News

John Focke appointed to State program committee
By ESTHER AVILA |
Wednesday, July 7, 2010 - 12 pm

By ESTHER AVILA first Published by The Porterville Recorder see www.recorderonline.com, July 7, 2010
John Focke, education director of the Tule River Indian Reservation Education Department, has been appointed to serve on the American Indian Education Oversight Committee in Sacramento.
“I am confident that you will be an outstanding addition to this body and provide valuable input and advice regarding American Indian education programs in California,” said state of California superintendent of public education, Jack O’Connell, in a letter that Focke received shortly after the appointment.
The news was exciting for Focke.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for me. There are only 11 who were chosen for the committee,” Focke said. “I was appointed as number 11. This is quite an honor.”
Focke, who has been actively involved in education since 1973, has been with the Tule River Indian tribe for more than 30 years and is credited as a key player in the growth and success of the Tule Indian Reservation educational department — the largest Indian school program in the state.
“We have more than 200 students from kindergarten through eighth grade, and more than 85 active college and career-program students,” Focke said.
The educator has also been credited with the success of a study center in Porterville.
“John has been with the education center for 10 years. This study center was his idea. He has brought it from six students to the 120 students we have today,” said Nancy Porter, secretary at the Tule River Indian Study Center. “He was also the facilitator of this property that we acquired three and a half years ago. He has been a key player and has watched it grow dramatically in the last 10 years.”
As a representative, Focke will attend quarterly meetings in Sacramento, beginning at the end of July. He plans to visit, gather ideas, and address history and other concerns facing American Indian children in the existing public school systems, he said.
Tule River Reservation Community Liaison Frances Hammond said the state department of education will be advised on what the Tule River department of education is doing and will use the study and education centers as examples for other Native American education centers throughout the state.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for the Tule River Education Department as this committee is designed to provide input and advice to the State Superintendent on American Indian education programs,” Hammond said. “Not only will Mr. Focke be able to have input to the State Department of Education, but to the local school districts as well.”
Porterville Unified School District Superintendent John Snavely agreed and said he was also pleased with the selection.
“We’re honored and flattered John Focke was selected for this position,” Snavely said. “His work with the Porterville Unified School District has always been professional and focussed on what will help students. There is no doubt he will represent the Tule Indian students, and students in the Porterville area, well in his capacity in Sacramento.”
Focke currently oversees the Towanits Indian Education Center at the reservation as well as the study center in Porterville — both of which are considered successful model programs.
“Mr. Focke informed me that 40 percent of the students attending these programs have made honor roll this year — a very impressive statistic,” Hammond said.
But Focke was quick to praise the Tule River Tribal Council.
“None of this could have been made possible without the support of the Tule River Tribal Council. They truly believe our real assets are the youth and they have supported them 100-percent when it comes to the academic enhancement of the tribal kids,” Focke said. “The Tule council has been filling our kids with knowledge — and providing opportunities for our students to come back and be employed. They’re generating income, generating jobs. It’s one thing to educate them and another to make opportunities for them. The Council has opened their hearts, minds and wallets to provide education for their youth.”
Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1045, or eavila@portervillerecorder.com.

Tribal workforce program staffer receives award from Dept. of Labor
By Teri Dobson | W.I.A. Director
Thursday, May 20, 2010 - 9 am

During a special awards luncheon held at the 31st National Indian and Native American Training and Employment Conference in Albuquerque, N.M. on April 28, Marlena Escalera, Interim Program Specialist for the Tule River Indian Education Center, received the Outstanding Participant award for 2010. 
According to Teri Dobson, WIA Director with the Tule River Workforce Development Dept., there are 192 Indian and Native American grantees throughout the United States and Escalera was one of only three individuals chosen to receive the prestigious award from the U.S. Department of Labor.  
“She is the first participant from the Tule River Workforce Development Department’s Workforce Investment Act Program (W.I.A.) to ever receive the award,” Dobson said.
“When Marlena first came into contact with the Tule River Workforce Development Department in 2003, she was an unemployed, single parent with two small children, who supported her family with TANF income,” Dobson said.
“As a WIA participant, she enrolled in an Associate of Arts degree program at Porterville College, and later in a Business Administration program at San Joaquin Valley College, where she maintained a 4.0 GPA.
“Despite the extra challenge of attending to custody issues regarding her eldest son, Marlena prevailed in her efforts and obtained a temporary position as the Assistant to the Program Specialist at the Tule River Indian Education Center, then was promoted to become the Interim Program Specialist for Higher Education students. She has excelled at her job for almost two years now, which includes providing meaningful information and useful guidance to college students.”  
Escalera is currently enrolled in an undergraduate program in Organizational Leadership at Brandman University and continues to pursue her vision of self-sufficiency and providing for her children in a good way. She is a proud member of the Te-Moak Tribe of Western Shoshone Indians of Nevada.