March 13, 2008

Puzzle pieces come together at Project Cornerstone’s annual breakfast

By Shana McLean Moore
Staff Writer

Project Cornerstone celebrated its fifth annual Asset Champions Breakfast at The Fairmont Hotel in downtown San Jose Thursday, March 6 with a puzzle-piece theme of “Connecting with Youth: Where do you fit?”

Nancy Pyle and Rob Davis flank Almaden students nominated for character awards. Students from left are Anchal Singhal (Leland), Ben Lin (Castillero), Kalyn Finch (Castillero), Dana Sever (Castillero), Lauren Nebres (Castillero), Trina Leung (Bret Harte), Rachel Lim (Bret Harte), and Ashley Patel (Leland). Photo by Stephanie Holm

Nine hundred participants filled the banquet room and were greeted by Anne Ehresman, executive director of the organization. Ehresman began by thanking First 5, The Health Trust, Kaiser Permanente, YMCA, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and San Jose Water Company for sponsoring the event, and reminded the audience of asset builders why Project Cornerstone’s mission is so important.

Project Cornerstone was founded after a survey showed that most youth in Santa Clara County report lacking the positive relationships, opportunities, values and skills—known collectively as “developmental assets”—that provide the foundation for a healthy, successful future.

Rona Renner “Nurse Rona,” the host of the “Childhood Matters” radio show on 98.1 KISS radio opened the event. Renner was impressed that 900 people were moved enough by Cornerstone’s message to be at an event with a 7 a.m. and went on to discuss the importance of children having adults in their life who support and believe in them.

Rob Davis and Mish Balangit acted as the masters of ceremony. Davis is San Jose’s chief of police and Balangit is a student at Gunderson High School. Both inspired and entertained the audience by sharing their experiences and injecting their sense of humor as they introduced each speaker and award recipient.

Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theatre group performed a scene from “Peace Signs,” one of the five award-winning presentations they perform free to eligible schools and other community groups. The play was a perfect tie-in to the themes addressed by Cornerstone by using music, comedy and drama to inspire children and teens to make healthier choices and better decisions for their well-being. The performers are trained in peer counseling and reflect the cultural diversity of the communities they serve.

Davis and Balangit then presented each of the award recipients with a small statue designed specifically for the event. The city of Milpitas Youth Program Team was awarded for “Community Values Youth” and Campbell’s Forest Hill School was awarded as the elementary school with a “Caring School Climate.” Union Middle School and Ann Sobrato High School also received “Caring School Climate” awards for their respective age brackets. Alum Rock Counseling Center was awarded for fostering a “Positive Cultural Identity” in the families they serve.

Police Chief Rob Davis and Bret Harte students Christina Tobias and Alexa Keuchle pose for a photo after the awards breakfast. Photo by Shana Moore

The “Positive Peer Influence Award” brought tears to the eyes of many members of the audience. Daniel Katz, a senior at Monta Vista High School in Cupertino, was nominated by his younger brother in a video clip. “Daniel’s positive attitude toward others and the responsibility in his actions add greatly to the community. With more people acting like my brother and sharing his positive behavior, our community would be a much better place,” said David Katz.

The final Cornerstone award proved even more emotional when So’o Poumele was presented with the award for “Adult Role Model.” Poumele is a former gang member who now counsels high-risk and gang-impacted youth. A handful of the teenagers and young adults he works with were interviewed on video and credited Poumele with changing the course of their difficult lives.

Dave Thornton, the man credited with starting Project Cornerstone in 1998, was presented with the first ever SPARK award by Fred Ferrer, CEO of The Health Trust. Ferrer credited Thornton for his “quiet, gentle and tenacious work” and went on to add that “many leaders spark the fire, but Thornton is of the type that will also carry the wood.”

Davis then sent the crowd back out into the world to continue showing our community’s youth that we value and recognize their efforts—that making real connections makes a real difference.

Councilmember Nancy Pyle was happy to have had “the privilege of attending this year’s Project Cornerstone Breakfast with eight District 10 youth who participate in Project Cornerstone classes and programs in their schools.” 

“These young people are an inspiration to me and other policy makers,” added Pyle. “While Almaden Valley is well known for being home to public schools with excellent academic performance indicators, these young people are proof that Almaden’s schools should also be lauded for their commitment to educating and caring for the whole child.”

While planning an event intended to both recognize and re-energize the dedicated Cornerstone volunteers, Ehresman walked away from the event more inspired. “I feel part of a larger movement for social change after the breakfast,” she said. “Looking out from the podium and seeing the ballroom filled with 900 parents, youth, elected officials, and nonprofit leaders made me believe that we really can create a ‘new normal’ for our valley that truly values youth.”