Re: Fresh

Hiam Abdulahad

Hiam Abdulahad never stopped helping others. Not when she was caring for orphans in Baghdad before fleeing the carnage caused by the war in Iraq. Not when she was volunteering to help refugees in Syria even though she herself was a refugee. And not when she pitched in with the International Rescue Committee while still settling into her new home in Spring Valley.

Today, thanks to the unwavering support she received when beginning her higher education journey at Cuyamaca College, Abdulahad has graduated summa cum laude from San Diego State University with a bachelor’s degree in social work and is now helping others acclimate to a new life as a case manager for Jewish Family Services.

“Anyone can overcome the obstacles they may face and earn a degree in this country,” Abdulahad said. “You can’t give up. But for me, I had so much help from Cuyamaca College, I had so much support, I had so many people who believed in me. Cuyamaca was the bridge that brought me to a better future and has allowed me to continue doing what I can to help.”

Abdulahad is among the nearly 4,000 refugees and immigrant students, many from Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries, who attend Cuyamaca and Grossmont colleges. Her story has drawn a growing legion of admirers.

“Academically, she was just an absolutely outstanding student who was at the top of the class,” said Cuyamaca College instructor Anita Stirling, who first met Abdulahad in her introductory social work courses. “But even more than that, she was very diligent and very determined and very willing to help other students. You won’t find a more responsible person. All of her peers looked up to her.”

Abdulahad’s journey began in Baghdad, where she was working as a property surveyor, volunteering with an orphanage, and raising three children with her husband, who owned a coffee shop. Her fortunes changed in 2003 when a U.S.-led coalition aiming to topple the regime of former dictator Saddam Hussein invaded the country and chaos ensued.

“There were bombings all the time, kidnappings, it was extremely bad,” Hiam said. “First we fled north to my home village, then we went to my husband’s village, then we returned to Baghdad when it seemed safe to return. But the situation was horrible. The children couldn’t go to school. I was terrified. We had to escape.”

The family packed what it could into a car and drove in the cover of darkness toward Syria seeking asylum. They told no one of their plans.

“Thank God, we were able to get out safely,” she said.

Abdulahad and her son Samer Odish

The family lived in Damascus for four years, during which time Abdulahad volunteered with refugee organizations while her children attended school. She later found work with the United Nations, which kept her employed until 2008, when the United States cleared the family to resettle with relatives in Detroit. Four months later, relatives convinced them to move to San Diego County. Within months, Abdulahad, now a Spring Valley resident, began taking adult school ESL classes.

As her confidence in her English grew, Abdulahad enrolled at Cuyamaca College within a year.

“It was challenging because of the language barriers, but with the help of my professors and mentors like Alicia Munoz, Jerry Tesar and Anita Stirling, I was able to move ahead,” she said. “Words are not enough to describe these three professors. They were amazing.”

Munoz said Abdulahad, who received scholarships from the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Colleges, stood out from the beginning.

“In my advanced ESL composition course, Hiam took academic excellence to new heights, setting the bar high for herself and her fellow classmates,” Munoz said. “It was gratifying to see how her fellow classmates responded to her work ethic by emulating her attitude towards her course work, demonstrating that imitation is the best form of flattery. While she came to Cuyamaca as a refugee, she devoted effort, time, and passion to her studies, transferring to San Diego State University as one of our stellar students. She truly personifies how a community college education is the gateway to a successful future.”

In 2013, Abdulahad earned her associate degree in social work, graduating with honors. After taking a year off to work and begin a three-year tour volunteering with the International Rescue Committee, she graduated with her bachelor’s degree in 2016 from San Diego State University.

Hiam has been with Jewish Family Services since last year, helping refugees – primarily Iraqis and Syrians – learn American customs and traditions, enroll in school, find employment and seek volunteer opportunities.

“People should always do what they can to help the vulnerable,” she said. “If you have the ability, I think you should reach out to people who are in need.”

Students joined the public to spruce up the campus, one of a series of volunteer projects in last year’s Grossmont Give Back: Month of Service. The event returns this year with the campus cleanup on Friday.

Friday, April 7, marks the start of Grossmont Gives Back: Month of Service, an annual event promoting volunteerism among the college community and the public that is expected to see hundreds participate in a series of projects on and off campus.

Grossmont Gives Back is a joint effort by the Grossmont College Community Service Learning program and Student Affairs to encourage community service and to provide exposure to new learning opportunities.

Instructors are encouraged to integrate CSL curriculum into their coursework so many students are expected to participate in conjunction with their classes, said English instructor and CSL co-coordinator Cathy Miller, adding that double the 130 who took part in last year’s inaugural event are expected this year.

Liability releases required for all activities are posted on the Community Service Learning website.

The service projects are:

April 7, 8:30 a.m.-noon– (Health and Sciences Complex second-floor lobby, Bldg. 34)Campus Beautification Project: Learn about Grossmont College’s commitment to sustainability and participate in a cleanup of bioswales, one of the college’s newest green elements. These bioswales on the east side of the campus are landscape elements designed to filter silt and
pollution from runoff water. Meet at 8:30 a.m. in the Health & Sciences Complex second floor lobby for a light breakfast and a brief overview of the college’s sustainability plans, then head out for the cleanup. This project to remove non-native plants and trash from the bioswales is open to the public. Children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

Tuesday, April 11, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.– (Grossmont College Main Quad) Campus Community Art Project: Join art professor Jennifer Bennett and her students to paint murals and kiosks in the Main Quad for display around the campus. One of the three canvases will be blank, while the remaining ones will complete works designed by art students. No artistic experience is necessary to contribute to this community art project sponsored by the World Arts and Cultures Committee and Blick Art Materials.
Saturday, April 22, 9 a.m.-noon: (La Mesita Park, La Mesa) 15th Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup: Join in I Love a Clean San Diego’s 15th Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup on Earth Day 2017. The Grossmont College contingent will be repairing and expanding bioswales and clearing invasive plants at La Mesita Park at 9009 Park Plaza Drive in La Mesa. Participants are urged to bring friends and family members for a morning of fun and environmental preservation. In addition to Grossmont College’s liability release, this project requires registering onI Love a Clean San Diego’s website.

Friday, April 21 and April 28, 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. or 4-7 p.m.– Serving San Diego’s Hungry: Students and faculty will help serve lunch or dinner to San Diego’s homeless at Father Joe’s Village, also known as St. Vincent de Paul, 3350 E. Street in downtown San Diego. (Volunteer spaces are limited so this opportunity is only open to Grossmont students and select faculty.)

Visit the community service websitewww.grossmont.edu/campus-life/csl/ to access liability release forms. For more information, contact Cathy Miller at (619) 644-7865.

Amalyia Blyumin

She was born and raised in the former Soviet Union Republic of Azerbaijan, but fled with her parents to the United States to escape the instability resulting from a deadly conflict with neighboring Armenia. Today, Amaliya Blyumin is putting the lessons she learned while adjusting to a new life in a faraway land to good use as a Cuyamaca College Transfer Center coordinator and counselor, helping students navigate their way to a four-year college or university.

“The transition coming to the United States was not easy,” Blyumin recalled. “It’s a different culture, a different language. It’s not easy to move to another country. One of the reasons I wanted to work as a counselor was to help immigrants and others understand the educational system here and how it works and what they need to do to be successful.”

Blyumin immigrated with her parents when she was 20, settled in San Diego, and quickly enrolled in an English language school to learn the language. A year later, she began taking classes at Grossmont College. Associate degree in hand, she transferred to San Diego State University in 2002, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in education.

While wrapping up her master’s degree, Blyumin worked as a Grossmont College counselor through an internship program sponsored by San Diego State and the San Diego & Imperial Counties Community Colleges Association (SDICCCA). The program places graduate students on a community college campus to work with a mentor in securing invaluable on-the-job experience, and Blyumin quickly found work as a part-time counselor at several community colleges – including Grossmont and Cuyamaca – upon earning her master’s degree.

Her skills and dedication led to a full-time job as a Cuyamaca College counselor in 2009. She is spending the spring semester as the Counseling Department’s acting chair.

Her colleagues say Blyumin is a pleasure to work with and a valuable part of Cuyamaca College.

“Amaliya is awesome,” said Cathy Fritz, a student services assistant in the counseling office. “She’s always putting students first.”

Said Blyumin:

“First and foremost, our goal in this office is to find the best pathway for a student to get into a university,” she said. “And that’s not as simple as developing an education plan and deciding what classes to take. Those are important elements, but setting yourself up to transfer is a very strategic process. When to apply, where to apply, what to look for in a university.”

“Success for me,” Blyumin added, “is to be as honest as possible with our students and give them the information they need and the support they need to transfer to a university.”

The strategy is working. San Diego State on average accepts approximately 250 transfer students from Cuyamaca College annually, and UC San Diego accepts an additional 50 or so each year. Scores of other students transfer to four-year colleges and universities throughout the state and country.

“Amaliya is very good about staying up to date on all the transfer requirements from the different schools and on what students need to do to get where they want to go,” Fritz said.

Two popular outdoor events will merge this year as one great way to spend a Saturday with the family: the Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival, set for April 29 at Cuyamaca College.

The Spring Garden Festival, put on for 24 years by the Ornamental Horticulture program at Cuyamaca College, is combining with the annual Butterfly Festival, put on by the Water Conservation Garden since its butterfly pavilion opened in 2014. Admission and parking are free for the 9 a.m.-3 p.m. event that showcases the college’s renowned Ornamental Horticulture program, as well as the Water Conservation Garden and the Heritage of the Americas Museum, both located on the Cuyamaca College campus.

Looking to beautify your landscaping but with less water? Looking for an easy-on-the-wallet way to entertain the kids? Get some tips and a lot more at this annual community celebration of spring and a greener future. The Rancho San Diego campus becomes a growers’ mecca, with the college nursery’s biggest plant sale of the year, as well as exhibitors and demonstrations designed to inspire the gardener in everyone.

For the kids, the tours of the butterfly pavilion, a “Pollinator Party,” face-painting, and butterfly releases at the Water Conservation Garden are sure to delight, along with the butterfly experts, workshops and an invitation to come to the festival wearing bee and butterfly costumes.

And for the adults, wine tasting is a new addition, with apprentices from the college’s Viticulture Technician Apprentice program serving local wines and sharing information about the college’s newest certificate offering.

More than 40 vendors, craftspeople, and artisans will be offering their wares and services on the campus’ Grand Lawn. A host of activities, exhibits, tours, vendors and demonstrations of sustainable gardening and landscaping promise to inform and entertain the public at one of the region’s largest outdoor community events of the year, expected to draw about 3,000 attendees. Eight food trucks will be stationed at the event, selling kettle corn, sandwiches, shaved ice, waffles, barbeque, sliders and tacos.

The Ornamental Horticulture department’s largest plant sale will feature a wide selection of modestly priced plants and flowers. Sales from the nursery supplement the Ornamental Horticulture program’s regular funding to pay for supplies and equipment. The nursery is a learning lab for students on the identification, care and landscape uses of Southern California’s ornamental trees and shrubs.

“The Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival is a great chance to showcase Cuyamaca’s longstanding commitment to sustainability,” college President Julianna Barnes said. “The event is an opportunity to highlight one of the college’s premiere academic programs, and it is also a day for the community to enjoy exhibitors and demonstrations promoting resource conservation.”

The Water Conservation Garden will have plants for sale, including edible and ornamental plants. Plants can also be purchased from the California Native Plant Society. Docent-led tours of the garden will be offered, in addition to professional landscape designers providing 20-minute consultations. To pre-register for the $20 consultations, call the garden at (619) 660-0614, ext. 10.

But the butterflies get the star billing for the garden’s portion of the festival.

“We are excited to offer hands-on learning experiences in our discovery lab and through butterfly releases,” said Diane Owens, the Water Conservation Garden’s director of events. “There will also be a pollinator party with Ms. Smarty-Plants and story time sessions for the children.”

Opened in 1999, the demonstration garden is funded by memberships, donations, grants and support from the college, local water agencies and the City of San Diego.

Dream Raffle

The Heritage of the Americas Museum, which features historic art, culture and natural history of the Americas, will have free admission during the festival and docent-led tours at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. A “Five-Choices Dream Raffle” starts at 2 p.m. for prizes including a jade tree from China and white coral; a pre-Columbian Peruvian alpaca canopa or figurine carved from stone and framed archaic arrowheads; a Navajo weaving stick with a weaving and bows and arrows; a framed Olaf Wieghorst print with an alabaster stone sculpture; and gift certificate for either tea for two at the Westgate Hotel or a $50 purchase at the museum store.

Raffle tickets for $1 can be bought on the day of the festival or in advance by calling the museum at (619) 670-5194. Ticket-holders need not be present to win.

Museum director Kathleen Oatsvall said proceeds from the raffle will support the center’s educational programs for the more than 5,000 schoolchildren annually who visit the museum.

Local artist and museum volunteer Diana Kam will give Chinese brush stroke demonstrations and presentations will be given on Kumeyaay fire-making and artifacts. “Journey through the Cosmos with the Art of NASA,” an 11 a.m. presentation sharing photographs from outer space, will be given by Dave Roberts, a museum docent who has worked in the field of applied anthropology for more than 35 years and is also a conference speaker, photographer and published author.

Bill Evans, a Sierra Club national outings leader for 20 years who has led hiking tours and photographed most of the western U.S. national parks, will give a presentation, “Adventure and Discoveries in Your Nearby National Parks,” at 1 p.m. in the museum conference room.
For more information about the event, call the Ornamental Horticulture department at (619) 660-4023, or the Water Conservation Garden at (619) 660-0614, or visit the festival website at www.thegarden.org/springfestival/

Cuyamaca College is at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in Rancho San Diego.

Cuyamaca College has been selected to participate in a statewide project aimed at developing structured pathways that lead students to certificates, degrees, transfer to a four-year university, and ultimately their career goals.

Cuyamaca is one of 20 California community colleges chosen to take part in the California Guided Pathways Project. Colleges selected for the three-year program will send teams – comprised of the president, a faculty leader, and three other stakeholders – to six institutes designed to help the colleges implement a fully-scaled guided pathway model. Each college taking part in the program has committed to implementing guided pathways for all incoming students by 2019.

“Cuyamaca College is honored to take part in this effort to further improve student success and ultimately completion,” said Cuyamaca College President Julianna Barnes. “Our goal is in establishing clear, structured, academic and career pathways to create a seamless experience from the time a student enters the college to the time he or she graduates and transfers to a university or establishes a career.”

The California Guided Pathways Project will bring together several efforts aimed at boosting student success at Cuyamaca College. Ongoing initiatives include redesigning the developmental sequence and increasing the number of students who gain access to transfer-level courses in English and math. The college also has begun finding new ways to measure how well a student will succeed in college, relying less on assessment tests and increasingly on high school transcripts. Changes in the college’s placement processes have already dramatically increased the percentage of Latino and African-American students placing into and successfully completing transfer-level math courses.

California Guided Pathways is funded by the College Futures Foundation, The Teagle Foundation, and college fees.

The Grossmont College World Arts and Culture Committee is sponsoring a free concert 7 p.m. Monday, April 24, at the college's recital hall (Bldg. 26, Room 220), featuring an innovator of the classical guitar, Paul Galbraith, on a customized Brahms eight-string guitar.

The instrument is supported by a metal endpin, similar to that of a cello, which rests on a wooden resonance box. Both the guitar’s design and the Grammy nominee and Billboard Top 10 artist’s playing style are considered groundbreaking, garnering acclaim from leading music publications and reviewers.

Galbraith will be performing the music of Bach and Mozart, along with the preludes of Russian composer Alexander Scriabin. A master class will also be held at 8 p.m., Sunday, April 23, in the college’s Hyde Art Gallery, where three student guitarists, coached by Galbraith, will perform. Both events are free and open to the public.

The eight-string Brahms guitar.

Seating is limited so RSVPs are requested to Anthony.cutietta@gcccd.edu

At the age of 17, Galbraith won the Silver Medal at the Segovia International Guitar Competition. Andrés Segovia called his playing “magnificent,” and the award helped launch an international career performing with leading orchestras throughout Europe and the United States, as well as Canada, Greece, Norway, Hungary, Brazil, China, India and Iceland.

Galbraith’s recording of the complete Bach violin sonatas was nominated for a Grammy award in the category of Best Solo Instrumental Album and reached the top 10 in Billboard’s classical charts. The two-CD set was also chosen as one of the two best CDs of 1998 by Gramophone Magazine, which called it “a landmark in the history of guitar recordings.”

Grossmont College is at 8800 Grossmont College Drive. For more information about Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, go to www.gcccd.edu http://www.gcccd.edu/

Cuyamaca College’s answer to Coachella returns Saturday, May 6, with the 9th Annual Coyote Music Festival, organized, produced and promoted by students in the innovative Music Industry Studies program.

The free, family-friendly event from noon to 4 p.m. will feature two outdoor stages on the Grand Lawn with six local bands playing homegrown music ranging from alternative rock to folk.

The students benefit from Cuyamaca College being the only school in the county to offer a transfer degree program that combines training in music theory, literature and performance with studies in music technology and business. That mix of instruction helps students develop as musicians, learn to operate and use the college’s recording studios, work with bands to create demos and other promotional materials, and to plan and produce concerts and festivals with multiple stages.

“The Coyote Music Festival is a great way for the community to enjoy original live music in a relaxed setting and it offers students invaluable experience in producing a major event that teaches them a multiplicity of skills,” said Annie Zuckerman, a Business Office Technology instructor who teaches the marketing and promotions aspect of the event.

Team teaching the course is Taylor Smith, head of the college’s performing arts program who is also a musicologist and performing artist.

The Coyote Music Festival is the culmination of a semester-long project that teaches students all the production aspects, including planning, auditions, promotions, staging and sound engineering. The class called the Music Industry Seminar is a course so rich in content that students are able to take it up to four times, each year learning a new aspect of putting on an event of the music festival’s scale.

The musicians or bands and their scheduled performance times are:

(Noon-12:35 p.m.) Geoff Bradley and David Woody, a bluegrass, acoustic rock and alternative folk duo who have played off and on for 40 years at venues including Java Joe’s, a staple in San Diego’s acoustic music scene, and California Sol Restaurant and Bar in Spring Valley.
(12:40-1:15 p.m.) Barrie Dempsey, a folk/blues artist who has performed with a band and as a solo artist for more than 30 years, is making a return engagement at the Coyote Music Festival, where he played in 2015. With his guitar, harmonica and flute, he performs one to three times a week at farmers’ markets, Seaport Village and similar venues. The La Mesa musician and songwriter won Artist of the Year honors in the country music category at the 25th Annual Los Angeles Music Awards in 2015. He recently won an honorable mention in the San Diego Songwriter’s Guild Annual Song Contest and in March, was named the Best of Las Vegas Solo Artist at the 2017 Las Vegas Producers Choice Awards. He is currently in the studio, working on his next CD.
(1:20-1:55 p.m.) Peter Ray, an Americana duo with Pete Filacio on vocals and guitar, and Doug Tyler on guitar, plays monthly at venues including Bolt Brewery and Hooleys Irish Pub, both in La Mesa.
(2-2:35 p.m.) Hocus, a rock/pop/punk and alternative rock trio led by vocalist and guitarist “Fat” Lando Martinez, with Carlos Lopez on drums and Harlan Saiz on bass. The band which plays at local venues including House of Blues and the Tower Bar in San Diego, will headline in July at Kurt Cobain Days, a weeklong music festival in Aberdeen, Washington, the hometown of the late lead singer of the grunge rock band, Nirvana. As a lead-in to the music festival, Hocus will embark on a tour of the Pacific Northwest to promote its CD, “Damage with Care.”
(2:40-3:15 p.m.) Bobby Michaels, a solo folk rock vocalist for 30 years who plays the guitar, ukulele and mandolin several times a week at such venues as Brick 15 Coffeehouse. He is a return act at Cuyamaca College, having played at the college’s Winter Wonder Jam in 2015.
(3:20-3:55 p.m.) Everything Undone, an alternative/hard rock band with brothers Tristan Brooks on guitar and vocals and Jagger Brooks on drums; Eric Lawrence, guitar and piano; and Jagger Saling, bass guitar, vocals. Influenced by ‘90s alt, electronic, and Japanese rock, the band released its EP, “Disappear,” in 2016, and has performed at many venues in San Diego and Los Angeles, most recently at SOMA San Diego, a leading venue for punk and alternative-rock concerts.

“The students do a good job putting on the festival,” said Dempsey, the award-winning musician also making a second appearance at Cuyamaca College. “I think the program the college is offering is great – anything that has to do with music education

is a good thing and I feel like I am contributing to a worthy effort. And the class where they put on this festival is not a music course per se, it teaches students about production. If I were not a performing musician, I probably would have gone in that direction, myself.”

In addition to original live music, festival-goers can enjoy Aunty Lynne’s food truck, which sells Pacific Rim-inspired cuisine, and other vendors selling various wares. Parking is free and lawn chairs are permissible.

For further information, contact Taylor Smith at (619) 660-4627 or visit www.coyotemusicfest.com or www.facebook.com/CoyoteMusicFestival/

Information about the Music Industry Studies program can be found online.
Cuyamaca College is at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway, El Cajon, California 92019.

Ahmad Aljanabi

Of all the bombings, rocket fire and kidnappings that Ahmad Aljanabi experienced while growing up in Baghdad, one incident will forever be etched in his memory.

“I was sleeping upstairs and I heard heavy gunfire coming from our neighbor’s house,” Aljanabi said. “My older brother suddenly grabbed me and took me to the back of our house with the rest of our family. I remember how my body was shaking and I could not say a word. I remember the fear in my mother’s eyes while she was saying prayers. After about 20 minutes, no more gunshots were heard. We could only hear the crying from our neighbor’s house. Later, we found out that a militia had killed our neighbor and his oldest son.”

Some 12 years after that deadly encounter, Aljanabi, now 24, is thriving at Grossmont College and has been accepted to San Diego State University, where he will transfer this coming fall as a public health major.

Aljanabi credits Grossmont College for his success.

“I’ve had nothing but a great experience here,” he said. “I’ve had a wonderful relationship with every professor I’ve had. All of them have always been willing to help whenever I might need it. They think about their students first.”

Aljanabi’s achievements led the Foundation for Grossmont & Cuyamaca Community Colleges to award him at Lee Roper Memorial Scholarship, which is named after one of Grossmont College’s first instructors. Aljanabi was among the 132 students honored during a recent gala at Grossmont College for their academic accomplishments.

“Ahmad is self motivated and willing to go above and beyond to learn and to apply his learning to his everyday life,” said Hossna Sadat, a counselor at Grossmont College. “He is supportive to others and works well in teams. Ahmad is a stellar student and has truly embraced community college. He is an advocate for social justice and encourages refugee and immigrant communities to also thrive and succeed. For this reason, he also carries a strong appreciation for diversity and equity.”

Aljanabi’s journey to Grossmont College was set into motion after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

“One day you’re living a normal life. My dad owned a factory. He had a good job,” Aljanabi said. “The next day, war breaks out and everything you had is gone.”

Aljanabi’s family ultimately fled to Syria, hiring a driver and making their way through countless checkpoints en route to Damascus. Surviving on savings, they lived in Syria for five years before being cleared to move to the United States.

The odyssey continued here, with the family first going to Georgia. “It was hard,” Aljanabi said. “I could not communicate with people. The only words I knew were ‘hi’ and ‘thank you.’ But I kept studying, reading books and listening to music to improve my language. I also bought a dictionary and kept it in my backpack to translate every single word I did not know.”

Before long, Aljanabi could more than hold his own conversing in English. But the family, looking for better employment opportunities, moved to Maine and then Michigan, before arthritis suffered by Aljanabi’s mom led the family to come to California.

Aljanabi graduates with two associate degrees from Grossmont College this spring. His goal is to earn a master’s degree in orthotics and prosthetics, then work as an orthopedic specialist caring for those with artificial limbs.

His epiphany came while hanging out at La Jolla Cove and watching a young boy with a prosthetic leg quickly recover after falling down. “I saw how this device had helped him get back on his feet, both literally and figuratively. I thought, that’s what I want to do. I want to help people get back on their feet.”

Said Sadat: “I have no doubt that Ahmad will make a tremendous impact in the world.”

Grossmont College has been awarded a $410,000 state grant for an innovative outreach program preparing hundreds of high school students and adult learners from diverse East County communities for much-needed apprenticeships.

The project aims to boost awareness about apprenticeships and improve students’ math and English literacy that are needed to succeed. The centerpiece of the program is a Pre-Apprentice Mobile (PAM) Lab that will serve as an outreach and education vehicle at career fairs, high schools, and adult schools in an effort to spread the word about apprenticeship opportunities and begin preparing interested students to become apprentices.

“Grossmont College has long played a key role in the economic development of our region. This grant will advance our ability to connect up to 500 traditional learners and digital natives to pre-apprenticeship training in underserved communities,” said Grossmont College President Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh. “The award will allow us to broaden our educational and skills offerings to a larger audience and continue to offer high-quality career-technical education leading to sustainable, well-paid careers.”

The PAM Lab will be equipped with computers, internet access, and various educational tools, all aimed at boosting student success. In addition to the services provided by the PAM Lab, students will be invited to career service resume writing, interviewing, and other job success activities on the Grossmont College campus.

The PAM Lab, which will be staffed by a coordinator working with Grossmont College, was designed in response to employer needs, Ironworkers Local 229, and the San Diego East County Chamber of Commerce. The PAM Lab coordinator will engage in outreach to East County high schools and adult education centers, connecting with guidance counselors and other faculty members to best boost pathways to apprenticeships. Other outreach efforts will include presentations at community meetings and job fairs.

Apprenticeships are work-based, earn-while-you-learn opportunities that prepare workers for occupations in industries such as construction to manufacturing and healthcare. They are as popular as ever, with the number of registered apprentices jumping from 375,425 nationally at the end of the 2013 fiscal year to 505,371 nationally at the end of the 2016 fiscal year, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Median annual earnings for apprentices in San Diego County are $61,532, according to the California Department of Apprenticeships, yet the East County Economic Development Council has found in multiple studies that very few individuals are aware of apprenticeships or how to enroll in one. On average, 40 percent of East County apprenticeships go unfilled on a regular basis because of a lack of knowledge or poor English, and limited math proficiency.

“This project leverages the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District’s strong partnership with the Grossmont Union High School District, Grossmont Adult School, and industry to build career opportunities and improve the labor market in East San Diego County,” said Cindy Miles, Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District chancellor.

The funds for the Grossmont College award come through $15 million made available through the California Apprenticeship Initiative Pre-Apprenticeship Grant Program. The funds will be released after formal approval by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors on May 16.

Golf balls will rain down from the skies May 5, and prizes including a trip to Cabo will fall into the laps of lucky winners of the Brad Daluiso Golf Classic’s helicopter golf ball drop.

Now in its 14th year, the golf tournament is a daylong event at the Sycuan Golf & Tennis Resort hosted by the former NFL kicker and Grossmont College alum to raise funds for Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges’ athletics programs.

As competition draws to a close on the 18-hole championship golf course nestled in picturesque Dehesa Valley, as many as 2,000 golf balls purchased by donors are dropped from a helicopter hovering about 50 feet in the air. The lucky winner whose numbered ball lands in or closest to the hole – in this case, hole No. 1 at Willow Glen Golf Course– gets airfare and four night’s stay for two in an ocean-view deluxe room at the Hilton Los Cabos Beach and Golf Resort in Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. The next closest balls will garner prizes including a Sonos Playbar, $1,000 Sprouts gift card, Padres tickets behind home plate and more.

And you don’t have to play in the tourney or be present to win – just donate $10 for one ball, $50 for six or $100 for 20. Register and pay online at www.foundation.gcccd.edu/bdgc . The deadline for online purchases is Thursday, May 4. Cash, credit cards and checks will be accepted for ball purchases at the tournament until 3 p.m.

The golf classic draws about 120 golfers annually and has raised more than $200,000 for college athletics and Exercise Science and Wellness programs. The event is sponsored by California Coast Credit Union, Sycuan Casino, and Sprouts Farmers Market. The event organizer is the Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges, the nonprofit organization that supports students, faculty and staff at both colleges through scholarships and educational equipment, supplies and programs.

“This is the third year for the helicopter drop, which has proven to be such a hit and a great way to raise money for the athletics programs,” said Daluiso, a member of the Foundation Council.

Ryan Schumacher, associate dean of athletics at Cuyamaca College, said the experience of student athletes at both colleges will be enhanced by tournament proceeds. More than 500 student athletes participate in intercollegiate sports at both colleges and about a quarter continue their athletic careers at the four-year level. For many students – particularly those with their eyes set on scholarship offers to universities or even careers as pro athletes – athletics is the draw to community college and what motivates them to earn good grades. For others, athletics is what gets them engaged in campus life.

“Cuyamaca College Athletics is excited to be a part of this amazing event,” Schumacher said. “Brad Daluiso has been a long-time friend of the district and we are proud to be a part of this partnership.”

The chopper and pilot are from Gillespie Field-based Raven Helicopters, and the balls are being provided by Sycuan. Resort staffers will also pick up the balls afterwards and report the winner.

For those interested in tournament play, the deadline to register is April 28. Check-in and a putting contest will begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by an 11 a.m. shotgun start and lunch. The helicopter ball drop at 4 p.m. is followed by dinner and an awards ceremony and the event’s conclusion at 5 p.m.

Player spots are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The entry donation to play is $325 per person and $1,300 for a foursome. Golfers receive a gift bag, range balls, putting contest entry, 18 holes of golf with cart, lunch, opportunity drawing tickets, course contests and a buffet dinner.

Daluiso, who was introduced to collegiate football while he attended Grossmont College, said the golf tournament is his way of giving back to East County’s only public colleges and to lend support to student athletes.

Daluiso played football at Grossmont College until he graduated in 1988, and then went on to UCLA for two years before being drafted into the National Football League.He played the bulk of his 10-year career for the New York Giants and capped eight seasons in 2000 as the team’s all-time most accurate kicker and the second-leading scorer in the team’s history. After playing in two Super Bowls, he retired from football in 2001 after a stint with the Oakland Raiders.

In 2000, Daluiso was awarded the Ed Block Courage Award, presented to the team member displaying exemplary leadership, courage and community service. In 2012, he was selected as one of five outstanding community college alumni in the state by the Community College League of California. Today, Daluiso is a private wealth advisor with Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management..

For more information about the golf classic and ball drop, contact Erich Foeckler at erich.foeckler@gcccd.edu or call the foundation at (619) 644-7652.

Cuyamaca College is gearing up for its annual Automotive Skills Day on May 6, a popular event showcasing the college’s renowned Automotive Technology program with competitions involving scores of high school and college students from throughout the county.

Learning automotive skills at Cuyamaca College

The day starts with a Skills Competition at 8:30 a.m. in the Automotive Technology Complex, also known as the “K” Building. The Skills Competition has college and high school students using the latest tools to test their knowledge and expertise on everything from wheel and engine alignment to air conditioning repairs.

Other highlights include an Over the Hill Gang San Diego Car Club show; an interviewing workshop for students looking for jobs or internships in the industry; and various automotive-related games and challenges. In addition, the Automotive Service Councils of California will be displaying various vehicles and discussing career opportunities.

“Automotive Skills Day connects students with industry while allowing us to showcase what is one of the best programs of its kind in Southern California to the general public,” said Chris Branton, an instructor who is organizing the event along with Brad McCombs, the automotive technology program’s coordinator. “We’re also hoping this will open the eyes of high school students to the tremendous opportunities that exist in this line of work.”

Awards will be presented at 1 p.m., leaving enough time for those attending to meander to the annual Coyote Music Festival on the nearby Grand Lawn. That free, family-friendly event features six local bands on two stages and is the culmination of a semester-long project that teaches students all the production aspects – including planning, auditions, promotions and engineering – that come with staging a concert.

Automotive Skills Day highlights the increasingly sophisticated nature of automotive technology, and Cuyamaca College’s Automotive Technology and Automotive Service Excellence programs are considered among the best in the region. Cuyamaca College’s Automotive Technology program also offers the General Motors-sponsored ASEP (an acronym for Automotive Service Educational) program, which trains students in repairing and maintaining GM vehicles, and a Ford-sponsored ASSET (an acronym for Automotive Student Service Education Training) program, which trains students in repairing and maintaining Ford vehicles. Ford and GM dealerships sponsor students under their respective programs, and students alternate between on-campus instruction and paid work experience at the dealerships.

In addition, the Automotive Technology program is working with the Automotive Service Councils of California to establish as early as next year a program like ASEP and ASSET, but with a focus on independent dealerships and repair shops.

A just-completed air-conditioning plant built to serve new structures in Grossmont College’s near future is being hailed not only for its good looks, but its nearly 70 percent reduction in energy costs.

The $8 million, 2,700-square-foot chiller plant that serves the cooling needs of the entire campus marks a milestone for Proposition V, the $398 million bond measure approved by East County voters in 2012. The chiller is the first structure to be built using Prop. V funds, although numerous other projects have been completed at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, including renovations at the Cuyamaca College Exercise Science Building and track, and upgrades to the electrical system at Grossmont College.

Those who pass by the chiller plant may never know its true function, but college officials are OK with that.

The new plant, which houses a 21,000-ton high-efficiency chiller, massive pipes and three stainless steel cooling towers, could be mistaken at first glance for a classroom building.

Contractors faced the challenge of transforming an aging, water-wasting central plant into a modern, more efficient facility to meet the demands of more buildings, but at substantially less cost, while making the structure in the center of campus aesthetically pleasing. The cooling towers provide chilled water for air-conditioning while reducing demand on the power grid, but their visual impact was an issue.

“From the start it was made clear that the college didn’t want something that looked like a mechanical building in the middle of the campus,” said Ken Emmons, senior director of Districtwide Facilities.

To shield the cooling towers from full view, the chiller plant’s exterior walls are 27 feet tall, about 2.5 stories in height. Large windows with obscure glass hide the towers even further. To break up the mass of the building’s exterior, plant screens were installed that will allow greenery to partially cover the block walls.

“The energy efficiency of the central chiller plant and its architecture that fits in with the campus are examples of sustainable design,” said college president Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh. “More crucially, this chiller is an infrastructure project that will provide air-conditioning capacity for the coming major Prop. V projects that we can now break ground on.”

The low-water use and low maintenance of the drought-tolerant landscaping are among the cost savings for the improved chiller plant, along with upgrades in electrical infrastructure and the increased efficiency of chilled water piping and improved condenser units. Operators who were targeting a 30 percent reduction in energy costs with the plant’s expansion are ecstatic about the estimated 223,000 kilowatt hours annually that the plant will cut, a 68 percent energy savings per year.

With cost savings from both the energy- and water-saving chiller plant and its ability to cool the campus’ 864,000 square feet of interior space more efficiently, the district hired Architects Mosher Drew to design an exterior that was true to the look of the rest of the campus. As a key part of the district’s overall energy-conservation plan, construction of the chiller plant was partially paid for with state Proposition 39 funds, a 2012 measure that set aside billions for energy-efficiency upgrades of the state’s public schools.

To qualify, the district had to show the project met energy-reduction criteria measured in kilowatt hours per year.

“We proved to the state that the energy savings are so good the project was approved for two years’ funding even before the actual distribution of monies began,” said Fred Parker, program manager for the construction management firm, Gafcon.

Energy management systems and sensors added to the plant ensure that when doors are left open, mechanical heating and cooling will shut down, creating additional energy savings.

The expansion and upgrade of the central chiller plant, which began in January 2016, was the first major Prop. V building to be completed because it is needed to serve the needs of other new facilities, including the Teaching and Performance Theater and a Science, Math and Career Tech Complex.

A June 14 groundbreaking is expected for the Performing Arts Complex, which will include a 390-seat theater with a stage, orchestra pit and balcony, and which will also house the Hyde Art Gallery.

The first phase of the two-building Science, Math and Career Tech complex is the renovation of Building 31, a low-slung structure that is among the 56-year-old college’s original buildings. Construction is expected to begin in winter 2018.

At Cuyamaca College, major projects include the refurbishing of the college’s popular track, expected to be completed by the end of May; the renovation and expansion of the Ornamental Horticulture Complex and a new Student Services Building, which will house offices for Admission and Records, Financial Aid, and Counseling, in addition to a veterans center. Construction of the Student Services facility is expected to begin in fall 2019. The OH Complex construction is expected to begin April 2019.

The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District serves about 30,000 students each semester, about 20,000 at Grossmont College and almost 10,000 at Cuyamaca College. For more information about the colleges, go to www.gcccd.edu

Tony Zambelli

Workshops aimed at promoting financial literacy from kindergarten to community college. Collaborating with the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility to educate prisoners nearing parole on the ins and outs of managing their finances. A partnership with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of California to bring lessons on credit card debt to classrooms throughout San Diego County.

The San Diego Center for Economic Education at Cuyamaca College is engaged in all that and more, far exceeding expectations when it was formed 10 years ago to disseminate financial literacy programs to teachers and students throughout the region. One of the missions of the center is to provide teaching resources to instructors in an effort at meeting state mandates –such as 1985 legislation that students complete a semester course in economics before graduating from high school.

“The San Diego Center for Economic Education is having a profound impact in making students throughout San Diego County financially literate,” said Anthony Zambelli, a former Cuyamaca College economics professor who serves as the Center for Economic Education’s director. “The center provides a variety of quality programs, classes and workshops that enable teachers to help students meet California State Standards in Economics and to have the practical knowledge and skills necessary to become vital members of the local and global economy.”

The nonprofit, which is affiliated with the California Council on Economic Education, will celebrate those efforts during a 10^th anniversary reception on Wednesday, May 3, at the Water Conservation Garden on the Cuyamaca College campus in Rancho San Diego. Allysunn Walker-Williams, president and chief executive officer at the California Council on Economic Education, will be the keynote speaker.

The event is free and open to the public, said Zambelli, who was instrumental in launching the center at the Cuyamaca College campus.

Among the council’s most ambitious projects is helping San Diego Unified School District high schools update their financial literacy curriculum, a project funded through a $161,533 state grant. Training will be provided to 50 economics teachers at more than two dozen San Diego Unified high schools in the latest methods and theories in financial literacy, and updated books on personal finance will be distributed to local classrooms.

About 8,000 high school students will benefit from the training each year. Professional development training is being funded by Discover Financial Services’ “Pathway to Financial Success” program, a five-year, $10-million commitment to bring updated financial education curriculum into public high schools across the country.

Summertime, and the livin’ is easy.

So is picking up college credits from more than 500 classes being offered this June 12-Aug. 3 at Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges. Open registration for summer session starts Monday, May 8, and continues until June 11.

Most classes begin June 12 and are four, six or eight weeks long. At just $46 a unit for California residents, the average class only costs $138. Many students qualify for fee waivers, and financial aid is available.

Want to sign up for that high-demand general education class that always fills up quickly during the regular semester? Taking it during the summer is a strategy to avoid wait lists and maxed out classrooms.

The classes are also a great way for recent high school graduates to get a jumpstart on college, continuing students to move closer to graduating, and workers to build on their job skills.

Popular general education both colleges are offering include Cultural Anthropology (ANTH-120); Art Appreciation (ART-100); Business Communication (BUS-128); Prep for General Chemistry (CHEM-120), a prep course for science and engineering majors; College Composition & Reading (ENGL-120); Early American History (HIST-108); Elementary Statistics (MATH-160), Introductory Psychology (PSY-120) and many more.

Both colleges are also offering anatomy courses that are prerequisites for allied health training: Grossmont’s Anatomy and Physiology I (BIO-144) and Cuyamaca’s Human Anatomy (BIO-140).

For students looking for occupational training or hands-on classes for their own purposes, Grossmont College has introductory Administration of Justice and Culinary Arts classes open to all and Cuyamaca College offers basic Automotive Technology and Water/Wastewater Technology classes.

If a summer camping trip strikes your fancy, Grossmont College is offering a weeklong course involving lecture and field study in the origin, evolution and geological significance of the Sierra Nevada mountains, as well as field study techniques including map analysis, GPS and identifying minerals and rocks (Geography 176 and Geology 176). A group led by Earth Science/Geography Professor Judd Curran will leave at 5:30 a.m. Saturday, June 10, and return at about 7 p.m. Sunday, June 18.

A $150 trip fee must be paid at the cashier’s office in Building 10 by May 26 and an orientation from 12:30-4:30 p.m. Friday, May 19, in Building 30, Room 208 is mandatory. The trip involves overnight camping and moderate hiking. Contact Curran at (619) 644-7343 or judd.curran@gcccd.edu for more information.

Want to get into shape or keep fit this summer? Both colleges offer single-unit Exercise Science classes that cost less than some gym memberships.

Beginning, intermediate and advanced classes in the following activities are offered at Grossmont College: fitness boot camps; yoga; aquatic fitness; lap swimming; weight training; tennis; aerobic fitness and weight training; and total body fitness.

The Exercise Science program at Cuyamaca College offers all levels of aerobic dance; basketball; and soccer.

If online courses are your favorite, they’re available as well, including Principles of Information Systems (CIS-110, Cuyamaca); and Intercultural Communication (COMM-124, Grossmont).

For those seeking basic computer skills to make themselves more attractive to employers, Grossmont College’s Business Office Technology Flex Lab offers self-paced, online or instructor-led courses in basic keyboarding and using Microsoft programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. For a list of classes, orientation dates and additional information, go to the BOT web page at www.grossmont.edu

For students wanting to learn how to become successful in college, both campuses are offering College and Career Success (COUN-120) in class and online, teaching study skills such as note-taking, listening to lectures, managing time, studying for tests and improving memory. Also covered are topics such as stress management and discovering motivations and personal strengths.

For summer class schedules for both colleges and information on registering, go to www.gcccd.edu/now/ or call Admissions and Records at Grossmont College -- (619) 644-7186, or Cuyamaca College -- (619) 660-4275.

Grossmont College is at 8800 Grossmont College Drive in El Cajon. Cuyamaca College is at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway in El Cajon.

A summer adventure is in store for high school and college students wanting to explore the world of theatre.

Students in 2016 staged "80 Days! A New Musical."

High school and college actors, costume technicians and stagehands are invited to team up with the Grossmont College Theatre Arts Department for its 2017 Summer Arts Conservatory, which is producing a musical adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's “Treasure Island.”

The 4th Annual Summer Arts Conservatory invites students to learn from professional directors, choreographers and technicians. High school students at least 14 years old who have completed their sophomore year can earn college credit. The free courses begin Monday, June 12, and culminate with 10 performances at the Stagehouse Theatre from July 27 through Aug. 5. An open casting call for those interested in performing in this classic adventure tale of pirates, hidden riches, and daring escapes is scheduled for Monday, May 15, at the Stagehouse Theatre, Building 21, Room 247.

This year’s production is an adaptation written by Theatre Arts instructor Jeannette Thomas and is being directed by Theatre Arts instructors Brian Rickel and Mitzi Smith, with musical direction by Grossmont College Music instructor John Reynolds.

Those auditioning May 15 are asked to prepare a 1-minute comic monologue and a 16-bar cut of a contemporary pop song or a song from a pop musical. Auditions can be scheduled by calling the Theatre Arts Department at (619) 644-7234, but walk-ups are also welcome.

Auditions are not required for technical students who want to build costumes or work backstage. Those working backstage will spend the summer building sets, sewing costumes, working on the lighting or crafting props. Students interested in working backstage should contact Beth Duggan, department chair, at (619) 644-7235.

Advance registration isn’t needed to sign up since all students will be given an add code to enroll on the first day of class. New students, however, should apply for admission to Grossmont College before the start of class.

The 2017 Summer Arts Conservatory – funded entirely by donations from the community – is but one of several Grossmont College Theatre Arts programs aimed at building interest in the arts among the region’s youth.

For further information, call Theatre Arts Department Chair Beth Duggan at (619) 644-7235 or visit the Grossmont College Theatre Arts Department website.

High school students needing assistance to apply for admission or acquiring permission slips should contact Alexis Popko at (619) 644-7234.

Some 100 allied health students took part in the simulation.

For the first time, more than 100 students from four disciplines in Grossmont College’s allied health programs took part Friday in “Hospital Day,” a large-scale simulation exercise in the college’s high-tech Health and Sciences Complex, along with more than 20 instructors, college alumni and community volunteers.

In an event unique to the college, the students utilized eight stations in simulation labs that closely mimic hospital rooms to care for a student posing as an elderly patient with a variety of health issues. The intent of the exercise was to get the students from the different disciplines -- nursing, cardiovascular technology, occupational therapy assistant, and respiratory therapy – to work together and communicate effectively in preparation for what they will be facing in real life as healthcare professionals.

This event took two years to plan, and involved the largest number of students and faculty to use the simulation labs at one time, organizers said. In addition to the students – all dressed in hospital garb -- more than 20 instructors and college alumni participated in the event as facilitators. The scenarios involved a student taking the role of an elderly person with a tracheostomy who had also developed metastatic cancer. An afternoon simulation involved the patient refusing care, and students facing end-of-life decisions, and discussions on medical ethics.

Nursing and allied health students started the day with a team-building exercise.

The objective of Hospital Day was to expose students to inter- professional education, or IPE, which refers to students from multiple healthcare disciplines joining to train for collaborative patient care.
About nursing and allied health at Grossmont College:

About 300 students are enrolled in the allied health programs at Grossmont College and most will have jobs in their fields within six months to a year after completing their training. Grossmont College is the only public institution in the county with programs in cardiovascular technology, occupational therapy assistant, respiratory therapy, and orthopedic technology. Grossmont College is one of five community colleges in the county to offer associate degrees in nursing. Graduates who pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses are licensed as RNs.

Grossmont College students can continue on to earn their bachelor’s in nursing through a baccalaureate program offered through Point Loma Nazarene University, with classes taught by PLNU faculty at Grossmont College and online.
More information on Grossmont College’s allied health programs is posted online.

Osvaldo Torres

Osvaldo Torres is helping military veterans thrive at Cuyamaca College.

A counselor who works closely with veterans and their dependents enrolled at the Rancho San Diego campus, Torres has found his forte guiding former service members as they navigate through the seemingly byzantine regulations relating to the educational benefits of the GI Bill and helping them develop and stay true to an education plan.

“He has been exceptionally helpful to us,” said Army veteran Allan Estrada, who graduated from Cuyamaca College in the spring of 2016, transferred to San Diego State the following fall, and who will be earning his bachelor’s degree in sociology this December. “He’s there for the veterans all the time, he looks out for your long-term goals and he does what he can to see that you meet them.”

Torres, who was born in Indio and raised in the Coachella Valley, worked as an adjunct counselor at Cuyamaca, Miramar, Southwestern and City colleges before being hired full time as a Cuyamaca counselor and assistant professor in the fall of 2013. About half of his time is spent working with the general student population. The other half is spent working with veterans pursuing their education.

“It’s different working with the veteran population because you’ll see a student quite a bit, you’ll build a relationship with them, and it’s wonderful to watch them progress and overcome whatever challenges they have been facing in transitioning back to civilian life,” Torres said.

Veterans receiving benefits through the GI Bill are limited to three years of funding, and only classes that are necessary to earn a degree are paid for. Universities that tweak their admission requirements for students transferring from a community college can make matters even more complicated.

“You have to stay on top of things,” Torres said.

Torres hadn’t planned on becoming a counselor after graduating from Coachella Valley High School, but his career path was set while working as a peer mentor while attending UC Riverside.

“I really enjoyed helping people,” he said.

Upon earning his bachelor’s degree in sociology in 2002, Torres attended San Diego State University to secure his master’s degree in counseling through the Marriage and Family Therapy program. At one point, Torres was working with at-risk youth through a mental health services program in Escondido, but opted to concentrate on serving community college students instead.

Nicole Jones, Dean of Counseling Services at Cuyamaca College, was impressed with Osvaldo from the start. “Upon meeting Osvaldo, I knew he had great potential to work with the veteran students and would be an excellent counselor for the program,” she said. “Over the last four years, Osvaldo has been an advocate and mentor for our veterans and is admired for his passionate approach to making sure all students achieve their educational goals.”

Estrada agreed.

“Your first year as a student coming out of the military can be challenging,” he said. “Getting an educational plan set so that it complies with the requirements of the GI Bill can be difficult. But Osvaldo does a great job to keep you on track. You could definitely say he’s helping to keep veterans in school.”

Torres wouldn’t have it any other way.

“The reward for me is getting phone calls and emails from students, some of whom you’ve worked with for two or three years, and you hear they just got accepted to a university or have embarked on a new career.”

Apprenticeships in San Diego County offer median earnings in excess of $60,000 a year, experts say, but many slots go unfilled because workers don’t know about them.

To help raise public awareness, an East Region Apprenticeship Fair, open to East County high school and college students and the general public, is set for Friday, May 12, at the Grossmont College Main Quad.

The fair is open to high school students from 8-11:30 a.m., then to everyone else from noon-3 p.m. The focus of the morning session is to inform teens of apprenticeships as an option for training and education, while the afternoon sessions will be geared to an adult audience. Workshops will include “Overview of the Trades,” “Females in Apprenticeships,” and “Work Readiness.”

Coordinated by the Grossmont Union High School District, Grossmont Adult Education and the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, the free event is for those interested in learning about apprenticeship opportunities in San Diego and Imperial counties.

Representatives from 18 apprenticeship programs – mostly from the construction trades -- will provide information on on-the-job training for high-demand careers. Among them are Associated Builders & Contractors of San Diego, Inc. (ABC); Associated General Contractors (AGC); General Dynamics; Technology Apprenticeship Program; San Diego & Imperial Counties Bricklayers & Stone Masons JATC; Kitchens for Good; Chefs de Cuisine of San Diego; and San Diego Cosmetology Apprenticeship Progam.

The apprenticeship fair is an outgrowth of the high school district’s College and Career Readiness (C&CR) initiative, a push to ensure students are prepared for a postsecondary education, career training, or the workforce once they graduate from high school.

Apprenticeships are work-based, earn-while-you-learn opportunities that prepare workers for occupations in industries such as construction to manufacturing and healthcare. Median annual earnings for apprentices in San Diego County are $61,532, according to the California Department of Apprenticeships, yet industry leaders like the East County Economic Development Council have found in multiple studies that very few individuals are aware of apprenticeships or how to enroll in one.

As part of a collaborative effort to ensure East County has a well-prepared workforce, the high school and college districts have joined on other initiatives such as the East County Alliance, a unique partnership created in 2014 to provide East County youth with a smoother path to college and careers.
In April, it was announced that Grossmont College will receive a $410,000 state grant for an innovative outreach program preparing high school students and adult learners in East County’s underserved communities for apprenticeships. The centerpiece of the program is a Pre-Apprentice Mobile (PAM) Lab that will serve as an outreach and education vehicle at career fairs, high schools, and adult schools in an effort to spread the word about apprenticeship opportunities and begin preparing interested students to become apprentices.

“The apprenticeship fair and the PAM Lab will bring awareness to the comprehensive nature of education offerings at Grossmont College,” said Javier Ayala, dean of Career and Technical Education and Workforce Development at Grossmont College.

For more information about the East Region Apprenticeship Fair, contact C&CR Work-based Learning Specialist Frank Luera at fluera@guhsd.net

Free parking will be available in Lot 7 at Grossmont College.

At their third annual joint meeting, the governing boards of the East County college and high school districts will be reviewing the steps being taken to strengthen a partnership that is better preparing students for college and offering a way for them to pay for the first year of their higher education.

The joint Governing Board meeting of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District and Grossmont Union High School District will be held from 3:30-5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 16 in Room I-207 of the Cuyamaca College Student Center.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the work in the past year and make plans for the future of the East County Education Alliance, the 3 ½-year partnership between the two districts. The goals of the Alliance are to inspire students to focus on college and careers, develop a seamless pathway from high school to college, improve completion rates, and prepare students for the workforce.

Through the Alliance, the Higher Edge Promise Scholarship is offering a free year at Grossmont or Cuyamaca College to all Grossmont Union High School graduates who participate in college-preparation events. The scholarships will first be offered to graduating high school seniors in the class of 2019 who take the necessary steps to earn the Promise.

“I’m so proud of the progress our districts have made in collaborating with each other through the Alliance,” said Cindy L. Miles, chancellor of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District. “Our work will transform the lives of thousands of students and provide the skilled workforce that East County needs to grow and thrive.”

The Alliance efforts got a boost this year when the college district was awarded a $1.5 million two-year California College Promise Innovation Grant from the state California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. The money will be used to fund the Alliance’s outreach and college preparation program, which includes college campus visits, mentoring programs, Parent Nights and career workshops to introduce high schoolers to the demands of college and a career.

The funds will also be used for an online student support and data system to improve student retention and completion rates.

The Alliance is much broader than many other programs offering free college to high school students. In addition to the Higher Edge Promise Scholarship, participants in the Alliance are working to better align curriculum, developing programs to encourage high school students to attend college, and making efforts so that more students can take college classes while still in high school.

Students who are seeking a Higher Edge Promise Scholarship will be required to participate in engagement activities and college preparation events throughout their time in high school that will help ensure they are academically prepared for the rigors of a college education.

Part of the effort is introducing high school students to Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges to give them a taste of life on a college campus and inspire them to see that college is attainable for them.

In the next two weeks, selected students from El Capitan High School will be visiting Grossmont College, while Granite Hills High School students will be visiting Cuyamaca College. The students will learn about some of the academic and career education programs offered, and about the activities and support available to them at the colleges.

“We’re delighted that the East County Education Alliance is getting our students excited about the prospect of going to college,” said Tim Glover, superintendent of the Grossmont Union High School District. “We want our students to know that a world of opportunities are open to them when they graduate from high school.”

The East County Economic Development Council’s annual manufacturing tour for adult and veteran job-seekers, co-hosted by Cuyamaca College, is set for 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 25.

The free event for those 18 and older includes a bus ride and tours of two sites, lunch, and career advice on working in the manufacturing sector.

The purpose of the event is to introduce job-seekers to manufacturing jobs available in the East County region, and will include tours of Fox Factory in El Cajon and Computer Integrated Machining (CIM)in Santee. Fox designs and develops high-performance shock absorbers and racing suspension products for everything from mountain bikes to off-road utility vehicles. CIM specializes in the precision machining of all metals including exotic alloys. Buses will board at 8 a.m. Closed-toed shoes suitable for walking are advised.

Sponsoring the Careers in Manufacturing tours are Bank of America, Comerica Bank, Cuyamaca College, the East County Career Center, SDG&E, San Diego Workforce Partnership, Silvergate Bank, Union Bank , US Bank, and Wells Fargo.

The schedule is as follows:

7:30-8 a.m.: Check in at the East County EDC table in Student Lot 5 at Cuyamaca College
8 a.m.– Board buses which will take attendees to the manufacturing facilities for tours ending at 11:30 a.m.
Noon-1:30 p.m.:Complimentary sack lunch and the manufacturers’ panel at Cuyamaca College Student Center. Hiring personnel and staffing agencies will be available for questions.

Online registration is required. Parking permits will be sent by the East County EDC to registrants. For additional information, contact Jenny Huerta with East County EDC at 619-258-3670 or via email at jenny.huerta@eastcountyedc.org

Cuyamaca College alum Hiam Abdulahad: A lifetime of giving

Grossmont Gives Back: Month of Service

Cuyamaca College Transfer Center Coordinator Amalyia Blyumin: Providing a Ladder to Success

Spring Garden and Butterfly Festival set for April 29

Cuyamaca College selected for statewide Guided Student Pathways program

Classical guitar innovator Paul Galbraith to give free concert

Coyote Music Festival always a howling good time

Ahmad Aljanabi: Overcoming carnage, succeeding at Grossmont College

Grossmont College awarded grant to bolster apprenticeships in high-demand careers

Brad Daluiso Golf Classic includes helicopter golf ball drop

Automotive Skills Day May 6 at Cuyamaca College

New air-conditioning plant expected to cut college's energy costs by 70 percent

San Diego Center for Economic Education at Cuyamaca College marks 10th year

Register for summer classes at Grossmont, Cuyamaca colleges

Students learn all things theatre at college's Summer Arts Conservatory

'Hospital Day' at Grossmont College

Osvaldo Torres: Serving Veterans at Cuyamaca College

Apprenticeship fair at Grossmont College open to public

College and high school district governing boards meet to discuss progress of East County Education Alliance

Annual Careers in Manufacturing tour set for May 25