Cerritos College News Release

Photo of dental hygiene students by the flag pole NORWALK, Calif. - March 16, 2009 - Cerritos College Dental Hygiene students know how to bring bright smiles to people not only through dental care but also with kind and generous hearts.

In October 2008 a flagpole was stolen from the Big Springs Educational Therapy Center & School grounds in Riverside, California. Big Springs is a school that specializes in educating children who have learning disabilities, offering these students a one-on-one learning environment.

Heartbreaking enough, the purchase of the flagpole was a direct result of the children’s hard work in fundraising efforts. As a part of their morning tradition, the children raise the flag and recite the pledge of allegiance. One can easily imagine the sorrow of the children when they went out one morning in October and found that their flagpole was stolen.

This story was aired on the local news one Saturday and when Chris Brooks, a student from the Cerritos College Dental Hygiene program saw the news about this tragic event, he and his fellow senior dental hygiene students were moved and motivated to intervene. They donated a large sum of money – out of their own pockets – to help with the purchase of a new flagpole. By Monday Brooks had collected the money and drove it directly to Big Springs himself.

“This story touched us so much and we wanted to show these children that from a tragedy like this, there are people who care deeply for them,” said Brooks. “That was a great feeling to have donated that money for the children.”

The Big Springs Educational School held a rededication ceremony for their brand new flagpole on January 23, 2009. In attendance were students and their families, members of the community and representatives from the senior class of dental hygiene students from Cerritos College.

Students in the Cerritos College Dental Hygiene Program regularly volunteer in the community. “Interaction within the community at large is a very important aspect of our students overall education,” said Professor and Student Advisor Dani Carroll. “We as faculty are very proud of our students and their commitment to helping others in need. It’s the little things that count, charity really does start at home!”

Cerritos College serves as a comprehensive community college for southeastern Los Angeles County. Communities within the college’s district include Artesia, Bellflower, Cerritos, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, La Mirada, Norwalk, and portions of Bell Gardens, Lakewood, Long Beach, Santa Fe Springs and South Gate. Cerritos College offers degrees and certificates in more than 180 areas of study in nine divisions. Annually, more than 1,200 students successfully complete their course of studies, and enrollment currently surpasses 24,000 students. Visit Cerritos College online at www.cerritos.edu.

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Cerritos College

Releases 2009