Contra Costa County Annual Health & Bioscience Career Fair

An impressive group of local education, health care businesses, and health care organizations came together to present a conference for more than 450 Contra Costa County high school students that share an enthusiastic interest in the fields of health, health care, and bioscience, at this year’s annual Contra Costa County Health & Bioscience Career Fair. The extraordinary educational opportunity was held on March 4, at the Marriott Hotel in San Ramon.

At left, students from San Ramon Valley High ROP Sports Medicine Class (l-r) Gabrielle Patton, Jennifer Just, Bonnie Hagmaier (Teacher), Jordon Bosso, and Mackenzie Emerson.

The majority of attending students are currently enrolled in bioscience and health-care ROP and School-to-Career programs provided by the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) and their representative schools. On hand, were a number of students from CCCOE ROP Sports Medicine classes. During the Career Fair, the students participated in a number of workshops that feature such topics as Technology and Health, Laboratory Medicine, Imaging, and Pre-Hospital Care. In addition, the students were able to meet directly with 19 local bioscience- and health-care-related exhibitors to talk to, interview, and learn more about the arena they are looking to enter after graduating high school.

The conference kicked off with an insightful and upbeat keynote presentation, made by Brian Feeley, M.D., orthopedic surgeon at the University of California, San Francisco, Sports Medicine Center. Dr. Feeley championed the day’s conference and the opportunities it offered the attending students: “I really wish I had such program to attend when I was your age.” Dr. Feeley talked about his education and career path, which included earning his undergraduate and medical degree from Stanford University, and then completed his hospital residency in orthopedic surgery at the UCLA Medical Center. He finished his sports medicine fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, where he also served as and assistant team physician to the New York Giants.

The presenting sponsors of the Contra Costa County Health & Bioscience Fair were John Muir Health, Sutter Health, and Kaiser Permanente. The event was produced in cooperation with the Contra Costa County Office of Education, Contra Costa Economic Partnership, Hospital Council, Contra Costa Community College District, and the Contra Costa Health / Bioscience collaborative.

“The Health and Bioscience Career Fair is a wonderful opportunity for our ROP and School-to Work teachers and students to learn more about the wide range of career opportunities that are available,” says Louise Barbee, coordinator with the CCCOE. “We received a lot of positive feedback from everyone involved today: students, teachers, and sponsors!”

Students attending represented the following Contra Costa County high schools: Ygnacio Valley H.S. (Concord), San Ramon Valley H.S. (Danville), Monte Vista (Danville) H.S., Richmond H.S. (Richmond) California H.S. (San Ramon), Mt. Diablo H.S. (Concord), Middle College H.S. (San Pablo), Heritage H.S. (Brentwood), and De Anza H.S. (Richmond).

All of the day’s vendors and presenters were very impressed with the overwhelming enthusiasm and interest the students displayed, as well as the number of great questions that were asked.

Miramonte High School named Contra Costa County Mock Trial Champions

On March 4, Miramonte (Orinda) High School was named Contra Costa County’s Mock Trial Champion. Held at the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE), the crowded room gave hearty congratulations to the team, and plenty of encouragement for their upcoming matches in the California State Mock Trials. This was Miramonte’s 4^th Mock Trial County Championship in a row.

For seven consecutive Tuesday and Thursday evenings in February and March, 10 Contra Costa County high school teams have been battling it out in the courtrooms of Martinez with a hypothetical murder trial. The final-two matches Miramonte vs. Campolindo (Championship Round) and Acalanes vs. California (Consolation Round) were held March 2 in the courtrooms of the Wakefield Taylor Courthouse, in Martinez. Along with the Miramonte team, the following three teams in their respective rankings were also awarded: Campolindo (2^nd place), California (3^rd place), and Acalanes (4^th place). In addition, there were a number of individual awards for outstanding achievement presented to students who represented all of the participating teams.

Miramonte High School Mock Trial Team

This year’s participating Mock Trial schools include Acalanes (Lafayette), Alhambra (Martinez), Antioch, California (San Ramon), Campolindo (Moraga), Dougherty Valley (San Ramon), Miramonte (Orinda), Hercules, Heritage (Brentwood), and Northgate (Walnut Creek).

Contra Costa County Presiding Superior Court Judge Mary Ann O’Malley gave her overwhelmingly positive thoughts and observations about how impressive all the students performed during Mock Trials. “I look forward to seeing you all serving as attorneys in my courtroom in the very near future. And, I know some of you will be joining me at the Judge’s Bench, as well.”

Judge O'Malley with three of the five Judges' Choice Award Winners

Miramonte will represent Contra Costa County in the California State Mock Trial Competition, held in San Jose, March 19-21. (The California state finalist team will then compete in the National Mock Trial Competition, held in Philadelphia, Penn., May 6-8.)

Mock Trial is an academic activity for high school students coordinated by the Contra Costa County Office of Education, and sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundation. The purpose of this program is to teach students about the law and the workings of the legal system. Each participant portrays the part of a courtroom character such as an attorney, witness, court clerk, or bailiff. To prepare, the students conduct legal research and receive guidance on courtroom procedures from their school teachers and volunteer attorney coaches, where they acquire a working knowledge of the judicial system, develop analytic abilities and presentation skills.

An impressive number of 85 Bay Area practicing and retired attorneys, senior law students, and sworn judges volunteered their time to serve as Mock Trial Attorney Scorers and Judges with this year’s program.

Why Do I Need to Know Algebra?

The Contra Costa Office of Education in partnership with Chevron Corporation launches a new project titled “Why Do I Need to Know Algebra?” This project addresses the gap in students’ knowledge between what they learn in the classroom and how they will use the knowledge as they move into higher education and into their careers.

Many students believe that algebra doesn’t apply to real life. They echo the common refrain, “Why do I need to know Algebra?” As adults we know that math applies to many careers, not just those in math and science. Through the curriculum materials and video clips, students will learn about a variety of careers that use Algebra. They will have the opportunity to hear real people talk about their careers and practice some of the math skills along the way. Take a look for yourself at wwww.cocoschools.org/whyalgebra . All materials may be downloaded from the website for free. For additional information contact Louise Barbee at lbarbee@cccoe.k12.ca.us.

Acalanes High School (Lafayette) was announced as the overall team winner of the 2010 Contra Costa County Academic Decathlon, at the Awards Ceremony, held on February 10. This is Acalanes' fourth year in a row as the county's team winner. The top high school teams that followed Acalanes were, in order, Campolindo (Moraga), Miramonte (Orinda), and Pittsburg.

Everybody Counts

The US Census Bureau has designated April 1, 2010 as Census Day and will be mailing census questionnaire forms to households sometime in mid- March. It is crucial to get an accurate count because data collected will have a significant impact on the quality of life in our communities. Census data are used to distribute Congressional seats to states, allocate more than $400 billion in federal grants to state and local governments, and help guide decisions at every level of government that will impact our communities. Significant work is now being done in our communities to promote the importance of the census and increase the mail-in response rate of our county residents. Special efforts are being made to reach the hard-to-count population including minorities, non-English speaking households, low income households and the transient population. The Census questionnaire is quick and easy to complete - 10 questions, 10 minutes. Responses are held in strict confidence and by law cannot be shared with anyone, including government, law enforcement agencies, not even the President of the United States! Please do your part to help our county and our communities. Fill out the questionnaire and mail it back promptly. Be counted and make a difference! For more information, please visit www.2010census.gov or www.cococensus.org.

2010 Census "Everybody Counts" Poster Contest

Contra Costa County is launching a countywide poster contest for all K-12 students in Contra Costa schools. The goal of the contest is to raise awareness of the importance of the census - that it is safe, easy and important - and that everyone must be counted.

What: "Everybody Counts" Art Poster Contest

Who: Open to all K-12 students in Contra Costa County

When: Poster entries are due March 10, 2010 at your school or may also be submitted to 651 Pine Street, 10th floor, Martinez

Why: To help promote the 2010 Census in Contra Costa County.

For more information about the contest, please visit our Web site.

Know anyone who has lost their healthcare coverage?

Let them know they still have options if they have:

• Been laid off from a job with health benefits

• Can't afford COBRA benefits

• COBRA benefits have run out

There are programs that might help them and their family get medical coverage.

Call 211
The service is free, confidential, and available 24/7.

Juvenile Hall Library Receives Grant, Benefits Mt. McKinley School Students

Students attending Mt. McKinley School, located at Juvenile Hall, are learning the therapeutic qualities of self-expression through creative writing, poetry, performance of written word, and a fine arts curriculum. In 2007, Alison McKee (former Juvenile Hall librarian) applied for, and received, a federal grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The grant funds a three-year Artists In Residence Program. After an initial year of preparation, the 2009/10 school years marked the start of the two-year-classroom program. During the course of the program, every visiting artist will conduct four one and a half-hour workshops in each of the nine classrooms at Mt. McKinley.

The following artists have committed to the first year of the program (2009/10):

Jennifer Scaife, creative writing instructor, will introduce students to ways of expressing memories and feelings through poems and stories. "I will teach different strategies to writing, ones that are not encountered in normal high school classes. The goal is to teach students that writing can be a form of therapy." She is program director of the Prison University Project, a college program dedicated to providing higher education to inmates at San Quentin Prison.

Youth Speaks is a nonprofit group in San Francisco dedicated to teaching and creating spoken word performance. Jose Vadi, a Youth Speaks mentor, will take the lead in this residency, aided by Kirya Traber, residency program manager. Visit their Web site for more information.

Javier Reyes, is one of the founders of Colored Ink, a hip hop theater group composed of young adults from urban neighborhoods in the Bay Area. Javier's goal is to demonstrate to the kids in Juvenile Hall the therapeutic power of live performance.

Tim Hancock is from ArtReach, a division of the City of Walnut Creek's Civic Arts Education program. Gearing his workshops toward beginner artists, Tim will teach the kids how to express their individuality through visual art.

Cindy Wolley, a teacher at Mt. McKinley, commented, "I have seen a breakthrough with one particular student in the serious offenders' unit. This student had been angry and not willing to participate. These workshops have helped this student express himself."

At the end of the first year, there will be a reception at Juvenile Hall, which will include a display of the students' artwork (date will be announced when scheduled).