PVUSD Supports LGBTQ+ Students • Nisene Rio Gateway Launches

Ruth Bates

831.359.2212

ruthbates1@gmail.com

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COMMUNITY NEWS PVUSD Supports LGBTQ+ Students

On May 21, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District raised the “Progress Flag,” at the district office and at E.A. Hall Middle School in honor of Harvey Milk.

Every school site and district facility raised this flag.

“We as a Board resolved to fly the flag on three special occasions, May 22 in honor of Harvey Milk Day, during the month of June and on Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day,” said Board President Jennifer Holm.” The flag is an international symbol of rights and pride and promotes a safe and inclusive environment and we are very proud to be in an educational community that wants to send that message of ‘you belong’ and ‘we appreciate you’ to all our youth.”

Dr. Michelle Rodriguez, district superintendent, added, “We at PVUSD want to leverage this important opportunity to increase awareness, equity and safety for LGBTQ+ students. We are inspired by the work that students and staff do during this time and throughout the year to highlight the way in which communities can come together to support our youth.”

The Progress Flag uses the 6 Stripe Rainbow, incorporating black and brown stripes to include black and indigenous people of color with the queer community and the blue, pink and white colors offering support to transgender youth.

In 1977, Milk was the first openly gay elected official in California when he won his race for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. He was assassinated in 1978.

In his words, “All young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential.” n

Nisene Rio Gateway Launches With Flair

By Todd Marco

The public kickoff event May 30 for Nisene Rio Gateway (NRG) was fun for all ages! There was a great turnout of volunteers to cut invasive ivy from the trees around Aptos Village Park. Yum Yum Eatery, owned by a local 6-year-old entrepreneur, sponsored the event along with other great local sponsors - New Leaf Community Markets & Original Ferrell’s Donuts.

At the off-site after-party, supporters enjoyed some long overdue in-person socialization! It was great to put faces to names and chat in more detail about NRG’s ambitious plans to improve safety & access for active transportation in Aptos. We also enjoyed some local beer and a variety of wines from another one of our sponsors, Bridge To Nowhere Cellars.

During the event, our latest adventure campaign was announced: “Get your NRG out!” Explorers are encouraged to post their GPS track as they pilot the proposed NRG Park & Trail Network. More details are on the NRG Public Forum on Facebook. N R G is planning

“Freedom to Play” from page 17

“Through being a part of the team, they have continual conversations about leadership,” Gina continued. “And for many, regular exercise and participation helps them manage anxiety and establish a healthier routine where they look forward to practice, eat better, shower regularly, and sleep well.”

Community Dreams Coming True

“The school and administration have been great partners,” says Liliana Diaz, a local attorney and PV United executive committee member and volunteer. Right now, most school fields are unsafe to play on, with large holes that can cause injury to students and players. “Unfortunately, the district doesn’t have the funding to fix them which is why this collaboration between PVUSD and local nonprofits is an exciting launch toward the Pájaro Valley Sports Foundation’s purpose of creating more safe sports fields in and around south county.”

Liliana says that the whole community has rallied behind this cause with donations coming in from a wide array of individuals, organizations and businesses including D’la Colmena, Sereno Group, Lakeside Organics, and Roper Engineering.

“We all face challenges,” Liliana says, “but in spite of the obstacles, it’s important to pay attention to the positive things in our lives.”

Liliana believes that for many student athletes of Watsonville, soccer is that positive thing. It’s something they can look forward to, a place of belonging and acceptance, and where they can have fun, be creative, gain self-confidence and learn valuable life lessons such as how to win and lose gracefully.

“Everybody deserves to dream,” she says, “and for some youth, their dreams are fulfilled on the field playing soccer where they work hard, form sustaining bonds, and believe in themselves.” n •••

Note: Gina Castañeda and Liliana Diaz both serve on the Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

Donations to the Freedom School Soccer Field Fund are still needed. You can donate here: https://www.cfscc.org/FreedomSoccer

“On Campus” from page 16

Health officers in the 10 counties of the San Francisco Bay Area, including Santa Cruz County, have all endorsed a reopening of K-12 schools for the fall, citing the public health benefit of community learning.

According to a statement released by the health officers, “The lack of inperson learning has disrupted education, weakened the social supports provided by school communities, negatively impacted mental health, and prevented participation in the rituals and shared milestones that tie our communities together.”

The Cabrillo vaccine mandate decision mirrors other public school districts in the county and the California State University and University of California systems in addition to private education providers.

College officials will be communicating with registered students to provide directions on how to comply with the new vaccine mandate and processes for requesting medical or religious accommodations.

Students will need to be fully vaccinated by Aug. 2 to comply with the requirement for in-person attendance. To provide for public safety, the college plans to maintain the mask requirement for those on campus in the fall. The college will monitor public health directives and advisories and update campus safety policies accordingly.

To fulfill vaccination requirements, students, faculty, and staff can upload vaccination documentation at the Cabrillo Student Health Services portal at: https://www.cabrillo.edu/ student-health-services/.

The process is relatively easy. Students need to have a pihoto of their vaccination card and simply click on the “upload document” feature of the secure website. n

“Top Students” from page 14

Ami Bharghavan, St. Andrews University, United Kingdom; Corey Mensinger, UC Santa Cruz; Kahlan Tervalon, Seattle University; Octavio Moreno, UC Berkeley; Oliver Mensinger, Cabrillo College; Ronan Lee, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa; Samuel Caudill, Lewis & Clark College; Sarah Vince, Otterbein University; and Savannah Cambell, Johnson & Wales University.

“Resiliency and flexibility are words ascribed globally to the graduates of 2021 who overcame obstacles, setbacks and persevered despite the pandemic and other challenges,” said Mount Madonna Head of School Ann Goewert. “The MMS seniors are heartfelt. They proved to be leaders and role models for the school community by showing up each day with maturity, grace, and an eye for the future. Even though the traditional senior milestones had to look different, they embraced the opportunity and honored the traditions albeit in a new way.” n

EMPOWERING STUDENTS TO SHAPE THEIR FUTURES WITH CONFIDENCE

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