School may be out for summer, but the accolades have not stopped for Columbia Elementary, Downtown Elementary, Stockdale and Thorner schools since being honored by the California Department of Education as ‘Distinguished Schools’ on May 16. On June 4 the Kern County Curriculum Advisory Committee let the four schools know how much their efforts to provide quality education to students was appreciated locally. Each was recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation from the Kern County Superintendent of Schools at the group’s monthly meeting at University Square in Bakersfield. Representing the superintendent, Associate Kern County Superintendent of Schools Christine Frazier presented the school principals and their district superintendents with the awards. She also took the time to compliment each on their commendable service to the students of Kern County. “Thanks so much for representing all of us because you epitomize what we in education in Kern County are striving to achieve,” Frazier said. “Others will look to you as examples of what we can accomplish in all 47 of our county school districts. We thank you for being our messengers.” Downtown and Thorner from the Bakersfield City School District, Columbia representing Fruitvale School District and Stockdale from Panama-Buena Vista Union School District were four of the 342 California public elementary schools honored by CDE. A total of 839 California elementary schools submitted applications and were identified as eligible based on their Academic Performance Index and Adequate Yearly Progress results. Applications underwent an intensive evaluation process conducted by CDE in partnership with the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association, and with the help of many local educators from across the state. More

It is a pretty moving experience when a highly mobile car club can show off both its exquisite talents for restoring cars and its humanity for children who want to be more mobile. During the past six years, the Old Friends of Bakersfield Car Club has donated thousands of dollars to MOVE (Mobility Opportunities Via Education) International, a worldwide program giving hope to children that they might be able to sit, stand, walk and maybe drive a car of their own some day. The latest installment came on June 4, when Old Friends President Gil Edmondson presented a $6,600 check from the car club to MOVE International Executive Director David Schreuder and Kern County Superintendent of Schools Larry E. Reider. That brought the total donated by Old Friends to MOVE in the 2007-08 school year to $26,600. The car club has 25 members who are very proud of driving their beautifully-restored machines, even to the point that they frequently like to display what they have done by holding local car shows. Five years ago, Old Friends learned about MOVE through a member who worked at the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office. She suggested the children could really be helped by some financial aid to the program. The club held a car show, raised $4,000 and donated it all to MOVE. Many years ago, children with severe disabilities were relegated to a life of bean bags and wheelchairs. Then, a KCSOS special needs teacher named Linda Bidabe devised a curriculum that provided hope, teaching children how to use specially adapted equipment to sit, stand and walk independently. It became so successful that nonprofit MOVE International was the result. More