Graduating into leadership

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A joyous moment for Maria Ulloa as she received her graduation certificate from Kern County Superintendent of Schools Christine Lizardi Frazier and Kern County Network for Children Director Tom Corson.

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Shirelle Perez (second from right) enjoyed celebrating her graduation with family members (from left) daughter Courtney, nephew Daylan Jones and mom Ruth Hardimon.

Twenty-nine individuals from different walks of life bought into Vince Lombardi’s famous quote that, “Leaders are made, they are not born.” As a result, their local Kern County communities might be better off in the future. All 29 successfully passed the Kern County Network for Children’s (KCNC) 2009 Leadership Development Program and were honored during commencement ceremonies held at University Square in Bakersfield on July 16.

Each graduate had close ties with KCNC as a member of a collaborating local government or community agency, organization, school or business concerned with improving the health and well being of children and families in their communities. Since the program’s 1997 inception, it has helped individuals learn to enhance natural leadership skills so they can make a positive impact in their communities or organizations. Over the years, 500 have passed the training.

Training is tough. Each individual commits to 56 hours, spread over several months to gain understanding of public issues and human relationships, become effective advocates for community health and well being, and develop networking with citizen action groups that have common interests and issues. All of the participants hold down separate, full time jobs in businesses or organizations where they play key roles.

What kind of training do they receive? Experts provide them with the know-how for public speaking, time management, effective community meeting facilitation, strategic planning, conflict resolution, community mobilization, resource development, media/marketing, and legislative advocacy. Some graduates view the training as a life changing experience.

Maria Ulloa beamed as she walked across the floor to receive her certificate from Kern County Superintendent of Schools Christine Lizardi Frazier and KCNC Director Tom Corson. Ulloa had already accomplished a lot even before entering the program. She was the first in her family to graduate from high school. During the past year, she has worked as a team leader for KernCorps/AmeriCorps - tutoring students and organizing community service projects in her home city of Delano. Come September, Ulloa will be the first in her family to enter college.

“I want to help stop the gang violence and the rising dropout rate,” Ulloa said. “Dropouts concern me because by failing to graduate they are not improving themselves or their community. I want to be a high school counselor to help lead kids to find a place where they can be successful after they graduate. I’m inspired to be a role model. I will make mistakes, but if someone wants my help - I want them to know all they have to do is ask, and I will be there.”

Statistics compiled by KCNC show that 85 percent of the persons who began the leadership development program stayed with it to the conclusion. As a graduating class, they saw a 42 percent improvement in their overall leadership abilities in the areas of self image, community awareness, personal and group skills.

Addressing the graduates, Frazier said, “To see the caliber of young leadership that may follow in many of our footsteps gives me a high expectation of a bright future for our kids, our parents and our community.”

After receiving her certificate, Community Connection for Child Care Program Supervisor Shirelle Perez was enthusiastically embraced by family members who had come to share the big moment with her. Perez reflected on some of what she had learned.

“This whole experience was transforming, especially considering how scared I was when the training first began,” Perez said. “Among other things it taught me how to be an effective speaker and gave me the belief that I can be successful in my community. The networking skills confirmed for me that I don’t have to be alone when it comes to helping families. This has fulfilled my passion to help children and families. It is just the beginning and with what I have learned, I can now help so many others be leaders.”

KCNC Prevention Services Facilitator Michelle Humecky, who manages the leadership development program, emceed the event. Ceremonies featured presentations by graduates who had joined forces in groups to organize meaningful community service projects. Sean Battle, executive director of Stop the Violence and Brian Parnell, county Department of Human Services program director, gave poignant - sometimes humorous and sometimes emotional - commencement addresses. Juan Avila, executive director of Parent Institute for Quality Education, got a standing ovation for his moving, acappella performance of “Ave Maria.”

Corson brought the event to a close with a challenge and a reminder.

“Ultimately, it is up to you guys to continue to inspire your communities to advocate for children,” Corson said. “Without you, we fail and our communities fail.”

2009 KCNC Leadership Development Program Graduates
Jerri Alvarado - Bakersfield Homeless Center
Angela Arredondo - Richland School District
Juan Avila - Parent Institute for Quality Education
Ray Ballard - Operation Soul Winner
Sean Battle - Stop the Violence
Annalyse Baziuk - Community Action Partnership of Kern
Teri Charbonneau-Hay - Kern River Valley Family Resource Center
Leslie Devitt - Bakersfield Police Department
April Dominguez - Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office
Carrie Eveland - Clinica Sierra Vista
Catherine Ferrel - Health Net
Luanne Jones - Kern County Aging & Adult Services
Kathleen Johnson - Westside Community Resource Center
Patricia Keefer - Henrietta Weill Memorial Child Guidance Clinic
Angela Lauer - Kern High School District
Stephanie Meyer - Kern High School District
Candice Monge - Kern County Department of Public Health
Donny Monsibais - Darrell’s Auto & Smog Repair
Lydia Ortiz - Greenfield Walking Group
Hilda Osorio - Richland School District
Brian Parnell - Kern County Department of Human Services
Shirelle Perez - Community Connection for Child Care
Robert Rincon - Haven Counseling Center
Patricia Scott - Alliance Against Family Violence/Bethany Services
Mardi Sharples - Housing Authority of Kern County
Adam Stanley - National Corporation for Community Service
Debra Tolle - Community Action Partnership of Kern
Maria Ulloa - Kern Corps/AmeriCorps
Abrina Wade - Bakersfield Police Department


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