All-America City Table
of Contents
All-America City
Announcement Article
All-America City -
The Process
All-America City -
The Competition
All-America City -
Editorial "It Really IS a Big Deal"
All-America City -
Presentation Script
All-America City - photos and video index
All-America City - SCLT article by Jan
Reed
All-America City - Congratulatory Messages
from the Community
The Winning Application |
SCLT Part of Sierra Madre’s
Winning Team
By Jan
Reed
Three board members of
Southern California Lyric Theater and four young people associated with the
group were integral parts of the All-America City delegation for Sierra
Madre, competing in the national contest in Anaheim last week.
Sierra Madre was one of
ten national winners in the contest, sponsored by the National Civic League,
originally founded by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.
Alison Kalmus, founder
and artistic director of SCLT, wrote the original script and directed the
presentation delivered June 7 before eight judges of the League. Jan Reed,
SCLT publicity and marketing chair, served on the AAC Steering Committee and
assisted in writing the application. She was also in the final presentation
in Anaheim.
The four youthful
actors, also part of the SCLT family, participated in the final presentation
Thursday in Anaheim. They included Jonathan Medina, 14, son of Michele
Black; as well as Tracey Thomas, 14, and Carter Thomas, 8, whose father is a
member of a Town Council for Crescenta Valley. Their mother, Lynne Thomas,
is another board member of SCLT. The youths are students of Kalmus whose
wide range of stage and comedy is well-known in the San Gabriel Valley.
Junior delegate Aliya Crochetiere, 12, also participated and is an alumna of
the Alison Kalmus Theater Workshops.
Alison Kalmus said this
week, “Southern California Lyric Theater congratulates the city of Sierra
Madre for winning the 2007 All-America City Award. The service opportunity
for our SCLT youth delegates proved the joy and satisfaction in sharing
their talents for the good of our community, an essential element of our
mission.”
There were more than 600
cities who downloaded the application from the Internet for the All-America
competition last year; however, 130 of those were final applicants. Sierra
Madre was among the 21 who were designated finalists in the U.S., and was
one of the 10 successful national winners.
Benn Martin, who also
participated in Sierra Madre’s winning presentation with his wife Judy, said
that the national judges looked for spirit and enthusiasm working with
youngsters and diversity in the applicants. Sierra Madre zeroed in on its
Senior and Youth Master Plans and its Open Space credentials
.
Judy Webb-Martin said
that every city, county or homeowners group in the competition really “had a
story to tell.” She noted, “It reaffirms the positiveness and goodness of
people and the efforts they make to see that the world is a better place.”
Mayor Enid Joffe and
Councilman John Buchanan were part of the presentation, also.
Elisa Weaver, deputy
director of the Sierra Madre Community and Personnel Services Department, as
well as Michelle Keith, the director of the department, were integral forces
in the competition. Elisa worked tirelessly to assure the success of the
city project, with her energy beginning in 2006.
Other U.S. cities
winning the final cut were Flowing Wells, AZ, City of Santa Rosa, CA, City
of Hollywood, FL; Polk County, FL; Dubuque, IA; Lewiston, ME; Barnstable,
MA; City of Clinton, NC; and Hickory, NC. This is an annual event, and
Sierra Madre was among the finalists in 2006. |
SCLT Director Alison Kalmus leads delegates
through rehearsal in late May, 2007
Some of the kids from the Southern California
Lyric Theater in the hall following the presentation
|
