The road to college By May S. Ruiz This new year starts with more warnings and worries about a “twindemic” — cases of the seasonal flu combined with coronavirus infections — that could overwhelm hospitals, strain already overtaxed health care workers, and deplete vital resources. The impact of the virus was felt in every aspect…
A Special Rose Parade for these Extraordinary Times
By May S. Ruiz To say that these are extraordinary times might be an understatement to describe a year beset by an astounding 81 million infections and over 1.7 million deaths from COVID-19 worldwide. In the face of those sobering statistics, a New Year’s Day without a Rose Parade or Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena…
PEF’s Teacher Grant Program and Other Initiatives Support PUSD
By May S. Ruiz Nine months into the coronavirus pandemic, COVID-19 continues to challenge school systems, teachers, and students. Distance learning, while it’s better than not having any kind of learning at all, isn’t effectively reaching all students. Fortunately for students in the Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD), administrators reacted quickly following the lockdown restrictions….
December College Search Guide
The road to college By May S. Ruiz The coronavirus pandemic changed the way learning is delivered not only for elementary and high schools but for colleges and universities as well. On the other hand, the college admissions process itself has remained the same even as some components that go into the students’ application have…
‘The Sorts of Pasadena Hollow’ Features Local History and Wildlife
By May S. Ruiz Pasadena is only 12 miles from the hustle and bustle of downtown Los Angeles, but you’d never know it if you are a resident of its canyon area. Here, busy activity comes from the bears, mountain lions, and exotic wildlife that call it home. Human residents are used to observing animals…
November College Search Guide
The Road to College By May S. Ruiz A year ago, when wildfires were raging all over Southern California, I wrote that it would be a welcome relief for the weather to cool down and to get some rain. This summer, the wildfire occurred very close to home and, as of this writing, is in…
Going on ‘The Journey’ From Home
By May S. Ruiz Wouldn’t it be great to travel 5,000 miles and see the breathtaking beauty of Scotland during lockdown? With some modern technology and illusion techniques, we can take in all the magic this land has to offer from our very own living room. The Broad Stage has co-commissioned the West Coast premiere…
High School Student Teaches Card Tricks to Help Others Cope with Pandemic
By May S. Ruiz We’re in lockdown – until the foreseeable future. For the past seven months we’ve been indoors either remote learning, teleconferencing, or chatting with friends on Zoom. We’ve been playing video games or watching movies on cable. Some of us are probably bored out of our wits. If, like me, you’re barely…