Colton Courier 03/02/23

C O L T O N C O U R I E R WWe e eekkllyy

By Manny Sandoval

at (909) 370-6153

w w w i e c n c o m

The City of Colton is set to hold its emergency food distribut i o n e v e n t o n T h u r s d a y, March 9th, from 4:00-6:00 p m at the Luque Center

The distribution is part of the city's efforts to provide food assistance to those in need during these difficult times

Residents of Colton who are struggling with food insecurity are encouraged to attend the event and receive free food

The event is open to all residents of Colton, regardless of income level

The City of Colton's emergency food distribution events h a v e b e c o m e a c r i t i c a l resource for many residents who are struggling to put food on the table due to financial hardships brought on by the C O V I D - 1 9 p a n d e m i c T h e city has been working hard to ensure that all residents have access to healthy, nutritious food, and these events are just one way they are achieving that goal

The food distribution events have been a success since their inception, and the city is committed to continuing them as long as there is a need

R e p A g u i l a r r e i n t r o d u c e s b i l l t o r e n a m e D e l R o s a P o s t O f f i c e t o H o n o r D r M a r g a r e t B . H i l l

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March is Women’s Histor y Month!

City officials urge residents to take advantage of the program and to spread the word to others who may be in need For more information about the food distribution event, residents can contact the city

By Manny Sandoval

Darious Harris, CEO and founder of Never

S t o p G r i n d i n g Impact, has developed a program that combines social and emotional learning with noncontact boxing to help students manage their emotions and behavior

T h e p r o g r a m , c a l l e d Impactful Emotional Teaching (IET), has been implemented in two Rialto Unified School D i s t r i c t e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l s since August 2021, with plans for expansion to other schools inside and outside the district

The city officials encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to get free food and support the community during these challenging times

the City of Colton Emergency Food Assistance giveaways are held twice per month and are supported by the Community Action partnership of San Bernardino County Residents are encouraged to visit ci colton ca us to keep up with future distribution dates

b u l l i e s , t i p s i n s i d e

charge of their emotions "

T h e p r o g r a m e m p h a s i z e s self-awareness, social awaren e s s , r e s p o n s i b l e d e c i s i o nm a k i n g , a n d r e l a t i o n s h i p skills Students write down t h e i r g o a l s a n d a r e a s t h e y want to improve on, as well as t h e i r s t r e n g t h s a n d a c c o mplishments The program also includes group activities and games that require teamwork a n d c o n s t r u c t i v e d e c i s i o nmaking

H O W T O R E A C H U S H O W T O R E A C H U S

H O W T O R E A C H U S H O W T O R E A C H U S

I n l a n d E m p i r e C o m m u n i t y N e w s p a p e r s O f f i c e : ( 9 0 9 ) 3 8 1 - 9 8 9 8 E d i t o r i a l : i e c n 1 @ m a c c o m A d v e r t i s i n g : s a l e s @ i e c n c o m L e g a l s : i e c n l e g a l s @ h o t m a i l c o m

I n l a n d E m p i r e C o m m u n i t y N e w s p a p e r s O f f i c e : ( 9 0 9 ) 3 8 1 - 9 8 9 8 E d i t o r i a l : i e c n 1 @ m a c c o m A d v e r t i s i n g : s a l e s @ i e c n c o m L e g a l s : i e c n l e g a l s @ h o t m a i l c o m

"As a professional boxer, I learned to control my emotions through the art of boxing," Harris said "Learning how to relax under pressure, I

t a k e t h o s e s a m e t h i n g s I learned there and apply it to real life I teach these kids who grew up in the same district as myself how to be in

This week, the program covered bully awareness, with customized lesson plans that teach students how to handle bullying and not to be a bully themselves "We teach kids that being a bully is not a form of love and that if you're bullying, that's not the right thing to do We get to the root of why they are bullying, and it gets deep, and we get the kids to open up," Harris said

photo MANNY SANDOVAL

photo NSG NSG Impact CEo Darious harris wrapping a RUSD student’s hands to prepare for a no-contact boxing lesson

NSG

Harris stresses the importance of cyberbullying awareness, especially during the pandemic when students are spending more time online "It needs to be talked about more We give at least one bully awareness lesson a week," he said

Harris advises students to "let someone know and cut all contact with that person; block, delete, and let an adult know " The program has shown positive results, with improved attendance and behavior among participating students "I've seen tremendous progress," Harris said "By next year, we should be at 10-15 schools, and we plan to expand outside of Rialto "

Harris notes that the program goes beyond boxing and emphasizes the importance of lis-

tening skills "We tell them if you can't listen, you can't learn Lesson plans always come before boxing We say no listening, no boxing "

Harris shares a success story of a male student who was once disruptive and had no focus - he started the program a year ago when he was in the second grade "He used to be sent to the office multiple times per week, but he has done a 180 and his grandma is happy with his progress This student is still in the program His social skills, teamwork, and self-management have improved," Harris said

For schools interested in learning more about the program, they can contact Never Stop Grinding Impact at i n f o @ n e v e r s t o p g r i n d i n g i mpact com or visit their website a t

El

By Manny Sandoval

Elyt Active Women's Fitness Studio has been a staple in the San Bernardino and Inland community for eight years

Last July, the gym underwent a name change to better reflect its focus on women's fitness Owner Elysia Barajas, who is also a board member of the Colton Area Chamber of Commerce, aims to inspire women to get active, be healthy, and have fun while doing it

"Our goal is to guide women through a workout that is safe and effective while making it fun, attractive, and inviting," says Barajas "Elyte Active is a play on my name, and it represents my passion for helping women achieve their fitness goals "

Barajas is no stranger to the fitness world She has a genetic disease that went undiagnosed for years, and she turned to health and fitness as a way to manage her condition

However, going to the gym was intimidating to her initially So, she turned to group fitness as a way to bring together exercises, tools, and motivation "In group fitness, people share their struggles, and it's motivating," she says

Elyt Active offers a variety of classes, including Zumba, TRX, strength training, butts and guts, personal training, and R P P D All instructors are certified, and the gym has a total of seven instructors

The gym offers different ways to pay, with the first class being free For those unable to commit, classes are $5 each, while monthto-month membership costs $55 and allows members to take as many classes as they desire Setting up via autopay results in a $40 membership fee

In addition to group fitness classes, Elyt Active also offers private programs for up to ten people, with eight sessions per month and a post-workout recovery shake

The gym has no contracts, cancellation fees, or sign-up fees, and members can cancel autopay payment with 72 hours' notice

For those who want to advance their fitness level and kettlebell training, the gym offers more progressive movements for $100 per month

"Expect big energy, a lot of whooping and shouting It's loud in here, and instructors will be silly, friendly, and fun The lights will be off, but LED lights will be

in a safe space

lit There's good energy, and everyone is very welcoming," says Barajas The gym also has a kids club for children aged six months or older, which costs $5 per hour with an attendant

Elyt Active also features a Herbalife Nutrition Bar, which provides proper nutrition for workouts and post-workouts

"Our body needs to recover properly and come back stronger," says Barajas "We have energy drinks as well " The chocolate rebuild strength drink contains 24 grams of protein, BCAAs, glutamine, and plantbased soy protein

Barajas hopes to open a second facility on the west side of San Bernardino someday

"I grew up in San Bernardino, and it has a terrible reputation for having unhealthy habits and not being safe for women I have been assaulted in public, and knowing I can provide a safe, covered space for us is like a hidden gem where women can escape and not worry about creeps or drama It's a happy place," she says

Those interested in following Elyt Active can find them on Instagram @elytactive or on their website elytactive com

PHOTO MANNY SANDOVAL

This cherry lime tea balm prepared by Barajas gives its gym members an energy boost with its caffeine which can in turn boost metabolism

yt Active Women's Fitness Studio inspir es women to challenge themselves and have fun

PHOTO NSG

Students in the program are only allowed to participate in the boxing component if they listen and pay attention to the social emotional learning lecture

PHOTO NSG

female student with Harris during a no-contact boxing lesson in

Biolog y pr ofessor honor ed with CSUSB Golden Apple Award f or teaching excellence

Community News

On Thursday, Feb 23, in a surprise announcement, professor of biology Stuart Sumida was named the winner of Cal State San Bernardino’s 202223 Golden Apple Award for excellence in teaching

Sumida was lecturing his class on vertebrate paleontology when university President Tomás D Morales, accompanied by about 25 colleagues, fellow faculty members, staff and administrators, barged into the third floor classroom at the James R Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education to make the announcement

Morales said it was a university tradition to present the outstanding faculty awards through a “faculty ambush,” where the president and fellow faculty members would come right into a classroom, lab or lecture hall to make the announcement in front of the faculty member ’s students so the students can see their professor being honored

“We are here to present the 2022-23 Golden Apple Award to Stuart Sumida,” said Morales “Stuart is receiving this award based on his exceptional and vast teaching record His dedication to teaching and mentorship of our students reflects this university’s mission to provide an outstanding education to all who enroll at Cal State San Bernardino

The award includes a $2,000 Faculty Professional Development Grant; recognition at the College of Natural Sciences commencement ceremony; and being honored at the Faculty Recognition Luncheon

“The Golden Apple Award recognizes outstanding teachers who excel in the profession of teaching and have a significant impact on students with whom they interact,” Morales said “Provost Rafik Mohamed and I join the university’s awards committee in their selection of Dr Sumida for this honor ”

Mohamed joked on how the group had to walk through rain, hail and sleet from the president’s office in the administration building to the Watson College of Education building for the faculty ambush, with some teasing how they should head back

“But then we reminded each other that it was you, Dr Sumida, for who we were recognizing So, it was worth ruining the president’s Gucci loafers, everything else,” Mohamed said “This is an incredible recognition, as you know, but I can’t think of anybody more well deserving I haven’t heard a single bad word about you in my almost eight years of being on this campus Everybody loves you, and so I’m thrilled that you’re receiving this award ”

Sastry Pantula, dean of the College of Natural Sciences, praised Sumida for his dedication and visibility, including news stories about his work in the classroom, as a paleontologist and as a consultant to film animators

“Every day that he is in the news, he brings visibility to our college, our university I appreciate all the things, in-

cluding his being elected to the paleontology society, as well as becoming its vice president and the first elected from our campus,” Pantula said “So that also brings visibility to our university, and it shows the caliber of faculty who we have and the caliber of faculty who are dedicated to our student success ”

Sumida, smiling, appeared surprised and almost speechless by the news

“The students in this room will know that it takes a lot to have me sort of stop and not have something to say So, I will do my best,” he said

“I’m really flattered and honored that you came I’m really pleased that you chose this class, because teaching paleontology is my favorite thing to do here,” Sumida told the visitors “I love teaching all the classes I teach, but you’ve got me talking about the stuff that I love to talk about, and the students will tell you that sometimes it’s almost annoying how enthusiastic I am about this material So, thank you Thank you for that ”

“I’ve been at Cal State most of my professional life I first got an education before I came here, and I’ve had a few chances to go to other places, but I’m very, very loyal to the institution, my colleagues here, and the students here,” Sumida said “And when I look at the people who came here to ambush me, I have enormous amount of respect for what you all do, and to have you want to come in and say something for me is incredibly flattering ”

Sumida received a B A in biology, an M A in biology and a Ph D in biology with a specialization in vertebrate paleontology and vertebrate morphology, all from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Prior to joining CSUSB in 1992, he served as the director of Human Anatomy Laboratories with the Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy and the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago

In a recommendation letter to Morales, the co-chairs of the 2022-23 University Awards Committee, Mark Agars, psychology professor and director of CSUSB’s Institute for Child Development and Family Relations, and Michael Stull, professor of entrepreneurship and director of the university’s School of Entrepreneurship and the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship, wrote: “we are delighted to recommend Dr Stuart Sumida for the 202223 Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence Since joining CSUSB in 1992, Dr Sumida has served the University with distinction, particularly in his dedication to teaching ”

Sumida, who has taught more than 15 different undergraduate and graduate courses in the departments of biology and kinesiology, receives consistently high Student Evaluations of Teaching Effectiveness (SOTE) scores and laudatory comments from students, the co-chairs noted

“His quantitative SOTE evaluations for regular session courses are 5 6 (on a 6-point scale) for his specific contributions to learning, and 5 64 (on a 6-point scale) for the quality of instruction Qualitative comments from the SOTEs provide insight into the high quality of instruc-

tion ”

The committee summarized student comments, and also cited specific examples from their evaluations

“As one student noted, ‘Dr Sumida is an excellent professor, if not the best I’ve taken at Cal State San Bernardino ’ Another student commented, ‘This class is well organized and by far Dr Sumida is the best professor I’ve had in my five years here All instructors should model their course layout like his ’ A frequent SOTE qualitative comment was that Dr Sumida was adept at taking difficult concepts and material and making them easily understandable ”

Agars and Stull wrote, “In addition to his courses taught, Dr Sumida has also supervised numerous independent study students and master ’s theses In recognition of his excellent record of instruction, Dr Sumida was honored with the College of Natural Science’s Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching and Instruction in 2022 ”

Sumida’s dedication to teaching has garnered a number of additional honors, including CSUSB Outstanding Professor; the prestigious California State University Wang Family Excellence Award; and California Professor of the Year, awarded by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education

Other members of the 2022-23 University Awards Committee include music professor Todd A Johnson, accounting and finance professor Ghulam Sarwar, associate professor of special education, rehabilitation and counseling Gemma Kim, kinesiology professor Christopher Gentry, and geography professor Rajrani Kalra

The committee wrote that in addition to his exemplary teaching, Sumida has been actively involved in a variety of activities related to curriculum development and support of students He has created four new courses and redesigned several others In addition to teaching Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II, he has developed all the laboratory manuals, which are now in the third edition of publication

“Most notably, Dr Sumida helped oversee the construction of the new Anatomy and Physiology labs for the San Bernardino campus and acquired $230,000 in funding for state-of-the-art digital dissection tables for both the San Bernardino and Palm Desert campuses He also helped secure numerous teaching specimens of African mammals for the comparative anatomy courses,” the committee said

Sumida’s reach has extended well beyond the walls of CSUSB and throughout the world In addition to his exemplary teaching record, he is a nationally and internationally recognized educator, who is a sought-after keynote speaker for a wide range of organizations, including the National Science Teaching Association, the California Association for Science Educators, as well as numerous film festivals and academic conferences

Rep. Aguilar r eintr oduces bill to r ename Del Rosa Post Of fice to Honor Dr Margar et B

Hill

Community News

Rep Pete Aguilar reintroduced legislation renaming the Del Rosa Post Office to honor the late Dr Margaret B Hill, beloved educator and community advocate who passed away in December 2021

“Dr Margaret B Hill was the heartbeat of San Bernardino,” said Rep Pete Aguilar “Her legacy and impact on our community lives on in the countless lives she’s touched It is an honor to continue leading the effort to enshrine her name in San Bernardino, and it is my hope that this will remind us all to live out her legacy for years to come ”

“On behalf of Dr Margaret Bynum Hill’s family, it has been our honor to share our beloved Margaret with the Inland Empire,” said Erika Johnson, Dr Hill’s niece “She was committed to the

community and the People, and her legacy will live on for many years to come Because of this commitment to San Bernardino, it’s with great honor that a local Post Office will be named after her ”

“Dr Margaret Hill dedicated her life to transforming our city to be a better place for our children to grow up and thrive in She truly was the matriarch for the city of San Bernardino and embodied what it meant to be a servant leader,” said Dr Scott Wyatt Board President of the San Bernardino City Unified School District “The naming of Date Street post office after Dr Hill will honor her legacy as a public servant, and symbolizes what Dr Hill stood for, building relationships by connecting people from all different walks of life, both close and afar, for the betterment of our society ”

“I am still in awe of the amazing contributions made by the late Dr Margaret B Hill, one of her amazing gifts was the ability to communicate with everyone,” said Dr Gwen Dowdy-Rodgers, San Bernardino County Board of Education Trustee Area D

“This is why it is so befitting to have a post office named in her honor that speaks to her legacy of making sure that we continue to communicate with each other especially through written communication as she often did ”

“Dr Hill was one of the most reliable people that I have ever met,” said Terrance Stone, CEO of Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy “It’s only fitting that a post office that is known for reliability will be named in her honor ”

San Ber nardino Symphony Orchestra opened its 94th season with two days of Mozar t, Simon, and Shostakovich

Community News

The San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra opened their 94th season with two days of concerts: back-to-back student performances on Friday, February 17 and the season opening performance on Saturday, February 18, both at the historic California Theatre of the Performing Arts

Explained Music Director and Conductor Anthony Parnther, "Our very own San Bernardino Symphony continues to grow in size, prestige, and technical excellence By personal request of many of our core musicians, I selected Dmitri Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony to open the 2023 season with a resounding bang ”

“Works of this nature require a large and virtuosic group of musicians, and we are so thankful to our presenting sponsors, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, for helping us realize and accomplish such a feat "

Friday morning's school concerts were sponsored by the

Band, the California Arts Council, and the American Federation of Musicians, Local 47 Over 2,500 students attended from the City of San Bernardino and the Upland unified school districts

Then, Saturday evening, the full concert was performed for a packed house which included many of the families whose students had attended the previous day, along with groups from a number of other local schools and music programs and over 80 veterans!

Pianist David Kaplan dazzled with Mozart's Piano Concerto No 20 in D minor

His last minute addition, replacing an ailing Dynasty Battles, is a testament to the outstanding support Maestro Parnther and your SBSO receives from throughout the music community

We were thrilled to welcome so many enthusiastic patrons and we hope you will agree this was a truly memorable evening!

Outra ged par ent over the ban of f lavor ed tobacco, our kids ar e in danger

By Jennifer Engelbach

While no parent "wants" their child to smoke flavored tobacco, California's ban of the product (Proposition 31) does far more harm to our children and communities than good

Before the California State Legislature passed SB 793 in August 2020, the bill's author, Senator Jerry Hill, said, "Flavors play an outsized and dangerous role in youth tobacco initiation "

But contrary to our policymakers' assumption(s), since the ban began in California on December 21, 2022, the crime and products sold on the black market have steadily increased

On January 4, 2023, a 19 and 20-year-old male were shot dead in San Marcos after coordinating a sale of vape products from illegal dealers WHO WERE TEENAGERS

With this ban, China, Mexico cartels, and drug dealers in our neighboring states see this as an opportunity to bring the product to California illegally to make a profit - which is undoubtedly at the expense of our children's lives

If teenagers or adults want to smoke flavored tobacco, they will get their hands on it, whether sold legally or illegally But now they're getting their hands on products not approved by the FDA

A research article I read stated that the ban of flavored tobacco in regions across the U S is causing a rapid rise in retail opportunities for the black and gray markets

In this article, a knockoff manufacturer called madein-china com is a popular site where people purchase flavored tobacco products when not accessible in their region

So I followed the link, searched through the website, and sure enough - it's convenient and easily accessible

And who knows what these products could be laced with?

With the rise in fentanyl-laced products in California and across the U S , I can see this ban further propelling the epidemic of overdoses and killing more of our children

Instead of integrating such a blanket policy, the time and millions of dollars poured into the Proposition 31 campaign should have been used to educate our children about flavored tobacco use, the dangers of the illegal market, and the fentanyl epidemic

It's evident that our policymakers did not plan this one out, as they've quickly made way for criminals to thrive and are putting our children's health and safety at risk

There must be a much better solution than the one in place

*These are not the views of Inland Empire Community News

San Ber nardino Selects Zum to Pr ovide Safe, Ef ficient and Sustainable, Tech-Enabled Student Transpor tation

Community News

San Bernardino City Unified School District (SBCUSD) has awarded a five year transportation contract, totaling $79 5 million, to Zum, the leader in modern student transportation With this decision, the district joins a growing national movement to commit to cleaner, safer and more equitable transportation for students and families

SBCUSD serves nearly 47,000 students in 72 schools San Bernardino joins the growing number of innovative school districts that have partnered with Zum, including Los Angeles Unified School District, San Francisco Unified School District, Oakland Unified School District, Metro Nashville Public Schools and Seattle Public Schools

Benefits of Zum include:

More equitable: Modernizing transportation across the district can address inequalities the current system exacerbates Students with longer average times on buses report lower grades, fewer social activities and poorer study habits

Because low-income families, children of color and children with special needs are more likely to depend on school buses, they're disproportionately affected By selecting Zum, districts are demonstrating their commitment to modernizing student transportation to ensure equity and access for all students

Safer and more reliable: Zum's technology

is built to keep students safe from the moment they get on the bus until they are back home Through the Zum app, parents are able to view the complete profile of their child's driver, along with real-time information about vehicle location and their child's pickup or dropoff time and status District administrators and operators are able to track rides in a map view from start to finish, and routes are adjusted in real time to account for absent students or traffic issues At the same time, drivers are able to preview all students on assigned routes, along with important supplemental information for each student where necessary

Through Zum's proprietary safety technology, driver training, and certification program, SafeGuard, all drivers not only meet and exceed all state and federal requirements but also are trained on and required to adhere to specific protocols while picking up or dropping off students and while driving The Zum platform also ensures timely, secure and centralized reporting to keep everyone appropriately informed

Cleaner and greener: Transportation is the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions As the first and only 100% carbon neutral student transportation company in the U S , Zum is committed to transitioning school bus fleets to electric vehicles In fact, through its Net Zero Initiative, the company has already offset 100% of its fleet's carbon emissions

"With this decision, San Bernardino will be able to deliver superior service built around the needs of students, families and

the teachers, administrators and drivers committed to creating the best educational experience for children,” said Ritu Narayan, founder and CEO at Zum "Zum is at the forefront of a transformation in student transportation, helping schools move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to safer, greener, more reliable transportation services ”

“San Bernardino City Unified looks forward to adding Zum to our transportation system," said Marie Espinosa, Director of Transportation San Bernardino City Unified School District "Our students deserve the best, and Zum will help us bring a higher level of service to our school community San Bernardino City Unified School District challenged all of our transportation partners to add real-time communication about the location of buses for parents and invest in a greener fleet that will make neighborhoods along bus routes healthier Zum was chosen because they met our high expectations "

Zum offers its drivers competitive pay, flexibility and strong training programs resulting in excellent job satisfaction overall Zum's culture, driver satisfaction and benefits have already helped their partner districts overcome obstacles in the face of a nationwide driver shortage

If you are interested in joining the Zum team, please visit the website here or attend Zum’s upcoming job fair on February 23, 2023 at 10am to 6pm at Hilton Garden Inn San Bernardino (1755 S Waterman Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92408)

A National Movement

School districts and families across the U S are already starting to see the benefits of working with Zum: San Francisco Unified School District is on track to save $15 million over the next five years In Oakland, the number of students spending more than one hour on a bus has dropped from 70 percent to less than 10 percent

Zum is available nationwide, serving thousands of schools including the nation’s second largest school district, Los Angeles Unified School District, across the U S For more information, visit: www ridezum com

About Zum

Zum has reimagined student transportation, the nation’s largest mass transit system Our robust operations and integrated end-to-end cloud-based platform provides a modern student transportation service for school districts purpose-built around the needs of kids and the expectations of their families

Zūm provides one seamless, real-time interface for parents, drivers, schools, districts, administrators and operators to transport children safely and with increased visibility and personalized care Always investing in the wellbeing of the communities, Zum is also the only carbon neutral student transportation provider in the nation with plans to go Net Zero with EV transition Learn more at www ridezum com