Interview with on of Barstow's new WIA Youth: Jonathan Avina

Jonathan Avina

Jonathan Avina

Jonathan is currently attending Barstow Community College majoring in Chemistry and Physics. One of his favorite hobbies is playing music.

Interview

Q: What made you decided to join the Career Institute WIA Program?

Avina: I decided to join the Career Institute because I thought it would be a good program for me.

Q: What do you hope to learn from the Career Institute? 

Avina: I'm hoping that I will learn skills that will benefit me in the long run.

Q: In what ways do you hope the Career Institute will help you?

Avina: I hope that the Career Institute will help push me forward in my life journey.

Chili-Cook Off Booth!

On July 12th, Sarah and I went to Big Bear's annual Chili Cook Off to spread the word about the Career Center and our upcoming programs! We have been volunteering a lot with the Old Miners' Association, who runs the Chili Cook-Off in every year, offered us a space to set up a booth at their event. 

We brought a tent, tables, chairs, and plenty of flyers filled with information on Saturday morning, ready to go! With the help of our Career Mentor and one of the Center's students, we had it set up pretty quick. The crowds started to come for the Chili Cook-Off around ten, and with their chili samples in tow, they would look at our booth and ask us what the Career Center was. We were happy to tell them, and walk around the Cook-Off passing out flyers in turns. 

We didn't get a lot of sign-ups for our program that day, but we got plenty of people interested and were able to get the word out at a huge Big Bearian social gathering! Definitely a way to advertise the Center and what we can do for Big Bear! Hope we can do it again!

-Dezi Guillen and Sarah Avignone

Personal Care Aide Course In Big Bear!

At the Career Center of Big Bear, we are starting a Personal Care Aide course August 18th! If you want to jumpstart your career into the medical field, this is a great way to do so! We are all very excited for this class to begin. The Career Center will be hosting this course, where a teacher will come up to Big Bear three days a week for four weeks to train our students in this profession. 

Once I found out that the course was coming up to our mountain town, I worked with my Career Mentors and an online editing program called LucidPress, to make an official Career Center of Big Bear PCA Flyer. This said flyer has been passed out digitally and on paper-and we are getting amazing results! It looks like this course will be filled to the brim with students who are passionate about this course and are eager to learn. I am so glad that we are able to bring this opportunity to the community of Big Bear! 

-Sarah Avignone

Ryan Schwantner Success Story

When Ryan first started at the Career Center of Big Bear in 2012, he had a lot on his plate. His girlfriend was four months pregnant and because of this new development; many problems arose at home, he didn’t have a stable job and needed to move on towards the next chapter in his life. 

Ryan fought through the hard times and completed Customer Service, Computer Skills and Financial Freedom, along with many Life Skill projects which helped him in his future jobs and personal financial issues. He maintained great attendance and gave everything his all. He has and continues to go above and beyond  to provide a great example of himself for his child to look up to. Ryan is bettering his life, and in turn, bettering his family’s life.

Mr. Schwantner is now working four stable jobs. He works at the Bowling Barn and The Fun Plex as a Game  and Computer Mechanic, employed at Far Sight Studios as a game tester, and is also working at West Coast Amusement as a Contract and Vending Tech.  Fueled by his passion of graphic design, he is able to work in an environment he loves. His dream jobs enable him to be able to provide for his growing family, which is now a family of four. He has two sons, four stable jobs, a home to call his own, and a broadening career path. This is Ryan’s version of success.

-Dezi Guillen

Congratulations!

Congratulations Iolani!

On July 25th Barstow Community College held it's annual Scholarship Award Ceremony. Barstow Community College awarded almost $46,300 in scholarships to one hundred students. One of those hundred, happened to be one of our Barstow WIA students, Iolani Elisara! Stay tuned to learn more about Iolani, She is going to be one of next months "Success Stories"!

(Elisara and her family after the award ceremony)

"I know I will be there soon..."

Success Story: Janette Cuevas

(Cuevas and her two children)

This month I decided to choose someone I knew personally as my success story. This is Janette Cuevas, my cousin. Who just enrolled into our High School Completion program. Janette grew up as the only girl in a family of five so, she was constantly competing with the boys in her family. Janette started working full time at the age of fifth-teen to help pay bills around the house. However, it took a toll on her education. Soon after she started working, she dropped out of High School. Janette then went to work in the fast food industry, she also worked the reception desk at a local hotel, and even interned at a local radio station. She then started working at a local Chipotle Restaurant. In 2011, Janette gave birth to a handsome little boy by the name of Mason, then in 2013 gave birth to another handsome little boy by the name of Ian. Janette is now the manager of the Chipotle Restaurant she works in. However, she feels that not having her High School diploma is holding her back. This and her children have empowered her to go back to school and get her diploma so they could have and live a better life.

When I asked Janette what her meaning of success was she replied, “Success to me is being happy with those you love. I’m happy, but I am not yet where I want to be in life but I know I will be there soon to make a better life for myself and my two little boys!”

"Bridge to College Success!"

Bridge to College Success!

(Instructors and Students for Bridge Program 2014, Image Source:Barstow Community College Official Facebook )

Earlier this month Barstow Community College started its annual Bridge to College Success Program for recent graduates and/or graduating high school seniors in their service area that plan on attending Barstow Community College. The Bridge Program is designed to give an insight and prepare student for their first semester at Barstow Community College. During the program student's take various workshops to prepare them for college-level classes. I personally believe this program is a wonderful opportunity for student's! It not only prepares them educationally but it also prepares them for a different type of educational environment.