CVCHS sends off graduates in fine style

As a friend told me after my second child and first son graduated from Clayton Valley Charter High School just a few days ago, “Dang (she was more profane), you know you are old when you have two kids out of high school.” I don’t feel old but reality is knocking on the door. Ugh.
The third graduating class of the charter went forward in grand style on June 3 and this time it was very real and poignant for me and my family. Held at the Concord Pavilion, it featured delirious graduates with colorfully decorated mortar board hats and a serious “I am outta here” attitude. Senior Class President Sana Nawid and Student Body President Samantha Dumalig gave wonderful and thoughtful speeches with confidence and style well beyond their years. The theme of taking the lead on redressing wrongs in this country and the world shone through and made us proud of our children as they move forward into adulthood. Clayton’s own Kyle Wickware sang a rousing rendition of “Roads” that brought not just his own mother to tears. Personally, it was very cool to see boys who I coached as wee ones in baseball, basketball and soccer grab their diplomas. In all, it was a great time for the charter and the community to shine. And let’s not forget our graduates from De La Salle, Carondelet, Berean and other private schools. Way to go graduates.

Not to be outdone, both Mt. Diablo Elementary and Diablo View Middle promoted their fifth and eighth graders on June 11.
On the city front, we will have a new Community Development Director to replace our retiring director. Mindy Gentry will be leaving her position as the Senior Planner for the City of Antioch to work closer to her home in Clayton (nice commute upgrade) and become our next director effective June 17. Welcome Mindy.

As to your pocketbook, realty data for April 2015 shows median sale prices are up 15.1 percent from a year ago with the average for a single family home price at $862,300, up a whopping 24.8 percent from 2014. Townhomes are also up 8.6 percent from a year ago. Hmm, what to do with this increase in home value?  Taking out lawns for drought resistant landscaping, perhaps?

Another positive, we had our best recycling month for curbside residential this year at 54.63 percent. The minus is that commercial recycling hit its abyss for the year at 14.45 percent. Overall, our recycling mark for April was 50.80 percent, bringing the 2015 total to 48.11 percent. Folks, we need to do better with water and recycling so let’s step it up.

Remember, the Clayton Farmers Market is downtown every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon with wonderful produce, flowers and homemade goods. Come support local producers and get some good eats.

George Washington Carver said, “Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.” Nelson Mandela stated, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Email me at dshuey@ci.clayton.ca.us.