Foothills Sentry March 2021

Foothills Sentry Page 7 March 2021 Looking for a Real Estate Agent? Call Jasmine Wesley (714) 910-4631 jasmine@prestige-realtyca.com OUSD teams with educational foundation for fundraising advice With levels of state funding un- certain and demands for student programs increasing, the Orange Unified School District is explor- ing its options to create a founda- tion to focus on fundraising. The OUSD Board of Trust- ees approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Feb. 11, with Beyond Education, LLC, an affiliate of the Irvine Public School Foundation, to assess the district’s programmatic and fun- draising needs and help define strategies. Under the $25,000 MOU, Be- yond Education will meet with a district team and community stakeholders to identify specific needs, guide the development of the foundation’s mission, vision and values and advise on neces- sary governing documents. The Irvine affiliate will also research and document fundraising oppor- tunities and explore the viability of OUSD operating its own after- school enrichment program. It will provide a comprehensive re- port in August. OUSD selected Beyond Educa- tion due to its 25-year collabora- tion with the Irvine School Dis- trict, which has generated $80 million. The Irvine Public School Foundation is the largest fund- raiser of its kind in California and third in the nation. OUSD has been studying the benefits of a viable foundation for the past 13 months. Research indicates that school districts with active foundations are able to of- fer more programs for students and have a higher retention rate than districts without them. “Our funding level is lower than the national average and some of California,” Assistant Superintendent David Rivera ex- plained. “Our goal is to establish partnerships that result in learn- ing and career opportunities for students and/or enhance external funding.” Any resulting OUSD founda- tion would be designed to coexist with the district’s existing school- specific fundraising groups and booster clubs. Ironically, there is already a foundation for Orange Unified registered with the Secretary of State. A formal Statement of In- formation, filed Jan. 14, 2020, keeps the foundation in legally “active” status. It was originally incorporated in 1997 as the Or- ange Education Foundation. In 2017, the name was amended to “Orange Unified Public Schools Foundation.” It has not done any fundraising, sponsored any activ- ities or provided any discernible benefit to OUSD for more than a decade. Seniors sign to play El Modena High senior Jasmine Gonzales signed to play softball at Lake Erie College in Ohio on National Signing Day, Feb. 11. Her mother Olivia Prudencio, brought photos of young Jasmine when she first began playing catcher. Athletic Director Ed Drzanek and Coach Robert Calderon noted that Gonzalez, known for her leadership on and off the field, is in the elite one percent group of student athletes who continue on to play sports at the college level. Gonzales was recognized as an Athlete of Character her junior year. She is an ambassador for ElMo and a varsity tennis player. Caleb Manson, also from El Modena High, signed to play football at University of Nevada- Reno at a separate event. Student-athletes from Villa Park High signed to play col- legiate sports: Aaliyah Farmer will play soccer at USC; Andraya Alvarado will play softball for Eastern New Mexico University; Courtney Alvardo will take up softball for Vanguard University; and Andreya Flores will compete on the softball field for Fairleigh Dickinson University. New members of the Orange Park Association Board were elected via online voting following the organization’s annual membership meeting, held virtually this year, Feb. 20. Kathy Bonnaud, Kelley Chaplin and David Hillman will serve four-year terms. Highlights of the meeting included a COVID status report from Supervisor Don Wagner, the introduction of new council members Arianna Barrios, District 1 and Ana Gutierrez, District 5. Board President Sherry Panttaja summarized the community’s 2020 accomplishments and emphasized the board’s continuing goal to “protect and preserve the Orange Park Acres equestrian community.” See orangeparkacres.org or call OPA Hotline (714) 900-OPA(672) for more Orange Republican Women, Federated schedule year of activities Orange Republican Women, Federated is making plans for 2021. Members are able to meet in person at the Elks Lodge in Santa Ana. Masks, social distancing and fever checks are practiced as members gather for a luncheon and listen to speakers on national and local issues. The March 19 speaker will be Ruth Weiss from the nonpartisan, nonprofit Election Integrity Project. Weiss will explain the Project’s mission, 2020 election concerns, current voting legislation and pending lawsuits. The speakers on April 16 will be Kimo Gandall and Anthony Mansfield, college students from the University of California, Irvine. They will explain the challenges of being conservatives in college, the college’s liberal policies, and how they are promoting the conservative voice on campus. On May 21, Anaheim City Councilman Trevor O’Neil will explain the challenges and solutions the city has experienced during the yearlong pandemic. The 2021 Executive Board was installed, and includes: President, Andrea Krupka; First Vice President, programs, Faith Canedo; Third Vice President, ways and means, Martha Ming; Recording Secretary, Christine Flynn; Treasurer, Nancy Tucker; and Membership Secretary, Michele Markel. The club remains actively in- volved in supporting the families of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit stationed at Camp Pendleton and the Community Foundation of Orange’s November Field of Valor. Voter registration remains a priority goal and the club’s 45- year participation at the Orange International Street Fair is highly anticipated. The highlight of the year is the annual major fundrais- er “Holiday Fantasy,” slated to be held Dec. 4 at the Phoenix Club in Anaheim. For more information, contact President Andrea Krupka, andrea.krupka44@gmail.com . Jasmine Gonzales, right, is congratulated by her biggest fan, her moth- er Olivia Prudencio.