Front row (l to r) Don Fipps, Matt Kurth, Marty Peters, Donna Fipps; On the stairs (l to r) Tranh Trinh, Dugan Lamoise, Philippe Lamoise, Brigid O'Reilly, Madisongrace Guerra, Dominique Guerra, Klaus Gubernator, Xavier Gonzales, Brian Hickey, Linda Groom, Tony Villasenor, Janice Kurth
Finishing painting the courtyard (Philippe's overhead drone work)
Linda Groom, Klaus Gubernator, and Philippe Lamoise take a break from painting
Tony Villasenor with NPA President Gil Brady (and some very thick gray paint)
Donna Fipps, Janice Kurth and Dugan Lamoise sport the latest in Rotary-themed work wear
 
We had a big crowd at the new Nativity Prep Academy campus for our annual Rotarians at Work Day. In 2020 the Academy took over its new home on College Avenue that is just over a mile walk to the San Diego State University campus.  In addition to gaining ~50% more square footage, internet service is far improved compared to their old campus.  Click here to see Philippe’s drone footage of the campus.
Community Service Committee chair Tony Villasenor had roller in hand to paint the old barbecue while Don Fipps, Matt Kurth, Linda Groom, Marty Peters and Klaus Gubernator put a fresh coat of paint on the courtyard cement.
 
Janice Kurth and Donna Fipps worked with two NPA alumni to organize one of the storage closets, and another group students made quick work organizing another storage closet.  The room that houses activities for the Graduate Support Program–a key component of NPA success– got a fresh set of fully adjustable Aeron chairs moved over from storage. Sharon Schendel and Dugan Lamoise worked with the student group cleaning out some storage areas and getting things ready to move out for donation.
 
This was one of our fastest work days ever thanks to all the students who came to help. Faster completion meant an earlier lunch with delicious Mona Lisa #8 sandwiches provided by Marty Peters.  Tranh Trinh, the new president of University of San Diego Rotaract club lent a hand, and Cathedral Catholic Interact faculty advisor Mara Milligan rounded up her students, including Interact club president Madisongrace Guerra, Brigid O’Reilly and Xavier Gonzalez. Nativity Prep Academy alumni Yoselin Niquiez and Dominque Luna also worked hard. Both are now students at Cathedral Catholic High School. Dominque took a moment to talk about how the Graduate Support Program provides vital instruction in practical subjects like financial literacy and college applications. 
 
The NPA leadership is hands-on, with President Gil Brady painting alongside us and Development Director Brian Hickey leading other groups in projects around campus. 
 
Our club is proud to provide support to NPA to help fulfill its mission of helping economically disadvantaged students fulfill their goal of graduating with a degree from a four-year college or university.  Read more about NPA and its goals in a previous story.