injury. The students in this program have acquired a brain injury through various traumatic events—such as a car accident or fall— or non-traumatic incidents such as a stroke.

For students like Katherine Chappell, the program was a blessing. “I suffered a brain injury during my senior year [of high school],” she said as she recalled a tragic car accident. “Coastline’s Acquired Brain Injury program showed me that I’m not alone.”

To participate in the annual Walk for Brain Injury Awareness and Prevention, register online at http://abiwalk.coastline.edu The March 28th event is open to the public and registration is just $10. Each walker will receive an event t-shirt and free continental breakfast. For more information or to make a donation to the program, please visit the web site or call (714) 241-6214, ext. 17216.

Seniors Gather to Celebrate Lifelong Learning

Dean of Innovation and Learning Technology, Dr. Ted Boehler

Coastline hosted a tea party for Emeritus students at its Westminster campus on March 6. Emeritus students are age 55 and older who are taking classes at Coastline for physical fitness, personal enrichment, or for pure social enjoyment.

The Emeritus Tea was attended by nearly 100 seniors who enjoyed a special presentation by Coastline’s Dean of Innovation and Learning Technology, Dr. Ted Boehler. As he reviewed the technological innovations of the past 100 years, audience members reminisced of the days they got their first radio, television and automobile. Bringing the seniors up to date with today’s technology, Dr. Boehler cruised around the room on his Segway and introduced the group to some of his robots. He also talked about the ways Coastline is utilizing technology that assists students in the classroom—from hand-held PDAs to virtual courses via Second Life.

Seniors enjoy breakfast and presentation at this year's Emeritus Tea.

Coastline’s Emeritus Tea is an annual event hosted by the Coastline Community College Foundation and is a way of reaching out to the college’s senior students to recognize their commitment to lifelong learning. Although the average age of students in Coastline’s Emeritus program is 74 years old, the college is home to some extraordinary students that are still active in fitness and educational classes at 100 years old!

Most classes are free to seniors age 55 and older, and classes are taught at senior centers, community centers, assisted living facilities, as well as on Coastline’s main campuses. For more information on Emeritus courses, please call ext. 16213.