Sonya Christian's Blog

Woke up this morning to Scott Simon remembering Ina Jaffee who passed away. Take a 2-min listen about this great reporter.

https://www.npr.org/2024/08/02/nx-s1-5060096/opinion-remembering-weekend-editions-own

Here is an excerpt:

She made people who can be easily overlooked and lumped together as “seniors,” vivid, unique, and compelling. Jaffe used her skills and stagecraft to bring us stories that will play on in our hearts.

*****

I have been tracking the medal tally for the Olympics ….. At this time the US is fifth with respect to the number of gold medals and first in terms of overall medals.

This is my go to site to keep up with the latest tally https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/medals

This week, the US Women’s Gymnastics Team defended their gold medal.

Just two days later, Simone won her second women’s All-Around gold medal, while teammate Suni Lee, who took gold in Tokyo, earned a bronze. At the last Olympics, Simone Biles withdrew from competition, and at that time, it seemed her gymnastics days were over.

The GOAT.

Check out this article from the New York Times.

And Suni Lee – since her All-Around title at the Tokyo Olympics, she was diagnosed with two rare kidney diseases that sidelined her training. She was able to stage a comeback for this Olympics.

Both these young women displayed amazing strength and perseverance in the face of adversity.

The US Men’s team also medaled, taking the bronze and ending their 16-year drought.

Meanwhile, swimmer Katie Ledecky won her record-breaking 13th Olympic medal in the women’s 4x200M freestyle relay. She joins Michael Phelps, as the only swimmers to win 13 Olympic medals. She is now the most decorated American female Olympian.

I actually watched the Ledecky 1500 live, a rare treat given my crazy schedule. Pretty darn incredible.

I also went to the movies after a very long hiatus. My daughter was visiting before her big trip and we saw Deadpool and Wolverine – yes, an odd combination.

I am a big Wolverine fan … well who isn’t…. also a big fan of Hugh Jackman…. well, who isn’t. And Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine – absolutely a moment that takes your breath away 🙂

And then there is Deadpool – I enjoy the Ryan Reynolds portrayal of Deadpool with sharp, irreverent, sarcastic and witty banter with the head flips to the side to speak directly to the audience. I also enjoy the playful commentary on superhero tropes and pop culture references with the Reynolds charisma and mischievous charm. But the sprinkling of regular doses of crude humor .. not so much 🙂

Would I recommend the movie? Absolutely.

Let me know if you saw the movie and what you think of it….

Check out the trailer

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Good morning California.
It is August 3, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion

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From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!

Porterville College Hosts Jump Start Academies

The Porterville College Career Education Division hosted three Summer Jump Start Academies this past month, giving Porterville area high school students a first-hand look at some of the career pathways available at PC. These Summer Jump Start Academies were designed as stand-alone four week project-based internship programs focused on in-demand careers in Tulare County. They provide a curriculum designed specifically for incoming Central Valley high school seniors (current juniors) with an interest in learning more about careers in Hospitality, Technology, Health and Safety. The classes run from 8 am until 1 p.m., 4 days a week, and the students get paid to participate in most cases.

» Read more:

• Jump Start: First Responders
• Jump Start: Culinary Arts
• Jump Start: The Drone Academy

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LA Southwest College Dual Enrollment Graduate
Featured on Telemundo, La Opinión

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Sandia Donates Advanced Manufacturing Machines to Las Positas College

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In Case You Missed It

At Patrick and Bobbin Mulvaney’s Restaurant, Ingredients and Compassion for the Community Are Locally Sourced

Patrick Mulvaney is president of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for California Community Colleges. Check out this feature about the restaurant he owns with his wife, Bobbin:

For Patrick and Bobbin Mulvaney, the long-married couple whose restaurant Mulvaney’s B&L is on the top of almost everyone’s fine-dining list in the Capital Region, two words seem to coexist as a single mission statement: nourish and nurture.

“If you own a restaurant and you love what you do, you become part of the community,” Patrick says over an intimate twilight dinner for three: the Mulvaneys and a very fortunate magazine writer. It’s a Tuesday, one of the industry’s traditionally least-populated nights. But the Mulvaneys’ restaurant — a onetime City of Sacramento firehouse and later a building-and-loan institution (hence the B&L in its title) — is bustling. It usually is; thousands of people have frequented Mulvaney’s B&L since it opened in 2005.

» Read the article!

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New Report Highlights Promising Practices
to Close the Equity Gap Among Adult Learners

The California Community Colleges and the California Department of Education released a new report that offers specific practices to better meet adult students’ needs and close persistent equity achievement gaps. The California Adult Education Program (CAEP) is the largest adult education system in the nation serving 481,200 students.

» Read more!

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Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media

From Oxnard College:

This week, Proyecto Éxito hosted the Éxito Summer Academy at Camp Whittier in Santa Barbara. Students bonded while learning about career and transfer opportunities as well as building community among one another.

*****

From Coastline College:

Coastline College makes waves at California Community Colleges 11th Veterans Symposium, sharing and showcasing its own veteran services best practices with Veteran Centers from across the state.

*****

From College of Marin:

In the spring, College of Marin (COM) was proud to celebrate the second cohort of Certified Nurse Assistant and Home Health Aide students who completed over 200 hours of training in eleven weeks. Alumni from cohort one offered these emerging professionals great advice ahead of their official completion saying: “ask questions, work hard, believe in yourself, and don’t give up!

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And From the Home of the Renegades

BC Performing Arts Announces Afrocuban Folkloric Percussion Concert

Bakersfield College’s Performing Arts Department has announced details for a special concert presented by students and musicians in the Afrocuban Folkloric Percussion summer class. The concert will present traditional Afrocuban music telling the stories of Yoruba folklore. This unique opportunity will take place Sunday, August 4 at 2:00 PM in the Edward Simonsen Indoor Theatre. Admission is free and open to the public.

» Read more!

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Remember – our greatest challenges enable us to do our greatest work.

That’s all for today.

See you next Saturday!

With much hope and joy, 

Your Chancellor,

-sonya

#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora