Local news in the San Gabriel Valley, California

  "If you looked at our budget you wouldn't believe we can operate," said Nativity Catholic School Principal Sister Stacy Reineman. "But when I least expect it, someone comes forth with a generous donation."
   The Lord provides when we trust.
   It was with trust, the love of God, and a vision of a "world healed, unified and transformed,"  that four Irish nuns left their homeland to venture to the United States and specifically to the city of El Monte.
   "When we (the Sisters of Saint Louis) first came here, in 1949, it was with the understanding that we would never go home again," said Sister Stacy who has been in El Monte since 1998.
   One can only imagine how those first young women felt knowing they would never see their loved ones again. One can only imagine their fears of being in a new land among new people.
   "But now we can go home every two years," said Sister Elizabeth Gildea who stopped teaching honors English at Nativity last year.  Her bright Irish eyes and elegant brogue belie her 98 years of giving.
   The sisters can go back to their respective homelands to visit family if they save their allowances for two years.
   "We took a vow of poverty but we receive a stipend to operate our house," said Sister Stacy, "and an allowance to buy things like toothpaste and shoes. If we save, we can pay our way to see our families."
   In celebration of 60 years of service to the community of El Monte Nativity Church held a special service on October 24, 2009.
   "What changes have you noticed most in the years you've been in El Monte?" I asked sitting in the cozy living room of their convent.

    Representing 10 of Mountain View School District’s 12 schools, 20 eager and enthusiastic students from schools throughout the District gathered at Madrid Middle School for the District’s Fourth Annual Spelling Bee.  The excellent fourth through sixth grade spellers earned their spot at the District competition after winning their school site spelling bees.
    After five rounds of contestants spelling words selected from lists deemed appropriate by national spelling bee guidelines, Annie Xu, a sixth grader from Madrid Middle
Bee cont
School was the last speller standing.  Xu was crowned the District’s Spelling Bee champ after correctly spelling Boise, the capital of Idaho, and massive. She will now go on to represent the Mountain View School District at the Los Angeles County Spelling Bee in mid-March.
   “I’m very happy that I won,” said Xu.  “Actually, I’m ecstatic! I’m a naturally good speller and I felt good about my chances to win.  It was fun competing against the other students.” 
   Donna McEntire, MVSD’s Literacy Content Expert and Spell Master for the event thanked the students for their hard work and commitment to participate in the Spelling Bee.  “We appreciate you being here to represent your schools and we are extremely proud of your efforts.”
   Providing a history of the Spelling Bee, Twin Lakes School teacher, Leticia Huerta shared that research indicates that excellent spelling ability is linked to superior intelligence and having a broad vocabulary contributes to personal and financial success. 

  Foothill Unity Center is inviting the public to submit nominations for this year's Heart in Hand Humanitarian Award, the top honor to be presented at its 12th Annual Golden Plate Awards Gala. The event, slated for Thursday, June 3, will celebrate the Center's 30th year of providing crisis services to local families.
    Nomination forms are available at both of the Center's distribution sites, 415 West Chestnut in Monrovia and 191 North Oak in Pasadena. The form can be downloaded online at www.foothillunitycenter.org.