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  South Pasadena Chinese-American Club

Newsletter




March 2014

In This Issue
A Few Words From Our President
Annual Fundraiser April 19th Celebrating 25 Years
Two $10,000 Jojoe Zee Memorial Scholarships Added to Annual Scholarships
SPCC Sponsors Chinese New Year's Luncheon and Delivers Holiday Cakes
Chinese New Year's Year of the Horse Celebrated at Middle School
SPUSD Update
Free Performance of "Our American Voice"
SPCC Members Serve a Meal at Union Station
Save Water South Pasadena

      Calendar

2014

March
2   Adopt a Meal
13  Board Meeting,
7:30 p.m.

April
6   Adopt a Meal
10  Board Meeting,
7:30 p.m.
19 Annual Dinner Dance Fundraiser, 6:30 p.m.

May
4   Adopt a Meal
8  Board Meeting,
7:30 p.m.


June
1    Adopt a Meal
4    SPHS Awards Night
12  Board Meeting,
7:30 p.m.


July
6    Adopt a Meal
10  Board Meeting,
7:30 p.m.
  
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A Few Words From Our President


Hello All,

During the Year of the Horse, the South Pasadena Chinese-American Club (SPCC) is celebrating its 25th anniversary.  I am honored and humbled to be elected again as President to serve for 2014. I want to thank SPCC's past presidents, all of whom have done an exemplary job in guiding the club from its infancy to the present.  Over the years, SPCC has donated generously to the schools, organized innumerable community events to promote Chinese culture, and served the less fortunate.  The success of SPCC is a direct result of all the joint efforts and tireless work of our dedicated Board of Directors and members.  Our founders would be proud of our dedication to carry out their visions.  

I am happy and excited to announce that Tappan Zee, a second- generation SPCC Board member, and Evelyn G. Zneimer, the City's newly elected City Clerk, have joined the 2014 Board.  

I invite you all to attend our annual dinner-dance party to commemorate our 25th anniversary on April 19, 2014.  This fun-filled event raises significant funds for educational and cultural programs in South Pasadena.  Thank you for supporting SPCC by attending. I look forward to seeing you at the party.

To purchase dinner dance tickets or to learn more about this event, please send me an email!

Warmest Regards,
JC Signature
Jeannie Chiu

President
Annual Fundraiser April 19th Celebrating 25 Years
Save the date for SPCC's annual fun, fundraising event to be held on Saturday, April 19, 2014, at NBC Seafood Restaurant, 404 S. Atlantic Blvd., Monterey Park, CA 91754, with a reception starting at 6:00 p.m. and dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m. This year marks SPCC's 25 years as a South Pasadena institution.

Guests can look forward to a 10-course Chinese banquet-style dinner, entertainment, and dancing. Attending will be leaders in education and government along with community members wanting to support SPCC's mission to enhance educational opportunities and to expand cultural horizons. Tickets are only $65 per person from Estela at (323) 255-6888 or [email protected].
Two $10,000 Jojoe Zee Memorial Scholarships Added to Annual Scholarships From SPCC
JoJoeZee
Starting this school year, two $10,000 scholarships will be awarded each year to graduating South Pasadena High School (SPHS) seniors through the Jojoe Zee Memorial Scholarship, a fund established by SPCC Co-Founder Paul Zee in memory of his late wife, Jojoe Zee, who passed away in 2012. This will be in addition to four longstanding scholarships offered by SPCC every year.

The Zee family children were raised in South Pasadena and graduated from local schools. Jojoe Zee was a major supporter of and contributor to South Pasadena schools and the community. She was also a generous donor to the Club and served on its Board of Directors for many years.

Jojoe Zee had a vision of helping students who demonstrate strong leadership skills but who face financial challenges in continuing their education after high school. Thus, the scholarship focuses on overall achievement, especially leadership and how the applicants have contributed to the community, and financial need.

Applicants for the Jojoe Zee Memorial Scholarship must be seniors at SPHS, citizens or permanent residents of the U.S., and must have successfully gained admission to an accredited two- or four-year college or university in the U.S. Applicants must have achieved a GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale. Criteria for selection consist of financial need
and strong leadership, participation in school, community, or volunteer service and extracurricular activities, and the Club Scholarship Committee's assessment of the applicant's personal statement.

The Club is also accepting applications for its longstanding Karl Hwang Scholarships and its Chinese-language awards. Two $2,000 scholarships, which were established in memory of Dr. Karl Hwang, are available to qualifying SPHS seniors with at least a 3.5 GPA who will be attending an accredited four-year college or university in the fall. Dr. Hwang, a former SPCC President and Co-Founder, was one of the world's foremost research scientists in clinical pharmacology. In addition, two $500 awards will be given to students enrolled in a SPHS Chinese-language class for a minimum of one year who can demonstrate exceptional progress in learning the language.

Information about all Club scholarships and applications are available from Denise Gill, SPHS Scholarship Chairperson, or from the Club Scholarship Committee. All applications must be submitted to Ms. Gill by April 10, 2014. SPCC urges students from all cultures and backgrounds to apply. The scholarships will be awarded at the Senior Awards Ceremony on June 4, 2014.

 

SPCC Sponsors Chinese New Year Luncheon and Delivers Holiday Cakes to City and Schools
 
Almost 200 senior citizens enjoyed SPCC's annual Chinese New Year luncheon on Monday, February 3rd, at the War Memorial Building. "SPCC has been sponsoring the event for nine years," said event organizer and SPCC Board Member Shireen Chang, "and the popular celebration had to be moved from the Senior Center to the War Memorial Building due to the large number of seniors wanting to attend."

A line-up of song, dance, and demonstrations entertained the audience during the Chinese-style luncheon. SPCC President Jeannie Chiu and City Mayor Marina Khubesrian, M.D., welcomed the audience, while Mayor Pro Tem Bob Joe, Councilmember Michael Cacciotti, Becky Cheng from Congresswoman Judy Chu's office, Jacqueline Wu from Senator Carol Liu's office, SPCC Board Members, staff, and volunteers served lunch. City Manager Sergio Gonzalez and Police Chief Art Miller attended. All guests received red "good luck" envelopes filled with candies. Mayor Pro Tem Bob Joe donated almond and fortune cookies.

Entertainment was provided by Vicky Ma and Stella Li, who sang; Rose Tong, who performed a yoga demonstration; Henry Ip, who performed a Kung Fu Stick demonstration; and SPCC's Line Dancers. 

That week, Board Members Shireen Chang and Chow Chow Zee delivered 20 boxes of cakes to mark the "Year of the Horse" to the School District, all public schools, City Hall, the Library, and the Fire and Police Departments.

Photos courtesy of Anthony Kim


Chinese New Year's "Year of the Horse" Celebrated at Middle School

All those entering the South Pasadena Middle School auditorium on February 7th for the celebration of the "Year of the Horse" received the traditional red envelopes for good luck. They were then treated to more than a dozen cultural performances and demonstrations, introduced in Chinese and English by South Pasadena High School (SPHS) students Marcy Kuo and Matthew Shults, who served as MCs.

The first-time event was spearheaded by Michael Wu, SPHS Chess Club President, and the Club's faculty advisor, Melissa Cheng, SPHS Chinese-language class teacher. In the printed event program, which appeared in Chinese and English, they extended best wishes to all for the Chinese New Year and said they hoped "you could get to know more about Asian and Chinese culture through this event."  Chinese martial arts, Chinese poetry, calligraphy, and music and song were featured, and donated prizes were raffled off throughout the evening.

SPCC and the Chinese American Education Association sponsored the event, and its supporters included the SPHS Orchestra, Choir, and Graphic Design Class, the Dragon Dance Group of the San Gabriel Valley Chinese Cultural Association, the Middle School, Ms. Cheng's class, and Yan Guang Shao Lin.
Students from SPHS were among  numerous groups performing for the "Year of the Horse" celebration at the Chinese New Year's event organized by the SPHS Chess Club and supported in part by SPCC.

SPHS student emcees Matthew Shults and Marcy Kuo, speaking in English and Chinese and wearing traditional dress, introduced a variety of performances, including martial arts and poetry.


SPUSD Update: New Superintendent Selected Through a Deliberate, Careful Process
 
spcc President Joe Loo
One of the main responsibilities of the South Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education (Board) is to select a superintendent. With Joel Shapiro, current  superintendent, retiring March 14, the Board undertook a thorough process to recruit a replacement. The Board selected Geoff Yantz, current superintendent of the El Segundo Unified School District.

The Board conducted the recruitment in the following manner: Each Board Member reviewed the 30 applications the Board received for superintendent (we had a number of very qualified and talented people to choose from). We selected 11 candidates to be interviewed. Interviews took place on Saturday and Sunday, February 8-9, 2014. Three finalists were selected for interviews that took place on Monday, February 10, 2014. The overall consensus was that each of the final candidates could serve our District well as superintendent. Over several hours, the decision was made to select Mr. Yantz, who
will assume the position as superintendent in late March 2014.

--Joe Loo
School Board Member
Free Performance of "Our American Voice"
"Our American  Voice," a two-person show showcasing six diverse stories of Asian Pacific Americans, will be presented in the Library Community Room, 1115 El Centro Street, on Thursday, March 6th  at 7:00 p.m. Directed by Jennifer Chang and featuring Traci Kato-Kiriyama and Johnny Kwon, the six pieces form a broad picture that represents the lives of vastly different people. Their worlds may span different decades and ethnicities, but they're ultimately united by the commonalities of their experiences in the United States. The program is presented by the East West Players Theatre for Youth Program.

 

SPCC Members Serve a Meal at Union Station
Every month, SPCC serves a delicious Chinese dinner to residents of Union Station homeless shelter in Pasadena. Here (L-R) Board Member Joe Loo; President Jeannie Chiu; and new Board Member Tappan Zee prepare plates for up to 40 clients at the facility.
Save Water South Pasadena

Water-saving ideas from the City of South Pasadena Water Conservation Program:  

 
What You Can Do                                                
How Much You $ave
Irrigate your yard before 9:00 a.m. or after 5:00 p.m

20-25 gallons/day

 

Adjust irrigation times with the seasons                                    

250 gal/cycle

 

Install a smart irrigation controller (rebate available)                   

40 gallons/day

 

Adjust sprinklers to avoid unnecessary overspraying                      
500 gallons/month
Fix leaky and broken sprinkler heads                                         

20 gallons/day

 

The South Pasadena Chinese-American Club Newsletter is published quarterly in March, June, September and December.
 
Please submit your articles for the next issue by  May 15, 2014.

Sincerely,

Sally Kilby and Margaret Lee, Co-Editors
South Pasadena Chinese-American Club