January Club Meeting
Club President Mike McCrary covered some announcements including Charlie’s great work in organizing our Club apparel options. Hats and shirts for both men and women are available. Reach out to Charlie for ordering details or grab the order form here.
The Club discussed the upcoming Valentine’s Day of Giving luncheon and the Noodles For Nonprofits event. Both of these event benefit local nonprofits and youth focused groups.
After a delicious lunch, we heard from two exceptional high school students: Jose Macias-Balderas from Cypress High School and RJ Miner from Los Al High School.
Each month during the school year* our Club recognizes an outstanding CTE student from both Los Al and Cypress High Schools.
Jose Macias-Balderas
Student Excellence Recognition Cypress High School
Jose Macias-Balderas has been an outstanding student in the CTE Commercial Photography program for the past two years.
What sets Jose apart is his remarkable talent and generosity in sharing his knowledge and skills with his peers. Jose’s enthusiasm for film, video, and photography and his sociable nature make him a cornerstone of our classroom community. He consistently takes opportunities to assist others in learning new or challenging programs within the Adobe Creative Cloud suite.
This year, our class undertook the monumental task of photographing the entire senior class—a project requiring teamwork, technical expertise, and creative vision. Jose stepped forward to serve as a key photographer, videographer, and video editor. His versatility and dedication to these roles have established him as both a leader and an essential member of the team. His exceptional abilities have not only ensured the project’s success but also inspired his peers.
After graduating from high school, Jose plans to join his father’s real estate company and for photo and video production and sales.
Student Excellence Recognition Los Alamitos High School
The Los Al Student of the Month recognition for January goes to Rhyanne Jane “RJ” Miner from the Technical Theatre pathway.
From RJ’s teacher Stacy Castiglione:
RJ is a first year CTE Technical Theatre student, is active in the Los Al Choir program and has previously been in the drama program.
This year, RJ has shown to be a true collaborator and ultimate professional. She is always on the lookout for other student’s well-being, and can be counted on at the highest when she is slated to work an event or production.
She works tirelessly and always with the highest level of professionalism.
RJ was the unanimous selection of the team of technicians for her outstanding contributions to the CTE technical theater program.
RJ emphasized that she works to understanding others’ perspectives and find that calming situations helps to facilitate communication.
After graduation, RJ plans to use her skills in communication and teamwork in her future career in cosmetology.
Manny Pachaco:
Old Hollywood and movies from the Golden era.
Past Club President Dixie Fried introduced Manny Pachaco to the Club. Manny, an Old Hollywood and movies from the Golden era expert, has over the years, shared fun, entertaining and forgotten Hollywood stories with thousands of people and more than 100 Rotary Clubs.
One of the stories he shared was about Arthur Lake, known for playing Dagwood Bumstead in the Blondie TV show and movies with the support of William Randolph Hearst facilitated his involvement in the Blondie films, began as a child actor in the silent era
And Manny shared stories about Lionel Barrymore’s life on stage and screen along with how he ended up in a wheelchair.
Manny Pacheco is an author and Los Angeles broadcaster known for his work on the “Forgotten Hollywood” series, which delves into the lives and careers of character actors from Hollywood’s Golden Age.
He has a background in radio and television broadcasting and has been recognized with several awards for his contributions to media and community service. His books and blog highlight the cultural and historical impact of lesser-known Hollywood figures, enriching readers’ understanding of film history. For more about Manny and his work, you can visit the Forgotten Hollywood website.
*The Rotary Club of Los Alamitos, Cypress & Seal Beach recognizes a terrific CTE student each month during the school year for their accomplishments with a certificate and a $250 check they can us in any way they see fit. These students are nominated by their teachers and we invite the student with their parents and teacher to join us for lunch for the presentation.
Career Technical Education (CTE) is a high school program that provides students with the skills and knowledge they need to be prepared for a variety of careers. CTE programs are hands-on and personalized, and can help students explore different career fields. Both Los Alamitos and Cypress High Schools offer excellent opportunities for students to explore these technical career paths during their high school curriculum. Click the school name to find out more about the current CTE options at Los Al and Cypress high schools.
