Is a Four-Year Degree Worth the Investment?

11th October 20238th July 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 14 May 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Approximately 1.9 million colleges students their Bachelor’s degree this year | Photo by Francois Kilchoer

All across the United States college students are graduating, alive with the ideals of youth and armed with a four-year degree. They are eager to make a contribution to the world using the knowledge they acquired and the skills they have developed.

The National Center for Education Statistics estimates that colleges and universities will award 1.9 million bachelor’s degrees this month. And with graduation season in progress, it is a timely opportunity to make an assessment of how much it costs to get a four-year degree, what it means to have a college education, and what good it does for everyone.

According to the College Board, during the 2017-2018 school year, in-state students paid an average of $9,970 on tuition and fees at a public university; out-of-state students paid $25,620. Students who attended private, non-profit four-year colleges and universities paid an average of $34,740.

After factoring in transportation and living expenses, the estimated amount spent by undergraduates in the 2017-2018 school year was $20,770 for in-state students at a four-year public university; $36,420 for out-of-state students at a four-year public college; and $46,950 for a private non-profit, four-year institution.

Based on those numbers, a four-year degree at a public school costs an in-state student about $83,080 while an out-of-state student pays $145,680; and a private non-profit college sets a student back approximately $187,800 for a four-year degree. These are all averages; students at Columbia University, the most expensive in the country, pay about $280,000 for their four-year degree.

Many students have to borrow money to be able to pay for college and today over 44 million Americans hold a total of $1.4 trillion in student loan, according to the College Board. And the cost of going to college rises every year.

The runaway costs of getting an undergraduate diploma, coupled with an astounding debt students take on before they even have a viable way of repaying it, have made many people question if the investment is really worth it.

Brittanie Kilchoer beams after receiving her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering degree from the Hajim School of Engineering at the University of Rochester | Photo by Francois Kilchoer

In September last year, NBC News and Wall Street Journal conducted a national survey of social trends among 1,200 adults. When asked if Americans agreed that a four-year degree ‘is worth the cost because people have a better chance to get a good job and earn more money over their lifetime,’ 49 percent concurred. However, 47 percent said a degree is not worth the cost ‘because people often graduate without specific job skills and with a large amount of debt to pay off.’

Those numbers varied from the findings of a CNBC survey in June 2013 when 53 percent of Americans said a four-year degree is worth the cost, while 40 percent said it is not.

Most significantly, it’s young people who brought the numbers down for those who favor a college education. Among 18-34 year-olds, only 39 percent say a four-year college degree is worth the cost; 57 percent disagree. Just four years ago the reverse was true, with 56 percent in favor of investing in a college education, compared to 38 percent who said it wasn’t worth the price tag.

As if to underline young people’s thinking, two months ago, the Wall Street Journal published an article by Douglas Belkin about a high school student in a Pittsburgh suburb who “ … earns A’s in her honors class and scored in the 88^th percentile on her college boards, but instead of going to college hopes to attend a two-year technical program that will qualify her to work as a diesel mechanic.”

Belkin writes about another student whose parents are both professionals with college degrees and assumed their 14-year old daughter would follow in their footsteps. However, her heart is set on a vocational school where she wants to study cosmetology and computer science. And while they worry that decision will be looked down upon by their well-heeled neighbors in an affluent Philadelphia area, they aren’t confident that a college degree will help their daughter get a decent job and could saddle her with debt.

The article goes on to say that there is a course correction going on in high schools “which are beginning to re-emphasize vocational education, rebranded as career and technical education.”

Recently I read an excerpt in The Atlantic, of a book written by Bryan Caplan, an Economics professor at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. The author of ‘The Case Against Education,’ Caplan believes “The world might be better off without college for everyone (because) students don’t seem to be getting much out of higher education;” and “… college is a big waste of time and money.”

Caplan points out that while he embraces the ideal of transformative education and believes in the life of the mind, he is cynical about people. He’s “… cynical about ‘deciders’ – school officials who control what students study. The vast majority think they’ve done their job as long as students comply.” He’s “… cynical about teachers; the vast majority are uninspiring,” and “ … most have little firsthand knowledge of the workplace.”

Higher education, posits Caplan, “paves the way to general prosperity or social justice. But education enriches individuals much more than it enriches nations.” He adds that “ …there’s credit inflation: as the average level of education rises, you need more education to convince employers you’re worthy of any specific job;” that “a great majority of the extra education workers received was deployed not to get better jobs, but to get jobs that had recently been held by people with less education.”

As a parent who’s passionate about education and giving our children all the tools necessary for them to succeed in life, I find all these polls, stories, and trends deeply concerning. I’m sure most parents would agree with me that we should invest in the future and our children are our best hope for tomorrow. We would like to be able to leave our country’s, indeed our planet’s, future in capable hands.

To help give perspective to the debate that’s now going on, I spoke with two Pasadena-area heads of school, the vice-president of NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools), the president of NACAC (National Association of College Admissions Counselors), and a respected Southland career coach.

Robert W. Nafie chats with students | Courtesy Photo

Dr. Robert Nafie, who has spent close to 50 years in education, is the headmaster of Clairbourn School, a pre-K to 8^th grade independent school in San Gabriel. He offers this point of view, “Let me rephrase the discussion by asking the larger question – am I in favor of self-development and continuous self-improvement? The answer is yes. And what is the most efficient way to improve yourself? In the past, it was probably by being a student and being self-taught.

Another way is to be a pupil and learn from a teacher. In which case, a traditional college education or land-based college experience provides a structure and framework to help motivate someone to continue to improve.”

“To have a democratic form of government you need a citizenry that’s well-educated and well-informed,” declares Nafie. “The question then becomes ‘is a traditional college the best way of self-improvement?’ And there are two parts to this. Is a prix fixe menu of colleges and universities – one tuition fee, one location, one syllabus – practical? If you can afford it, can find financing through scholarships, grants, and financial aid then, yes, it makes perfect sense.”

“On the other hand, does it make sense for young people who leave college at the age of 22 and who may come out with a $200K debt before they really earn any kind of serious money? College education is very expensive and I, for one, don’t believe taking 15 or 20 years before getting that loan paid off is the way to offer opportunity to the next generation. With a debt at ten to twelve percent interest it would be impossible for them to retire in this environment when people make three to four percent on their investments,” Dr. Nafie says.

“When I was growing up there were more layers among the privileged and working class,” continues Nafie. “However, there’s more appreciation today for people who pursue other lines of work they don’t necessarily go to college for. There are people who have skills and talents that can be cultivated. The greater model is not where you went to college but how have you improved your life? What did you know at one time and are you moving forward in your search for knowledge and information?

There’s been a recent development that hearkens back to earlier times in artisanal work and I’m a big proponent of it. For instance, more than we might have earlier, we value people who restore historical buildings to their original luster. Today we respect excellent carpenters and other tradespeople. I think there’s an avenue for creative people who work with their hands. There are more opportunities for areas of work we didn’t consider before.”

Nafie sums up, “So to get back to the original question, if you could afford to get a college education without suffocating debt, then you should do it because all avenues are open to you. It offers the best job opportunities and advancement. The second approach is to be a student and self-study, and know the top people in every walk of life; know how thoughts cross fields instead of just having one chimney of knowledge. The third option is to be a craftsman and learn from a master in the artisan tradition.”

Peter Bachmann, head of Flintridge Preparatory School, a 7^th to 12^th grade institution in La Canada-Flintridge, argues that a college education is worth the investment. He states, “Firstly, we don’t know what the economy will look like over the next 50 years of the graduate’s work. This will more likely change multiple times and will probably involve a number of job changes. College teaches students adaptability, creativity, and critical thinking – all of which someone needs to prepare for what lies ahead.”

“Secondly, there’s the unexamined assumption that the only reason to go to college is to get a job,” states Bachmann. “While that is clearly a major motivation, that is a narrow and potentially impractical assumption. To live in an American democracy, we have to be collaborators both in the workplace and in the civic society. College can help you analyze political issues, cultivate civic responsibility, and participate in your community. So there is a civic purpose to college.”

“And thirdly, college helps you grow as a person, develop passions and ideas. It can help you think critically and creatively about all aspects of your life,” Bachmann adds. “I think college done well has very broad purposes, with broad pay-offs.”

“Additionally, depending on what field you want to go into, college may be extremely important,” stresses Bachmann. “Obviously, if you want to be a doctor, an engineer, or a lawyer, you need college and probably graduate degrees. I am a big ‘follow your passion’ advocate for college undergraduates.”

“You should not opt out of college because you don’t want to have student loans, but look for ways to fund your college education,” Bachmann asserts. “Find colleges offering merit scholarships; apply for financial aid and grants. There are public universities which provide excellent teaching. There are also private institutions that are not necessarily the most highly selective schools and charge less. These schools can often produce college-educated kids who are successful in the marketplace and are civic leaders, as well.”

Peter Bachmann at Prep’s Spring Reunion | Photo by Melissa Kobe

Myra McGovern, vice-president of NAIS and speaking on its behalf, voices yet another viewpoint, “What we’re seeing is that the nature of both work and school is changing and what families are looking for in K-12 instruction or in higher education is shifting.

“There are many different reasons why families seek education. For some, it’s to get into competitive colleges and universities and to succeed academically. For other families, a school is a place to learn community values or where to really nurture the talents of an individual.

“At the same time we’re seeing a lot of students who are successful academically and go to college, but don’t have the social and emotional skills, and the resiliency necessary to function. So we’re urging schools to think not only how to help students get the best SAT scores but to prepare them for lifelong success and well-being so they are able to consider different options.”

“One of the things our schools are good at is preparing them for jobs that don’t even exist yet,” McGovern explains. “If we don’t know what the jobs of the future look like, how do we prepare students so that they have the flexibility and abilities that will transmit to many different fields in the future – particularly in thinking through programs for innovation and design, in areas like coding or decoding that may, in fact, not be ‘THE’ thing needed when they become adults.

“There isn’t a definitive answer to whether a four-year degree is worth it or if isn’t; it really depends on the student’s specific goals. And that’s the one thing independent schools specialize in – finding out what students’ aspirations are and helping them get there,” McGovern concludes.

David Burge, President of NACAC is, ironically, the Vice-President for Enrollment Management at George Mason University where Caplan teaches, and he argues ardently for a college education.

“First of all, there’s good documentation and research that would suggest that if you’re someone who has low or moderate income, your lifetime earnings are more directly connected to your ability to earn a degree. And, to some extent, this noise about college not being worth it is being driven by people who already have a degree and strong earning potential. Americans from a predominantly low income background don’t have the same access to the same capital, opportunities, and networks so, for them, college is very important,” maintains Burge.

“Second of all, the research is pretty clear about lifetime earning potential,” Burge continues. “Even when you look at various disciplines, Liberal Arts majors, like their counterparts in Engineering, are getting a greater return on investment that far exceeds anything they could get, say in the stock market.”

“Generally speaking, even after students are out of college five or ten years, they find that the earnings gap between those who attended college and those who didn’t tends to widen,” adds Burge. “When you look back at the great recession, a lot of the jobs that were lost were held by those without college degrees. And a disproportionate number of jobs that have been created during the economic recovery required a college degree.”

“There’s also societal good at play,” Burge points out. “The College Board has put out a very good research that college graduates are more likely to have employer-provided pensions and healthcare insurance; they’re more likely to be physically active, less likely to smoke, more likely to volunteer and vote. That’s not to say that those who didn’t go to college are somehow deficient; there are a lot of people without a college degree who have very successful lives.

“Furthermore, it doesn’t mean that college is a golden ticket, because it’s not. People who go to college still have to have good ideas and still have to do good work. It’s certainly not a guarantee, nor is it completely necessary, but it is definitely going to be the best accelerant that people can have to get to their dreams.”

“We, at NACAC, believe that school counselors should not tell students they shouldn’t have debt but counsel them on what is the right amount of debt relative to what they can expect to earn from their degree. Additionally, there are alternative paths to degrees, like community colleges, on your way to a four-year degree that can still produce the same outcome not only in terms of earnings but also for happiness and success,” concludes Burge.

Going to college isn’t the end-all. In fact, graduation day marks the beginning of the next challenge.

Cynthia Shapiro is a Southern California career coach and employee advocate who has written two internationally bestselling books. A television expert, who has done a lot of work with ABC News – ABC World Tonight, Good Morning America, Nightline, and 20/20 – and CNN, she helps graduates find jobs.

Shapiro declares, “Universities are self-perpetuating institutions and are disseminating the idea that all you need is this degree and doors will open, you’ll be CEO in ten minutes. While a college or master’s degree does open doors, it’s something to add to your tool box to give you a leg up. You need to get out there and make it happen.

The problem is that while universities have career centers, they don’t teach students how to write a good resume, how to interact in the public world, how to behave with a boss, what are the most important things to do to find and keep a job.”

Career coach Cynthia Shapiro offers expert advice on career moves.

“There’s a lot of competition – not just for top jobs, but for any job,” Shapiro pronounces. “And, yes, the job market is shrinking for a variety of reasons, including automation, job consolidation, outsourcing, international business. But there are always jobs for people with the right approach.

“What companies hire for is actually not skills and talent; they know they can teach that. What they hire for is attitude and passion; passion gets the job every time. Employers are looking for positivity, confidence but not arrogance; a willingness to get in there, to roll up their sleeves and get the work done and learn, and be a part of the team.

“That said, there are companies who will discriminate if you don’t have a degree and that’s another reason why you should have one. Some jobs even require a Master’s degree and those doors will be closed to you if you don’t have it.”

And because of competition, employers now are looking for more components on applicants’ resumes. Shapiro discloses, “It used to be that a four-year, or six-year, or eight-year degree was enough to get you hired. Companies like to see actual work experience so you have to get an internship to show you’ve been successful in a work setting.

Applicants who’ve had internships in their chosen field are hired faster than all others. But if you can’t find an internship in your desired career, find any job. Even working at Wendy’s at night to help pay for your college education shows you’re responsible, a go-getter, and you’ve got work ethic. Make sure your manager likes you so you can ask for a good reference.”

Graduates who don’t have an internship to put on their resume could include school projects. Shapiro says, “Showcase the things you’ve done in college as work experience. For example, a marketing project where you went to an actual business; or a business plan you wrote for a dry cleaner’s; or being treasurer of your college sorority. It’s obviously collegial experience but it’s what we call transferable skills because they show what you’re capable of.”

“What you need to do is get your foot in the door. Call up the company you really want to work for and ask if you can work there for free; companies don’t usually turn down free labor. Then show them how good you are, how you can shine, that you’re better than everyone else. I can guarantee you they’re going to find a position for you,” concludes Shapiro.

As voiced by my respondents, there is much evidence that a college degree is a means to an end that is worth investing in. However, happiness and success aren’t predicated upon acquiring one. There are other ways of getting an education and making a living. And a fulfilling and satisfying life isn’t measured by one’s job title or how much wealth one has accumulated.

Our responsibility as parents and educators is to guide our children to make education choices based on their dreams and passions because it is by following those, and succeeding in them, that they can do the most good for themselves and, hopefully, for the world.

Radiantly Beautiful and Rare Prints on Exhibit at The Huntington Library

10th October 202326th June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 7 May 2018 in Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Aurora Borealis, 1881, color lithograph | Photo courtesy of The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

French artist and astronomer Etienne Leopold Trouvelot (1827-1895) is largely unknown to most of us but it would be such a shame if his beautiful drawings didn’t get the acknowledgment and appreciation as the works of magnificence that they truly are.

From April 28 through July 30, at the West Hall of The Huntington Library, we have the opportunity to view a rare set of lithographs depicting the pastel drawings of planets, comets, eclipses, and other celestial splendor that he created during his lifetime, in an exhibition aptly titled “Radiant Beauty: E.L. Trouvelot’s Astronomical Drawings.”

“The set of 15 chromolithographs was the crowning achievement of Trouvelot’s career,” declares Krystle Satrum, assistant curator of the Jay T. Last Collection at The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens. “He was both an extraordinarily talented artist and a scientist, producing more than 7,000 astronomical illustrations and some 50 scientific articles during his working life. The high quality of the artwork and the scientific observation demonstrate his uncanny ability to combine art and science in such a way as to make substantial contributions to both fields.”

Trouvelot worked at the Harvard College Observatory where he made highly detailed drawings of his observations, many of which were published in the Annals of the Astronomical Observatory of Harvard College. In 1875 he was invited to the U. S. Naval Observatory to use their 26-inch refracting telescope, the world’s largest at the time.

“Given what telescopes are today, can you imagine what he could have done with something that powerful?” Satrum remarks. “But for him to be able to come up with the details he did using what was available at the time makes his creations all the more astounding.”

Satrum emphasizes, “Trouvelot was very meticulous in getting accurate images. If you compare his work to what you can see through the Hubble telescope you’ll see they’re identical. He matched up perfectly the grid on the telescope to the paper he was drawing on; he represented exactly what he was seeing.”

The Great Comet of 1881, 1881, color lithograph | Photo courtesy of The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

Shortly after that, he went public, exhibiting several astronomical pastels at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. Because the exhibit was a big success, he decided to team up with New York publishers Charles Scribner’s Sons to publish a portfolio of his best drawings. In 1882, 15 of his drawings were made into lithographs.

While an estimated 300 of Trouvelot’s portfolios may have been published, only a handful of complete sets still exist. Initially, the collections were sold to astronomy libraries and observatories as reference tools that astronomers could use to compare with their own observations.

However, as early 20^th century advances in photographic technology allowed for more accurate and detailed depictions of the stars, planets, and phenomena, these prints were discarded outright or sold to collectors.

According to Satrum, Trouvelot’s legacy is not without controversy. Born in Aisne, France, he fled to the United States in 1855 with his wife and two children following Napoleon’s coup three years earlier, settling in Medford, Massachusetts. While supporting his wife as an artist, he spent much of his free time studying insects, working to see if better silk-producing caterpillars could thrive in the United States.

During a trip back to France in the late 1860s, he collected live specimens of the gypsy moth, bringing them home to Medford. “Unfortunately, after hatching, some of them escaped his backyard, infesting the nearby woods, then quickly spreading throughout New England and Canada, destroying millions of hardwood trees,” relates Satrum.

Though large scale efforts to eradicate it were underway by 1890, they proved unsuccessful; the gypsy moth continue to be a scourge of U.S. and Canadian forests today, causing millions of dollars’ worth of damage annually. Satrum adds, “This episode also seems to have soured Trouvelot’s passion for entomology and by 1870 he had turned to astronomy.”

The Huntington’s set of Trouvelot lithographs was acquired by Jay T. Last as part of his collection of graphic arts and social history. It is but a small fraction of 200,000 objects that focuses on American lithography and graphics. And that assemblage, in itself, is noteworthy.

Partial Eclipse of the Moon, 1881, color lithography |Photo courtesy of The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.

Satrum explains, “Jay got captivated by vivid images on citrus box labels which he found in rummage and flea market sales. These crate labels weren’t meant for retail sales but were primarily for middlemen and he wondered why these stunning images weren’t used as marketing tools to the general public. That led to his fascination, in the 1970s, with commercial lithography and advertising illustration, and other major reproductions of promotional artwork.”

“Jay donated his collection to The Huntington in 2005 but because he continues to acquire various objects we’re getting them in stages, which also makes it easier for us to process,” continues Satrum. “We have everything from tiny 3 x 5 business cards to master prints three times the size of these pieces.

The Trouvelot collection is a full portfolio set which we estimate to have a print run of 300 at a $125 apiece, which was a lot, considering that at the time they might have sold for between $4 and $6. Actually having a full set is really rare; most collectors have part of a set, or only the manual to accompany the set.”

“Having the manual makes the collection quite interesting because it reveals to us the beliefs at the time,” Satrum adds. “For instance, it shows the Milky Way and explains why you can see it at certain times. Trouvelot talks about Mars which has a bluish shade that he thought were oceans. Today we know that’s incorrect, but it was a reasonable hypothesis then.

I find particularly fascinating that they capture a moment in time. This is what research in Astronomy was in the 1870s and 1880s. That’s exactly what Mars looked like to him and scientists were able to match these drawings to what they observe through the telescope.”

“It also revealed how artists used this medium as an inexpensive method to reproduce their work. It was the best way to show what the original drawing looked like. Trouvelot wasn’t a lithographer, but we knew he supervised the process. We also know that the original of these illustrations were pastel drawings although I don’t know if he used any other medium,” Satrum states.

According to Satrum she has no underlying message or theme, “It’s a very visual exhibition and it’s specific in scope. We’re showing these 15 illustrations, not presenting a broader picture of Trouvelot, the artist. I simply want to share with our public a little bit about astronomy, and that these were originally drawings that were turned into lithographs. I put little comments underneath but I don’t intend to tell them what they should be seeing. I want people to take away from it whatever they want to take away from it.”

After the exhibition the collection will go back in storage and will be available for researchers to use. But until then we can marvel at Trouvelot’s collection of rare 19^th century astronomical prints. Indeed entomology’s loss was the arts’ and astronomy’s gain, for his works capture the most breathtaking moments in time.

Broadway’s Susan Egan Performs with CSArts-SGV Students at Fundraiser

10th October 202326th June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 30 April 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Susan Egan, musical theatre, television and film star, will delight audiences during a night of Broadway at the California School of the Arts-San Gabriel Valley’s (CSArts-SGV) inaugural fundraising celebration, ‘Unplugged with Susan Egan.’

A cabaret-style show, ‘Unplugged’ will also feature 17 CSArts-SGV’s bright and talented students as they perform songs from popular musicals and films including ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ ‘Wicked’ and more. It is being held on Saturday, May 12, with two performances at 5:00 pm and 7:30 pm in the gorgeous, state-of-the-art Barrett Hall at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. A silent auction and cocktail reception for all guests begin at 6:15 pm. To purchase tickets, visit sgv.csarts.net/boxoffice.

Egan has headlined on Broadway in the title role of ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie,’ won critical acclaim as Sally Bowles in ‘Cabaret,’ and received the Tony Award and Drama Desk nomination for Best Actress as the original Belle in Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ A seasoned voice actress, she has starred as Megan in ‘Hercules,’ Lin in ‘Spirited Away,’ and recently, Rose Quartz in the hit Disney cartoon ‘Steven Universe.’

From left to right, Lily Annino, Jessie Ellico Franks, and Nicole Slessor | Courtesy Photo

Nicole Slessor, an 11^th grader from Monrovia, will be singing the alto part in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘Little Shop of Horrors.’ Over the past few weeks, she and other student performers have been going into a practice room during office hours recording their parts. She has also been practicing at home in preparation for the full group rehearsals with Egan.

This isn’t Slessor’s first involvement in a CSArts-SGV production. She says, “I am in FUSION, so I do shows that represent the school around the community. We recently performed at Grand Park L.A. I am also in the Commercial Dance Conservatory, and I have participated in the winter, spring and, most recently, the Student Choreography show, which I directed!”

“At first it was difficult for me to balance academics and art, but then I started to realize that the school gives us a variety of opportunities to focus on our academics,” discloses Slessor. “Teachers keep their doors open at lunch and I go in to study and do homework. I also use office hours as a time to organize as well as finish the to-do checklist I keep in my planner. Having three AP classes is a lot of work, but the school definitely helps us out.”

Being in this show is such a thrill for Slessor. She states, “A few years ago Susan came and did a similar event with the theatre program at Monrovia High School, which I attended, so I know of her. It also doesn’t hurt that my two favorite Disney movies are ‘Hercules’ and ‘Beauty and the Beast.’

“I am very interested in taking arts in college and as a future career,” continues Slessor. “I am trained in theatre jazz dance, so I am looking at programs that have a strong jazz course. My goal after college is to become a Radio City Rockette and perform on Broadway. And when my dance career is over I would like to tour with a dance company as a therapist for dancers.” Spoken like a young woman who has put a great deal of thought about her future.

Ninth grader Jessie Ellico Franks, from Sierra Madre, is in the Acting Conservatory and will be singing The Schuyler Sister with two other girls and other songs as part of the ensemble.

(Left to right) Lily Annino, Jessie Ellico Franks, and Nicole Slessor in rehearsal with director Stephen Cook | Courtesy Photo

Like Slessor, Franks isn’t new to school productions. She enumerates, “I have been in ‘The Yellow Boat,’ a tale about a young boy with an enormous imagination; in the musical ‘Pippin,’ which tells about a man trying to find purpose in life; in ‘The Elephant’s Graveyard,’ a heartfelt and sorrowful story that describes the one-and-only hanging of a circus elephant named Mary; and in ‘Performing with the Pros,’ a musical revue led by and performed alongside Broadway veteran David Burnham.”

While performing is a passion for Franks, studying is a priority, “I value my education and make a real effort to balance art with academics. I make certain all my academic work is done before I start on my conservatory homework. If I know I have performances or long rehearsals coming up, I prepare and plan ahead, making sure to know what will be covered in class.”

Franks adds, “I did some research on Susan Egan when I found out I was going to be in this production. I also watched ‘Hercules,’ which is one of my all-time favorite Disney movies; I loved her in it. And who can forget Meg? Arts performance is something I truly enjoy; I hope to attend an arts college and continue my work in the professional field. I honestly couldn’t see myself doing anything else!”

Arcadian Lily Annino, a junior attending the Musical Theatre Conservatory, will be singing in the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ medley and in the group number ‘I Won’t Say I’m in Love’ from ‘Hercules.’

“I listened to the tracks online to familiarize myself and get comfortable with the songs,” Annino states. “I’ve been involved in other productions so I pretty much have an understanding of how I should prepare for it. Last semester I was in the play ‘The Elephant’s Graveyard,’ an interactive, introspective play where everyone in the cast had a singular seven-minute monologue delivered to a small audience.

Additionally, I was an assistant in the school musical ‘Pippin.’ A few weeks ago, I had the honor of originating the role of Frances in the Mini Musical Show, where musical theatre and integrated arts students had the opportunity to audition for musicals written by creative writing students. That was such an amazing experience!”

Like Slessor and Franks, Annino has mastered balancing academics and performances. She says, “I have been utilizing office hours, by going in every day to get extra help and homework done. I almost never go home with a huge load of homework. At the moment, I am not sure what I would like to major in in college. What I know, for certain, is that musical theatre and performing will remain a part of my life.”

For these three San Gabriel Valley students, being able to pursue their passion while they are still in high school is as much a valuable opportunity as it is a treasured gift. That they are collaborating with some of the biggest names in the world of performing arts is just the icing on the cake.

The Playhouse’s ‘Belleville’ a Hit with Theatre Enthusiasts

9th October 202326th June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 24 April 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

“Belleville” stars Thomas Sadoski and Anna Camp on the red carpet on opening night | Photo by Nick Agro

Anna Camp and Thomas Sadoski performed to an appreciative and intent audience this past Sunday when Amy Herzog’s psychological thriller “Belleville” opened at the Pasadena Playhouse.

Directed by Jenna Worsham, Camp and Sadoski played a young American couple living in a Bohemian neighborhood in Paris called Belleville. It began as Camp’s character, Abby, came home unexpectedly one afternoon and heard her husband Zack, played by Sadoski, watching porn in their bedroom.

Thomas Sadoski and Amanda Seyfried | Photo by Nick Agro

This seemingly harmless incident quickly turned into a catastrophic event, as one revelation after another of secrets Abby and Zack had hidden from each other were exposed. Slowly their real identities were unmasked and each of them was surprised to learn they didn’t really know the person they married. The audience watched the intense interplay between the two characters with such concentration one could hear a pin drop.

With no intermission to break the intensity, we didn’t have so much as time to catch our breath. When the play finally came to an end, about a hundred minutes later, we were almost as finally relieved as we were utterly devastated.

Anna Camp and Skylar Astin | Photo by Nick Agro

“Belleville” was indeed a Hitchockian thriller of a play. Director and actors did not disappoint. Camp and Sadoski kept up the tension right up to its conclusion. And an appreciative audience showed their approval with a rousing standing ovation when the lights turned down.

Both Camp and Sadoski enjoy a loyal following and their fans must have come out to support them. Last Sunday’s performance attracted noticeably young theatergoers. It was a stroke of genius that the Playhouse’s Producing Artistic Director, Danny Feldman, chose to mount a play about millennials. And it certainly didn’t hurt that Anna Camp and Thomas Sadoski starred in it. Well done, all!

A Noise Within’s ‘Noises Off’ has Audiences in Stitches

8th October 202326th June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 23 April 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

“Noises Off” ensemble | Photo by Craig Schwartz

Imagine a hapless group of actors gamely putting on a production aptly titled ‘Nothing On,’ from an abysmal material as each of their personal drama gets in the way and you have one screwball of a play that is as insanely hilarious as it is eerily true to life.

This is Michel Frayn’s joyfully out-of-control British farce, ‘Noises Off,’ and will be on stage at A Noise Within (ANW) from Saturday, April 21 to Sunday, May 20, 2018. Directed by Julia Rodriguez-Elliott and Geoff Elliott, it features most of the original cast from the play’s previous productions.

“‘Noises Off’ is truly one of our signature productions, with audience members returning to see it two or more times,” says Elliott. Rodriguez-Elliott adds, “Everything about the deft physical and verbal interplay between actors is ideal for our focus on ensemble work.”

First produced by ANW in their Glendale location, it was hugely popular that they brought it back another year. When they moved to Pasadena they presented it during their first season as an add-on production on a limited run.

Continues Rodriguez-Elliott, “It’s been about six or seven years since we last did it. For our 25^th year anniversary, just for fun, we asked people what shows we had done that they would like to see again and ‘Noises Off’ got the most votes.

However, ‘Noises Off’ was doing a big production in London then so we couldn’t get the rights to it to mount it in time for our anniversary season. Fortunately, we were able to last year. And since we still have the same cast and they’re playing the same characters they did in the first two productions, we didn’t have to spend as much time to prepare for it.”

Elliott also discloses, “We’ve put off remounting ‘Noises Off,’ because we didn’t have the technical ability to put it on a spinning stage. We really wanted to remount it this year so we decided to redesign the set. In the first act the audience is watching the front of the set, in the second act the action takes place at the back of the set, and the third act is again the front of the set. Because of that, it needed to be presented on its own and not as part of a repertory.”

“It is one of the funniest farce, if not the funniest, ever written,” pronounces Elliott. “It’s a love letter to the theatre because it’s essentially about all of the things that can go wrong when people are trying to put a production together. For actors it’s especially close to the heart because we’ve all gone through some version of it. Michael Frayn is so brilliant in creating comic timing and sidesplitting situations. It’s really a work of genius.”

“It’s a repertory group rehearsing a play that’s about to open the next night and they’re not ready,” explains Rodriguez-Elliott. “In the first act, we are observing the colorful characters who are part of a company – there’s one actor who isn’t terribly bright, one who has a temper, another is an alcoholic who gets lost and they can’t find him. In the second act, the set turns and you’re watching them in a performance of ‘Nothing On’ from the back stage perspective so you see them as they make their entrance.”

“This is happening as they’re in the middle of the tour,” Elliott interjects. “By the second act they’ve been together for about a month and half. Everything that could possibly go awry, as personalities clash, has gone awry. The two leads are having an affair and one of them refuses to go on stage and it gets worse from there. It’s just insane!”

Rodriguez-Elliott continues, “By the third act, when the set is turned once more to the front, it’s hell in a handbasket. They’ve been touring for six months and by then some of them aren’t talking to each other so it becomes another whole new level of disaster.”

“When we were first rehearsing it, people who had done this production in the past were telling me ‘You’re going to have such a good time; audiences just die watching this play,” recalls Elliott. “There were so many people telling me that, that I began to get spooked that we’ll be jinxed shortly because I thought, ‘Surely our production can’t be as funny as they kept saying. The expectation was too much.’ But once we got out there, the audiences just went wild and it was infectious. You were having such a great time because the audience was as well. And it turned out to be exactly what people had been prognosticating all along. It’s probably the most fun I’d ever had on stage.”

Illustrates Elliott, “I play the role of the director and most of the time the cast doesn’t know if it’s Geoff, the director, or Lloyd, the character I play, who’s talking. Or if it’s Jeremy, the actor, who’s talking to them or the Frederick character he’s playing. Apollo Dukakis, in the role of an older actor Selsdon, calls his lines exactly as Apollo does. It’s spooky.”

“And here’s an interesting bit of trivia,” says Rodriguez-Elliott. “Michael Frayn was watching a play he had written being rehearsed. He sat backstage for a bit and he thought what was happening there was more interesting than what was going on onstage. That was the impulse for him to write ‘Noises Off.’”

“It was a Lynn Redgrave play that was being rehearsed,” Elliott elucidates. “And he thought there was more drama going on backstage. One of the endearing things about this play is that all of these actors are such survivalists they would do almost anything to make their entrance, to keep the show going. They’re taking axes at each other but they’ll drop them when they have to make an entrance. And it’s true, the show must go on. This is that to the hilt, it’s so sweet.”

“The beauty of a rep company is the familiarity you have with the rest of the cast,” Elliott begins to say. “And the play is all about that – people who have been together and have worked together for a long time. That is so relatable. We’ve all been in productions where someone misses an entrance, or something’s gone wrong and people backstage are troubleshooting,” Rodriguez-Elliott finishes for him.

“One of the reasons I think this was a very popular production is that we really concentrated on finding the honesty, the authenticity of the situations theatre people work in,” clarifies Elliott. “We didn’t approach it as a send-up. It’s not only incredibly funny but we have sympathy for all these people. We recognize all these people, all the drama and the group dynamics that we’ve all been a part of.”

“The play they’re in is terrible and they are nobly putting on a show that doesn’t even make sense. But they’re trying hard to make it work and are truly investing in it. There’s this one character who’s not the sharpest tool in the shed and even when the world is exploding she’s still doing what she has rehearsed,” chuckles Rodriguez-Elliott.

Elliott declares, “You can feel the joy in the room because the actors are having fun and the audience is in it with them. The actors themselves are laughing when they get backstage because of the wonderfully infectious audience reaction.”

ANW has just announced the theme of the 2018-2019 season, ‘Let Me in.’ Elliott describes, “It’s about the fundamental human desire to be included, to be accepted. All the plays are about people struggling for that and the things that happen to them and those around them as they strive to have a door open. It’s a very timely issue. We all want to be acknowledged, to not be ignored or be treated as something other than being a part of the human race. Whether it’s Don Quixote of ‘Man of La Mancha’, Dorian Gray, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Othello, Wingfield family of ‘Glass Menagerie,’ or Jason of ‘Argonautika.’ That’s the common vein running in all these plays.

‘Man of La Mancha’ will be another play that will run solo, not in repertory. It will play middle of August through early September. That was a big hit for us when we did it this season and this was an opportunity to bring the show back for those who didn’t get to see it or would like to see it again. It’s the same production and will have the same cast.

The show had been a tremendous experience for us. We had a number of people in the cast who had never worked with us before because they were more musical theatre people. So for them to be able to approach it as actors was something novel and extraordinary for them to do. When we reached out to them to tell them we were bringing it back and asked if they wanted to return for it, everyone answered within twelve hours.

That was pretty much how our resident artists responded to our remount of ‘Noises Off.’ Although the themes of the two plays couldn’t be any more different, audiences, nevertheless, will feel a strong reaction to each.”

It is the contagious feeling and exuberant spirit that we will experience that make ‘Noises Off’ as uproariously brilliant as it is unabashedly zany. Prepare to laugh till your sides hurt.

Psychological Thriller ‘Belleville’ Intrigues at Pasadena Playhouse

7th October 202326th June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 16 April 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Thomas Sadoski and Anna Camp | Photo courtesy of Pasadena Playhouse

Amy Herzog’s exciting new thriller ‘Belleville’ debuts on the West Coast at the Pasadena Playhouse from Wednesday, April 18 to Sunday, May 13. Directed by Jenna Worsham, this Hitchcock-style drama stars Anna Camp as Abby and Thomas Sadoski as Zack.

The play centers on Zack and Abby, young Americans who look for all the world like a perfect couple experiencing the ideal expatriate life in Paris so he can fulfill his noble mission at Doctors Without Borders to fight pediatric AIDS. They live in a funky bohemian apartment in Belleville.

This image of perfection is shattered when Abby finds Zack at home one afternoon when he’s supposed to be at work. Their idyllic life turns into a nightmare and we watch in suspense as the real characters beneath the façade are slowly unmasked.

While neither Sadoski nor Camp has seen ‘Belleville’ performed they have both heard of it and its playwright. Sadoski says, “Amy is a Pulitzer Prize nominee and an Obie Award winner and I know of her work. She’s a tremendous writer, one of the most important voices of her generation. I’m so thrilled to be working on this project!”

This marks the first time Sadoski will be on stage at this venue and he recounts how he got the role, “I love this theater and its history. Danny Feldman, the Playhouse’s Producing Artistic Director, and I have been talking for a while about finding some work for me to do in Pasadena. It so happened that he had a window and we threw around some ideas about what plays we wanted to do. When he mentioned ‘Belleville’ I just went ‘Absolutely!’ It’s really a no-brainer.

“We also realized it hadn’t been done on the West Coast so this would be the premiere and that got us all the more excited. Our director, Jenna Worsham, is a huge advocate of Amy’s work and she was thrilled with the idea. So we, as a unit, jumped at the opportunity to put it up.”

Thomas Sadoski | Photo courtesy of Pasadena Playhouse

Sadoski says further, “As rehearsal goes on we’ll continue to unwrap who these people are. The most interesting for me at the moment is delineating between the private Zack and the public Zack – the version that he presents to the world and the Zack that exists inside that only he knows.

“It’s going to be really exciting to prolong that feeling of unease, fear, suspicion, and discomfort throughout the play. The last thing we want is for it to be a caricature of a film noir. I would be interested to see how the audience reacts and that’s the beauty of live theatre.

“I’m always a bit reluctant to form an idea of what I want the audience to leave with. Early on I had a really strong opinion about what I would like the play to bring out and I worked really hard to make that happen. But what I learned in time was that I can have those wants and desires but people will come with their own experience which, in turn, will inform what they walk away with.

I’m at a point in my career when I just want to tell the story as truthfully as I possibly can, give an honest and open performance. I think that’s more generous than determining the conclusion I want the audience to have. That said, it’s also very Hitchcockian – you don’t come out of a Hitchcock movie with a song in your heart and a spring in your feet.”

A famously private person, there isn’t a lot out there about Sadoski and he likes to keep it that way. He discloses, “Firstly, it’s the way I was raised. Secondly, I am happy to share my thoughts and opinions about politics and whatnot but I am not the kind of person who has his personal life on display at all times.

“Additionally, I don’t think it serves me as an actor to give people some sense of ownership. Nor for the audience’s perception, when I go on stage or in front of the camera, be colored by what they think they know about me. I want to be able to make my performance be true to the character I play.”

Sadoski has been on television (‘The Newsroom,’ ‘Life in Pieces’) and on Broadway (‘reasons to be pretty’ and ‘Other Desert Cities,’ with a Tony Award nomination. He has, of late, been doing audiobooks.

“Theatre is my first love so I would like to keep coming back to it,” Sadoski reveals. “I enjoy doing TV and film so I will continue to do them as much as possible. I have also found a lot of joy doing audiobooks. I think the next place for me to go artistically is directing; I look forward to that opportunity.”

“Life couldn’t be better at this point. I have a beautiful daughter and wonderful wife I love hanging out with and I go to work. I’m one of the few fortunate people who can say that I get to do what I love to do for a living. My cup runneth over,” concludes Sadoski.

Anna Camp is adored by everyone who has seen her in the film Pitch Perfect (1, 2 and 3) and has built a following with her appearances on iconic TV hits ‘Mad Men’ and ‘The Good Wife.’ Like Sadoski she will be performing at The Playhouse for the first time and was very excited when she got the script for Belleville.

“I feel in love with it immediately after I read it,” recalls Camp. “I called my agent and said ‘I’m doing this.’ It was very powerful and there was some sense I had about this character. I have not been offered a role like this, certainly not a theatrical piece, and I was very glad they considered me for it.

“I’ve seen Tom on Broadway, off-Broadway, and from ‘The Newsroom.’ While he and I have worked on Broadway at about the same time, I’ve never worked with him before. I’m very happy that this will be the moment we’ll work together because he’s fantastic for the role and it’s a fantastic material to be working with him on for the first time. It was quite amazing how we had an easy relationship from the first day of rehearsal. I can’t ask for a better job.”

Anna Camp | Photo courtesy of Pasadena Playhouse

Asked if she had specific thoughts on how to approach the character, Camp answers, “Obviously when you first read a script you have an idea in your head but nothing really comes into focus until you’re working with the actors and allowing the director to ask more questions of the character to find out about the person. And I’m actually discovering that in some ways she is like other characters I’ve played before, and in other ways she’s different. And every day, as we rehearse, it gets more complex and more layered.

“I’m finding out more who Abby is, she’s becoming a fully realized person and who I want her to be. It helped that I didn’t see the play before; I always like not having an idea of what someone has already done with the role haunting me in a way. I’m curious as to how other actors have played it before but I’m glad I haven’t seen it performed onstage. That’s what makes this incredibly my own and that’s the beauty in doing a play.

“There are certain things that happen as Zack and Abby interact that I found fascinating. In the beginning Abby appeared to be in fear of her own shadow, feeling out of place living in Paris, and afraid in her own apartment. And at the same time there are so many moments when she could be cutting, and harsh, and cruel. It’s a really well drawn out character – there’s a lot of anger underneath her and it’s very biting. This is a really multi-dimensional character that Amy has created.”

“The best part about a Hitchcockian thriller is the buildup,” continues Camp. “And that’s the fun part – shaping the play into something that keeps the audience at the edge of their seat and not know whom to root for; to have them come up with their own conclusion as they watch the play. We want to truly increase the suspense before the final reveal.

“I want the audience to be moved emotionally in a way that they are not expecting, to feel what it’s like to be in love but in a wrong kind of love; to learn something about yourself; to make you a better human being during this time you have on the planet.”

Being in this play has also taught Camp something, “I’m finding out the difference between film and theatre. Last night during rehearsal Jenna said ‘theatre is like live music – you play the same notes every night but you’re playing it in a different way; and film is like a painting, it is done and it is complete and it’s over.’ I will carry her words with me forever.”

Camp discloses future plans, “I am in the middle of producing a film where I will star in and we’re trying to hire a writer. I’m looking for more female-led ventures and projects that would connect with my audience. I’ve loved acting since I was a little girl and as long as I can continue to do that then I’m living my dream. Working in theatre is something that has deepened me as an actor and I hope it leaves me a better actor than when I came in.”

Camp and Sadoski are exciting performers to watch. They have proven themselves in every medium they’ve been in. They are both at the Pasadena Playhouse to show us how live theatre can mesmerize, enthrall, and hypnotize in a play that may very well make us question if we really know the people to whom we are closest. The master of suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock, would approve.

Arcadia Poetry Slam Tackles Social Issues

6th October 202323rd June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 3 April 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Arcadia High School students will call attention to social issues, including poverty and homelessness, at the Arcadia Poetry Slam which will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, April 29, at the Arcadia Performing Arts Center (APAC).

To benefit Foothill Unity Center, it will also serve as a launching ground for students to get their voices heard. Whitney La Barge, assistant general manager of APAC, coordinates the event with Arcadia High School.

“We want to bring more students into the space,” says La Barge. “Right now we do orchestra, band concerts, dance and theatre shows. Arcadia Poetry Slam gives other students, who wouldn’t otherwise have, the chance to be a part of the center as well as the foundation.”

Anthony Sigman-Lowery, APAC operations manager, says further, “This will be the inaugural Poetry Slam and it’s meant to encourage students to use their voices through poetry. We have a black box with 99 seats: it’s a small intimate environment for students who may have stage fright. What better way to bring students who might not normally be performing here.”

La Barge expounds, “We announced the competition at AHS in mid-March and we’re giving preference to seniors since it’s their last opportunity to do it. We’re also limiting it to 30 students. It’s pretty open in terms of format because we want them to express their creativity. The only restrictions we have are that it is under five minutes long and it has to be school-appropriate so it can’t glorify violence, guns, or drugs. As it is benefiting Foothill Unity Center we’re encouraging students to touch on social issues like homelessness and poverty.”

To get student participation from neighboring schools, La Barge reached out to the English and Drama department teachers and shared the event poster with them.

“It’s an invitational and we’re hoping that each year we’ll have more and more schools involved,” La Barge states. “We definitely want AHS to be well represented because obviously we’re here on campus and we want to serve the school district. As it’s our first time, we’re keeping it small but we eventually want to turn it into an all-day competition.”

“We really wanted to hold this but we don’t know how to judge a poem,” relates Sigman-Lowery. “How do we keep it school appropriate without restricting people’s voices? So we partnered with L.A. Poets Society. They gave us the components by which the poems will be judged – content, stage performance, voice, and diction.”

La Barge adds, “We also asked for a statement from each poet of what they’re trying to accomplish with the piece, what they’re trying to say. The judges will then pick three poets who best accomplished their goal, whose messages came across effectively. For prizes, we’re giving away Beats wireless headphones courtesy of Beats. L.A. Poets Society will award writing journals and feature them in their website under the New Poet Section.”

Arcadia Performing Arts Center | Courtesy photo

APAC and Foothill Unity Center have been community partners for a while according to Sigman-Lowery. He explains, “We started working with Foothill Unity Center with our Sunday with Santa event in December. We collected canned goods and to encourage people to donate, each can served as a raffle ticket to win prizes. We liked working with them and we figured it was a good way of serving the Arcadia community since one of the big goals of the foundation is making art accessible.”

Raina Martinez, Foothill Unity Center’s development and donor relations director, confirms, “APAC’s executive director, Maki Hsieh, wanted to come up with a way to support the center as well as get the community involved, especially the youth. And poetry is popular with young people and is a great way to get their voice out there. We’re making it the thematic concept to incorporate poverty, hunger, and homelessness to bring more awareness about the center and, more importantly, about the issues.

“Our two sites – Pasadena and Monrovia – serve eleven cities in the San Gabriel Valley offering food, temporary shelter, case management, transportation, and vital health services for low income and homeless people. Additionally, we offer job training skills for youth and adults, and an internship program. We have an AmeriCorps program on the site where they can get clerical and warehouse type skills.

“One of the things we do well is developing partnerships. We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel, we work with other agencies. We connect our clients with other organizations who can provide them assistance. Donations come from everyone in the community – individuals, businesses, churches. It’s neighbors helping neighbors. And volunteers are a big component of our organization – we couldn’t do this without them. Last year we had 40,000 volunteer hours.

“We have two major events during the year. In addition to the regular food services we provide, we have thanksgiving boxes and the Christmas holiday distribution food boxes. For all registered children we have the Holiday Angel program that provides toys and gift items, and a popular Back-to-School event which we do at the Santa Anita Race Track in August. Children from kindergarten through college receive backpacks, school supplies, socks, clothing, haircuts, manicure, health screenings – everything they need to get them ready for school.”

Since its founding in 1980, Foothill Unity Center has remained the primary provider of food, case management/crisis help, and access to healthcare resources for people who are at or below the national poverty level. Each day it lives up to its mission ‘Helping People. Changing Lives.’

Through the Arcadia Poetry Slam local students will bring attention to Foothill Unity Center and the most pressing problems affecting the lives of those around us. It is art galvanizing social activism.

Four San Gabriel Valley Students Recognized with the Congressional Award Medal

5th October 202323rd June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 2 April 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Congresswoman Judy Chu (center) gave the Congressional Award Medal to four SGV students (left to right): Julieanne Guo, Richard Dong, Melanie Phan, and Cristie Huang | Courtesy photo

Four high school students from the San Gabriel Valley were given the Congressional Award by Representative Judy Chu at a presentation ceremony held at noon last Thursday, March 29 at the Pasadena office of Congresswoman Chu.

“The Congressional Award program is a private–public partnership created by the United States Congress in 1969 to recognize and promote service, initiative and achievement among American’s youth. It is, in fact, the highest award for youth in the country. To date, nearly eight million hours of service have been rendered by 48,000 of involved youth across the nation,” declared Congresswoman Chu.

Participants have to set and accomplish goals in four program areas: voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition/exploration. The recipients of this honor were Richard Dong from Arcadia, Julieanna Guo of Alhambra, Cristie Huang from Arcadia, and Melanie Phan from Claremont.

Alhambra High School student, Julieanna Guo, received a bronze medal. She committed to over 100 hours of volunteer service to the non-profit organization Global Youth Mission, tutoring children and providing assistance to the elderly in nursing homes in the community; for personal development, she practiced her piano skills to prepare her for future performances and competitions; for physical fitness she reduced her mile run time from eleven minutes to under nine minutes; for her expedition/exploration she traveled to Boston to compare the culture and history of the East and the West Coast. While there she saw the sights, took in a concert, and watched the dragon boat racing festival.

Cristie Huang from Arcadia High School was awarded a bronze medal. She volunteered at the Arcadia Retirement Center to care for and help better the lives of its elderly residents; for personal development she improved her piano skills and participated in solo and group recitals; for physical fitness she ran on the treadmill six times a week to increase her stamina from 20 minutes to 25 minutes; for expedition/exploration she traveled to Japan and experienced various sites, including Tokyo’s oldest Temple, the Sky Tree, a Cat Café, and Kyoto.

Melanie Phan, who attends Claremont High School, received a silver medal. She spent over 200 hours volunteering as a Human Services personnel for San Bernardino County. For her personal development she committed to expanding her guitar skills to help her gain confidence and start performing in front of an audience. For physical fitness she increase her overall time in breast stroke and was able to make it to the top 20 girls for the swimming finals. For her expedition she traveled to Georgia to learn more about the Southern culture. While there she visited Stone Mountain Park and the Martin Luther King Jr National Historical Park, and Coastal Heritage Society in Savannah.

Judy Chu and Richard Dong | Courtesy Photo

Arcadian Richard Dong, whom Congresswoman Chu introduced as someone she knows quite well because he was in intern in her office in 2015, is a junior at San Marino High School (SMHS) and received the bronze medal. For volunteer service he worked as a teacher’s aide for SMHS, volunteered and participated in the Los Angeles Taekwondo competition; for personal development he refined his piano skills to perform multiple hours per week at local schools, churches, and online; for physical fitness he focused at recovering from his 2015 medical treatment for gallstones by restoring his swimming capabilities and competitiveness. He swam for an hour and half everyday through the summers of 2016 and 2017 and is now totally recovered from it and rejoined his competitive swim team; for expedition/exploration he traveled to Taiwan to tour sites including Taiwan Science Museum, Liberty Square, and Taipei World Trade Center.

“Through this experience I developed time management skills, gained the courage to face challenges head-on, grew and matured as a young adult,” says Dong. “It helped me tremendously to become enduring and resilient, to rebound from setbacks and become stronger physically, mentally, and psychologically.

Like me, young people today face enormous pressure – to participate in arts and sports, volunteer for community service while doing well academically. We might think of them as activities to cram into our already busy lives, but we should also realize that they prepare us to make a difference in the world.”

Dong was diagnosed with cholecystitis when he was 14 years old and had to miss a year of school to recover from it. He has first-hand knowledge about fighting against medical challenge. Through it all he managed to not only get back on his feet but to push himself to achieve greater things. In addition to this recent accomplishment, Dong traveled to Washington DC in February to receive a medal for Outstanding Student for 2017 from the International Leadership Foundation (ILF).

But, more importantly, Dong has mustered the energy and found the time to serve others using his talent as a pianist, performing in senior centers and schools. He is also lending his assistance in homeless shelters and is fundraising for them.

Representative Chu was right when she said the recipients of the Congressional Award are outstanding young people. We can all rest easy to leave the future in their capable hands.

PMH’s ‘Dreaming the Universe’ Goes Where no Exhibition Has Gone Before

5th October 202323rd June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 26 March 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

This Hannes Bok (1914-1964) illustration appeared as a wrap-around cover of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction for ‘A Rose for Ecclesiastes’ | Photo courtesy of the Korshak Collection

Southern California played a pivotal role in our country’s aerospace program when in 1936 the first rocket tests took place in Pasadena’s Arroyo Seco and launched the Rocket Age. Interestingly, the progress in the aeronautics industry in the region paralleled the growth of the science fiction community.

The Pasadena Museum of History (PMH) shows how science, fiction, and Southern California converge in an exhibition called ‘Dreaming the Universe.’ On view from March 3 through September 2, 2018, it explores the history of science fiction from 1930 to 1980, and its significance in the advances of science, the changes in technology, and shifts in American society.

Nick Smith, president of the Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, curated this show that features historic artifacts, fine and graphic art, books and ephemera, and historic photographs. It will touch on the contributions of Ray Bradbury, Octavia Butler and other luminaries whose names are synonymous with science fiction; it will likewise highlight the fans and followers of the genre. Children and adults alike will find something they will instantly recognize as what initially pulled them into this exciting world.

Smith’s fascination with science fiction began several decades back. He relates, “Ever since I could read I read the ‘Superman’ comics. My barber would let us read whatever books he had, like ‘Incredible Hulk’ and ‘Super Spy,’ whenever we behaved. But the local library provided me the opportunity to read science fiction books written for younger readers. The earliest one I could remember was called ‘Have Space Suit Will Travel,’ about a kid who won a space suit in a contest and got caught up with things like aliens and other weird things.

“Once I had an allowance and had the ability to buy magazines at the newsstand I started purchasing them. That actually influenced some of the artwork we have in this exhibition. I was at a magazine stand and my eye caught this really curious-looking wrap-around cover of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. It turned out to be a Hannes Bok illustration called ‘A Rose for Ecclesiastes.’”

“There were a lot of books and magazines about science fiction, fantasy, and speculative adventure written for kids in the 1950s and 1960s,” continues Smith. “They piqued children’s imagination because they were about the things that you didn’t see every day but would be fun if they did happen. They were wish-fulfillment fantasy to a great extent – traveling to Mars, or becoming space cadets to solve crime throughout the galaxy. That led to a lot of radio, television, and comic book science fiction.

“For adults, some science fiction dealt with warnings against abuses of technology which was what the original Frankenstein books were about, if you think about it. That was the first modern science fiction story written and it’s 200 years old now.”

A group of Baranger Motion Displays, 1952-1957, Baranger Studios, South Pasadena, CA. Courtesy of Justin Pinchot (Toyraygun.com,robotcoffeela.com) | Photo by Joanne Wilborn/Marlyn Woo

“Laura Verlaque, PMH’s Director of Collections, and I worked for about a year identifying which things we would like to include in the exhibit that would be representative of the different aspects of science fiction. These items include visuals like flat pieces of artwork ranging from photographs to paintings; costumes – pieces of it or the entire outfit; physical objects from toys to window displays, especially in the 1950s.

“And that’s an interesting bit of the story. In the 1950s when Walt Disney put scientists on TV to talk about the space program, science fiction was all over radio and television. It was very much part of the culture in more ways than people didn’t think of. In fact, there was a company in South Pasadena that made window displays for jewelry stores and many of these had science fiction themes.”

“We don’t think about it nowadays but if we were to look back, science fiction was part of children’s experiences growing up,” points out Smith. “Tom Corbett’s ‘Space Cadet,’ which was very loosely based on science fiction story, was part of my background as a child. I watched that on TV, convinced my parents to buy me the little toys that went with it. A modern musician who, coincidentally, is named Tom Corbett uses a replica of the Tom Corbett lunchboxes at his concerts because he thinks it’s cool that a 1950s show had a character with his name.”

Science fiction’s integration into the mainstream culture took place in stages, says Smith. “There were some anthology science fiction shows on radio and television. ‘Space Patrol’ started here in LA as a radio show before it became a national television show and because they had big sponsors, they were able to get major publicity – they had a national giveaway of a backyard rocket ship clubhouse.

“‘The Twilight Zone’ came out in the 1960s but it was Star Trek that brought in the new wave of fans. It was hugely popular that when NBC cancelled the show Caltech students organized a march to protest it and they were joined by other enthusiasts and students from several universities.

‘The Twilight Zone’ display | Photo by Joanne Wilborn/Marlyn Woo

“Here’s another curious thing – the genre attracted not just males. In this exhibit we have one of the earliest published science fiction female writers. Clare Winger Harris was born in the 1890s and wrote stories for two of the major sci-fi and fantasy magazines back in the 1920s. What makes her particularly noteworthy is that she wrote under her own name, not a pseudonym, at a time when it wasn’t socially acceptable and women didn’t think they could sell a science fiction story. There were no other women in the 1920s in science fiction magazines.

“A more recent famed writer Octavia Butler, who was Pasadenan, was remarkable because she was both a woman and African American. And at that point she was the most successful female African American science fiction writer.”

Adds Smith, “To a great extent science fiction is based in Southern California because the technology and the sources of technology are here, as well as the TV and film industry. Rod Serling didn’t have to travel very far to find writers to work on ‘The Twilight Zone.’ He was able to get some of the best scriptwriters by driving down the street. One such brilliant writer, Charles Beaumont, turned out amazing stories throughout the 50s and 60s. He’s largely forgotten now because he died fairly young but several of his stories became television episodes for ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘Night Gallery.’”

“Everything in the field of science fiction is being considered for television right now,” declares Smith. “There have been successful series like ‘Game of Thrones’ which are radically different from previous fantasy science fiction but they attract an audience which has never read the books they’re based on. The field is growing in several ways. However, not every project that’s started is shown because the genre deals with such big ideas that are difficult to realize.”

The books Smith read as a youngster were published by Erle Korshak. The distinctive wrap-around cover of the magazine that stopped him in his tracks at the newsstand is one of six graphic art on display in the exhibit from the Korshak Collection. This is the first time these artwork are being exhibited on the West Coast.

Stephen Korshak, himself, began his interest in science fiction illustrations when he was a child. He recounts, “My father owned a pioneering science fiction book company, Shasta Publishers, which ushered in the transition of important science fiction literature from magazines printed in cheap pulp paper to hardcover, library-quality books. These covers, which I was exposed to growing up, engendered my lifelong love for collecting science fiction art.”

There are currently 90 pieces in his collection, with 29 pioneering American artists representing 80 years of published science fiction and 20 European artists from 15 countries who worked from 1863 to 1984. They can be seen online in ‘Korshak Collection: Illustrations of Imagination Literature.’ In the introduction he names one particular piece that stands out in his memory, “The J. Allen St. John illustration for the 1941 ‘Amazing Stories’ magazine cover of John Carter battling the dead in ‘The City of Mummies’ lured me into a fantastic world that I never knew existed. I read and enjoyed the Edgar Rice Burroughs story behind the illustration but, for me, the illustration itself gave me a sense of wonder I had never previously experienced.”

It is the only science fiction collection that tours, conjectures Korshak. And that touring bit came about quite by accident. He discloses, “I took one of the paintings to a framer and he told me it needed to be restored. When it came back from the restorer, my framer told me it was the talk of the restorer’s workshop. He asked me if I had any more of these illustrations and I said ‘yes.’ He said he wanted to display them here in Orlando, where I live, at one of the museums where he’s a trustee. The attendance was so overwhelming and the reception so amazing that we started to do the tours.”

This Kelly Freas (1922-2005) illustration appeared on the cover of Planet Stories magazine | Photo courtesy of the Korshak Collection

Since it began touring nine years ago, the Korshak collection has been shown in some of the most prestigious illustration museums in the United States – the Brandywine River, the Chazen, and the Society of Illustrators’ – and at Museu Valencia in Spain.

“In the beginning, people were just tossing these illustrations away like the comic books because they weren’t worth anything,” says Korshak. “No one considered them to be art because artists were not supposed to be entrepreneurs – they were meant to work for the Medicis and have great rich patrons who would support their art. However, in the United States, it being a capitalist society, artists were businesspersons like everyone else. Illustrators, by and large, were educated, and had a family to support. They did it to make a living, to sell products and market books.

“For a long time there was a prejudice in the art world; the gurus and fine arts critics pronounced illustration wasn’t art. But there has been a reassessment taking place in the last 15 years or so; there is now a better appreciation for this art form. People paid $30M for a Normal Rockwell, who was an illustrator for the Saturday Evening Post. Maxfield Parrish, N. C. Wyeth, or Howard Pyle pieces go for millions of dollars.”

In the process of collecting, Korshak learned that illustration covers a wide field. He explains, “My love has always centered on a sense of wonder, that sense of being in a fantasy world, which I tried to capture with my collection. Except for a rare one or two, they are illustrations of literature spanning 125 years, from 1875 to 2000. There are thousands of illustrators and I can’t possibly display thousands of paintings. So what I tried to do was to pick what I thought, in my humble opinion, were the greatest illustrators or those who weren’t as technically famous but had a great influence. But we are not the definitive criterion of who’s great and who isn’t.”

Like a doting father, Korshak demurs when asked to pick the one he likes most, “It’s hard to say which is my absolute favorite but I’ll tell you three of my favorites. Jose Segrelles, a Spanish illustrator, is technically one of the eminent artists in the whole field but was little known in the United States. He made his name in Spain, although he did appear for a short time in the Illustrated London News. He appeared in books and magazines for 80 years but has been forgotten for the most part.

“I was lucky enough to go to Spain to meet his family. I bought the painting from his nephew and before he died I promised them I would take Segrelles back with me and introduce him to the American market. In fact, I will be collaborating on a book about Segrelles with Guillermo del Toro, the academy-award winning director, who said Segrelles was one of the great influencers in his life.

“Another illustrator who is highly esteemed by the cognoscenti is Arthur Rackham. He is a British illustrator who did magnificent work for children’s gift books, including Lewis Carroll’s ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.’

“A third one would be Hannes Bok who illustrated for Weird Tales. These three illustrators, I think, are the best in their field,” proclaims Korshak.

‘The Tree of Time,’ Edward Emshwiller’s (1925-1990) illustration appeared on the cover of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction

Having this collection has afforded Korshak opportunities he cherishes, “There’s a camaraderie when you meet with other collectors. It’s a hobby you can share with other people which is tremendously fun and enriching. I have developed friendships through this.

“At the same time I really want to share and give back to the field that’s given me so much. The illustrators in my collection established the basic genre, the vocabulary of the field. These books haven’t appeared in print in 80 or 100 years, and out of sight out of mind. Many of the themes are reproduced by modern illustrators but in different ways and techniques.

“By exhibiting the artwork, I feel I’m doing something thoughtful by introducing these illustrators to a new generation of people and helping preserve some of these illustrators’ legacy as well. I’m not single-handedly going to do that but, in my own little way, am contributing towards that end.

“We’ve finished our East Coast tour and we’re now starting one on the West Coast. Coincidentally, I have just been contacted by a big gaming company in Japan that’s doing an Alice in Wonderland exhibition and wants to take one of our famous Arthur Rackham illustrations. It’s really exciting now that people are starting to know these illustrators. And I think it’s going to help the modern illustrators. My collection goes through 2000 but there are contemporary artists right now who are doing great work like Michael Whelan and the Brothers Hildebrandt.

“I have also written books on two illustrators – Hannes Bok and Frank R. Paul. I wrote the Hannes Bok book with Ray Bradbury before he passed away. It was Bradbury who introduced Bok to the editor of Weird Tales which helped start up his career.

“A few years ago I convinced my father to help me publish an artbook on the father of science fiction art, Frank R. Paul. We named the company Shasta/Phoenix because his original book publishing company, Shasta, had been inactive for 50 years and we resurrected it, like the phoenix, from the dead.

“In the Frank R. Paul book, I mentioned Sir Arthur C. Clarke, who co-wrote the screenplay for ‘2001: A Space Odyssey.’ Clarke claimed that Paul was one of the great influencers in his life. He said that the NASA space engineers who worked on NASA projects knew we could go to the moon because Frank R. Paul had visualized it,” confides Korshak.

If the people responsible for America’s space program look to science fiction books to determine which galaxies to explore, do we need further evidence that whatever the mind can imagine is humanly possible?

Enjoy Enticing Eats and Treats at ‘Taste of La Salle’ in Pasadena

4th October 202323rd June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 19 March 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Guests enjoying the various food and beverages at the 2016 ‘Taste of La Salle’ | Courtesy photo / Annette Dyson

How cool is it to sample the various food and drinks from over 35 different restaurants and beverage companies all gathered in one place? And how great would you feel knowing that you are donating to a good cause while enjoying such bounty?

La Salle High School gives you the opportunity to indulge your gastronomic appetite and satisfy your philanthropic inclinations at its bi-annual ‘Taste of La Salle’ from 6:30 to 9:00 pm on Saturday, March 24. Advance ticket price is $50 and $75 at the door.

Now in its fourth year, ‘Taste of La Salle’ has attracted popular Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley establishments including Altadena Town and Country Club, Casa del Rey, Colette, Domenico’s, El Cholo Café, El Portal, The Peacock Grille, Roy’s, StoneFire Grill, Twohey’s; breweries and wine growers from farther afield like Craft Beer Cellar, Lagunitas, Stone Brewing, E & J Gallo Wine, San Antonio Winery, and Wilson Creek Winery.

‘Taste of La Salle’ will take place on campus (3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena on the corner of Michillinda Avenue) with students directing people to three different check-in tables to make for an easy flow of foot traffic to the party. All vendors will be set up along the perimeter of the dining pavilion and atrium to give everyone room to walk around, visit the various stalls, and delight on all the various offerings for the night.

Parking will be available on both lots on campus – the upper lot on Sierra Madre Blvd. and the lower parking lot on Michillinda – the field will also be open, and there will be parking on surrounding streets.

Kristen Schultz, Assistant Director of Institutional Advancement and Director of Alumni Relations, spearheads this delectable event. She says, “We started ‘Taste of La Salle’ in 2012. It was deliberately a bi-annual event because we recognized that these vendors are also asked by various non-profit institutions all the time to donate and we didn’t want to burn them out. And while other organizations charge vendors a fee for participation, we don’t; they provide the food, drinks, and the manpower to staff their table so they give quite a lot as it is. At the same time, because it’s only every other year, the community looks forward to it and is more hyped about it.

The incentive for the vendors is the heavy publicity we do for it. We send out invitations to about 7,000 people in the San Gabriel Valley, we include the event on our social media feeds – Twitter and Instagram; send emails every other week promoting it; mail postcards with the logo of participating establishments, advertise it in a local magazine which reaches 15,000 people.

It benefits restaurants because we really target San Gabriel Valley so people who come to the event can patronize these establishments later. We always do a thank you and a follow-up with all our participating establishments and have gotten extremely positive feedback – that they had a great experience and would like to come back; that our event was every well done and organized. Several past vendors will be here again this year.

We had 23 vendors in our first event and we had no idea what we were doing. It was hugely successful and it gave us room to build upon that success. It expanded every year and we now have 39 vendors. But we really don’t intend to grow it any larger than that because we want to keep it community-friendly and preserve the school atmosphere as well. We expect between 300 to 400 people; two years ago we had 360 and we’ve attracted more each time. I know we’ll have about 350 but we’re hoping to reach 400 attendance.”

Michelle and Brian Day were the winners of the Stock Your Bar Package in 2016 that includes over 19 bottles of premium libations | Courtesy photo / John Blackstock

Food and drinks are not the only items on offer. There are also drawing opportunities for some really awesome packages. The Grand Prize is ‘Eat Out for a Year,’ which is an array of gift cards to local restaurants valued at over $2,000. There is a ‘Travel and Wine Lover’ prize, a Temecula Getaway and Culinary and Wine Pairing for 4 in Paso Robles. A ‘Stock the Bar’ prize is an assortment of premium libations; a ‘Work it Off Fitness Basket’ gives the winner over $700 worth of gift certificates to local fitness classes and gyms; a ‘Staycation’ is a one-night stay at the Embassy Suites in Arcadia, $100 gift card to The Derby Restaurant and four Club House passes to the Santa Anita Race Track; and more.

Tickets for the drawing are available online – $10 for one ticket; $25 for five; $50 for 15; $100 for 40. People can go online to buy tickets to the event and for the drawing at the same time or separately. Drawing is done at the actual event but they don’t have to be present to win.

‘Taste of La Salle’ takes lengthy planning, as one can imagine. Relates Schultz, “We start preparing this in the summer, around May and June. Any time we do an all-school event we obviously have to work it into the calendar. And there are several of them like the plays and the musical which need all the school facilities. We picked March the first time because it was open.

The school has two fund-raisers: the golf tournament in the fall and the Crystal Ball in May and we didn’t want to compete with those two events. We were cognizant of the fact that we were asking money from the very same pool of parents. We also made sure we kept the drawing items food-themed because we didn’t want to take away from what the two other events are also requesting.”

Adds Schultz, “‘Taste of La Salle’ is the only event that the Alumni Association puts on. It’s also the only way people can donate, they can’t write a check towards the scholarship. We ask the scholarship recipients to attend and we profile them so people can see where their money is going.

It was created to have an alumni fund going to current students from alumni donors. When this began, we awarded two college scholarships to two members of the class of 2013. It is a one-time scholarship to help them with their first-year expenses and focuses on service, citizenship and leadership, not on their GPA.

Members of the La Salle Alumni Association Executive Board with the class of 2018 Alumni College Scholarship recipients (pictured front center). Back row, left to right: Armando Ramirez, Chris Kealy, Amanda Richardson, Manny Soriano, Paul Lees, Tyler Varing, Kristine Nonato, Chris Rettig, Mike Sullivan. Front row, left to right: Joe Alvarez, Rafael Mirasol, Sarah Day, Garien Agapito, Tony Messineo, Gabe Castillo | Courtesy photo / Kristen Schultz

We invite students to apply in the spring of their junior year and they’re asked to give short answers to questions related to their leadership, their impact on the greater community, what happened in their years at La Salle, their future plans and how they will remain engaged after they graduate. I take out all the personal information about the applicants so the 17-member Alumni Association Executive Board makes its decision based purely on the answers given by the students.

I check in with the scholarship recipients six months into their first year of college to get an update on how they’re doing, etc. While I continue to communicate with them periodically during their college career, there are no requirements on their part. Although I hope they stay in touch and most of them do!

In 2016 we offered the first incoming heritage scholarship to a member of the class of 2020, who is now a sophomore. This is a four-year scholarship as long as the student retains a 3.0 (B average), remains active in school activities, and maintains an exemplary discipline record.

The criteria are similar for the incoming scholarships but obviously with some differences because we’re asking 13-year olds versus 17-year old students – community service and involvement, why do they want to be a part of La Salle, what difference can they do here, what La Salle means to them.

We have continued to offer two college scholarships every year since 2012 to the graduating class and one freshman scholarship since 2016 to the incoming class. We just recently named our incoming scholar for the class of 2022 who will start at La Salle this August. The class of 2019 is currently applying for next year’s College Scholarship. We have 12 college scholarships and three freshman scholarships to date.”

‘Taste of La Salle’ promises to be a fun and enjoyable way to spend an evening. That it goes a long way towards providing assistance to future generations of community-engaged and socially responsible citizens only makes it doubly worth our generous support.

A San Gabriel Valley Inquirer

One woman and her local community

Author: May S Ruiz