Twins fund school supplies for kids in foster care

La Mesa 11-year-olds Jacqueline and Sheridan Crisafulli want to make going back to school a little bit easier for fellow students in foster care. On July 28, the twins delivered over 100 backpacks and other school supplies to the Walden Family Services, a San Diego-based nonprofit foster care, adoption and youth services agency.

“We want to do this because it must be really hard to be a foster kid and not have your real mom and dad to be there to support you when you start out the school year,” wrote the twin girls in their letter asking family and friends to support the project.

Walden Family Services received the supplies at their July 28 event celebrating the agency’s 40th anniversary.

“We are honored that Jacqueline and Sheridan chose to give foster children and youth the tools they need to start the school year,” said Walden Family Services CEO Teresa Stivers in a press statement. “These backpacks are not only a gift to the children who receive them, they are also a reminder that every one of us can help prepare foster children and youth to thrive.”

Jacqueline and Sheridan first learned about Walden several years ago from their parents, who regularly attend Walden’s annual Wine D’Vine fundraiser. Their mother, Jennifer, explained that both girls became concerned that children in foster care didn’t have their parents to tuck them in or support them. The girls first gave to Walden in 2014, when they donated their birthday presents to foster children and youth.

At the 40th anniversary open house for Walden Family Services, the girls also met San Diego District 6 Councilmember Chris Cate and District 7 council representative Sheldon Zemen, who presented Walden with a proclamation recognizing the agency’s role in preparing children and youth to reach their full potential as members of the community.

La Mesans nominated for Teacher of the Year

La Mesa residents Stuart Douglas and Mykie Evans are two of the 43 teachers nominated for this year’s “Cox Presents: A Salute to Teachers” County Teacher of the Year award.

Douglas teaches at Granger Junior High School in National City and Evans teaches at San Altos Elementary School in Lemon Grove.

The two teachers are each in the running to be named one of five County Teacher of the Year award recipients at the annual gala event held by Cox, which is broadcast on television and held at Downtown’s historic Balboa Theatre on Sept. 10 at 8 p.m.

The top five teachers are selected based on student achievement, professional development and community involvement, teaching philosophy and personal style, knowledge of educational issues and trends, promotion and development of the teaching profession, accountability, and their ability to serve as ambassadors of education.

The County Teacher of the Year winners will go on to represent the region at the California Teacher of the Year program later this year.