Kern Oral Language Festival winners announced
More than 135 students who rose through their school, district and regional competitions presented their interpretations of a published literary work during the 51st annual Kern County Oral Language Festival held at Stonecreek Junior High.
Presentations were three to five minutes in length with grades four through six, and grades seven and eight competing separately.
The categories for competition included Verse Choir, Humorous Interpretation Solo, Humorous Interpretation Duo, Serious Interpretation Solo and Serious Interpretation Duo.
Trophies were awarded to firstthrough third-place finishers. Those results are:
GRADES 4 TO 6 Serious Interpretation Solo
1st — Amrita Singh / St. John’s Lutheran
2nd —Layla Hoffman / McAuliffe Elementary
3rd —Doyin Oladimeji / Reagan Elementary
Humorous Interpretation Solo 1st — Malia Cutrona / Veterans Elementary
2nd — Khloe Tena / Panama Elementary
3rd — Isis Barron / McAuliffe Elementary
Serious Interpretation Duo 1st — Tatum Flood and Maddie Iturriria / Olive Drive Elementary
2nd — Meghan Datugan and Mannat Gill / Miller Elementary
3rd — Maddox Mara and Avery Logan / Veterans Elementary Humorous Interpretation Duo 1st — Sawyer Toelke and Lucas Angelini / Reagan Elementary
2nd —Maddie Walker and Valentina Oregon / Kendrick Elementary
3rd — Malaika Kirui and Allyn Hearron / Endeavour Elementary
Verse Choir
1st — Sophia Resk, Anjali Leva, Sidhaan Ranganath, Dave Lee, Ronak Bose, and Ansh Patel / Reagan Elementary
2nd — Natalia Jouda, Quinn Van Scharrel, and Lauren Odell / St. John’s Lutheran
3rd — Brook Porter, Jacob Bowers, Grace Voorhees, and Ayden Mendez / Rio Bravo-Greeley
GRADES 7-8 Serious Interpretation Solo
1st — Gurleen Toor / Earl Warren Junior High
2nd — Nandana Nair / Earl Warren Junior High
3rd — Chloe Bickford / St. John’s Lutheran
Humorous Interpretation Solo
1st — Elyssa Walker / Tevis Junior High
2nd — Kayla Miles / Norris Middle School
3rd — Mia Stuebbe / Norris Middle School
Serious Interpretation Duo
1st — Samantha Truong and Samriddhi Singh / Earl Warren Junior High
2nd —Sarah Ullyott and Elizabeth Villatoro / Freedom Middle School
3rd —Madelyn Porter and Brooke Oldenkamp / Rio Bravo-Greeley
Humorous Interpretation Duo
1st — Georgia Contreras and Miguel Mendoza Gordillo / McKee Middle
2nd — Eden Coughran and Abigail
Winn / Freedom Middle School
3rd — Anthony Tawfik and Kero Guirguis / St. John’s Lutheran
Verse Choir
1st —Thomas Wilson, CaraAnn Kirui, Breanna Burgos, John Eoh, Gabriel Ayala and Jocelyn Sandoval / Fruitvale Junior High
2nd —Addison Pudiwitr, Kooper Bowman and Makenzie Walker / St. John’s Lutheran
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Kern County will host free COVID-19 vaccine clinics for ages 5 and up in Bakersfield and Lamont through a partnership with the California Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs.
The clinics listed below are being hosted in collaboration with the Bakersfield College Student Health and Wellness Center and Kern County Public Health. The COVID vaccination availability has the following age guidelines: Moderna or Janssen aka “Johnson and Johnson” for those 18 and older; and Pfizer for those ages 5 and older.
The vaccines will be available from 4:30 to 7 p.m. today, Thursday and May 11, 12, 16, 18 and 19 in the Armstrong Youth Center at 801 Niles St. in Bakersfield. On May 9, 17 and 26, vaccinations will be available at that location from 2:30 to 7 p.m.
The vaccines will be available from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on May 10 and 17 at the Lamont Club, which is located at 8301 Segrue Road in Lamont. On May 20 and May 25, vaccinations will be available at that location from 2 to 6 p.m.
The Devil Pups Youth Program For America, which emphasizes growth through challenge, is seeking interested candidates for its 2022 summer camp program to be held July 21-30 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
Founded in 1954, this program strives to develop in its participants qualities of good citizenship, confidence, personal discipline, teamwork and respect for others, their family and their country. Applications must be postmarked by June 11.
Interested boys and girls ages 14 to 17 are required to pass a physical fitness test and interview with the local Devil Pups liaison representatives. The tryouts, including a physical fitness test, will be held in Bakersfield on June 18.
Once applications are received and reviewed, the exact location of the test location will be provided to applicants.
Statistically, approximately 23 percent of Devil Pups graduates choose to enter the military, and another 18 percent enter law enforcement or other first-responder careers.
For more information on how to apply, visit www.devilpups.com or contact Dick Taylor at devilpupsbakersfield@hotmail.com or 661-332-8394.
National Small Business Week will be the initial focus of a locally produced webinar today, followed by discussion of pandemic relief programs.
Put on by Cal State Bakersfield’s Small Business Development Center,
the free online event running from noon to 1 p.m. will go over information and activities related to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s annual event, which this year runs through Saturday.
Host and SBDC Director Kelly Bearden will also provide an update on the federal Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, including tips for reconsideration. He will also present information on small business recovery opportunities.
Joining him on the webinar will be SBDC consultant Jay Thompson, who will address the Employee Retention Credit and how many businesses who don’t know how to apply or take advantage of the federal program.
Virtual attendees are encouraged to submit questions electronically during the event. Sign up at www. tinyurl.com/BusinessRelief112.
For the past 20 years, the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office’s Do the Math live call-in TV show and free math tutoring program has helped thousands of Kern County fourth- to 12th-graders with their math homework.
As the program gears up for its 21st season — which will run from September 2022 through April 2023 — on-air tutors are being sought, according to the KCSOS.
Candidates must have a math degree and be able to work with students in grades four to 12 individually on air and over the phone. Tutors must be available on Tuesdays and/or Wednesdays after 4 p.m.
Interested candidates are urged to email Do the Math Host Michael Cushine at mcush4@yahoo.com no later than May 20.
Interviews and auditions will be held on June 7 from 1 to 3 p.m. and June 9 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Kern Educational Television Network studio located at 1300 17th St. in downtown Bakersfield.