KUDOS TO MS. LA DUE
Seventh Grade English Teacher Ms. La Due won a 2017 Ed Fund Teaching Excellence Award. Making us proud!
EL CERRITO HIGH SCHOOL VISITS KOREMATSU
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16
ECHS Counselors and Assistant Principal Jay Eirvin will visit 8th graders to talk about class choices for 2017/18.
TIKI PARTY FUNDRAISER (A CELEBRATE KOREMATSU AUCTION ITEM)
APRIL 22, 6-9 PM
Party people, come enjoy planter’s punch and pu pu platters at the Schulze Family Tiki Lounge. $25 per person, $50 per couple. Adults only. Host families: Near Souza, Rula Craner, Karen Veitch, Leandra Johnson, Jen Treuting, and Carrie Schulze. Please email cafabfam@gmail.com if you’d like to join in the fun. Limited spots available.
KOREMATSU SOFTBALL TEAM
Parent Randy Sepe is forming a girls softball team at Korematsu for the next two years. Here’s his message:
1) Korematsu Softball Team Informational Meeting
Who: All 7th- and 8th-grade girls are invited
Where: A217
When: Tues, February 14th during lunch time
2) Season Information
First Practice: Monday, February 27th at 3pm
Practices: Monday and Thursday from 3 – 4:15pm
Games: TBD, hope is to play other Middle Schools in the Bay Area (approximately 10-14 games)
Season: Feb 27 – May 26.
Contact: Randy Sepe at randysarah1@yahoo.com or 925-895-9672 for more information
GRATITUDE NOTES:
CELEBRATE KOREMATSU, SCIENCE FAIR, AND RIGHTS + RESPECT WEEK
CELEBRATE KOREMATSU ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Chairs: Judy Chin and Joanne Okano
Celebrate Korematsu was truly a community endeavor, so we would like to thank the many people who helped with the event. We apologize to anyone whose name we have inadvertently omitted!
We particularly want to thank the lead volunteers for their often extraordinary efforts to put on the event and keep it running smoothly: Jen Treuting, Leandra Johnson, Lee Hamilton, Guy Fong, Stephanie Fong, Jeff Walker, Eowyn Mader, Bonney Lynch, Estella Sloan, Estela Banuelos, Carolyn Day Flowers, and Tony Sokolowski.
An especially big thank you goes to Trish McDermott and Marc LaJoie of The Arlington for generously donating so much of their time and expertise to prepare the delicious dinner!
We greatly appreciate the many volunteers who provided hours and hours of help before, during, and after the event or who gave donations to support the event. Thank yous go to Michelle Arakaki, Lauren Low, Saidah Said, Martha Burke, Fiona Grigg, Miriam Henneberger, Farhat Daud, Matt Fillingim, Rosa Leon, Lisha Holmestl, Chris Sterba, Randolph Bush, Larry Madden, Greg Chang, Jenny Han, Roni Bramwell, Carrie Schulze, Patty Osorio-O’Dea, Melissa Ehman, Keri Klein, Stephanie Kaiser, Jon Lebeck, Melissa Ehman, Jackie Kinney, Caroline Escalante, Kent Escalante, Mark Frey, Heather Walsh, Jake Schweitzer, Alonn Ilan, Lynn D’Amato, Cathy Pan, Ellen Hartigan–O’Connor, Gabriela Soriano, Ricardo Velasco, Adam Willett, Christian Thompson, Karen Thompson, Jeff Norman, Louie Mendoza, Cecie Mendoza, Michelle Fillingim, Dave Flowers, Kath Delaney, Erik Johnson, Kelly Bush, Rich Denio, Beckie Denio, Mike Yamauchi, Diana Yamauchi, Ilona Clark, Cindy Mekjian, Eileen King, Karen Robinson, Aaron Escalante, Karen Veitch, Bhrett Lash, Raheela James, Patty Enrado, Kathryn Tomaeno, Alex James, Rachelle Sherris-Watt, Angela Marengo, Marya Davis, Celina Brown, Emil Brown, Demetrio Franklin, Jenna Walker, Miya Escalante, Josephine Flood, Simha Furaha, and all those who simply pitched in to help as needed.
Special thanks also go to our tireless ECHS volunteers: Tamika Whitenack, Miya Keilin, Claire Sterling, Taiyo Keilin, Julia Walker and Ben Ragasa.
Many, many thanks go to auction chairs Rula Craner and Negar Souza and their talented auction team. Please read below for a message of thanks from Negar.
We thank the Korematsu Jazz Band and the Korematsu Jazz Ensemble for a job well done, and Ms. Sarah La Due for a stellar performance; it was a terrific show. Clearly, an enormous thank you from all of us goes to Tiffany Carrico, Korematsu’s amazing band director, for making the music happen.
Finally, thank you to Principal Matthew Burnham for his support of the Korematsu community, including opening the school on Saturday for the Celebrate Korematsu crew.
With great appreciation,
Judy Chin and Joanne Okano
THANK YOU TO THE CELEBRATE KOREMATSU AUCTION TEAM!
Chairs: Negar Souza and Rula Craner
We would like to thank all of the people who helped support the auction portion of the evening. It was a huge success and we are grateful for your time and help!
Alonn Ilan, Beth Lewis, Cecie Mendoza, Tammy Garretson, Larry Madden, Jen Toledo, Carrie Schulze, Karen Vietch, Gaetano Fong, Stephanie Fong, Cali Fong, Lani Stern, Maia Stern
A huge thank you to my partner, Rula Craner, without you we wouldn’t have such a successful event! And if we forgot you, it’s not because we didn’t appreciate you, it’s because we are still mentally recovering!
Thanks again,
Negar Souza
SCIENCE FAIR
Chair: Ying-Tsu Loh
Thank you to the Science Fair Judges and helpers!
Thanks to the judges who put in many hours of work evaluating science posters this year. Judges this year were: Bobbie Dowling, Melissa Ehman, Jon Lebeck, Larry Madden, Jeff Norman, Jeff Walker and Janette Wallis. Thank you’s also go out to Judy Chin and Cindy Mekjian for providing homemade snacks and dinner. A special thank-you to Mr. Kunz for providing his room and helping with poster set-ups, and Luke and Alec Thilmony for helping with the Science Fair Night.
Good luck to the Junior Scientists at the West Contra Costa Science Fair!
RIGHTS + RESPECT WEEK
Chair: Saidah Said
Last week, students learned more about the work of Fred Korematsu and other civil rights activists from a special assembly as well as an exhibit on Fred’s work; gained an opportunity to follow other students’ thoughts on the cultural value of respect from the three Walls of Respect; and given a chance to sit through lunchtime screenings of documentaries on civil rights efforts. Our students and school are fortunate to have the generous support of:
— Authors Laura Atkins and Stan Yogi, who gave a splendid presentation on the Fred Korematsu story, with readings from their new book “Korematsu Speaks Up” ;
— Sakura Kai Taiko group who performed with energy and purpose;
— Toru Saito, a survivor of Japanese internment during the second world war, for his relevant perspective and heartfelt performance;
— Ms. La Due and Ms. Bogie for introducing the participants during the assembly;
— Chris Sterba, who put together the exhibit on Fred Korematsu;
— Korematsu Institute, for making documents and photos available;
— Janice Staubus Wallis, who helped with the Walls of Respect;
— Kazue Nakahara, for her friendly advice;
— Southern Poverty Law Center for the videos;
— and Mr. Burnham for his unfailing support with things technical and administrative during this week.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS INFORMATION SESSION
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 5:30 PM — 6:30 PM
CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE EAST BAY RICHMOND OFFICE
217 HARBOR WAY, RICHMOND
Get information on your rights in view of new developments regarding immigration. Please see flyer attached. Also attached is flyer on the next Naturalization workshop on Saturday, February 25th in Oakland.
Know Your Rights Flyer for ENGLISH 2.22.17.pdf
Know Your Rights Flyer for 2.22.17 Spanish.
NATZ Feb 25 2017_SPANISH_FLYER.PDF
NATZ Feb 25 2017 ENGLISH_FLYER.PDF
MEET STAN YOGI AND LAURA ATKINS, CO-AUTHORS OF “FRED KOREMATSU SPEAKS UP”
Oakland Asian Cultural Center in Oakland, California
Saturday, March 18, 2017, 12 PM
Another opportunity to hear Stan Yogi and Laura Atkins talk about their book at Center for Asian American Media Festival (CAAMFEST). Watch, listen, and learn.