For the entire 2024-25 school year, the Santa Ynez Valley Elks Lodge has sponsored a Student of the Month, chosen by the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School staff and administration. The final honoree of the year is Ben Stuerman, the Student of the Month for May.

Stuerman has gained recent attention as the co-captain of the Pirates boys volleyball team that won the CIF Central Section title and made it to the second round of the CIF state tournament. He was also on the SYHS water polo team, and even on the basketball team in the ninth and 10th grade.

In the classroom, Ben has also shined, compiling a 3.4 GPA, while serving as the yearbook class editor this year. He also earned scholar athlete honors, and was on the staff of the SYHS “huddle” for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, serving as president this year.

Ben will be moving on to Simpson University in Redding, California, where he will continue his volleyball career and plans to major in kinesiology, with plans to become a firefighter, EMT, and paramedic, hopefully for Cal Fire.

This summer, when Ben has free time “for the first time ever,” he hopes to camp and hike in Yosemite National Park and climb Half Dome. He also loves to mountain bike, and is part of a mountain biking team in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Through it all, Ben has maintained his status as a good student and person.

“Ben is one of the kindest and most positive people on campus,” said SYHS Superintendent/Principal Dr. Kimberly Sheehan. “Ben loves living in the valley because of the close community and the great friends. He loves that everywhere he goes, he knows someone.”

One thing that drives Ben is his penchant for community service, and his faith. He has done two service trips to Mexico in high school, both building and helping people in a damaged community, and helping set up a senior
facility for events. He also helps his church locally to plan and set up many events and outreach programs.

“Community is very important to me, and I value strong bonds within it,” Ben said. “I have done many trips down to Mexico and those have consistently been huge parts of my life, seeing how third-world countries function
and get by with what they have.

“I’m someone who values faith, family, and personal growth. As a son and only child, I value the time I spend with my parents, whether we’re traveling, playing volleyball, working out, or taking care of our dog and chickens. Growing up in a small town where everyone knows each other has been a blessing, and our church community feels like a part of our family. My faith is at
the core of who I am. Weekly Sunday morning church, youth leadership, and mission trips have shaped me and deepened my connection to God.”

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Dunn, the private school in Los Olivos, is destination at the end of many fascinating paths, and promises to be the start of other fascinating paths taken by students and graduates. Bich (Wainzie) Nguyen is a prime example.

Nguyen was born in Vietnam and was going to high school there when she went to a “study abroad” high school fair, and when she found out about Dunn through the agency handling foreign students and researched it a little more, she knew this was the place for her. And according to Dunn’s Chad Stacy, director of the school’s Robert W. Jurgensen Entrepreneurship Program, she didn’t take no for an answer.

“You sought out Dunn. You sought out the Jurgensen program. You even grabbed [Director of Admissions] Mike McKee by the lapels and said ‘I have to come here; I have to come here now!'” Stacy said. “And then you did the same to your parents.”

Stacy told this anecdote while addressing Nguyen in front of an audience at Dunn’s Upper School Commencement. Nguyen was one of 28 students making up the Class of 2025.

A handing out of diplomas at a Dunn commencement consists of a faculty member of each graduate’s choice making a short (officially about 45 seconds) explaining the student’s impact on the school, or what make him or her special to the campus. For instance, a chance for Stacy to explain how Nguyen is, despite her quiet deamanor, “bold, fearless, and a generational game-changer.”

It’s a fashion that elicits a lot of good stories, like Nyuol Aguek’s “journey filled with challenges” from Kenya that brought him to Dunn, as told by Dean of Student Kelsey Sullivan.

Or biology teacher and Loy House head Melissa Escalante admiring Lily Wolter-Brezine as someone “who at any given moment will burst into song.” (Appropriate since Wolter-Brezine was the vocalist for the band hat did a musical performance during the program).

Or basketball and track coach and senior dorm head Esron Gates talking about on a morning group run when he decided to slow the pace, and heard Nojus Magelinskas remarking to him “Hey, Mr. Gates, you’re slowing down, like an old man, you have to keep it up,” and said he was a great coach and leader on the court.

An then there was Melia Collins-Byrd, the lone student speaker on the day, cited a a post-apocalyptic novel titled “Station 11” that Dunn student read this year. It’s about a society that’s crippled by a flu that wipes out most of the population, but a character expresses the idea that everything happens for a reason, an idea that permeates throughout the book.

“That got me to thinking about us and how life is like a book: Some chapters you keep re-reading, and others you couldn’t flip past fast enough,” Collins-Byrd said. “Then there are characters you never expected to matter, but you end up meeting the most.”

“But we did write this together at this tiny school in this little town called Los Olivos from places from all over the world,” she continued. “Somehow, out of the infinite possibilities, all 28 of us ended up here experiencing the same chaotic experience in four years of high school.”

And in what’s becoming a staple for Dunn commencement, Head of School Kalyan Balaven offered up another poetry reading enscapsulating the ending year at the school, only this year it was the dreams of his students submitted the week before. He also noted that the term “Pincer Pride” at Dunn may be correct because the school’s mascot is the Earwig, but “Pincher Pride” may be correct because dreams are what make you want to pinch yourself.

“Pincher pride; where dreams reside. So pinch me I’m dreaming from a dream deep inside” was the recurring stanza with references drawing jolts of recognition from the students who shared their “dreams.”

“You delicately dance with the fabric of your dream refined; entertwined with your grace and mind to become on with fashion design,” must have drawn a smile from Kadence Freed, who started sewing masks in the seventh grade in the midst of COVID, and now is headed to the Arizona State University Fashion Institute (which is actually in Los Angeles) with hopes of being a designer and/or owning her own brand.

“Crack of the bat, from batting cages to the fact you remain our class act to no cap: A major-league contract,” definitely reminded everyone of Theo Anderson, the highly regarded prospect for the Earwigs baseball team who will be playing for the Utah Marshals summer-league team and starting college ball with St. Mary’s College next year.

And then there was “And she is Tony Dunn true, because she dreams to build a school in Vietnam and give back to prove that she can bring the whole student into view,” circling back to Wainzie Nguyen, who is headed to UC Irvine to study business with an education minor, with aspirations to follow in the footsteps of her school’s founder and open her own school in Vietnam.

“I want to open it for the kids who can’t go abroad but they want to have this kind of school,” she said. “Hopefully I can do it one day.”

Whatever paths they may take, congratulations to all the Dunn graduates.

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This year’s awards include scholarships for 30 graduating high school seniors, 27 from Santa Ynez Valley Union High School and three from Dunn School, recognized for academic achievement, personal growth, involvements, and big dreams. The Foundation also renewed scholarships for 20 college sophomores, continuing support that began when they were high school seniors.

“A scholarship is more than financial aid — it’s a vote of confidence,” said Esther Jacobsen Bates, executive director of the SYV Foundation. “It tells a student their hard work, dreams, and potential are worth the investment.”

One student shared, “At the scholarship award night, I was overwhelmed by a strong sense of community here in the Valley.” Another recipient added, “Thank you for your belief in my potential and for helping me achieve my goals.”

This year’s graduating high school senior scholarship recipients are Jesse Arango, Jadon Bailey, Samantha Barboza, Eric Brians, Jazmin Briceno, Addison Bunke, Nataly Davalos, Jackson Elliott, Saira Fernandez, Aaron Figueroa, Adrian Garcia, Addison Godfrey, Sadie Godfrey, Adin Kokorowski, Kea Gonzalez-Lishman, Griffin Markee, Mykah Hardy Moniot, Kaitlyn Hicks, Ryder McClurg, Presley Miller, Malia Ortiz, Natalie O’Shaughnessy, Yasmin Ozkan, Tanner Rhodes, Meara Samaan, and Sofia Goretti Tinajero Suarez.

Two students, Kimberly Medina and Chloe Ann Perez, received the Walter L. Hanson Scholarship. Named in honor of Walt Hanson, editor and publisher of the local newspaper from 1929 to 1945, the scholarship recognizes students dedicated to careers rooted in service to others.

The David & Jan Crosby Scholarship celebrates creativity and artistic expression. This year’s recipients, Naomi Ferguson and Alison Willis, were chosen for embodying those values through their passion and commitment to the arts.

These scholarships are made possible through the Foundation’s deep roots in the Santa Ynez Valley and the generosity of local donors. With a longstanding commitment to enhancing the quality of life in the Santa Ynez Valley and Los Alamos, the Foundation has awarded more than $7 million to local nonprofit organizations and over $1 million in scholarships, supporting nearly 400 students in pursuing their college dreams.

To learn more about the Foundation’s scholarship program and community initiatives, visit www.syValleyFoundation.org.

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Academic awards are bestowed each spring at Muhlenberg College’s annual Honors Convocation — a formal academic ceremony designed to honor and celebrate leadership and scholarly excellence in the college community. This year’s convocation was held on Sunday, April 27, in Egner Chapel.

Sydney Vogel of Santa Ynez received the Novartis Endowed Science Scholars Program Award, given to a junior or senior science major who has achieved a 3.5 or higher grade point average in the major field of study and who has clearlyindicated the intention to pursue postbaccalaureate work in the sciences leading to an advanced degree.

A graduate of Dunn School, Vogel is studying biology at Muhlenberg College.

Founded in 1848, Muhlenberg is a highly selective, four-year residential, liberal arts college in the city of Allentown, Pennsylvania, with nearly 2,000 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree-seeking students. The college’s curriculum and experiences are designed to open doors to new ideas, discoveries, friendships and a lifetime of personal and intellectual growth.

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BUELLTON — The Buellton Union School District (BUSD) announced April 16 the appointment of Dr. Adam Bailey as its new superintendent, effective July 1, 2025. With over three decades of experience in education and leadership across California school districts, Bailey brings a proven track record of excellence, innovation, and student-centered leadership to Buellton. Bailey will succeed Dr. Randal Haggard, BUSD’s current superintendent, who will be retiring after nine years of dedicated service to the district.

Bailey currently serves as the principal at Carter High School in the Rialto Unified School District in San Bernardino County, where he oversees the education and well-being of approximately 1,900 students. His extensive career includes serving as an administrator at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, an administrator in personnel services for the Riverside County Office of Education, and vice president of school development for Oxford Preparatory Academy.Throughout his career as a classroom teacher and principal, Bailey has focused on increasing student achievement, promoting a positive school climate, and providing safe schools for students, staff, and families in each district he has served.

“Dr. Bailey is a visionary leader whose deep commitment to academic excellence and community collaboration will greatly benefit our students, staff, and families,” said Ryan Sullivan, president of the Buellton Union School District Board of Trustees. “His diverse experience at all levels of education will be an asset to our district.”

A dedicated educator, Bailey holds a Ph.D. in urban leadership from Claremont Graduate University, where he researched the factors that affect teachers’ job satisfaction and how they have a benefit to students in the classroom. Dr. Bailey earned his administrative and teaching credentials, a Master’s degree in educational administration and a Bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from California State University, San Bernardino.

“I am honored and excited to join the Buellton Union School District,” Bailey said. “I look forward to working with our outstanding Board of Education, students, staff, families, and community members to build on the district’s strong foundation and support every student’s success.”

Bailey’s appointment marks a new chapter of leadership for the district as it continues its mission of delivering high-quality education in a supportive, inclusive environment.

For more information, please contact the Buellton Union School District Office at (805) 686-2767 ext. 1.

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The Santa Ynez Valley Elks Lodge, in cooperation with Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, has named SYHS senior Nicholas Duran as the April Student of the Month.

Nicholas, known more familiarly as “Nico,” was announced as the winner during the Elks Lodge meeting on April 17 and received a $100 check.

Nico is a student that embodies resilience and determination, having excelled in the school’s special education program while embracing the warmth of the Valley community. 

His high school journey has been punctuated by his newfound passion for football in his senior year — a testament to his adventurous spirit and ability to forge lasting friendships. Nico stated that “he decided to play football to try something new. He made a lot of friends and wishes he had played all four years. He said the summers were hot, but it was still fun.”

Off the field, Nico embraced SYHS’s Career Technical Education pathways, studying automotive mechanics, welding, and culinary arts, both at SYHS and through concurrent enrollment at Allan Hancock College. His aspiration to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, father, and older brother as a welder at Hancock, reflecting his deep-rooted family values and commitment to his chosen career path.

Nico is the student that I might be the most excited to speak about all year,” said SYHS Administrative Assistant Alexa Tomasini. “Nico has worked very hard in our special education program.”

Outside of academics, Nico loves fishing and the beach. His dedication to community service further underscores his role as a valued citizen and a joy to have in any classroom setting. He has matured into an excellent man who everyone who knows him is so proud of.

If Nico could give his younger self advice, he would ask for more help for his disability and not be quiet. He would tell himself to do you and make good choices.

Nico is not just a student; he is a model of resilience, a testament to the power of perseverance and self-discovery. As he prepares for Allan Hancock College, we commend Nico for his unwavering spirit, his dedication to family, and hispositive impact on all who have had the pleasure of knowing him.

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The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Foundation is currently accepting applications for its Technology in Schools Program, which provides grants to Santa Barbara County schools seeking to enhance classroom technology. The deadline to apply for funding for the 2025–2026 school year is April 30, and all applications must be submitted online at chumash.gov/foundation. Launched in 2015, the program has awarded more than $550,000 in grants, helping schools purchase new hardware, upgrade infrastructure, integrate high-tech resources, and enrich their curriculum. 

The most recent 2024–2025 recipients include Vista Del Mar Union School District, which received $8,255 to upgrade Chromebooks and its uninterruptible power supply; College School District, awarded $9,173.96 for a 3D printer and interactive whiteboard; Los Olivos Elementary School, which received $10,136 for MacBooks and AppleCare; and Santa Barbara Unified School District, which received $10,000 for digital projectors. Additional recipients include La Colina Junior High School, Orcutt Academy High School, Saint Louis de Montfort Catholic School, San Marcos High School, Lakeview Junior High School, and Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, which used grant funds for tools ranging from robotics kits and laptops to interactive display boards and Esports equipment. The program was born from the success of the tribe’s 2015 charity golf tournament, where proceeds were donated as technology grants to four local schools. Inspired by that impact, the tribe established an ongoing initiative through its foundation to support the evolving technological needs of classrooms across the county. 

For more information or to apply, visit chumash.gov/foundation or call (805) 688-7997. The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians has donated more than $30 million to schools, nonprofits, and organizations locally and across the country, continuing a long-standing tradition of community giving.

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Former Buellton resident Victoria Bernard, a Dos Pueblos High School graduate, is one of six Baldwin Wallace University (Berea, Ohio) women’s wrestling student-athletes and one of 400 total women’s wrestlers across all levels of collegiate wrestling to be named as a National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American.

To qualify for Scholar All-American honors, a student-athletes must excel both on the mat and in the classroom by meeting one of the following academic and athletic criteria:

• A top eight placer at nationals and at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average
• Competed in a minimum of 15 matches that are recorded in Trackwrestling and has at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average
• Was a national qualifier and has at least a 3.25 cumulative grade point average

Bernard, who carries 3.56 grade point average in creative writing, garners her first accolade. This season, she won seven matches, tallying three falls and one technical fall.

BW, who was in its inaugural season, finished the 2024-25 campaign with an overall record of 2-1. The Yellow Jackets finished fourth at the NCWWC Region 4 Championships.

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On a Saturday last month, Dunn School in Los Olivos hosted a large group of budding entrepreneurs from around the country, who polished their presentation skills pitches for their business and product ideas.

On March 1, for the second straight year, Dunn hosted the regional competition for the Diamond Challenge, a competition billed as “The Ultimate High School Entrepreneur Challenge.”

Dunn Head of School Kalyan Balaven welcomed the competitors and help up the event as an example of what his school and the schools represented are trying to convey.

“This event is the perfect example of how education and innovation intersect,” he said. “The students here are not just dreamers, they are architects of our future.”

Although Dunn did not have any students who competed in the Diamond Challenge, the event matches up well with the efforts of the school to teach the philosophies and practices of business and entrepreneurship.

Dunn teacher Chad Stacy oversees the program as the Director of Entrepreneurship and explained how it works.

“At the heart of program is our student-run store 24/7 convenience store, where students can get food and snacks and other needs and pay electronically,” he said. “It’s our main revenue producer, and it’s where our new students are put to learn the basics. It’s real hands-on.”

Stacy said as the students get older, they can branch off into different areas.

“We can offer additional entrepreneurial courses, where the students can propose and make their own products and sell them in their own store,” he said. “And we have students invest some of the money they make from the store in the stock market and see how that can grow.”

Meanwhile, the competition offered a wide range of business ideas and concepts for the judges to evaluate. Presentations were made in two “pitch rooms” representing two categories: Business Innovation and Social Innovation.

In the Business room, judges heard pitches for many different ideas including those for The Chess Mate, a service to find willing players for chess that includes the ability to organize tournaments and look at tutorials to become a better player. There was also a proposal for a company called (eye)deal, that can detect eye disease remotely with an online camera. And there was Fizzle, proposing a device to installed in stoves to keep them from overheating and causing fires.

“I actually had a neighbor in the San Jose area who had his home damaged because his stove caught fire,” said Ishaan Mandala, who teamed with his Silver Creek High classmates Adarsh Sharma and Tanish Srinivas for the presentation.“So I started thinking about how we could help prevent that, and came up with this.”

Over in the Social Innovation room, threat of fire was also the inspiration for a concept called SkyScouts, which was proposed as a system to predict wildfires, so they can be dealt with before they do too much damage. The judges for that part of the competition also heard pitches for MeloSign (with the slogan “Making Music Tangible”), whose creators envision a way for the hearing-impaired to truly enjoy music, with visual cues on a screen and a wearable device on the wrist with hoptic vibrations to allow the person to feel the beat of the music.

Also in the Social category was Rhythmiq, billed as an all-encompassing online tool for professional, amateur, and aspiring dancers that would be a search engine for affordable training and dance studios, and online help to learn dance steps and create your own routines with the help of AI.

David Zheng, Russell Qian, and Suri Li, who all got to know each other through their dance experience were at Dunn to present their idea.

“This presentation and how we did it is kind of recent, but the idea kind of hatched with me about two and a half years ago,” Zheng said. “I was trying to get into auditions for K-pop and while doing that I realized there were so many talented people who just didn’t have a way to get their foot in the door. So I started looking for a way to create something for that, and meeting up with my partners, we tried to find an all-inclusive tool to help dancers and performers.”

After all the pitches were done, the students heard from the event’s keynote speaker Autumn Badelt-Fanning, a Dunn School alumna who created a mobile veterinary business in Paso Robles and now manages a vineyard in that town with her husband. She told the audience about her difficulties getting the mobile veterinary business off the ground before it was successful, and presented it as a lesson to not get discouraged if thing don’t work right away.

At the end, the winners were announced in each category who would advance to the Limitless World Summit in Wilmington, Delaware, on May 1-2.

The winner in the Business Innovation category was Soundwave, the creator of an AI accent moderator for foreign call centers to help they and the customers better understand one another. The winner if the Social Innovation category was GradeWithAI, which use AI technology to modernize methods for grading and “empowering educators to educate.”

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