Victim's rights groups get thousands from inmates

SAN QUENTIN, Calif. (KGO) -- Several victim's rights organizations received checks for thousands of dollars Monday straight from the paychecks of inmates.

he prisoners earn minimum wage assembling medical supplies at San Quentin State Prison. A law passed by voters in 1990 requires that 20 percent of their salaries be given to victims of crime. Once the inmate pays restitution, the excess goes to community organizations.

"It has to be used for direct services to crime victims, things such as emergency shelter, food, transportation," explained Chris Jacobs with the Prison Industry Authority.

<< Read More >>

Retired Orange Superior Court Judge Jack Mandel, co-founder of the Nicholas Academic Centers, has received Bank of America’s 2011 “Local Hero” award for championing vital causes, inspiring others to get involved and having a “significant impact” on individuals, families and the community. Judge Mandel was among five “Local Heroes” recognized at a luncheon ceremony on November 16^th at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, and was joined by fellow NAC co-founder, Henry T Nicholas. Judge Mandel donated his $5,000 check to help NAC graduates buy clothes and furnish their dormitory rooms when they go to college.

Dr. Henry Nicholas, co-founder of the Nicholas Academic Centers, congratulates fellow co-founder Judge Jack Mandel and two other winners of Bank of America's Neighborhood Excellence Award, Rose Espinoza, founder of the Rosie's Garage tutoring program and "Student Leader" Priscilla Vu. (Photo: Nancy Villere, Crush Photo Studios)

“I am humbled to receive this honor on behalf of my co-founder, Dr. Henry Nicholas, our dedicated staff, and, especially, our students who are the true heroes,” said Judge Mandel. “This award really recognizes the accomplishments of these young people to apply themselves and succeed.”

“I can’t think of anyone who deserves this recognition more than Jack Mandel,” said Dr. Nicholas, co-founder and former Co-Chairman, President and CEO of Broadcom Corp., who established the Centers with Judge Mandel in 2008. “Jack started mentoring and tutoring high schools students in the early 1990’s while he was still on the bench, because he saw a need and knew he could make a difference. Now we have two highly successful centers that have helped hundreds of students realize their dreams of attending college.”

In recognizing Judge Mandel, Bank of America said his work and dedication “made it possible for many to attend and graduate from college. The beauty of his accomplishment” was that “he created a ‘pay it forward’ effect. As it turns out, many of the students he mentored are now working in the services sector and helping others succeed.”

Bank of America annually recognizes five “Local Heroes” in 45 markets nationwide. Honored along with Judge Mandel were: Rose Espinosa, founder of La Habra-based Rosie’s Garage Inc., an after-school tutoring program; Ticky Gorin, coordinator for Long Beach-based Special Olympics Southern California Inc.; Sally Sullivan, cofounder of Casa Teresa in Orange, a residential program that helps homeless pregnant women 18 and older with job training, counseling, prenatal care and other services; and Jonathan B. Webb, founder of Newport Beach-based Project Access Inc., which provides a variety of services to families and seniors living in low-income housing.

Media links:

Video Presentation

Photo Gallery

About the Nicholas Academic Centers

Located in downtown Santa Ana and on the campus of Valley High School, the Nicholas Academic Centers serve hundreds of Santa Ana Unified School District students on a daily basis throughout the school year and summer, providing them with tutoring, social support, and individual college guidance. Since the first Center opened in 2008, more than 150 students have gone on to college, with most attending top schools such as Georgetown, Smith, UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Irvine, Allegheny, and Chapman. NAC students have earned a total of more than $2 million in scholarships and financial aide. The NAC staff works closely with school principals, teachers and guidance counselors, as well as with students’ families and community leaders. The Centers are funded by the Henry T. Nicholas, III Foundation and modeled on the tutoring and mentoring program Judge Mandel started before retiring from the bench. Become a fan of the Nicholas Academic Centers on Facebook, or follow the NAC on Twitter.

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50084762&lang=en

Nicholas Academic Centers
Robert Magnuson, 949-290-9382
rgm@magnusonandcompany.com

<< Read More >>

Below is a Q&A that Orange County Register columnist Frank Mickadeit conducted with Rodriguez as she enjoyed her turkey dinner. - HTN Foundation

She went from gang area to D.C

By FRANK MICKADEIT COLUMNIST / THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Ana Rodriguez, left, talks to Rocio Chavez-Bonilla, director of social services for the Nicholas Academic Centers in Santa Ana during the annual Thanksgiving party Henry Nicholas hosts for the students and center alumni. After spending her childhood in a gang area of Santa Ana, Rodriquez graduated from high school last year and is now at Georgetown University. She credits the SAT prep she did at the afterschool center with helping her get into college. FRANK MICKADEIT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

In what appears to have become a Thanksgiving tradition for me, I spent the evening before at the little soiree Henry Nicholas hosts for the kids and staff at the academic tutoring centers he funds in Santa Ana. About 150 Nicholas Academic Center students have gone on to college in the last three years.

This party is a time for some of those who've gone off to college to come back and inspire the kids who are still putting in the hours at the tutoring centers. One alum back in town over the weekend was Ana Rodriguez. She grew up on Chestnut Avenue in Santa Ana, the oldest of three. Her father is a roofer and her mother is a housekeeper. Ana graduated from Godinez High School last year and is now at Georgetown. As she ate a plate of turkey and fixings, I got her to do a Q&A.

<< Read More >>

Chapman University Nobel Laureate Vernon L. Smith, and his colleague, Bart Wilson, brought their unorthodox teaching methods to the students, parents and staff of the Nicholas Academic Centers in Santa Ana, CA., on Saturday (Nov. 5), conducting “double auction” experiments in which students learned how both buyers and sellers, who know nothing of each other’s interests, can benefit from market transactions.

The two professors from Chapman’s Economic Science Institute made their second appearance as part of the Nicholas Academic Centers’ 2011-12 “Visiting Scholar Series” in partnership with Chapman University. Drs. Smith and Wilson delivered their first lecture in the series in January 2011 at the Center in downtown Santa Ana, CA.

Dr. Smith said he got the idea for “Experimental Economics” as a newly minted Harvard PhD teaching his first class at Purdue University. “I realized I didn’t know anything about the connection between the pretty pictures in the text books and how the real world worked,” Dr. Smith told the gathering. “So I decided to do an experiment.” He went on to became known as the father of “Experimental Economics” and in 2002 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics for his work in using laboratory experiments to research why markets and other exchange systems work the way they do.

<< Read More >>

Board of Director Jack Mandel posing with Noble Prize winner for Experimental Economics Dr. Vernon Smith, his colleagues Dr. Bart Wilson and Jeffrey Kirchner, and Chapman University Chancellor Dr. Daniele C. Struppa.World-Renowned Economist Vernon L. Smith Will Lecture on “Experimental Economics” at the After-School Mentoring and Tutoring Center in

ORANGE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nobel Prize-winning economist Vernon L. Smith, and his colleague, Bart Wilson, of Chapman University’s Economic Science Institute on Saturday, Nov. 5, will make their second appearance as part of the Nicholas Academic Centers’ 2011-12 “Visiting Scholar Series” in partnership with Chapman University. Dr. Smith delivered his first lecture in the series in January 2011.

The program, now in its second year, is aimed at introducing high school students from inner-city communities in Santa Ana to a college academic environment, while strengthening ties with highly respected local universities. Since the program launched last fall, Chapman University faculty and staff have delivered lectures to students, parents and community members on a broad range of subjects, from the origins of mathematics to how to build a video game. (Lectures are held from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 313 North Birch Street, 2^nd floor, in downtown Santa Ana, and are open to the public).

Dr. Smith, known as the “founding father of experimental economics,” will discuss “Using Experiments to Teach The Foundations of Exchange” with Nicholas Academic Center students, parents and staff. Smith was awarded the 2002 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work in using laboratory experiments to research why markets and other exchange systems work the way they do. Dr. Wilson will assist Dr. Smith in carrying out sample experiments with the students, using the Economic Science Institute’s portable laboratory.

<< Read More >>