1 killed on 22-5 freeway transition road in Orange

• July 30, 2023

One person was killed Sunday morning in a crash involving two vehicles on a freeway transition road in Orange, authorities said.

The crash occurred around 10:20 a.m. on a road linking the eastbound 22 Freeway to the northbound 5 Freeway, the California Highway Patrol reported.

The accident involved a pickup truck and a small sedan, the CHP said.

A representative from the Orange County coroner’s office was called to the location at 10:36 a.m.

A Sigalert was issued at 11:24 a.m. closing the transition road for an unknown duration.

There was no other immediate information.

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A big birthday, big achievements get a Bravo!

• July 30, 2023

Local teens inspire kids to get interested in science

Audrey Zhang and Lyn Huang are looking to make science cool and exciting for kids. The students at Orange County School of the Arts co-founded EpiSTEMic, a nonprofit summer science camp for children in fifth through eighth grade in Santa Ana and Orange communities.

With the help of funding from organizations such as the Dragon Kim Foundation and Google Fiber dedicated to supporting the visions of American youth, EpiSTEMic has been able to provide two weeks of free creative learning for students in Orange County.

Zhang and Huang started the project hoping that through the camp, students would gain new interest in and passion for science that they can remember and carry with them.

It all started with a question: Do you remember what was taught in your middle school science class? After asking around, the response the two got from most students was “No, not really,” and their idea was born.

From building roller coasters to learning how to perform CPR, and then a final day field trip to Santa Ana’s Discovery Cube, camp participants got the opportunity to experience applied science and gain new perspectives and interests in real-world STEM topics.

Big birthday wishes

Dorethea Tierheimer recently celebrated her 103rd birthday.

The birthday girl has lived in Garden Grove since 1967, having moved to town with her husband from Lynwood.

She retired from Northrop Grumman after 25 years and in the years since has enjoyed being a member of the Buena Park Emblem Club — including the organized bus trips to casinos with her friends, her daughter said.

For her 90th Tierheimer arrived in style to her birthday party on the back of a Harley Davidson, her daughter said.

Chapman gives high schoolers hands-on pharmacy experience

High school students recently conducted pharmaceutical lab tests, made medical gels, and discussed the workload and community impact of future pharmacists in the dynamic and unique Pharmacy Summer Research Program at Chapman University’s School of Pharmacy.

Nearly 50 young scientists, more than double the number since its first year, participated in the two-week program.

Witnessing the increasing enthusiasm for pharmacy education among high school students, Chapman faculty members designed the program to shed light on the multifaceted role of pharmacists and delve into the realm of pharmaceutical sciences, said associate professor Hamid Montazeri, director of the program.

Through hands-on experience and expert mentorship, young minds harness the power of scientific literature to craft and showcase their own research projects.

“It has exceeded our wildest dreams,” Montazeri said.

Chapman’s program immerses the young science-minded students into its lab environments with the latest technologies and techniques used in pharmaceutical sciences, he said.

The high school students performed lab tests to observe processes like blood clotting, made a pharmaceutical gel in the compounding lab, asked current students questions about everything from study habits to juggling extracurricular activities, and got advice from the School of Pharmacy’s career specialist.

The students were paired with a Chapman University faculty member to study their specialties. Erica Kim, an incoming senior at Sunny Hills High School in Fullerton said, “Learning about Montazeri’s research into delivery systems targeting cancer cells was interesting because a lot of things he’s talking about I’m learning, especially in bio or chem, but he goes into more depth.”

The high school summer research program supports Chapman’s strategic plan goal to strengthen and expand graduate health science programs, advancing health care to meet community needs.

– Submitted by Chapman University

The Bravo! section highlights achievements of our residents and groups. Send news of achievements for consideration to [email protected].

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Barbie collector turned hobby into a 25-year design career at Mattel

• July 30, 2023

Everyone has a Barbie story to tell.

Bill Greening, principal designer for Barbie Signature at Mattel Toys and Barbie Brand Historian, always loves hearing other people’s stories. Greening, a 52-year-old Long Beach resident with roots in Orange County, began as a Barbie collector himself and the hobby led him to work at the company for 25 years.

“Some of the Barbie collectors have known me since I was 16, so I think they’re happy to see that there’s a collector that is in the Dreamhouse, somebody in their community has made it to Mattel,” Greening said. “So now, I’m a collector designing for other collectors. That feels rewarding, giving back to my doll community.”

Greening has collaborated with celebrities as well as the community and has helped create memories for the millions of kids and adults who get their hands on the infamous Barbie dolls.

As summer sizzles, “Barbie” is burning hotter than ever in the international consumer psyche. Greta Gerwig’s critically praised new comedy, starring Margot Robbie, took in a massive $93 million in North America in its second weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday — a week after a $162 million opening.  The film reaped another $122.2 million internationally over the weekend. Its global tally has topped $775 million, numbers that many experts are hailing as a post-pandemic milestone. The iconic doll, in big-screen form, is wooing folks back into theaters, in tandem with Christopher Nolan’s widely praised historical epic “Oppenheimer.”

As principal designer, Greening is responsible for getting the first prototype done before a new Barbie goes into production. He works with a large team which include sample makers, seamstresses, sculptors, hair stylists and face painters at Mattel to bring designs to fruition.

“Once we get the design figured out and management approves it, then there’s a whole other team that takes over,” he said, “and I work with them to kind of make sure as it goes through the development lifecycle, as we get closer to production and the dolls getting a box, that the doll remains true to my vision.”

It takes between a year to 18 months from idea to Barbie showing up in her retail box, Greening said. Designers and teams can be living in 2023 but they are already looking at dolls that will be coming out in 2024 and then are starting to ideate dolls for 2025.

Greening’s admiration and fascination for Barbie began at a young age.

Greening grew up in the City of Orange in northern Orange County. At 3 years old, Greening would take his Malibu Barbie, Skipper and PJ outside to play in their toy pool and, eventually, into his family’s own — real — swimming pool.

“I played Barbie a lot with my cousin, Cindy, she had a lot of Barbies growing up,” he said. “And the thing I liked about playing Barbies with her is that it really triggered our imagination and I think that’s what kids really like about Barbie today, it’s like a tool for storytelling and using your imagination.”

In 1988, at 16, Greening decided to start collecting Barbie as a hobby. His introduction to the collecting world was introduced at Adventure City in Anaheim (formally called Hobby City) which had a doll museum at the time – including a wall of Barbie dolls. There he learned about collector books and doll shows.

Greening’s personal collection has exponentially grown, with more than 500 Barbies, including his personal favorite, the No. 1 Barbie – the first-ever version of the doll, released in 1959 with her golden hair, black-and-white bathing suit and striking blue eyeshadow.

“I think I would say almost every Barbie collector wants to own the original,” he said, “the first of what became this legend – I think is exciting.”

The 35-year collector said that part of the hobby is being very organized. Greening’s pink “Barbie room” in Long Beach has dolls lined up in glass cabinets, all showcasing their looks for the time. In separate drawers, different clothes, shoes and other accessories were neatly tucked away.

Although the Barbie collector community can be very competitive, Greening said that is it also very friendly and collectors will help each other find the rare dolls that they are searching for. While he mainly focuses on collecting dolls, Greening also collects the cases that Barbies have come in over the years.

“I love the graphics on it so much like that art has always inspired me, that’s what I would practice drawing with,” he said. “The art from the Barbie cases is what kind of got me drawing and became a passion.”

Greening started attending Fullerton Junior College as an art major and at some point, he said that a light bulb came on. “I thought if I switch to fashion design from art, maybe someday I could land a job for Mattel,” he said.

He switched to the fashion program, eventually transferred to Cal State Long Beach and graduated in 1998 with a bachelor’s degree in fashion design.

Long Beach then became a permanent home for Greening, and the community he had made as a local Barbie collector helped him land a job in the “Dreamhouse” – at Mattel. He started as an assistant designer in the spring of 1999, which was a dream come true, he said.

The first doll that Greening designed was “Cool Clips Barbie,” which was released in 2000. “It was a very surreal moment seeing your first doll, I don’t know it kind of feels like your first baby,” Greening said with a big smile. “Because there was this idea you had in your brain and now it’s in a box and now it’s on a shelf.”

The same year, Greening met the creator herself – Ruth Handler – at a doll signing and showed Handler his first design. Greening said Handler was “really gracious” and signed the box.

“I was there with my mom, Lorane, we waited an hour in line to meet Ruth,” he said. “It was a very kind of full-circle moment.”

Since then, Greening has gone on to design an array of dolls and collections. Last year, he designed Tina Turner’s Barbie, which sold out almost immediately. Other celebrities that he has helped be turned into dolls include Joan Jett, Debbie Harry, Cyndi Lauper, and most recently Sasha Kali, who plays the new Super Girl in the “Flash” movie.

“(Kali) was just so excited not only to be the first Latina Super Girl but just to have a doll made in her likeness was such a big honor for her,” said Greening. “It’s fun when it touches somebody like that.”

He has also gone on to collaborate with other fashion designers such as acclaimed designer Bob Mackie, as well as designers Tim Gunn, Trina Turk, and New York-based design duo David and Philip Blond also known as “The Blonds.”

Greening said that he finds inspiration for designs everywhere, especially being in Southern California.

“I think there’s a California sensibility, especially living in Long Beach and being so close to the water, and being a California native myself,” he said, “I think it somehow works its way into the designs subconsciously.”

The Barbie collector community is another source of inspiration, Greening said. Attending events like the annual Barbie Convention make him feel among his peer group, all speaking the same Barbie slang and getting their Barbie fix.

As a brand today, Barbie is more inclusive than ever, he said.

The toy industry giant recognizes the importance of representation and is “committed to doing the work to inspire the next generation,” according to the Mattel website. Barbie dolls — including Kens — now range in different body types, skin tones, hair textures, come in a variety of face sculpts, in wheelchairs, with prosthetics, hearing aids, and vitiligo. The first Barbie representing a person with Down Syndrome debuted this year as well.

“Everybody’s welcome to the table,” the principal designer said. “I think that’s the message that is exciting.”

From being a collector to designing “Cool Clips Barbie” and numerous popular designs of the fashionable doll – Greening continues having a strong passion for all things Barbie, especially those who love her just as much as he does.

“I think just interacting with other people that are passionate about Barbie is also inspiring because it might spark an idea,” he said. “Ideas come from everywhere.”

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Knott’s Scary Farm announces spooky 50th anniversary preview on Aug. 24

• July 30, 2023

After waiting in long lines, thousands of horror and Halloween fans squeezed into the Grand Ballroom of the Long Beach Convention Center on Saturday, July 29 at Midsummer Scream just to get a sneak peek at Knott’s Berry Farm’s 50th anniversary Knott’s Scary Farm event.

Although the crowd had been told that there’d be no spoilers during the presentation, the team behind Knott’s beloved scare-a-thon made several big announcements. One of those included that there will be a special preview of the 50th anniversary event for diehard fans at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 24. Tickets will be available starting at $20 on Monday, July 31 at Knotts.com.

The Buena Park theme park recently announced that Knott’s Scary Farm will take place on select evenings from Sept. 21-Oct. 31 and include 10 mazes, five scare zones and four live shows.

During a panel discussion, Ted Dougherty, Knott’s Scary Farm historian, author and producer and director for seasonal events, revealed Knott’s will be publishing an updated version of his book, “Knott’s Halloween Haunt: A Picture History,” this year. This version, which updates the one he wrote for the 40th anniversary, will explore technological advances over the past decade that have elevated the live attraction and haunt experience. He’ll be on-site throughout the event, signing books and doing meet and greets inside the new Legacy Haunt Store & Museum.

That new space will be located just outside the front gates of Knott’s and will be open to the general public to explore during the day and closed to all but Scary Farm ticketholders only during the event evenings. There will be several throwback photo ops and exclusive anniversary merchandise, and much like inside the park, the set designers are going to go all out with the decor that will nod to previous mazes, scare zones and live shows.

There will also be several interactive elements incorporated into the haunt experience this year. The theme park will be selling specialty lanterns that guests can carry throughout the park that will unlock certain creepy moments even within the mazes. They didn’t share too much more about the lanterns, other than guests will be provided with maps that show where the lanterns can be used and that they can expect to be able to see vintage event monsters with them and to beware of the swamp spiders.

Karl Busche, Knott’s animated and outspoken product development manager, also shared some of the merchandise that will be available this year including 21 new shirt designs, several of which harken back to past popular mazes. He created 50 different seasonal pins that he’s expecting will sell out quickly, so “If you see that pin, you want that pin, you buy that pin,” he strongly suggests. He also helped create Scare Farm-opoly, a Monopoly-style game that is themed after the park’s spooky live shows and attractions.

“Is Elvira on it? Damn straight she is,” he said as the crowd cheered.

As far as shows, the panel spent time explaining the history of “The Hanging,” which was “retired” in 2019. However, Ken Parks, corporate director of creative development for Cedar Fair, teased that with everyone feeling so nostalgic with the 50th anniversary “who knows” if “The Hanging” could make a grand return.

By the way, he said this with a wink and the crowd went insane.

Though they didn’t dive too far into the 2023 mazes, it was revealed that there will be an attraction dedicated to the man who started it all at Knott’s Scary Farm: Sinister Seymour, a character created by TV host and horror enthusiast Larry Vincent. Seymour was the reason Knott’s launched its spooky event back in 1973, which was only a two-day affair and cost $4 to attend. Seymour is the inspiration for Knott’s latest Scary Farm character, The Keeper, who dons Seymour’s famous garb, but looks like he’s just risen from the dead.

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The people who help schools run, support others are recognized … Bravo!

• July 30, 2023

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society announces local top fundraisers

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society – Orange County Inland Empire chapter recently announced its top fundraisers in the Visionary of the Year philanthropic competition.

The competition brings together thousands of volunteers across the country who are driven to help LLS fight blood cancer, a disease that is diagnosed every 180 seconds in the U.S. and has no means of prevention.

Fullerton resident Maria Elena Jones was named Visionary of the Year Runner-Up. Jones was diagnosed with leukemia and breast cancer on the same day in 2020. She had to fight two types of cancer, all during a global pandemic.

Jones’ love and faith, her husband, Rod, and family and friends helped her through her grueling treatment, and she came out the other side a warrior. Her brother served as a stem cell donor. Today, she is in remission.

Jones signed up to be a Visionary of the Year candidate because of the support and treatment breakthroughs she has seen from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. She looks forward to continuing her legacy with LLS.

Staci Conely of Riverside, who raises funds in the name of her late daughter, Addi, was named Visionary of the Year.

– Submitted by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Orange County school recognized for community partnership to support homeless youths

Stratford School Mission Viejo received the Youth for Hope Award from Project Hope Alliance, an organization working to end the cycle of homelessness by supporting homeless youths, in honor of their three-year partnership.

Over the past three years, the partnership grew into a schoolwide mission to serve youths experiencing homelessness.

Among the projects students worked on was filling Boxes of Love for Valentine’s Day, with supplies that children would need to participate in classroom Valentine’s Day exchanges.

Another project involved a schoolwide fundraiser, Stockings for Hope, in which students filled stockings with donated toys, $25 gift cards and small gifts for children of various ages. In 2022, they filled 163 stockings with more than $4,075 in gift cards.

In addition to the school’s partnership with the Project Hope Alliance, students also work with other local and global charities, such as Operation Rescue, Community Table and efforts supporting families in Ukraine.

Orange County school employees recognized by state superintendent

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond honored nine outstanding classified school employees toward the end of the last school year, including two from Orange County, for their dedication to California’s public school students.

This year’s recipients were chosen from 151 nominations statewide, and local honorees were:

Clerical and Administrative Services: Adriana Ponce, office manager, Jordan Elementary School, Lowell Joint School District, Orange County (eight years of service)

Ponce sees no limitations, only endless possibilities, when it comes to serving the families, students and staff of Jordan Elementary and the Lowell Joint School District. She came to Jordan in December 2014 and brought her extensive technical knowledge of what is required to keep a campus running efficiently from her previous experience serving a large district in Texas.

Ponce looks for creative ways to solve problems and, during distance learning and the return to hybrid instruction, she organized tasks and delegated responsibilities to classified staff members who were not able to perform their typical duties. In doing so, she took care to be sensitive to personal schedules and various levels of comfort when it came to interacting with others.

Food and Nutrition Services: Jaime Carranza, senior warehouseman, Anaheim Union High School District, Orange County (five years of service)

As the senior warehouseman for food services, Carranza’s responsibilities include ensuring school sites receive their deliveries, providing technical guidance to all drivers, monitoring and maintaining warehouse inventory, receiving and storing deliveries of food and supplies, and maintaining warehouse equipment and fleet trucks.

Carranza goes above his responsibilities on a daily basis. He is dependable and is always ready and willing to assist in all areas. He is approachable and friendly and consistently provides excellent customer service by maintaining open channels of communication.

When challenges arise, Carranza is quick to address them and offer solutions. Because of his knowledge and experience and his willingness to assist others, employees never hesitate to call Carranza for assistance.

– Submitted by California Department of Education

The Bravo! section highlights achievements of our residents and groups. Send news of achievements for consideration to [email protected].

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Bravo to these three for making Tustin better

• July 30, 2023

Foothill graduate becomes seventh Eagle Scout in his family

Samuel Olson, a 2022 graduate of Foothill High School, received his Eagle Scout Award in a court of honor of Boy Scout Troop 256. Olson is the seventh son of Ben and Marianne Olson to earn the title of Eagle Scout, which was a big motivation for him to complete the goal.

Olson and his brothers Ammon, John and Daniel attended Foothill High School in Tustin and were members of Troop 256. His older brothers, Jarom, Jacob and Seth, attended Pacifica High School in Garden Grove and were members of Troop 548 before the family moved to Tustin.

An important part of the Eagle Scout requirement is to perform a service for the community that demonstrates leadership ability. Samuel Olson coordinated volunteers in Fairhaven Memorial Park to document nearly 3,000 gravesites for the BillionGraves website, which provides the GPS locations and inscriptions of tombstones.

He completed the requirements for Eagle Scout in June 2022 right after he graduated from Foothill, but because of delays in processing, and because he was away at college (Brigham Young University) for his freshman year, he wasn’t able to receive the award until recently.

His next step in life is to serve as a full-time missionary for two years in Guayaquil, Ecuador, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

– Submitted by Marianne Olson

Kurt Bensworth and Sharon King named Tustin Area Man and Woman of the Year

Longtime Tustin community members Kurt Bensworth and Sharon King were the recently celebrated Tustin Area Man and Woman of the Year.

The TAMWY program has been held for more than 60 years. Tustin individuals are recognized for their dedicated work and outstanding volunteerism in the community for the prior year. Nominations for the award come from previous winners or local nonprofit organizations. This year, two men and four women were nominated.

Bensworth is a longtime Tustinite who has a sincere devotion and concern for the Tustin community. The 1978 Tustin High School graduate champions collaboration with many Tustin organizations.

He has been a volunteer with the American Legion Tustin Post 227. He is the founding member and commander of the Sons of the American Legion, Squadron 227, and since 2019 has served as the post’s financial officer.

Bensworth’s other community involvement includes docent at the Tustin Museum, board member and treasurer for the Tustin Area Historical Society, co-chair of the Tustin Museum Revitalization Committee, member of the Tustin Pride Committee and supporter of the “Friends Feeding Seniors” food delivery program.

He has been a member of the Tustin Host Lions Club since 2019, currently serving as its president. He is the recipient of the 2022 Lions International Presidents Award and 2022 Lions Melvin Jones Award.

Bensworth also has been actively involved with the Tustin Community Foundation’s (TCF) annual Paper Football Challenge.

King worked in the Tustin Unified School District for 26 years. She served as an instructional aide at various elementary schools and school secretary at Marjorie Veeh Elementary School, Hillview High School, Sycamore School and Tustin Adult Education.

For the past 35 years, King has been a tireless volunteer. In addition to her work in the schools, she has dedicated her leadership skills to working with the Girl Scouts since 1987 and joined the local Soroptimists chapter of Santa Ana/Tustin where she served as its president for three years.

King also has volunteered for the Tustin Area Council for Fine Arts (TACFA) as an active member of its Encore Auxiliary group, volunteering at Broadway in the Park and wherever help was needed in TACFA’s art and music programs.

Additionally, she has served as the volunteer chair for the Tustin Community Foundation’s Sip and Stroll event and participated on TCF’s Advisory Board.

They will ride in the Tustin Tiller Days Parade as guests of honor on Oct. 7 and will have their names permanently etched on a brick walkway in the plaza between the Tustin Library and Clifton C. Miller Community Center at the Tustin Civic Center.

– Submitted by Mark Eliot, 2021 Tustin Man of the Year

The Bravo! section highlights achievements of our residents and groups. Send news of achievements for consideration to [email protected].

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Bravo for these achieves in education, service to others and play bridge

• July 30, 2023

Irvine Public Schools Foundation honors Irvine district alumni

Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF) hosted its 12th annual Spirit of Excellence Gala at Karma Automotive in Irvine toward the end of the recent school year.

With more than 250 guests in attendance, including a mix of civic, business and community leaders, the event raised more than $830,000. Money raised will help fund critical programs and classroom support for Irvine Unified School District (IUSD).

The evening also celebrated the accomplishments of current IUSD students and alumni whose education in Irvine has set the stage for their success. Three honorees received the Spirit of Excellence award in their respective fields, in recognition of their achievements.

The honorees included:

Spirit of Excellence in Service — Christian Munden, who served eight years in U.S. Naval Special Operations and was among a select few Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technicians assigned to provide direct support to Navy SEAL teams in Afghanistan and Bahrain. (Irvine High School, Class of 2000)

Spirit of Excellence in Philanthropy — FUTEK, an industry leader in sensor technology and high-performance robotics, has set an example of what it means to be a leader in both business and philanthropy.

Spirit of Excellence Rising Star — Local muralist Derrik Diza, who finds a unique way to combine his passions for art, entrepreneurship and giving back. Diza empowers the artists he represents to create long-lasting impact in their communities. (Woodbridge High School, Class of 2012)

– Submitted by Irvine Public Schools Foundation

Art & Creativity for Healing raises $88K, recognizes local residents

Art & Creativity for Healing had its annual Palette of Colors fundraiser in recent months with 210 guests at the site of Rancho Santa Margarita’s Bell Tower.

This year’s theme, “A Canvas of Hope,” grossed $88,000, with 100% of proceeds supporting the organization’s emotional healing programs through art and creative expression for those living in pain, grief, fear or stress.

During the evening program, honorees included Laura Svette, who received the Big Heart Award for Outstanding Service & Support; Jennette Pulecio, who won the Big Heart Award for Teacher of the Year; and Grace Schlichter, who received the Big Heart Award for Volunteer of the Year.

Svette, of Huntington Beach, has demonstrated integrity and commitment, and has always gone the extra mile – literally. She drives from Huntington Beach to the southern area of Camp Pendleton to facilitate workshops at the Wounded Warriors Battalion. Svette connects deeply with her teen participants as they see how much heart she puts into her workshops and how much she cares for them. She recently coordinated a workshop for 100 participants at a local family resource center.

One of the newest certified Art4Healing facilitators, Pulecio, of Lake Forest, has demonstrated excellence in all that she does. She is dedicated, relatable, and has a huge heart for helping others. Born in Honduras, the mom of two has a degree in psychology from Cal State Fullerton and has worked in HR for the past 16 years.

Art & Creativity for Healing honored Schlichter for her exemplary volunteerism and positive attitude. She comes to the office at least once a week ready and willing for any task. From soliciting auction items for the gala to preparing art boxes for kids, Schlichter also recently joined the organization’s HeARTs for Healing Women’s Guild.

– Submitted by Barbara Kimler

Locals win national championship title in competitive bridge

Competitions are the driving force behind the popularity of the card game bridge. Notably standing out among competitors is Irvine native Hongsa Situ and Laguna Woods resident Bill Shane, who claimed a victory at the 2023 Spring North American Bridge Championship, hosted by the American Contract Bridge League in New Orleans in recent months.

Situ and Shane won the President’s Cup North American Pairs, Flight C event. Both were Mini-McKinney winners in 2022 and have been playing together since March.

The 2023 Spring NABC hosted more than 3,000 bridge players of all skill levels from across the world and more than 6,650 tables of play over the course of the tournament.

ACBL hosts an NABC three times a year across the United States and Canada. Founded in 1937, ACBL is the largest bridge organization in North America with 145,000 members. Participants compete for masterpoints, the exclusive currency of ACBL that measures achievement in duplicate bridge competition.

– Submitted by Addison Hare

Ocean View High School teacher honored as 2023 System 44 Outstanding Educator of the Year

Chris Young, a teacher at Ocean View High School, was recognized as a National 180 Award recipient, being honored as the 2023 System 44 Outstanding Educator of the Year.

Each year, learning technology company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt selects students and educators to be recipients of the 180 Awards. For educators, these awards signify their dedication to the growth and success of their students, with a focus on helping them overcome personal and academic obstacles.

The 180 Awards are divided into three categories, based on demonstrated improvements in reading or math: Read 180, System 44 and Math 180. Young was recognized as one of four secondary educators under the System 44 category due to outstanding achievements in literacy within the classroom.

Young has worked within the Huntington Beach Union High School District for 22 of his 24 years in education. He currently teaches at OVHS as a special education teacher and serves as the department coordinator for the IDEAS program, an inclusive program designed to support students with special needs on a comprehensive campus.

“I am honored to receive this national award,” Young said. “Literacy intervention programs like System 44 are excellent in improving reading outcomes. I feel through the power of education, teachers can help open doors, hearts and minds of students.”

– Submitted by Huntington Beach Union High School District

The Bravo! section highlights achievements of our residents and groups. Send news of achievements for consideration to [email protected].

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Feeling boxed in, I pack on the stress while preparing for a flight

• July 30, 2023

It has been my wont to stress over the little things in my life as a way to avoid distressing over the larger issues.

Hence, I find myself surrounded by six packing cubes that I bought for my upcoming trip to Chicago.

Did I really need six? Five probably would have done the trick. But they only came in packs of four, six and eight. Four might have worked if I packed more efficiently. For that matter, did I really need cubes? My grandmother used to pack her unmentionables in shoes.

These decisions are easier for me to handle than wondering if another tornado will strike O’Hare airport – as one did recently – just when my plane is landing.

Or will we even be able to land before the plane is scooped up into a funnel cloud?

I don’t even know if that is possible but I worry that it could be. Worry really opens the mind to new possibilities.

Pushing these thoughts aside, I lined up my lavender cubes in size order. With roughly everything in place, I discovered I had one more cube than I needed. I was afraid that might happen. On the other hand, since I had the extra one, why not use it? It’s not like I could return it without the rest of the set which was now packed even though I’m still not sure I needed them.

I went to my closet to select a few possibilities for the runt of the litter cube, but when I returned it was no longer empty. Two green eyes peeked out at me through the small mesh window. The ad had touted the mesh inserts as convenient reminders of what was in each cube. It’s not likely that I’d forget I had a cat stuffed in the final cube that I probably didn’t need anyway. The cube, not the cat.

I briefly entertained the idea of trying to pass off Lark kitty as a therapy pet so I could take her on the plane with me. She does have a very calming effect on me when she’s not hungry. It was a tight squeeze but I managed to shove one hand into the crowded cube so I could pet her.

She started purring just as I was remembering the news clip I had seen of the passengers who had landed in the tornado’s path and had been herded into underground tunnels for safety.

As if the airplane isn’t claustrophobic enough.

Time for a distraction break. I wonder what I should pack in that last cube.

Email [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @patriciabunin and at PatriciaBunin.com

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