Library Clerk and Family Advocate for First 5 Shasta in Happy Valley

SANDI GARCIA

Sandi Garcia and her family moved to Shasta County 24 years ago to be closer to her family and then to Happy Valley 14 years ago to be able to raise their family in the country. The Garcia family moved here from the Monterey area.

Twelve years ago, Garcia left a great job working with a large framing company to take a job working in the Happy Valley School District after finding that she wanted to spend more time with her family and watch her children grow up.

Garcia took a part-time job as a split-shift yard duty supervisor and moved up into other positions closely after. She has since spent 12 years in the district as a physical education teacher for seven years, coaching the track and cross country teams for nine years, working with special education students for three years, and is now the current Librarian and Family Advocate for First 5 Shasta at Happy Valley Primary School.

Garcia's passion in life is working with the kids in the community. Whether it is through coaching, teaching or making away for the children in the community to get ready to start school and making it fun from the beginning. In the library at the Primary School Garcia has it designed so that there is something new for the children to see each time they visit. All of the stories that are read have a hands-on lesson at the end. It could be holding a type of sea critter, learning about space, looking into a gazing ball and making faces - for Garcia it is always exciting and is a way for the children to learn.

"Everyday is show and tell and it is always my turn," stated Garica."The students love to come to the library, it is a place of peace and quiet for the kids to learn, study and have fun. For me, it is my home away from home."

Garcia has been working on the First 5 Shasta Program for the past three years and has been able to bring many community members in to the school and it's surrounding facilities that normally would not be utilized until the families have children in school. The First 5 Shasta program is for families with children from zero to five years old.

"The families are able to come in and check out books for their children from the lending library. The program is run with funding from a state grant from Proposition 10 and provides opportunities for families to experience a mommy and me type of setting where there is music, crafts, dancing and other fun things to do. We have 150 families in the program and they get a newsletter that lets them know what is happening and when. The best part is, everything is free" said Garcia. "I love being able to work with the children and to see them excel and to be ready when the first day of school comes around."

"In the future, I plan to continue working at the Primary School until they kick me out. Then I will come back as a Golden Umbrella Grandma and help the kids learn to read and do class work," said Garcia.

Each year, Garcia goes to local high school graduations to watch "her kids" graduate. Garcia also enjoys the close knit community of Happy Valley, where people work together to help each other.

"I love working with all of my colleagues, the children and the families in the area. This is where I need to be. It is my true passion," stated Garcia.

Garcia has been married to her husband Joe for 24 years, together they have 3 three children and three grandchildren.

<B>Name: </B>Sandi Garcia.

<B>Born where and when:</B> Carmel, 1956.

<B>Marital Status:</B> Married for 34 years.

<B>Family: </B>One daughter, two sons and three grandchildren.

<B>Pets:</B> A German Shepherd named Jack and miscellaneous chickens.

<B>My worst job:</B> Picking strawberries.

<B>My first job:</B> Sales for a glass blowing shop.

<B>In my spare time I: </B>Sew , read and garden.

<B>My favorite book:</B> Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingles.

<B>My favorite movie:</B> Titanic.

<B>My favorite recording artist:</B> Stevie Nicks.

<B>My dream car: </B>An older mustang.

<B>My friends like me because:</B> I treat them how I would like to be treated.

<B>If stranded on a deserted island, I would want: </B>My husband.

<B>The one thing in life I've learned is: </B>Work hard, be honest and treat others well.

<B>The best advice my parents gave me: </B>Any job worth doing is worth doing well.

<B>My most irrational act: </B>Quitting a well paying management job to work split shift doing playground supervision.

<B>My most valuable material possession: </B>My wedding ring.

<B>What I like most about the North State: </B>My family is here and the weather.

<B>My hero is:</B> My mom.

<B>My pet peeve is:</B> Irresponsibility.

<B>My fantasy is:</B> Peace and equality for all.

<B>If I could change one thing about myself, I would:</B> Learn to relax.

<B>The one thing Shasta County needs most it:</B> More jobs.

<B>The most enjoyable thing about life is: </B>My family, when they are doing what I tell them to do.