Santa Paula Latino Town Hall
Announces 2015 Awards Recipients
August 05, 2015
Santa Paula News
By Latino Town Hall
Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the 2015 Santa Paula Latino Town Hall Awards. These awards recognize citizens who best represent Santa Paula via their outstanding accomplishments and/or contributions to the Santa Paula community. Santa Paula Latino Town Hall is proud to honor the following 2015 award recipients:
The 2015 Jess Victoria Business Award recipient is The Santa Paula Times. In a time when the digital age is overtaking print media, the Santa Paula Times has continued to put out a local paper for more than 20 years. The Santa Paula Times was founded by Don and Debbie Johnson in 1993 after the 105 year old Santa Paula Chronicle closed down. Don was the Publisher and Debbie was the Office Manager of the Santa Paula Chronicle at that time and since both felt that is was important for Santa Paula to continue to have a local paper, they started their own. Reporter Peggy Kelly also worked at the Chronicle and helped the Johnsons to establish their new paper. Kelly still reports for the Times, which is delivered twice weekly and devoted to covering everything from children’s events to major happenings. “Children always love to see their photo in the paper,” notes Debbie, and the Johnson’s are dedicated to providing a platform for sharing those smiles as well as all of the local news.
In the 1990’s and 2008 when the economy took a hard hit, the Johnsons had a difficult time keeping the paper going. They credit their continued success to the supportive business community of Santa Paula. In turn, Debbie says the Santa Paula Times keeps its rates as low as possible “because we feel it is important for the business community to have a place to let the residents of Santa Paula know they are here to serve them.” Despite financial hurdles, the paper has always been generous about helping organizations promote themselves and their causes by posting community service announcements and covering as many events as possible; which is why Santa Paula Latino Town Hall is pleased to award this year’s Jess Victoria Business Award to the Santa Paula Times.
The 2015 Education Award recipient is Mr. George F. Alessi. When Mr. Alessi became principal of Isbell Middle School in 2012, he had already served 11 years as one of the school’s assistant principals following 24 years of service for the LA Unified School District as a teacher and dropout prevention coordinator. Mr. Alessi was inspired to become an educator by his Uncle Danny, a Child Welfare and Attendance Counselor in East L.A. George tagged along with his uncle one day while he was doing home visits to truant students, and his uncle told him, ”These are good kids who have to face problems every day, problems you are lucky not to have to deal with - many want to come to school, but they can’t because they don’t have clothes to wear, or they have to stay home to babysit brothers or sisters so that their mom or dad can work.” Today, 40 years later, Mr. Alessi has been recognized with numerous awards for providing support services to at-risk children and families. In 2000, he received a Shinning Star Award for his model Dropout Prevention Program. Since he became principal at Isbell Middle School three years ago, academic achievement and attendance are up and suspensions are significantly down. Visitors on campus are greeted with friendly students and staff, clean grounds, and abundant evidence of student academic effort and enrichment activities. Mr. Alessi is highly regarded by all of his parents, students, and staff; which is why Santa Paula Latino Town Hall is pleased to award this year’s Education Award to Mr. George Alessi.
Mrs. Maria Sust Bombara is the recipient of a 2015 Community Service Award. Mrs.Bombara joined the Santa Paula community over 30 years ago when she took the role of operations manager at Bank of America. Her position and passion for community based banking allowed Mrs. Bombara to become uniquely acquainted with the Santa Paula community, its’ needs, and the community service organizations trying to meet those needs. She was inspired to serve and has since selflessly volunteered countless hours of her time to various causes in the community over the past three decades, to include serving as secretary and past president for Rotary Club of Santa Paula, Vice President of the Downtown Merchants Association, and an active Board member for the Santa Paula Police and Fire Foundation and Moonlight Committee. Maria is a member of the Ventura Chapter of the California Women for Agriculture and the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce. Over the years she has also dedicated service to the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley and the, Hospice of Santa Clara Valley, and the Soroptimists, an international volunteer organization working to improve the lives of women and girls. Youth and education have always been important to Maria. She has dedicated much time to local schools and is particularly passionate about agriculture education and awareness, which includes educating students and the public about water usage, equitable and fair labor practices, government regulations, and pest control. Maria has been recognized as the Rotarian of the Year by Santa Paula Rotary and was also recognized by the Santa Paula Chamber of Commerce as Citizen of the Year. Because of her positive attitude, Maria is often described as a Goodwill Ambassador for Santa Paula, one of the many reasons Santa Paula Latino Town Hall is pleased to award one of this year’s Community Service Awards to Mrs. Maria Sust Bombara.
Santa Paula Latino Town Hall is also pleased to present a 2015 Community Service Award to the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley. The Boys and Girls club is recognized for its rich history of community service and dedication to youth development. Since 1949 the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley has played an important role in our community by providing daily access for school children to safe, supervised, low and no-cost activities after school and during the summer. To the great credit of its staff, the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley provides excellent enrichment opportunities to Santa Paula and Fillmore youth despite an extremely constrained budget. These opportunities include daily homework help, an onsite library, sports and games, a monthly Birthday Book club, art and career-awareness programs, and an after school STEM program to help inspire kids’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math. For example, through a partnership with CSU Channel Islands, the kids were treated to an afternoon of hands-on science activities last fall, and members can compete in the club’s Lego League Robotics Program or go on a virtual tour of Anacapa Island through a partnership with the Channel Islands Live project.
For more than 60 years, the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley has been serving our community thanks to the generous donations of local citizens, and to the hard work and exemplary dedication of its staff. Under the expert leadership of executive director Jan Marholin these past few years, the club continues to grow and expand its offerings to youth. The organization has played a vital role in providing a positive influence upon the lives of so many local kids that it is with tremendous gratitude that Santa Paula Latino Town Hall awards one of this year’s Community Service Awards to the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley.
Ms. Alondra Valle and Ms. Alana Rose Taylor are recipients of the 2015 Youth Award. Both Alondra and Alana are entering their senior year at Santa Paula High School. Alondra served as president of the Santa Paula Future Farmers of America Chapter last year and as treasurer the year before. She is currently Vice-President of the Ventura Section Future Farmers of America and was recently elected Regional Vice President of the South Coast Region, representing programs that span from Los Angeles to San Jose. In addition, Alondra is an asset to our community through her volunteerism as well, which includes more than 180 hours of service to the Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center (SPARC) and more than 100 hours of service for America in Bloom. In fact, Alondra received the Rotary Junior Achievement Award this year in recognition of her many hours of service. Alondra’s teachers describe her as well-rounded, caring and ambitious. Alondra serves as an exceptional role model and mentor for her peers, not just in her school but in her community, and is exceptionally deserving of a 2015 Youth Award.
Santa Paula Latino Town Hall is also pleased to honor Ms. Alana Taylor with a 2015 Youth Award. Alana is an honors student who currently has a 4.4 GPA and has also completed several community college courses. Alana was salutatorian of her 8th grade class at Isbell Middle School, where she was the recipient of a science award and won MESA science competitions at the county and state levels. She is the founder and president of the American Red Cross Club at Santa Paula High School and is also an active participant in the school’s Geobowl and Knowledgebowl clubs. She has completed many hours of community service for the Santa Paula Art Museum, the California Oil Museum, the Ojai Art Museum, and the Lions Club; and she is one of the teen volunteers at our local Family Science Nights for elementary school children. In addition to all of her extra-curricular activities, Alana helps her family by working in her mom’s store, a local antique shop in Santa Paula.
Alana aspires to become a physician specializing in oncology or cardiology. This goal inspired her to participate in this year’s Latino Town Hall career symposium focused on the medical field. She was one of only ten students accepted into Ventura County Medical Center’s summer internship program where she volunteered in the Cardio Clinic this summer at Ventura Memorial Hospital. Alana’s interest in the field of medicine is a byproduct of her own life experiences. She underwent open heart surgery at age five, lost her best friend to cancer two and a half years ago, and has an uncle currently suffering from terminal brain cancer. However, despite the crushing personal disappointments that Alana has faced these past few years, she has continued to conduct herself with grace, poise and kindness, and to maintain her exceptional grades. She is truly an outstanding role model to other students and Santa Paula Latino Town Hall is proud to present her with a 2015 Youth Award.
The 2015 Cultural Arts Award recipient is The Santa Paula Art Museum. The Santa Paula Art Museum was incorporated for the purpose of preserving and sharing Santa Paula’s artistic heritage, as well as educating and engaging the community through exhibits and outreach. The focal point of the museum’s mission is over 350 works of art known as the “Santa Paula Collection,” one of California’s finest community-owned art collections. Many of the pieces are winning entries from the annual Santa Paula Art Show since its founding in 1937, amassed over the decades by the City of Santa Paula, the Blanchard Community Library, the local school districts. Since the museum’s grand opening in 2010, the museum has acquired over 150 new works of art for its permanent collection and has produced over 30 curated exhibits of work by local artists that reflect Santa Paula’s history, from its agricultural roots to its Latino heritage. Most notable among its shows is the award-winning annual “De Colores Art Show”, featuring contemporary pieces by Latino artists that reflect the Latino experience, culture, history and traditions through various artistic mediums. The museum also coordinates monthly gallery talks, artist demonstrations, collectors gatherings, and musical performances. The museum’s youth education programs have more than doubled in the past year through partnerships with various youth organizations to exhibit student work; and the museum partners with local artist and musician Javier Montes to provide free music lessons for kids. These efforts led the California Legislature Assembly to Award the Santa Paula Art Museum with a Certificate of Recognition for its dedication and commitment to the Santa Paula community, and why Santa Paula Latino Town Hall is honored to recognize the Santa Paula Art Museum with the 2015 Cultural Arts Award.
The 2015 Sports Award recipient is Mr. Danny Guzman. Mr. Guzman has significantly contributed to youth as a mentor in our community through his long time service as a basketball coach and in his leadership role as Athletic Director at Santa Paula High School for the past eight years. As a coach, Mr. Guzman led the varsity basketball team to a championship in 2013. As an athletic director, he reinstated the track and cross country programs, expanded the boys soccer program, greatly enhanced support and resources for the coaching staffs, developed a state of the art weight room on campus, and greatly improved the overall quality of the girls’ sports programs at Santa Paula High School by adding additional offerings and through his careful selection of coaches and mentors that have raised the competitively bar for female athletes. Under Mr. Guzman’s leadership, student body participation in the high school’s athletics programs has increased by more than 25% since he took over as athletic director in 2007, and now involves more than 600 students each year competing on 31 teams. He has built a phenomenal program that students are proud of and under his leadership Santa Paula High School has achieved a total of 26 league championships, 11 more than the previous 10 years combined. The number of athletes going on to play at the collegiate level has also greatly increased. These accomplishments earned Mr. Guzman the Teacher of the Year Award for Santa Paula High School in 2011 and are why Santa Paula Latino Town Hall is pleased to award the 2015 Sports Award to Mr. Danny Guzman.
Santa Paula Latino Town Hall is pleased to present the 2015 Raymond Garcia Humanitarian Award to Mr. Tim and Cathy Hicks. Rarely can you attend a community event in which you cannot find one or both of the Hicks, so prolific is their volunteerism. The couple has donated many years of service to the Rotary Pumpkin Patch, the Boys and Girls Club, the Knights of Columbus, the Labor Day Parade, the Christmas Parade, the Halloween Parade, Santa Paula Family Science Nights, the St. Patricks dinner dance, the hospice plant sale, the Citrus Festival, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, Santa Paula Latino Town Hall, and the Santa Paula Fireworks committee. Tim currently serves as secretary of the Santa Paula Optimist Club, an organization dedicated to community service; and Cathy currently serves as the president and Lt. Governor for the local region. Their work with this organization includes outreach to local youth to impassion future generations to involve themselves in volunteerism and community service. Tim is also the Grand Knight for the Knights of Columbus in Santa Paula; and serves on the Blanchard Library board, The Santa Paula Recreation Board, the Santa Paula Mobil Home rent review board, and the Personnel Commission for the Santa Paula Unified District School Board. Cathy is the President of the Young Ladies Institute for the Catholic Church of Santa Paula, and the president and treasurer of the Santa Paula Loyal Friends Club, where she coordinates programs for elderly community members. She also serves on the high school’s student attendance review board (SARB) and volunteers a great deal of her time at Renaissance High School.
The Hicks have made a profound and lasting impact on the community of Santa Paula in countless ways. Their contributions are primarily behind the scenes, and often go unrecognized. Yet there is no other couple in Santa Paula who have jointly contributed as many hours of service, or dedicated themselves to leadership in as many civic organizations as these two have done over their 36 years of residence in Santa Paula. Therefore, Santa Paula Latino Town Hall is incredibly proud to honor Tim and Cathy Hicks with this year’s Raymond Garcia Humanitarian Award.
The Santa Paula Latino Town Hall 19th Annual Awards Dinner will be held Friday, September 11th, bringing together prominent community leaders and citizens to honor all of this year’s awards recipients. The event will take place at Santa Paula’s renowned La Casa Del Mexicano Cultural Center starting with a social hour at 5:30 pm followed by a silent auction and dinner. Event keynote speaker Dr. Cynthia Herrera, an executive level project manager and grant writer at Oxnard College, will address the disproportionate representation of Hispanics in high-tech careers and discuss potential strategies for increasing Hispanic participation in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields.
All proceeds raised by the event’s silent auction will benefit Santa Paula Latino Town Hall’s Youth Engagement and Empowerment Initiative to help provide college scholarships to local students in addition to leadership and career development training and opportunities. Individuals and organizations interested in contributing a prize for the silent auction should contact Mrs. Lori Sanchez at lori.sanchez55@gmail.com or 805-320-4191.
Tickets for this year’s Annual Awards Dinner can be purchased online by visiting the organization’s website at www.SP-LTH.org or by contacting Mr. Lorenzo Moraza at 805-616-1134 or morazajr@gmail.com. Tickets cost $50.00 each and all proceeds benefit Santa Paula Latino Town Hall’s various programs dedicated to contributing to solutions to meet youth needs, address crime, increase cultural awareness, support business development and community revitalization, and ensure fair housing and employment for all Santa Paulans. Santa Paula Latino Town Hall is a 501c3 non-profit, community-benefit organization. Any organizations or individuals interested in becoming an official sponsor for this year’s awards dinner should contact Mr. Moraza.
