Dublin District Learning to Teach Basic Self Defense
CJSF member Sonia Sharma contributes to her community with Project emPower.
September 3, 2022 | The Independent News
The Dublin Unified School District offered physical-education teachers basic self-defense workshops this summer, with the goal of eventually incorporating the instruction into the district’s curriculum.
The workshops were designed to provide physical education teachers with the necessary skills to teach basic self-defense to students to ensure that students in Dublin can defend themselves should the need ever arise. The workshops were inspired by Project emPower, an initiative started by Sonia Sharma, a Girl Scout in Danville and a member of the California Junior Scholarship Federation (CJSF), to encourage self-defense classes for girls in rural India who face physical violence, including a GoFundMe page.
Sharma, 14, has been working on Project emPower for more than a year and helped organize the workshops for the Dublin teachers. The Danville Recreation, Arts and Community Services Department has also adapted the ‘train the trainer’ model developed by Sharma for an after-school program at Diablo Vista Middle School.
Region Conference Hosts are Needed for Spring 2023
Hosting a Spring Region Conference is a great way to support CSF/CJSF and for you and your members to get involved in the greater CSF/CJSF experience by meeting advisers and members from other chapters in your region. You may want to consider co-hosting with a nearby CSF/CJSF chapter to share the responsibilities.
If you and your chapter are interested in knowing more, check out the Spring Conferences handbook on https://csf-cjsf.org/about-conferences/
Contact your region VP or President-Elect Brian Dull for more information [email protected].
LOOKING AHEAD TO FUTURE REGION CONFERENCES
Special Opportunities Available – Host a Region Conference
Hosting a Spring Region Conference is a great way to support CSF/CJSF and for you and your members to get involved in the greater CSF/CJSF experience by meeting advisers and members from other chapters in your region. You may want to consider co-hosting with a nearby CSF/CJSF chapter to share the responsibilities.
If you and your chapter are interested in knowing more, check out the Conference Hosting handbook on https://csf-cjsf.org/about-conferences/. Contact your region VP, or President-Elect Brian Dull for more information [email protected]
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CSF Leadership Team Opportunities
Are you interested in getting more involved in the CSF state organization? We are looking for a experienced advisers to join the state board and be a part of supporting chapter advisers, student members, and guiding the future of CSF/CJSF.
Currently recruiting:
CSF Central Region Vice-President
CSF North Region Vice-President
Vice-Presidents are liaisons between advisers and the state board.
- The President will appoint someone to fill these positions.
- Open to current or former CSF advisers.
- Appointment is for the remainder of the term ending June 30, 2024.
- VPs serve as voting members of the CSF Board.
Detailed descriptions of duties are in the CSF Bylaws: https://csf-cjsf.org/csf-chapter-resources/ | Duties of Regional Vice President – Article 10 Section 4 (page 12).
CJSF South Region Vice President
Vice-Presidents are liaisons between advisers and the state board.
- The President will appoint someone to fill these positions.
- Open to current or former CJSF advisers.
- Appointment is for the remainder of the term ending June 30, 2024.
- VPs serve as voting members of the CSF/CJSF Board.
Detailed descriptions of duties are in the CJSF Bylaws: https://csf-cjsf.org/cjsf-chapter-resources/ | Duties of Regional Vice President – Article 10 Section 4 (page 12).
Seymour Committee Members
Each committee member is responsible for recruiting a subcommittee of four advisers to read and evaluate award applications, and to select nominees as regional finalists. Committee members and sub-committee members will be assigned a region by the committee chair.
- Seymour Committee members are voting members on the CSF state board.
- Open to current or former CSF or CJSF advisers.
- Appointment is for three years.
- Committee members serve as voting members of the CSF Board.
Detailed descriptions of duties are in the CSF Bylaws: https://csf-cjsf.org/csf-chapter-resources/ | Seymour Committee – Article X Section 10 (page 14)
All board members serve as volunteers and must attend two board meetings each year. Travel expenses are reimbursed by CSF.
For more information, or to volunteer, contact CSF President Stephanie Peterson [email protected]
Congratulations 2021-2022 Seymour Award Recipients!
Central Region Recipient
Madison Allan
Chapter 512
Redwood High School
Georgette Cheatwood, Adviser
Matt Shin, Principal

Central Coast Region Recipient
Aarushi Wadhwa
Chapter 743
Westmont High School
Joy Brawn, Adviser
Jason Miller, Principal

North Region Recipient
Emma Alvarez
Chapter 168
Chico High School
Kris Hahn, Adviser
Douglas Williams, Principal

South Region Recipient
Ruby Mejia
Chapter 496
Mater Dei High School
Gloria Guzman, Adviser
Frances Clare, Principal

South Central Region Recipient
Natalie Leon
Chapter 796
Channel Islands High School
Magen Anthony, Adviser
Marianne Ramos, Principal

2021-2022 Huhn Awards Nominees
Hello 2021-2022 Huhn Awards Nominees!
Central Region
- Miliani Barraza, Chapter 976 | Wallace Middle School (top-right)
- Camden Gudgel, Chapter 846 | Herbert Cruickshank Middle School (middle right)
- Abigail Samuel, Chapter 640 | Waterloo School (bottom right)
- Osiris Ruiz, Chapter 571 | Burton Middle School (bottom middle)
- Ella Mauer, Chapter 976 | Wallace Middle School (bottom left)
Central Coast Region
- Suhyun (Royce) Ahn, Chapter 668 | Sequoia Middle School (bottom right)
- Samantha Campbell, Chapter 668 | Sequoia Middle School (middle right)
- Anthony Rocha, Chapter 1085 | Fallon Middle School (top right)
- Sonia Sharma, Chapter 971 | Diablo Vista Middle School (bottom left)
North Region
- Lily Antrim, Chapter 692 | Downieville Jr./Sr High (4th row #2)
- Garry Bicknell, Chapter 676 | Brittan Elementary School (3rd row #1)
- Gemma Donati, Chapter 280 | Sycamore Middle School (3rd row #2)
- Mason Kaelin, Chapter 676 | Brittan Elementary School (4th row #4)
- Logan Kinneer, Chapter 692 | Downieville Jr./Sr. High (4th row #3)
- Carina Marciales, Chapter 158 | Bidwell Junior High School (1st row)
- Joshua Milton, Chapter 923 | Marsh Junior High School (4th row #1)
- Caroline Moore, Chapter 923 | Marsh Junior High School (2nd row)
- Joseph Schohr, Chapter 280 | Sycamore Middle School (3rd row #3)
South Region
- Meagan Barry, Chapter 868 | Van Avery Prep (3rd row #3)
- Jake Dresbach, Chapter 868 | Van Avery Prep (3rd row #1)
- Finger Elizabeth, Chapter 29 | Corona Fundamental Intermediate School (1st row)
- Jacob Eshenko, Chapter 881 | St. Junipero Serra Catholic School (2nd row)
- Yujun Ge, Chapter 155 | Carmenita Middle School (4th row #4)
- Siddhant Khapra, Chapter 155 | Carmenita Middle School (4th row #3)
- Jillian Mooney, Chapter 881 | St. Junipero Serra Catholic School (3rd row #2)
- Nadine Panther, Chapter 1171 | Fremont Academy of Engineering and Design (4th row #1)
- Saijal Patel, Chapter 29 | Corona Fundamental Intermediate School (4th row #2)
- Juan Rodriguez, Chapter 1171 | Fremont Academy of Engineering and Design (4th row #1)
South Central Region
- Monica Goggins, Chapter 269 | Newcomb Academy (2nd row)
- Emily Guzman, Chapter 269 | Newcomb Academy (3rd row right)
- Ismael Hernandez, Chapter 487 | Piute Middle School (3rd row left)
- David Tonikyan, Chapter 1340 | Richard E. Byrd Middle School (1st row)