Featured
Graduate
September of 2005
The Chumash Indians were the first
residents of the Oxnard area. Later, in 1542, Portuguese
explorer Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo sailed into Point
Mugu lagoon. Cabrillo dubbed what he found "the
land of everlasting summers" and claimed the
land for King Charles I of Spain
Few people know how the City of Oxnard got its name.
Its founder, Henry T. Oxnard, intended to name the
city after a Greek word for "sugar". Finally,
frustrated with trying to communicate his desires
to the state bureaucrats, he gave up and named the
city after his family.
The major industry, agriculture, produced great crops
of barley and lima beans. Achille and Henry Levy opened
an agricultural brokerage business in 1882, and finally
a bank, which encouraged and assisted farmers. Then,
in 1897, ranchers Albert Maulhardt and Johannes Borchard
believed sugar beets would be a profitable crop for
the area, and invited Henry Oxnard to construct a
local factory to process the harvests. Oxnard and
his three brothers operated the American Beet Sugar
factory in Chino, California and encouraged by a pledge
of 18,000 acres of sugar beets from local farmers,
built a factory in the heart of the rich fields. The
Southern Pacific Railroad constructed a spur right
to the factory site so the processed beets could be
shipped out.
A town quickly sprang up near the factory. Almost
overnight businesses and residences appeared around
the town square, called the "Plaza", and
schools and churches emerged almost as rapidly. The
factory attracted many Chinese, Japanese and Mexican
workers to Oxnard and the sugar beet industry brought
diversification to agriculture.
Oxnard built its first public library, a classically
styled, Andrew Carnegie gift, on the north-west corner
of the plaza in 1907. The building stands today as
a county historical landmark and is the only remaining
structure from the early days of the plaza.
Agriculture has remained the major industry, but
Oxnard has witnessed a steady population increase
beginning in the 1940's. The establishment of military
bases at Port Hueneme and Point Mugu during World
War II, and the rise of electronic, aerospace, and
other manufacturing industries has contributed to
the growth of the city and surrounding areas.
One of Oxnard’s homegrown treasures
is Ms. Joanne Melgoza. Joanne graduated from Citizens’
High School last September with a very impressive
3.72 GPA. She took all four academic years from Citizens
and completed the program in a little over three years.
Joanne’s mom needed surgery that not only changed
her life, but that of Joanne’s too. Joanne decided
to stay home and care for her mom rather than attend
a government run high school. Although, only a freshman
when she had to withdraw, Joanne was not impressed
with the treatment she received by some of her teachers.
Joanne could have rejoined her public high school
friends for her sophomore year, but decided that home
study was superior. We agree!
Joanne told us that she is very proud of her diploma.
It represents a commitment to excellence that many
cannot make. It also made a huge, positive difference
in her life. Specifically, it opened the door for
more education.
Joanne enrolled in Santa Barbara Business College
and completed the Pharmacy Technician course. She
is now gainfully employed as a Pharmacy Tech, while
pursuing here Associate’s degree. Joanne has
her sites squarely set on being a Pharmacist.
We at Citizens’ have every confidence that Joanne
will be a pharmacist one day soon. So, the next time
you are in Oxnard having a prescription filled, ask
the pretty pharmacist who filled it, where did you
go to high school?
Joanne showed tremendous courage and resolve to completing
her diploma requirements. She chose family first before
self. We honor her for her dedication and love of
family by bestowing the coveted Graduate of the Month
for September 2005 award.
Thanks Joanne!
To read about other graduates, click
on the links below:
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