Maria Rodriguez, who with her sister Yvonne Medley, was taken in by Mr. and Mrs. Devine to their home, found the day very inspiring. “It’s an inspiration to me and it’s wonderful that people, after all these years he still lives in our hearts like he was still here,” she said. Rodriguez lived in the Devine home from the sixth grade until she was married.Several of Devine’s former students and friends talked about him and the huge impact he had on their lives. Buddy Colvard, a retired teacher who had Devine as a student and then a colleague also spoke. “I can’t tell you the love and joy in my heart for this facility,” he said. “John Devine is all smiles this morning. I not only knew him as a student, but as a coworker. I look out there and see so many of you who were students of mine and I know in my heart we’re thrilled to death. When someone asks me about John Devine, the only thing I can say and not exaggerate is the man had a heart as big as a mule.”Anita Pulido said she was so proud of the new facility. “It’s just absolutely a wonderful thing to happen to the school, for the students of Santa Paula and for the community,” she said. “I thank Mr. Devine, whose name will be on this facility for many years, for what he did for Santa Paula, for Santa Paula youth, for the courage he had to believe in all the youth he served and that is what Mr. Devine was all about.”Isbell Principal Fernando Rivera said it gave him great pleasure to be a part of the celebration. He said Isbell students, going back some 90 years have dreamed of having such a facility. “Dreams have been fulfilled,” he added.Hayden McClain, a member of the Isbell Associated Student Body (ASB) told the gathering that the students were excited at being able to use the new gym. “Thanks to all of you that made the building of this gym possible,” McClain said. “We are very grateful.”Santa Paula Mayor Ray Luna said the gym had been a long time in coming. He thanked all who made the gym a reality. He noted that one of the major needs in the community was a new gym. “Our kids need every possible opportunity to have what other communities have,” Luna said. “This is a start.”
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(Top photo) Pictured left to right, Clara Behrens, Trustee Dan Robles, Trustee Ofelia de la Torre, Trustee Tony Perez, Maria Rodriquez, Hayden McClain, Trustee Gary Marshall, Trustee Michelle Kolbeck, Mayor Ray Luna, Isbell Principal Fernando Rivera, Superintendent Luis Villegas and Richie Arellano are cutting the official ribbon at the dedication of the John M. Devine Gym. (Below) Aerial photo of the new John M. Devine Gym located at Isbell Middle School. |
John M. Devine Gym dedicated
January 26, 2007
Isbell Gym, first new school facility in over 40 years
Santa Paula News
By Brian D. Wilson
Santa Paula TimesA crowd, made up of former Isbell Middle School students, teachers, city officials, district administrators and others, gathered last Saturday to dedicate the new John M. Devine Gymnasium and Multi-Purpose facility.The gym was made possible by the passage of Measure D in March of 2000. The $10 million bond measure was used to modernize the all of the schools in the Santa Paula Elementary School District and partially funded the new gym, which had a price tag of about $6.8 million. The City of Santa Paula played a big role by entering into a joint-use agreement with the school district that led to additional State funding for the new gym.Devine, who retired as a teacher at Isbell in 1973, touched the lives of numerous students over his more than 27 years of service. Close to 500 of those former students signed petitions supporting the naming of the building in his honor.The building covers 26,000 square feet and has a multipurpose room/gymnasium. In addition, it includes new locker-room facilities, a band room, three classrooms and a stage. The stage has a pullout wall to create another classroom area. It can also be used as an outdoor stage by opening a large, roll-up door.The gym has six, electrically operated competition backboards. The main basketball court is outlined in red and two practice courts are outlined in yellow. The competition volleyball court is outlined in orange and practice courts are outlined in green.SPESD Superintendent Dr. Luis Villegas told the gathering that he was proud to be standing there. “For those of you who were here when we had the groundbreaking back in July (2005), we knew that it was going to take some time to get the building up but here we are,” Dr. Villegas said. “Here we are with a major contribution to the young people of Santa Paula and the city as a whole.”School Board President Ofelia De La Torre thanked the citizens of Santa Paula for making the building of the gym possible with the passage of Measure D. She noted that besides making repairs at school sites, the board also wanted something tangible to show the taxpayers. “The idea of building a gym was a plan in the mind of a former board member (George Morgan) who presented it to the board,” she added. “Our excitement for this gymnasium is based also on the fact that this district has not had a new facility since 1964 when Bedell School was built.” De La Torre said it was with great pride that the gym was named for John Devine. “In honor of a very dedicated teacher who touched the lives of many Santa Paula youth,” she said. “His generosity and kindness endeared him to many Santa Paula students who to this day talk of his many good deeds. I know many of his former students are here today and are very happy on the recognition and honor being given to their former teacher.”
