Friday, May 31, 2013

The Matt Garcia Foundation 2013 Keep the Dream Alive Assist-A-Grad Scholarship




Assist-A-Grad Scholarship Foundation, Inc

certifies that 

The Matt Garcia Foundation 

sponsored eleven

The Matt Garcia Foundation Scholarship 
Keep the Dream Alive Scholarships

awarded to graduates of the Class of 2013

The Fairfield-Suisun-Travis community fully appreciates this generous support of our youth.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

2nd Annual Fairfield's Finest Poker Run

2nd Annual Fairfield's Finest Poker Run

Presented By: SBFMC707

Saturday, June 1, 2013
10:00am - 4:00pm

Everyone Welcome - $20 Singles $30 Doubles

Sign in at Iron Steed Harley
100 Auto Center Drive
Vacaville, CA 95687
Registration: 10:00am - 12:00pm

Event Includes:

-Food
-Drinks
-Music
-Raffle

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Phil Hansen: Embrace the Shake



In art school, Phil Hansen developed an unruly tremor in his hand that kept him from creating the pointillist drawings he loved. Hansen was devastated, floating without a sense of purpose. Until a neurologist made a simple suggestion: embrace this limitation ... and transcend it.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

The Positive Aspects of Doing Volunteer Work

People find themselves motivated to do volunteer work for all different sorts of reasons. Many want to reach out to others to lend a helping hand. They are concerned about the well-being of other members of society and want to contribute in whatever way they can. Those who volunteer can benefit from the experience because it offers them the opportunity to develop new skills and to grow the ones they already have.

The benefits to you when it comes to doing volunteer work are many and are far reaching. You get to spend time working in an environment that is different than what you are used to. This helps to broaden your horizons and it provides you with the unique opportunity to learn more about who you are and what you are capable of. It also helps to increase your level of confidence.

Unpaid work for your community can also be good for your future occupation. The training you receive when you work as a volunteer can help you to achieve a qualification you are aiming for in a particular field of study. Work that you do selflessly to benefit others helps everyone concerned, and it looks great on a resume! Your curriculum vitae and all of the job applications you fill out in the future will look much better if volunteer work is included there.

You can network when you act as an unpaid staff member of an organization that administers to the community at large. By doing so, you can make new friends and acquaintances and you can also make contacts that could help you with everything from looking for a job to working on a personal project down the road. The sector that you are working in can teach you and can offer insight. This is especially useful if it is an industry you may wish to pursue a career in.

The sense of satisfaction that comes from getting involved in the act of volunteering is tremendous. To contribute to a worthy cause is something to be cherished and valued. It offers a broader experience of life that you might not acquire otherwise.

You may wish to choose volunteer work that is in line with the skills and experiences you already have, or you may decide to look for an experience that will challenge you to work as hard as possible and will place you outside of your comfort zone. The choice is yours. What matters the most is that you reach out to others who need assistance and your heart is in the right place.

Find out what opportunities for unpaid work are available in the area you reside in. You may be happy working at a soup kitchen or walking dogs at the local animal shelter. Whatever you choose, find something that will make a difference in other people's lives.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7567334

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Angela Lee Duckworth: The Key to Success? Grit



Leaving a high-flying job in consulting, Angela Lee Duckworth took a job teaching math to seventh graders in a New York public school. She quickly realized that IQ wasn't the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled. Here, she explains her theory of "grit" as a predictor of success.

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Historical Role Models - Amy Bissetta



Many notable American historical figures are considered role models -- but why? George Washington was devilishly smart, and Abraham Lincoln was a brave leader, but have you heard of Sybil Ludington or Beriah Green? Amy Bissetta expounds on the lessons of character we can learn from these historical giants, whether you've heard of them or not.

Lesson by Amy Bissetta, animation by Mark Phillips.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Geoffrey Canada: Our Failing Schools. Enough is Enough!



Why, why, why does our education system look so similar to the way it did 50 years ago? Millions of students were failing then, as they are now -- and it's because we're clinging to a business model that clearly doesn't work. Education advocate Geoffrey Canada dares the system to look at the data, think about the customers and make systematic shifts in order to help greater numbers of kids excel.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Rita Pierson: Every Kid Needs a Champion



Rita Pierson, a teacher for 40 years, once heard a colleague say, "They don't pay me to like the kids." Her response: "Kids don't learn from people they don't like.'" A rousing call to educators to believe in their students and actually connect with them on a real, human, personal level.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Last Chance! 5th Annual Cinco de Mayo Event Is Tomorrow, May 4th. Get tickets NOW!


5th Annual Cinco De Mayo Fiesta 
Dinner & Dancing 

Live music presented by 
DJ Khaos

Hilton Garden Inn Fairfield
2200 Gateway Ct.
Saturday, May 4th, 2013
6pm - 11pm

Tickets $65. Available online at  http://mgfcincodemayo.eventbrite.com

Proceeds to benefit The Matt Garcia PAL Youth Summer Jobs Program

To nominate someone for the Billy Yarbrough Spirit of Community Award, go to

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Edi Rama: Take Back Your City With Paint



Make a city beautiful, curb corruption. Edi Rama took this deceptively simple path as mayor of Tirana, Albania, where he instilled pride in his citizens by transforming public spaces with colorful designs. With projects that put the people first, Rama decreased crime -- and showed his citizens they could have faith in their leaders. (Filmed at TEDxThessaloniki.)