Tag Archives: ERHS

Dance Like Nobody’s Watching

By En yu Chang

“It takes ten years of practice for one minute on the stage” a piece of melodic music, a beautiful dance, a set of accurate expressions, plus the audience’s applause, this is dance. Since I was a kid, I’ve loved dancing, especially aerial yoga, and K-pop dance.

After successfully setting up a dance workshop for small children at our church, I soon realized that I enjoyed teaching children to dance as much as I enjoyed dancing. Especially during the pandemic, when most children became languid and inactive in isolation of varying degrees, I relished the reward of watching children break out of their shells and have fun. Introvert children and those who were the only child in their families took more patient coaxing and empathic listening. Still, when they got into the music and paid attention to unison and formation, my sense of accomplishment and joy was all the sweeter. We turn no one away.

As the President of Dancing With The Kids Club, I’m inviting the church, kindergarten, and elementary school educators to kindly open the door and allow us to come to sign up for dance sessions. We can work out the arrangements. The sessions will culminate in a performance show funded entirely by our club’s fundraising drives at no cost to your school.

The following is my contact information: Remind: @erhsdwtk; Instagram: erhs_dwtk; Website: https://erhsdwtk.web.app/; and Email: erhsdancingwiththekids@gmail.com

I might not be the best dancer this side of Twice, but I’m a very good dance teacher.

Three years of working with children and learning choreography have served me well. Our children are urged in my workshop to dance like nobody’s watching, but they will always be comfortable knowing that whenever they dance off or even goof off, I’m there watching and admiring.

Banners Go Up For ERHS Seniors

Staff Reports

Eastvale – The Eleanor Roosevelt High School Class of 2021 has officially graduated! Banners were recently displayed to honor the seniors that will be attending college next year.

The City partnered with ERHS to install 45 graduation banners along Scholar Way and Citrus Street for the seniors that were accepted to a 4-year college or university. Funds for the banners were approved by the Eastvale City Council in April 2021 to support the ERHS graduation banner program.

“In addition to being an important fundraising activity for the high school, the grad banners serve as a source of inspiration for the younger, school age children in in our community,” stated the City on a social media post.

In a separate post, the City showed their excitement for the graduating class. “We wanted to take a moment to congratulate all of our Eleanor Roosevelt High School graduating seniors and say how proud we are of the dedication, perseverance, and strength these seniors have shown during this this past year,” stated the City.

“We also want to congratulate and acknowledge all the other students who promoted at our intermediate and elementary schools!”

ERHS Boys Cross Country Team CIF Division 1 3rd Place

By Jennifer Stephensonerhs-xc-1-fold-erhs-boys

Eastvale-For the first time in school history, the ERHS Boys Cross Country team qualified for the CIF State Championships! Fresh from Thanksgiving, the boys and their coaches and families headed up to Fresno to compete with the best in the state. While they may have missed out on the Black Friday specials, they soon realized that the best deal of the weekend was a 3rd place finish in the most competitive division in the state of California and Medals around their necks!

ERHS Boys Cross Country team is led by Head Coach Robles and Assistant Coach Cummings, the boys arrived at the course with dreams of standing on the podium and as a result of their hard work and dedication their dreams came true! The team worked together to secure a 3rd place finish led by Juniors Raymon Ornelas and Tyler Spencer who finished within 7 seconds of each other. Freshman Raul (Tony)Chavez, Junior Wayne Richards, who was sidelined earlier in the season with a fractured neck, came back strong, with seniors Isaiah Madrigal, Julian Robles and freshman Michael Sahagun helping to finish the race strong.

Once the race was over and the times finalized, the boys realized they had indeed clenched a spot in school history and most importantly atop the CIF podium. Stay tuned for next year, when 5 of the 7 boys return.

ERHS Teacher Surprised

Staff Reports

Photo courtesy: CNUSD ERHS teacher, Amanda Sandoval, was surprised when she found out she became a 2017 Riverside County Teacher of the Year.

Photo courtesy: CNUSD
ERHS teacher, Amanda Sandoval, was surprised when she found out she became a 2017 Riverside County Teacher of the Year.

Eastvale – An Eleanor Roosevelt High School teacher was recently surprised after being recognized as a 2017 Riverside County Teacher of the Year.

Amanda Sandoval, an ERHS U.S. history teacher, was taken by surprise last month when she walked into the Mustang theater filled with balloons, hundreds of cheering students, colleagues, family members, and District representatives. She was given flowers and the Riverside County Office of Education Superintendent, Mr. Kenneth Young, announced that she was selected as one of the 2017 Riverside County Teachers of the Year.

Superintendent Young also shared student feedback from Sandoval’s application process that revealed how one of her students expressed a desire to become a history teacher like her. “There is no greater honor you can give a teacher,” Superintendent Young said.

Following the surprise, Sandoval shared: “I love my coworkers and my principal. It’s easy to be good at the job with so much support.”

Sandoval has taught U.S. history at Eleanor Roosevelt High School since first becoming a teacher in 2007. “She creates opportunities for her students to engage with history in their own community, is a sought-after presenter on topics related to English language learners and technology, and has been described as having ‘an unquenchable thirst to maximize her instruction,’” said a CNUSD news release.

Ms. Sandoval’s approach to helping students understand history includes assigning projects that propel her students into historical moments in time so they can envision history happening as if they were an actual character in the story. Not only does Ms. Sandoval promote positive praise and digital literacy in her classes, she shares her social studies lessons online with other teachers and regularly receives feedback from teachers around the country who are successfully utilizing her ideas in their classrooms, according to CNUSD. She earned a bachelor’s degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and is a resident of Corona.

“Congratulations Mrs. Sandoval! Your passion, vision, and hard work leaves a lasting impact in the lives of our students!” stated a CNUSD post.

 

ERHS Cheer Team Wins Nationals

Photo courtesy: Facebook ERHS Cheer Team wins National Championship

Photo courtesy: Facebook
ERHS Cheer Team wins National Championship

Eastvale – Congratulaitons to the Eleanor Roosevelt High School Cheer Team, who won the National Championship in their division at the All Star Cheer Jamz Nationals at the Orleans in Las Vegas on February 27, 2016.

 

Former ERHS Students Sign with NFL

Photo Courtesy of CNUSD ERHS Alumni celebrate their NFL signing (L-R: Superintendent Michael Lin, Austin Hill, Tyler Slavin, Josh Mitchell, and ERHS Principal Jeremy Goins.)

Photo Courtesy of CNUSD
ERHS Alumni celebrate their NFL signing (L-R: Superintendent Michael Lin, Austin Hill, Tyler Slavin, Josh Mitchell, and ERHS Principal Jeremy Goins.)

Courtesy of CNUSD

EASTVALE– Gleaming smiles and new NFL hats were proudly worn by three former Eleanor Roosevelt High School students from the class of 2010, all of whom have signed with teams in the NFL. Austin Hill signed with the Seattle Seahawks, Josh Mitchell with the Indianapolis Colts and Tyler Slavin with the St. Louis Rams.  This marks a significant moment for Roosevelt High School, its football program and the entire CNUSD community. Josh, Austin and Tyler are Eleanor Roosevelt High School’s first athletes to play in the NFL.

During the students’ football career at ERHS, all three players made First Team All-League.  Austin Hill was awarded Riverside County Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player.

The three Roosevelt Alumni were the first graduating class to attend Roosevelt all four years. “When Austin, Josh and Tyler joined the football team, Roosevelt HS football stadium was still under construction, causing them to practice at Harada Park and go to Auburndale Intermediate for weightlifting”, recalls Coach Stacy.

“I am honored to have coached them and it is an honor that they have turned out to be such great young men,” said former ERHS Football coach, Coach Stacy.

Eastvale: New Attendance Guidelines for ERHS

Staff Reports

EASTVALE– Eleanor Roosevelt High School has revised its attendance policy.  Effective January 11, 2016, parents will no longer be able to sign their child out of school early, including lunch time release, via email.  Parents must release their child in person or speak directly to an attendance clerk by calling (951) 738-2148.  Adults must show a valid photo ID and be listed on the child’s emergency card. In addition, absences and tardies must also be called in to the ERHS attendance office.  Voicemails will be permitted, but emails will not be accepted.  Also effective January 11, 2016, children will no longer be released within the last 30 minutes of the school day, and ERHS is asking that parents plan appointments accordingly.

“Parents on Point” Sheds Light on Teen Issues

By Emily Aguilar

EASTVALE – Eleanor Roosevelt High School held its first ever Parents on Point event on Tuesday, Oct. 13. The purpose of the evening was to inform parents on issues concerning teenagers such as bullying and social media usage. Cindy Cole, the parent of an ERHS freshman, was inspired to organize the event by her cousin, who has dealt with adolescent suicides in the San Diego area. Cole believes the city will benefit from the program because it will educate parents on the difficult conflicts their children confront every day.

Before the introductory announcement began, parents were welcome to browse the booths set up by representatives from Planned Parenthood, CNUSD Tobacco and Vapes, Hope Collaborative, and a booth that provided ultrasounds for teenagers. Many parents took the time to pick up brochures and ask questions about the programs.

After a brief overview, parents were sent to the F Building for a two-part session. In both sessions, parents had the option to attend a half hour presentations dealing with social media awareness, adolescent education, eating disorders, substance abuse awareness, suicide, parenting, or bullying.

Each presentation was lead by parents, current or retired law enforcers, or representatives from an organization; in other words these presenters had the right information to shock and educate their audience.

Parents were enthralled by the astonishing statistics, videos, and stories regarding the topic. They constantly interrupted presenters to ask questions or express disgust.

“I had no idea how easy it is for kids to lose their way,” remarked Paula James after Brian Nissen’s presentation on bath salts. “At least, [the schools] want to solve the issues!”

By far the most intriguing presentation was Jesse Winkler’s social media presentation. The room was flooded with intrigued parents struggling to listen to Winkler’s presentation from both inside the densely packed room and in the hallway. In his presentation, Winkler focused on social media’s negative effects on adolescents. While he defended social media for its benefits, Winkler argued that social media has turned teenagers against one another and has put them in danger, to which parents responded with disappointed sighs and terrified expressions. In fact, while talking about an app called “Burnbook,” which is used to anonymously post rumors about classmates, parents were silent upon learning that the app triggered suicides and fights across campuses.

Winkler, much like other speakers, assured parents that they should not “crack the whip” on their kids after this presentation. He told the audience to assure their children that they are “in your corner,” meaning that parents and children must have proper communication with each other in order to help them, and possibly save them.

“I’m definitely gonna let my girls open up to me,” stated Andrea Byrne on her way out.

Eastvale: ERHS Student Receives National Award

Photo Courtesy: Hamilton Friends 2015 Hamilton Award Winner, Emily Lundberg

Photo Courtesy: Hamilton Friends
2015 Hamilton Award Winner, Emily Lundberg

Staff Reports

Eastvale – Emily Lundberg, a student at Eleanor Roosevelt High, has received the national Alexander Hamilton Citizenship Achievement Award for superior community service and achievement.  Hamilton Awards are given annually by The Alexander Hamilton Friends Association (Hamilton Friends) of Seattle, Washington.  Winners receive a scholarship, commemorative certificates, memorabilia, and acceptance into the extensive Hamilton Leaders Academy.

Lundberg is one of 38 students selected for the award, the purpose of which is to recognize high school students for their academic, personal, service and entrepreneurial accomplishments and to select students for the Hamilton Leaders Academy.  Winners are high-achieving, service-oriented, high school juniors with significant financial need.

“This year, the award was very competitive.  We received 609 applications from 48 states.  Winners represented 18 states,” said George T. Cox, Founder and Senior Director of Hamilton Friends. “Our goal is to identify young people who have set high standards for citizenship and success in their lives.  We are very excited about Emily’s potential for future greatness.  The Eastvale Community is lucky to have Emily as a resident,” concluded Cox.

When Emily’s achievements are reviewed, it is easy to see why the judges were so impressed.

Hamilton Friends is named for Alexander Hamilton, one of the most important American founding fathers.  He was born out of wedlock in the West Indies.  When he was 9-years old, his father abandoned the family, leaving young Alexander, his brother, and their mother, Rachel, without a penny.  Hamilton’s mother died only a few years later, when he was 13.  Yet within seven years, and barely out of his teens, he was appointed as an aide to General Washington, and later became the visionary that laid the foundations of America’s current national banking system.

In its first ten years, Hamilton Friends has recognized over 500 young people for superior service and achievement.

“These young people give us tremendous hope.  With proper attitude, support, experiences and inspiration, I have no doubt they will achieve great things in their lives,” said Cox.

For more information about The Alexander Hamilton Friends Association, visit their website at http://www.hamiltonfriends.org.

Eastvale: ERHS Student Named Athlete Of The Year

Jasmyne Graham is California Girls Track & Field Standout

Photo Courtesy: City of Eastvale

Photo Courtesy: City of Eastvale
Gatorade Track & Field Champ, Jasmyne Graham

Staff Reports

Eastvale – In its 30th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, recently announced Jasmyne Graham of Eleanor Roosevelt High School as its 2014-15 Gatorade California Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year. Graham is the first student at ERHS to be selected for this honor.

“Wow. This is big! So excited for Ms. Graham and her family.  Great job to the staff at Roosevelt for keeping her on task both athletically and academically.  Great job!” said Corona-Norco Unified School District Board of Education member, Bill Newberry.

The award – which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the track – distinguishes Graham as California’s best high school girls’ track and field athlete. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year award, Graham joins an elite alumni association of state award winners in 12 sports, including Allyson Felix, 2001-02, Los Angeles Baptist HS, CA; Derek Jeter, 1991-92, Kalamazoo HS, MI; Candace Parker, 2001-02, Naperville Central HS, IL; Abby Wambach, 1997-98, Our Lady of Mercy HS, NY; Mark Sanchez, 2004-05, Mission Viejo HS, CA; Lolo Jones, 1997-98, Roosevelt HS, IA; and Bianca Knight, 2006-07, Ridgeland HS, MS.

The 5-foot-2 senior won the 100-meter high hurdles with a time of 13.17 seconds and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles in 40.73 at the state meet this past season, leading the Mustangs to fifth place as a team. Her 100- and 300-meter hurdles times at the state meet each ranked as the nation’s number one prep performance in 2015, and among the 15 fastest performances in U.S. prep history at the time of her selection.

Reginald Thompkins, who is an Administrative Director for CNUSD, as well as CIF State President, said, “This is a great accomplishment that the Eastvale community can be proud of.  It really is a huge recognition for Jasmyne.  It’s one of my duties as President to hand out the awards to these awesome athletes; it was very special to be there, witness her performance and give her this award.”

Graham – who is also the Citrus Belt Area Athletic Directors Association Female Athlete of the Year – chipped in by running the opening leg for the eighth-place 4×100-meter relay quartet that finished in 47.54 seconds, as well as the second leg of the ninth-place 4×400-meter relay squad that crossed the line in 3:49.90.

Graham has maintained a 3.14 GPA in the classroom. In addition to donating her time as a running instructor and guest speaker for youth track athletes, she has volunteered on behalf of the Black Coal and Red Roses mentoring program for girls.

“Jasmyne is the most fierce high school competitor I have seen,” said Eleanor Roosevelt coach, Aaron

Photo Courtesy: Reginald Thompkins

Photo Courtesy: Reginald Thompkins
Jasmyne shown with Reginald Thompkins, Administrative Director at CNUSD and CIF State President.

Shires. “Her parents have instilled in her the discipline, desire and commitment to excellence that John Wooden would be proud of in an athlete. The reason Jasmyne can take over a race the way she does is because of her preparation. She attends extra training sessions; she treats her body properly with the right nutrition and sleep. She lives a life that is not just committed to being great at track, but [to] being the best she can be at anything she does.”

Graham has signed a National Letter of Intent to compete in track and field on a scholarship at the University of Southern California this fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track and field – and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, working with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

For more on the Gatorade Player of the Year program, including nomination information, complete lists of past winners, and the announcement of the Gatorade National Player of the Year, visit www.gatorade.com/poy.

ERHS Student Gates Millennium Scholar

By Tara Lanning

Photo By: Tara Lanning Daliya Ross, Gates Millennium Scholar

Photo By: Tara Lanning
Daliya Ross, Gates Millennium Scholar

Eastvale– Daliyah Ross, a senior at Eleanor Roosevelt High School was recently given a bright, new future.  As the recipient of the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship, Ross will enjoy a full ride through her next four years of college.

The Gates Millennium Scholarship Program is funded by a $1.6 billion grant provided by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.  This grant is a 20-year commitment designed to fund the college education of 20,000 high-achieving minority students.  Individuals selected as Gates Scholars will receive funds in an amount determined by the Foundation based on financial need, as well as the cost of tuition, fees, books and living expenses – and other aid received.

For the 2015-16 academic year, 57,000 students applied for the scholarship, but only 1,000 received the award.

ERHS is very proud of Ross, who will be attending Hampton University in Virginia this fall.

The Give Back Garden

Photo By: Emily Aguilar

Photo By: Emily Aguilar

By Emily Aguilar

Eastvale – Eleanor Roosevelt High School’s philanthropic Give Back Garden has dedicated itself to growing healthy foods to donate to the Corona Norco Rescue Mission. After an unfortunate event that has left the group with devastation, they are now asking for help from local citizens.

Photo By: Emily Aguilar

Photo By: Emily Aguilar

On the week of March 22, club advisor and ERHS biology teacher, Mary Neimeyer, found the greenhouse shattered and the vegetables viciously pulled out and scattered across the field.

“It’s heartbreaking to see this happen to the Garden. We’ve put in so much effort to help others, so this vandalism feels disrespectful to what me and my group want to do for those in need.”

The Give Back Garden group is looking for donations to restore their greenhouse and vegetables. A fundraiser will be held on Fri., May 1, at Yogurt-Licious, located at 6987 Hamner Avenue in Eastvale ((951) 520-0888).  You can also donate directly to Mrs. Neimeyer, who can be contacted at mneimeyer@cnusd.k12.ca.us

ERHS Choir Win

Photo By: Tara Lanning

Photo By: Tara Lanning

ERHS Choir had a very successful experience at their April competition in San Francisco.  The Men’s Ensemble took 1st Place Silver; the Madrigals took 2nd Place Silver; and the Women’s Ensemble took 1st Place Gold!  Congratulations to all the choirs and their amazing director, Esther Mendoza.

Coach Barile Recognized At UNITY Awards

Photo Courtesy: Alexis J. Barile

Photo Courtesy: Alexis J. Barile

Staff Reports

Eastvale – On Feb. 26, the 17th Annual UNITY (United Neighbors Involving Today’s Youth) Awards hosted a luncheon to recognize community members who make a difference.  One of those individuals honored, was Tony Barile, Head Football Coach for Eleanor Roosevelt High School.  Barile was recognized for his dedication to community involvement, and for being a positive influence and mentor to the youth of Eastvale.

Barile has worked with Michele Derus, Principal at Eastvale Elementary, to create a mentor program to bring their students together.  Once a week, the coach and 20 of his players visit the elementary school to volunteer in a variety of capacities, including tutoring students, leading fitness tests, and helping teachers in the classrooms.  This spring, Barile is planning to host a “Field Day” for Eastvale Elementary, which he hopes will one day incorporate all of the elementary schools in Eastvale.

For the second year in a row, Barile hosted a coed football tournament for all of the elementary schools in the Eastvale community.  His players volunteered as the referees and did a great job encouraging and teaching the students to show good sportsmanship and play hard.

Barile is also heavily involved with Vantage Point Church’s community events.  He has partnered with the church to start a “Breast Cancer Awareness” football game each October, dedicated to raising funds and awareness for this important cause.  Survivors and fighters of cancer are invited to come and be special VIP guests.  He has also partnered with another Roosevelt community group, AVID, to support students in the community with Epilepsy, raising a significant contribution and awareness for the Epilepsy Foundation.  Barile’s players also help out with the “Christmas Gift Mart,” that benefits parents who are low-income and need assistance for the holidays.

Barile works diligently to instill character, leadership skills, and academic commitment in his students, and partners with other leaders in the community to provide events like annual youth football and cheer community nights and camps, coaching clinics, tutoring sessions, and even homework centers during practice.  He also serves on the executive board for two prestigious football organizations, Southern California Interscholastic Football Federation (SCIFCA) and the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame (Riverside County Chapter).  He is also on the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) advisory committee.

What Coach Barile has already put in place in just the beginning of his vision for impacting the lives of our youth.  He is the epitome of UNITY in the community of Eastvale.

ERHS Students Donate Blood

By Emily Aguilar

The American Red Cross vehicle/blood lab on the ERHS Campus (Photo By: Emily Aguilar)

The American Red Cross vehicle/blood lab on the ERHS Campus (Photo By: Emily Aguilar)

Eastvale – Many students are beginning to realize the importance of giving back to their community: they volunteer, they host fundraisers, and they try to promote philanthropy.

When the American Red Cross offered to let ERHS students donate blood on Jan. 23, over a hundred students – mostly upperclassmen – rolled up their sleeves to donate their blood in the school cafeteria.

Donating blood is necessary for patients who have been in traumatic accidents or have health related issues, but the drawing of blood isn’t as simple as it seems. Eligible donors have to be over 100 pounds, cannot have health-related issues such as diabetes, must be at least 16, and must face the risk of feeling immense fatigue afterwards. Even after signing away their consent, nurses must ask the donors a series of questions to ensure that they are physically prepared to undergo the rigorous process.

In spite of these barriers, students still stand by the belief that their half hour of discomfort is worth saving someone’s life.

ERHS student and blood drive volunteer, Jackie Camuy (Photo By: Emily Aguilar)

ERHS student and blood drive volunteer, Jackie Camuy (Photo By: Emily Aguilar)

Included in the ERHS donors, was Jackie Camuy, an avid volunteer who has donated blood numerous times. Despite the anxiousness that she felt while having a nurse draw her blood, she has never been hesitant to take advantage of the opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s life.

“I feel like it is my responsibility to contribute to society in any way possible. I specifically chose to donate blood because I want to give somebody a better chance to live.” Camuy stated.

For those interested in donating blood or volunteering in the medical field, please visit http://www.redcross.org.

Culture Night At ERHS

Students in camaraderie, singing “Lean On Me.” (Photo By: Emily Aguilar)

Students in camaraderie, singing “Lean On Me.” (Photo By: Emily Aguilar)

By Emily Aguilar

 

Eastvale – Because of its diverse alumni, Eleanor Roosevelt High School ensures that each student is given the opportunity to embrace not only the cultures of others, but that of their own as well. This environment has allowed cultures to blend with one another like peaches and cream, unifying ERHS into a strong student body.

 

In order to pay homage to these various cultures, ERHS’s prominent club, CSF (California Scholarship Federation), held its bi-annual Culture Night festival on Dec. 4.

 

Culture Night is a show meant to represent students’ traditional cultural practices through artistic performances. Before 6 p.m., the Mustang Theater was filled with supportive family and friends who wanted to see their loved ones represent their culture.

 

The evening began with a slideshow of students speaking about their cultures and giving the audience a preview of their performances. Following this introduction, the fun began. The performances in dance ranged from Folkloric, to the Chinese Ribbon Dance, to Polynesian and American jazz; and songs were performed from Korea and the Philippines.

 

Among the performances, one of the most memorable was the Bhangra Dance, which electrified the audience with its upbeat tempo and passionate movement. After captivating the audience with his group, one of the dancers, Shukan Patel stated, “I feel as if the audience was able to feel the energy and pride of the Indian culture through the fast-paced, coordinated moves to traditional music. I feel as if this performance allowed for the audience to experience the Punjabi festival of Vaisakhi’s (Harvest Festival) joy through our dance performance.”

 

Before the evening ended, CSF Coordinator, Frank Mata, went on stage and spoke to the audience about how working at ERHS as an AP Language and Composition teacher has introduced him to stupendous students. He expressed his admiration toward his students, because in spite of their stress with college and grades, they never fail to lose touch with who they are.

 

“I am proud of them – they’re not just students at that point. They become respectable young men and women who make it their privilege to pay homage to their culture in this all too foreign land,” Mata said.

 

After his small speech, Mata invited all of the performers on stage to sing Bill Withers’ famous song, “Lean On Me.” Captivated by the unification of their friends and children, the audience joined in and become a single voice, giving an appropriate ending to the evening.

EASTVALE: Every Fifteen Minutes Educates Teens on Drunk Driving

ERHS presents "Every 15 Minutes" to teach students the dangers of Drunk Driving. Photos by: Emily Aguilar

ERHS presents “Every 15 Minutes” to teach students the dangers of Drunk Driving. Photos by: Emily Aguilar

ERHS

BY: EMILY AGUILAR

EASTVALE –  Eleanor Roosevelt High School conducted the Every Fifteen Minute simulation on March 20 – 21 to educate students on the dangers of drunk driving. The program is conducted by selecting twenty-two students and their families to act out a simulation in which a few of them were killed in a car-related accident caused by someone being intoxicated. These students are then pulled out of their classrooms and homes for two days in order to make their “death” feel real to all involved.

On the first day, students were taken to Scholar Way to witness a “car crash”, equipped with law enforcement, actors, and a Grim Reaper who walked around the dead students to show the brutality of drunk driving. While watching the eerily real looking blood covering the bodies of their fellow classmates, some students were distraught by what they witnessed. “The events that are taking place today are fake, however, they happen so often, they feel real,” remarked Senior Alexis Castro.

The following day, students were taken to the gym where they attended the memorial service of their beloved classmates. A sense of vulnerability seemed to weigh upon the audience while they were subjected to a slideshow of the deceased students before their death as well as seeing their coffins surrounding a group of family members of the deceased. The mock-memorial service proved to soften the hearts of the audience when the ‘living dead’ students, their families, and a victim of drinking and driving tearfully read out their letters to the audience that described what they would tell the world if they had an opportunity to speak from the beyond.

Although emotional, the simulation made students take the challenge to not drink and drive and value their lives and the lives of others. When asked why he felt this simulation was necessary, the school’s principal, Mr. Goins stated that it “puts the thing we hear about into a form in which we can see and feel the tragedy.” The

ERHS to Host “EVERY 15 MINUTES” Program

Information Courtesy City of Eastvale

 Attention Residents:

Eleanor Roosevelt High School (ERHS) will be hosting the Every 15 Minutes Program on March 20th and 21st. This is a two day event that informs students of the dangers associated with drinking and driving. On March 20th, part of Scholar Way will be closed and a simulated drunk driving collision will be staged in front of our school between 9:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. All residents will still have access to their homes as well as our school. All emergency services from the area will be participating in this event including a helicopter from Mercy Air.

On March 21st, the second portion of this event will be hosted in the ERHS gymnasium. We are excited that we received a $10,000 grant from the California Highway Patrol in order to bring this program to our school. We are working closely with the city to communicate this event to local residents so that they can prepare for temporary road closure to Scholar Way.

There is always a balance of how you announce an event like this. You do not want to over communicate it early and you also want to make sure that local residents know what is happening. I appreciate your understanding with this.

This will be Eleanor Roosevelt’s second time hosting the Every 15 Minutes Program and we are looking forward to see what we can continue to do to make our end of year events as safe as possible for our students. We appreciate your support and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office at 951-738-2100.

EVERY 15 MINUTES Program at Eleanor Roosevelt High School

Every 15 Minutes is a community-based program focusing on high school juniors and seniors challenging them to think about the dangers of drinking and driving, the importance of personal safety, the responsibility of making mature decisions, and the impact their decisions have on family, friends, and many others in the community.

Dates: March 20th and 21st from 11:10am-12:15pm both days.

Notice to the community: Road closure on Scholar Way on Thursday, March 20th, for a simulated collision. Blackboard Connect message will be sent home; Flyers will be posted.

This is a community-based program in which the community, as well as, the schools share the interest in educating high school students about the dangers of drinking and driving. As a result, the following local agencies are involved:

  • American      Medical Response 
  • California      Highway Patrol 
  • California      Office of Traffic Safety 
  • Cal      Fire, Riverside County 
  • City      of Eastvale 
  • Corona-Norco      Unified School District 
  • Eastvale      Police Department 
  • Mercy      Air 
  • Riverside      Sheriffs Department 
  • Riverside      Community Hospital 
  • Riverside      County Coroner’s Office

Participants: Twenty-one (21) students have been selected through an application process. These students will play the role of the living dead. They are representatives of the student body.

Funding: ERHS received a grant of $10,000 from the California Office of Traffic Safety and the California Highway Patrol.