How difficult are the odds that Dominique faced? While 70 percent of foster youth express a desire to attend college, only 10 percent actually enroll, and only four percent earn a degree or certificate. In contrast, within a couple of years after aging out of the foster care system, 40 percent will experience homelessness, spend time in jail or become dependent on public assistance.

MiraCosta College faculty and staff are determined to change those odds – at least for the 100 former foster youth enrolled at the college – with support services designed to ease their pathway to academic achievement.

“I am the first person in my family to attend college and the first person in my family to have a job,” says Dominique, who is now in her second year at MiraCosta College, and works in the college’s Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) office and has a paid internship with the county’s Workforce Academy for Youth. “The staff and faculty at MiraCosta College have made sure that I don’t get lost in the system. They have helped me when I didn’t have food or even rent. They genuinely care about me—they have given me hope.”

Dominique can attest to how difficult it is to break away from the past and start working toward a college degree. She shares that she and her brothers suffered constant verbal and physical abuse throughout childhood and into their teen years. “My Mom put a pillow over my face and hit me. I managed to get away and jumped through a window. A neighbor called the police.”

Shortly after, at age 16, Dominique landed at the Children’s Shelter at Casa de Amparo, an organization with which MiraCosta College proudly partners. There, she reclaimed her self-esteem and finished high school. “When I graduated from high school, they had a big cake waiting for me and gifts like a suitcase I could use instead of the garbage bags I came with.”

While many graduates rejoice over new computers, cars or gift cards, Dominique was very happy with her celebration and appreciated the suitcase for its practicality as well as significance: at age 18, foster youth age out of the system and are expected to live as independent adults.

Fortunately a network of local organizations, which includes MiraCosta College, works to fill the void left by family dysfunction and assists former foster youth transition to self-reliance. “I now have a nice apartment and food on the table,” says Dominique. “I reflect every day and count my blessings. One day I hope to be a counselor and help others discover paths to new and better lives.”

MiraCosta College is taking on the foster youth challenge through a multifaceted approach that combines counseling, skills coaching and networking. It is called Resources and Assistance for Former Foster Youth, or RAFFY, and it depends on community support. The program hosts a Foster Youth College Orientation Connection Day in which 100 students experience college for a day. They learn about vocational and academic courses, how to sharpen learning skills and about financial aid. Students are given an idea of how to plan a strategy that will lead to a degree or certificate or prepare them to transfer to a college or university offering a four-year degree.

Funding for the program is dependent on community support. The Leichtag Foundation has awarded the college a challenge grant for the program enabling all gifts for the program to be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $25,000. Gifts will be used to help these young adults achieve their dream of attending college and forge a better life through education.

To make a gift to help former foster youth in your community attend college, go to foundation.miracosta .edu. If you have questions about the program please contact Linda Fogerson, the college foundation’s executive director, at 760.795.6775.

Pictured on the MiraCosta College campus from left are Dominique Cleveland and three fellow former foster youth students- Cache Lynch-Sanders, Andrea Brown and Cynthia Carbajal, with their counselor, Jaymie Gonzaga

This situation could have been averted. To eliminate the problem, the IRS allows the single business to be divided into two Sole Proprietorships; one for the taxpayer and the other for the spouse. The taxpayer and spouse must both materially participate as the only members of the business and must file a joint return. If they meet these criteria, they can make an election to be taxed as a “qualified joint venture”.

To make this election, they must divide all items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit in accordance with their respective interests in the venture. This division depends on how much of the work in the business is done by the spouse. For example, if the spouse does 30% of the work, than 30% of the business’s income, expense, and profit would be allocated to the spouse and 70% to the taxpayer. One Joint return would be filed for the couple, but it would contain a separate Schedule C (the Sole Proprietorship form) for each of them. Each Schedule C would contain their individual share of the applicable income, deduction, or loss. Then each will pay their share of the Self-Employment tax into their own account. This election will neither increase nor decrease their taxes. The benefit is that both parties are contributing to their own social security accounts.

As long as they remain qualified, the election cannot be revoked without IRS consent.

If you have any questions concerning this or any other tax area, please email or phone me. I would be glad to help.

Carl Henger
Liberty Tax Service
(760) 722-6677
chenger@libertytax.com

To burn 1 lb. of body fat, you need to create a 3500 calorie deficit. For example, eating 500 calories less each day for seven days means that you would eat 3500 calories less each week, and therefore could lose 1 lb. per week.

There’s no real magic to understanding calories. Calories are sim…ply a measurement of the energy that comes from food:

Carbohydrates: contain four calories per gram

Protein: contains four calories per gram

Fat: contains nine calories per gram

Alcohol: contains seven calories per gram

Simple Reasoning:

When you take in more calories from food than you spend through breathing, movement, and exercise, then you gain weight. If you burn more calories than you take in, then you lose weight.

Remember when creating that Healthy Lifesyle Change:
It’s a journey NOT a Destination.  Just start to implement small steps into your daily routine and before you know it….you have created that Healthy Lifestyle that you have always wanted!

YOU DON’T HAVE TO SEE THE WHOLE STAIRCASE…..JUST THE NEXT STEP…..

With Super 8 Marty’s Valley Inn, you can see and do it all. Just 10 minutes away, miles of smooth white beach beckon. Within 30 minutes, you have your choice of 18 challenging golf courses. Practically next door is breathtaking King Of Missions, Mission San Luis Rey, founded in 1798. Enjoy the views from the west coast’s longest wooden pier and Oceanside Harbor.

Our friendly staff will help you plan your day trips to Disneyland®, Sea World® in San Diego, as well as the world famous San Diego Zoo… even a visit to the border of Mexico.”an Diego, Sea World and the San Diego Zoo are only 20 minutes away.

Our hotel is conveniently located with great affordable accommodations in the heart of Martys Valley. Super 8 Martys Valley Inn is one of Oceansides most comfortable hotels and lodging.

Martys Valley Inn

Free Wireless Internet
Free Continental Breakfast
Heated Pool and Jacuzzi
Fitness Area
Conference Room 100 people
Newly Remodled Rooms
Television with 80 cable channels, including HBO, ESPN, CNN,
Free Local Calls and Voice Mail
In-Room Desk Iron & Ironing Board
In-Room Coffee Maker
Hair Dryer
Clock Radios
Pet Friendly Hotel

Ken McCallick from Invictus Technology Products brought lunch, but will do his presentation at the next meeting. The next meeting will be at noon on December 1 at the Chamber meeting room. If you want to get involved with the exciting new programs that the chamber will be working on for 2012, come join the OCCMG if not on Dec 1, then at noon on the first Thursday of the following months. See you at a Chamber event!

Let us book your next wedding, business meeting, party or golf tournament.  We offer 4 banquet rooms to accommodate up to 250 guests.  Our gazebo and terrace are nestled within lush landscaping that provides a private, romantic setting.  Experienced and dedicated banquet staff are on hand to take care of your every need.

El Camino Country Club is the perfect place to hold a golf tournament.  There are various packages and items that are available to choose from… registration, contests, and a variety of food & beverage selections consisting of customized menus, BBQ’s and hosted bars.  Tournaments are generally on Mondays and we can easily accommodate 16-144 players.  We can coordinate and provide your group merchandise at great prices!

El Camino Country Club offers a wide range of membership options:  Full Golf, Tennis and Social.

Call now to book your event, while space is available at 760.757.2100!  We are located at 3202 Vista Way in Oceanside right off Highway 78 and El Camino Real.

Recently I had the privilege of attending an exclusive event hosted by Google. The Engage Agency program was designed to help marketing agencies like us deliver better results for small businesses.

Spending the entire day reviewing the veritable plethora of FREE tools and resources offered by Google, reminded me again of how much this company has changed ALL of our lives. Just consider that the term “Google” has become synonymous with looking ANYTHING up on the internet. Whether you are looking for people, places, special deals or just an answer to what was the name of that song??? We all Google it!

Of course, Google is not a perfect company or search engine but can you name ANY other “for profit” company that has positively impacted as many people’s lives for as long as Google? The amazing thing to me is how many of Google’s resources remain free and how many NEW resources they continue to add. Yes, all those resources are supported by BILLIONS of dollars in advertising revenue. But lots of companies have large revenues that don’t bother to give back to the industry that made them. Which is of course the KEY to Google’s success. They continue to remember what it’s like to be an END USER.

So, what’s the point of this and how does it affect you and your bottom line…

1. Are you using or even aware of ALL the free Google resources that can benefit you and your business?

Example: The Google Chrome App Store – https://chrome.google.com/webstore/category/home, unlike other APP stores most of the hundreds of apps offered are totally free. From Gmail to YouTube to Productivity tools for just about any task, the APP store has some really great offerings.

2. Are you learning and applying Google’s business success principles to your business?

Example: Google is THE most successful internet company EVER! There is lots your business can learn from their success and lots of tools they offer to help you grow your business. Some are free, like Google Places and Google Products while others cost, like Google Adwords. The point is if your business is not utilizing all that Google has to offer you are missing opportunities that your competition may be using to stay ahead of you.

3. Are you doing everything you can to turn your customers, vendors and employees into pro-active advocates for your business?

Example: Google could have charged for this Agency event, but they didn’t. They could have done it on the cheap as a webinar but instead they hosted it at the Harbor Island Hilton with full amenities and access to REAL Google staff.

They also gave every agency in attendance $100 Adwords Gift Cards for us to share with businesses that have not tried Adwords yet. (Just send me an email at lf@amazeinc.com if you’d like one!)

While, you may not have the resources that Google does, that doesn’t mean you can’t be a leader in your industry… and there is much that Google can do to help you get there! So if you are looking for easy and inexpensive ways to grow your business, we’d love to share what we learned and how it can help you.

Start by deciding right NOW, that this will be the best and most productive week this year. Now, go make that happen!

For more information or to request a FREE Google Adwords $100 Gift Card, Contact the Internet Marketing Experts at Amazeinc

 760-754-8012 – info@amazeinc.com – www.amazeinc.com

Did you know that businesses that belong to their local Chamber have more credibility with their customers than businesses that are not members?

Here are just a few of the reasons why:

1. Simply belonging to an established organization like the Chamber helps convey that your business is connected to the larger business community in your area.

2. Membership helps convey a more solid reputation to companies that belong compared to those that do not.

3. Name recognition. While customers may not have heard of your company they have heard of the Chamber and that increases your company name by association.

Here are other benefits of membership that are worth exploring and even sharing with your customers.

Promoting Chamber Promotions – Your customers love getting special deals and exclusive offers, but doing your own promotions requires time and resources. Get the benefits of doing your own promotions by just SHARING the Chamber promotions with your customers.

Increasing Internet Exposure – Facebook, YouTube, Google+,  LinkedIn, Company Websites… keeping up on all of those is a daunting task for businesses. Did you know you can piggy-back on the Chamber’s efforts to increase your own internet results?

Expert Contributor – Of all the things you can do to increase your reputation being viewed an in “industry expert” in your business is one of the most effective. The Chamber offers many opportunities to enhance your expert reputation. From Guest Blogging to Facebook posts to LinkedIn Discussions the Chamber makes it easier then ever to participate.

When you add it all up it’s hard to understand why every business is not taking advantage of the many benefits of the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce. Are you taking advantage of all the competitive opportunities offered by the Chamber… or is your competition?

To burn 1 lb. of body fat, you need to create a 3500 calorie deficit. For example, eating 500 calories less each day for seven days means that you would eat 3500 calories less each week, and therefore could lose 1 lb. per week.

There’s no real magic to understanding calories. Calories are sim…ply a measurement of the energy that comes from food:

Carbohydrates: contain four calories per gram

Protein: contains four calories per gram

Fat: contains nine calories per gram

Alcohol: contains seven calories per gram

When you take in more calories from food than you spend through breathing, movement, and exercise, then you gain weight. If you burn more calories than you take in, then you lose weight.

Community colleges of the 21^st century are uniquely positioned to anticipate and respond to the needs of a rapidly changing and diverse landscape. In my 26 years in higher education, I have seen that the institutions that plan for and meet the varied needs of both the students and the local community are the ones that thrive, and, in business terms, offer the best return on investment.

To demonstrate our vision and commitment to serve students and this region, MiraCosta College has produced the 2010-2011 Annual Report. It is organized by MiraCosta College’s institutional goals, which serve as the college’s framework for institutional excellence. As reflected in its pages, MiraCosta College and the MiraCosta College Foundation flourished in 2010-2011, a year that was rife with accomplishments. In the most challenging economic time in California and this nation’s history, our college has responded by growing in both enrollments and course offerings, ensuring that thousands of students receive a high quality educational experience. This report also underscores the philanthropic and generous spirit of our local community, as demonstrated by the MiraCosta College Foundation experiencing its most productive fundraising year in college history, with total revenues of $2 million, and new endowments that will fund 50 new $1,000 scholarships in perpetuity.

This Annual Report is our demonstration to you—our students, education and business partners, and the public—of the many ways that the college continues to provide educational opportunities, leadership and prudent fiscal stewardship to the North San Diego County communities we are proud to serve. I invite you to browse through the pages of the Annual Report—available online in PDF or FlipBook format—and see for yourself the many ways MiraCosta College is impacting the lives of students and the quality of life of our community. If you would like a printed version, please request one online, and we will mail it to you, free of change.