In “Las Mismas Manos,” co-directed by Consuelo Alba-Speyer, Watsonville native Martín Vargas-Vega goes from picking strawberries with his farmworker parents to working as a software engineer. The documentary looks at the money and isolation problems he faced in Silicon Valley, and at the community that backed him along the way.
Education
Posted inArts & Entertainment
El camino de un oriundo de Watsonville: de una familia de trabajadores agrícolas a una carrera en tecnología, tema de un nuevo documental
En “Las Mismas Manos,” codirigido por Consuelo Alba-Speyer, el oriundo de Watsonville Martín Vargas-Vega pasa de recoger fresas junto a sus padres, trabajadores agrícolas, a trabajar como ingeniero de software. El documental aborda las dificultades económicas y el aislamiento que enfrentó en Silicon Valley, así como la comunidad que lo apoyó a lo largo del camino.
Posted inPolitics & Policy
Newsom’s dilemma: Join or spurn new federal school choice program
A new federal program funded by private donations could produce billions of dollars for private school scholarships and services like tutoring for public school students, but there are also arguments for Gov. Gavin Newsom steering clear of the much-debated Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program.
Posted inEducation
UCSC corpse flower set to bloom just in time for Halloween — and it stinks
A corpse flower at UC Santa Cruz is getting ready to bloom for only the second time since it arrived in 2012, and it could open right around Halloween. The bloom is short-lived and smells terrible, and it could pull in big crowds again. In 2022, thousands of people came to see (and smell) it.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
A Lookout View: Karen Cogswell for Cabrillo College trustee
With Cabrillo College at an important crossroads with finances, attracting and retaining students, expanding its offerings and rebuilding trust with parts of the community after the debate over changing the school’s name, the Lookout Editorial Board endorses Karen Cogswell for the Area 6 seat on Cabrillo’s governing board, citing the most relevant experience, the clearest ideas and the strongest grasp of the college’s challenges among the three candidates.
Posted inEducation
Where to study, read and unwind at UC Santa Cruz: Students share their favorite campus spots
Looking for a place to study, read or take a break at UC Santa Cruz? Students share their favorite campus spots, from quiet libraries and scenic meadows to a hidden hideaway under a bridge near McHenry Library.
Posted inEducation
ICE arrests alarm California’s community colleges. How much can campus officials do?
California community colleges are trying to discourage immigration enforcement on campuses, but they can’t do much to bar U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from public spaces.
Posted inEducation
Santa Cruz County students make small gains in math and reading, but trail state averages and pre-pandemic levels
Santa Cruz County students made small gains in math and English language arts in California standardized testing this year, but scores remain below statewide averages and pre-pandemic levels.
Posted inEducation
New California test scores show most students don’t meet standards in math, English or science
California’s 2026 test scores follow a familiar trend: incremental improvement from the prior year, with the majority of students behind grade-level standards.
Posted inEducation
Incumbent Gail Levine and newcomer Ashleigh Hopkins face off for San Lorenzo Valley Unified school board seat
Incumbent Gail Levine, a longtime public school educator, faces newcomer Ashleigh Hopkins for the Trustee Area 4 seat on the San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District governing board. Like many districts across the county and state, SLVUSD is navigating declining enrollment impacts while trying to retain qualified teachers.
