Growing Inland Achievement

Category: Spotlights

  • GIA Selected as Client for UCR Master of Public Policy Capstone Project

    GIA Selected as Client for UCR Master of Public Policy Capstone Project

    Growing Inland Achievement selected as a client for UC Riverside’s capstone project to develop policy solutions for returning adult learners in the Inland Empire.

    INLAND EMPIRE, CA – Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) has been selected as a client for this year’s UC Riverside School of Public Policy (SPP) Master of Public Policy (MPP) capstone project. This unique program connects organizations with second-year MPP students to tackle critical issues through applied research and policy analysis.

    GIA’s project will focus on identifying effective policies to support returning adult learners in the Inland Empire. A team of three talented students—Veronica Ibarra, Denise Mayen, and Jesica Santiago—will lead this research under the academic direction of Dr. Andy Crosby, Assistant Professor of Teaching at UCR’s SPP, and with support from the Center for Community Solutions (CCS).

    Dr. Justine Ross, Executive Director of the Center for Community Solutions in UCR’s School of Public Policy shares, “Our Center’s mission is to connect academic research with practice and policy, so we are grateful to count Growing Inland Achievement as a partner in this effort and excited for the UCR School of Public Policy’s master’s students to gain real-world experience developing evidence-based recommendations to the benefit adult learners in our region.” 

    This collaborative effort will run from January to June, delivering actionable insights to inform GIA’s work in fostering equitable educational and economic opportunities for adult learners in the region.

    “We’re excited to collaborate with the exceptional students and faculty at UC Riverside to explore solutions that address the challenges faced by adult learners in our region,” said Ashish Vaidya, CEO of GIA. “This partnership offers a valuable opportunity to bring new insights to an issue that is critical to our mission.”


    About Growing Inland Achievement  

    Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) serves the Inland Empire region of Southern California—the 12th largest metropolitan statistical area in the U.S., including over 4.7 million residents and over one million students. GIA supports a regional cross-sector network of education, government, nonprofit, and business partners, collectively working to achieve a shared vision of educational and economic success. GIA’s shared vision is that by 2035, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties will be widely recognized for their educated workforce, thriving communities, and vibrant economy that creates prosperity for all. 

  • GIA Announces 2024 Toward a Shared Vision Award Winners

    GIA Announces 2024 Toward a Shared Vision Award Winners

    Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) has announced the winners for the 2024 Toward a Shared Vision Awards, an annual celebration of individuals and groups who are advancing equitable educational attainment and economic success in the Inland Empire. The awards dinner will be held on October 8, 2024, at the Riverside Convention Center, kicking off a two-day summit dedicated to addressing regional educational issues and opportunities.

    This year’s honorees reflect diverse and collaborative efforts taking place across the region to address key educational challenges. From organizations driving equity-focused initiatives to individuals fostering innovation, the awards shine a spotlight on those making a notable impact in their communities.

    The 2024 award categories and honorees are:

    • Excellence in Regional Transformation: BLU Educational Foundation
    • Equity-Focused Excellence: Rialto Project Impact, Rialto Unified School District
    • Student-Centered Excellence: Riverside County Office of Education
    • Excellence in Regional Collaboration: Inland Empire College Corps Consortium
    • Excellence in Innovation: Randall Lewis

    “The work to improve education involves many dedicated contributors and these honorees have shown exceptional leadership in driving progress,” said Dr. Ashish Vaidya, President and CEO of Growing Inland Achievement. “They represent a key part of the collective effort to improve education and economic mobility in the Inland Empire, and we are honored to highlight their important contributions.”

    This year’s awards dinner will bring together educators, community leaders, and stakeholders from across the region, recognizing the vital role collaboration and innovation play in improving educational outcomes and economic success for all.

    For more information about the awards, event details, or to register for the Toward a Shared Vision Summit, visit https://gia.towardasharedvision.org or contact frances@gia.echofactory.dev.

     

  • GIA Relaunches Award-Winning Education Insight Radio Show and Podcast

    GIA Relaunches Award-Winning Education Insight Radio Show and Podcast

    Education Insight Production Team (pictured above, left to right): Tyler Veazey, Corona CA (Production Engineer); Lacey Kendall, Banning, CA (Host and Broadcast Consultant); Alyssa Silva, Coachella, CA (Assistant Producer); Jake Poore, Corona, CA (Executive Producer).

    Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) is excited to announce the relaunch of its award-winning radio show and podcast, Education Insight, in a new and improved format. Beginning August 22, 2024, Education Insight will air weekly on KVCR 91.9 FM, with an expanded broadcast schedule and format that promises to bring more insights, education topics, and opportunities for listeners to tune in.

    Expanded Broadcast Schedule

    The new format includes three weekly broadcast times on KVCR:

    • Thursdays at 2:00 PM and 6:30 PM
    • Saturdays at 4:00 PM

    In addition to KVCR, Education Insight will also be broadcast at various times throughout the week on three additional radio outlets:

    • KCAA Radio (1050 AM and 106.5 FM)
    • KQLH (92.5 FM)
    • KFXM (98.3 FM)

    GIA and KVCR have enjoyed a long-standing partnership in producing Education Insight. The show’s new format includes a 30-minute weekly episode, replacing the previous monthly schedule. This change reflects GIA and KVCR’s commitment to providing more frequent and in-depth coverage of critical education issues in the Inland Empire and beyond.

    Executive Director of KVCR, Connie Leyva emphasizes, “we are so excited to introduce the 30 minute weekly version of Education Insight to KVCR listeners. Knowledge is power, enjoy!”

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    Innovative Integration into Higher Education

    In a significant development, episodes of Education Insight have been integrated into the curriculum at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB). The Liberal Studies program in the College of Arts & Letters now includes the show’s content as part of its curriculum for students aspiring to become educators. This collaboration aims to provide future teachers with a comprehensive understanding of key education issues, enhancing their knowledge of current challenges and innovations in the field.

    “CSUSB recognizes the value of bringing authentic, relevant, and meaningful information to our future educators,” said Dani Doueiri, Interim Coordinator of the Liberal Studies program at CSUSB. “Research shows that each teacher impacts thousands of students during their career, many of whom will stay in our region. Education Insight offers a unique and comprehensive resource to start their journey.”

    GIA’s Director of Communication, Jake Poore, added, “We are honored that Education Insight is being used to help prepare the next generation of educators. This collaboration reflects our commitment to enhancing education at all levels in our community.”

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    Additional Programming

    In addition to Education Insight, another GIA-produced program, The GIA Education Report, a 3.5-minute weekly news segment on current education topics, will also begin airing on KCAA Radio in September. This expansion highlights GIA’s ongoing efforts to inform the public on vital education issues affecting the Inland Empire and beyond.

    For more information and to listen to past episodes, visit the Education Insight website at https://gia.echofactory.dev/education-insight.

    Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) serves the Inland Empire region of Southern California—the 12th largest metropolitan statistical area in the U.S., including over 4.7 million residents and over one million students. GIA supports a regional cross-sector network of education, government, nonprofit, and business partners, collectively working to achieve a shared vision of educational and economic success. GIA’s shared vision is that by 2035, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties will be widely recognized for their educated workforce, thriving communities, and vibrant economy that creates prosperity for all.

  • Education Insight Recognized as Locally Produced Radio Show of the Year

    Education Insight Recognized as Locally Produced Radio Show of the Year

    Inland Empire radio show and podcast, Education Insight, was recently announced as the winner of a Best of the West Media Award in the category of Locally Produced Show of the Year. The Best of the West Media Awards honors individuals and companies who exemplify excellence in service to their communities and the media industry.

    “The Best of the West Media Awards competition received entries from media markets across 10 western states,” said Paul Klein, Chairman of AAF Western Region in making the announcement. “I would like to congratulate all of the winners for their exemplary work and service to their local communities.”

    Education Insight Production Team (pictured above, left to right): Tyler Veazey, Corona CA (Production Engineer); Lacey Kendall, Banning, CA (Host and Broadcast Consultant); Alyssa Silva, Coachella, CA (Assistant Producer); Jake Poore, Corona, CA (Executive Producer).

    The Best of the West Media Awards honors individuals and companies demonstrating excellence in service to their communities and quality of media production within the markets they serve.  It is an annual competition sponsored by the Western Region of AAF, the advertising industry’s largest trade organization.

    “We are thrilled that Education Insight won the award for Locally Produced Show of the Year. I personally want to thank my friends at GIA and KVCR FM for their support of the production of our show and want to acknowledge all of the amazing guests we have featured on the program,” said Lacey Kendall, host of Education Insight. “Thank you for making us award-winning.”

    A complete list of Best of the West Media Award winners is listed below:

    Category Winner City/Region State
    Radio Broadcaster of the Year Stephens Media Group – Tri Cities 94.9 The Wolf Adam & Jen in the Morning Kennewick WA
    Newspaper of the Year San Francisco Bay Times San Francisco CA
    Outdoor Company of the Year Meadow Outdoor Advertising The Dalles OR
    Outdoor Company of the Year Volta Charging San Francisco CA
    Magazine of the Year Trend Magazine art+design+culture Santa Fe NM
    Website of the Year The Nevada Independent Las Vegas NV
    Blog-Podcast of the Year The Modern West Laramie WY
    Agency of the Year Wunderman Thompson Seattle Seattle WA
    Agency of the Year KPS3 Reno NV
    Media Agency of the Year Spectrum Reach Honolulu HI
    Governmental Media Outlet of the Year Nevada Department of Health and Human Services
    (in partnership with The Center for Application of Substance Abuse Technologies)    		 Carson City NV
    Locally Produced Show of the Year Education Insight Inland Empire CA
    Public Service Campaign or Event of the Year Mask On Move On Washoe County NV
    Best Coverage of a Local News Story of the Year The Denver Post Denver CO
    Media Professional of the Year Chris Sheetz Idaho Falls ID
    Media Talent of the Year James Patrick Gilbert AZ
    Agency Professional of the Year Jenny Greene Lahaina HI
    Best College Media Outlet of the Year The Santa Clara Santa Clara CA
    Best College Website-Blog-Podcast of the Year The Santa Clara Santa Clara CA
    Best Student Media Representative of the Year Carolyn Kuimelis Santa Clara CA
    Young Achiever Award Edgar Sierra Sparks NV

     

    About Education Insight

    Education Insight is a monthly radio show and podcast that 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 in partnership with 91.9 KVCR FM. Hosted by 30-year broadcast veteran Lacey Kendall, we explore topics ranging from education challenges and shortcomings to innovations and groundbreaking ideas that are driving student success. Learn more at https://gia.echofactory.dev/education-insight/. 

    About AAF Western Region

    The Western Region of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the nation’s oldest national advertising trade association, acts as the “Unifying Voice for Advertising” within the Western United States.  The Western Region comprises of five district operations supporting the states of Arizona, Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Each district serves a vital role in representing the interests and concerns of local advertising communities to protect and promote the well-being of advertising. The Western Region accomplishes this through a unique, coordinated grassroots network of advertisers, agencies, media companies, local advertising clubs and college chapters. They also set the framework for well-known industry programs like the American Advertising (ADDY®) Awards and the National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC).

  • GIA to Host Dual Enrollment Regional Conversation on May 13

    GIA to Host Dual Enrollment Regional Conversation on May 13

    Dual enrollment for high school students is increasingly raised as a critical strategy for helping students launch purposefully and successfully into the college pipeline.  Conversations about building dual enrollment programs and maximizing benefits for all students are being held at the local, state, and national levels.  As the region considers the possibilities for our students, there is a rich conversation to be had.  What does dual enrollment look like in the Inland Empire now?  What could it become for all students?  How could we achieve in our districts and post-secondary institutions if we worked together?

    Education leaders in the Inland Empire are invited to join Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) and the Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) to discuss what a regionwide Dual Enrollment goal for students would look like.  With an equity focus and in the pandemic/post-pandemic environment, there may be an opportunity to formulate an especially timely regional Initiative and work statewide to support policy and legislation in the 2021-2022 cycle.

    “We have invited Dr. Beth Higbee, recently retired Assistant Superintendent from San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, to serve as our convener and facilitator for this conversation.” said Ann Marie Sakrekoff, COO at Growing Inland Achievement. “We believe her deep experience with and appreciation of so many districts and initiatives in the Inland Empire will help us ensure that we are fully capturing our regional perspective.”

    Join the conversation on May 13, 3:00 – 5:00 pm by registering for the meeting at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIpdeCrrzgqHtderS1CkmSUEpyZ6x88PTT6

    After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. If we may answer any questions for you, please do not hesitate to email Beth Higbee at bethhigbee9@gmail.com, or Ann Marie Sakrekoff at annmarie@inlandemipiregia.com.

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