SBCSS News and Press Releases

Annual Education Medal Of Honor Recipients Recognized

2010-04-27

VICTORVILLE - Six champions of public education - representing the Apple Valley Unified School District, Barstow Unified, Colton Joint Unified, Colton-Redlands-Yucaipa Regional Occupational Program (ROP) and the San Bernardino County ROP - were recognized with the 19th annual San Bernardino County Education Medal of Honor on April 26. The awards dinner was held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Victorville.

Each year, the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS) along with the San Bernardino County School Boards Association and County Communicators Network, recognizes individuals and groups who give outstanding service and support to public education with the San Bernardino County Education Medal of Honor.

"This is an annual celebration to applaud the efforts of community volunteers, business partners and educators for the incredible work they do on behalf of public education in San Bernardino County," County Superintendent Gary Thomas said. "These awards reflect the dedicated spirit these recipients bring to our schools and students."

The six categories, respective winners and districts served are:

• Volunteer in Action/Community Volunteer: Linda Delay, community volunteer for the Apple Valley Unified School District;
• Volunteer in Action/Service Group: Terrance Stone of the Young Visionaries, Inc., Barstow Unified;
• Partners in Education/Small Business or Franchise: Jo Walsh and Eileen Walsh of Redlands Thrift, Colton-Redlands-Yucaipa ROP;
• Partners in Education/Corporation: Mike Gallo of Kelly Space & Technology, Inc, San Bernardino County ROP;
• Excellence in Education/Education Professional: Gloria Fuentes, teacher at the Career Start Center, San Bernardino County ROP;
• Excellence in Education/Student Alumni: Harold Strauss, athletic director, Colton Joint Unified.

Following are narratives on each of the individual winners.

Volunteer in Action/Community Volunteer

For a volunteer helping with children's literacy, there could be no better individual than Linda Delay. With 35 years of experience teaching in the classroom, she was a natural choice to be involved with the Family Literacy Center at the Church of Whosoever in Apple Valley.

Working with the staff at Desert Knolls Elementary School in Apple Valley, Delay helps students from kindergarten through second grade with early literacy instruction. As a former kindergarten teacher in Apple Valley Unified, Delay understands the needs of the families in the community.

Her work has touched the pastor of the church, Royce Beserra, who helped start the literacy center. He said, "I'll never forget the time when I was walking in the classroom where Linda was teaching as a little boy turned to his mother and said, 'Mom, look I can read!' It was a blessing to see the mother in tears because her boy could now read."

Volunteer in Action/Service Group

For the past six years, Terrance Stone has worked countywide to help improve the lives and change the outlook of those involved in gangs, as well as youth who have been involved with drugs or alcohol or those who need after-school activities and tutoring.

Because of the success of the program in Barstow and San Bernardino, as well as other work in Victorville and in Ontario, Stone's program is drawing attention around the country.

Working with the countywide Gangs and Drugs Task Force, Stone has developed programs on violence intervention and prevention as well as mentoring programs that are in 17 secondary and community college school sites countywide. His work has been so successful that he is in the process of implementing a similar program in Atlanta and his services have been requested in Phoenix and Dallas. His focus on the safety for all school children and providing alternatives for destructive behaviors is admirable.

Partners in Education/Small Business or Franchise

As businesswomen, Jo and Eileen Walsh are sold on the concept of helping out their community. They work closely through their Redlands Thrift Store with the Colton-Redlands-Yucaipa Regional Occupational Program to provide on the job training and experience for special needs students in the Workability program.

For the past six years, the Walshes have worked with students at Redlands Thrift on the daily importance of customer assistance, attendance, communication, dependability and organization. Students also learn to apply context to their learning in writing, math and communications. The students' work gives them a strong sense of self-confidence and self-esteem.

"Jo and Eileen are golden examples of how business and education can collaborate to ensure students have opportunities for successful transition to employment," wrote Kathy Callaway and John Reynoso of the Colton-Redlands-Yucaipa ROP in the Walsh's nomination.

Partners in Education/Corporation

Kelly Space and Technology has been a true partner for career technical education. Recognizing the need to re-establish training for certificated machinists in the region, Kelly Space president and CEO Mike Gallo helped forge a collaborative effort to start up a new training program that will do just that.

Gallo's company help found Technical Employment Training, Inc., in conjunction with the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools' Regional Occupational Program and the county's Workforce Investment Board.

The career technical school will begin in June, using more than $1 million worth of machinist equipment from a County Schools' ROP class at Fontana High School that closed.
"Mr. Gallo serves as a role model for education and business partnerships," wrote Kit Alvarez, administrator of the County Schools' ROP, in the nomination of Kelly Space. "His vision and ability to marshal resources and business support are truly remarkable."

Excellence in Education/Education Professional

Students seeking a second chance at an education enroll in Gloria Fuentes' classes at the Career Start Center. Most turn that chance into the equivalent of a high school degree.

Working for the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools' Regional Occupational Program, Fuentes has helped 63 students earn their general educational development or GED, the same as a high school diploma.

Scott Wyatt, principal in the juvenile court schools for the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools, calls Fuentes an "everyday hero." Even though the classes are designated as ROP, many of Fuentes' students are those who have dropped out of school or had children as youth themselves and mostly have been out of the educational system for some time.

Wyatt said, "She is their teacher, parent, counselor and friend, all rolled up into one extraordinary person."

Excellence in Education/Student Alumni

As a football coach and athletic director at Colton High School, Harold Strauss understands that team sports extend so much farther than the playing fields of competition. A big part of the playbook for his students at Colton includes not only their education, but also giving back to their community.

With 31 years of experience coaching and working with student athletes, Strauss has impacted a generation worth of youth with strong commitment to their education and a willingness to take a team approach to making their communities a better place.

Colton Superintendent James Downs said that Strauss goes beyond his roles as coach and educator to be a mentor for all his players. "His wisdom and passion will certainly continue for students at Colton High for years to come," Downs wrote in Strauss' nomination for the award.