Voices Magazine - Summer 2013 by The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

The magazine of PACIFIC OAKS COLLEGE & CHILDREN’S SCHOOL SUMMER 2013

Fields of

Dreams How earning a degree inspires first-generation students to transform their families, their communities, and the world.

INSIDE: Commencement Milestones

Pre-K Access for All New Children’s School Library

A Word from Pacific Oaks

Dr. Ezat Parnia

op.por.tu.ni.ty

n., a favorable juncture or circumstances, also: a good chance for advancement or progress. When I think about the meaning of the word “opportunity” at Pacific Oaks, I immediately think of our first-generation students. Being the first in their family to earn a college degree is the opportunity of a lifetime, and the doors of opportunity that education will open for them are life-changing. Education in our society is the great equalizer, and it is only when everyone has an equal opportunity to acquire that higher level of learning that we will have a level playing field. More than 70 percent of our students here at Pacific Oaks are first-generation, including many who just graduated in the Class of 2013. It was a very proud moment watching them receive their degrees, knowing they would walk on from Pacific Oaks, ready to share and lead by example, and inspire family members and friends to do the same. The impact is exponential and is the very thing that transforms communities and launches our graduates as agents of change in the world. That’s what higher education is all about. This issue of Voices explores the opportunity that is presented every time someone receives an education. Our cover feature tells the remarkable stories of our first-generation students at Pacific Oaks and an expert faculty that leads by example. Many of our firstgeneration students who attend classes at our instructional sites in Salinas, Santa Cruz, and Sacramento graduate and stay deeply rooted in their communities. But what makes the Pacific Oaks experience so distinctive is that many of the faculty members who teach in our instructional sites also have a history of living and teaching and working in these same areas. Hand in hand, generation by generation, these communities are lifted up and supported by the opportunity of higher education. But quality education begins much earlier than college. Another feature story in this issue explores a topic integral to Pacific Oaks’ own history and mission—helping young people achieve their highest potential from birth through age 6. For nearly 70 years, students at Pacific Oaks Children’s School have the opportunity to receive a progressive, culture-centered education that prepares them for a lifetime of success. But not all children in America have those same opportunities, and that’s another educational playing field that President Barack Obama and we, as a society, need to work on. Creating equal access to opportunity is a responsibility we all share. So as we at Pacific Oaks continue to expand and create opportunities for scholarships for all of our programs, we will be reaching out to friends and alumni for support. Look for opportunities to be a part of the Pacific Oaks mission and make a lasting impact throughout the pages of this issue—including our new “2013” campaign, which is described on page 25. Since 1945, Pacific Oaks has been changing lives by creating opportunity. As we continue to expand our schools and build vibrant new programs, we look forward to expanding those opportunities for all.

Dr. Ezat Parnia President Pacific Oaks College & Children's School

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departments SUMMER 2013

3 Around the Oak & In the Yard

Best-selling author Dr. Wendy Mogel delivers the 2013 Evangeline Burgess Lecture.

FEATURES 8 Around the Oak & In the Yard

COVER STORY

Pacific Oaks graduates celebrate their achievements, in Pasadena and in Watsonville.

12 FIELDS OF DREAMS How earning a degree inspires first-generation students to transform their families, their communities, and the world.

26 Living the Mission

An alumnus opens a private school with PO principles and a celebrity alumna advocates on behalf of foster children.

18 ELEMENTARY PREP

Why every American child should have access to quality early childhood education, and what our government is proposing to do about it.

22 A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS

Pacific Oaks Children's School seeks funds to build a new library. 28 How we play

Children express themselves in the art studio.

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Summer 2013 Volume 1 Issue 4 Editorial Staff Sherry Thomas Meredith Vigil Contributing writers Peter Gianopulos Kurt Anthony Krug Design Bates Creative Kelly Asher Contributing Photographers Urszula Beaudoin

We’re celebrating our roots!

Elyse Destout German Oliva

Pacific Oaks Family Reunion and Heritage Celebration

Bryony Shearmur

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Pacific Oaks College and Children's School President Ezat Parnia, Ph.D.

Join us as we celebrate the proud heritage and exciting future of the Pacific Oaks community. The celebration will bring together the alumni, faculty, staff, friends, and family of Pacific Oaks College & Children’s School for an afternoon of food and fun. Reconnect with old friends, meet new ones, and hear about all of the exciting things happening at Pacific Oaks.

Director of Alumni and External Relations Toni Arellanes-Miller Voices is published twice annually by the Department of Marketing at TCS Education System in conjunction with the Department of Advancement at Pacific Oaks College and Children’s School. It is mailed to alumni, faculty, teachers, staff, parents, and friends.

Address changes and correspondence should be sent to: voices@pacificoaks.edu

THE MAGAZINE OF PACIFIC OAKS COLLEGE & CHILDREN’S SCHOOL SUMMER 2013

Spotlight on the firstgeneration experience.

FIELDS OF

DREAMS How earning a degree inspires first-generation students to transform their families, their communities, and the world.

INSIDE: COMMENCEMENT MILESTONES

ON THE COVER

PRE-K ACCESS FOR ALL NEW CHILDREN’S SCHOOL LIBRARY

MIXED MEDIA COVER CREDITS:

This event is free and ALL are welcome to attend Visit pacificoaks.edu for more details. 2

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Bates Creative (illustration) 123RF.com (background texture) Markovka, Shutterstock.com (tree texture)

Around the Oak & In the Yard

Dr. Wendy Mogel Delivers 2013 Burgess Lecture

How do we raise self-reliant children in an increasingly “nervous” world? Dr. Wendy Mogel, clinical psychologist and bestselling author of The Blessing of a Skinned Knee and The Blessing of a B Minus, addressed this topic at the 2013 Evangeline Burgess Lecture held April 18 at The University Club in Pasadena. A frequent guest expert on national television whose opinions appear regularly in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post, Mogel speaks to diverse audiences around the world about raising self-reliant, resilient, appreciative children. For 45 years, the Evangeline Burgess Lecture series has provided opportunities

for distinguished leaders in the early childhood education field to address the Pacific Oaks community. The series was established in 1968 to honor Pacific Oaks’ first president, Dr. Evangeline Burgess. It was Burgess and her vision for the need for well-educated teachers for young children that led to the founding of Pacific Oaks College. Today, Pacific Oaks is renowned for its early childhood education degrees and its antibias curriculum. The first lecture of this series was delivered by prominent scholar and author Milton J.E. Senn of Yale University, and it remains one of the most anticipated events of the spring.

TOP: Dr. Wendy Mogel discusses “Raising Self-Reliant, Appreciative Children in a Nervous World” as the distinguished speaker in this year’s Evangeline Burgess Lecture series. MIDDLE: Jayanti Tambe, master teacher at Pacific Oaks Children’s School, greets Pacific Oaks alumna Gretchen Brooke at the luncheon. BOTTOM: President Dr. Ezat Parnia gives Dr. Wendy Mogel a Pacific Oaks t-shirt.

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Around the Oak & In the Yard

Bridging the East-West Divide A Pacific Oaks instructor and an alumna proved there was more uniting Asian and American educators than dividing them at the 2012 Montessori in Asia Conference in Singapore. On Dec. 12, 2012, Ruth Anne Hammond, leader of the Pacific Oaks Infant-Toddler/ Parent Program, became the first teacher in Pacific Oaks Children's School history to deliver an address at the Montessori in Asia Conference in Singapore, presenting her lecture, “Teaching by Not Teaching: Learning to Trust the Child’s Process.” It was, for Hammond, a unique cultural moment, an opportunity to share the progressive-minded principles of Pacific Oaks in a forum unlike anything she’d ever encountered before—a conference center filled with childhood educators from all parts of Asia, including China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Korea and even Russia. But in some respects it was an equally personal trip, as the organizer of the event was a former Pacific Oaks student named Charmaine Soh, who presented her own talk, “Building Shared Vision—Supporting Intelligent Teachers.” The duo had met while Soh was a visiting student at Pacific Oaks and had found an easy rapport, sharing a mutual respect for the philosophies of Pacific Oaks instructor and matriarch Magda Gerber, famous around campus for the phrase, “Be careful what you teach; it could interfere with what the child is learning.” Once graduated, Soh kept in contact with her friend, inviting Hammond in 2000 to visit the Montessori school she had opened in Singapore. The conference provided Hammond the opportunity to highlight some of her core teaching philosophies. She outlined the importance of prioritizing relationships through focused attention, stressing that children 3 and under gain comfort and confidence when in continuous relationships with instructors instead of changing teachers every year. Rather than thinking through a “desired outcomes” lens, Hammond argued that educators should recognize all the purposeful,

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productive and self-reinforcing activities that babies and toddlers assign themselves. For Hammond, that translated into protecting playtime and valuing the importance of creating an enriched learning environment filled with simple toys, like dolls, tea cups and cupcake holders, which facilitate cooperation and role-playing. Videos showing children interacting with each other without adult interference drove home the importance of letting toddlers form their own relationships with their peers, while enforcing a long-held Pacific Oaks belief that the role of adults in a children’s environment is to be a kind of stage manager. As a result, children become their own directors. “I wanted to stress that unless you show respect to children, they won’t know how to give respect back,” says Hammond. “If you support a child’s autonomy, they will

respond. For them, it’s all about connecting emotionally with the adults caring for them.” The conference was a classic example of the unifying power of diversity. Although there was a language barrier—everyone received translations through listening devices—Hammond discovered a shared, almost universal, concern over the state of our media-saturated world, where technologies often become obstacles to creating slow, careful and nurturing learning initiatives. “It was an educational experience for me,” says Hammond, who has committed teaching in China for three weeks this summer. “We have a lot to learn from other systems and other ways of being happy. It reminded me that I never want to take my own philosophy so seriously that it blinds me from seeing the potential of others. But mostly it reinforced something more basic: that the universal beauty of children is staggering.”

Third School Emerges Pacific Oaks’ new School of Cultural and Family Psychology builds on Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) programs and culture-centered specializations with a bold vision for the future. Exceptional times call for exceptional measures. Pacific Oaks College President Dr. Ezat Parnia says the Board of Trustees’ decision to add a new School of Cultural and Family Psychology positions the college to meet an exceptional need for culturebased family psychology programs across the nation. “That time is now,” Parnia said in a statement released after the Pacific Oaks College Board of Trustees voted to divide the School of Human Development and Families into two distinct schools. “With society’s attention on violence and mental illness, trauma, mental health, and immigration, the School of Cultural and Family Psychology is poised

to lead the charge for culture-centered social justice programs in these areas.” The School of Cultural and Family Psychology joins the School of Education and the School of Human Development with a vision to build on the existing Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) programs, including the Latina Family Studies and African-American Family Studies cohort specializations. “The mission of Pacific Oaks College is first and foremost a social justice mission, one that values culture and the child and family,” explains MFT Program Director Connie Destito. “The School of Cultural and Family Psychology will continue to explore the most relevant research, community partnerships,

How PACIFIC OAKS HAS Evolved 1945: Pacific Oaks Friends School is founded. 1959: Pacific Oaks receives accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) for its B.S. in Child Development degree.

1970: New B.A. and M.A. degree programs in Human Development replace the B.S. in Child Development degree.

1978: Pacific Oaks Teacher Education Program is approved to offer California teaching

and clinical praxis that will enhance the wellbeing of children and families.” Destito says strategic plans for the new school include such possibilities as an undergraduate-level B.A. in Psychology and Immigration Studies, an M.A. in MFT Trauma Studies specialization program, an Infant and Mental Health Center, and a Psy.D. in Cultural and Family Psychology. She says the culture-centered model that defined the original MFT specializations in Latina/Latino and African-American families will guide future endeavors and program development. “In addition to these academic programs, the school looks toward developing a center on campus that will bring resident scholars and leaders in the field for conferences, research, community partnerships, and training on culture-centered practices in strategically defined areas of study in our new school.” The new three-school system became effective June 1. Students currently enrolled or applying to the traditional MFT or either cohort specialization will see no immediate changes. If anything, Destito says the program will be enhanced and expanded. “This is an exciting time for us,” she adds. “I look forward to a dynamic relationship with students, faculty, and community partners to collaborate in building our programs.”

credentials for elementary grades.

1988: Pacific Oaks establishes the Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling master’s program after the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences raises the licensing requirements for the counseling profession. 1996: Pacific Oaks launches an online distance learning program, drawing students from Vermont to British Columbia to Hong Kong. 2000: The M.A. in Marital and Family Therapy program launches a Latina/Latino Family Studies specialization. 2005: A second specialization in African-American Family Studies is added to the MFT program. 2012: Pacific Oaks College adds a new School of Education to its existing School of Human Development and Family Studies. 2013: School of Human Development and Family Studies is divided into two distinct schools— the School of Human Development and the School of Cultural and Family Psychology.

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LEFT: The Latina/Latino Family Studies (LFS) program was developed to respond to the urgency in the mental health field for bilingual and bicultural clinicians. RIGHT: The African-American Family Studies (AAFS) program was built on the UJIMA model of collective work and responsibility. PACIFICOAKS.EDU 5

Around the Oak & In the Yard

Progressive Education Matters A former adjunct faculty member and co-founder of Children’s Community School draws a standing-room-only crowd at a Pacific Oaks Children’s School parent education seminar.

Chet Callahan, a Pacific Oaks Children's School parent and event co-chair, poses with Neal Wrightson and POCS Executive Director Jane Rosenberg.

What is Progressive Education? Since the early 20th century, organizations such as the Progressive Education Network (PEN) have been heralding progressive education on a national basis, while providing opportunities for educators to connect, support, and learn from one another. While there is no single definition of “progressive education,” PEN is guided by these defining principles:

Most parents at Pacific Oaks Children’s School are already well-versed in the tenets of “progressive education.” After all, the theories of John Dewey, considered the "father of progressive education," are the foundation the school was built on nearly 70 years ago. But when Neal Wrightson, co-founder of the famously progressive Children’s Community School in Van Nuys, Calif., appeared in March as part of a spring parent education seminar series, the room was packed. More than 100 parents, teachers and Pacific Oaks faculty members were in attendance at the standing-room-only event. Jane Rosenberg, executive director of the Pacific Oaks Children’s School and one of the event organizers, says when parents indicated an interest in learning more about educational philosophies in a recent survey, Wrightson came to mind as an obvious choice. Wrightson co-founded Children’s Community School in 1981 and has been a director and teacher for all grades (K-6) there. He is also the co-chair of the planning

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committee for the 2013 Progressive Education Network (PEN) Conference. In his presentation, “What is Progressive Education, and Why Should I Care?” Wrightson began by contrasting progressive education with the more common, traditional-education model. In addition to speaking about the arbitrary nature of conventional testing, he shared anecdotes from his own life about technology once deemed vital that has now become obsolete. For Chet Callahan, a POCS parent and co-chair of the event, Wrightson’s presentation shed new light on the importance of progressive education. “I am a firm believer in progressive education, as it reinforces all of the natural qualities of curiosity, ambition, and initiative that I believe all humans have. That is to say, I believe in the importance of progressive education from the student’s perspective,” Callahan explains. “But at his particular talk, I gleaned a new appreciation of this method. Progressive education does not only appreciate the uniqueness of each student, but also each teacher. A fully

• Education must prepare students for active participation in a democratic society. • Education must focus on students' social, emotional, academic, cognitive and physical development. • Education must nurture and support students' natural curiosity and innate desire to learn. • Education must foster internal motivation in students. • Education must be responsive to the developmental needs of students. • Education must foster respectful relationships between teachers and students. • Education must encourage the active participation of students in their learning, which arises from previous experience. • Progressive educators must play an active role in guiding the educational vision of our society.

For more information about the Progressive Education Network, go to progressiveed.org.

engaged teacher is better at and more able to respond to a fully engaged student.” Rosenberg says the feedback received from the presentation was glowing, but perhaps it’s no wonder. One little known piece of history about Wrightson is that in addition to teaching as an adjunct faculty member at Pacific Oaks many years ago, his children attended POCS and his mother was the school secretary in the 1940s. For more information about Children’s Community School and its philosophies, go to ccsteaches.org.

History Commences Pacific Oaks College celebrates one of its largest graduating classes and holds commencement festivities in Watsonville for the first time. Graduation caps were sparkling with decorations, families were cheering and the Pacific Oaks community was celebrating as commencement festivities ushered in two major milestones for the institution. With more than 300 graduates in Pasadena and 55 in the inaugural commencement ceremony for students enrolled in Northern California instructional sites, the Class of 2013 will go down as one of the largest in Pacific Oaks history. “Today we saw students, many of them the first member in their family to attend college, become graduates,” Pacific Oaks College President Dr. Ezat Parnia told graduates at the conclusion of the school’s 53rd commencement ceremony, held May 4 at the Pasadena Civic Center. “I wish to express how honored I am to be the first to address the newest alumni of this great institution. We all make choices, but in the end, our choices make us. All of you chose this college over many others and we are better for it as a result.” Denita Willoughby, Southern California Gas Company regional vice president of external affairs, used her keynote address to encourage graduates to partner and collaborate to change the world. “There is a nationwide crisis before us, in need of your skills, your passion and your desire to make a difference,” said Willoughby, who has been named by California Diversity Magazine as one of the “Most Powerful and Influential People in California.” She closed her speech by telling graduates: “As you continue to live, continue to love, and continue to give. Give back and strengthen our communities. Make giving back part of your mission; be deliberate.” A week later in Watsonville, Pacific Oaks faculty emerita Dr. Elizabeth “Betty” Jones gave her address in both English and Spanish to graduates of Sacramento, Salinas and Santa Cruz instructional sites. The ceremony was held at the Henry J. Mello

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Center for the Performing Arts, marking the first time in Pacific Oaks history that graduates from instructional sites were able to participate in commencement without traveling to Pasadena. “A large world of many languages is complicated; to learn all those words and their meaning is very difficult. But it is very interesting,” Dr. Jones told the audience, later sharing stories of her own family’s Swedish and Norwegian heritage. Dr. Jones, an accomplished early childhood education expert and author who has spent 55 years of her career as a faculty member at Pacific Oaks College, also addressed the unique demographics of the Pacific Oaks student population. “Graduation speakers traditionally challenge the graduates to grow up, to go out into the world of reality and be useful. Most of you have already grown up; you’ve been out in the world for quite a while,” she said. “This degree doesn’t release you from your obligations; it just helps you be wiser, more thoughtful. Now that you’ve earned it you don’t get to rest; you have an obligation to save the world, your little share of it.”

TOP: Keynote speaker Denita Willoughby, Southern California Gas Company regional vice president of external affairs, addresses one of the largest graduating classes in Pacific Oaks College history. BOTTOM: Pacific Oaks graduates in Pasadena capture their moment by adorning the tops of their caps with colorful decorations.

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Around the Oak & In the Yard

Capturing Their Moment: Class of 2013 From Pasadena to Watsonville, Pacific Oaks College’s graduating classes celebrate their achievement with individual flair. 1

Keynote speaker Denita Willoughby encourages the Class of 2013 to “think outside the box” and continue searching for ways to make a difference.

P acific Oaks College President Dr. Ezat Parnia and Dr. Connie Destito share congratulations with a new graduate at the 53rd POC commencement in Pasadena.

A proud graduate walks to receive her degree in an elaborately bedazzled cap.

P acific Oaks Student Government Association President Gabriella Chapman blows a kiss at the Pasadena commencement festivities. She was one of the featured speakers at the event.

A group of exuberant new graduates in Pasadena celebrate with their signature Pacific Oaks green sashes.

Dr. Tim Sundeen celebrates with a group of new graduates in Pasadena.

Lucero Gonzales and Denise Salisbury, students in the Salinas cohort, celebrate their milestone in Watsonville.

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Faculty emerita Dr. Elizabeth "Betty" Jones, keynote speaker at the Watsonville commencement ceremony, celebrates with senior adjunct faculty member Marian Browning.

Graduate Deborah Montenegro is cloaked by her daughter while her husband watches during a touching moment at Watsonville’s inaugural commencement ceremony.

Faculty members Dr. Bree Davis, Rebecca Rojas, Joanne Diaz-Koegel, Trevor Dobbs, Dr. Connie Destito, and Dr. Vivian Tamkin beam with pride on this historic day.

P acific Oaks graduates in Pasadena sport colorful leis to mark the occasion.

Graduates in the Santa Cruz cohort celebrate in Watsonville, where Pacific Oaks College held its first remote commencement ceremony for students who earned their degrees in the Northern California instructional sites.

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Around the Oak & In the Yard

Honoring a Legend The Pacific Oaks community came together on April 9 to honor longtime advocate and supporter Maureen Donnelly Carlson. A former faculty member, trustee, Pacific Oaks Children’s School parent and grandparent, Carlson was the recipient of the Second Annual Living Legends Award. Pacific Oaks President Dr. Ezat Parnia told the audience that Carlson “personifies the kind of community commitment and authentic service that has become legendary at our institution.” The Living Legends Award was created in 2012 to acknowledge and thank individuals who make a legendary impact through their charitable investment of time and commitment.

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Living Legends co-chair Priscilla Gamb congratulates honoree Maureen Donnelly Carlson.

Olin Barrett, Pacific Oaks College trustee and event co-chair, enjoys the luncheon with long-time supporter Adelaide Hixon.

Former POC trustees and Dennis Hernandez and Andy Wilson revel in the festivities.

Honoree Maureen Donnelly Carlson (center) celebrates her award with her family, including (left to right) mother-in-law Pat Salvati, daughter Lizzie Salvati, husband Robert Carlson, son Robert Carlson, Jr., granddaughter Phoebe Salvati, grandson Sam Salvati, and granddaughter Annie Salvati.

Laurels A summary of faculty publications, accomplishments, and research.

Dr. Susan Bernheimer, core faculty for the School of Human Development & Family Studies, presented “Innovative Practices in Early Childhood Teacher Preparation: Addressing Intercultural Needs of the Modern World” at the CAEYC 2013 annual conference. Dr. ReGena Booze, core faculty for the School of Human Development & Family Studies, presented “Caring: Welcome to the Childcare Industrial Complex” at the Children, Families and Early Childhood Educators conference held April 20 at Glendale Community College in Glendale, Calif. Dr. Booze’s talk focused on

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the role of child care workers in allowing society to work. Ruth Anne Hammond, senior adjunct faculty and master teacher at Pacific Oaks Children’s School, presented “Attachment & Educaring: Keeping Relationships Primary” at the 7th Annual Seattle Infant Education Conference on Feb. 23. Dr. Olga Winbush, core faculty for the School of Human Development & Family Studies, conducted in-service mentoring and training on diversity with the teaching and administrative staff of Children's Community School late in Van Nuys, Calif., last year. Dr. Winbush also

presented in-service training and a parent workshop at the Walden School, a K-8 institution in Pasadena, Calif. She gave a talk on anti-bias education for prospective students at Pacific Oaks College in February, and in March was a panelist in discussions on the documentary, Race to Nowhere, sponsored by the Pacific Oaks College Student Government Association (SGA). Dr. Tim Sundeen, director of the School of Human Development, submitted a panel proposal to the 2013 Reconceptualizing Early Childhood Education Conference, which will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, on Nov. 3-7. The proposal was accepted and will feature papers by Dr. Sundeen, Dr. Susan Bernheimer, Dr. ReGena Booze, Dr. Olga Winbush and Dr. Cheryl Greer-Jarman. PACIFICOAKS.EDU 11

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Fields of

Dreams

More than 70 percent of students at Pacific Oaks College are the first in their families to receive a college degree. We explore some of the first-generation success stories at Pacific Oaks and discover how breaking the higher-education barrier can transform a community. By Sherry Thomas

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ike many immigrants before them, Yolanda and Graciela Lopez came to America on a parent’s dream to give them a better life. “We were born poor. If you want to succeed, you need to work hard in order to reach your goals and succeed in the world,” Baldemar Lopez would tell his seven young daughters after spending long, hot days picking chili peppers, tomatoes and other vegetables in the fields of Monterey County. “I brought you to a country that offers you an opportunity for an education. Now it is up to you to take advantage of it.” Yolanda was 7 and her sister, Graciela, was 2 when the family moved to Fresno from their small village of Guerrero, Mexico. They grew up listening to their father speak of opportunity and the importance of education, but the road ahead would not be easy. The family lived in extreme poverty, with the children sometimes working in the fields alongside their parents under harsh conditions. Meanwhile, the girls struggled to overcome language barriers in and out of the classroom. “I felt out of place, confused, and lonely because the majority of the children spoke English,” Yolanda explains. “It was very difficult for me to communicate with the children and the teachers. I felt rejected because the children didn’t make an attempt to socialize with me. It was difficult to live in a country where people rejected us, degraded us, and oppressed us because of our social category.” Graciela felt the same but knew going to college was the only way to change her family’s destiny. “My parents taught me a very valuable lesson. They taught me to love school because of the harsh lessons spent working in the fields in the summer. After many summers, I knew that the only way I would get out of the hard physical labor would be through education.” It was a dream they shared, all the way through their high school graduations. However, given the family’s ongoing struggle to keep food on the table, the road to higher education would not be a traditional one. Three of their sisters had already dropped out of high school to work and help pay the bills, so Yolanda and Graciela put college on hold and found the best jobs they could. “I had no other option,” says Yolanda, who began

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It was a dream they shared, all the way through their high school graduations. However, given the family’s ongoing struggle to keep food on the table, the road to higher education would not be a traditional one. working in an elementary school during the day with a second part-time job at night in the fast food industry. “I had to help my parents with their financial situation.” Graciela also found work in an elementary school as a teacher’s aide and discovered a passion for teaching. “I began implementing my own teaching lessons to my adult cousins and uncles,” she says. “After work they would head to my house, where I would teach them basic ESL (English as a Second Language) skills.” They worked hard, day and night. They got married and started families, taking part-time classes together at a local community college whenever they could. But it wasn’t until they discovered Pacific Oaks College that what once seemed impossible for these first-generation students finally became a reality. In 2010, Yolanda Lopez Maldonado and Graciela Lopez Garcia enrolled together as part of an instructional site cohort at Salinas, and in May 2013, the sisters received master’s degrees in Human Development with specializations in education and community work. Their lives—the fate of their families, and their community—will never be the same. The First-Generation Experience With more low-income and minority students enrolling in college than ever before, the first-generation experience in

First-Generation

Scholars America has captured the attention of the higher education community. It’s a symbolic shift; a social justice victory that we as a society have been striving toward for decades. When one person in a family earns a degree, others will follow. The experience is transformative and can ultimately alter the destiny of families and communities in positive, life-changing ways. However, this rapidly growing demographic of students who are the first in their families to go to college is posing some complex new challenges for institutions. While breaking down the old socioeconomic and cultural barriers to higher education opportunity is leveling the playing field at historic levels, there is a troubling disparity in graduation rates between these first-generation students and others whose parents earned degrees. Some run out of money. Others, burdened with work and family obligations, simply give up. Hermelinda Rocha-Tabera, a senior adjunct faculty member at the Salinas instructional site, says first-generation students are vulnerable for many reasons. “Some of these students come from an environment where education is not such a priority. Living conditions are a priority. Food on the table is a priority. We have migrant students who have lived in various homes,” she explains. “I, myself, was a product of a migrant family, and when you’re moving from place to place, being able to get a basic education was not as much of a priority as having food on the table.” As a result, many first-generation students enter college without the support they need to navigate the system—making them more reliant on counselors and advisers than other students. The good news for first-generation students at Pacific Oaks is that the institution is ideally suited to serve their needs. Social justice, equality and diversity are the principles the college was built on nearly 70 years ago, and its unique experience-based education model has gained national attention for its success in educating adult learners. As Maldonado and Garcia’s story shows, many first-generation students are not able to start college right after high school. They have to go to work, raise families and return to their dream later in life. “It is very difficult to attend college when you have a full-time job and when you have a family to take care of. But Pacific Oaks College provides flexibility,” says Maldonado. “They offer cohorts during the weekends that provide the opportunity for working students to continue their education.

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While first-generation students struggle at other institutions, Pacific Oaks College is a place where they can make their dreams come true. To help engender success for these students, Pacific Oaks has created programs that allow for flexibility and encourage diversity. Those who are first in their family to go to college also benefit from an inclusive learning model that values life experience and multicultural backgrounds. But sometimes, the biggest obstacles to a student’s success are financial, which is why Pacific Oaks College recently announced a new First-Generation Student Scholarship Fund. Pacific Oaks College senior adjunct faculty member Marian Browning is serving on the committee for this new scholarship program along with Pacific Oaks faculty emerita Dr. Elizabeth “Betty” Jones. “We just did our first awards and we’re excited to carry this on,” says Browning. “We awarded five scholarships of $1,000 each.” She says the committee is charged with reviewing applications and designating awards based on financial need and how the students plan to use their Pacific Oaks experience to make an impact in their communities. “Because our capstone projects are qualitative research, we hear heartwarming stories of the communities our students are working in,” Browning explains. “They really work with the communities to bring about a change, to bring about social justice.” First-generation students are eligible to apply to one of the other Pacific Oaks scholarships, but Browning says she is thrilled that there is now a special fund just for them: “To see these students and how they’ve grown over the two years of their program, it’s just what makes it all worthwhile.” For more information about how to support the new First-Generation Scholarship Fund, go to pacificoaks.edu/giving. PACIFICOAKS.EDU 15

While most first-generation students aren’t able to rely on their families for financial support, the moral and emotional support they receive from parents, spouses, siblings, and even children makes all the difference in their success.

Pacific Oaks helped me reach my dreams, my goals and my vision of being the first in my family to attend college.” Given Pacific Oaks’ proud legacy of equality and opportunity, it is perhaps not surprising that more than 70 percent of the college’s current student population now falls into this first-generation category. But unlike some first-generation students elsewhere in the country, Pacific Oaks first-timers are graduating— most earning advanced degrees that allow them to go out and impact change in their communities. “It is an incredible process that has transformed my life. At Pacific Oaks College, I learned that the most powerful learning occurs by working together, by sharing our personal stories, experiences, valuing the experiences of others and being engaged. I have discovered the beauty of working together in a team,” Maldonado adds. “Being able to work with students and families enables us to collaborate with each other. We are able to engage in conversations that create a dialogue. It is those types of interactions that encourage conversations that lead to collaboration, which brings positive change. It is those types of relationships that have enriched my life and have empowered me to continue to advocate for the rights of those who don’t have a voice.” Transcending Stereotypes While there are many commonalities in the challenges that first-generation students face when navigating the education system, no two first-generation stories are the same. Pacific Oaks College student Felicia Hunt grew up in the Wentworth Garden housing project on the South

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Side of Chicago. There were no chili pepper fields to work in; no language barriers to overcome. But there was poverty, and discrimination. And in Hunt’s case, there was also a medical condition that would present obstacles of its own. Born with sickle cell anemia, Hunt’s disease made it hard to follow her dreams, even as a child. “I was told that most people with my illness did not live past the age of 20,” explains Hunt, now a 46-yearold student in the Marriage and Family Therapy program, pursuing an African-American Family specialization. “After high school, I did not think much about what I wanted to do. And when it came time for college and some of my friends were leaving, I did not know the first thing about how to apply for college.” She stayed in her neighborhood, eventually getting married and having a son. College didn’t even cross her mind again until 2006, but by then she was a divorced, single mother. “I had more confidence in myself. I knew how to control my illness and was ready to become self-sufficient,” says Hunt, who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and Africana studies at Pitzer College before applying to Pacific Oaks. “Pacific Oaks has been wonderful in helping me grow into the person I want to be.” Marian Browning, a senior adjunct faculty member in the Santa Cruz and Bay Area instructional sites, says it is inspiring and heartwarming to watch first-generation students grow and evolve. “I see students who never thought they could get a college education because no one ever believed in them

so they didn’t believe in themselves,” explains Browning. “Once they get into classes, it is important to spend a lot of time talking to the students, reassuring them that they can do it.” Browning, who was a first-generation student before that term was even used, remembers what it was like to navigate the college experience with little support. “I was told in high school that I was not college material. I could not take calculus because that was a pre-college class. I had to take typing instead,” she says. “Not only was I not encouraged to go to college, because of the socioeconomic class I was in, but I was told that I could not succeed.” She proved them wrong. And in many ways, that’s what being a first-generation student is about—beating the odds, and defying the stereotypes. A Family Affair Pacific Oaks graduate student Monique Coleman grew up in Monrovia, a California community where drugs and gang violence are a part of daily life. “I first had the thought of college when I was in the 7th grade,” explains Coleman, who is pursuing a master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy. “I began to look at the people around me and realized I didn’t want to become a product of my environment.” With the support of her mother and the help of scholarship funds, she will soon be the first person in her family to earn a college degree. “I feel as though I have the opportunity to change a non-productive cycle, and I’m extremely elated that I am the first to start a great legacy,” Coleman adds. “I think my family is very proud of me, and I know for sure my mom thinks it’s worth everything she sacrificed. She is my support system.” While most first-generation students aren’t able to rely on their families for financial support, the moral and emotional support they receive from parents, spouses, siblings, and even children makes all the difference in their success. “For my family to see me come out on top of all of my adversities, it was exciting for all of us,” says Hunt. “I am really grateful for my son. He has helped me the most through all of my educational endeavors.”

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Garcia says that her college experience wouldn’t have been the same without her sister, Yolanda, by her side. “We encouraged each other to achieve our goals,” she explains. “When one was struggling and ready to give up, the other gave motivation to continue and vice versa.” Maldonado agrees: “She has been my companion on my road to education. Together we have turned the world around to create positive lessons that have enriched our lives to continue reaching our goals. My parents are both very proud of us.” While Baldemar and Dominga Lopez were not able to watch their daughters graduate in Pasadena, they were in the front row at the commencement ceremony in Watsonville. “Dad told me that his sacrifices have paid off,” Maldonado says. “He said even though he made a risky journey to immigrate to the United States, he doesn’t regret the decision he made because now my sister and I have our degrees, and that will provide us with better opportunities and a brighter future.” But their first-generation story is about more than just one father’s dream come true. Maldonado and Garcia—along with Coleman and Hunt—may be the first in their family to receive a college degree, but they will not be the last. Impacting Change Their impact will be felt, from one generation to the next. In Maldonado’s case, it already has. She recently began working as an instructor at Pacific Oaks College and hopes to use her first-generation experience to inspire others. “My goal is to be able to help other students reach their goals and dreams because I know how difficult it is for those who lack the resources financially to continue their education,” Maldonado adds. “I want to make a positive difference in their lives. There are many students who have the potential and the ability to continue their education. All they need is an opportunity so that they can prove their skills and for someone to believe in them.” PACIFICOAKS.EDU 17

Elementary Prep By Sherry Thomas

Why every American child should have access to quality early childhood education, and what our government is proposing to do about it.

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School, considered one of the nation’s finest and most progressive preschools. “Kindergarten today is what first and second grade used to be.”

hen children entered a typical American kindergarten classroom in the 1960s, it was often their first introduction to the concept of “school.” They learned how to stand in line and take turns. They learned how to sit in a circle and participate in group discussions without conflict or interruption. Some were able to “graduate” from kindergarten with basic reading skills and the ability to count to 10. Others weren’t, and that was OK. That’s what first grade was for. Not anymore. As America struggles to “race to the top” and raise academic standards for all students, the expectations of the kindergarten experience have changed dramatically. Today, children must walk into the kindergarten classroom with all the social, emotional, and cognitive skills they need to read, do math and solve complex learning problems. Those who have had the kind of quality early education experiences offered by Pacific Oaks Children’s School and similar institutions are typically able to arrive on their first day of school with confidence, ready to excel. But those who have had limited access to early childhood education are already way behind. It’s a problem that President Barack Obama vowed to tackle in his 2013 inauguration speech, and one that communities are struggling to resolve around the country. After all, how can any education system be equal if not every child is given an equal start? “Early childhood education is critical for every child, particularly in the United States, where they are eventually going to be going into kindergarten,” explains Jane Rosenberg, executive director of the Pacific Oaks Children’s

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Beyond Head Start Those who are familiar with Pacific Oaks College history know that the institution has been part of the wider social justice mission to bring quality early childhood education to the masses for more than five decades. As early as 1965, Pacific Oaks leaders were tapped to participate in the launch of Head Start—the first federally funded comprehensive child development program. Many Pacific Oaks alumni have since gone on to make an impact in early childhood education as advocates for the right of every child to start school ready to learn, thrive, and grow. Some have started preschools, and others have worked in agencies that create access to early childhood programs for low-income families. Mary Boege Chamberlain, who received an M.A. in Human Development from Pacific Oaks in 2008, is an Early Head Start program manager in the San Jose area and has spent her career helping some of the neediest families get the help they need to help their children. “The age group that I’ve been working with is birth to age 3, prior to the traditional preschool area,” she explains. “When the children turn 3, we help the families get them into a 3-to-5 year-old preschool situation.” Getting a child into a traditional Head Start program is one thing. But Chamberlain says for some socioeconomic groups, getting families engaged in learning at an early stage is crucial to the child’s longterm success. “One thing we learned at Pacific Oaks is that there are some parents who do not read, whose parents or grandparents did not read, so engaging those children in storytelling and recipe skills is a different way of teaching early literacy skills,” Chamberlain says. “It’s important that they believe in themselves.” Another factor that affects a child's readiness for school is the quality of his or her health care. “We have a very high percentage of parents and children who are in crisis medically,” she adds. “We have family advocates whose goals goes beyond providing PACIFICOAKS.EDU 19

academic and social support to maintaining the health of both the parents and the children." New Government Initiatives Since Head Start was founded in 1965, the federal government has made several attempts to support early childhood education for low income families. In 2011, the Obama administration launched the Race to The Top-Early Learning Challenge, a program administered by the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services. And in 2012, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) invested $2 billion in the Child Care and Development Fund to provide child care assistance during the height of the recession. “The Obama administration is raising the bar for quality early childhood education programs,” Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, has said. “Providing a strong

Getting a child into a traditional Head Start program is one thing. But Chamberlain says for some socioeconomic groups, getting families engaged in learning at an early stage is crucial to the child’s longterm success. foundation for all children to learn through life is an investment in our nation’s economic future.” But perhaps the boldest move to date was announced just a few months ago with a 2014 budget proposal to provide “preschool for all” by investing $75 billion over 10 years to expand access to high-quality preschools, starting with low- and middle-income 4-year-olds. The plan also includes new partnerships between Early Head Start and child care providers to provide quality early learning opportunities for infants and toddlers; voluntary home visits to support vulnerable

Endowment for Diversity Pacific Oaks Children’s School unveils a new scholarship program for underserved and under-represented students. For nearly 70 years, Pacific Oaks Children’s School has been at the forefront of early childhood education—providing a range of progressive programs for children six months through 6 years of age. Established in direct defiance of a local ordinance forbidding racial integration, the school was founded on Quaker principles of social justice and inclusion. Committed to the belief that every child has value and infinite potential, the school has become known around the globe for its pioneering accomplishments in the areas of anti-bias education, emergent curriculum, and peaceful conflict resolution. However, leaders are cognizant that not every child is afforded such opportunities. To help ensure that this unique model of early education remains

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accessible to all, a new scholarship fund is being established for underserved, under-represented, and economically diverse children and families. The Endowment for Diversity scholarship will promote the enrollment of children and families from differing backgrounds, exposing students at the school to a variety of cultures, traditions and ways of interacting to prepare them to function successfully in a world of cross-cultural interaction. Pacific Oaks leaders say this new initiative will preserve the legacy that the school was founded on in 1945 and enrich the lives of all members of the community. For more information about how to support Pacific Oaks Children’s School’s Endowment for Diversity, go to pacificoakschildrensschool.org/giving.

families; and increased funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) released a statement April 10 calling the proposal “a historic request for early childhood investments,” encouraging its constituency to support the proposal and advocate for its approval. “I do think they are beginning to provide for the neediest families, often families who are left out of the child care arena,” Chamberlain says. “The most important piece is they are helping families in need to not only access great early childhood education but parent education as well.” Recipe for Success Rosenberg applauds the recent initiatives, explaining that developing proper socialization skills is an advancement that will accelerate a child’s educational experience from kindergarten through college. At Pacific Oaks Children’s School, boys and girls are allowed to develop social and emotional competence skills through play and exploration. Building on the model that has made Pacific Oaks famous, children learn how to make friends, how to work with groups of different ages, and how to negotiate conflict. “It’s very important for children to have mastered many of these skills before they go into kindergarten,” Rosenberg explains. “If they go into kindergarten unable to do these things, it’s going to take a long time to catch up with the group and engage in the academic rigor.” Chamberlain, who has consulted with California kindergarten teachers as part of her work with Early Head Start, agrees. “They are expected to learn to read during that kindergarten year,” she explains. “It’s essential for them to have those preschool basics so they are ready to read. The other specific core area is counting and math. They are adding and subtracting in kindergarten." Will they be ready, with no child left behind? Only time will tell. But given the new programs and initiatives on the horizon, the value of providing quality early childhood education for all children in America can no longer be ignored.

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A Presidential Proposal The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has endorsed President Barack Obama’s ground-breaking proposal to increase federal funding of early childhood education on multiple levels. Highlights include: •P reschool for All grants: $75 billion over the next decade, funded by a federalstate funding partnership, with the federal funds generated by a new cigarette tax. • Preschool Development grants: $750 million to help states that are not ready for Preschool for All grants but willing to make a commitment to high-quality, universally available pre-K programs. • Early Head Start and new Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships: $1.4 billion to expand EHS and create EHS child care partnerships devoted to care and development of children ages birth through 3. • Child Care & Development Block Grant: $500 million increase in mandatory funds and $200 million increase in discretionary dollars to improve quality care for children, including health and safety. • Promise Neighborhoods: $300 million increase to help low-income communities invest in a range of services to help children and families.

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A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS When the Infant/Toddler Program moved into La Loma House in 2011, the Pacific Oaks Children’s School lost its beloved lending library. Today the school is embarking on a $1.5 million fundraising campaign to build a new space for the school’s collection of more than 7,000 volumes. BY SHERRY THOMAS

magine a room filled with light, stacked with all the ingredients for a grand adventure. A curious new world storied with picture books and rhyming books and books to answer questions from inquisitive minds. Shelves would be low to the ground for the littlest explorers, and French doors would open to a reading deck with a porch swing. For any other preschool in America, such a library would be little more than a fairy tale. At Pacific Oaks Children’s School, this vision is part of a new $1.5 million fundraising campaign to rebuild and restore an active children’s lending library that has been evolving since the school was founded, nearly 70 years ago. Since 1945, school leaders have meticulously gathered a diverse assortment of books and reading materials for children and their families to borrow and enjoy. Today, the collection numbers nearly 7,000 volumes. “This is part of what makes this place so special and unique,” says Jane Rosenberg, executive director of the Pacific Oaks Children’s School. “We have story books, information books, folk tales, poetry … really just an amazing collection of children’s books dating back to the 1940s when the school first opened.” As the library grew over the years, so did its use. For decades, every class would visit the Pacific Oaks Children’s School Library at least once a week. There was a children’s librarian on staff, and parents were encouraged to check out books they might not have at home. But all of that came to an end in 2011 when the Westmoreland property was sold and the Infant/Toddler Program was moved into La Loma House. While school leaders were thrilled to have the program back at its original home on the school’s California Boulevard campus, a space crunch meant the growing library would need to be relocated to the second floor of the building. The library has remained a resource for teachers, but as Rosenberg explains, licensing regulations and fire codes prevent teachers from bringing classes to the new second-floor space. “Classes used to go at a scheduled time and have their story hour,” she says. “But this year our library is going on the road. Each week, the librarian goes to the classes because they can’t come to her.” As a result, however, some of the “magic” has been lost—magic that Pacific Oaks leaders hope can be restored and enhanced with a new Pacific Oaks Children’s School Library. Rosenberg says the $1.5 million “Tell Me a Story” campaign will fund the cost of a 1,200-square-foot children’s

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library facility as well as the expansion of the school’s collection. Some of the old favorites, worn after decades of love and attention, will also be restored as part of the project. “There is no limit to a child’s imagination. As children discover books for the first time, a new world unfolds,” she adds. “If we hope to produce leaders with great vision, they need to start practicing in preschool.” The two-story space is being planned as an extension to the existing Peppers House in an area previously used as a garden, which means no yard or play space will be lost. Initial design concepts allow a gabled roof and Craftsman-style touches to blend with the existing building and neighborhood. The first floor will include a group area where children can gather and places where families can read together. The second floor will feature a reading room for adults that will include resource books on parenting, progressive education, teaching practices, positive discipline, and other topics. There are also plans to build an adult restroom on the second floor, in addition to a children's restroom on the first. According to campaign literature, the new library space would be designed for multiple generations to enjoy—a light-filled, inspiring place where learning and exploring can be shared by children and their families. “Most Pacific Oaks families do not have a large collection of children’s books at home,” says Marilyn Robertson, a retired Los Angeles Unified School District librarian and former POCS parent. “Even the most fortunate don’t have an entire children’s library at their disposal. Plus kids outgrow books, so you need access to a broad selection. Going to a library at a young age builds a lifelong habit of reading.” For more information about how to support the “Tell Me a Story” fundraising campaign, go to pacificoaks.edu/giving, call 626.529.8091, or email POCadvancement@pacificoaks.edu. PACIFICOAKS.EDU 23

Living the Mission

5. A ct u

on n

at i

n io

2. Exp

Journey 5 Steps to a Transformation Andrew Smallman ‘92 MA Human Development

nowledg 3. K e

1 | Realization

2 | Exploration

3 | Knowledge

4 | Action

5 | Actualization

While searching for a career path in his 20s, Andrew Smallman volunteered at a Big Brothers organization near Seattle, counseling a wide range of children in need. “A big light in the sky kind of went on,” says Smallman. “I felt like I was doing what I was meant to do.” Education classes at a local college followed, which helped Smallman work through how a domineering teacher had caused him to suffer night terrors as a youngster. Now committed to education, he set out to create a classroom that valued empathy and integrity as much as traditional academics.

One day in a library, Smallman found a brochure for Pacific Oaks College Northwest and was immediately drawn to its focus on individualized education and social justice. It was a perfect fit, reinforcing Smallman’s belief that teachers deserved autonomy in their classrooms, building community through exploration instead of rote textbook-based learning. He put those philosophies into practice at a progressive-minded elementary school called The Little School, while finishing his thesis on facilitating student choice in upper primary classrooms.

Smallman soon realized there weren't many schools open to his student-centered approach. When parents sought advice on where to send their children after they graduated from his 5th/6th grade classroom, he couldn't offer a single recommendation, so he decided to open a school himself. With the help of parents and his wife, Melinda Shaw, Smallman launched Puget Sound Community School (PSCS) in 1994 with 10 students. “My main goal was simply to create a safe environment in which students could challenge themselves.”

At PSCS, students were encouraged to follow their passions and individual interests. Initially, there was no brick-andmortar school. Classes were held in various locations—workplaces, teen centers, even his own home—stressing the importance of placing one’s self in the context of a larger community. Thanks to innovative kindness classes and an online initiative that connected his students with Holocaust survivors, PSCS was soon being praised by everyone from Deepak Chopra to author Daniel H. Pink.

It wasn’t until 2003, however, when PSCS was approved to be a private school, that it began awarding diplomas, which were earned not by taking specific courses but by meeting three core commitments: Practice Integrity, Engage the Community, Act with Courage. Having moved into its current home in 2008, Smallman’s next goal is to expand the school’s enrollment. “I just want my students to be happy. And it’s my belief that happiness comes from living a satisfied, meaningful life of your own design.” For more information, go to pscs.org.

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News & Notes Share your professional or personal news with former classmates and friends! Submit class notes at voices@pacificoaks.edu. 1974 | Bill Sparks (B.A.) presented two workshops, “Special Education for English Language Learners: When and When Not to Refer” and “Advocacy to Exit English Language Learners from Special Education” at the California Association for Bilingual Education Conference (CABE) in February. He is also co-chair of the Pacific Oaks Alumni Association. 1992 | Lisa Poelle (M.A. HD) of New York works as an independent early childhood consultant and as an adjunct professor. She recently published her first book, The Biting Solution: The Expert’s No-Biting Guide for Parents, Caregivers, and Early Childhood Educators, through Parenting Press.

1998 | Bonnie Lockhart (M.A. HD) of Oakland, Calif., had her original song, “Who Were the Witches,” included in the award-winning film Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and the Farm Midwives. The film tells the story of a spirited group of women who taught themselves how to deliver babies, rescue modern midwifery from extinction, and change the way a generation thinks about childbirth. More information can be found at birthstorymovie.com. 2003 | Kayla Hatch Paddock (M.A. HD) of Towaoc, Colo., has enrolled in a 20-week leadership class and is preparing to start a new leadership project in her Montezuma County community. 2007 | Carol Archambeault (M.A. HD) of Burbank, Calif.,

has launched a new web site, shared-meals.com, in support of her book The Shared-Meal Revolution: How to Reclaim Balance and Connection in a Fragmented World through Sharing Meals with Family and Friends. The book is expected to be published this summer. 2009 | Yvette Michelle Flores (M.A. HD) currently teaches child development classes at Laguna Technical College. She is also a trainer with Program for Infant Toddler Caregivers (PITC) and owner of In Our Hands, a consulting and training business for preschool teachers and directors. 2009 | Natasha Morisawa (M.A. MFT) became a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in 2012 and is now in private practice in Monrovia, Calif. 2011 | Adam Myman (M.A. HD) of Sherman Oaks, Calif., is now in his third year as a second grade

teacher at Los Encinos School in Encino, Calif. Since leaving Pacific Oaks College, he has continued to follow an interest in character education, creating the program now used at Los Encinos School. He also published an article, “Old Rules, New Twist,” in the Winter 2012 issue of Independent Schools magazine and participated in a “think tank” discussion with the Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education. 2013 | Molly Spragg (M.A. ECE) of Pasadena, Calif., is a Senior Admissions Counselor at Pacific Oaks College.

Degree Abbreviations HD Human Development MFT Marriage and Family Counseling TCred Teacher Education Credential NG Non-graduate

Living the Mission

Fostering Hope Wendy Kilbourne Read, B.A., Human Development Even though Wendy Read bought her first house when she was 20, earned her pilot’s license, and had her own airplane—thanks in great measure to her success as an actress— she did not feel a sense of fulfillment. “I accomplished so much of what I wanted to accomplish professionally and personally, but I always felt it was important for me to finish my college degree,” explains Read. “I was delighted when I found Pacific Oaks. For me, it was a good match. I was able to take classes when I was still acting, when I was pregnant and having kids. It was a very nurturing place.” As an actress, Read—who graduated from Pacific Oaks College in 1996 with her bachelor’s degree in Human Development—is best known for her role as Constance Hazard in the ABC mini-series North and South, where she met fellow actor James Read, her husband of 25 years. Adapted from author John Jakes’ trilogy of novels, the series chronicled the lives of George Hazard (James Read) of Pennsylvania and Orry Main (Patrick Swayze) of South Carolina, whose friendship was tested as they fought on opposite sides during the Civil War. But it is another role—one that stemmed from her Pacific Oaks training in social justice and children’s advocacy—that defines Read today. As founder and president of The Children’s Project Academy, Read is creating new hope for children in the foster care system. Read says she first became interested in the plight of foster youth during her North and South days when she and her husband sponsored a foster child named Dale, now 33. “He was moved too many times in his young life. When he’d find a good school and connect to a great teacher, suddenly his home situation would change,” she explains. “He ended up in some foster homes that were not great. He was bounced from home to home. That had a lasting impact on him. He followed a fairly well-worn path, which is, he left the foster care system and pretty much

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afterwards ended up in prison. He spent a lot of his 20s in prison and has been out for two years now and is doing really well. He’s not had an easy life.” Read still talks to Dale, who’s now a manager at Subway and doing well. “I’m really proud of him,” she says, explaining how her degree from Pacific Oaks led her to the next step in her journey. “I was 32 and felt like I was incredibly lucky to have been working in my 20s as an actress, but I certainly knew those roles would start dropping off in my 30s and 40s. I had really developed a passion for advocacy and felt that law school would be another step in my learning process. Knowing I couldn’t do both, I had to make a choice and I chose law school,” she recalls. After graduating from Santa Barbara College of Law in 2001, Read wanted to bring the community together to improve outcomes for foster youth. In 2003, she founded The Children’s Project Academy, a visionary institution that provides care, education and support for foster teens from 7th grade through high school graduation. Due to lack of funding, The Children’s Project Academy is now on hold. But that hasn’t stopped Read from tirelessly advocating for foster children. In fact, thanks to her efforts, she has raised awareness of the plight of foster youth throughout Santa Barbara County. “We have a lot more services for foster youth now than we did eight years ago. And a lot more people are aware of the fact that these are our kids and that we need to take care of our kids. We also have been very open with sharing our intellectual property. For example, our charter petition is 120 pages long and took us five years to compile. We’ve shared that with other counties, who are now using it and moving forward with their own project.” Read still advocates for foster youth as an education consultant, working with

Wendy Kilbourn Read was already a TV star when she found Pacific Oaks College. educators and politicians in an effort to improve the foster care system. “The seeds of what we’re trying to grow have been spreading to other parts of California and other parts of the country. This really stems from my passionate belief that stability, continuity, and a great education would have a profound effect on foster teens,” she says. “My real passion is education. I view it as a key and want to give every single child that key." For more information about the Children's Project Academy, go to childrensprojectsb.org.

Giving Opportunities

At Pacific Oaks In the 1970s, Olin and Ann Barrett set out on a comprehensive search to find the best preschool for their two young daughters, hoping to discover an educational environment where their children would not only learn their ABCs but hone and cultivate their imaginations as well. They found precisely what they were looking for at Pacific Oaks Children’s School.

“ At Pacific Oaks, freedom of expression was encouraged. There was a sense of flexibility—a focus on diversity and the value of each individual child, which was unique.” After watching his daughters flourish, Olin Barrett joined the Board of Trustees of Pacific Oaks College, impressed by its mission to educate a diverse range of nontraditional adult students and help them translate their life experiences into valuable teaching strategies.

For more information on how to support Pacific Oaks College & Children’s School, please visit pacificoaks.edu/giving or contact Toni ArellanesMiller at 626.529.8091 or tmiller@pacificoaks.edu

Barrett’s short-term commitment would prove to be a lifelong vocation. After serving on the board for 18 years—followed by a six-year stint by his wife, Ann — the Barretts were asked to become life trustees at the college. As a result, their personal donations and work on capital campaigns have helped boost college enrollment, create scholarships and fund new education practicums for adult students. Since 2009, Barrett has again been serving on its Board of Trustees. “Pacific Oaks is one of several worthwhile area institutions that is deserving of a long future. The focus of our involvement is to help non-traditional student groups through scholarship support. It’s a pretty obvious need, one that continues to loom large, but one that we’re committed to meeting.”

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PACIFICOAKS.EDU 27

How We Play

PEDAGOGY IN ACTION

Freedom of Expression When Michelle Dakan, a professional artist and printmaker, took her first tour of the outdoor art studio at Pacific Oaks Children’s School 14 years ago, she was stunned at what she saw. “The whole space felt like a natural extension of the outside world,” she says. “I was completely inspired.” Having worked with the studio’s creator, Karen Neubert, in other teaching environments, Dakan was invited to become the school’s artist in residence, working with children ages 2 to 5 to foster self-expression and creativity. “I’m very process oriented,” says Dakan. “It’s about observation, exploration and discovery, using art to express children’s uniqueness and diversity in a tangible way.”

Get Messy

Trust in Teamwork

Make Your Mark

Inspire Change

Intent on helping 2-year-olds deal with feelings of separation anxiety, Dakan encourages her youngest students to get lost in the process of creation, to use their fingers as instruments, dipping their hands—and sometimes their entire arms—into paint and flinging away. Often students sheath entire canvasses with paint and then scratching deep into the canvas with their fingers, experimenting with textures and movements. “At that age, it’s all about sensory experiences,” Dakan says. “They are literally feeling their way through the world, exploring their emotions through touch, the way adults often do with words.”

The openness of toddlers to move from independent play to group activities provides a rich opportunity to foster collaboration and trust. Dakan often introduces 3-year-olds to brushes of all shapes and sizes and then brings out big mirrors so they can paint their own faces. Soon many children are decorating each other’s faces without inhibitions. The result is a lesson in negotiation and compromise, a session in confidence building that helps forge new friendship—and plenty of giggles.

Able to create more personal images, 4-year-olds often delight in the ability to make purposeful choices—to take ownership, in their own little way, of their art. A wide variety of chalk, crayons and pencils offer them the ability to select their favorite colors and tools, while expressing their emotions in how they work, perhaps digging hard into a sidewalk in frustration or gleefully rubbing dusty colors together on canvass. “There is deep expression here,” says Dakan. “We have conversations, and sometimes very detailed stories emerge from what may look like abstractions.”

By the time Dakan’s students reach 5, their artwork often becomes slightly more representational. Happy faces and sad faces can be shorthand expressions of mood, anxiety or joy, a way to capture physically what they are feeling emotionally. Hand a child a ball of clay and they will often investigate it with fervor, poking, punching, pounding and ripping until they learn the advantage of being gentle. Add some water and it becomes slippery. Add too much and you have mud. Working with clay is symbolic of art and change, of creating, in Dakan’s words, “a symbolic language that represent yourself and your own emotions.”

SUMMER 2013

Sound Off Current students share what the Pacific Oaks experience means to them. Pacific Oaks is much more than a school; it is an agent of social change. It also makes you dig deep within yourself and uses everyone’s life experience and applies it to the curriculum. It isn’t just a teacherstudent experience. We all take a part in the learning. Andrew Camacho ‘14 (B.A. HD) If you really have a passion for what you want to learn, Pacific Oaks can help your passion grow. The experience you have in each class opens your mind to the possibilities you never even thought of. Danielle Smith ‘14 (B.A. HD) Pacific Oaks recognizes its students for their individuality. Your personal experiences are important assets that help you to reach your goals. You will follow a path of learning—about yourself. Enjoy the journey. Delores Seiffert ‘14 (B.A. HD) Being part of the Pacific Oaks family has been a life-changing experience. One of the greatest gifts that Pacific Oaks has given me is discovering and learning about myself. I have started to think about myself through another lens—changing my perspective on myself, how I see others, and how I interact with them. Knowing and understanding who I am will enhance my professional and personal life. Jorge Hernandez ‘14 (B.A. HD) Higher education is a place where you really reap what you sow. Pacific Oaks allows you to truly engage and involve yourself in your own education. You really get what you give. This is not passive learning. It is engaging, deep, and motivational. Anna Rosales ‘14 (B.A. HD)

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