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Photos by Jason Redmond / Star staff Evelyn Leon, 9, works on math problems with Bard Elementary School classmate Jocelyn Rosete. Evelyn’s drawing was the winner of the California Strawberry Festival Youth Art Contest.Fourth-grade student Evelyn Leon, left, reviews multiplication problems with classmate Jocelyn Rosete before taking a quiz in Isela Escamilla’s class at Bard Elementary School in Port Hueneme on Tuesday. afternoon. Leon’s drawing was the winner of the California Strawberry Festival Youth Art Contest. Escamilla used the contest in her combined third and fourth-grade class at an occasion to kick of studies focusing on the birthday of Cesar Chavez.
It’s like one of those full-circle-of-life tales featured in a movie.
Elementary school teacher Isela Escamilla, the daughter of farmworkers, won a scholarship in 1995 from the California Strawberry Commission to help pay for college.
After graduating and earning her credential, she returned to Oxnard, where she has taught for the past six years.
“I love teaching,” she said. “A different side of me comes out. It’s a high.”
So when organizers of the California Strawberry Festival sought applicants this year for its Youth Art Contest, Escamilla went to work.
“At the end of February we Googled strawberry images, and strawberries and farmworkers came up,” she said. “This led to a discussion of Cesar Chavez. As teachers, we are always looking for ways to incorporate art into language arts and history lessons.”
All 26 of her third- and fourth-grade students at Bard Elementary School in Port Hueneme entered the contest.
Last month, Escamilla learned that one of her students, 9-year-old Evelyn Leon, won — with a drawing of a large strawberry, ocean scene and palm trees.
“I live close to the ocean, so I thought I’d do an ocean picture,” said Evelyn, who received a $150 gift card for Lakeshore Learning Store and a $50 gift card for Target.

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For people locked in kitchen combat, the five contestants at the Berry Blast-off recipe contest May 6 at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Oxnard seemed to be quite congenial.
In spite of cramped quarters and only one small stove top, the Ventura County cooks graciously shared space while creating culinary masterpieces that were then judged by a panel to determine the two finalists to compete Saturday at the 25th annual California Strawberry Festival.
The finalists’ recipes had been selected by a panel of local chefs and representatives from the festival board out of more than 25 submitted.
The rules called for original recipes that featured strawberries as a key ingredient and didn’t require baking.
Contestants had to bring all ingredients besides strawberries and the recipe needed to serve six. They had 60 minutes to prepare and present their dishes.
“I looked through our past recipes. I wanted something that hasn’t been done before,” event coordinator Lisa Carey said, explaining the winnowing process.
The finalists were Wendy Taber of Ventura, who prepared a Strawberry Gazpacho Salad with Tangy Lime Vinaigrette; Kateri Lawson of Ventura, who prepared Mediterranean Strawberry Quesadillas; Krista Slack of Simi Valley, who prepared Turkey Cutlets with Strawberry Black Pepper Sauce; Debbie McDermott of Thousand Oaks, who made Strawberry Tiramisu; and Bernie Barnes of Camarillo, who made Strawberry UFOs in Snow.
Each cook was given a small space in the kitchen of the hotel to prepare the dishes.
As they waited to start, the contestants milled around, worrying about whether they had forgotten a key ingredient. McDermott realized she hadn’t packed a platter for her tiramisu, but the kitchen staff was able to get her a round metal one, which she covered in doilies.
Strawberry Festival manager Bonnie Weigle provided the countdown and all conversations ceased as the room was filled with the sounds of chopping blades and the smell of fresh-cut strawberries.

venturacountystar.com