HATS OFF! To SeaView Elementary School, its superlative staff and student body who warmly welcomed West Shores Lions Clubbers President Fred Guibault, Secretary Paddie Connelly and Director Pat Brewer to a very special awards ceremony Tuesday, April 28. Principal, Dr. Tim Steele, called the event to order with the Pledge of Allegiance – I can assure you that more than one visitor (be it parent, grandparent or guest) had tearful, perhaps somewhat rueful, smiles as those little kids (LITTLE KIDS!) recited the Pledge of Allegiance with gusto, meaning and reverence.

First on the agenda were awards for student participation in National 'Save the Frog' program. Many students won awards for essays and artwork. The school is nationally recognized for its proactive stance on identification, protection and conservation of all sorts of wildlife. Watch for more in-depth info.

The Lions part of the program was next. Lion and SeaView teacher, Salvador Gonzalez, organized an essay writing contest for all 4th, 5th and 6th graders this spring. The theme was, 'If I Could Conserve Anything, What Would It Be and Why?' Multiple excellent essays were submitted and judging was tough: First place winners were 4th grader -- Aaron Ramirez; 5th grader – Taylor Guibault; and a 3-way tie for 6th graders -- Byron Rosales, Yoseline Macias and Evelyn Arredondo. Other students winning awards were 4th graders Jacob Berber, Juan Pablo Quiroz and Jacob Gallegos, and 6th graders Gerardo Villasenor, Yoshie Cisneros, Alejandro Rodriquez and Ruben Placencia. Last and certainly not least, was a special Grand Prize Award for Brianna Weaver's essay on the 'Mexican Grey Wolf.' Truly outstanding.

The program concluded with teacher and student of the month awards, and the teacher of the year award. Watch here for details on those important events.

We are so very proud of the students and their accomplishments and we are grateful for the staff that leads them forward every day – shining lights on the pathways to success. Thank you, SeaView!

HATS OFF to the West Shores High School family, too! Teacher extraordinaire, Ms. Lucie Gonzalez, has been named Teacher of the Year for the entire Coachella Valley Unified School District. In our book – what a good choice! Additionally, Assistant Principal, Roberta Kelleher, has been named as the Woman of the Year for Riverside County District Four. WOW! ... well-deserved. And, you will no doubt remember that parent and school activist Dora Armenta, was named Parent-of-the-Month for the entire District earlier this spring. YAY!

These awards are proper and heartfelt. Personally, I am filled to the brim with thanks and admiration and respect for these good folks and all the other mostly-unsung heroes who man our schools, educational and business services departments, buses, cafeterias, and so on, every day -- giving and giving and giving and giving. And then, giving some more. Remarkable and assuredly worthy of profound celebration. And thanks.

Which brings me, briefly, to mothers. I thank my mom and my hubby's mom and my grandkids' moms and moms of all my friends and even those who may be suspect – sitting here, thinking and re-experiencing the myriad tidbits passed on to me and to those I love by those we love and loved. Moms – always here with us in a strangely ubiquitous way, perched on our collective shoulder as it were, perpetually reminding us to do the right thing for the right reason ... to take care of our character and everything else will take care of itself. And, THAT, is true. So, thanks, Mom and Moms everywhere. Please always be here with all of us – we will always need you.

Ciao.