The Collegian -- Published May 4, 2018

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thecollegian

Issue 12 • Friday, May 4, 2018 • deltacollegian.net

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Students question Tubbs about Stockton’s future By Catlan Nguyen Entertainment Editor

On April 19, Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs came to Delta College to hold a town hall meeting to listen to students’ concerns regarding the community and city. The event was organized by Delta’s Empowering Positive Initiative for Change (EPIC) club and the club’s former president Mercy Bacallan. Members from the EPIC club, the Associated Students of Delta College, the Politics and Society club, the Black Student Union, Pathway to Law, the Puente Club, the Speech and Debate Club, as well as some local high schoolers were present. Other concerned citizens also attended on top of

club members. Questions from the crowd included how to reduce homelessness in Stockton, how the basic income demonstration works, the Stockton Scholar program, the Swenson Golf Course dispute and training for city police officers. Tubbs said the best way to attract more jobs and employers in Stockton is increasing the education standards as he has found that employers look for workforces with qualifications. In the top metro areas, Stockton ranks 99 out of 100 in educational attainment based on adults who are 25 and over with an associates or bachelors, according to the Brookings Institute. Tubbs launched the Stockton Scholar program in response to this issue.

The program is funded by a $20 million donation and will be available to Stockton Unified School District students for the next decade. It starts with Class of 2019 graduates and offers students who go straight to a four-year college $1,000 per year or $4,000 total or those who go to a two-year school $500 per year or $1,000 total. Tubbs has also worked with school districts to raise high school graduation standards. What spurred the basic income demonstration was Tubbs realizing the median household income for Stockton is $44,000 a year and the majority of economic opportunity is in minimum wage jobs. This demonstration is philanthropically funded,

See TUBBS, page 12

TRANSPORTATION MADE POSSIBLE

Delta College automotive students work showcased in community charitable effort

Nancy Valencia becomes emotional when receiving a new car. Right photo, Valencia family presented with newly refurbished car. PHOTO BY MICHAEL WEBER

By Sabrina Rodriguez Staff Writer

Nancy Valencia, a mother of three, finds no excuse when it comes to her children’s education. In rain or shine, Valencia walked her children to Davis Elementary, pushing her granddaughter in a stroller. Walking a stroller down a loosely cemented pathway, with rain pouring down, was a harsh task for Valencia. While some may find an excuse, Valencia’s children were punctual for class everyday. In April, community members, including students at Delta College, came together to provide a helping hand and ride in the form of a rebuilt 2014 Honda Fit to Valencia. The car was presented to her at a ceremony that included Delta College representatives. Jennifer Willis, the fifth-grade teacher of Adrian Valencia, mentioned how she would arrive to school early and see

the elder Valencia walking her children. Once Willis took action with speak“Often it was rainy and it was cold ing to the school board to help the and sometimes Valencia family, the sun wasn’t ideas flowed and even up and it just other companies pulled up my heart and organizations strings,” said Wilopened up their lis. hearts to help too. Willis took iniFabian’s Collitiative to speak to sion Center was the school principart of the idea to pal about helping help. the family. “We wanted “She (Willis) to use our reoffered to help me sources from the out with clothing body shop to help for the kids and I - Nancy Valencia somebody to help told her yeah bethe community. cause they need it We thought about because all their donating a vehiclothing is in storage right now,” said cle, we thought it was a great idea. We Valencia. started inquiring with insurance comNot only was the family without a panies about having a vehicle donated car, Valencia said she and the children to us and we could fix it and give back are homeless and are staying at a local to somebody in need … Luckily, doing hotel. my research, I came across this orga-

“It’s a blessing because no one out there would have done this for my family ...”

nization called National Auto Body Council… They shared our common goal ... We fix them (cars) we do a safety inspection; we make sure that this vehicle will be a solution to somebody in need,” said Fabian Ceballos, Co-owner of Fabian’s Collision Center. The gesture would be impossible without many helping hands. Students from Delta Colleges mechanics department were amongst those who were apart of the team who used their crafted skills to create this vision. “I helped take apart the car and paint it,” said Omar Macias, a Delta College automotive student said. Covered with a gray car cover, the tangerine orange vehicle was unveiled by the students when presented to Valencia. Valencia said this is going to help her life a lot. “It’s a blessing because no one out there would have done this for my family and they were the first ones to do this for me,” she said.

NEXT ISSUE: Fall 2018 • CONTACT US: deltacollegian@gmail.com or (209) 954-5156 • ONE FREE COPY


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