w w w . b a k e r s f i e l d v o i c e . c o mF

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EJune 14-20, 2009

A new Frontier!

Festival shines spotlighton local playwrights Pg. 2Read way to prizes Pg. 3Girl Scouts Troop 47 earnssweet rewards Pg. 5

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SMOG CHECK

Class of 2009 marksmajor milestone, pg. 2

2 W W W. B A K E R S F I E L DVO I C E .C O M JUNE 14-20, 2009

EDITORIALOlivia Garcia VViiccee PPrreessiiddeenntt //CCoonntteenntt

ogarcia@bakersfield.com

Gene Garaygordobil MMaannaaggiinngg EEddiittoorrggaraygordobil@bakersfield.com 716-8642

Teresa Adamo AAssssoocciiaattee EEddiittoorrtadamo@bakersfield.com

Sandra Molen WWrriitteerr//CCooppyy EEddiittoorrsmolen@bakersfield.com

ARTTimothy Heinrichs DDeessiiggnneerrtheinrichs@bakersfield.com

ADVERTISINGJaime De Los Santos SSaalleess MMaannaaggeerr

jdelossantos@bakersfield.com 716-8632

David Alanis SSaalleess EExxeeccuuttiivvee

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Bakersfield, CA 93303

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Staff

BY BRIAN BROWNCommunity contributor

he Bakersfield CommunityTheatre Playhouse has beenstriving for no less than top-notch shows and perform-ances for the past 82 years.

This year, for the 22nd annual Origi-nal One Act Festival, it will be no dif-ferent.

The One Act Festival at BCT hasdone what other theaters have not —given a voice to local playwrights.This festival has been a proudmoment for BCT and to Bakersfield in

general. Allowing local playwrights toproduce their latest play, giving newdirectors an opportunity to learn andtry something new — to enhance theirart — that is what this festival isabout.

The BCT Playhouse is at 2400 S.Chester Ave. (Parking is around theback of the building on O Street).Ticket prices are: $12 for adults and$10 for students, seniors and activemilitary. Show dates are June 19 & 20at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.);June 14 & 21 at 2 p.m. (doors open at1:30 p.m.).

For reservations, call 831-8114.

T

E X T R A ! E X T R A !

BCT Playhouse’s annual One ActFestival is sure not to disappoint

BY NICOLE HIGHTOWERCommunity contributor

akersfield Braves Baseball Club is hostingour annual golf fundraiser at SycamoreCanyon Golf Course in Arvin, 500 KenmarLane, Saturday, June 20 at 8 a.m. Format isfour-person scramble. Cost is $85 per player,

which includes green fees, cart and barbecue lunch.Lunch is only $15 at 1 p.m.

Sponsor a “hole” and get a sign with your companyname on the “Tee Box.” Contributions are tax-deductible.

For more information, e-mail:bakersfieldbraves@hotmail.comHope to see you there!

BBakersfield Braves Baseball Club golf fundraiser

Y O U R C E L E B R A T I O N S

Happy Birthday toLorenzo JaimeCalderon, who wasborn June 1 at 8pounds, 5 ounces.We’re so glad you’vefinally arrived and wecan’t wait to watchyou grow and be apart of our family.

Welcome tothe world,Baby Lorenzo!

BY DEBORAH CONNORSCommunity contributor

Senior year really does happenand it goes by so much faster thanyou ever would expect. Tears of joyand sadness prevail even if youthought you wouldn’t, for this is thefirst step to adulthood for many anda time when you know your babiesreally aren’t little children any more.

So this is the first senior graduat-ing class for Frontier High School.As they wished, it was done withclass and honor and there were

many proud faces in the stands offamily and friends who attendedthis rite of passage for our children.

To new students attending Fron-tier next year, be active in yourschool and you’ll enjoy it more. Tothose of you entering your senioryear, make the best of it ... it goesquickly.

To all who graduated from Fron-tier and our surrounding highschools, congratulations and bestwishes for a happy, productivefuture.

FrontierHighgraduatesfirst class

JUNE 14-20, 2009 W W W. B A K E R S F I E L DVO I C E .C O M 3

Frontier High School’s graduation wasmade extra special because the Class of2009 represents the first graduating sen-iors for the newer Bakersfield school. Asunset-filled sky provided a beautiful back-drop to the ceremony. See the story onpage 2. Photo by Deborah Connors.

Your photo could be on our next cover! Photos and stories for the June 28 issuemust be posted by Wednesday, June 17at 5 p.m.

About the cover

Contents

5 Top teachers Sure, it’s summertime, but we still want to reward great teach-

ers. See how you can enter your favoriteeducator to win a $50 gift card!

6 Two-wheeled excitement!The folks at Adam Pierce

Memorial Raceway have scheduled moreraces. Be sure to check out the action!

6-7 Stories of success Two CSUB graduates prove

that with hard work, anything is possible.Read their inspiring stories.

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Y O U R V O I C E

Book a fun summerwith the KC Library’sreading program!

BY ALISSA MORROWCommunity contributor

he Kern County LibrarySummer Reading Programis finally here! “Be Creative@ Your Library” beganJune 8 and continues

through July 25.Parents, come out and enjoy a vari-

ety of free programs for kids at yourlibrary branches. For more informa-tion on these special events, go to ourWeb site at: www.kerncountyli-brary.org. Or, come visit us and pickup a schedule.

Kids can also sign up to earn a freebook for the first 10 books they readthis summer! Reading records canbe picked up at a branch or printedonline. Make sure you have a parentsign it, then just return it to thelibrary by July 25 and get a freepaperback book provided by theFriends of the Kern County Library,Inc., plus other goodies while sup-plies last.

Here at the Beale Library, we’vegot lots of great stuff planned for thissummer.

All of our big, special summerreading events will be 7 p.m., Thurs-days. We will also have a morningstorytime every Monday at 10:30a.m., and a pajama storytime eachTuesday at 7 p.m.

Since this summer’s program is all

about being creative, we’ll also havelots of fun crafts and activities to goalong with our storytimes. Materialswill be provided by the library, andall events are free of charge anddesigned for children 12 and under.

Have a great summer, and we’llsee you at the Beale!

T

CALIFORNIAN FILE

Sheila Quijada, aka Cat in the Hat, lis-tens during celebrity reading time.

Bakersfield Voicecontest winnersays thank you for free tickets!

hank you so much for the“Sesame Street Live” tickets!

The show was awesome.My son really enjoyed it. Mynieces did, too. He danced

throughout the show. He even wentinto the aisle and started dancing. Lol!

— Michelle Torres

T

The “Sesame Street Live” characters hadthis little fan dancing in the aisles!

4 W W W. B A K E R S F I E L DVO I C E .C O M JUNE 14-20, 2009

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Y O U R V O I C E

Do it for Dad! BY TRACY HUNTERCommunity contributor

ouchin Blood Bank Presents“Donors Do it for Dad!” — AFather’s Day event, beginningMonday, June 15 through Satur-

day, June 20. Donors may enter a drawingfor a chance to win “The Big Green EggBBQ & Smoker,” sponsored by Randy Urn-er’s Out-Side.

Visit either of Houchin Blood Bank’slocations during the week of June 15–20.Hours are: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

and Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m; Thursdays, 9a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 3p.m. at 5901 Truxtun Ave. Or at 2600 G St.Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m. to6 p.m. Or Randy Urner’s Out-Side MobileEvent Friday, June 19 (11:30 a.m.–2:30p.m.), 3154 Landco Drive, Suite A.H

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BY TERESA JOHNSON-FITZPATRICKCommunity contributor

ur southwest Bakersfieldarea Troop 47 has 22 girls —in three age levels — all froma variety of local schools,including McAuliffe, Laurel-

glen, La Petite Academy, Bill William,Panama, Stine, Loudon and Voorhies.

We were not only the top cookie Sell-ers in Central Valley, selling 8,882 box-es of cookies, but over 1,000 went tolocal charities and the military.

With that said, the girls voted onthings to to do with their money, includ-ing a trip to Disneyland on May 16. Wealso were able to experience what it’slike to be special guests at Club 33 atDisneyland, a rare treat that most peo-ple will never experience. Club 33 wasWalt Disney’s private dining roomturned into a club for those that canafford a nice yearly fee.

Our troop had the entire restaurant toourselves with 71 people eating break-fast from Bakersfield and butlers andchefs serving us!

What the girls loved the most werethe bathrooms and toilets. They areuniquely shaped like wooden boxes —with a toilet seats, of course!

We also do other things with our mon-ey like have award ceremonies, partiesand dances.

This spring, we went to the RescueMission and met the ladies there, bring-ing them cookies, clothes and gifts forthem to give their kids. We also serveda meal to the homeless.

We helped out at Relay for Life aswell as planted trees at River Walk dur-ing Go Green Week!

We have nut sales beginning soon(this fall) and hope to start raising mon-ey for our oldest girls, who are juniors

and have been in our troop the longest.There are eight girls in that age level ofthe 22 girls in Troop 47.

At the end of the next Girl Scout year,they will get to go to the Golden GateBridge in San Francisco and walk overit in July 2010. This event is called“Bridging to Cadettes Scouts.” We arefocusing this summer, fall and nextspring on raising $5,000 for this four-day trip.

We will be selling nuts, havingfundraisers at restaurants around townand car washes. We would also gladlytake any help you may want to offer,such as using your place of business forthe car wash or your restaurant for thefundraisers. This trip will be a privilegefor my eight juniors and somethingthey will never forget!

So watch for our Troop 407, and thankyou for continuing your support of GirlScouts across Bakersfield — a placegirls can learn and grow.

If you are interested in being a GirlScout leader, call the council at 327-1409, or me at 833-8749.

JUNE 14-20, 2009 W W W. B A K E R S F I E L DVO I C E .C O M 5

Y O U R C L U B

Girl Scout Troop 47 keeps on going & going!

O

Kakalawearing afun GirlScout cook-ie costumeas she sellsthe yummytreats, too!

Troop 47’s hard work paid off with a topcookie seller status.

When the girls of Troop 47 voted on what to do with some of their cookie sales earn-ings, a trip to Disneyland was at the top of the list! Here they pose with Aladdin.

Educator of the month

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Nominated by Erin & Max RicheyMrs. Christine Whitaker was our son, Max’s,

first-grade teacher at Bimat Elementary. Tosay that she is his teacher is truly an under-statement; she is also his friend and a mentor.She is an inspiration not only to him, but also tome as a parent. Mrs. Whitaker cares not onlyabout her students’ academic progress, but alsoabout their character development, citizenship,and overall well-being in and out of the class-room. Mrs. Whitaker is an extraordinary per-son!

Christine Whitaker

Mr. Rhodes

Sponsored by

Nominated by Guadalupe Hernández

Educator of the Month

I’d like to nominate my twin daughters’ kindergarten teacher Mr. Rhodes who teaches at Discovery Elementary School. At the beginning of the year, I was so skeptical after having learned that they were going to have a male teacher for kindergarten. He has superseded all of my expectations as to what a great kindergarten teacher should be. My girls love Mr. Rhodes. He teaches them lots of cute and silly songs. He builds up their self-esteem. He is just so marvelous with my girls!

To submit your nominee for Educator of the Month, go to: www.northwest voice.com then click on “Post Something!” and contribute a

paragraph about why you appreciate and would like to recognize your nominee. Be sure to include the educator’s name, school, department and picture. The contest is open to

educators in the Southwest area. Entries can also be e-mailed to: dmartin@northwestvoice.com. Each month the winning entry $50 gift certificate,

compliments of GW School Supply and The Northwest Voice.

6 W W W. B A K E R S F I E L DVO I C E .C O M JUNE 14-20, 2009

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Y O U R V O I C E

Get your moto running!BY CAROL ONSUM-PIERCECommunity contributor

iders, families & race fans:Join us for three more races

and an amazing freestyle showat Adam Pierce MemorialRaceway!

The track is located at 15658 Breck-enridge Road. Admission is $10 admis-sion (under 12, $5; under 5, FREE).Race fee is $30.

Upcoming race dates are:June 28 — Spectacular halftime

Freestyle Show!July 12 Sept. 13Races are at 10 a.m. Practice 8:30-

9:30. Gates open 6:30.Music by Moonlight Music & Video.

Food concessions by Papa Jorge.For more info, go to: www.apmrace-

track.com. Or contact Ron Pierce at661-549-1919. E-mail:ronpierce@atginternet.com.

Event flyers available at various loca-tions including :

• Fred Cummings Motorsports onChester Avenue (downtown)

• Cycle Gear on 24th Street (down-town)

• Valley Cycle on Buck Owens Boule-vard

• Westchester Liquor on F Street(downtown)

• A.J.’s Bagel House on NorthChester Avenue (north Oildale)

• Valley Plaza skate shops and athlet-ic shoe stores

Don’t miss it! Bring your family andfriends to join the fun!

RThe next race is June 28.

Grad’s long road ofrecovery leads to CSUBCOURTESY OF CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD

hana Ricker is thankful forthe hard lessons that haveshaped her life goals.

After moving all over Cali-fornia, Ricker finally settled

in Bakersfield at 18. She graduatedfrom high school and got married at20, then divorced before turning 24.Her life began to spiral out of control— unbeknownst to her family.

“I started using drugs within twoyears of my divorce,” said Ricker,now 34 and the mother of two pre-teen children. “Once I started using, Ilost custody of both my kids within sixmonths. I was looking for somethingto make me feel better and drugs didthat for me — temporarily.”

Ricker sold drugs to make money tofeed her habit, until she “got caught,”

Shana Ricker

S

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

This week’s Star Athlete: Izabella Holden

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Nominated by Melissa Holden My daughter, Izabella Holden, is

7 years old and has been cheeringsince she was 2 years old.

Her Pee Wee team at MaximumVelocity won the National Cheertitle this year in Las Vegas. We areso very proud of her and her team-mates!

Izabella will continue to cheerand is now being trained to be a fly-er. She is so very excited! She is thelittlest all star in our family.

PHOTO BY CJ ONSUM

Y O U R S C H O O L S

COURTESY OF CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD

he enjoys discussing herresearch, “Quantitative Evalu-ation of Resonance Formsusing Quantum Mechanics.”She spends her free time

exploring physics, calculus andnanoparticles. She thinks Bakersfieldwinters are “freezing cold.”

She is 20-year-old Fadekemi “Kemi”Oba, and she became a California StateUniversity, Bakersfield alumna onJune 12.

Born in Nigeria and raised in theRepublic of Trinidad and Tobago, Obamoved to Delano in 2005 with her moth-er, a registered nurse, and youngerbrother. Her father is a physician andstill lives in Trinidad and Tobago.

“The weather was a big transition forme. We don’t know about seasons backhome and I’m used to the sun all thetime. I don’t like the cold,” said Oba,who experienced her first-ever snowthis past winter while attending aresearch conference in Utah.

Hoping to become a pharmacist, shebegan taking classes at Bakersfield Col-lege and then transferred to CSUB.

“I changed my major many times, butchemistry is what I love,” Oba added.“Last year I was accepted to a summerresearch program at UC Santa Cruzwhere I was introduced to ‘green chem-istry’ and was fascinated. Now my ulti-mate dream is to use research to makeclean and renewable energy productsvery efficient and affordable. Rightnow solar panels are very expensive,but maybe I can find a way to bring theprice down so that anyone can accessthem. Then, I want to teach at the col-lege level.”

Oba will continue that dream inAugust when she enrolls in August as adoctoral student at the University ofCalifornia, Berkeley College of Chem-istry on a fellowship and stipend thatwill cover all her expenses for at leastthe first year.

“I know that CSUB has given meexperiences and opportunities that Iwouldn’t have had elsewhere,” Obasaid. “The quality of education is greatand my professors are very encourag-ing. I have interaction with professorsthat is unheard of at a bigger campus.It’s very close-knit.”

Chemistry professor David Saiki washappy to have her in his classroom.

“Kemi is a success story because sheworks hard. She’s the kind of studentthat others want to emulate. She takesinitiative and will no doubt be success-ful at what ever she wants to do. She’sdefinitely one to watch in the future,”he said.

She has been named the CSUB Chem-istry Outstanding Graduate as well asthe Outstanding Graduating Senior forthe School of Natural Sciences andMathematics. The California State Uni-versity named her as an eligible partici-pant of the Chancellor’s DoctoralIncentive Program, a forgivable loanprogram for select graduate studentswho are pursuing full-time doctoralstudy and are interested in teaching inthe CSU system.

“When I walk across the stage atgraduation, I’ll be thinking ‘Wow. Ihave a chemistry degree. I did it!’” Obasaid. “I feel very fortunate for the expe-riences I’ve had at CSUB, and now I’mready for Berkeley.”

JUNE 14-20, 2009 W W W. B A K E R S F I E L DVO I C E .C O M 7

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Y O U R S C H O O L S

Grad finds the rightchemistry for success

S

Fadekemi Oba

Ricker said. “I was arrested and spentfour months in Lerdo Jail. I vowed tonot return and entered a rehab facilityin Arvin after my release.” Once shecompleted the program, Ricker wasasked to stay and help others in theprogram. “I lived on the property andmade money legally — a big deal tome.”

Then came another blow — cervicalcancer. She underwent surgery butlearned she would never have morekids. That helped Ricker put life inperspective. She asked her parents ifshe could move back home to Bakers-field. They agreed and Ricker workedhard to rebuild the trust of her parentsand her children.

She worked at a local church volun-teering in a recovery group, then real-ized she wanted something more andasked her parents to help her go toschool. Her parents agreed. At age 30,she enrolled at Bakersfield Collegeand eventually regained custody ofher children.

Ricker sought a field where her drug

use and arrest would not be an issue.“I found sociology to be the field withthe greatest latitude,” she said. “OnceI transferred to CSUB, I took Dr.Dugan’s sociology class and realizedshe was talking about my life. Ithelped me understand why I took theroute I did.”

Just as Ricker’s life started to takeoff, she had yet another setback. “I gotreally sick and was diagnosed withlupus, scleroderma, rheumatoidarthritis and fibromyalgia,” Rickersaid. “Even today, I have to takechemotherapy medication everyweek, and there are days when thepain is so debilitating that I cannoteven go to school. But, my professorshave been incredibly understanding ofmy situation. Having that relationshipwith the faculty is one of the greatestthings about CSUB. It has helped meget through some difficult times.”

Despite the adversity she has faced,Ricker has persevered. And on Satur-day, June 13, Ricker was scheduled toreceive her bachelor’s degree in soci-ology.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

Ricker’s road to CSUB

8 W W W. B A K E R S F I E L DVO I C E .C O M JUNE 14-20, 2009

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Y O U R C L U B

Twirling graduatesshow off the excitingworld of Whirlaways!BY HERB HALLCommunity contributor

very spring for more than 50years, the Bakersfield Whirl-aways Square Dance Club hasgraduated dancers into theexciting world of square danc-

ing. Dancers start classes each fall bylearning basic movements. They oftengo to their first dances before Hal-loween and reach the mainstreamdancing level shortly thereafter. Theirfirst big time dance is usually the Bak-ersfield Fiesta held every year in mid-March at the Kern County Fairgrounds.The Fiesta runs for three days andhosts dancers from all over the state ofCalifornia as well as other nearbystates. Typical attendance is about1,500 dancers, making it one of thelargest such gatherings in the state.

Current graduates are Dennis andRencel Brown, Lear Harger, Mark andDonna Martin, Marilyn Murphy, DavidSpear, and Susan Wolber. Our club wel-comed them as new members at formalceremonies this past May.

These new dancers join a long tradi-tion of dancing that began centuries agoin English country dancing and withthe French Minuet and Quadrille. Earlylast century it was revitalized andinvigorated by Henry Ford — yes, theModel-T guy who taught it to hisemployees to improve teamwork. Thecurrent style was formalized and docu-

mented in the 1940s and 50s. Today,square dancing is also called teamdancing. It is a social activity for allages and lifestyles from 8 years old todancers well over 80. It appeals to fami-lies, couples and singles. Today it is themost social form of dancing with theadditional benefits that any active hob-by or pursuit gives. Square dancingkeeps the mind active and the body fitwithout strenuous workouts.

The Whirlaways Club is one of sevenlocal clubs that dance in Bakersfield,Tehachapi, Frazier Park and at LakeIsabella. Dozens of other clubs alsodance in surrounding counties, offeringdancers the chance to dance any day ofthe week.

Dancers join us for many reasons, thesocial aspects of meeting dancers fromall over the world, for one. Squaredancing is popular in places as diverseas Japan and Germany. National con-ventions, like the one this year to beheld in June in Long Beach, attractdancers from all around the world. Weall get together just for the fun of par-ticipating and dancing. Think youmight be interested in participating?The next class starts in September. Atthe Whirlaways, we pride ourselves onour friendliness and hospitality, andwelcome anyone wishing to participate.

For more information on how to jointhe Whirlaways, please check out ourWeb site at: www.whirlaways.org orcall Cindy at 213-3105.

E

The Whirlaways welcome anyone wishing to participate in this square dancing club.The next class starts in September. For more information, call Cindy at 213-3105.