Charles W. Eliot Arts Magnet Academy Inaugurates its Own Costume Shop

2nd November 202328th June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

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

The Eliot Arts team poses with its newest fan, actress Jane Kaczmarek, at Pasadena Educational Foundation’s ‘Breakthrough Student Interactive Showcase’ at their annual ‘Celebrating Our Schools’ event. Left to right, Drama teacher Micol Issa, student actors and costume designers, Kaczmarek, Principal Lori Touloumian, Visual Artist-in-Residence Liane Shih, and Theatre Artist-in-Residence Lory Tatoulian | Courtesy photo / Molly O’Keeffe

The middle school musical was ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ As the students were getting ready for rehearsals, Micol Issa, 6^th grade English and Drama teacher at Charles W. Eliot Arts Magnet Academy (Eliot) in Altadena, who was also directing the production, had a sudden inspiration, “Instead of shopping for costumes for the show, why don’t we make them ourselves?”

Never mind that it was January and the production was slated for May. Indeed, many would have found that prospect daunting. Where would they find designers? Who, besides Issa, even knew how to sew?

But Eliot was the top Arts School in the Pasadena area and it had a reputation to uphold. So everyone got behind her idea quickly. Students, parents, teachers, and administrators sprang to action to make Issa’s brainstorm a reality.

Issa’s ambitious concept would not have been do-able had it not been for a grant that transformed the school to what it is today. Lori Touloumian, Eliot principal, informs, “In 2013, this school, then known as Eliot Middle School, was one of four academic institutions awarded the magnet schools assistance program grants of $7.9 million each to have its own integrated theme. Eliot, in particular, was designated as a Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) school.

“To ensure cohesion of the district’s schools and initiatives, there is one person who has oversight over all the magnet programs. We’re fortunate to have Shannon Mumolo in this capacity. As the Magnet Schools Assistance Program (MSAP) Program Director for the Pasadena Unified School District, she oversees the budget and implementation of magnet programs funded by the U.S. Department of Education. She has been an MSAP Project Director since 2015 and previously served as the MSAP Site Coordinator for Eliot Arts Magnet.”

“Through the grant, our teachers went through specialized training on how to integrate the experiential approach to art into the core classes of English, history, math, and science,” discloses Touloumian. “We have resident artists who work with teachers on site during the school day and after school who work directly with students on various projects. We’ve also partnered with the Huntington Library to offer free after-school programs every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon.

“While adhering to the district’s established curriculum for the scope and sequence of the arts program, the teachers have been empowered to make decisions in terms of what art project they will do in their core class and they are free to set up the time with the resident artists. The school follows the common core standards and the artists in residence come in with expertise in the arts standards to weave the two together.”

In Eliot’s new costume shop, parents and artists-in-residence taught students how to sew their own costumes such as the shorts and pantaloons worn by guests to the Mad Hatter’s tea party. The Mad Hatter wore a handmade hat and hand-painted jacket designed by students themselves | Courtesy photo / Marc Flores

Touloumian says further, “Additionally, we were to able create art-maker spaces on campus – we revamped our dance rooms with more equipment, we transformed a former parent room into an art gallery which is now utilized as a community center where our students and community artists can hang their art, and we added a ceramics room and a media lab on campus.

“We are now a fully integrated arts academy. Students can choose what elective classes they want to be in but even if they choose not to attend a specific elective class they may still have the visual arts experience in their English, history, math, or science class, or after school.”

Cheili Lopez, a 7^th grade student who participates in the arts classes and after-school program, says “I’ve just started the printing shop on Tuesdays and Thursdays with Mr. Duffy, and on Fridays I go to the costume shop. Through the arts classes, I’ve been able to make things for my family – I sewed an apron for my mom and I made a jug in ceramics class which I gave to my parents for Christmas. They were very happy because the items weren’t store-bought; I made them myself.”

“Everything we do here is connected to the Arts,” Issa explains. “We’re trying to rebuild the school culture and create spaces for kids to have multiple avenues of access to the Arts. Not everyone wants to act, but this is another way for kids to participate in the making of performances, and Cheili is an example of that.

We realized that something we needed, not just for the drama and choir program but also for dance classes, was a costume shop. That was the goal we tried to work towards last year, which launched us into this next level. Now, we have six sewing machines, two sergers, and an embroidery machine. We basically have a sewing club that meets every Friday after school.”

“In the past, we assigned people to find the costumes for specific characters,” details Issa. “But, like I said, we need costumes for all our productions so I took the idea of having a costume shop to Denise, the artist in residence. She, in turn, went to Lori and said ‘If you will okay the costume shop, I’ll write the grant,’ and she did.

“Of course, I had to justify why I thought a costume shop was necessary. I argued that it’s something that would be great for the program as a whole and we had the expertise on how to run a costume shop on campus. Denise and I know how to sew, then we discovered that so many parents also have that skill. So what it really did was brought more people on campus.

“Through Facebook, people shared with everyone our donation list and what I was hoping to accomplish. People donated patterns and dropped off whatever they could contribute. Everyone was happy to give and appreciated that we were teaching kids how to sew.”

A visit to a museum was the inspiration for their musical’s look. Issa recounts, “I went to an exhibition of Marc Chagall costumes at LACMA and I was astonished because it was exactly what I envisioned for ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ So I took the kids on a field trip to see the show and when we came back we started designing.

Students fused the modernist styles of the Bauhaus movement with the loose painting styles of artist Marc Chagall to design each of the show’s whimsical costumes | Courtesy photo / Shannon Mumolo

“We found real pictures of the Chagall costumes. And under the guidance of our artist in residence, we taught the kids how to draw and make patterns, to paint them with colors, and to sew inside out.

“Because of the large number of costumes that needed to be finished, it was a community effort. Students, teachers, and parents spent a lot of late nights and weekends sewing. And, while not each costume was made entirely by kids, they worked on every one.”

Lopez was one of the students who made the costumes and she acquiesces, “Each costume was a group effort. Several students worked with an adult to work on one and when we didn’t finish that day, we went back to it the following afternoon.”

The experience proved to be constructive for Lopez not only because she learned how to sew. She says, “We do a lot of projects in regular school so doing the after-school costume shop helps me collaborate with other students.”

Issa points out, “What they do in the costume shop translates, however indirectly, with their core classes. They go through the same procedure of calculating, of figuring out a problem, much like in math class. They have to assess how thick they need to make the paint to have the effect that they want. So they experiment with a lot of color samples to figure out what consistency to use so it doesn’t just turn into watercolor but, at the same time, doesn’t make the fabric super stiff. That’s a process that applies in science class.”

“The show ran for three days and all the costumes held up,” Issa says with pride. “There were minor repairs which we made between shows. The incredible thing about this, also, is that it gave me additional crew on top of the stage team. From now on, the costume crew is in charge of queue-ing the costumes – making sure they’re in the right place – and noting what needs to be repaired so we can make them the next day.

Eliot’s spring musical proved to be a smashing success. Raves Issa, “Our ticket sales for the show was tremendous. We sold over $1,000, which was more than what our previous shows generated. Then, on October 10, we held our first official gallery opening featuring the costumes from last school year’s spring musical ‘Alice in Wonderland Jr.’ We invited the District and Community Arts Team, and all our Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre partners – from dance to theater companies – and they all came to see the exhibit.”

The show’s handmade costumes were installed in the school’s art gallery this fall for the opening exhibition: Chagall and the Bauhaus Meet Alice in Wonderland. They will be on display until December 2018 | Courtesy photo / Shannon Mumolo

The display, which goes on until December, highlights a very specific artistic vision. Issa describes, “The costumes in Eliot’s production of Disney’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ are unlike any other version of the show you have seen because it was inspired by the artist Marc Chagall and the Bauhaus design movement.

“Chagall, well known for his paintings and stained glass windows, also designed costumes for the Metropolitan Opera and New York City Ballet. You will see some of his designs and paintings represented in our own costumes and sketches. As we researched and sketched our vision for Wonderland into life, we decided to add in the modern and otherworldly influence of the Bauhaus design movement. Categorized by basic shapes, lines, and spirals, we fused the modernist style of the Bauhaus movement with the loose painting styles of Chagall.”

“We’ve had previous exhibits but they were open after school mainly for parents and students,” clarifies Issa. “This was our first gallery opening held on a specific night for the entire community, complete with a bake and beverage sale. It demonstrates the amazing work that can be done when students, teachers, parents, and community partners collaborate. We’ll be forever grateful for the generosity of the Pasadena Showcase for the Arts and the Pasadena Educational Foundation for their support in making Eliot a premier arts school in the area.

“It was truly a project that involved a great many students – 140 kids took part in our costume shop, out of our total student population of 545. That’s 23% of the student body. What’s more, this endeavor inspired others so we have doubled our numbers in the costume shop. Even those students who weren’t able to participate in the after-school program worked around their schedule to be in the costume shop.

“We started the Friday costume shop early this school year so we could teach the kids sooner and, in time, they would be able to sew the bulk of the costumes themselves. Our next musical is ‘Hairspray’ and we’re creating the costumes again. But because this show happens in our world, we’ll probably use some of the basic costumes we already have, instead of making them from scratch. That’s the cool thing about having a costume shop – it has given us the ability to use something that already exists by altering it to fit our needs.”

Issa is now just entering her third year at Eliot but, already, she has been instrumental in giving it the distinction of being the only middle school with a costume shop. But, more importantly, she has successfully incorporated in its program an invaluable skill that will serve middle school students long after they leave Eliot. Nay, for life.

Addressing Anxiety and Depression on Campus

1st November 202328th June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

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

John Finch, headmaster of Chandler School, with middle-school students in his Ethical Perspectives class | Courtesy photo / Tim Teague

In an article which published last April in Time magazine, Katie Reilly reported that record numbers of college students are seeking treatment for anxiety and depression, and schools can’t keep up. She further described that when UCLA offered, for the first time, all incoming students a free online screening for depression, more than 2,700 students opted in.

Following that article, UCLA announced the launch of its ‘Depression Grand Challenge.’ This project, that spans a decade, will study 100,000 of students who have used its health care system for any reason. It is a sweeping initiative that brings to the fore the mental health issues that have long existed but have never been fully addressed until now.

However, anxiety and depression often predate college. High school students, most especially in the San Gabriel Valley, are faced with daunting competition when they start applying to colleges. Students in the area have earned perfect GPAs, SAT, and ACT scores; were the president of their school’s Student Council; have played at least one musical instrument, have won multiple gold Young Musicians’ Competition awards, and have performed at Carnegie Hall; have been deeply involved in a social, community, or philanthropic cause. They are over-scheduled, sleep-deprived, and hell-bent to stand out from other over-achievers. It’s no wonder, then, that they are riddled with anxiety that often leads to depression.

David Burge, who just completed his term as the President of NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling) states, “There is no doubt that the college application and selection process is daunting and is a cause of much of the anxiety and depression on high school campuses.

“What we’re finding is that there are more and more students in high school who are receiving treatments for anxiety and depression, including medication and talk therapy. So it’s only natural for them to continue to seek treatment when they get on the college campus. Sometimes the stress of college accentuates their pre-existing conditions.”

“We, at NACAC, are teaching students and parents to look beyond the Ivies and the most selective universities when they embark on their college search. As long as we continue to value exclusivity as a surrogate for quality, the competition perpetrated by these very universities will continue,” Burge pronounces.

To say, though, that the college application is the reason for the mental health concerns plaguing our country’s youth is too simplistic.

Depression among students is on the rise | Courtesy photo

Myra McGovern, Vice-President for Media at NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools), says, “The theories about why today’s students are going through anxiety and depression run the gamut. Some are backed by science and some are anecdotal. One of the things I’ve heard is that parents these days aren’t doing much about the issue because they think their generation had it harder.

“Some of us think that children didn’t get to experience the violence of wars and the hardship that accompanied such, which made them more fragile. But one could argue that children have seen more wars in their lifetime. There have been more media coverage of school shootings, that began in Columbine; and of terrorism and international threats, since 9-11.”

“I think that while the potential dangers may not have statistically grown, the exposure brought on by media has increased dramatically,” explains McGovern. “In the past, most teenagers didn’t read the newspapers; but these days, through social media, they know what’s happening in the world in real time.

“Consider your biological fear response – from the adrenaline rush, to the tightening in your chest and the dry mouth – when you hear of something horrible happening. Our body hasn’t really changed from the time of lions chasing people. Yet we’re more exposed to technological lions (stimulus) when our survival instinct hasn’t quit adapted to technological reality.”

McGovern elaborates, “Perhaps, too, children’s increased interface through technology is changing the way they relate and cope. The social pressures the older generations had to contend with are definitely different from what today’s youth deal with.

“There’s also our perception of our role as parents. Because of our own anxieties about our children’s lives, we are constantly hand-holding them and, in the process, taking away some of the opportunity for them to practice making decisions. It affects their confidence level at being able to navigate the challenges the world throws at the them as they become teenagers and young adults.”

“Another theory has to do with what people are consuming and the chemicals they’re exposed to,” adds McGovern. “But whatever the cause is, there’s a consensus that children and adults are struggling more with anxiety and depression.

“What I want to emphasize is that I don’t believe there’s one right solution for everyone. Part of the solution is considering children as individuals with specific needs. Prioritizing to invest in our future on the front end could reap benefits in the long term,” McGovern concludes.

Building the groundwork for sending happy and healthy kids to high school and beyond is a mandate that John Finch, headmaster of Chandler, a K-8^th grade school in Pasadena, takes to heart.

Chandler students gather together as the school day begins | Courtesy photo / Tim Teague

“We establish an environment where there are high expectations, but low stress,” Finch declares. “We pay careful attention to the volume of work we ask the students to do. We don’t try to fit round pegs into square holes – we provide a program that meets their needs and adjust our program so that each child feels recognized, respected, and challenged.

“As we challenge our students, requiring them to do good work, we are equally careful about how we manage expectations. We have to be mindful that doing otherwise leads us to the same path we’ve been going on, with more kids falling out in the end.”

“Socially, we want to create an environment where children are kind to each other, respect and help each other,” states Finch. “We’re intolerant when it comes to bullying. At the same time, we want to establish an atmosphere where kids can be resilient and gritty. We want for them to pursue their interests by trial and error. And if they fail, we’ll help them try again. We want kids to understand they’re being supported by a tight adult network that encourages them. We want them to feel that there’s a balanced foundation of care and love.”

Finch points out, “I think students who spend too much time on screens and not enough time interacting with others can become isolated and lonely. That isolation and loneliness can manifest themselves in anxiety and depression. We have to be cautious, conscientious, and deliberate in urging our kids to shut their screens down, to spend more time interacting and socializing with friends and family.”

“Increasingly, I hear principals say their biggest concern is not so much the achievement, but the well-being of their students,” discloses Finch. “Something’s changing and we have to find the cause and respond accordingly. We’re not doing kids any favor if they’re leaving our schools feeling anxious or depressed – whether it’s because they’re over-burdened by expectations, they feel something is lacking, or they can’t cope with the independence they get as they grow older.

“Ten years ago schools were adding technology and computer positions. Now schools are augmenting learning and emotional support. Once we saw that technology had a transformative impact on the program, the next step was to become intentional in meeting the social and emotional needs of students.

“For us, it’s been helpful to have a buddy program. Older kids interact with the younger ones to give them a sense of responsibility and community obligation. For younger kids, it’s a way for them to look up to older students as role models. Those friendships that develop in multi-age groups make a vast difference in school life.”

“We also have a school psychologist to give professional help,” adds Finch. “Teachers meet regularly and when they hear a student’s name come up more than once as someone who’s not completing work, is tired, or isn’t eating well, they let the administrator know.

“There have been circumstances when kids approached the administrator to say they’re worried about one of their friends. We investigate all these observations and we bring in the psychologist whenever it’s warranted.”

“In a small private school with an adult-student ratio of 1 to 7, it’s very hard for the child to slip through the cracks,” assures Finch. “We’re capable of arresting something before it becomes too dark. And we make sure we have the support and place to take care of it.

“I’m interested in empowering teachers to not only provide excellent teaching but, more importantly, to look after the welfare of students in their charge. At the same time, I also know that families are our partners in addressing the issues of anxiety and depression.”

It’s heartening to know that parents, teachers, and school administrators are acknowledging that there is a mental health problem affecting a large number of students. It is a first step in the right direction.

That schools are also now taking active measures to help students get through their anxiety and depression is certainly a lifeline for those who’ve been feeling despondent and alone. There is hope yet.

L.A. County Arboretum’s ‘Moonlight Forest’ Brings People Together in San Gabriel Valley

31st October 202328th June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

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

A ‘Moonlight Forest’ display at The Arboretum | Courtesy photo / Tianyu Arts & Culture, Inc.

Be transported to an enchanted evening wonderland when the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden (The Arboretum) in Arcadia displays hundreds of magnificent lanterns depicting exotic animals, shimmering flowers, whimsical pandas, soaring dragons, and other themes to create a mesmerizing ‘Moonlight Forest.’

The Lantern Art Festival celebrates the time-honored tradition of lantern-making and features Chinese performing arts and crafts. It goes on from October 26, 2018 through January 6, 2019, 5:30 to 10 pm.

Richard Schulhof, CEO of The Arboretum declares, “Our vision for the Lantern Art Festival is to commemorate this wonderful traditional art form from China and set the lanterns amidst the landscape of the L.A. County Arboretum. It’s nature meeting art and culture, and bringing together the different communities in Los Angeles.

“Spanning a mile’s path of travel, the lantern displays will begin from the lawn area, then goes into the forest and around the lake, and by our landmark Queen Anne Cottage. In addition to the lanterns, we’ll have traditional Chinese performing arts – acrobats, face-changing dancers, and jugglers. We’ll have food trucks and various libations.”

Richard Schulhof looks at the animal lanterns | Photo by May S. Ruiz / Beacon Media News

‘Moonlight Forest’ is the culmination of a year’s planning and preparation. Relates Schulhof, “Last October, Tianyu Arts & Culture Inc., the American subsidiary of the international design and manufacturing company Sichuan Tianyu Culture Communication Co., contacted me to discuss a possible collaboration.

“I familiarized myself with the art form and the company’s work by visiting the different lantern festivals they were holding in Charlotte, Virginia Beach, and Las Vegas. I learned that lantern art utilized traditional materials that were used 500 years ago. The advent of new materials and construction methods allowed for an elaboration of this traditional art form and the lanterns you currently see represent that.

“The center for this craft is a town named Zigong in Sichuan, near the city of Chengdu, where this art form is still practiced today. Tianyu Arts & Culture creates festivals all over the world – Europe, Australia, and North America. It’s quite surprising that there has never been one of this scale in the San Gabriel Valley. And given the confluence of cultures in the region, particularly East Asian, it’s only fitting and natural to bring the lantern art festival here. We’re thrilled that this debut event is happening here at The Arboretum because I see this as a meeting place of cultures.”

The lanterns reflect three themes: Chinese culture – iconic images and traditional themes like the harvest moon feast; nature – animals and plants; and children – fairy tales and fables to delight kids and the child in all of us.

Schulhof’s excitement about this event is abundantly evident when he takes me on a tour of The Arboretum grounds where workers are busy setting up structures on which the lanterns will be installed. He explains that some of the exhibitions are quite complex and points to a large construction underway that he presumes will be that of the Forbidden City, which used to be the imperial palace in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

A display of a man serving tea | Photo by May S. Ruiz / Beacon Media News

As we approach a display of a man serving tea, Schulhof stops and gets out of the golf cart he’s driving to enthuse, “When I was in Kunming, in Yunnan province, I was hosted by the Kunming Botanical Garden and the server was dressed just like this. They carried teakettles with these long spouts and they could pour tea into your cup from six feet away. It was absolutely amazing to see that.”

At this point we’re attracting the curiosity of people who are on their morning walk at the garden. Schulhof very animatedly enlightens the little group about the lanterns with the enthusiasm and exuberance of a little boy showing off his prized toy collection.

We reach an area with the animal lanterns and there are lions, tigers, giraffes, pandas, and some animals indigenous to California – bears and coyotes. Schulhof points out little details on them, like the hand-painted eyes of the animals.

“And because this is The Arboretum, there will be a couple of peacock lanterns. They’re the most spectacular peacock lanterns they’ve ever done! People here have very high expectations when it comes to peacocks,” Schulhof tells a couple of ladies who are also inspecting the array before us.

Schulhof stands next to a terracotta soldier | Photo by May S. Ruiz / Beacon Media News

The lanterns of the terracotta warriors from Xi’an province are Schulhof’s particular favorite and he walks over to where the figures are clustered. He informs with confidence, “If you look closely you’ll see that the soldiers have different faces and when illuminated they are glowing, golden beams.”

There’s quite an interesting bit of Chinese history connected to the terracotta army. The first Qin Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, who ruled from 247 to 210 BC, built this army of warriors, chariots, and horses made entirely of clay and were buried with him to guard him in his afterlife. They remained there undiscovered until 1974 when they were excavated by accident by local farmers. Today the Mausoleum of the first Qin Emperor is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Our tour ends at the lawn and fountain area, and Schulhof directs my attention to a tree, “The Arboretum was founded in 1948 and one of its goals was to bring new plants to Los Angeles to beautify the city. That is the silk floss tree from South America, one of our most successful introductions, and this is its peak blooming period. We have several of them all over the garden; so people will be enjoying the lanterns and our beautiful silk floss plants at the height of blossom all at once.

Photo by May S. Ruiz / Beacon Media News

“Every year, 400,000 people visit The Arboretum. What they see during the day doesn’t even compare to what they’ll see at night during our ‘Moonlight Forest.’ The Lantern Art Festival, with its more than 60 exhibits and over 500 lanterns, gloriously demonstrates the artistry, craft, and skill of Sichuan artisans and will surely add some magic to the visitor experience.”

Schulhof is familiar with Sichuan province, where this craft originated. Back in 1997, when he served as Executive Director of Descanso Gardens, he was in Sichuan collecting camellias. But because he was in the countryside, he didn’t see any lanterns.

Starting next week, and for ten weeks thereafter, the lanterns that eluded Schulhof in Sichuan two decades ago will be the magnificent centerpiece at The Arboretum’s ‘Moonlight Festival.’ And he is hoping that not only do they bring delight and joy to those who behold their splendor, but also bring together the various communities in the San Gabriel Valley in one magical celebration.

Enjoy a Delightful Twilight Tasting and Support Families Forward

28th October 202328th June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 5 October 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

The ‘Labrateers’ will perform to a packed tent again this year at Twilight Tasting | Photo by Stevie Dominguez

If your idea of an enjoyable evening is sampling a wide variety of fares downed with craft beer and locally distilled spirits, then you’re in for a real treat. Families Forward Learning Center is holding its 8^th Annual Twilight Tasting on Saturday, October 13, from 6 to 10 pm, at 980 N. Fair Oaks Avenue in Pasadena, and promises food and beverage aplenty

Established in 1961 as Mothers’ Club, it was originally located on Orange Grove Blvd. Its programs expanded and, in time, it outgrew that center. Using funds raised through a capital campaign, it purchased its present 10,000-square-foot building in the heart of Northwest Pasadena in 2006.

A team of education, planning, and design professionals transformed the property into a facility that could support and promote learning for thousands of families over the decades. The designated Gold-Level LEED-certified sustainable building houses five age-appropriate classrooms for children aged 0-5, an outdoor learning center, a parent education center, library, quiet room, nutrition kitchen, social kitchen, and administrative offices.

It was renamed Families Forward last September to expressly reflect its mission – to prepare families living in isolation and poverty to succeed in school and in life, through two-generation learning programs.

The two-generation program consists of a morning and an afternoon session covering early childhood education (ECE), parent education, adult education, mental health support and leadership training.

Additionally, Families Forward offers a weekly Teen Parenting on Thursday afternoons, a weekly Fathers Support Group on Wednesday evenings, and Early Readers’ Book Club one Saturday morning per month.

Parent and child learn side by side at Families Forward, investing in the success of the entire family | Photo courtesy of Families Forward

Berit Anderson, Manager for Communications and Events at Families Forward, describes, “Our tutoring and learning program is geared for children between zero and five years old, when the early development crucial to their growth, is taking place. We want to ensure that children are fully prepared to transition to kindergarten.

“Our adult program encompasses adult education, parenting education, and mental health services in partnership with Pacific Oaks. To accommodate families’ specific needs, we partner with several organizations in the community for services we cannot provide here at the center. For instance, we collaborate with Pasadena City College to offer ESL (English as a Second Language) classes.”

A resource and a safety net for the 83 percent of families who are living at, or below, the federal poverty level, Families Forward currently serves 116 children, or 100 families, who live in the neighborhood. It is open from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm. Morning program hours are from 9 to 11 am and afternoon programs are from 1 to 4:30 pm.

Families Forward has nine people in its administrative staff and three credentialed teachers. It is funded by the California teachers program, Head Start, the federal government, individual and company donors, and community supporters.

Sixteen local restaurants and businesses will serve tastings of their cuisine to event guests | Photo courtesy of Families Forward

“Twilight Tasting started eight years ago to create an opportunity for people to come in to our center,” Anderson discloses. “We have our Back to School Night before the event, so all the classrooms will display the children’s artwork. After that, people can walk around to enjoy a beer, wine, and food festival held here in our teaching spaces and the parking lot.

“We call restaurants, food, and drink companies to take part in the event. There will be 16 restaurants, some of whom are coming back from previous years’ participation, with tables and tastings throughout the evening for 300 attendees. We’ve also created relationships with businesses throughout the year and it’s a good chance for them to promote their restaurant. They’ll get face-time with our patrons, community leaders, and people in the area. It’s also an opportunity for them to show their support for our organization.

“We’re very grateful to have Boomtown Brewery, Braise & Crumble, Califia Farms, El Cholo Café, El Portal, Everson Royce, Hope Café & Catering, Kitchen Mouse, Mt. Lowe Brewing Co., Panda Express, Pasadena Sandwich Company, Semolina Artisanal Pasta, Siera Fusion, Stark Spirits, and Mendocino Farms this year.”

Anderson says further, “Our Twilight Tasting will again feature a live band, and a wine pull. Additionally, we’ll have an auction and a mobile bidding. Auction items include a Staples Center suite for either a Clippers or Kings game, which comes with VIP parking; tickets to Disneyland; a couple of vacation getaways – to Las Vegas at the Cosmo, and the W Hotel in Hollywood. We will also have some artwork pieces made by the children, which will be professionally framed.

“Tickets are $120 and can be purchased online and at the venue, right up to the event. We’re launching our online auction starting Wednesday, October 3, for those who couldn’t attend but would like to participate, and will be open until the end of the event.”

“We were one of the first organizations in Pasadena to have a tasting event,” Anderson declares. “We hold a gala every year but we wanted to create something more intimate and casual, an occasion for people to just have a great time.”

That you will be contributing to a worthy cause while indulging your inner foodie only makes Twilight Tasting twice as satisfying. See you at the party!

Dr. Gordon Amerson Brings His Vision to San Gabriel Valley Schools

24th October 202328th June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 10 September 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Superintendent Amerson with students of the Duarte Unified School District | Courtesy photo / DUSD

Dr. Gordon Amerson is a big believer in creating a culture of achievement and opportunity using the innate skills and talents of the community. It is the vision he brings to San Gabriel Valley schools as he leads the Duarte Unified School District (DUSD).

After officially taking over the superintendent position on July 23, 2018, Amerson spent a month visiting each of the district’s seven schools, preschool programs, and public charter, the California School of the Arts-San Gabriel Valley (CSArts-SGV), to meet teachers, listen to parents, and learn about the community.

“Until now, my knowledge of Duarte has been rather limited. My father-in-law lives in Baldwin Park and my wife grew up in the area. But I didn’t really know much about it,” confesses Amerson.

The revelation is understandable given that Amerson had previously worked in Orange County, and prior to that spent the majority of his career in San Bernardino. It was only by happenstance that he found out about DUSD.

“I was the Associate Superintendent of Human Resource Services at Capistrano Unified School District and I was very fortunate to have a superintendent who was very encouraging of her team’s development and advancement,” relates Amerson. “Early in the 2017-2018 school year, she supported me when I told her of my interest in joining the ACSA (Association of California School Administrators) Superintendents’ Academy.

“Through ACSA, I went through an intense eight-month superintendent preparation program while holding a full-time job. During that process I was trained on all the components that go into district leadership. Additionally it gave me exposure to state-wide search firms who had interaction with attendees of the program.”

“It was then I started to discover Duarte and DUSD,” continues Amerson. “I looked at the website and found out about all the transformational work going on. That was very exciting for me and I wanted to know more; that truly sparked my interest.

“I didn’t know Dr. Mucerino at all prior to my applying either, but before leaving his position as superintendent of DUSD, he offered me a 30,000-foot view of the district from his perspective. I appreciated his transparency. I thought it was an exceedingly kind gesture for an outgoing superintendent to do.

“The search firm cast a net nationwide. From what I was told, there were 33 candidates who applied and eight were invited to interview. It was a competitive process and one that I’m glad to rise on top of. I finished the academy in April and secured the job in June, but I don’t take it lightly that I was able to navigate it successfully.”

Gordon Amerson with his family and members of the Board of Education at the Regular Meeting held on June 28, 2018 when he was unanimously appointed as the new Superintendent of the Duarte Unified School District | Courtesy photo / DUSD

Amerson is fully prepared to head a school district, and has a resume to prove it. He describes, “Before taking on this level of responsibility, I was an educator for a long time. I was a classroom teacher, an athletic coach in baseball and football, and a high school principal. I’ve seen a lot of places and spaces along the educational management spectrum which, I believe, helps inform my leadership.

“I have a multi-faceted understanding of what teachers and principals are going through on a daily basis as they try to create a community of learners and to keep students engaged. Seeing that work from different angles and experiences has given me a wide-range perspective and will help me be supportive as well as decisive.”

There is much going on in DUSD. According to Jenny Owen, public information officer, this year they have completed the process of converting four of the district’s elementary schools to K-8 academies. Now each has its own distinctive theme: Andres Duarte Arts Academy; Beardslee Dual Language Academy; Maxwell Academy & International Baccalaureate World School, and Royal Oaks STEAM Academy. Valley View, the remaining elementary school, will begin the transition to become a K-8 this school year, and already has been renamed Valley View Academy of Technology & Creative Learning to reflect its signature programs.

“One of the things I would remember for the rest of my life was being a high school principal at a school with a high-performing dance company led by a talented choreographer,” discloses Amerson. “They performed in the gym and I was moved by what kids are able to do with music and dance. From then on, I was hooked. We created a piano program. Kids in 9^th grade who had never touched the piano were composing music by the time they graduated high school. It is uplifting to see the kinds of opportunities we can offer students.”

Amerson says further, “My daughter has been in dance formally since she was three years old. My son has been playing the piano, the drums, and the trumpet since he was four. It’s a focal point in our home. When I saw the impact and influence of the arts, and DUSD building a foundation of the arts to all of our schools, that’s what made a huge impression – that got me, hook, line and sinker.”

Much transpired in DUSD under the leadership of Mucerino, who facilitated the creation and implementation of the district’s strategic plan known as the Competitive Advantage Plan (CAP). Amerson adds, “With all due respect to Dr. Mucerino, if he were here today, he would say the strategic plan wasn’t his but the community’s. It was the stakeholder engagement, their input and feedback, that helped develop it.

“We have a seven-goal CAP which is the right plan because it was developed by the community; it was what our Board of Education has approved; it was reauthorized, redesigned, and updated recently, right before I arrived. And it is the plan we will be moving forward with. If, at some point, we need to alter something, I will listen, observe, learn, collaborate, and build a coalition before making adjustments.”

The most important issues Amerson will be tackling are the scholars and the staff. He states, “We have a really great framework around the CAP. But like the saying goes, how do we build a house into a home? I want to make sure scholars are connected to the school they attend; I want our staff to be empowered to do great work. The focus for me would be establishing trust and collaboration, being transparent, being visible so people know I’m accessible, letting them know I’m here to coach, support and mentor. I really want to try my best to coordinate our facilities as an organization to provide the services so people can do their job and kids can learn.”

It’s such an auspicious time for Amerson to be heading the district and he is well aware of his good fortune. He says, “A long and painful enrollment decline has affected countless school districts. But through transformational objectives within the CAP, DUSD has been able to turn the district around. And I am the lucky beneficiary of it.

“The board, administrators, staff, families, students, and the whole community implemented a community-based strategy. There is a cohesion, a partnership, and a collaboration that exist between the district and the city. That synergy is what helps transform an entire neighborhood and produces positive outcomes for students. I’m happy and excited to be here; I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and do the work.”

Amerson shares his very heartening first month on the job, “It has been amazing because people were so welcoming and responsive, optimistic and positive, helpful and supportive. That’s something you don’t always see or experience. And I want to capitalize on that and the opportunity. I am now on 70-plus hours of one-on-one meetings with folks, which is embedded in this plan of listening and learning.

Gordon Amerson meeting and greeting students during his first month as superintendent of DUSD | Courtesy photo / DUSD

“I gain various perspectives from the community on what I should be thinking about, what are the challenges they or their children are facing that the community or I need to be aware of. During these meetings I ask people, ‘Let’s reverse roles. If you were the superintendent what would you focus on first and why?’

“That always gets me interesting responses and tells me what’s important to them. Some are like low-hanging fruit that can be done right away, and some are big rocks that require more prolonged thinking and planning which could only be addressed over time.”

To the question ‘what is he most looking forward to working on?’ Amerson responds, “I am looking forward to continuing to build the four pillars because they’re spot on – a focus on results, service-centered, 21^st century schools, and strong partnerships. What I think are the most important things are the teaching and learning; understanding deeply our partnerships and their value; how we will continue to nurture, cultivate, and expand them.

“Those partnerships are wide-ranging, from the work we do on our early college program, in our culinary arts program, all the things we do at our theme-based academies, the international baccalaureate program, our STEAM initiative with ‘Project Lead the Way,’ the alliance we have with City of Hope and CSArts, just to name a few.”

CSArts-SGV provides an extraordinary opportunity for students in the entire San Gabriel Valley – it gives them access to a quality fine arts program. While other schools may offer arts courses, or after-school activities, CSArts-SGV integrates arts academies within the curriculum. Before it opened last year, students who are really interested in pursuing arts courses had to travel to either Orange County School of the Arts (OCSA) or Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA). CSArts-SGV’s enrollment covers cities beyond Duarte. There is, in fact, an arts program in all DUSD schools.

DUSD is a hopping place. Student learning is balanced and engaging – it offers everything from theatre acting, graphic arts, and music performance to engineering, math, science, and technology. It is an enriching environment for young people to immerse in scholarship as much as it is a satisfying place for teachers to mold responsive minds.

With Amerson’s leadership, DUSD could very well be the exemplar of erudition. And that would be his singular contribution to a community that continuously strives to afford the best education and a promising future for its youth.

Arcadia Brothers Give Endowment to Union Station Homeless Services

20th October 202327th June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 13 August 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

(Left to Right) Eric Dong, Anne Miskey (CEO of Union Station Homeless Services), Congresswoman Judy Chu, and Richard Dong | Courtesy photo

Arcadians Richard and Eric Dong, rising 12^th grader and 11^th grader at San Marino High School (SMHS), are continuing their philanthropic endeavors which they launched in 2014 with their first endowment fund at Clairbourn School in honor of then headmaster, Dr. Robert W. Nafie.

Last Wednesday, August 8, they established The Richard and Eric Dong Endowment Fund for Union Station Homeless Services. During the endowment ceremony held in Pasadena, Richard said, “The fund is designed to provide scholarships for children in sports, music and the arts, leadership, and human rights promotion; to purchase books for the family library; to fund staff appreciation and recognition; and to finance the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights educational programs.”

“It is in memory of Robert F. Kennedy on the 50^th anniversary of his last campaign and in honor of Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy for their legacy and ideals of justice, equality, and freedom for all,” Richard added.

Additionally, Richard and Eric gave a check for Union Station’s immediate use this year. The ceremony ended with them giving a piano recital for friends, family, and guests.

Richard and Eric started their involvement with Union Station at the beginning of this year after hearing about the organization. They took a tour of the building, the family center, and the library.

“We were especially inspired by the hard-working families, the talented children, and the entire staff at Union Station who are passionate about what they do,” explained Richard. “We decided then that we wanted to contribute, so we donated clothes, books, school supplies, and toys for the kids. We also taught children at the center and gave piano performances for families.”

Congresswoman Judy Chu, who was in attendance at last Wednesday’s event, only had words of admiration and praise for Richard and Eric.

Chu enthused, “I don’t know of any kids who have successfully invested their money in Ford Motors and Bank of America and made so much money, then gave away their profits! This is actually their fourth endowment. They have previously instituted endowment funds for Clairbourn School, San Marino High School, and the International Leadership Foundation.”

“I am proud to say that I personally know Richard and Eric because they both interned in my office,” Chu continued. “They are extraordinary young men and are role models for young people in the San Gabriel Valley.

“Twice Richard has been the recipient of the Congressional Award Medal, the highest award for youth in the country,” proclaimed Chu. “And today it is my honor to present Richard and Eric the Certificate of Congressional Recognition.”

Richard and Eric were raised by their immigrant parents, Ed and Charity, to be thankful for their blessings and to make worthy contributions to society. While getting a certificate was not something they had expected, it is a fitting acknowledgement of their commitment and generosity given by a district representative on behalf of an appreciative community.

Danny Feldman Leads the Pasadena Playhouse into its Next Hundred Years

15th October 202327th June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 5 June 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Gilmore Brown and Charles Prickett (Early Playhouse) | Courtesy photo / Pasadena Playhouse Archives

The venerable Pasadena Playhouse, the State Theatre of California, is observing its centennial. It is a milestone only a handful of theatre institutions in the country have reached, which is why Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman can’t help but speak in awe of its past as well as its place in history.

“We’re celebrating three significant events – the centennial, the 90^th anniversary of the founding of the Playhouse College of Theatre Arts, and the 80^th year of the Playhouse’s designation as the State Theatre of California – and that’s extraordinary when you compare it to the Center Theatre Group, for instance, which is turning 50 this year,” states Feldman. “They’re babies compared to the Playhouse! Very few, if any, professional theatres in this country can claim similar distinction of history, impact, and longevity.”

“The Playhouse has survived world wars and has weathered financial challenges to continue to bring productions that enrich the community. It has been a leading center for theatre arts in America for a century but very few people realize its importance. It’s my job to tell people about it; it’s incumbent upon us to tell our story and history. And I’m excited to be taking us back to that journey.”

Feldman continues, “Any time there’s a new artistic director, which is a very healthy and natural evolution, you get someone who’s coming in with a new lens as to what they interpret their mission to be. I stand on the very broad shoulders of Gilmore Brown and Sheldon Epps who dedicated big chunks of their career into making this place thrive.

“Gilmore Brown founded the Pasadena Playhouse in 1917 when he was only in his 30s and basically operated the theatre until his death in 1960. He defined the greatness and international acclaim of the Playhouse. It was here that world premieres of the works of Tennessee Williams and Eugene O’Neill were presented. It was the venue for women playwrights to stage their creations in those early years when it wasn’t the norm.

“He was the entrepreneurial man who galvanized this community into buying the land where the Playhouse sits now and build this theater. It belongs in the hierarchy of monumental buildings. At the time its cornerstone was laid, it was the only structure of its kind among orange groves. Variety called it a world-class facility, a true original.

“An energetic and fascinating man, Gilmore put the entire community to work in the Playhouse. They made costumes and they were part of the chorus in the shows. There was a blurring of the lines between professional and non-professional theatre artists. What resulted was a community that fell in love with this enterprise and gave themselves for many, many years in establishing it and taking great pride in making it one of the foremost theaters in the country.”

Producing Artistic Director Danny Feldman | Courtesy photo / Ben Gibbs

“The Playhouse had a lot of ups and downs after this death when the theater was dark for a period of time,” relates Feldman. “The next great chapter in its history was when Sheldon Epps came on board. He was really ahead of his time in reinterpreting the Playhouse’s role. The community wasn’t what it looked like back in 1917 and it was him who burst open the doors of who the stage is for and what kinds of stories are being told. I think he made a permanent change to the Playhouse in saying ‘we are an inclusive place.’ It’s not a place about one segment but several segments of our community. I’m so inspired by that and am building on it.

“When I took over, not only did the artistic director change after 20 years, but it was a change right at the cusp of its new century. On top of the financial challenges, we have a new artistic focus through my lens, my love and passion. And at the same time we are defining what a theater is going to be in the age of Netflix and Hulu. We can’t function as we did back in 1917, the world is different now. So the question is how are we going to make theater flourish? What are the core values and ideas that worked back then that were important to the community and how do they translate today?”

“We want to have relevance which isn’t a new idea because it’s how it has always been,” Feldman says further. “Even when doing a classic like ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ if it doesn’t connect to your audience and it doesn’t make them see themselves, it isn’t alive. Great theatre or art is about making an audience of strangers a community. It’s sitting next to someone you’ve never met before and having that great moment when you realize everyone around you is engaged in the same personal experience. Theatre is the ultimate master class in empathy.

“That is profound and it’s why theaters have always thrived, and will continue to, even with the inventions of radio, television, movies, and the Internet. Theater unites people in a way you don’t get with any other medium. No one can contrive something that can replace that. It’s worked with the ancient Greeks and it will do so now for a reason. The desire to be around other people is innate in human beings and we crave it in a way that’s hard to articulate in words but it’s important for humanity.”

Feldman remarks, “When the Playhouse was first established there was a great level of investment particularly in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley that went on for a long time. People went door-to-door to raise money to build this structure because they were deeply attached to the work the theatre was doing. They were an active part of it and felt ownership of this. But over time, some of that connectivity was lost.

“Our challenge is to do a much better job of broadening the definition of what our community is and we started some initiatives to address that. We’re sending out a message loud and clear that it isn’t just those who belong to an economic class that can afford to buy tickets. So one of the things we did right away was to lower our ticket prices. You can come to any show at the Playhouse for $25 and get good seats. We have a substantial portion of our tickets for that and they sell out first.

“We also launched a program called ‘Community at play,’ which is a free ticket initiative. We identified that there are groups in the community that have barriers to coming to see a play because of cost, or transportation, and so on. To get this population to be with the rest of our audience and be a part of our community, we gave away thousands of tickets to social service groups and after-school programs.”

“Studies show that young people who had an art experience in school have a greater likelihood of them coming back as adults, which bodes well for us,” Feldman adds. “A generous donor has enabled us to bring the entire 7^th grade of the Pasadena Unified School District come to watch ‘Pirates of Penzance’ and I’m excited to say they’re all coming back next season for ‘Woman in Black.’ Our goal is for everyone who attends public schools in Pasadena to be able to see a show at their theater.

“Last night, for our ‘Community at Play’ program, a group of predominantly Latino students who did a workshop beforehand, came with their teachers to watch ‘Bordertown Now.’ Their experience was so moving that it brought tears to my eyes. They heard their voices on our stage which elevated them. The State Theater of California should rightfully be the place where Latino voices are amplified in the same way that Tennessee Williams’s or William Shakespeare’s voices were. It’s one of the ways we’re enriching our community and showing our relevance to it.”

Senorita with Car (1936) | Courtesy photo / Pasadena Playhouse Archives

Feldman pronounces, “I want to think of the Playhouse’s next chapter as a transformation and I want to be careful when I talk about it. We’re firmly rooted in the past and we’ve had some real challenges that we’ve addressed head-on. I’m not someone who turns a corner and says ‘let’s forget the past’ because I want to remember it – there’s value to it. We’re a historical theater and we have to honor our past but look at it with the lens of the future.

“I think of myself as bridging those worlds and our programming demonstrates that. The first show we put on for our centennial season was ‘Our Town,’ which is a play about community. But what does that community look like today? So we reinterpreted it to reflect our changing world.”

“In the 1920s Gilmore Brown produced new plays here and in the 1940s he put on Tennessee Williams plays,” Feldman expounds. “He championed contemporary playwrights and I’m continuing that. We have ‘Bordertown Now,’ a play refreshed and rewritten by modern-day artists from their work 20 years ago, to show the world we live in today. In a way it’s a transformation in taking core values deeply rooted in the past but aware of where we’re going in the future. We want to find the spirit that prevailed in the 1940s to the 1970s, which was the period the Playhouse had the most growth, and put our own distinctive stamp on it.

“My previous post in New York was with an artist-driven theater, established by Philip Seymour Hoffman and other exciting artists, that created space and opportunities for those who are being marginalized and being left out of the conversation. I was very much inspired by that and I’ve brought that here, particularly as we expand the scope of our work. It deeply resonates with me because my father wasn’t born here. I realize that America is a tapestry of different cultures and people.”

“California is one of the most diverse places on the planet and the Playhouse is its State Theater. I’m responsible for ensuring that our values and programs demonstrate the core values of inclusion, diversity, and providing a space for more than just one thing. That’s inherent in who are as an institution and I want to carry on that legacy,” declares Feldman.

So how does an institution that is one of the most prolific drama-producing organizations in the history of American theatre – having commissioned over 550 new works, produced upwards of 1,200 shows, spearheaded over 500 world premieres, developed several shows that went on to Broadway, and welcomed more than one million audience members – commemorate a milestone?

Pasadena Playhouse will celebrate its centennial with a block party | Courtesy photo / Chris Molina

“There was a great deal of discussion about it and a great many ideas were thrown around, including having a black-tie dinner,” discloses Feldman. “And, quite frankly, I wrestled with it for a long time because I want to make sure that whatever we do, it has to be something that’s engaging our community the way it has in the past and building on that heritage.

“One day, when I was in a heated debate on it, someone asked ‘If money weren’t an issue, what would you want to do?’ And I said ‘We’d close all the streets around the Playhouse and invite everyone to come so we can say ‘thank you.’ And my Marketing Director said, ‘Okay, let’s do it.’

“It’s a huge undertaking to close El Molino Street, the parking lot, and the Playhouse Alley. But we decided that instead of having a self-congratulatory event, having a block party was the best way to honor everyone who has supported us. It would be an opportunity to reintroduce the Playhouse to the community, to say that this isn’t our space but your space. It has served as a gathering place for a community for a hundred years and we want to be a part of their lives for the next century.”

Brown established Pasadena Playhouse in 1917 and named it Pasadena Community Playhouse, safeguarding the entire neighborhood’s investment in it. And while it has achieved an international renown in the years hence, Danny Feldman is making it his mission to ensure that the community spirit on which it was founded lives on into its next century. Gilmore Brown would have been pleased.

Clairbourn School’s Robert W. Nafie Leaves a Lasting Legacy

12th October 202327th June 2023 / May S Ruiz / Leave a comment

Originally published on 22 May 2018 in the Pasadena Independent, Arcadia Weekly, and Monrovia Weekly

Dr. Robert Nafie dedicated 39 years of his life to Clairbourn School | Courtesy photo

He’s at transportation every single day, rain or shine, opening car doors for students arriving in the morning and leaving in the afternoon. He’s the one constant for the thousands of children who have attended Clairbourn School through the decades – Dr. Robert W. Nafie, headmaster.

It was therefore with much melancholy that students and parents received his announcement that he was leaving at the end of the 2017-2018 school year. He’s such a permanent figure that it’s almost impossible to envision the school without his daily presence nor to imagine what Clairbourn was before he ever stepped foot on its campus.

The second of Edith and Marvin Nafie’s four boys, Robert William Nafie was born on September 7, 1948 in Detroit, Michigan, where he spent his earliest years. When he was nine years old, they moved to Farmington, a northwest suburb of Detroit. He remembers having a Huckleberry Finn childhood – running through the woods, building forts, swinging on ropes, and doing all manner of imaginative play.

A portrait of five-year-old Robert William Nafie | Courtesy photo / Nafie family.

When he was 12 years old his father, who worked at a firm that made parts used in different makes of cars, was offered the position of plant manager for a factory that was opening in Duluth, Minnesota.

He graduated from high school in Duluth and went to the local college affiliated with the University of Minnesota where he earned a four-year degree in History and Economics with a teaching certificate.

Directly after college he took a temporary post teaching U.S. history at the local junior high school which he once attended. After one-and-a-half years he found permanent employment at a special education school.

“Funding for special education became available in 1970 to establish community-based programs for young people who would otherwise have gone to state hospitals,” says Nafie. “It wasn’t what I had intended to do but I’ve always been humble and was taught to take advantage of opportunities that came my way.

“Within a year, the people I worked with and came in contact with felt there were much higher things in store for me and when a community-based facility needed a head, I was recommended and promptly hired.”

And so, at the age of 24, Nafie became the head of a community-based special education facility. Now he was running a school with 16 teachers all older than he in Eveleth, Minnesota, 60 miles north of Duluth.

It was there that he first demonstrated the nobility of purpose that would be the hallmark of his entire career. He states, “The facility was one that was no longer being used because the population had decreased. It was in such bad shape and looked like it was down on its luck; I didn’t want to put people who were already in dire straits in that building.”

He elaborates, “I had the audacity to write a grant for a program asking the state legislature for $500K to renovate the school. I was able to hire an architect who worked with me, from designing buildings to completion. This experience later proved useful during the construction years at Clairbourn. I earned a commendation from the governor of Minnesota for my efforts and the refurbished building opened to much fanfare attended by the governor.”

In 1974, he enrolled in a graduate program for educational administration at the University of Wisconsin at Superior, across from Duluth. Because of the distance of the drive, coupled with high gasoline prices, he rode a motorcycle 75 miles each way even in the bitter cold. He became the stuff of legend riding his little 250 Suzuki back and forth. He earned his Master’s degree in 1975; he was 27 years old.

Having gained state recognition, he came to the attention of the Developmental Learning Centers in Eveleth and became its executive director. He ultimately became the president of a statewide association of learning centers with headquarters on the eastern side of St. Paul, Minnesota. It had five locations, so he spent his time driving up and down the county overseeing building leases as well as supervising the instruction.

After being on the job for two years, Nafie decided he wanted to go back to general education and sent his resume to seven or eight schools. One of them was Clairbourn and, in August of 1979, he was invited to come to California to interview. “Who wouldn’t accept a plane ticket to California? Little did I know that it was over 100 degrees and they told me it wasn’t always like this,” he deadpans.

The 29-year-old headmaster | Courtesy photo

The school needed a Development Director but it wasn’t what he wanted so he turned them down. However, the post of headmaster became vacant after the school year had begun and he was hired to fill it. And so in 1979, at the age of 29, he became headmaster of Clairbourn School. To make himself appear older he started wearing a suit to work every day, which became his trademark.

Jim Halferty, a Clairbourn alumnus and currently a real estate developer in Pasadena, was on the board back in 1979. He pronounces, “It was my best hire as a Clairbourn trustee. We interviewed several candidates, many of whom were much older and with more years of experience. But we decided we wanted someone young who would make his mark on the school. And Bob did just that; Clairbourn is what it is today because of him.”

When Nafie arrived at Clairbourn, the school was a disjointed grouping of structures on two different parcels of land, the grounds were uneven and unpaved, and the campus had no central area. His first course of action was to make the school a beautiful learning place for children.

“When I met with the board I told them my vision for educating children and how their environment affects learning. They all thought I rode in on a white horse and they were happy to give me every bit of the school along with all the problems that needed fixing. They threw it all at me, wished me well, and said they would call me in a few weeks. At least that’s how I saw it; but I was used to multi-tasking,” he smiles in recollection.

“I wanted it to be a school I could be proud to lead,” he declares. “I made the first ten years of my headship be about creating a master plan for restructuring the buildings and reconfiguring the campus. We hired an architect who worked with us on designing the classrooms and the grounds to look like a country day school. The architecture of the Manor House became the model for a unified appearance – all the structures would have the same Georgian Colonial style, with off-white walls and grey eaves. I also spearheaded a capital campaign to raise funds for the projects.”

During his first decade, he oversaw the creation of the new library, art studio, music room; new infrastructure – sidewalks, central lighting system, irrigation system, electrical and gas lines. He linked the two parcels by creating a campus center from which the students could get to either side of the school grounds upon arrival. Where there was once broken asphalt, a grassy central quad emerged, with walkways for children to use as they went to their classrooms. “The quad overlooked my office and I guarded it like a hawk; everyone knew not to step on the grass,” he quips.

The first of many constructions that would span several years | Courtesy photo

While all this was going on he attended the Claremont Graduate School and led the charge to demonstrate a strong model for teachers to follow. In 1983 he established what was called the Education Reimbursement Program which he himself took advantage of, from 1983 to 1985, when he earned his doctorate degree and henceforth became Dr. Nafie. When the program was first put in place, Clairbourn paid half the cost of a formal education for any teacher who desired to get a degree; today it covers 100% of tuition and books.

Towards the end of Nafie’s first decade, in 1987, he began thinking about a space where children could assemble for Chapel and meetings. The funds for this came from an unexpected source – a painting hanging in the Manor House which turned out to be ‘Pandora,’ an important work by Thomas Wilmer Dewing, which was sold at auction for $525K. And so the multi-purpose building (MPB) came about. For everyone who attends Clairbourn it is the hub of all activities, the heart of the campus.

The aesthetic and physical components of Clairbourn thus established, he concentrated on building the team to implement his vision for education. A restructuring of the administration was put into place for him to hire an Assistant Head of School, a Director of Business and Finance, a Director of Development, and an Admissions Director.

The vibrant parent community is what makes Clairbourn the beloved institution to which alumni and their parents keep coming back. The Clairbourn Families Association (CFA), which Nafie initiated, has a hand in every fund-raising activity the school undertakes. He expounds, “I wanted the parents to be involved in ways that didn’t touch on instruction, and the best way to accomplish that was to have them help out in the library. We developed a very strong link between the CFA and the library which persists today, and the Book Fair is a manifestation of this.”

Nafie adds, “Around that time we had an activity that was solely run by parents – the Cougar Corner. It was literally a small room in one corner that sold spirit items like pennants and sweatshirts. When we did all the construction, we moved it to a larger space across from the MPB and now it carries everything from soda and popcorn to neckties and gym bags.

The biggest and most extravagant CFA event, though, is the Spring Benefit and auction, an idea originated by parents. All these events gave parents the opportunity to be on campus, provide service, and add to student experience. The campus was more alive than ever before.”

“In 1989 the discussion was, ‘We had all these fine buildings but what are we going to do with them?’” Nafie remarks. “We wanted to ensure that our emphasis didn’t stop on structural concerns but would expand to our enrichment programs. So we launched a five-year Campaign for Excellence from 1990 to 1994 and called it ‘Building on a Promise.’ It also marked the second decade of my headship.”

Nafie’s office overlooks the grassy quad | Courtesy photo

As his third decade approached, Nafie focused once more on infrastructure, “We came up with a Master Plan to replace the Gardner building and reconfigure the entire area with a north/west orientation.” Randall Hall opened in 2001 with state-of-the-art synthetic surface play yard.

“In 2002, Master Plan Phase 2 construction began on Andrew Hall which included the Transportation Pavilion. Completed in January of 2003, this formed a covered space for children and an orderly place for them to wait for their rides.

This was closely followed by the razing of the existing nursery building, and in its place the Seiter Center was erected and opened in 2008.”

It was also in this decade that he inaugurated a program distinct to the Clairbourn experience. Beginning in 2000, Clairbourn exchanged students with host families from the Huntingtower School in Melbourne, Australia. A highlight of the middle school experience, this not only established bonds among students but adults as well. To this day those relationships continue as former parents visit Melbourne and are hosted by Huntingtower teachers in their homes, and vice-versa.

The 2008 recession and its aftermath marked Nafie’s fourth decade. This necessitated a restructuring of jobs and consolidation of roles among the administration and staff. At the same time, the population of the area changed with the influx of Asian families and they came to Clairbourn with different education needs and expectations.

Clairbourn focused on STEM and designed a curriculum to reflect this. It was also at this time that Clairbourn’s business systems and functions moved online and the school’s print publications adopted a digital platform.

Dr. Nafie’s tenure wasn’t all about construction and structural face-lifts but also about upholding the essence that would define his 39-year stewardship – a dynamic engagement with his students and parents.

An annual tradition that he started in 1981 is singing a song for moms during Mothers’ Visiting Day’s morning assembly. He recalls, “I wanted to make myself more approachable to the students; to be more human for them to get to know me personally and, hopefully, for them to know that I care about them. So I speak with them every day at Chapel and I play the guitar and sing for them annually.”

For years, at the Spring Carnival, Nafie would gamely sit in the dunk tank and students all fought for the honor of throwing a baseball to trigger the button that would collapse the plank he was perched on, dunking him in a tank of water. This always got everyone laughing and he would join in the hilarity as he came out, dripping wet in his suit.

Nafie in the dunk tank during the Spring Carnival | Courtesy photo

“The carnival was already in place when I arrived but I wasn’t in the dunk tank yet. That was another parent idea, now that I think about it. They quickly identified me as someone who would do almost anything,” he chuckles in reminiscence.

Throughout his four decades at Clairbourn, Nafie exhibited the many dimensions that make him a uniquely fascinating man. He is as wise as he is witty, with as much affinity for badinage as for waxing philosophical. He is as charming in his self-deprecation as he is stubborn in his opinions. He is at once a student acquiring a vast wealth of information and a teacher imparting his knowledge and homespun wisdom. He is well-read and well-traveled, with a wide range of hobbies and interests. An avid ornithologist, he spouts all kinds of bird trivia. An aviator, he relates in awe the sublime feeling of soaring over the horizon and marveling at the splendor that is God’s making.

When he starts his day drinking a cup of coffee, Nafie reads the L.A. Times, The (London) Times, and the Wall Street Journal. Some bits of information he gleaned would often find their way to morning Chapel to inform students and parents of what’s happening here or abroad and how these relate to them or to that day’s teaching.

Or, he would recount that when he went to get a cheeseburger, fries, and a coke at In-N-Out the previous evening, he reached the pick-up window only to realize that he hadn’t ordered. There’s a lesson in there somewhere, but they forget. What they do remember is that they recognize themselves in his moments of humanity.

Nafie will continue to be involved with Clairbourn School as a trustee | Courtesy photo / Anne Boughton (Nafie’s daughter)

By allowing the Clairbourn community into his personal life, he inadvertently let them have some ownership of it. That’s why when he was diagnosed with cancer last year and underwent chemotherapy and stem cell transplant, they rallied as one to support him. They were there through his illness and treatment. They fought it with him and would have fought it for him, if it came down to that. Happily, he is now in full recovery for they would have rejected any other outcome.

When asked what he considers his biggest accomplishment and what he sees in the school’s future, he replies, “I’m most proud of developing the Clairbourn campus into one of the most elite school campuses in the area – with its many facilities up-to-date and all paid for. Ten years hence, it will have a consistently superior faculty with complementary facilities in a multi-culturally diverse community that loves its school and cherishes its legacy.”

Nafie transformed the Clairbourn campus into one that inspires reflective erudition and meaningful discourse. He has made it his life’s work to create a school that provides both a challenging and nurturing environment. For 39 years he led his students, parents, faculty, and staff to become educated, well-informed, caring members of society.

Clairbourn stands today as a magnificent realization of his vision – the embodiment of an excellent education based on a code of ethics of honesty, respect, responsibility, spirituality, and citizenship. It’s a school that Nafie can not only be truly honored to have led but that which its community is proud of. He leaves a beautiful legacy, which he will continue to cultivate as a trustee, to ensure that it does more than endure but flourish for decades yet to come.

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.

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.

A San Gabriel Valley Inquirer

One woman and her local community

Community