Growing Inland Achievement

Category: Education Insight Podcast

  • Education Insight: Where Policy Helps and Hurts Local Education

    Education Insight: Where Policy Helps and Hurts Local Education

    About This Episode

    Season 3. Episode 5.

    In the Inland Empire, our students count on teachers and administrators to help them make it to graduation. But in fact, they, our whole community, are counting on legislators to create good education policies. Policy that makes the road to graduation equitable, affordable, and possible. Are the policies that affect our students working for them or against them? This week three top experts lay it out for us. Dr. Nohemy Ornelas, Vice Chancellor of Educational and Student Support Services for the San Bernardino Community College District. Ann Marie Sakrekoff, the Interim CEO of Growing Inland Achievement, and Dr. Brittnee Quintanar, of Norco College conducted a study that put her in front of our top education leaders asking what they think about it. Join us for the next Education Insight. 

    Featured Guests

    Dr. Brittnee Quintanar

    Norco College, Counselor and Instructor.

    Brittnee Amberley Quintanar, Ph.D., has worked in higher education since 2006, primarily with California community colleges located in the Inland Empire of southern California, a region with historically low college-going and completion rates. Previous roles include alumni coordinator, grant program coordinator, and institutional researcher. Presently Dr. Quintanar serves as counselor, guidance instructor, and guided pathways faculty coordinator at Norco College. Her work over the last decade helping primarily neo-traditional students navigate the complexities of our higher education systems, serve as the as the impetus for her policy-focused research and advocacy.

    Dr. Nohemy Ornelas

    Vice Chancellor of Educational and Student Support Services, San Bernardino Community College District.

    Dr. Nohemy Ornelas is the Vice Chancellor of Educational and Student Services at the San Bernardino Community College District, where she oversees industry partnerships, workforce training, and manages programs to support students reach their academic and career goals. Throughout her 25 years serving the public and 18 years in higher education, Dr. Ornelas has promoted equity-minded programs to expand educational opportunities for students and families. Before joining SBCCD, Dr. Ornelas served as Associate Superintendent/Vice President for Student Services at Allan Hancock College, focusing on implementing the college’s Student Equity Plan, SSSP, Outreach Plan, the Noncredit Student Success and Support Plan, and the Student Equity and Achievement Program. She developed the college’s center for Dreamers, expanded the Student Veteran and DSPS programs, and rolled out the Hancock Promise. She has received numerous accolades, including the Future Leaders of America Latino Legacy Award, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Honored Alumni, the Pacific Coast Business Times 40 under 40 award, and Santa Barbara County’s Commission for Women Service Award. A first-generation college student, Dr. Ornelas began her educational career as a community college student, completed her bachelor’s degree at the University of California, Santa Barbara, master’s degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and earned her doctorate in education at California State University, Fresno.

    Ann Marie Sakrekoff

    Interim President & CEO, Growing Inland Achievement.

    Ann Marie Sakrekoff has been named Interim President & CEO of Growing Inland Achievement (GIA), effective May 15, following the retirement of Dr. Carlos Ayala.

    GIA serves San Bernardino and Riverside Counties as a regional, cross-sector network of education, government, nonprofit and business partners in the Inland Empire; collectively, they work towards a shared vision of educational and economic success.

    Sakrekoff has over 20 years of higher education and nonprofit leadership experience, including her current role as GIA’s Chief Operating Officer.

    Sakrekoff stated, “I am proud and excited to take on the Interim CEO role during such an exciting time for GIA as we continue building on our service to the Inland Empire educational network of students, families, institutions, and community partners. GIA will remain focused on its mission, impact, and growth while we search for our next permanent CEO.”

    Interview Highlights

    5:14 – Brittnee describes her research on public higher education. 

    6:11 – Brittnee reflects on how she helps students on a day-day basis and helps navigate their way through higher education.

    9:23 – Brittnee shares more details on her recent dissertation study.

    13:13 – Brittnee explains the startling discovery behind research regarding the roadblocks to local college and university student success.

    31:30 – Nohemy describes how the student experience has improved as a direct result of good policy.

    33:26 – Nohemy shares an area that really needs work and could benefit from the policy change.

    35:35 – Nohemy describes the process of developing district policy and procedures for educational services.

    39:19 – Nohemy talks about work being done locally and on capitol hill to address current student barriers and issues. 

    42:27 – Ann Marie gives insight into hot topics surrounding local and statewide education policy.

    44:04 – Ann Marie shares some of the good work being done here locally in the Inland Empire.

    46:22 – Ann Marie shares the positive impacts seen due to Assembly Bill 469 being passed.

    View our podcast page for more stories like this: https://gia.echofactory.dev/gia-podcasts/

    Education Insight tells the story of education in the Inland Empire through the diverse voices of those in and around the regional education community. The show is produced by Growing Inland Achievement, a collective impact organization in the Inland Empire with a mission to increase economic prosperity in the region by increasing educational attainment. Hosted by 30-year broadcast veteran Lacey Kendall, monthly shows explore topics ranging from education challenges and shortcomings to innovations and groundbreaking ideas that are driving student success.

  • Education Insight: Celebrating Local Educational Success

    Education Insight: Celebrating Local Educational Success

    About This Episode

    Season 3. Episode 4.

    Last month, a number of people in the Inland Empire were honored for extraordinary achievements in Inland Empire education. This week, we’d like you to meet a few of them. How does it feel to be recognized as the teacher or administrator of the year? What does an 8th-grade Fontana kid have to do to win the regional spelling bee and end up headed for the national competition? Plus, a look at the biggest STEM competition in the Inland Empire-where over a thousand science-loving kids converged to give it all they know for the Inland Empire Science Olympiad—all that and more on the next episode of Education Insight.

    Featured Guests

    Craig Petinak

    Director, Public Relations & Communications Services, Riverside County Superintendent of Schools.

    Craig Petinak is the Director of Public Relations and Communications Services at the Riverside County Office of Education where he leads an award-winning team of creative designers, communicators, and video producers. He serves as the “unofficial chief storyteller” for the transformational impact of education on the lives of individuals, the community, and society as a whole.

    Craig’s human-centered work blends the creative and strategic with the tactical and timely. From crisis communications and authoring press releases, to leading video productions and crafting internal newsletters, Craig also supports the school communications professionals within each of the county’s 23 districts to help them elevate their own schools, students, programs, and communications expertise.  

    Beth Schwandt

    Music Teacher, Lake Hills Elementary School in the Alvord Unified School District.

    “We’re up, UP WITH PEOPLE, we meet ‘em wherever we go. Up, UP WITH PEOPLE, they’re the best kind of folks we know. If MORE people were FOR people, all people everywhere, We’d have a lot less people to worry about and a lot more people who care!”

    I was in the 5th grade, at an Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, sitting in the audience of a UP WITH PEOPLE concert, and after hearing the harmonies, seeing the choreography, and experiencing the joy and the message, I knew I wanted to be a music teacher and a choir director. 

    My path was not direct, but after years of incorporating one period of the choir while I taught computer literacy or language arts, I finally became a full-time music teacher at the age of 53, and I wouldn’t trade one note of the journey along the way to realizing my dream! 

    My greatest contributions have been recruiting, training, and mentoring new music teachers at every level, and empowering them with curriculum, repertoire, pedagogy, and instruments. My greatest accomplishment has been building programs from the ground up; first, the Villegas Show Choir, next the Hillcrest Show Choir, and finally, the elementary music program. Exposing students to the arts through field trips, plays, concerts, workshops, and performances has instilled a rich passion and a life-long love for music in their hearts. 

    Jupharnoor Singh

    8th-grader, Heritage Intermediate, Etiwanda School District.

    My name is Jupharnoor Singh (Jup). I am 13 years old and in 8th grade from Heritage Intermediate in Etiwanda School District. This is my second year participating in the Spelling Bee. Last year (2022) I was the first person from my school to win the District Spelling Bee and got second place in the virtual San Bernardino County bee competition. This year I won the District Bee again and went on to win the SB county spelling bee which helped me secure a place in the National Competition in Washington DC from 30th May to 1st June.

    I speak 3 languages and got fluent in English in 2nd grade as my native language is Punjabi. In school, I always try to do my best and work hard to be an A + student. From 3rd grade onwards, I have been participating in the Battle of the Books (B.O.B) competition in which I secured good rankings every year.

    I love to play chess and basketball. I earned a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do when I was 9 years old. After the spelling bee, my goals for this year are to get selected into my high school basketball team, and finally write a short story and hopefully get it published.

    Karin Westerling

    Director, Inland Empire STEM Science Olympiad.

    Karin Westerling is a native-born Riversider. While earning a Ph.D. in biology at UC Irvine, she discovered that teaching was even more fun than bench science. A four-decade career teaching science to students in college, high school, and middle school followed. Now retired, Karin can’t quite quit the teaching bug. She is a water aerobics instructor and serves on the board of the So. Cal Tri-Counties Branch of the International Dyslexia Association and helps out with the Inland Empire Science Olympiad.

    Interview Highlights

    1:45 – Craig shares how it feels to be named the Classified Administrator of the Year.

    3:41 – Craig describes his work as the Director of Public Relations and Communication Services at Riverside County Office of Education.

    9:50 – Craig reflects on his proudest achievement in his position thus far.

    13:43 – Craig explains what he wishes people knew about Riverside County Schools.

    16:03 – Beth describes her role as a music teacher at Lake Hills Elementary School.

    17:43 – Beth shares the ways that music empowers students in that nothing else can.

    19:22 – Beth describes how music influences the academics of a student.

    22:01 – Beth talks about her greatest accomplishment.

    30:28 – Karin gives insight into how the Inland Empire Science Olympiad first got started.

    31:31 – Karin explains how many teams come to participate in this event

    46:45 – Karin shares why events like this cause a shift in kids’ passion for science here in the Inland Empire. 

    41:06 – Special Feature: Jupharnoor Singh, 8th-Grader, Heritage Intermediate, Etiwanda School District.

    View our podcast page for more stories like this: https://gia.echofactory.dev/gia-podcasts/

    Education Insight tells the story of education in the Inland Empire through the diverse voices of those in and around the regional education community. The show is produced by Growing Inland Achievement, a collective impact organization in the Inland Empire with a mission to increase economic prosperity in the region by increasing educational attainment. Hosted by 30-year broadcast veteran Lacey Kendall, monthly shows explore topics ranging from education challenges and shortcomings to innovations and groundbreaking ideas that are driving student success.

  • Education Insight: Positive and Negative Impacts of AI in Local Education and Economy

    Education Insight: Positive and Negative Impacts of AI in Local Education and Economy

    About This Episode

    Season 3. Episode 3.

    Artificial Intelligence has landed in the Inland Empire; allowing high school students to explore Egypt or China in virtual reality. It is helping pre-med students learn surgery with overlay vision that shows them where to make incisions and it’s making local logistic hubs more efficient. But two top experts in Inland economics and education are warning that it comes with a price. Instructors at all grade levels worry that chat gpt is actually completing your child’s school report, and Amazon is talking about creating “dark warehouses,” where all employees are let go, robotic devices take over the heavy lifting and they can save even more by turning off all of the lights. Are we prepared for all of this?

    On today’s Education Insight, we focus on nothing but A.I. and our region. This story is one where local politicians and educators are working to save the future and our jobs by getting in front of Artificial Intelligence. Dr. Johannes Moenius, from the University of Redlands, is an internationally respected expert on global economics and technology who has focused much of his work and teachings on the Inland Empire. Dr. Christian Shelton; A faculty member in the Computer Science & Engineering department at the University of California Riverside, and Author or co-author of over 65 scholarly works on Artificial Intelligence dating back to 2006. He is the lead contributor and member of R-Lair; a Riverside California lab of scholars all dedicated to research on artificial intelligence. I hope you’ll join us for the next Education Insight when we explore: A.I. in the I.E.

     

    Featured Guests

    Dr. Christian Shelton

    Professor, Computer Science & Engineering, UCR.

    Dr. Shelton is a Professor of Computer Science at the University of California at Riverside and a member of UCR’s Data Science Center. He has been on the faculty since 2003. His research interests are in statistical approaches in artificial intelligence, with a focus on machine learning and dynamic systems. He has applied his work to areas ranging from astronomy to sociology to medical informatics.

    Dr. Shelton received his B.S. in Computer Science from Stanford University in 1996. He then obtained his Ph.D. from MIT in 2001 and returned to Stanford from 2001 to 2003 as a post-doctoral scholar. He spent six months in 2003 and 2004 as a visiting faculty member at Intel Research and the 2012-13 academic year as a visiting researcher at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. He has been the Managing Editor of the Journal of Machine Learning Research and on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research; he currently serves on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Machine Learning Research.

    Dr. Shelton is a member of Tau Beta Pi (the national engineering honor society) and Phi Beta Kappa (the national liberal arts and sciences honor society). He received the Young Investigator Award from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and was a member of DARPA’s Computer Science Study Group.

     Dr. Johannes Moenius

    Professor, William R. and S. Sue Johnson Endowed Chair of Spatial Economic Analysis and Regional Planning School of Business & Society

    Johannes Moenius teaches global business at the University of Redlands. He is the founding director of the Institute for Spatial Economic Analysis (ISEA) and holds the William R. and S. Sue Johnson Endowed Chair of Spatial Economic Analysis and Regional Planning. Previously, he taught at the Kellogg School of Management and was a visiting scholar at Tokyo University. His research appeared, amongst others, in The Review of Economics and Statistics, Japan and the World Economy, and the International Journal of Industrial Organization. His recent work on automation and the workforce has been covered by the Atlantic, PBS Newshour, NPR, FastCompany, Business Insider, the Washington Post and many other news media worldwide. He has presented his work in more than 200 talks at universities, conferences, and government institutions.

    Interview Highlights

    3:54 – Dr. Shelton describes some of the ways AI is already being used today

    13:11 – Dr. Shelton is asked if we should be rethinking education in general so our students are properly prepared for job security

    16:35 – Dr. Shelton shares what he finds particularly promising as far as the uses of AI in education

    18:15 – Dr. Shelton reflects on the ultimate impact of AI on our region in the next 5 years

    20:40 – Dr. Shelton shares a message to local legislators about what they should be doing to assist educators and industry to help keep the IE economically productive

    22:40 – Dr. Shelton explains why he believes our area will be able to adapt to a large influx of AI

    26:42 – Dr. Moenius describes what changes will the Inland Empire face as more Artificial Intelligence arrives

    32:08 – Dr. Moenius  talks about what schools need to be teaching right now to help prepare students for the future

    37:05 – Dr. Moenius gives insight into whether or not the new jobs that might use A.I. are going to require workers to upgrade their skills and get a college degree

    42:56 – Dr. Moenius explains what local legislators need to be working on right now

    46:45 – Dr. Moenius shares what jobs are likely to be affected when AI inevitably makes its way into most industries

    View our podcast page for more stories like this: https://gia.echofactory.dev/gia-podcasts/

    Education Insight tells the story of education in the Inland Empire through the diverse voices of those in and around the regional education community. The show is produced by Growing Inland Achievement, a collective impact organization in the Inland Empire with a mission to increase economic prosperity in the region by increasing educational attainment. Hosted by 30-year broadcast veteran Lacey Kendall, monthly shows explore topics ranging from education challenges and shortcomings to innovations and groundbreaking ideas that are driving student success.

  • Education Insight: How Education Changes Lives

    Education Insight: How Education Changes Lives

    About This Episode

    Season 3. Episode 2.

    Most of us look at school as a path to get us to a dream we already have. But here in the Inland Empire, it’s common for students to be introduced to interesting experiences or careers that they never even thought about.

    This week we meet a former: custodian, a college journalist, and a little boy who was just trying to make it thru Ms. Lees’s 2nd-grade class — and then a moment at school that sent all three of them into totally unexpected directions. In this week’s Education Insight: How Education Changes Lives.

    Featured Guests

    Ron Esparza

    Fourth grade teacher, Paakuma K-8, San Bernardino.

    Ron Esparza is a 4th-grade teacher at Paakuma’K-8 School. In addition to working with young scholars, Mr. Esparza facilitates Pakuma’s Culture and Climate team and has contributed to professional development. Mr. Esparza received his B.A. in Liberal Studies and Teaching Credential from California State University San Bernardino. He is also a member of the Blue Palms band, sharing the gift of music with schools and communities in San Bernardino.  

    Anthony Donatelli

    On-air talent & social media coordinator, K-FROG 95.1

    Anthony began his broadcasting career at Coyote Radio, where he hosted two-morning sports shows and handled interviews for the syndicated radio program, My Awesome Empire. As a result of his education, skills, training, and experience, Anthony landed a position at Audacy’s Inland Empire Station, K-FROG 95.1. He is the afternoon drive on-air talent (3p-7p) and also works in the web, social media & promotions department. Anthony has been a finalist for On-Air Personality and Media Talent of the Year from some of the most prestigious outlets in the industry.

    Clemmie Taylor

    4th grader, Trapp Elementary School, Rialto.

    Interview Highlights

    4:49 – Ron explains what line of work he was in before becoming a teacher

    7:00 – Ron tells us how the change came about to go from custodial work to becoming a teacher

    8:25 – Ron reflects on his educational path

    13:07 – Ron describes what the best part of this journey has been for him

    14:23 – Ron shares details about a well-known teacher band he is in

    17:35 – Ron shares the lesson he’s learned from his first career, returning to college, and working with students in the classroom

    21:33 – Anthony describes the work being done at Audacity, K-FROG 95.1 Radio.

    22:53 – Anthony shares if he always wanted to be an on-air personality.

    24:00 – Anthony shares what happened that made him head toward broadcasting.

    27:47 – Anthony describes his college media education at CSUSB

    34:42 – Anthony shares the education paths of other broadcasters around him

    40:15 – Anthony shares the highlights of his work

    43:58 – Special Feature: Clemmie Taylor, 4th Grader, Trapp Elementary School, Rialto

    View our podcast page for more stories like this: https://gia.echofactory.dev/gia-podcasts/

    Education Insight tells the story of education in the Inland Empire through the diverse voices of those in and around the regional education community. The show is produced by Growing Inland Achievement, a collective impact organization in the Inland Empire with a mission to increase economic prosperity in the region by increasing educational attainment. Hosted by 30-year broadcast veteran Lacey Kendall, monthly shows explore topics ranging from education challenges and shortcomings to innovations and groundbreaking ideas that are driving student success.

  • Education Insight: Wraparound Supports and Student Success

    Education Insight: Wraparound Supports and Student Success

    About This Episode

    Season 2. Episode 11.

    This episode has little to do with classroom lessons but everything to do with local student success. In the aftermath of the pandemic, we now have more local college students of all ages living in cars, arriving hungry, facing transportation issues, and needing physical and mental health services.

    Educators, community leaders, and legislators in California have become increasingly aware of this. So, this year, they helped make federal, state, and private money more readily available to Inland Empire colleges to help these students stay healthy, safe, and learning. These services often referred to as wraparound support, provide community college students with much-needed access to food, housing, childcare, mental health, financial assistance, and transportation.

    In this episode, two education leaders responsible for establishing and managing these programs tell us more about how these wraparound services support local student success.

    Featured Guests

    Dr. Adrienne Grayson

    Associate Dean of Educational Partnerships, Riverside Community College.

    Rebecca Ruan-O’Shaughnessy

    Vice Chancellor for Educational Services and Support, California Community Colleges.

    Interview Highlights

    3:33 – Rebecca describes what kinds of support services are offered at CCC.

    7:33 – Rebecca shares what effect these new support services are having on student success in the state of California.

    13:34 – Rebecca explains what are the responsibilities and qualifications of new employees on CCC campuses.

    17:15 – Rebecca tells us what her office has learned so far now that the state’s largest education system has started implementing extra support for students.

    21:00 – Rebecca reflects on her satisfaction with the work being done at CCC.

    26:52 – Dr. Grayson describes what wrap-around services are.

    28:42 – Dr. Grayson shares what students are needing these services the most.

    29:52 – Dr. Grayson shares what impact she saw as a result of efforts to help with their college preparation and the application process.

    34:17 – Dr. Grayson explains how basic needs insecurity directly affects a student’s ability to succeed in school.

    42:13 – Dr. Grayson shares what she finds most promising happening at RCC.

    46:37 – Special Feature: Local students share their hopes and wishes for 2023.

    View our podcast page for more stories like this: https://gia.echofactory.dev/gia-podcasts/

    Education Insight tells the story of education in the Inland Empire through the diverse voices of those in and around the regional education community. The show is produced by Growing Inland Achievement, a collective impact organization in the Inland Empire with a mission to increase economic prosperity in the region by increasing educational attainment. Hosted by 30-year broadcast veteran Lacey Kendall, monthly shows explore topics ranging from education challenges and shortcomings to innovations and groundbreaking ideas that are driving student success.