Newspapers in Education

Clovis native's big role at UC Merced ceremony

University of California at Merced senior Jason Castillo is comfortable with public speaking.

The 21-year-old Clovis native will need to be Saturday when he addresses his class -- and their 11,000 guests and one particular VIP, first lady Michelle Obama -- as the student speaker at the campus' commencement ceremony.

Castillo wouldn't reveal the text of the speech, but he did say that he wanted it to be inclusive of his fellow students and not just about his own experience.

Reporter

Bethany Clough is a business reporter who covers retail and general assignment. Bethany previously worked in The Bee's South Valley bureau starting in May 2002, covering Tulare County. She has worked as a reporter covering the community of Seneca Falls in upstate New York for the Finger Lakes Times and as Habitat for Humanity Fresno's communications coordinator. Before coming to The Bee, she was an education reporter for Neighbors weekly newspaper.

Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs

Ken Hatfield has been director of community relations since 2000 and is responsible for all aspects of public relations, including marketing and promotion. A 33-year veteran of The Bee, he began his career in circulation. He has held a number of positions in advertising, including marketing services manager. In 1992, he became circulation manager and was responsible for home delivery, single copy, Newspapers in Education and circulation marketing. Hatfield serves on the executive boards of the Fresno Zoological Society and the Sequoia Council Boy Scouts of America. Hatfield grew up in Fresno and received a Bachelor of Arts from California State University, Fresno.

Won't do any good

In my Advanced Placement government class, we frequently research articles out of the newspaper and write our own personal responses as to how we feel regarding the situation. Our most recent one was concerning making physical education required for all four years of high school.

I fully understand that the rate of obesity is at an all-time high in America. However, I do not think that having four years of P.E. will make a difference. Those individuals who are out of shape are not going to run the mile, but instead walk, and what good does that do them?

Coming from a graduating senior's perspective, it was hard enough as it was to fit all of the required classes to graduate into my schedule with just two years of P.E., let alone four.

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