20 lagunabeachindy . com FEBRUARY 3 , 2023
School Power
PAGE 1
|
Top of the World Elementary ’ s Megan Schooler .
“ I am always appreciative of the profound support of parents and our greater school community at these one-of-a-kind events . The Chef Challenge exemplifies a great message to our young adults at the high school when they can see and hear about a function that brings local businesses , family , friends , and educators together to support our schools ,” Allemann said .
Guests also sampled signature cocktail concoctions handcrafted
|
|
|
|
at the bar by current SchoolPower President Amy Dechary and last year ’ s SchoolPower President Harpal Sadhal . Sadhal ’ s Bee ’ s Knees cocktail narrowly beat Dechary ’ s Bad Apple . “ It was my first time tending bar ,” she said , “ and I ’ m so grateful to Lumberyard ’ s expert mixologists Jeannie Simons and Amber Nyson for showing us the ropes . I ’ m eagerly awaiting another shot at a win next year .”
“ The partnership of SchoolPower and Lumberyard was incredible , sponsoring an event filled with high
|
energy , fun , and good-hearted competition and , of course , great food ,” Hatchel said . “ I was honored to be a part of it and have the opportunity to get to know and interact with our parents in a different environment .”
The event raised over $ 9,000 , which will support SchoolPower ’ s grant program and family support services offered through the Family Resource Center .
SchoolPower is the parent volunteer-based , non-profit education foundation that has raised money for
|
Laguna Beach public schools since 1981 . SchoolPower ’ s mission is to enrich the education and support the well-being of all children in the Laguna Beach Unified School District . Through SchoolPower grants , the Family Resource Center , and the After School Program , SchoolPower supports academics , athletics , visual and performing arts , music , student experiences , social and emotional wellness , and community connections . Learn more about SchoolPower at lbschoolpower . org . |
From left : LBUSD Superintendent Jason Viloria , Laguna Beach High School Principal Jason Allemann , Thurston Principal Joe Vidal , Lumberyard owner Cary Redfearn , El Morro Principal Julie Hatchel and Top of the World Principal Meghan Schooler at the 11th annual Lumberyard Chef Challenge benefiting SchoolPower . ( Photo by Candice Dartez , Candice Dartez Photography ); From right : Livel Real Estate team members Tiffany Frey , Elaine Brashier , Jill Lockhart and Meital Taub at the 11th annual Lumberyard Chef Challenge benefiting SchoolPower . ( Photo by Candice Dartez , Candice Dartez Photography )
GUEST OPINION :
Being Honored … and humiliated
By MiChAel rAy
Readers of this column might remember that I helped create The Discovery Science Center . It is an interactive children ’ s science learning “ center ” off the intersection of the I-5 freeway and Main Street in Santa Ana . You can ’ t miss it because on one corner of the main building sits its symbol , a giant black cube .
Today , the center is called The
Discovery Cube , or simply , The Cube . It aims at children interacting and learning from more than 100 exhibits . They push buttons , pull switches , manipulate objects , and laugh with glee as they run from one exhibit to the next .
School kids are bused there from a 90-mile perimeter . The annual attendance is about 700,000 , not including The Cube ’ s sister Discovery Cube in Sylmar .
Every year , the Santa Ana Cube holds a 400-person Gala and honors one person for contributing to The Cube . At its Gala about a month ago , I was honored . It was for raising about $ 25 million from the State of California ( thank you , State Senator Tom Umberg and now retired State Assemblyman Tom Daly ). It was a big deal , and I induced my three kids and many friends to attend .
To start my ceremony , The Cube showed a small video about me . Assuming you are reading an electronic form of this column , you can see the vid by clicking here ( don ’ t fret , it ’ s funny ): www . youtube . com / watch ? v = NRhVTQ92YV4
After that , I was to give a small speech and boy , was I prepared ! I had written and practiced a five-minute spiel thanking all involved and , during the earlier festivities , had stayed stone sober .
Then it was my turn . I approach the stage with total confidence . It was a short walk , up a small flight of stairs , a walk to center stage . Then I was there at the podium , gazing out at all 400 people anxiously awaiting my pearls of wisdom ( yeah right---they ’ d just sat through more than an hour of a screaming “ live auction ,” a variety of speeches , no food , and would rather have been at their sister ’ s husband ’ s cousin ’ s baptism ).
It was at that time my mind went totally blank . I had no idea what I ’ d say . I looked at my notes , and they were incomprehensible . So I winged it , first thanking the bank that had financed part of The Cube , then thanked the bank again , and then the head bank guy responsible , Phil Kohn , and then again . I was wandering .
I knew I had to thank Umberg and Daly , but I forget when and how , and instead thanked former State Treasurer Phil Angelides , ( in attendance ), who , through his good offices , had provided $ 20 million low-cost financing for a different institution , the Orange County School of the Arts .
Then I noticed my oldest daughter , Elizabeth , 34 , who had climbed the stairs and was standing twenty feet away but ever-so-slowly approaching . She was taking tiny , slow steps and smiling . “ Dad ,” she said . “ Dad .” I looked over . Had she been sent by someone to yank me off the stage ? Was she being a great daughter and saving me further public embarrassment ?
I didn ’ t know what to do , so I introduced her to the crowd and thought , this can ’ t be happening . It ’ s the Twilight Zone .
To make a long story short , she finally arrived at the podium , took my arm , and we departed back to my table , where I quickly had two glasses of wine and asked myself , “ Did this just happen ?”
And oh , somewhere on the stage , I had lost my glasses .
Michael is a Laguna Beach resident and principal officer emeritus of Laguna Forward PAC .