Page 7 - Mid Valley Times 2-4-21 E-edition

Thursday, February 4, 2021
Dinuba local accepted to U.S. Space Force
The View From Here
I won- dered why Deissy Sanchez told me through text mes- sage that she’d just
Juanita Adame
From left, Deissy Sanchez sup- porting her mother's U.S. citi- zenship ceremony.
“I was floored honestly, I could not believe it,” said San- chez on the afternoon of Jan. 29. “I was shocked because the against me were insur- mountable."
Sanchez had a 3 percent chance of being selected. “But, due to my package and my career so far in the Air Force," she said. "I was select-
ed.”According to spaceforce. mil., the U.S. Space Force (USSF) is the newest branch of the Armed Forces. It was established on Dec. 20, 2019 following the enactment of the National Defense Autho-
rization Act.
“So what we are trying to
do is protect our assets that we have in space,” she said. “We do have a lot of space op- erations that we do use with those satellites."
"Some of these are for GPS," she continued. "So our job is to maintaining their safety and also utilize them during operations overseas.”
Sanchez is a first genera- tion American and said her family is extremely proud of her accomplishments.
“Both my parents are im- migrants from Mexico,” she said. “I grew up with them going to the fields, me going to school, having to translate for my mother when she went to appointments.”
Her career will relocate her back to California soon. She will be stationed at Van- denburg Airforce Base in Lompoc, and said she will try to visit Dinuba as often as she can.
SEE SPACE on page A8
gotten off work when it was only 12 p.m.
I figured she worked a really early shift and was hoping she wouldn’t be too tired for our phone inter- view. After our interview started and I managed to make it through a number of technical difficulties, I learned that she doesn’t live in the area, she lives all the way across the country in Miami, Florida.
The work scenario now made more sense to me. I was calling Deissy to find out more about her recent selection to the U.S. Space Force. Af- ter our introductions
I was anxious to ask her the question on my mind when I’d heard she’d been accepted to the program. “Will you actually be go- ing to outer space?” I asked. “No,” she replied witha laugh.
Sanchez told me she would be part of the pro- gram to oversee the sat- ellites orbiting our solar system. With all these new advancements in WIFI, and GPS tracking, satellites are used. I once saw an image of how ma- ny satellites orbit our air space daily. It’s really in- teresting to see.
Well, I wanted to say congratulations Deissy on your accomplishments. You make not only the city of Dinuba proud, but the rest of Fresno County as well.
Keep reaching for the stars, literally and figu- ratively, and best of luck with your future endeav- ors!
Photo Contributed
From left, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Deissy Sanchez.
By Juanita Adame
Mid Valley Times
Back in 2010, Deissy San- chez was a senior at Dinuba High School taking advanced placement classes and trying to figure out what the future had in store for her.
Now, nearly 11 years later, Sanchez lives in Miami Fla., supporting the U.S. Southern Command in the Department of Defense, holds the rank of Technical Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force and was recently se- lected to join the U.S. Space Force.
'Message of hope' displayed at KCHS
Contributed
It took nearly 3 weeks to complete. Its purpose is sim- ply to inspire students attend- ing the Kings Canyon High School campus.
"It's a message of hope and overcoming adversity," said Randy Bessey, program administrator. "A path of suc- cess that goes through KCHS, not just for this generation but for generations to come."
Bessey said the graduates in the mural represent the final culminating event for seniors at the school, and the farm workers represent the support given by families of students.
It was painted by a local artist named Jose Elias. Elias has painted murals at Na- velencia Middle School and Lincoln Elementary School as well.
Photo Contributed
The colorful mural was painted by a local artist named Jose Elias, and it took a total of 3 weeks tocomplete.EliasisaninstructoratWestHillsCollegeandhasalsopaintedmuralsat Navelencia Middle School and at Lincoln Elementary School.
SUSD Board honors several trustees at Jan. 26 meeting
Photo of the week
Photo Courtesy Sanger Unified School District / Facebook
The Sanger Unified Board of Trustees recognized the following individuals during the Jan. 26 meeting trustee Richard J. Duran, board president, Peter R. Filippi, and Christine Klistoff , she was the Fair- montElementarySchool,OutstandingEducatorforthe CaliforniaFoundationForAgricultureInThe Classroom.
Contributed
A photo of Isabella, Joshua and Ashley watching the sunset in Pismo Beach on Martin Luther King Jr. day, was sent in by Melissa Celaya.Haveaphotoyou'dlikefeatured? Emailjuanita@midval- leypublishing.com.