Rick Lara began his 35-year career as an educator and coach as an inaugural staff member of Ocean View High School. He then went on to start the legendary speech and communications department at Irvine High School, which he helmed for 16 years. As a member of football and wrestling coaching staffs, he helped lead many teams to CIF championships. Rick was honored as a Teacher of the Year in 1979, 1984, 1994 and 2004. He was named an Orange County Assistant Coach of the Year in 1994, 1997 and 1999.

After graduating from GWC with an Associate of Arts degree, Williams enjoyed a successful career in entertainment, which included national tours, film and television. She returned to school and received a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, and later a Master of Fine Arts in Dance, both from California State University, Long Beach. Her thesis project, an invitational dance concert, was actually held on the GWC stage.
Williams was named Teacher of the Year while an inaugural staff member of Century High School in the Santa Ana Unified School District, and has been named in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers numerous times.

Rick Lara attended Golden West College from 1973 to 1975 as a student-athlete and still calls Golden West College his home campus.	Brandee Williams graduated from GWC in 1979. Throughout the 1990’s, she directed more than a dozen award-winning full-scale musicals at Golden West.

Since arriving at Golden West College, Michael has become dedicated to the life of the mind. Naturally more comfortable in unstructured settings, after much dedication, he has grown to embrace the academic environment, and is now graduating with honors. He is looking forward to transferring to a four-year university and applying the lessons learned at GWC in a new locale.

Not one to sacrifice action for thought, Michael’s pursuit of academic excellence is a result of his involvement in extracurricular activities on campus. He has served in varying positions at GWC, including Student Senator, Model United Nations Club President, and Student Trustee for the Coast Community College District. He has represented students on lobbying trips to Sacramento and Washington D.C. and as an award winning delegate at academic conferences. Realizing that a student’s learning potential is only achieved by combining out-of-class application with in-class theory, he has worked hard to increase student participation at GWC.
Believing that man begins cutting his wisdom teeth only when he bites off more than he can chew, Michael is always eager for the next challenge. He is honored and humbled by being selected as the Outstanding Student of the Year and is thankful for the instructors, staff, and fellow students that made his growth and success possible. Lastly, he hopes that his time and efforts at Golden West have benefited the college as much as it has benefited him.

The recipient of this award traditionally gives the student address at the graduation ceremony and Michael is preparing for his speech on May 24th.

Manny calls himself a happy man. He loves being outdoors, helping people and having a job that includes a wide diversity of activities. He smiles when he thinks of his job – how wonderful it is to drive around this gorgeous campus and have the opportunity to get to know so many people and help so many. The hours, the holidays, the benefits – he just keep counting his blessings!

The Padilla family moved to California from Mexico when Manny was five, and he met his wife the next year, when he was 6 and she was 3, but they put off marriage till much later. They now have an 18 month old son who rides in a bob stroller when dad and mom go out for a run. Asked about hobbies, the answers came back with a familiar theme – the outdoors: mountain biking, running, paintball (a family affair with 25 relatives and friends!), and snowboarding. This is one officer that you don’t want to mess with because when he’s not enjoying those pursuits, he might be working out, exercising, practicing martial arts or taking a boxing class.  In High School, he earned the Coaches’ Award for soccer and still plays a mean game.

Rumor has it he owned a ’65 Mustang – is he a classic car fan?

A staff member commented that Manny “interacts with everyone on campus on the same level and is such a consistently positive presence on campus.” We appreciate the strong yet friendly assistance he provides to any who need his help, and are very excited to see him receive this recognition of a job well done. Congratulations to you, Manny, and thanks for your part in making our campus the wonderful place it is to work!

Golden West College is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Public Safety Coordinator, Jonathan Arnold. Jon, a retired Huntington Beach Police Captain, comes highly qualified and we are fortunate to have him in this important position at GWC.

Jon Arnold began his career in law enforcement when he joined the Huntington Beach Police Department as a cadet in 1970.  He was sworn in as a police officer in February 1973 and attended the Police Academy at Golden West College in Class 47. He served over 30 years with the HBPD and worked a variety of staff and field assignments from helicopter pilot to division commander. Jon was awarded both the Medal of Valor and Medal of Merit while with the HBPD and retired in 2003 as a Captain.

After retiring from the HBPD, he spent time as a consultant for a Homeland Security company before becoming the Security Manager for the Orange County Superior Court System.  After that, Jon served as the Security Operations Manager for the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. He was also a part-time instructor at the GWC Criminal Justice Training Center.

Jon holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminology and a Master of Science in Business Management. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the California POST 2-year Command College and is a Certified Protection Professional through ASIS International.

Jon has been an invited speaker for several conferences in California, Utah and Oregon on topics of leadership and personnel issues. These conferences have been with the California Police Chiefs Association, California Peace Officers’ Association, the International Public Safety Communications Officials, ASIS International and the National Community Oriented Policing Conference. Jon has authored nine articles that have been published in professional journals including Police Chief Magazine, LAW and ORDER Magazine, National Sheriff and the FBI Law Enforcement Journal.

Jon has been married for almost 30 years to his wife Becky; they have two great children and enjoy spending time with them. His hobbies are mountain biking and golf and Jon said that he is thrilled to be working here at Golden West College with so many dedicated professionals!

R. Dudley Boyce Outstanding Student Michael Battistone and Student Activities Director Janelle Leighton

Golden West College held its annual Scholarships and Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, May 8 in the beautiful outdoor amphitheater. This year, 143 scholarships totaling over $335,000 were awarded to 219 students. Since 1986, Golden West College students have received over six million dollars in scholarships.

Many of these students are graduating from Golden West this year and will be using the much-appreciated funds to continue their education. In addition to the scholarships awarded tonight, scholarships will be awarded at local high schools for incoming GWC students and at other ceremonies for Criminal Justice, Nursing, and Independent groups.

The R. Dudley Boyce Outstanding Student Award was presented to Michael Battistone. The GWC Student Council established this award in memory of Dr. Boyce to recognize a student who most exemplifies the quality of leadership. Michael has held many leadership positions, including Student Trustee for the Coast Community College District. The recipient of this award traditionally gives the student address at the commencement ceremony and Michael is preparing for his speech on May 24th.

Golden West College thanks the donors for giving these students an opportunity to reach their academic goals. In these challenging economic times, it is wonderful that so many donors have chosen to support Golden West College students.

The Assistance League of Huntington Beach awarded 38 Nursing Scholarships

Take it all in and get an overview of the exciting Arts programs offered at GWC! The full schedule is posted on the campus event calendar. Click the “VIEW THE GWC CAMPUS CALENDAR” button on the left of this page.

Download ArtsAlive_Calendar [PDF]

Is Blue the New Black?  Over 25% of the cadets in the current Police Academy class at GWC’s Criminal Justice Training Center (CJTC) are women. This is a significant increase over the number of female cadets at the Academy in recent years. Historically, only a small percentage of women are interested in law enforcement, despite the fact that agencies throughout the state express the need for more female officers. But that may be changing.

“When we have female cadets, they are actively sought out by local agencies. They are considered an invaluable asset to law enforcement, we just don’t see enough women interested in the profession,” according to Steve Ames, CJTC Coordinator. “Law enforcement offers great career opportunities for women, and many of our female graduates are highly successful such as Jackie Gomez-Whiteley, Cypress Police Chief. ”

Ames is thrilled to see the increase in female enrollment. Some of these women are bilingual—a large asset in law enforcement. One cadet is GWC’s own Annie Nguyen, former campus security professional, and three cadets have already been recruited and are sponsored by Irvine PD.

When the group was asked about their interest in becoming a peace officer, their answers were not gender specific, “ I’ve wanted to be a police officer since I was nine years old,” “I am following a family’s tradition,” “I want to give back to the community,” “I want to be a good role model,” “I feel a moral obligation to contribute to society.”

The Police Academy Regular Basic Course is an intensive 24-week program. Of the many challenges that all cadets experience in this course, women typically struggle with their upper body strength. However, it is stated that women generally excel in their writing skills and in their ability to de-escalate situations. On the job, female officers hold the same positions as their male counterparts in all areas of law enforcement.

Programs offered at the Criminal Justice Training Center meet the constantly changing training needs of the law enforcement profession. The state certification standards for police officers are established and mandated by the State Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.).

Information about the CJTC is at www.goldenwestcollege.edu/cjtc

Golden West College Associated Students Host
First Annual Earth Week
April 23-26 on Campus

The Associated Students of Golden West College’s Sustainability Committee is hosting a series of events to increase awareness of current environmental issues at the first annual Earth Week Celebration beginning Monday, April 23 through Thursday, April 26, from 10:00am-2:00pm each day.  The purpose of this series is to promote the encouragement of community adoption of a sustainable culture.

The specialized events tackle current environmental issues. Monday’s event, “Take back the Tap,” will present alternatives to bottled water.  Tuesday’s “Art from Waste Materials” will allow guests to visualize the beauty of household trash as artwork.  Wednesday’s event, the largest event of the week, is a “Sustainable Trade Show Showcase,” where local businesses that practice sustainable efforts within their business campaigns will have an opportunity to feature their products and provide information about their efforts.  The final event on Thursday is “Recycle Awareness: Back to Basics,” where discussions will be held about basic recycling techniques and include i participatory activities that promote recycling efforts in the community.

Three guest speakers will present at the event. Aaron Klemm, Energy Project Manager for the City of Huntington Beach, will discuss his work with the city to develop energy management and sustainability programs on Wednesday at noon. Mr. Alan Piercy, President/CEO of ENRECOS (Environmental Resource Conservation Solutions), an environmental organization that focuses primarily on recycling organic materials, will be speaking on Wednesday from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. on worm bin composting. Joel Robinson of Naturalist for You, a non-profit organization created to connect the public to the diverse natural areas locally, will speak Thursday from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. on the benefits of connecting with local wilderness.

The Golden West College Sustainability Committee is committed to providing educational opportunities that are interesting and informative, and to promote the opportunities of developing a sustainable culture in our everyday lives.

Photo Gallery Link

On Friday, April 20th, Golden West College hosted the 6th Annual Peace Conference. The well attended conference featured panel discussions, interactive workshops, and musical performances that were focused on a variety of peace-oriented subjects—environmental sustainability, global human rights, non-violent conflict resolution—as well as lectures designed to empower and inspire participants into making a meaningful difference in their own communities.

The 2012 Peace Award was presented to iSanctuary, an organization that helps those freed from enslavement to sustain themselves with marketable artisan skills. iSanctuary was founded by Stephanie Pollaro, a GWC Alumnus who was moved into action when she learned that over 800,000 people each year are victims of human trafficking and 14,000-17,000 are trafficked into the United States. The organization maintains facilities in India and here in Orange County.

For the second year, this was a Zero Waste event. The conference committee used a minimal amount of paper for advertising and relied on a network of grassroots community-building practices, such as social media and multiple outreach efforts. Reusable mugs, plates and cloth napkins were donated by the GWC staff, and all organic waste from the conference were separated and sent to compost operations, which diverted the waste from local landfills.

For speaker bios and more information, please visit the website at www.goldenwestcollege.edu/peace

Link to Photo Gallery

On Wednesday, April 18, 2012,  Golden West College hosted the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce Leadership Academy for their day in education. The Leadership Academy provides Huntington Beach professionals with a unique opportunity to connect with their community and to better understand the components of its government, public safety, business community, economic climate, social uniqueness, education and health care system.

The Academy was formed in 2003, and is sponsored by The Robert Mayer Corporation. Participants begin their 9 month experience with a 2-day team building retreat, then meet for an all day program once a month. This month’s program focused on education. The day began with tours of various K-12 schools in Huntington Beach before meeting at Golden West College for panel discussions about the local education system. The first panelists were High School Superintendents Greg Plutko, Ed.D., HB Union High School District, Gregg Haulk, HB City School District, and William Loose, Ed.D., Ocean View School District. The second panel consisted of District Board Member Presidents Dr. Michael Simons, HB Union High School District, Brian Rechsteiner, HB City School District, and Tracy Pellman, Ocean View School District.

Golden West College President, Wes Bryan, greeted the group in the afternoon and gave a presentation about GWC and the Community College system.  The day closed with interactive tours of the Criminal Justice and Nursing simulation labs led by the departments’ Dean Ron Lowenberg and Lab Technician Brad Moore.

A representative from Golden West College has participated in the Academy every year since it began. This year’s members are Dr. Faye McPhail Naples, Vice President of Student Success and Anna Greenwald, Outreach Coordinator. GWC’s alumni of the Academy are Dr. Monte Perez, former V.P. of Student Services, Dr. Lois Miller, V.P. of Instruction (retired), Margie Bunten, Director, Foundation and Community Relations, Belen Genet, Manager, Outreach & Employment Services (retired), Jeff Courchaine, Dean, Business & Social Sciences, Debbie Bales, Manager, Outreach & Promotions, and Crystal Crane, Director, Human Resources.

Graduates have appreciated the networking opportunities, the lasting relationships, and business partnerships developed with fellow classmates. To be eligible to participate in the HB Leadership Academy, one must live or work in Huntington Beach.

2011- 2012 Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce Leadership Academy

Iosefa Alofaituli, Executive Director, Oak View Partnership
Carrie Bollwinkle, Executive Director, The Boeing Company
Dana Barton-McKee, Vice President, Bartco Lighting, Inc.
Steve Bushhousen, Lieutenant, HB Police Department
Anthony Campo, Owner, CrossFit Surf City
Jim Duncan, Owner, AIM Mail Center
Jonathan Ford, D.D.S., Ford Dental Group
Leonard Gleason, Owner, Total Merchant Services
Jenelle Godges, Region Manager, Southern California Edison
Anna Greenwald, Outreach Coordinator, GWC
Rochelle Groh, Sustainability Supervisor, Rainbow Environmental Services
Gregg Haulk, Superintendent, HB City School District
Diana Keadle, Director, The Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort
Bryan Kistler, Firefighter/Paramedic, HB Fire Department
Megan Martin, Director, The Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort
Patrick McIntosh, Fire Chief, HB Fire Department
Marilee Movius, Director, HB Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Fabienne McPhail Naples, Vice President, GWC
Zach Newkirk, Mortgage Banker, Greenlight Financial Service
Keith Patterson, Manager, Clevland Golf/Srixon
Cynthia Perazzo, Senior V.P., Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
Dr. Gregory Plutko, Superintendent, HB Union High School District
Darryl Santa, President, Alpha & Omega Computer and Network Services, Inc.
Jeff Snow, Executive Vice President, Rainbow Environmental Services
Sue Taylor, Owner, Blue Ribbon Insurance Agency
Brent Theobald, Director, Vanguard University
Robert Wentworth, V.P., HB Marketing and Visitors Bureau
Jerry Wheeler, CEO, HB Chamber of Commerce
Darrin Witt, Captain/President, HB Firefighters Association