Vacaville teacher, Benicia skills trades technician take home SCOE awards
Laura Roberts
Laura Roberts, who served time in the military prior to teaching, took home the top educator award.
She grew up in Vacaville, graduating from Will C. Wood High School. Roberts referred to herself as one of the students who fell through the cracks.
After her military service, she discovered a passion for her history and decided her career should be teaching the topic.
Roberts, in the virtual presentation, said she thinks history is more than just memorizing dates.
Bringing in under-represented voices was key, she said.
Roberts fought for ethnic studies classes, saying they are the counter-narrative to traditional history.
FAIRFIELD-SUISUN, CALIFORNIA
This image shows this year s teachers of the year for the various school districts in Solano County. (Courtesy photo)
SCOE to honor top 2021-22 educators, school staff
The certificated educators nominated are:
Kelly Hughes, a fifth-grade teacher in the Benicia School District; Jenny Campbell, a response to intervention and English language development K-3 teacher at Dixon School District; Joseph Arbizu, a math, Algebra II, integrated math and geometry high school teacher in the Fairfield-Suisun School District; Ronald Major, a multiple-subjects (8-12), teacher for the Solano County Office of Education; Kylie Negin, an English and journalism high school teacher in the Travis School District; Laura Roberts, a U.S. history and ethnic studies (11-12) teacher at Vacaville School District; and Vivet Beckford-Nelson, a biology and engineering design and development high school teacher in the Vallejo City School District.
FAIRFIELD-SUISUN, CALIFORNIA
Children trade places on stage to recite Martin Luther King Jr. s I Have a Dream speech at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at Andrews Park in Vacaville, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. (Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic)
Park rally, virtual events recall MLK, honor King’s legacy
VACAVILLE More than 50 area residents turned out Monday at Andrews Park to celebrate the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
It included a group of six children, and others, who recited portions of King’s “I Have a Dream Speech,” which he delivered during what most remember as the March on Washington on Aug. 28, 1963.
FAIRFIELD-SUISUN, CALIFORNIA
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addresses the crowd during the 1957 Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom in Washington, D.C. (National Archives)
Group launches Solano 30-day service activity, others plan MLK Day celebrations
FAIRFIELD The Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership kicks off its Martin Luther King Jr. Days of Service campaign Monday with “30 Days of Action” through Feb. 18.
Melinda Earp, Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership AmeriCorps VISTA in Marin and Sonoma counties, and Sophia Luna, an AmeriCorps VISTA member, have worked in partnership with AmeriCorps California and California Volunteers to design special Days of Service for 2021.
The campaign focuses on food insecurity.