Faces And Places

Retired Fairfield Teacher wins Prestigious Honor

The Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District announced that retired teacher Cindy Lederer has been honored with the prestigious Verne Landreth Award from the California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. The award recognizes outstanding and noteworthy achievements, contributions, and service to the CAHPERD organization and the profession.

Cindy Lederer has been a dedicated educator for 37 years, with 27 of those years spent teaching Physical Education in elementary, middle, and high schools across FSUSD. During her career, Lederer demonstrated a tireless commitment to the wellbeing of her students and to the goals of FSUSD. She was the FSUSD District Teacher of the Year in 2017.

“We are thrilled that Cindy Lederer has been recognized with this welldeserved honor,” expressed Kris Corey, Superintendent of FSUSD. “Her dedication to promoting physical fitness and healthy lifestyles is inspiring, and we are grateful for her many contributions to our district and this community.”

CAHPERD is a nonprofit group of educational and movement-related professionals whose mission is to promote healthful lifestyles through quality education for all populations and to provide leadership to school, community, and statewide programs in the areas of health, physical education, recreation, dance, and other movement-related programs. Lederer has been an active member of CAHPERD since the early 1990s, holding many leadership positions

during her tenure.

The Verne Landreth Award is the highest honor given by CAHPERD and is named in memory of a pioneer in physical education who made significant contributions to the profession. The award is presented annually to members who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and service to the organization and the profession.

“I am deeply honored to receive the Verne Landreth Award. CAHPERD has been an important part of my professional life,” said Lederer. “When you are lucky enough to find your

passion in life and participate in it for 37 years, that passion doesn't leave you in retirement. I'm so fortunate that CAHPERD has given me an opportunity to still have an impact on Physical Education and Health at the state level.”

Local Students Named to Dean’s List at Biola University

Approximately 1,700 students were named to the dean's list at Biola University in fall 2022. Biola students are placed on the dean's list to honor those with a GPA of 3.6 or higher while enrolled in 12

or more credits and whose cumulative GPA is at least 3.2.

The following local residents were named to the dean's list:

• Hannah Cornwell of Vacaville, majoring in Liberal Studies Elementary Ed

• Anna McGinty of Fairfield, majoring in Liberal Studies Elementary Ed

• Victor Quintana of Vacaville, majoring in Cinema and

Media Arts

• Maya Tarano of Napa, majoring in Pub Relations & Strategic Comm

• Gianna Troppy of Napa, majoring in Business Administration

• Amelia Weiss of Fairfield, majoring in Nursing

• Hailey Wurzbach of Fairfield, majoring in Undecided

• Tatum Wurzbach of Fairfield, majoring in Business Administration “Inclusion in Biola University's Dean's List is reserved for students who demonstrate exceptional performance in their academic studies. This honor signifies hard work, engagement, and investment in scholarship,” said Dr. Tamara Anderson, Associate Provost of Academic Effectiveness and Administration. “These attributes are the building blocks of continued success, not only in the classroom, but in the workplace and in the student's personal lives. We celebrate these students and their achievement, looking forward to their future accomplishments.”

Biola University is a nationally ranked Christian university in the heart of Southern California. It was recently recognized as one of America's best colleges, earning a spot in the top tier of the “best national universities” category of U.S. News and World Report's Best Colleges 2023 rankings. Founded in 1908, Biola is committed to the mission of biblically centered education, scholarship and service — equipping men and women in mind and character to impact the world for the Lord Jesus Christ. With more than 6,000 students at its Southern California campus and around the world, Biola's nine schools offer more than 150 academic programs at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels.

For more information, visit biola.edu or call (562) 7774061.

PHOTO COURTESY NESTOR ALIGA On March 5, the Richard O'Kane Division of the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps proudly held their Awards Ceremony and Annual Inspection in Benicia. The cadets honored included: Leading Petty Officer (LPO) PO2 Nathaniel Attia; ALPO PO2Nathan Davis; PO3Ayden Reiss; PO3Dillon Gaidano; SN Richard Goss II; SN Adrian Fisher; SA Jacob Silbernagel; SA Erik Kummer; SR Francheska Tagle; SR Jaden Gargollo; PO3 Steven Nash III; RC Joshua Bae Navarro; RC Rian Spradlin. For more information, please visit www.VallejoNavyLeague.org or www.facebook. com/profile.php?id=100064159016184

PHOTO COURTESY NORRIS BURKES Pastor Norris Burkes, whose weekly column is published in the Vacaville reporter, was joined by Vacaville resident and ChispaProject.org contributor Marti Abbott on a trip to Honduras. They brought with them nearly 300 pounds of Spanish children's books to help Chispa Project establish a library for 1,000kids, kindergarten through ninth grade. Burkes said they and others hope these books will go a long way toward satisfying the voracious appetite these kids have for learning.

COURTESY PHOTO Retired teacher Cindy Lederer is honored with the Verne Landreth Award from the California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.