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The word hero has been minimized as it seems to be applied to anyone who safely crosses the street. But that doesn’t mean that they are not among us. Our second annual hero list is compiled for those whose good deeds have brought a spotlight to a cause, or made a difference, or will make an impact. A common thread is that most are teachers, either in the true sense that they work out of a classroom, or in the broader definition in that they are leaders who happen to teach. Within these profiles, you will discover the magic of how each changes the lives they touch. Reporting for this salute were Senior Writer Michael J. Medley, Executive Editor Craig Reem, and contributors Amy Bentley, Susan Belknapp, Nancy Sidoruk, and Kerri Mabee. Erin Gruwell RESIDENCE: Long Beach FAMILY: The Freedom Writers and boyfriend Wing Lam, co-founder of Wahoo’s Fish Taco HERO DEFINED: The teacher’s life story is being made into a major motion picture starring Oscar winner Hilary Swank, to be released Jan. 12. Gruwell runs The Freedom Writers Foundation out of Cal State Long Beach; the nonprofit trains teachers and provides scholarships with the aim to prevent students from dropping out. Erin Gruwell, formerly of Claremont, has a story to tell that is so complicated that perhaps only a movie could make sense of it all. And one is being released this month. Paramount Pictures’ “Freedom Writers,” starring Hilary Swank; the two-time Oscar winner portrays the energetic, unapologetic 37-year-old Long Beach resident. Gruwell’s story has more twists and turns than an episode of “Lost,” she being a combination of heroic Jack and courageous Kate. Gruwell’s story is, as a high school student might define it, just awesome. In 1992, the daughter of Angels’ scout Steve Gruwell was graduating from UC Irvine with plans for law school. She had grown up in affluence, but soon saw the result of those who had not. The Los Angeles riots fueled by the Rodney King case caught her eye. A telecast showed a man and his 6-year-old son looting a store. She realized that to save that child, and others like him, she couldn’t waste four years in law school; she had to act now. She chose Long Beach Wilson High to make a difference as a teacher because of its tremendous diversity. Her students were African-American, Latino, Asian, and they were divided. In 1993, she began a high school career that spanned five years in the high school classroom, but will last for more than a generation. In her second year, she was given 150 freshmen students – sons and daughters of single-parent households, many without much means, often moving from place to place, at risk in every way. They were referred to as “unteachable.” The stylishly dressed teacher, who was warned by colleagues not to wear her fashionable pearl necklace into class because she would leave at the bell without it, turned the students into community models. Today, that class of now 25- and 26-year-olds includes teachers, doctors, lawyers, baseball player Sean Burroughs, social workers, and a theology student whose hero is Martin Luther King. They were inspired by Gruwell and real-life experiences that she forced upon them, to show how the human spirit can overcome the worst of circumstances, of evil, to instead survive and thrive. Her students read “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl,” and then met Miep Gies, who hid the Frank family. They saw “Schindler’s List” and later met Steven Spielberg. They traveled to Washington, D.C., and went to the Lincoln Memorial and stood where Martin Luther King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. They visited Auschwitz. They wrote their own diaries, called themselves “Freedom Writers” in deference to the civil rights activists, the Freedom Riders. Their journals were published in 1999 and from that, Gruwell founded her foundation. And from that, a movie was scripted. Does she consider herself a hero? She responds: “I consider myself an advocate for kids.” As for the film, which Gruwell has seen almost a dozen times: “The best word is surreal. I really wanted Hilary Swank; the fact that she got the role, she’s a dead ringer for me. It’s uncanny. She has my quirks and idiosyncrasies down…We genuinely like each other. More importantly, we really respect each other. She’s a fighter.” Gruwell counsels all to have faith in youth. “Believing in them is very important, and making things relevant. Kids have a great ability to tell when people are disingenuous. My students knew I was always…there for them. For a lot of people, they join a cause because it’s the cause of the moment. For me, it was so much deeper than that; it was all-encompassing.” As one observer who has seen the movie notes, it is a story of tremendous highs and lows. It is expected to pull on all the emotions. “I hope that people can see that there is hope, and second chances, and that they see themselves in this film,” says Gruwell. “It’s a story about equality and acceptance, and not just believing in tolerance, but practicing tolerance. It’s universal.” For more information on Gruwell’s Freedom Writers Foundation: gruwellproject.org. – By Craig Reem Heidi Ober RESIDENCE: Jurupa area of Riverside FAMILY: Husband J.T.; son John, 6, and daughter Kaitlyn, 7 HERO DEFINED: Heidi Ober is a teacher for Cucamonga School District, Rancho Cucamonga Middle School. Heidi Ober was selected Cucamonga School District’s Middle School Teacher of the Year, 2006-07, and continued on to compete at the state level. She has taught for a total of 15 years, specializing in language arts. “I do a little bit of everything. I have been GATE certified for 12 years, but currently English language learners (ELL) are the majority of my classes.” ELL students are not exclusively Spanish speaking. “Right now I have Russian, Korean and Vietnamese students,” said Ober. “The most gratifying part of my job is extending myself to students who may be hard to reach.” In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Heidi is a dedicated leader and volunteer who has served as an eighth-grade team leader, member of the Rancho Leadership Team, School Improvement Coordinator, Curriculum Council and Student Achievement Instructional Leader. She also serves as a soccer coach for her son’s youth U-6 team and as an AYSO referee. Ober grew up in San Diego, receiving her bachelor’s degree from San Diego State. She earned her GATE (gifted and talented education) certification from UC Riverside and her master’s degree in education and administration from Cal State San Bernardino. Asked if the more rigorous testing standards make it difficult to implement creative teaching methods, Ober said, “In my classroom, students and parents discover that every student can learn and succeed, even if they have special needs. “My classroom is structured, providing a nurturing, supportive environment for students to learn. It is a place where judgment, negativity and harassment are not tolerated. Students are encouraged to support and assist one another, creating an atmosphere of learning that is student-centered.” – By Susan Belknapp PAM FRALEIGH RESIDENCE: Temecula FAMILY: Husband Ben; and son Jake, 25 HERO DEFINED: Fourth-grade teacher at Vintage Hills Elementary in Temecula. You need only step into the main office at Vintage Hills Elementary School and she is there. Her influence is everywhere – on the walls, adorning the halls, filling up glass cases and suspended from the ceiling above. Fourth-grade teacher Pam Fraleigh’s tireless passion for art has far outgrown her own classroom and blooms throughout the entire campus where every student, staff member and visitor is touched and inspired by her vision. Her dedication to her students and her art has earned her the recognition of California’s Outstanding Visual Arts Educator awarded by the California Art Education Association in October 2006. Fraleigh’s accomplishments are notable, especially given the current financial climate that has seen the elimination of many arts programs in California’s schools. Despite dwindling budgets, she has managed to communicate the importance of art by promoting such programs as the PTA’s Reflections program and Youth Art Month. She has called upon local artists in the community to visit and talk about their own passion with her students. And because it’s not feasible to haul 700 students to a muse um, she has created mock museums on campus where she introduces children to famous art prints, antiques and even museum etiquette. There’s much more – 36 years in the classroom have provided her a steady stream of opportunities to reach children. Fraleigh will tell you that she couldn’t pull herself away if she tried. She attributes her success to making art relevant to her students. “Art connects to every walk of life. We have industrial designers and graphic designers that make our lives not just useful, but pleasing. Art tells our history; it connects us to the future.” Fraleigh credits a supportive teaching team for planning curriculum that delves into artistic themes. And her colleagues return the sentiment. Fellow teacher George Elias shares, “She is great to work with. She is always willing to share her ideas with you. She feels like she has done a disservice to her students when she hasn’t taught an art lesson for the week.” – By Kerri Mabee DAVID COOPERSMITH RESIDENCE: Moreno Valley FAMILY: Divorced, no children HERO DEFINED: Teaches second grade at Armada Elementary School in Moreno Valley. Armada Elementary School is not located in a particularly affluent part of Moreno Valley and some might find it easy to dwell on the problems that the kids there may be facing as they grow up. Second-grade teacher David Coopersmith is not one of those people. Coopersmith is in his 11th year teaching at Armada, his fifth teaching second grade. He wants his young charges to know that school is fun and that they are going to learn a lot of new things that will serve them for the rest of their lives. Deborah Montana, a marriage and family therapist working at Armada, describes the atmosphere in Coopersmith’s classroom as one of “calm and hopefulness.” “I want them to feel successful. I want them to feel motivated to learn. I want to challenge them,” he says. “I believe every kid needs to be challenged to achieve their potential. Every kid, I hope, comes into my classroom knowing that I expect them to have a good day.” He knows how important family involvement is for a successful student. “Establishing good rapport with parents is really important. I try to make it a positive thing in the beginning so parents feel comfortable talking to me if they have any concerns.” Many of his students come from Spanish-speaking families and that presents a personal challenge he’s ready to face. “I speak a little Spanish, but I could definitely learn more.” At the end of the day, he says, “You want to leave some sort of impression on your students. You want them not only to remember you, but you want them to realize their own potential and gain a level of confidence. When they get to third grade, I want them to have an attitude like, ‘Bring it on! I can do this!’” – By Michael J. Medley KATHY MCANANY RESIDENCE: Corona FAMILY: Husband, Jeff; two dogs (“practice children”) Austin and Houston; and a first child on the way HERO DEFINED: Kathy McAnany is a senior lead officer with the Los Angeles Police Department, assigned to Skid Row, and organizes donations for Marines and sailors. “Those who were injured and the ones who never came home...that’s who I would absolutely consider to be heroes,” says Kathy McAnany. “People like me should feel privileged to do good things for them, and for their families.” McAnany appreciates being named a hero, and receiving the Crystal Angel award for outstanding community service from the Los Angeles Police Foundation. But, she still sees her efforts and sacrifices as small – at least compared to those made by Marines and sailors serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. “It’s an honor to be around those guys,” says McAnany. “When you’re with then, you don’t dare complain about your small problems.” Instead, McAnany and fellow LAPD volunteer Gary Ross provide bright moments and more pleasant holidays for injured Marines and sailors who are hospitalized at Camp Pendleton and Balboa Naval Hospital, San Diego. Giving is very personal and can be a moving experience. “I enjoy visiting with them,” she says. “They want someone to talk to, to see them, especially those whose families are back East.” McAnany especially recalls a special moment that occurred while she was visiting with one of the recently wounded. While there, the young man’s mother walked into the room. It was the first time this mom had seen her son since his return. “It’s amazing how positive their attitudes are,” McAnany says. “There’s not one ounce of self-pity.” Whether spending 18-hour days preparing for the holiday season, organizing a police convoy full of donations and friendly visitors, coordinating contributions from grocers and retailers, or custom-tailoring gifts based on the ages and needs of children in a particular family, McAnany lives the dream of giving back to those in need. For those who also want to help, but don’t know where to begin, one of the best ways to start is by contacting a public relations officer at Camp Pendleton or Balboa Naval Hospital. “Public affairs personnel are very helpful and can point volunteers in the right direction. We got started like that,” McAnany says, “and it’s just snowballed.” – By Nancy Sidoruk KIM PATRICK RESIDENCE: Riverside FAMILY: Husband Michael; children Nicole, 24, Ryan, 21, Jacob, 6 HERO DEFINED: Coordinator, Inland Empire Safe Kids Coalition, Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital. Heroism is often born in tragic circumstances, and such is the case with Kim Patrick. When her son Brandon accidentally drowned at age 2 1/2, she started on a path to help other families avoid this devastating pain. “I stayed at home with Brandon because he had Down syndrome, so he required lots of care,” she says. “But after the accident, and after I grieved, I thought I want to do something so that this wouldn’t happen to other people.” Patrick began working with drowning prevention programs and activities in Orange County. She then started working with the Anaheim Fire Department doing community education and that led to her involvement with Safe Kids in Orange County, where she worked for two years. “The coordinator in Orange County told me there was an opening in Loma Linda for a Safe Kids coordinator,” she says. “I came out here and interviewed for the position, fell in love with the people that I worked with, and have been here four years. The Inland Empire coalition has community education programs on such topics as water, passenger and bicycle safety for children. When asked if any one safety topic is near and dear to her heart, Patrick says, “The drowning, for obvious reasons. Child passenger safety is another one that we work on really hard here at the hospital.” Attitude adjustment is at the heart of Patrick’s work, getting people to realize that awful things can happen even to the best, most attentive parents. “A lot of parents think that this only happens to the people who neglect their kids, but the one time that you drive to the store and don’t buckle them in, the one time that they don’t wear their helmets, the one time that you turn your back and there’s no barrier to the pool, can be the time that it happens,” she says. “It does. Every day. And it’s heartbreaking.” Patrick loves her job, but “I would love to be out of a job if we could keep kids from getting hurt,” she says. “We just hope that the message gets through, that people are paying attention on some level. Injuries have gone down over the years, so that says something for it. Maybe we’re doing something right.” – By Michael J. Medley Christi Curtis RESIDENCE: Murrieta FAMILY: Husband Jim, an eighth-grade teacher at Bell Mountain Middle School in Menifee; son Chase, 16, daughter Madison, 13, and son Cole, 16 months HERO DEFINED: Christi Curtis is a mathematics teacher and the math department chairwoman at Vista Murrieta High School in Murrieta. While administrators and school board members in the Murrieta Valley Unified School District were planning to open Vista Murrieta High School four years ago, math teacher Christi Curtis was among the teachers in the district they recruited to help hire new teachers and staff, develop classes, and lay the groundwork for the new comprehensive high school. Curtis is credited with helping students of all skill levels attain a better understanding of mathematics, a core subject heavily emphasized in California public schools. At Vista Murrieta, Curtis developed a new class called Foundations for Algebra 1 so that students who weren’t quite ready to tackle algebra in high school would get help with the basic concepts and wouldn’t struggle. Curtis also helped to develop a new Algebra Support class and an after-school intervention program for students who were failing, so they could retake math during the year and not fall behind. Furthermore, under Curtis’ leadership, the teachers personally place every student in their next math class each year to make sure they are in the proper class. “It’s a matter of making sure every single kid gets that attention,” says Curtis, 37, who initially planned to be a doctor but switched her major in college from chemistry to math after she took a class from a professor who really made math applicable. Curtis strives to make the subject fun and applicable to students who fail to see its usefulness. “Kids need to understand they use math every single day of their lives,” she says. Curtis is working toward her administrative credential and her Ph.D. in Institutional Leadership and Policy Studies at UC Riverside. – By Amy Bentley MARY JIMENEZ RESIDENCE: Temecula FAMILY: Children Evan, 12, Megan, 11, and Elan, 4 HERO DEFINED: Third-grade GATE teacher at Paloma Elementary School in Temecula. There’s something about Mary Jimenez that inspires and uplifts everyone she meets. In her 16 years as an educator in California’s schools, this third-grade teacher has received recognition for her tireless efforts in the classroom with the Who’s Who of American Teachers honor for 2006, as a Walt Disney Award nominee in 2005, with the Silver Apple Award for Riverside County in 2003 and the Elks Teacher of the Month award in 1999. The secret to her success can be summed up very simply – attitude! “My philosophy of education is that all children can learn and are tremendously talented,” Jimenez says. “I get so excited and passionate about learning that it is easy to transmit that sense to the children, and pretty soon, before you know it, I am faced with 20 children eager and ready to learn. When you are excited about life, then anything becomes a road to knowledge.” Her enthusiasm is infectious. Her classroom boasts more than 2,000 books for the precious moments when the students spend time “just reading and letting ourselves go to worlds beyond our classroom.” And her passion for traveling and living abroad has enabled her to open doors to other cultures and their traditions. “I try to let (my students) understand that over a billion people on this planet live on $1 a day and how blessed and fortunate we are to live here in this part of the world; and how it is incumbent upon us to grow up and use our talents and passions to make this world a better place.” – By Kerri Mabee LINDA SIEMS RESIDENCE: Corona FAMILY: Husband Mike; sons Jeff, 35, Michael, 31, and Eric, 25; daughter Jennifer, 22. She has two grandsons, Tyler, 3, and Parker, 1, and a step-granddaughter, Brandie, 11 HERO DEFINED: She heads the Girls Scouts of San Gorgonio Council, serving as a troop leader for more than 16 years. When Linda Siems’ daughter became involved with Girl Scouts of America, Linda didn’t realize she would be led to one of her life’s passions as well. This fall she began her 17th year as a scout leader, starting her third troop. That first troop remained intact from kindergarten through graduation. The second was high school only and this group is starting in sixth grade. Her troops hold a near record for receiving Girl Scout’s highest honor, the Gold Award, and she sets new enrollment standards every year. “I’m having so much fun, I can’t equate it with work,” said Siems. “When I am out there with the girls, I’m completely charged up.” Her dedication comes back to her with a personal bond that continues as her girls, now women, progress into adulthood. “Not a day goes by that I don’t hear from one, through email, a letter or phone call.” “I’m very happy they consider me a mentor and trust me with their problems,” said Siems. “But sometimes you hear things you don’t want to know – details about their relationships, etc.” She considers self-esteem building the most valuable facet of Girl Scouts. “This is most important in junior high, when the peer pressure is so intense and there is so much confusion.” Siems has taken her troops to London, Paris, several cities in Italy and Washington, D.C., among others. The scouts earn virtually every penny of their trip expenses through fundraising. To help save further, Siems has developed savvy travel planning skills. From staying in youth hostels to boarding at a convent near Rome, she brokers the broadest experiences possible with limited resources. Fundraising efforts do not preclude their dedication to volunteerism. “We have a goal of five to six service projects a year,” said Siems. These range from working with God’s Kitchen, collecting eyeglasses for the needy, sending clothes and personal care items for disaster victims and maintaining a relationship with a group of developmentally disabled children and adults with regular visits and celebrations at their care facility. “In the end, it’s about watching a program that works.” – By Susan Belknapp Terry Welsh RESIDENCE: Hesperia FAMILY: Wife of 34 years Karen; adult sons John and Daniel; and two grandchildren HERO DEFINED: Battalion chief, San Bernardino County Fire Department. Terry Welsh has been there for people who have needed help for 30 years. And that’s just his tenure with the San Bernardino County Fire Department. He also spent four years as a young volunteer firefighter in Barstow at the encouragement of that city’s fire chief at the time, Willis Pinkerton, a friend of his wife’s family. “I was hesitant at first,” he says, “but, needless to say, it wasn’t long before I went out on my first fire. I found it pretty exciting and I was hooked.” After attending college, he applied with the Lake Arrowhead Fire District and was hired in 1976. Very early on, while still a volunteer firefighter in Barstow, Welsh realized the impact of this career choice. “I was on my way to work and I witnessed an accident, somebody that I actually knew that was on a motorcycle and had been hit by a car and was lying on the side of the road and I did something very simple,” he said. That “simple” thing was opening the man’s airway and keeping him breathing until an ambulance arrived. The California Highway Patrol wrote a letter crediting Welsh with saving the man’s life. “This was a huge impact on me because I was very young at the time, probably 19 or 20 years old. I thought, ‘Wow, I can really make a difference out there.’ There have been many, many rewarding incidents since then.” There is a sense of family among those involved in fire service and Welsh describes how profoundly it was felt after the tragic loss of the five firefighters of Engine 57 in last fall’s Esperanza fire. “They were members of the fire service family. It had a huge impact. It really centers you back on what’s important – your family, your friends. It helps you go home and give your family a hug and appreciate what you have.” Considering his professional family, Welsh says, “This job takes very special people. We are trusted with people's belongings, their family, their children. We have to have people who are dedicated to getting the job done.” And these heroes are just three numbers away, 9-1-1, from any of us in need of help. – By Michael Medley JARROD WASHINGTON RESIDENCE: Stationed in Iraq; family lives in Hemet FAMILY: Wife Melissa (former Navy); daughter Maya, 16 months HERO DEFINED: Marine Staff Sgt. Washington, stationed out of Miramar when in the states, is currently serving a tour of duty in Iraq. When the photos flowed onto the Inland Empire Family Magazine website this summer for our first annual photo contest, one in particular made us stop and look. It was one of Staff Sgt. Jarrod Washington, in uniform, the day he was shipping out to Iraq. He was photographed with his wife, Melissa, of Hemet, and their baby daughter, whom they are adopting. The 37-year-old, who plans to retire with 20 years service in July 2008, is representative of the thousands now serving from the Inland Empire. The twin counties have one of the country’s highest per-capita number of servicemen and servicewomen sent to Iraq. Washington is emblematic of that sacrifice, and sense of duty. He was interviewed via email and, while he hopes to get into human resources when he retires, he has much more on his mind right now. While serving in the Gulf War in 1991, he was a gunner on a tank. Today, he is an administrator of aircraft records and other maintenance forms. He can’t disclose when he will be home, and he doesn’t know if he will be called to serve a second tour. “I don’t expect to, however, if I must, I will do what I have to do,” he says. He already knows what he will tell his daughter when she is old enough to understand what he did overseas. “I will tell her that dad did his job as a Marine.” Washington says he is thankful for the supportive family he has at home. “They both make things more bearable,” he says, adding, “I am not sure that I would be so at ease with the fact that I am here in Iraq, if I did not have them at home to look forward to.” However, he is uncomfortable with the label of hero. “This is something that we have decided to do of our own will, and that is to serve and protect this great nation of ours.” – By Craig Reem |
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