By Mike Chaldu

michael@santaynezvalleystar.com

The Dunn School, the private boarding school located in Los Olivos, is one whose administration has never been afraid to think outside the box.

And that philosophy carried over into the school’s Commencement ceremony on June 3: During the awarding of the diplomas, instead of having the student just walk across the stage and sit back down, each of the 41 graduates of the Class of 2023 had a faculty member of their choosing introduce them and say a few words about the graduate, or as much as they could in the 45-second time limit.

That resulted in many fond memories — some humorous, some inspirational, some poignant, and some emotional.

For instance, Hannah Bishop got hear her personality be compared to a “jingle,” and got to hear an exercept read from a class-assigned letter from the point of view of herself as a 77-year-old, which included a characteristic “anyhoo” mixed in with the essay.

Bernard Grunzweig got to hear one last time from College Counselor Terri Devine a mantra she said she uttered everyday — “Thank goodness for Bernie” — as she recounted all the help her student had done and the great attitude he displayed in and out of the classroom.

Johnathan Johnson got to hear his former assistant baseball coach and advisor gush about “The Rhino,” Johnson’s alter ego known as “the most intense pitcher I’ve ever seen take the mound.”

And in maybe the most amusing introduction, David Mason introduced Ukrainian student Lev Prosvietin by speaking his language — literally. Although he never spoke Ukrainian before, Mason delivered his words in that language (to Prosvietin’s bemusement), while fellow faculty member Toby Castle held cue cards with the English translation for the benefit of the audience.

“I did it as a surprise,” Mason said after the ceremony. “I got together with someone who knew Ukrainian to writer it and work on the pronunciation. It was so hard, obviously.”

It was those moments that wrapped up a festive ceremony full of cheers and tears, and some entertainment.

A five-piece band performed a couple of songs, one of which had Aidan O’Neill and Willa Levy teaming up for a rousing version of the 1976 Elton John/Kiki Dee hit “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.”

Dunn Head of School Kalyan Balaven began the Commencement with an original poem called “Ripples,” which was chock full of references of the people, places, and moments from the past year at Dunn.

“I read it last year, but each year I change it up a little bit to reflect what happened during each school year here,” Balaven said after the ceremony.

Eventually, Dunn’s three student speakers were able to take the podium.

First up was Joshua Marin, who spoke of his journey since arriving at Dunn as a sixth-grader, and issues he eventually had while there.

“In my freshman year, I felt like I’d been dropped into a maze, but what made it more difficult was it was pitch black,” he said. “I felt like I had to get through by feeling the walls and making random turns.”

However, Marin said, a classmate persuaded him to talk to a now-former faculty member to get the help he needed. He said the the closeness of the Dunn community is what helped him get through his “mental maze.”

“Dunn showed me that the beauty in life isn’t in the scenery or the money, though both are gorgeous,” Marin added. “But rather the bonds we create on our paths to success. This place will remain sacred not just because I grew up here, but because I met some pretty amazing people on the way.”

The next speaker, Quinby James, began her speech by introducing them to a girl who was a shy homebody who didn’t do much more than school, dance, and hanging with her mom.

“She came to this school seven years ago, but she’s no longer here,” James said. “She’s grown into the person standing before you today. She’s me.”

Thus began her story of how her experience at Dunn School has made her a “confident, outgoing, dynamic being that embraces all things new.”

It was her time at Dunn, James said, that taught her not to be afraid of failure (examples of which she told of while at Dunn), but to learn from them. She then told of when she decided to transfer to Santa Ynez High School, but came back to Dunn because SYHS was “too comfortable.”

In summary, she said to her fellow graduates, “I ask you to embrace the discomfort. I ask you to learn. I ask you to fail.”

The final speaker was Helen Pruitt-Kennett, winner of the Trophy of Excellence, Dunn School’s highest honor, for 2023.

Pruitt-Kennett began her speech by recounting how when she entered high-school age, she wanted to just “soar through” high school and instead go right to the “end” and enter college.

She then dabbled in extracurricular pursuits like racing motorcycles and, later, going on her first solo flight, which involved a flyover above the Dunn campus. 

“I was reluctant to get into the plane; some part of me feared I’d forget how to land,” Pruitt-Kennett said. “Then as soon as the wheels were off the ground and I was flying, and by some small miracle, I decided to come back.

However, there was a somber note to her achievement.

“What many didn’t realize was that the previous week, I had lost my mother,” Pruitt-Kennett said. “Flying was what I loved, but it was all I had.”

In all of that, though, Pruitt-Kennett realized something about her earlier wish to just soar through high school — that the “middle” wasn’t the waste of time she thought. With that she left a final message to her classmates.

“I stand here looking at the horizon of everything I want to be. Though I cannot see the setting sun past tomorrow, even if I take a step into the dark today, I will find my way down the path,” she said. “I don’t see an end — I just see the rest of my journey.”

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On the first evening of June, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School’s newly renamed Rio Memorial Field had a different look: A large stage with a “2023” sign in lights and video boards on either side of it, not to mention ’80s rock music blaring from the portable speakers facing the stands. The appearance took on the air of an imminent rock concert.

However on this evening, the “rock stars” would be the 170 SYHS seniors about to graduate in the school’s 2023 Commencement ceremony.

In front of an enthusiastic crowd of family and friends, the senior class heard addresses from three of their fellow students, Principal Michael Niehoff (who last month announced he would not be returning next year), and Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year Gregory Wolf, who would later play a rendition of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” for the crowd.

The soon-to-be graduates filed out of the SYHS gym toward the stagefront seats to the tune of the traditional “Pomp and Circumstance” at around 7 p.m., a later start for the ceremony than in previous years.

After everyone was seated, Rye Winans came up to the stage and led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance, which was followed by the national anthem, sung by Opal Ray.

After a welcome address from seniors Natalia Contreras (in English) and Ada Degollado (in Spanish), Niehoff announced two special recognitions. The first was that a seat that was set aside by the Class of 2023 for Connor Graciano, whose death as a ninth-grader kept him from being in the Class of 2023. The second announcement was that senior Zoe Kazali underwent life-saving heart transplant surgery over the weekend. 

“[She] is already impressing her doctors at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles with the strength that makes her such a valuable member of our community,” Niehoff said. “We’re thinking of you, Zoe Kazali.”

The principal then went on to list the graduating class’ achievements.

“The Class of 2023 has produced 33 graduates of the highest honors, 25 CSF lifetime members, 35 National Honor Society members, 39 are receiving the Golden State Seal of Merit Diploma, and 19 have earned their California State Seal of Bi-literacy,” Niehoff said, also pointing out that the senior class had received over $200,000 in scholarship awards.

Elle Arvesen was the first student speaker for the Commencement and her speech touched on the theme of fear and failure, touching on her theater experience to explain how she dealt with it.

“One thing I have learned is that I will fail; I will fail over and over again,” she said. “I have forgotten lines; I have embarrassed myself trying to make people laugh, I’ve struggled to find myself in the different roles I portray.

“However, every time I have failed, I have learned from the failure and continue to do what I love to do. I have persevered.”

It was that perseverance that Arvesen said carried her and her classmates through some tough times.

“I applaud my classmates for their perseverance through one of the most difficult times of our high school experience, and maybe our lives, the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said. “Overwheling feelings of anxiety and fear plagued us as the news blared behind us reporting on tragedy upon tragedy.

“After what felt like forever, we finally arrived at the end of this dark time, ready to tackle the rest of high school, and we did it.”

The next speaker was Nathaniel Keating, who spoke of his feelings of being an “outsider,” because he moved to the Santa Ynez Valley just a few years ago, into an area where everyone had lived their whole lives, it seemed.

“I was someone who didn’t feel wholly a student here,” he said. “I came to the Valley three years ago, the summer before my sophomore year. I had trouble accepting this opportunity because I felt someone more representative of the area should be up here, but due to a few people encouragement and guilt tripping, now I am here.”

Eventually, Keating said, he had a different viewpoint of his “outsider” status.

“In retrospect, I believe my late arrival, my outside perspective, was one of the most valuable parts of my early time at this school,” he said. “It made me appreciate what I’m now a part of.”

Keating went on to say that although he appreciates the Santa Ynez Valley, it can be a bit of a “bubble.”

“Sometimes, you need to enter a new environment to spark change, and to provide the opportunity to appreciate what one has always had,” he said. “My experience as an outsider looking to join your community pushed me to change and adapt in ways I wouldn’t have otherwise and made me recognize what I left behind.

“It’s my hope that my classmates, as we take charge of the coming shifts in our lives, emerge better from them, and appreciate all the Valley has to offer.”

Senior Class President Matteos Damanias was the final student speaker, and in his speech he stressed the importance of looking toward the future.

“The best time and worst times of your life, the highest highs and lowest lows, they’re all behind us,” he said. “It’s easy to be overwhelmed by this — the realization of things we’ve done and choices we’ve made; our greatest successes and gut-wrenching regrets, but it’s all locked into the past.”

Damanias informed his classmates that now high school is done, the decisions they make is now up to them and them only.

“Is this it? Is this the end of a chapter of our lives?” he asked, and then answered, “Some may see it that way, but I’ve always hated that analogy. The rest of your life isn’t like a book; the next few chapter aren’t written down for you in any way. I prefer to think in this leap of faith, we are not taking a step, but after 12 years of learning how to fly, we’re finally putting our wings to use.”

Before the students were handed their diplomas, Niehoff, in his last address as the school’s principal, gave his viewpoint on how different generations view each other — mainly how older generations look at the younger ones.

“Ever since I became an educator 30 years ago, I have all too often heard adults speak ill of students,” he said. “For example, I had heard too many times how young people are lazy. It almost seems like each generation misrepresents or misunderstands the next generation.”

Niehoff went on to recite many common complaints he’s heard, while encouraging the graduates and audience members to say “We disagree.” The principal’s hypothetical statements of today’s young people being “lazy,” “selfish,” “irresponsible” were all met with yells of “we disagree” from the graduating class.

In closing, Niehoff urged older generations to respect and appreciate the accomplishment of the next ones, and urged his graduating class not to fall in the same trap of looking down at the next ones themselves.

“Don’t let your peers put the younger generation down,” he said. “They might be different, but they’re not worse.”

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The parking lots at Bethania Lutheran Church in Solvang were chock full of vehicles on Saturday, May 6, but the people who arrived on site didn’t mind one bit, especially the younger ones.

The large vehicles, which included construction equipment, service vehicles, police and fire vehicles, and ambulances were all part of the seventh annual Touch-A-Truck event, which was a fundraiser for Bethania Preschool and its afterschool programs.

The event drew over 1,000 people in its three hours, according to Lola Gonzalez, the director of Bethania Preschool.

“We had a great crowd, and we had a lot more vehicles than last year, more local and a wider variety,” said Gonzalez, who pointed out that this was the seventh annual Touch-A-Truck even though it promotional materials said it was the “sixth annual.” “It’s just good to have a family-friendly event and seeing everyone enjoying themselves.”

And the people who supplied the machines enjoyed it as well. Justin Rodriguez of Central Coast Paving in Santa Barbara brought up three pieces of equipment his company uses for roadwork, including an asphalt spreader, which was a popular topic of conversation.

“Mainly, everyone looks at it and just wants to know what it is,” Rodriguez said. “Which is great; we’re here to explain what each of these pieces do and answer any questions about our job and our company.”

All throughout the event, there were scenes of youngsters getting in the vehicles and playing with the controls, pretending they really were operating the machines. Meanwhile, users of the vehicles were there to explain to anyone how things worked.

The back parking area of the church was reserved for the law enforcement and emergency vehicles used by our first responders.

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Sgt. Tyler Yeates was on hand to answer any questions about his department’s vehicles.

“We’ve been answering a lot of questions about this one,” Yeates said about the department’s Special Enforcement Team vehicle, which resembled a military vehicle with its olive green color. “We explain its uses, it capabilities; however, one of the biggest things to tell them is that is isn’t a tank.”

As the event came to a close and the trucks, equipment and the like were being driven out, Gonzalez assured that there would be another Touch-A-Truck event in 2024.

“We hope to get more vehicles in here next year,” she said.

Feature Image:

Harrison Smith sits in a backloader, one of many construction and service vehicles on display at the Touch-A-Truck event at Bethania Lutheran Church in Solvang. Photo by Mike Chaldu

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The Wildling Museum of Art and Nature has announced its new 2023 site-specific installation featuring Northridge-based artist Elizabeth Criss, as well as work by glass artist Sari Scheer. 

“Message in a Bottle,” designed for the Michele Kuelbs Tower Gallery, is on view starting this month and remaining through February 2024. This long-term installation marks the third iteration of the museum’s tower installation program, which aims to highlight Southern California artists inspired by the environment and provides an indoor-outdoor art experience for Solvang visitors.

“’Message in a Bottle’ is a lively installation that illustrates the harmful impact of single-use plastics on our oceans,” Criss said about her work. “The installation features a dynamic swirl of marine life that celebrates the incredible beauty and diversity of the ocean world, drawing attention to the astonishing richness of our planet’s underwater ecosystem. Much of the artwork is constructed with discarded plastics, serving as a poignant reminder of the urgent need to reduce plastic waste and promote environmentally sustainable practices.”

Criss is a Los Angeles native, and earned her B.A. in art from California State University, Northridge. Her creative vision explores complex and wondrous aspects of everyday life, with environmental concern for sustainability evident through her use of repurposed materials.

Her artwork has garnered attention from media outlets such as the Los Angeles Times, Daily News, and other print, television, and radio platforms.

The exhibit also includes glasswork from Scheer, a talented post-consumer glass artist who creates unique works from recycled wine bottles and window glass. Motivated by the idea of combining creativity and sustainability, she uses her art to promote environmental awareness and encourage people to rethink their relationship with the planet.

Scheer’s artistic process involves repurposing discarded wine bottles into works of art that showcase the versatility and beauty of this often-neglected material.

Criss’ proposal was selected from the museum’s 2023 request for artist proposals focusing on environmental impacts on the ocean.

“We received several strong proposals for the space this year and felt that Elizabeth struck just the right tone with important environmental messaging about the harm of plastics in our oceans while done in a creative and family-friendly way,” said Wildling Museum Executive Director Stacey Otte-Demangate. “The installation also has amazing curb appeal from the street at night, so its important message resonates 24/7. We’re grateful to Elizabeth, Sari, and their team for all their efforts.”

To learn more about the exhibit, go to wildlingmuseum.org/news/message-in-a-bottle. To learn more about Elizabeth Criss and her work, visit facebook.com/ElizabethCrissArtwork. For Scheer’s work, go to unwinedglass.com. 

The Wildling Museum is located at 1511-B Mission Drive in Solvang. It is open Monday, Thursday, and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesday, and will also be closed on Sunday, May 21.

Feature Image:

“Message in a Bottle,” the new installation in the Wildling Museum, hangs in the Michele Kuelbs Tower Gallery. Contributed Photo

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Gregory Wolf, a social sciences teacher at Santa Ynez Valley Union High School (SYVUHS), has been named the 2024 Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year. 

The announcement was made May 4 at a ceremony held at the Santa Barbara County Education Office during the regular meeting of the County Board of Education.

An inspirational teacher who brings joy to learning — and the “undisputable heartbeat” of the social sciences department — Wolf teaches U.S. history, political science, and AP psychology and has served as the social sciences department chair, vice president of the Parent Teacher Student Association, and Associated Student Body (ASB) Activities Director. 

As the recipient from Santa Barbara County, he becomes eligible for the California Teacher of the Year award.

Wolf — who has been teaching for 10 years — said he was honored and deeply moved by the recognition.

“Teaching is a very demanding profession that entails a lot of personal sacrifice, but the kids make it more than worth it,” he said. “We have an amazing group of students at Santa Ynez High School, and I am extremely blessed to be able to work with them. They inspire me in unimaginable ways and I look forward to many more years of serving them to the best of my ability.”

Wolf was nominated by SYHS Principal Michael Niehoff for his outstanding work in creating a model 21st century classroom focused on inquiry-based learning, collaboration and high quality technology integration.

“Greg has created a very dynamic and engaging learning environment where all students are engaged, collaborating and producing amazing and relevant public work,” said Niehoff. “He has made a very successful transition and transformation from a traditional teacher to a learning facilitator.”

County Superintendent of Schools Susan Salcido said Wolf is an exemplary teacher who was chosen from an impressive pool of candidates and remarkable finalists.

“He embodies all of those qualities the most exemplary teachers possess. From top to bottom, from every corner of the campus, Greg is beloved, appreciated, and known as the ‘go-to’ person for just about everything. In one colleague’s words, ‘Greg is truly the full package when it comes to embodying the soul of an outstanding educator.’ We congratulate Greg and the entire Santa Ynez High School team on this momentous occasion, and look forward to learning more about — and from — Greg in the coming year.”

As Wolf accepted the honor, he said: “Every morning, a question I ask myself is: what can I do today to ensure that the experience of all my students is meaningful and positive? I believe that for all people in education, if that is what drives us, then everything else will work itself out.”

When asked about his teaching philosophy, Greg shared: “My class needs to be a safe space where all students feel seen and heard. My classroom experience is designed to put students at the center of everything. I aim to give students ownership of their own learning with the goal of facilitating engagement, development of critical thinking skills, creativity, and a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that will hopefully fuel every student’s desire to pursue success in their own lives beyond the classroom.”

Wolf’s colleague at SYHS, Chris Mullin, who was the 2003 County Teacher of the Year and California State Teacher of the Year, shared that Wolf shuns the “sage on the stage” persona, and puts the kids in charge of the learning. 

“In addition to teaching students, Greg is a highly respected leader and trusted guide amongst peers,” Mullin said. “Within our department, Greg is the undisputed heartbeat and he is never more at home than when he is co-planning some sort of activity or parallel instruction technique with another teacher. On breaks, we all congregate in Greg’s room, swapping jokes and successful lessons with one another. His room is a place of collegial laughter and a welcome respite from those occasionally challenging days of high school teaching.”

Andrew Schwab, Superintendent of the Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District, noted: “Greg is an outstanding teacher, student advocate, and educational leader. He embodies a student-centered educational philosophy, which is immediately evident even before entering his classroom. Students can often be found working in small groups outside the classroom door.”

Wolf, along with other award-winning teachers from Santa Barbara County, was introduced at SBCEO’s Education Celebration on Thursday, May 11, and will be officially honored at the county’s annual A Salute to Teachers event to be held in November at the Music Academy.

Feature Image:

Santa Barbara County Teacher of the Year Gregory Wolf (center), of Santa Ynez High, is shown with Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District Superintendent Andrew Schwab (left) and SYHS Principal Michael Niehoff after winning the award. Photo Courtesy of SBCEO

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Staff Report

The Santa Ynez Valley Elks, a local community organization, has joined forces with Santa Ynez High School to recognize Ivan Guerrero as their outstanding February Student of the Month. Ivan’s remarkable achievements and dedication to his academics, sports, and community service make him a deserving recipient of this prestigious award.

Throughout his high school career, Ivan has been a talented soccer player and has even earned the title of captain for the varsity soccer team this year. Additionally, Ivan is also a talented golfer and is on the high school golf team. Despite his busy schedule, Ivan still finds time to give back to his community by volunteering at the local Thanksgiving Food Bank. He also works at the Los Olivos Cafe, showing his dedication to balancing both his personal and professional responsibilities.

Ivan’s academic achievements are equally impressive, as he maintains a high GPA of 3.6 while juggling all of his extracurricular activities. He has ambitious plans for the future, including attending Santa Barbara City College to pursue a degree in criminal justice. His ultimate goal is to become a police officer and serve in the K-9 unit, making a positive impact in his community.

The Elks are proud to honor Ivan as their February Student of the Month and awarded him with a check for $100 during a March Elks Lodge meeting. Congratulations to Ivan on his remarkable accomplishments and for being a role model for others to follow. The Santa Ynez Valley Elks and Santa Ynez High School are honored to recognize such a deserving and accomplished young individual.

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The Santa Ynez Valley Elks Lodge, in collaboration with Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, are proud to honor Natalie Guerrero as the January Student of the Month.

Natalie has been and continues to be very active at the high school. She has been the OLA representative to ASB for the past two years. Natalie was the emcee for last year’s Cinco de Mayo celebration at the high school. This led to her being the emcee at Solvang’s Hispanic Heritage celebration and receiving a proclamation from the Solvang City Council. One of her community service contributions was volunteering at Solvang School’s fifth-grade science camp, a four-day activity. She also works four days a week while juggling her many activities and maintaining a strong academic average.

Natalie takes AP classes and is described by the staff at the high school as a positive role model for all. Her plans for next year include attending Santa Barbara City College and then transferring to a four-year college to pursue a career in either child psychology or criminal justice.

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The Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation is accepting applications for its new scholarship in support of students who intend to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a college-bound high school senior in May 2022.

Applicants must be high school seniors who plan to study science, technology, engineering or mathematics in higher education, and should have an excellent academic record. While not requirements, preference is given to applicants who are graduating from a high school in Santa Barbara County and who hold an active Federal Communications Commission amateur radio license.

The application period is open through April 30. Applications may be completed online at scholarships.sbwireless.org.

The scholarship is funded through contributions made to the Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation Scholarship Fund. Tax-deductible donations to the Scholarship Fund may be made at the foundation’s website www.sbwireless.org. 

The Santa Barbara Wireless Foundation and Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club together form a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, public benefit corporation to promote education for people interested in telecommunications, disseminate information about scientific discoveries and progress in the field of wireless communications, and train communicators for public service and emergency communications.

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Staff Report

Allan Hancock College students will get the chance to earn $10,000 next fall in exchange for completing 450 hours of volunteer service with local nonprofits and government agencies under a new state program.

Hancock is one of 45 colleges and universities selected to participate in the new California College Corps, a service-based college opportunity program that seeks to help California college students pay for school, reduce student debt and serve their communities.

“We are very excited to take part in this new and promising program,” said Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers, Ph.D. “The California College Corps will offer Hancock students yet another opportunity to change their odds while they gain valuable experience and make a difference in their community and state.”

The College Corps, set to launch this fall, will provide participating students with service opportunities in critical issue areas such as climate action, K-12 education and COVID-19 recovery. Students who complete a year of service will receive $10,000, which includes a $7,000 stipend and a $3,000 education award for completing 450 service hours.

The 45 campuses participating in the program represent University of California, California State University, community college and private university systems. All were selected as program participants via a competitive grant application process. Other Central Coast colleges participating in the program include Cuesta College and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Hancock will provide information to students regarding how to qualify and apply for the program later this spring via the college’s website and student’s myHancock email. To learn more about the California College Corps program, visit https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov/californiansforall-college-corps.

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The UC Santa Barbara Foundation has appointed Tina McEnroe to its Board of Trustees.

For some 15 years the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education (GGSE) has been chronicling McEnroe’s growing list of accomplishments. She was the featured alumna, earning her MA from the GGSE Department of Education, in the school’s first annual magazine in 2006, when her years of award-winning teaching were highlighted.

McEnroe also was featured in UCSB’s alumni magazine for her visionary leadership to create the Pleasant Valley Schoolhouse, the authentically refurbished oldest (1869) wooden one-room schoolhouse in Santa Barbara County that is located in Buellton. 

She has been lauded for her gift and leadership of the Tina Hansen & Paul V. McEnroe Reading and Language Arts Clinic, which for a decade has provided state-of-the-art research and teaching in the field of literacy. Cal Poly, where she earned her teaching credential, presented McEnroe and her husband Paul with honorary doctorates in 2016.

McEnroe said the board appoinment came a surprise. She recalls the day while driving that UCSB Chancellor Henry Yang’s phone number popped up on her screen and she had no idea why he was calling.

“When he asked if I would be on the Board of Trustees, I was shocked,” she said. “That was never a goal of mine, and I’m very goal-oriented.” She asked Yang if she could consider it and confer with her husband.

She said her husband quickly replied: “Are you nuts? Call him right back!”

McEnroe was named a trustee because she’d been doing the work of a trustee for at least the past decade, helping create the Reading and Language Arts Clinic that has grown from one student to serving well over 500 students in the past five years, Yang said.

“It’s an exciting journey,” she said of the appointment. “I’m not quitting, I’m really revved up. I promised Henry I’d put the clinic on the national and international map.”

The goal of the Reading and Language Arts Clinic is to make the world a better place by helping people learn to read, McEnroe said.

“I’ve worn all the hats in the clinic, and my favorite has been as a teacher, working in the trenches with students and parents,” she said. Now as associate director her major goal is fundraising and establishing an endowment, “Raising the funds needed not just to survive but thrive.”

McEnroe notes the Gevirtz School’s support through the years, with the overall help of the Faculty Advisory Board, and stressing in particular how current director, Associate Professor Diana Arya, “has been invaluable” in keeping the clinic informed by the latest research.

One of the clinic’s recent projects has been exploring VR as a teaching tool. McEnroe said she has also been impressed by the skill and dedication of years of graduate students. She is equally proud that the clinic not only teaches first-through-eighth graders how to read, it also teaches generations of future teachers how to provide literacy skills for their pupils.

Since more than 90 percent of Santa Barbara elementary school students come from Spanish-speaking households that live below the poverty line, McEnroe is leading the fundraising charge so the clinic can offer scholarships for students of lower-income families.

“My dream is eventually to expand the program for high school students and even adults,” she said in a recent piece in the 2022 Santa Barbara Giving List. “With a firm foundation of support for our younger students, our clinic will undoubtedly attract additional support for older populations that have been equally impacted by the COVID-related pandemic.”

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