• Little Free Library/Eagle Scout Project In One

The count of Little Free Libraries (LFL) in Wildomar is now up to seven with the official ribbon cutting at the new Marna O'Brien location. 

The 7th Little Free Library in Wildomar.

This project started about a year ago as Chris Ramos was embarking on his Eagle Scout project. He was looking to hammer out the specifics and met with Parks Manager Daniel Torres several times to ensure that the designs stayed up to a level that would be accepted by the city.

July 2018, taking a look, thinking of the possibilities.

Chris had about twenty different people helping him with this project. His primary fundraising was with a GoFundMe page, family and friends helped out with some fundraisers too. 

Chris Ramos addresses the crowd of about twenty-five people.

In addition to the LFL, he also put in an ADA compliant path to it, planted a sycamore tree, added new bark and some plants. 

I asked what about what learning experiences he got from this project, "It takes longer than you expect, and it takes more money than planned."

Chris Ramos readies the scissors.

Teacher Natalia Rupp has a Little Free Library in her front yard, and has enjoyed watching the LFL idea spread throughout the city, "Book access is really important for students, especially in low income areas. Parts of Wildomar fall into those guidelines, and book ownership increases student's desire to read and desire to seek out books in their age appropriate level and also content appropriate.

The ribbon finally yielded to the oversized scissors.

When they come to a Little Free Library, nobody's telling them [about] rules, there aren't strings attached to those books, they're absolutely free to take home and to enjoy and maybe bring back. I think that's really important [as we] grow more readers in our community."

Chris Ramos confers with Daniel Torres as Scoutmaster (and Dad) Vic Ramos looks on.

Daniel Torres, who worked with Chris on this project, had high praise for him, "Chris did a great job setting up with his community of the boy scouts, got it all done, and did a great job of it."

Natalia Rupp, Chris Ramos and Daniel Torres. I asked these three to be in a photo because, though there are many that were crucial to this project's success, I see these as the key figures that factored in.

Council Member, and parks subcommittee chair, Bridgette Moore said, "We thank Chris for building another free library in our city, especially in the park. The parks bring the community together. You can bring your family down, grab a book, sit on the bench and read a book."

Wildomar city council member Bridgette Moore, teacher and LFL maven Natalia Rupp, project overseer Chris Ramos, Wildomar city council member Joseph "Legs" Morabito, and Parks Manager Daniel Torres.

•                •                •

A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.
– George R.R. Martin

A reader of Wildomar Rap rolls their eyes a thousand times... the person that never reads this blog obviously has better things to do.

This blog was produced for viewing on a desktop or a laptop. Though it's been optimized for smartphones, the formatting can look odd on a smartphone or if you get this delivered through email (such as missing video links). Link to proper format.

• Glow Parade 2019

THAT. WAS. FUN!!!

You may be asking, "What's a glow parade?"

That's what I was asking most of the week leading up to it... but thanks to Heather Donovan and family (the ones who put this all together) I found out it was a fun walk around the neighborhood, in the cool evening air, adorned with glow sticks, as bicyclists lap you a couple of times before the end. ☺

I'm never that good at estimating crowds, but I'm thinking there were more than 50 people that came to participate, and several were in their yards, waving hello, as we walked past them.

Great event flyer.

I hear that this part of Windsong is lights out at Halloween... with a great haunted house. 

That's only 83 days away!

Below are some of the photos. It was good to get a chance to meet more fellow Wildomartinis (Wild-Omarians for others). 

The crowd began to arrive a little after 7:30pm.

There were many creative ways glow sticks were fashioned together. 

On the first part of the loop.

I could tell that the bike riders were having a lot of fun.

A lot of caution was being exercised by the participants.

Decorating was a big part of the event.

That's a glow in the dark beach ball being tossed into the air.

A selfie just before we got underway.

•                •                •

A good neighbor is a fellow who smiles at you over the back fence, but doesn't climb over it. 
– Arthur Baer

Wildomar Rap never tries to climb over your fence, and wouldn't be in a position to smile at you from the other side in the first place.

This blog was produced for viewing on a desktop or a laptop. Though it's been optimized for smartphones, the formatting can look odd on a smartphone or if you get this delivered through email (such as missing video links). Link to proper format.

• CTE (Career Technical Education) at EHS:5 ROTC Air Force

This is a leadership development program with the focus on building character and to create citizens that care about their community. 

I'm not sure if the ROTC program is officially under Elsinore High's CTE umbrella or not, but I wanted it to be included in this blog series. 

 Color Guard.

It's a student run program. They take individuals as freshmen and raise them up to the point that, by their junior or senior year, they run the program.

Curriculum

• Aerospace Science 1 (ROTC)
  • Period 4
  • Period 5
• Aerospace Science 2 (ROTC) (Period 1)
• Aerospace Science 3 (ROTC) (Period 3)
• Aerospace Science 4 (ROTC) (Period 3)
• Cadet Leadership Course (Camp Pendleton)
• Drill & Ceremonies (ROTC) (Period 7)
• Freshmen Leadership Camp

The ROTC building on the campus of EHS. 

A Journey Into Aviation History

from the website

This is the recommended first course for all new cadets. It is an aviation history course focusing on the development of flight throughout the centuries. It starts with ancient civilizations, then progresses through time to modern day. The emphasis is on civilian and military contributions to aviation; the development, modernization, and transformation of the Air Force; and a brief astronomical and space exploration history. 

It is interspersed with concise overviews of the principles of flight to include basic aeronautics, aircraft motion and control, flight power, and rockets. Throughout the course, there are readings, videos, hands-on activities, and in-text and student workbook exercises to guide in the reinforcement of the materials. 

The course objectives are:
1.  Know the historical facts and impacts of the early attempts to fly.
2.  Know the major historical contributors to the development of flight.
3.  Know the contributions of the U.S. Air Force to modern aviation history.
4.  Know the key events of space exploration history.They generally do the management and planning sessions for all the different activities in the program.

Freshmen Leadership Camp

This week-long camp (June 8-12, 2020) provides entry training to ROTC and will prepare incoming freshman cadets for the first day of school and beyond.  The camp is held on the Elsinore High School campus for one week, starting at 8:00 am and ending at 11:00 am each day.  

A graduation ceremony and pot luck party closes the camp on Friday. Selected cadets may be eligible to attend Camp Pendleton Summer Leadership School the following week, earning 5 elective credits.  Cadet recruiters will visit the middle schools in the Fall and Spring to hand out more camp information and registration forms.

Learning through doing

I was told of one exercise where the Bataan Death March was the focus. The cadets went to the school's track, walked for 56 laps, the equivalent of about 14 miles, which was only a portion of the distance of the infamous WWII march. Once finished they refueled on MREs. 

Highlights on the ROTC calendar include, Military Ball, Awards Ceremony, Marching Competition and Cadet Promotions.

From the web page

Welcome "Flying Tigers"! 

A fantastic year has just started and you are all invited to make the most of it as a cadet in the United States Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. 

Get those stripes...get those scholarships...get that career you have been dreaming about after high school or college. HUA, Elsinore! (Heard Understood Acknowledged)

In the last class, they had about 120 cadets in the program, and though they do have class size limits, there isn't a waiting list. 

Cadets are given about $360 worth of uniforms, which includes shoes, socks. Their responsibility throughout the year is to keep it clean, which often means drycleaning. If they want to wear additional uniforms, they are purchased by the cadets themselves. 

The program tries to offset some of those costs by supplying gently used uniforms that are donated, to students that may not be able to afford them. It was estimated to be about $250 just for the pants, the top and the boots.

They do hold fundraisers to further offset some of the costs. 

Among the fundraisers they have car washes and selling butter braids (it's a pastry).

A big thank you to Stacy Styrcula, EHS's College and Career Center Technician. Without her help I couldn't have done this series. 

Link to blog 1: Video and Photography

Link to blog 2: Graphic Design

Link to blog 3: Sports Medicine

Link to blog 4: Screen Printing

•                •                •

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
– Sir Winston Churchill

Wildomar Rap is the opportunity in every difficulty.

This blog was produced for viewing on a desktop or a laptop. Though it's been optimized for smartphones, the formatting can look odd on a smartphone or if you get this delivered through email (such as missing video links). Link to proper format.

• rePlanet Closes

If the name rePlanet doesn't ring a bell, you're not alone, but it's the name of the recycling place that is, I mean WAS, behind Albertsons. 

I received a press release moments ago, which you'll find a little further below.

Have you ever used this recycler? We did years ago but then opted for another place.

Funny thing, they mentioned the rising minimum wage as one of the reasons why they couldn't stay in business. Makes one wonder how many other businesses are hanging on by their fingernails that are just one more tax increase/minimum wage hike away from closing their doors too... but I digress.

===============

Good afternoon,

We are saddened to announce that rePlanet will be closing all locations effective immediately.

For more information, below is the corporate statement issued today.

rePlanet Closes All of Their Recycling Operations and Lays Off Their Entire Workforce

2019-08-05

On August 5th, 2019, rePlanet ceased operations and closed all of its 284 recycling centers and processing facilities and is terminating its entire workforce throughout the State of California.

With the continued reduction in State fees, the depressed pricing of recycled aluminum and PET plastic, and the rise in operating costs resulting from minimum wage increases and required health and workers compensation insurance, the Company has concluded that operation of these recycling centers and supporting operations is no longer sustainable. As such, rePlanet will be filing for Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors (ABC) and its remaining assets will be liquidated by the Assignee.

We regret that these site closures will negatively impact our employees, grocer partners, customers and the recycling community at large.  We thank our employees for their hard work and dedication in providing convenient recycling opportunities to our valued customers across the State of California.

============== 

In the meantime, I believe there is a recycling place off of Corydon that you can use. I'm not aware of any in Wildomar now that rePlanet is gone.

• CTE (Career Technical Education) at EHS:4 Screen Printing

The class is Screen Printing and Graphics and the instructor is Mr. Marc Navarro. 

EHS's professional screen printing machine.

Manufacture and product development is a key goal of this class. They teach the students how to create the graphic using Adobe Illustrator, then how to manufacture it onto apparel. 

Students at work.

Course Projects
It starts with beginner level work —the basics of screen printing with one color. After that, they can return to the advanced class where they can learn to operate and work in a printshop setting doing outside work for the community. 

A sample of what's available at their on campus boutique.

I asked what parents should know about this course, Mr. Navarro replied, 

"One thing I always emphasize to the kids is to learn good work skills. Even if they don't want to get into screen printing or graphics, at least they can learn work skills. Whether they're working in a shop environment, getting hands on [experience] [...] paying attention to details, learning how to work with others as a team, things they'll need after high school."

 — Marc Navarro

Getting the screen ready for printing.

There are some local screen printing shops that don't have the same type of sophisticated equipment present at EHS. It's because the CTE program receives grant money that has been put to good use. 

They aim is to keep on top of the industry standard. Which allows the school to keep their equipment updated, and that translates into outgoing students being ready for the job market. 

Marc Navarro

From Mr. Navarro's LEUSD webpage

This will be my 9th year teaching Screen Printing and Graphic Production at EHS and I am excited to  forward to the 2019-20 school year. Along with Mr. Steiner and Mr. Kusayanagi, we advise our student run business known as Studio 1891. 

Link to Mr. Navarro's email

Our talented students produce posters, stickers, banners, video production and apparel that funds our students ability to learn on the cutting edge of industry standard equipment. 

The Career Technical Education (CTE) programs at Elsinore High School are by far the best in the Lake Elsinore Unified School District. My pathway is Manufacturing and Product Development: Graphic Arts Production.

Mr. Navarro is a hands on type of instructor.

Our CTE programs are designed to teach the foundations of a specific skill, such as screen printing and graphics to utilize those skill sets to apply for industry approved fields. Pathway completion for my course is 3-4 years. Other pathways can be completed in 2 years, depending on instructor. 

Students in the beginning Screen Printing class have the opportunity received college credit here at Elsinore High School. The beginning Screen Printing curriculum is aligned with Palomar College in San Marcos, CA. Students must maintain a "B" and higher both semesters to Articulate at the end of each school year.

Parents...feel free anytime to contact me in regards to volunteering in my class.
 

Link to official webpage

Opportunity for the community

If you have a screen printing project in mind, t-shirts for a family reunion, youth sports team or local community group, contact Mr. Navarro and see if Studio1891 can do it. 

Basic parameters such as a 12 item minimum and a 2 week turn around is to be expected, but what an opportunity to help out a local program while getting top of the line work done for less than what is on the open market. Who's ready for a Wildomar Rap shirt? ☺

Personal note: Screen printing, silk screening when I was in high school, has come a long way since the early '80s. Back then we would get a sheet of acetate, physically cut out the design with an exacto knife, fuse it to stretched silk canvass, line up the image to the shirt, cross our fingers, and squeegee on a color hoping we did it right. 

A big thank you to Stacy Styrcula, EHS's College and Career Center Technician. Without her help I couldn't have done this series. 

Link to blog 1: Video and Photography

Link to blog 2: Graphic Design

Link to blog 3: Sports Medicine
Link to blog 5: ROTC

•                •                •

Reason shows us our duty; he who can make us love our duty is more powerful than reason itself.
– Stanislaw Leszczynski

Wildomar Rap shares things from its POV; it's your duty to determine if it's reasonable or not.

This blog was produced for viewing on a desktop or a laptop. Though it's been optimized for smartphones, the formatting can look odd on a smartphone or if you get this delivered through email (such as missing video links). Link to proper format.

• How To Report a Street Light Outage or Issue

Now that the city owns the streetlights, if you have an issue or outage to report, you no longer report it to SCE, you report it to the city. 

Link to city website

There are three ways to report an issue

Either by way of phone call anytime of day (best option) or through an online form.

Link to this online form

To Directly Report a Street Light Outage or Issue 24/7 Call: 951-784-6600 (Monday through friday 7:30 to 4:30. Candace service account manager, Jenny is the dispatcher and has been on the job for 8 years.)

Link to this online form

You can also use the Siemens 24/7 Online Reporting, but that seems to be the longer way around.

Link to Siemens online portal

The least effective way to report an issue with a streetlight is to "report" it on facebook, or to tag a city council member. Though the members of the city council are there to help you, that's only after you've tried to help yourself first. 

•                •                •

All the advice in the world will never help you until you help yourself.
– Fred Van Amburgh

Please help yourself to Wildomar Rap at Facebook.

This blog was produced for viewing on a desktop or a laptop. Though it's been optimized for smartphones, the formatting can look odd on a smartphone or if you get this delivered through email (such as missing video links). Link to proper format.