2023 Partners in Education
Small Business or Franchise
Alverson Family Daycare
Valley Elementary’s Dean of Students, Chris Rekstad, nominated Alverson Family Daycare for this award, highlighting the facility and owner Dawn Alverson’s long- lasting impact on young children in the Yucaipa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District.
“In her home daycare center, she creates awareness for education by having her students come to our schools prepared for the beginning of their education. They have been shown how to properly socialize in small groups so that when they get with others in the classroom and on the playground, they have a good background of how this works from her leadership,” said Chris Rekstad.
Mrs. Alverson began her career as a daycare business owner at the young age of 19. More than 30 years after accepting her first student, she continues to care for and educate the young minds of children all over the Yucaipa-Calimesa area. Alverson not only cares for children in her community, but also welcomes her own grandchildren to her daycare center. Alverson says she considers each and every student as a member of her own family.
“When they know they have that security [from you], it makes you feel like you’re the best thing in the world. It’s wonderful. Those hugs can melt away anything,” said Dawn Alverson.
More than three decades after opening her home to children, Alverson says she couldn’t see spending her life any other way. “Anything that we can do to help build a better community, we try and do,” said Alverson.
Corporation or Government Agency
CalPortland Company
CalPortland, the largest building materials company producing cement and construction material products in the western United States, is the recipient of the 2023 Education Medal of Honor, Partners in Education/Corporation or Government Agency.
With operations out of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, several Canadian provinces and San Bernardino County, CalPortland uses their industry expertise to educate and inspire students interested in a career in STEM. Employees at CalPortland’s flagship cement plant in Oro Grande have made it a mission to actively participate in their community by supporting local schools.
“The Oro Grande cement plant has been supporting education through the Oro Grande Foundation since the 1960s, which CalPortland has continued to support since acquiring the plant in 2015. As the area has grown, the foundation has concentrated on scholarships for deserving graduates in local high schools. In the past 10 years alone, the foundation has given out $364,000 in student scholarships to local public high school students for both academic and vocational pursuits,” said CalPortland’s Environmental Manager, Catalina Elias.
CalPortland’s Oro Grande plant has partnered with school districts in the High Desert including Snowline Joint Unified, Apple Valley Unified and Barstow Unified. While the company welcomes students and schools to visit their Oro Grande plant, during the pandemic they also offered teachers educational activity kits. Students were able to make concrete with the kits, giving them a hands-on experience on how cement is made at their plant.
“The partnerships CalPortland has developed with the communities in which we work, live and play, reflects an important part of who we are,” said Elias.
Jenny Owen
Director, Communications and Intergovernmental Relations
For additional information, please call 909.386.2413.
601 North E Street
San Bernardino, CA 92415-0020