Page 7 - Mid Valley Times 3-12-20 E-edition

The View From Here
I didn’t
know what
to expect on
the morning
of March 5. I
walked onto
the campus
at Washing-
ton Academ-
ic Middle
School or
WAMS as a presenter for their annual “Career Day” event.
As I walked to my as- signed classroom, I was defi- nitely nervous. Speaking to a roomful of adolescents and teenagers for the next four hours was not going to be easy.
Let me clarify by not- ing that it wouldn’t be four hours of straight lectures. Each hour was broken up into four class periods. So I’d get a break in between my presentations.
I’d prepared an outline a few days before. I was there to talk about my job. Being a news reporter is an exciting profession, for me at least. I quickly found out, it wasn’t as exciting to the first group of 8th graders sitting before me.
“Hi everyone,” I said to the classroom. A long and dragged out, “hi" was the response from a couple stu- dents.
“Tough crowd” I thought to myself. As the day went on however, students did ask more questions about my job and why I chose this profes- sion. “I enjoy telling people’s stories,” I’d reply.
I talked to students about the pro’s and con’s about this career. How long I’ve been doing it. I was asked the question if I love my job. “I do love my job,” I replied. Truth is, I feel fortunate to have the career I do. It al- lows me to meet a variety of people every day.
The platforms have changed quite a bit. Nowa- days we can all tell our sto- ries on the same platform, (online) and equally make the same impact as a larger news station or newspaper.
I would like to thank the staff at WAMS for their hos- pitality. Being on the former Sanger High School campus took me back to 1996. I was a senior at Sanger High, not knowing that in 20 plus years I’d be back there talk- ing about my career. It was a neat revelation.
I also learned that just because I enjoy this job and it's my passion and my call- ing, it's not the same for ev- eryone. As parents we must figure out what our kids en- joy. What are their passions and goals? We can learn a lot from our students, and we should because they are our future.
Sanger's Blossom Trail Run honors Ken Takeuchi
This year’s event was also dedi- cated to long time race direc- tor Ken
Takeuchi.
Takeu- Ken Takeuchi chi died on
Dec. 6 at the age of 92.
According to a statement on the Blossom Trails Face- book page, this year’s event would be bittersweet without him. “Ken provided an un- canny perspective,” the state- ment read. “His leadership on our event is unmeasurable.”
Takeuchi began running competitively in the 1970’s and began directing local rac- es in the late 1980’s,
An image of Takeuchi was displayed at various locations throughout the race.
Following the races a va- riety of downtown food ven- dors, a car show, novelty booths, live entertainment and other activities were held.
Juanita Adame
Photo Courtesy Sanger Blossom Trails 10k Run
ABOVE: Trophies were displayed during the Blossom Trail's Car Show event.
ABOVE RIGHT: An image of the late Ken Takeuchi was displayed throughout portions of the race as well as on racers t-shirts.
Staff Report
The weather was cold and windy on the morning of March 5, that however, did not stop hundreds from par- ticipating in Sanger’s annual
Blossom Trail 10k run.
The route for the race
began in front of the Sanger Branch Library and continued east on 7th Street to Faller Av- enue. Runners then continued
to 9th Street back to down- town Sanger.
A portion of the run includ- ed the outer parts of the city where parts of the Blossom Trails are located.
Reedley Historical Society 'Spring Event' is tonight
Dinuba Police participate in 'Support the Blue' run in Woodward Park
Photo by George M. Villagrana / Mid Valley Times
The Dinuba Police Department and Explorers took part in the 5th Annual Support the Blue Run held on Feb. 29 at Woodward Park. Many law enforcement agencies from throughout the San Joaquin Valley participated in the annual event which sold out for the third year. Pictured from left to right are officers Alejandro Veracruz, Ale- jandro Veracruz, Roberto Hernández, Jose Aguayo, Calixto Arias, detective Ubaldo Deharo and explorers Isaiah Torres, Rafael Her- rera and Gustavo Lopez.
MVT Staff Report
Jim Anderson, current president for the Associa- tion of the U.S. Army, will be the guest speaker for the Reedley Historical Society's Spring Event on Thursday, March 12, at Sierra View Homes. Dinner begins at 6 p.m.
Anderson, born in Talihi- na, Okla., will be speaking on the "Code Talkers," the Native American military members who made invaluable contri- butions to the war effort in both World War I and World War II. Anderson will share information on his tribe and the history of the Cherokee Nation.
Anderson attended an In- dian boarding school, Jones Academy in Hartsharne, Ok- la., through the sixth grade. He moved to California when he was 17 years old and at- tended Fresno City College and later served in the U.S. Army.
Anderson's honors include Citizen Soldier of the Year for 2014 at FCC, the Clovis City Hall of Fame (2019) and the Oklahoma Elders Hall of Fame (2019).
Reservations for the Reedley Historical Society Spring Dinner can be mailed to the Reedley Historical So- ciety, PO Box 877 in Reedley. For ticket information, call 638-4450.
History Day Students hold car show fundraiser in Dinuba
Photo Contributed
The 3rd Annual History Day Car Show will be held at the north campus parking lot at Dinuba High School this Saturday, Mar. 14.
Mid Valley Times
Students in the National History Day Club at Dinuba High School will be hosting the 3rd History Day Car Show at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 14 in the north cam- pus parking lot.
This is a fundraiser for the club. National History Day is where students can
choose their favorite topics in history and create a proj- ect (exhibit, documentary, website, performance or his- torical paper) that displays their knowledge.
Dinuba High students took part in the Tulare Coun- ty National History Day com- petition and did extremely well. Fifty-three students participated in the event held
in Visalia and 25 are moving onto the state competition.
This year’s event will take place from May 8-10 at Wil- liam Jessup University in Rocklin. Students will be vying for an opportunity to move onto to nationals which will be held in Washington DC. To enter a car, truck or motorcycle, please arrive at 9 a.m. Spectators are wel-
come at 10 a.m. and the event wraps up at 1 p.m. There will be food, music, a raffle and trophies awarded for the top vehicles. Car show is open to students and public, entry fee is $15.
For additional informa- tion, contact Brittany Sumpt- er at Brittany.sumpter@dinu- ba.k12.ca.us