DELANO — The new year brings with it the continuation of several educational programs offered by the Delano Adult School located on Princeton Street across from the Delano High varsity baseball diamond.

Julio Segura, principal of Adult School, says the school offers for free at all times courses in the high school diploma and high school equivalency, which is often called the GED.

English as a Second Language classes are offered during the day and in the evening.

There is a charge, Segura said, for an evening welding, which is starting in the evenings.

The certified nursing assistant training for which there is a charge is to start Jan. 17 and continue through May. After the course closes, another in the evening will not begin until August.

Business education courses are offered year-round for $25.

Adult School partners with the California regional career accelerated learning. Classes include medical assistant, billing and coding specialist and EKG technician.

People may register online at CalRegional.com/enroll or call 800-927-5159.

Delano Adult School is at 1811 Princeton St. The phone number is 661-720-4171.

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Arnold Morrison is new president of the board for the Delano Joint Union High School District. Lionel Reyna is board clerk.

Sworn into office at the board’s December meeting with Reyna were Art Armendariz and first-time board member Valerie Jasso Gorospe.

At the last 2022 meeting, the board approved a $500 donation from Kern Valley State Prison to Robert F. Kennedy High School.

Also approved were a $750 donation from The Print Shop to Kennedy, an anonymous $1,000 donation to Cesar E. Chavez High School, an Agricultural Career Technical Education incentive grant award for $14,560 for the 2022-2023 school year, and the California Partnership Academies Program-supplemental grant award for Delano High School’s Academy of Medical Sciences for $1,549.

The board approved Denise Mendoza Munoz as a mid/moderate special education teacher at Cesar E. Chavez High School effective Jan. 9.

Chavez coaches for the 2022-23 school year approved were Esveidy Cervantes, head JV girls soccer; Juan Carlos Contreras, head JV baseball; Michael Walker, head frosh baseball; and volunteers Damien Espinoza and Ernest Macias for wrestling, Wendy Hernandez for JV girls soccer, and Mark Gentry for varsity baseball.

For Delano High, Jerry Angkahan as head varsity track coach was approved along with track assistants Rita Banks, Karlie Angkahan, and Cynthia Segura along with Cristian Rubio, head JV baseball; Jose Lopez, volunteer frosh boys basketball; and Kaitlyn Franks, head frosh softball.

At Robert F. Kennedy High, Nataly Cortez was approved as a social science teacher and Ernesto Marcial as agriculture department chair.

Kennedy coaches approved for the current school year are Amador Orozco, assistant varsity baseball; Ebahn Feathers, head JV softball; Monica Anaya, head freshman softball; and volunteers Pedro Aguirre for varsity baseball, Casey Jasso for freshman baseball, Andrea Gamboa for varsity softball, and Fabian Flores for JV baseball.

Other approvals of the board were Maricela Lizarraga, attendance secretary at Kennedy to account clerk III for the district; Elizabeth Ramirez from dual enrollment clerk to counseling services secretary at Chavez High, Yairani Martinez as attendance data processing clerk at Chavez, Uriel Rincon as computer support technician for the district, and Jonalyn Santiago as instructional aide at Delano High.

Special trip requests approved were for Jesse Ortega and chaperones and students from Cesar Chavez to a wrestling tournament in Fountain Valley Jan. 13-14 and Natalie Fragoso of Kennedy for chaperones and students to cheer competition in Agoura Hills Jan. 13-14.

Approval of many donations was given by the board. From Wonderful Company to Delano High there were two donations of $500, Selma Rotary Club $500 to Delano High, donations from Wonderful Giving to Kennedy High, donations from the Karin Enebo Memorial Violin Scholarship Fund to Kennedy, a $500 Jostens donation to Chavez High, donations of $1,000 and two for $500 from Charities Aid Foundation to Chavez High, a $250 donation from Institute of Education Sciences to Kennedy, and from Lianne Martinez $1,000 to Kennedy.

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Jan. 17 starts conditioning and tryouts for Delano Bengal football and cheerleaders.

For the program that covers youth from ages 5 through 14, the conditioning will take place Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Cecil Avenue Park north.

There is no fee for conditioning and tryouts. Both programs offer programs for 8 and under, 10 and under, 12 and under, and 14 and under divisions.

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People wishing to become members of the Greater Delano Area Youth Foundation may mail $30 checks to Delano Youth Foundation, P.O. Box 135, Delano, CA 93216.

There is no obligation for the membership, but the membership fees will go into the general budget of the Youth Foundation, which provides about $9,000 annually for local youth programs and seven $500 scholarships.

The Youth Foundation plans its 57th Delano Sports Dinner for March 11 at Delano Elks Club. Tickets for the meal and program are $35.

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Frank Herrera Jr. was voted president of the Delano Union School District at its organizational meeting in December.

Irene Martinez is the new clerk of the board. Sworn into office at the meeting were incumbents Irene Martinez and Dr. Efrain Rodriguez with first-time board member Ignacio Ayon.

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From board member Suzanne Villaruz, I learned that her daughter and at Delano High my former head cheerleader and school newspaper editor, Nicole Villaruz, is now working in government relations for PG&E.

I also learned that Kiwanis Club, which recently concluded a busy December of activities, has released the names of its essay contest winners.

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In my next Delano Ramblings, I want to summarize what I learned from new City Council member Mario Nunez in regard to my long-desired plan for offering activities for youth during the winter break.