Courier

Claremont

TODAY’S claremont-courier.com

PARENT February 2018

NEW FRIENDS
NEW FUN IN PE PAGE 10
 Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 3

TODAY’S
PARENT
February 2018

t
Little League to
honor standout
dad/4
by Meghan Brobowsky

t
Train travel brings
adventure, fun for
local family/8
by Mick Rhodes

t
Adapting PE to
make room for
friendships/10
by Kellen Browning
 Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 4

Claremont Little League will host is opening day ceremonies on Saturday, March 3 beginning at 8 a.m. Photo by Justin Kenward

Little League opening day to include tribute to a special dad

Cucamonga Quakes and a memorial to a pitching coach, was a real proponent of arm safety

G
et out your folding chairs and
head to the baseball fields, be-
cause the Claremont Little
League season is here. This year’s open-
ing day, March 3, will feature games
starting at 8 a.m., a visit from the Rancho
longtime coach and volunteer Bob
Mitchell, who died in September.
To honor his dad, Mr. Mitchell’s son Tyler, 21, will
throw the first pitch during the opening ceremony at
10:30 a.m.
CLL president Andrew Mowbray said Mr. Mitchell,
and always available to help anyone.
“Where you get some of these crazy dads, he was
always looking out for kids,” Mr. Mowbray said.
Sean Telish echoed Mr. Mowbray, adding that Mr.
Mitchell stuck around to help after Tyler outgrew
CLL. Mr. Mitchell coached Telish’s son Cooper,
LITTLE LEAGUE/next page
 Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 5
LITTLE LEAGUE/continued from previous page
who’s now 16.
“[Bob] didn’t have a stake in it other than going to
the field,” Telish said. “He became a coach out of the
goodness of his heart. He’d give his time and didn’t
want anything.”
Mr. Telish even recalled a time when Mr. Mitchell
was supposed to be coaching the team against him, but
ended up coaching both teams at once.
“He’s supposed to be the enemy,” Mr. Telish
thought. “But Bob never treated it that way. He made
me think about it—that he’s just here for the kids. Not
only did he coach against you, he coached with you.”
Ty Labbe, who coached with Mr. Mitchell, described
him as a very special man who loved the game of base-
ball and was friendly to everybody. Photo by Randy Scott
A group of 12-year-old players lead the teams in the
“Not everyone has the ability to go up and correct a Little League Pledge in March of 2011.
dad [who’s teaching his son wrong] without offending
the dad,” Mr. Labbe said. But Bob Mitchell could.
Peter Brown started coaching with Mr. Mitchell sev- Mr. Retzlaff also said that every team Mr. Mitchell
en years ago. He remembers his friend’s signature line: coached, every kid pitched—something rarely, if ever,
“Get your arm up,” which he would tell kids to keep heard of.
them from injuring themselves while pitching. “His love for the kids and the game of baseball will
But perhaps the best thing about Mr. Mitchell was stand out to me forever,” Mr. Retzlaff said. “He came
that he never charged kids for coaching services. out with patience and he loved the kids of Claremont.”
“He did it for the love of the game,” Mr. Brown said. “CLL is a great program and opening day is always
Mr. Mitchell coached for six years with Steve Ret- filled with such excitement,” opening day coordinator
zlaff and helped his three sons with their pitching. Mr. Carolyn Magallanes wrote in an email to the COURI-
Retzlaff calls him the “nine-year-old whisperer” for his Bob Mitchell leaves the mound after talking with
ER.
ability to get kids to immediately listen and improve. pitcher Ray Fernandez during last year’s District 20 Additionally, the Kiwanis Club will be putting on a
Mr. Retzlaff shared a story about a time right before All Star Tournament. As Andrew Mowbray shared, “I pancake breakfast, Ms. Magallanes said. Claremont
a little league game, when he was looking for his son. would assume Bob just paid a visit to the mound to High School’s marching band will perform, and several
He eventually found Mr. Mitchell teaching nine-year- calm Ray down and give him some advice in the teams—including the Quakes—will bring their mas-
old Danny a special pitch—the knuckle-change. Thirty middle of the inning. Bob was well known for his cots. There’ll also be kettle corn, funnel cakes and CLL
minutes later, Danny was throwing the new pitch for pitching advice to all young pitchers at CLL.” Mr. apparel for sale, and a video game truck for kids.
Mitchell died September 19, 2017 at the age of 52. —Meghan Brobowsky
strikes, and his dad was in disbelief.

Preschool programs give little ones a strong foundation
P
reschool has always been lauded as
a vital foundation for a child’s early
development, and two Claremont
programs are shining examples.
The ABCs for Me and Tiny Tots Enrichment Pro-
grams are giving Claremont families the opportunity
to give their child a crucial leg-up before being sent
off to kindergarten.
The two programs operate on different schedules—
ABCs for Me runs Monday through Thursday from
6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Tiny Tots runs a half-day pro-
gram from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. ABCs for Me op-
erates from the Hughes Center, and Tiny Tots is at
Lewis Park.
Both teach social and educational skills for children
during an important part of their developmental lives,
according to owner-operator Adetayo Akiwowo.
These aspects could range from social, emotional,
cognitive and language abilities. “We have 10 main
areas to focus on every other week, and we inter-
change them every two weeks to make sure we’re hit-
ting the main areas in the curriculum,” Ms. Akiwowo,
who is known to her students as Ms. Tayo, said.
The educators in the programs also help with basic
human needs such as potty training, learning to share,
how to tie their shoes, lining up after recess and walk-
ing safely from the playground back to the classroom.
“As adults we don’t see [these abilities] as a big
issue, but to them it’s a big deal,” Ms. Akiwowo said.
The kids are separated into two different groups—
one group contains two-to-three year olds and the
other has four-to-five year olds. While the groups are
Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 6
separated by age, they foster a big brother-big sister
mentality that helps kids become more confident and
outgoing.
“The younger kids look up to the older kids, it’s so
funny and so cute,” Ms. Akiwowo said.
Of the two programs, ABCs for Me provides more
options, with five different time frames suited for
many different kinds of families—an early-morning
program from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., an all-day pro-
gram from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., and two afternoon
programs from noon to 7 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
“We try to make it as flexible as possible,” Ms.
Akiwowo said.
TINY TOTS/continues on the next page

TINY TOTS/continued from previous page
The main idea behind the programs, she empha-
sized, is to make children better prepared for kinder-
garten and beyond. Ms. Akiwowo told stories about
how kindergarten teachers sometimes have a hard
time getting children acclimated when they are not
used to a school setting.
“I want my kids to be confident when they go in,”
she said. “They already have a schedule they are used
to when they are in preschool, and it kind of follows
up when they go to kindergarten.”
“That’s one big huge help to them,” she added.
“Having them academically ready is a big plus.”
Ms. Akiwowo took over the program in October
2010 after working for the city of Los Angeles as a
senior director for school programs ranging from pre-
school children to teenagers.
The Claremont program received accreditation in
2013, and Ms. Akiwowo likened it to taking the pro-
gram to, “another level to make it a better quality pro-
gram.”
She also takes pride in making the program avail-
able and affordable for lower-income families.
“When I took it over back in 2010 from the city of
Claremont, the prices were really high,” she said. “I
was able to bring the prices down and make it afford-
able for families.”
Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 7
The school partners with the city for a scholarship
program, which cuts prices by as much as 50 percent
based on a family’s income.
“[The city] puts us first in a lot of things, making
sure the kids are okay,” she said. “The city has been
really great in helping us.”
The regular prices are $780 per month for the all-
day program and $480 for a half-day program.
More information can be found at abc-
formepreschool.com
—Matthew Bramlett
news@claremont-courier.com
PBS SoCal KOCE
encourages students to
demonstrate creativity
PBS SoCal KOCE kicks off its annual student
creativity season with an invitation to California
students to enter two academic competitions to
showcase their talents in the areas of writing and
multimedia production.
Both the ninth annual PBS kids writers contest
for students in kindergarten through third grade and
the 52nd annual California Student Media Festival,
which accepts student work from kindergarten
through 12th grade, began accepting entries last
month.
“We are delighted to continue the tradition of en-
couraging California’s young people to apply their
creativity and technology skills to effective story-
telling, because these skills will serve them well
through school and their careers,” said PBS’s Jamie
Annunzio Myers. “The talent displayed by students
who enter is remarkable, and is a reminder of the
impact arts and technology education can have on
our children.”
PBS KIDS Writers Contest is a local initiative
designed to promote the advancement of children’s
literacy skills through hands-on, active learning, en-
couraging children in grades K-3 to celebrate cre-
ativity and build literacy skills by writing and
illustrating their own stories.
Submissions can be fiction, non-fiction, poetry or
a prose story, and must include at least five colorful
illustrations. Each submission will be judged by
PBS SoCal education staff and a panel of commu-
nity partners on the basis of creativity, originality,
story structure, relevance, illustrations and overall
quality.
First, second, and third place winners are selected
for each grade level. New this year is a separate cat-
egory for the best illustrations that accompany a
story. The submission period runs through May 4.
Entry forms and submission information is avail-
able at pbssocal.org/writerscontest.
PBS will host an awards ceremony in early June.
The California Student Media Festival is the na-
tion’s oldest such event, and celebrates the innova-
tive and exceptional multimedia projects produced
by students from throughout the state.
Entries can be submitted in bilingual/foreign lan-
guage, history/social studies, English/language arts,
mathematics, fine and performing arts, career and
technical education, science and health, journalism
and more.
Elementary and secondary teachers throughout
the state are encouraged to enter their students’
work. The submission period closes April 2.
Entry forms and submission information is avail-
able at mediafestival.org.
More than 50 student awards and four grand
prizes will be awarded in June.
—Mick Rhodes
mickrhodes@claremont-courier.com

Gold Line outings training ground for nurturing kids’ sense of adventure
M
y family’s train ad-
ventures have been a
mixed bag. When
we moved to Claremont in
2008, I was thrilled to see the
fancy Metrolink Depot right
down the street, and quickly
availed myself to it.
But I was surprised to learn it was
going to set me back a chunk of
change—about $80—for my three
young kids and I to get from here to,
well, anywhere.
Metrolink wasn’t a workingman’s
concern, it seemed. But I was eager to
show my young’uns how our city was
making a comeback, so I bit the bullet,
swiped my credit card and off we went.
We had a good time poking around
the still breathtaking Union Station, ex-
ploring Los Angeles’ oldest neighbor-
hood, Olvera Street, and then hopping
on the Metro Gold Line (which cost me
a few bucks more) for a quick ride into
Little Tokyo. It was fun, but it wasn’t
$80 fun.
We rode the Metrolink a couple
times after that, but it just wasn’t an af-
fordable option. My rail jones re-
mained, but my wallet complained. (A
disclaimer: Metrolink recently began
Grace Rhodes, 15 and a sophomore at CHS, and her little sister Lucy, 12, a sixth-
grader at Condit, head to Little Tokyo on the Gold Line with their dad. The
Rhodes have made train travel a part of their family’s regular activities.
lowering fares; it would now set me
back $60.50 for the same trip. It’s a
start.)
Younger folks may be surprised to
learn that from 1901 to 1961, Los An-
gles had a state-of-the-art rail system
Photo courtesy of Mick Rhodes
that spanned some 1,100 miles of track,
with the Pacific Electric “Red Car,”
connecting San Bernardino, Riverside,
Orange and Los Angeles Counties. It
was for a time the largest in the world.
As SoCal’s car culture began to take
Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 8
shape in the 1930s, the Red Car system
waned. Lines were slowly discontin-
ued. The last one, from LA to Long
Beach, was decommissioned in 1961.
Perhaps the most tragic by-product
of all of this was that Downtown Los
Angeles was subsequently left to rot,
resulting in some 70 years of neglect.
Thankfully, “DTLA,” as it has been re-
branded, has had a real resurgence.
DTLA had been on my family’s
radar for some time, but Metrolink’s
high prices kept us off the rails for a
while. You can imagine my train geek
joy when the Gold Line extension to
Azusa opened in March 2016. Off we
went again, this time after a short drive
over the new sparkling, easily accessi-
ble Azusa Avenue station, which also
offers free parking. My inner cheap-
skate was delighted when I paid the
fare: just $28 for four day passes.
After a short wait, we were aboard
the Gold Line, heading west in a clean,
smooth and comfy light rail car. We
rolled through towns I’d known all my
life between Azusa and Pasadena, along
the way getting brief glances into busi-
nesses, wrecking yards, vacant lots and
back yards, even traveling in some
spots along the old Red Car’s right-of-
way.
TRAIN ADVENTURES/next page

TRAIN ADVENTURES/from previous page
Turning south at Pasadena, we whooshed down the
Arroyo Seco and then up through Highland Park. My
then seven-year-old son was captivated as the LA
skyline rose in front of us as we continued on into
Lincoln Heights, Chinatown, past Union Station and
finally, Little Tokyo.
The kids and I disembarked and strolled among the
Japanese shops and restaurants, ate ice cream and
soaked up the sunshine. The promise of souvenirs
was offered up, if they could somehow go the entire
day without a knock-down, drag-out public fight. I
know bribery’s illegal, but I’ll do whatever it takes for
a fisticuff-free family outing.
The little angels and I then made our way back to
glorious Union Station, a building I could wander
around in all day. My kids, though, not so much. After
a brief architectural tour, in which they kindly feigned
interest, off we went again.
This time we headed downstairs to the subway to
catch the Purple Line to 7th St./Metro Center. Getting
off there, we hopped aboard the Expo Line, our final
westbound train of the day. The Expo is Metro Rail’s
other newest addition. It was also christened in 2016,
and runs from DTLA to Santa Monica.
At this point, the journey really got interesting.
First off, we traversed several bridges over some of
Photo courtesy of Mick Rhodes
Everett Rhodes, 7, hams it up with his dad as they
ride the Gold Line to Little Toyko. The highlight for
“Bubba,” as he is affectionately called, was taking
in the sights while enjoying Japanese ice cream.
Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 9
the busiest intersections in Los Angeles. It was kind
of wonderful to whisk through these metropolitan
hubs, above it all, and observe the bustling, well-
known streets from a new perspective.
If a light rail bridge works for some of the most
chaotic and congested spots in LA, why wouldn’t it
work in sleepy little Claremont? Just sayin’ …
Moving west, the Expo Line took us through a cul-
tural cross section of LA. We got on in downtown,
moved south to USC, made our way west through
South Los Angeles—near where the fuse was lit for
the unrest of 1994—and continued on to the southern
portion of mid-city LA.
We sometimes traveled quite close to the homes
along the way, catching micro-glimpses of people
going about their Saturday business. It was a look into
some neighborhoods my kids had never seen, and I
was thankful they were sitting quietly, taking it all in,
with the sun waning on that gorgeous summer day.
Not surprisingly, as we rolled west toward the Pa-
cific the homes grew larger, the landscaping more
lush and exotic. When we disembarked at the Expo
Line’s Fourth Street terminus in Santa Monica, we
were dropped into one of LA’s hippest, priciest neigh-
borhoods. It was a little jarring, and it occurred to me
we’d seen the breadth of LA, from old to young,
crumbling to brand new, poor to rich, and from work-
ing class to hipster.
I was suddenly overcome with gratitude for our
public transportation system. It was finally possible to
get somewhere and see something, affordably.
Maybe we’re a real big city after all.
At the end of the day, with the sun dipping below
the Pacific’s horizon and a chill in the air, we boarded
the Expo Line and headed east. The kids were tired,
but there was nary a complaint. They saw all sorts of
stuff, a lot if it they’re still talking about today. They
got to see how people of all stripes are working in all
kinds of jobs and living, playing and creating in all
imaginable conditions.
My hope is they have a little more perspective on
their own lives. I hope they realize how lucky they
are, and acknowledge that we live in a big, wide and
diverse city that is, at last, accessible. And yes, they
earned those souvenirs.
We’ve since had many day trips riding the rails
around LA. We all have our TAP cards, the kids are
now savvy train riders, and they’ve even spent birth-
day celebrations with friends riding around LA, chap-
eroned by one grateful dad.
Now to get that Gold Line extension to Claremont
finished, so we can really have it made.
—Mick Rhodes
mickrhodes@claremont-courier.com
 Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 10

New friends, new fun in PE inclusion program

O
n a sunny Friday after-
noon at El Roble Inter-
mediate School, kids
run, jog and walk around a dirt
track, getting some exercise
during their physical education
class.
Among the group are six kids from
the adaptive physical education pro-
gram—some motoring along the track
in wheelchairs—accompanied by PE
teacher Lucas Falconer.
“The kids that are in the special ed
program typically only hang out with
the kids that are in special ed,” Mr. Fal-
coner explains.
This year, he decided to try some-
thing new—an inclusion model.
“Basically, I’ve kind of just joined
[another PE] class and I try to adapt all
the games and activities so my students
can be successful just like their stu-
dents,” he says. “Putting them with
their typical peers benefits them so-
cially and I think it also benefits the
typical kids, because they get exposure
to students with differences.”
In addition to his six kids at El Roble,
Mr. Falconer works with students with
disabilities at Claremont High School COURIER photo/Steven Felschundneff
and six elementary schools in the dis- Madeline Arriaga and Faith Dang tally their team’s score during a disaster preparedness game on Friday at El Roble Inter-
mediate School. Faith is part of the adaptive physical education program at the school where the special education teach-
NEW FRIENDS, NEW FUN/next page ers help their students adapt to the tasks during PE classes.
 Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 11

COURIER photos/Steven Felschundneff
Teachers Debbie Foster and Lucas Falconer chat dur-
ing a recent PE class at El Roble. Mr. Falconer, the
school’s adaptive physical education teacher, has
adopted an inclusion model where the special educa-
tion students participate in general PE classes.

NEW FRIENDS, NEW FUN/from previous page

trict. Kids in the adaptive PE program have a “wide
range” of disabilities, including cerebral palsy, Down
syndrome and autism.
Mr. Falconer thinks PE is the perfect environment
for his kids to mix with the rest of the student body.
“One of the big things about PE that a lot of people
miss is the social aspect,” he says. “You learn how to
play, you learn how to interact with people. You learn Max Jung and Alexander Prado practice CPR during a PE class on Friday at El Roble Intermediate School.
how to be competitive, you learn how to be coopera- The Rotary Club of Claremont provided the CPR dummies for the children to practice resuscitation.
tive, being on a team. When you have more kids and
you have kids with different abilities, it’s a lot easier and “fell in love with the field almost immediately.” recalls. “I couldn’t believe a school like this existed. It
to do that.” While getting his credential eight years ago, he has a pool for the APE program, they had their own
Mr. Falconer, a former athlete and basketball lived in Claremont, and logged hours for his program gym, the resources available for the students and the
coach, applied to Cal Poly Pomona’s adapted PE pro- at Sumner-Danbury Elementary. APE program was so impressive. It seemed like a
gram on the advice of his sister, a special ed teacher, “I had such an incredible experience,” Mr. Falconer
NEW FRIENDS, NEW FUN/next page
 Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 12
NEW FRIENDS, NEW FUN/previous page
dream job, to be honest, and also a job I
could never get.”
Five years later, while living in Los An-
geles, he did.
The current integration would not be pos-
sible without the help of Debbie Foster,
who teaches the PE class Mr. Falconer pairs
with and was “very excited” for the two
classes to start working together.

“T
here is learning tak-
ing place from both
perspectives,” Ms.
Foster says. “My general PE stu-
dents are challenged when faced
with how to incorporate a wheel-
chair or a walker into a square
dance. A lot of times the adaptive
student will suggest things, or the
teachers will. We try not to solve
these dilemmas too quickly be-
cause we find that the students
have great ideas.”
NEW FRIENDS, NEW FUN/next page

Max Jung helps his team by retrieving

items one might need in a disaster during
a PE class at El Roble. In the disaster pre-
paredness game, students got points for
choosing items from a pile that would be
needed after an event like an earthquake.

COURIER photo/Steven Felschundneff

Faith Dang practices
the Heimlich maneu-
ver on a CPR doll dur-
ing a special PE class
on Friday at El Roble
The Rotary Club of
Claremont has held
CPR classes at El
Roble for decades, in-
cluding demonstra-
tions and a chance
for students to get
hands on experience.
NEW FRIENDS, FUN/previous page
F
or square dancing, Mr.
Falconer says, “a lot of
it is just a matter of get-
ting them in there and having
their typical peers go through
the motions with them. A lot
of that stuff they can do — all
the arm stuff they can do, they
can wheel in.”
Aidan O., a 13-year-old in El
Roble’s adaptive PE program, was able
to participate fully in the square danc-
ing unit and “was a rock star,” Mr. Fal-
coner says.
Aidan’s favorite part, he says, was
Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 13
when “you have to make up your own
moves” at the end of the unit.
El Roble adaptive PE student Max
Jung, also 13, says that despite being in
a wheelchair, he was able to participate
in the square dancing unit, and has
made new friends through the inclu-
sion program.
“At my old school, we didn’t really
participate in big groups,” Max says.
“We do it in our adaptive PE classes.”
That reaction is exactly what Mr.
Falconer is hoping for.
“I don’t like separating them all the
time,” he says. “I do think the special
ed environment—they’re there for a
reason, and it’s helpful, but I like to get
them included with their typical peers
as much as I can.”
—Kellen Browning

CEF jumps into spring
with activities, Prius
car raffle
In conjunction with Claremont Uni-
fied School District, CEF is will host
the 2018 family coding night on
Wednesday, March 7 in the El Roble
Intermediate School multi-purpose
room from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Families are invited to explore fun
resources to get kids excited about tech-
nology.
Sections include “Scratch Junior,”
an introductory programming language
that enables young children (ages five
to seven) to create interactive stories
and games; “Swift Playgrounds,” an
app created specifically for the iPad to
help students learn to use real code to
guide a character through a 3D world;
“Sphero Robots,” interactive robots
used to code commands come to life
using robots; and “Lego Mindstorms,”
where students design and build pro-
grammable robots using high-quality
motors, sensors, gears, wheels, axles
and other technical components.
The CEF Prius raffle is in full swing,
presented by Claremont Toyota, resi-
dents can also enter for a chance to win
a new 2017 Toyota Prius C (no color
guarantee) and support CEF. Tickets are
$20 each, and are available for pur-
chase at Claremont public schools.
The drawing is scheduled for April
22 at 2 p.m. at Claremont Toyota, 601
Auto Center Dr., in Claremont.
Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 14
OUR TOWN
The raffle is open to all people 18
years and over who are legal US resi-
dents physically residing in the United
States. Winners need not be present to
win. If less than 1000 tickets are sold,
the grand prize will be $10,000 cash.
For information, email CEF at
info@supportcef.com or call (909) 399-
1709.
Dig this: a tree-planting
event to celebrate
Arbor Day
Claremont families are invited to join
in a day of tree planting in local neigh-
borhoods on Arbor Day, Saturday, COURIER photo/Steven Felschundeff
March 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Claremont resident Simon Bachman, seen here at the 2014 Pie Festival, employs
Blaisdell Park, 440 S. College Ave. the suction technique on his way to a first-place finish in the 7-to-10-year-old
age group of the pie eating contest. This year’s festival will take place Saturday,
Claremont Community Services and
March 17 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sustainable Claremont have partnered
to host a day filled with tree celebra-
tion, tree planting and education where
Claremont Pie Festival chocolate cream, lemon meringue); or
custard (baked in the pie shell; i.e.,
residents are invited to learn about fast approaching pumpkin, pecan, sweet potato).
urban forestry, sustainability, watering The 2018 Pie Festival is Saturday, Also scheduled are a classic car
needs and more. March 17 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in show, vendor booths and the crowd-
At past events, the group has planted the Claremont Village. pleasing pie-eating contest.
up to 60 trees in a single day. This Pie makers are encouraged to enter Browsers are invited to enjoy the
year’s goal is to plant 165 trees on the baking contest. The deadline to enter bakers stage demonstrations or stroll
March 10. Attendees are asked to bring is March 9. Entrants must be at least 18 the Village while listening to live musi-
a shovel, if possible. Food and bever- years old and must submit a nine-inch or cal entertainment or to collect recipe
ages will be provided. 10-inch pie for each entry. The cate- cards from participating stores.
To RSVP, call (909) 625-8767 exten- gories are fruit (must be fruit only, no The festival is free to attend. Call
sion 238 or email greencrew@sustain- cream or custard); cream (goes into a (909) 626-1147 or visit claremont-
ableclaremont.org. pre-baked crust; i.e., banana cream, piefestival.com.

Claremont teens, join the UNA-USA high school essay contest
L
ocal high school stu-
dents have an exciting
opportunity to express
their opinions on responsibili-
ties of the UN as a multilateral,
multifaceted organization.
The UNA-USA high school essay
contest is open to seniors in Pomona
Valley. Prizes include $300 for first
place or $150 for second place.
In the essay, students are asked to re-
spond to one of the following four ques-
tions:
1) The dynamics of global interaction
among nations and regions present is-
sues that affect all humanity. How can
the United Nations impact these issues
www.claremont-courier.com
through their sustainable goals?
2) The US is currently facing a bar-
rage of foreign policy crises, including
North Korea, Lebanon, Syria. The Unit-
ed Nations has not physically inter-
vened in any of these situations. Do you
think that the UN should send Peace-
keepers to these places, and if so, which
one(s)? Explain your reasoning.
3) Examine five of the United Na-
tions Sustainable Goals and explain
how they impact the environment.
4) Should the UN attempt to solve
civil issues, such as those seen in Zim-
babwe, and if so how? Support your
thesis with reasoning and relevant ex-
amples.
Submissions should be formatted on
a Microsoft Word document, 1500
words or fewer, MLA style, 12-point
font, double-spaced and include a
thoughtful title. Students are asked not
to write names in the essay document.
Essays must be submitted as an email
attachment by midnight on Friday
March 24 to rotarysylvia@gmail.com.
In the email body, students are asked to
include their name, high school, current
school year and phone number.
Winners will be notified via email by
Monday, April 13 and announced on the
Pomona Valley UNA Facebook page.
Students can earn a possible 150
points. Official judging criteria are:
The student demonstrates a clear
comprehension of the topic (50 points);
the student establishes a convincing and
coherent argument (30 points); the stu-
Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 15
dent discusses the global implications of
the issue (20 points); the essay portrays
clear and cohesive style and organiza-
tion (15 points); the approach and treat-
ment of the topic is original and engag-
ing (15 points); the essay correctly uses
and cites research (15 points); the stu-
dent has adhered to all format and
length rules (5 points.)
For more information, contact the
United Nations Association of Pomona
Valley President Bertil Lindblad by
email to blindblad@mac.com or to Mel
Boynton, advocacy chair, Pomona Val-
ley Chapter UNA-USA by email to
melbourne.boynton@gmail.com.
For information on the local UNA
Chapter, visit unapomonavalley.org or
find them on Facebook.

Public library offers
host of spring activities
for kids, parents
Claremont’s public library has a number
of events aimed at children and youth this
spring.
On February 24 from 2 to 3:30 p.m., as-
piring ventriloquists and puppet-makers can
learn to “design and create a character and
make it into a functional puppet that is cam-
era ready,” according to the library’s web-
site. Kids 14 and older will make their pup-
pet with help from Eddie Gonzalez, and
then create voices and learn to puppeteer
with April Shenkman.
Then, on March 3 from 11:30 a.m. to
12:15 p.m., kids can help “Cinderella de-
sign and build her own way to her dream
come true.” The classic fairytale will fea-
ture an all-dog puppet cast and includes a
plot twist.
Each Thursday in March from 5 to 6:30
p.m., parents and children ages three and
OUR TOWN
under can participate in parent-child work-
shops to play and foster early literacy and
social skills.
A different community resource spe-
cialist will be available each week to
speak about subjects like “child develop-
ment, nutrition, physical fitness and play,
parent support resources and speech de-
velopment.”
Claremont youth ages 11 to 18 who are
interested in STEM can learn to code us-
ing miniature computer robots called
Ozobots on March 9 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
The Claremont Public Library is locat-
ed at 208 N. Harvard Ave. Library hours
are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to
7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.
For information, call (909) 621-4902.
Claremont kids invited
to take part in Fourth of
July celebration
The city’s Fourth of July planning com-
mittee is hard at work and Claremont kids
are invited to get creative.
Applications are currently being accepted
for those who’d like to perform the National
Anthem at this year’s celebration.
Entrants must be able to perform the
National Anthem either a cappella or
acoustic instrumental, be in grades 7
through 12, and either reside in Claremont
or attend a Claremont school. Youth may
audition as a solo or group act. Auditions
will be held on March 28 at 7 p.m. at the
Alexander Hughes Community Center,
Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 16
1700 Danbury Rd. The deadline for sub-
mission is March 15.
All Claremont students in kindergarten
through sixth grades are invited to enter
ideas for the theme of the 70th annual
Fourth of July celebration.
The student with the winning entry
will receive fireworks tickets, recognition
at the pre-parade reception, a special place
in the parade, and will lead the flag salute
at the flag raising ceremony. The deadline
for submission is March 15.
Also, nominations are now being ac-
cepted for this year’s Grand Marshal,
Honored Citizen and Honored Group.
Nominees must live, work, attend school
or have graduated from a school in Clare-
mont. City staff asks residents to think about
OUR TOWN/next page

OUR TOWN/from the previous page
neighbors, friends, colleagues and family
members and take a moment to recognize
their efforts. The deadline for submission
is March 22.
Fourth of July celebration banners are
now on sale. These personalized banners
are available to any business, family,
school or group and serve as a fundraiser
day’s events. The name of the group,
business or individual will be printed on the
bottom of a 20-inch x 42-inch banner and
will be showcased in prominent Village lo-
cations from Memorial Day weekend
through the Fourth of July. The deadline to
order a personalized banner is April 12.
Information can be found on the city’s
website or by contacting the human serv-
Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 17
ices department at (909) 399-5490 or by easy way for all skill levels. Classes are at days from 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., and Sat-
email at specialevents@ci.claremont.ca.us. the Hughes Center every Monday from 6 urdays from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The dai-
to 7 p.m. for a daily drop-in fee of $12. ly drop-in fee is $12.
Stay fit, have fun at a city Jazzercise for ages 16 and older is a
pulse-pounding, core strengthening and
To view complete class descriptions or
to register for an activity, call the Hughes
recreation class beat-pumping fitness class. Classes are held Center at (909) 399-5490 or visit clare-
Claremont kids and adults can test and at the Hughes Center, Tuesdays and Thurs- montrec.com.
improve their health and dancing skills by
dropping in on a number of classes offered
by the city’s recreation department.
U-Jam, for ages 10 and older, offers an
athletic cardio workout that will leave at-
tendees toned and breathless. Classes are
held at the Hughes Center every Tuesday
and Thursday until March 1 from 9 to 10
a.m. The daily drop-in fee is $10.
Instructors for the country western line
dance for beginners aged 10 and older will
break down the steps and teach in a fun and

Photos courtesy of Pomona College
Residents are invited to attend a day-long Powwow
hosted by Pomona College on Saturday, March 24.
Pomona College to host Native
American powwow
O
n Saturday, March 24, Native
American dancers and powwow
drum groups will converge in
Claremont for the sixth annual Pomona
College Powwow.
The intertribal gathering to celebrate Native Ameri-
can culture and honor traditions through music and
dance will begin at 10 a.m., with the grand entry at
noon, and will continue until 9 p.m. The day-long
event is free and open to the public.
Claremont COURIER/Today’s Parent 2018 18
The master of ceremonies will be Michael Reifel of
the San Carlos Apache Reservation. Northern host
drum will be Wildhorse and Southern host drum will
be Phil Hale and company, who will provide pow-
wow songs for the dancers. Special dance and drum
competitions will be offered throughout the day.
The Anahuacalmecac Danzantes Aztecas, Kim
Marcus Bird Singers and the White Rose Singers (an
all women’s drum group) of Sherman Indian School
will also participate.
Times are also scheduled throughout the day when
the community will be invited into the dance arena to
share an intertribal dance.
Approximately 20 Native American artisans will
showcase traditional and contemporary styles of art,
with hand-crafted examples of beadwork, pottery,
quillwork and silver-smithing available for purchase.
Food will be available on site with the Wildhorse
Cafe serving “some of the tastiest Indian Tacos this
side of Albuquerque.” Dinner will be provided free at
5 p.m. to all attendees.
Los Angeles County has the highest population of
American Indians of any county in the country, ac-
cording to the 2010 US Census, with approximately
200,000 Native Americans residing in the Los Ange-
les metropolitan area. Previous events have included
a healing ceremony and Native youth outreach
through college tours and workshops.
The Pomona College Powwow in Claremont began
in 2011 to honor the ancestors and the tribal home-
lands on which the college is located. The sixth an-
nual powwow is sponsored jointly by the Draper
Center for Community Partnerships and IndigeNA-
TION Claremont Scholars, a student group of The
Claremont Colleges.
The event will take place at the Hammer Throw
Field/Pomona College Farm, 295 E. First St., Clare-
mont. Free parking will be provided on the corner of
Columbia Avenue and First Street in the parking
structure.
For further information, contact Scott Scoggins,
Pomona College Draper Center for Community Part-
nerships, at (909) 706-5948 or email at pcpow-
wow2018@gmail.com.