Chamber: It’s all about the kids
for Citizen of the Year Alex Flores

March 13, 2015
Santa Paula News

Wednesday is the big day for Santa Paula High School Agriculture Academy Director Alex Flores.

While members of the Future Farmers of America chapter he advises serves lunch, the Chamber of Commerce will honor Flores as the 2014 Citizen of the Year.

The annual Chamber Awards Luncheon will be held March 18 at the Limoneira Visitors Center, 1141 Cummings Road from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 

Also being recognized are Large Businesses of the Year California Resources Corporation and the hometown Santa Paula Community Bank and Small Business Fria. Familia Diaz will be honored with the Sam Edwards Lifetime Community Achievement Award and Citizens for a Safer Santa Paula will receive the Community Service Award.

Tickets are only $40 each for the luncheon where Mayor John Procter will also offer the State of the City Address. 

Flores, honored as the Chamber Educator of the Year in 2011, has been a SPHS teacher for about 16 years.

For a man whose career is tied so strongly to agriculture, it is ironic that Flores was born in Queens, New York.

Flores, who moved to California with his family when he was about 10 years old, said he was astonished when told he had been selected Citizen of the Year.

“Oh my gosh, when I got the call from Fred Robinson,” president of the Chamber, Flores said, “I was speechless … 

“I told him the FFA is helping at the awards ceremony anyway,” a statement Flores said evoked from Robinson a comment on the irony of the situation.

Ironic it is: it is because Flores expects his students to be more involved in the wider community through such volunteer efforts was a factor cited by those that nominated him for the award.

Flores is so admired that in 2012 SPHS students selected him to be Grand Marshal of the Homecoming Parade.

Flores has involved his Agricultural Academy and FFA in numerous projects and programs, from actively assisting at the annual Moonlight at the Ranch celebration benefiting the Santa Paula Police & Fire Foundation to working with students and the Topa Topa Flywheelers to restore an antique tractor. 

His boundless enthusiasm for youth in general includes not only teaching the Agriculture Academy and advising the FFA, but also taking part in parades, helping at the annual Ventura County Fair — where Santa Paulans each year dominate the field taking top prizes in the animal categories — and constantly striving to ensure students have all they need to pursue and complete their studies.

Flores has also been active with America in Bloom to beautify Santa Paula, a community effort that led to the local AIB chapter being entered in a national competition.

Other than a sister that is an assistant principal at Portola Middle School in Orange County there are no other educators in the family, and although Flores and his wife Laura Flores have two children, Elijah, 10 and 7-year-old Emma, he views family broadly — as all those living in the community.

He believes impressing upon his students that “Helping others in the community makes the community stronger,” is the most important lesson they can learn and practice. 

These same students will be at Wednesday’s awards luncheon helping at the event where they will be able to see Flores honored.

“I’m pretty humbled,” about being selected Citizen of the Year, but Flores said, “I couldn’t have done it myself … it’s the kids, just getting them to work with the community for more of an appreciation of where they live and who lives there. 

“I’m just glad to be able to provide those opportunities for them … ”

Call 805-525-5561 for ticket availability or visit the Chamber office, 200 N. 10th St. 





Site Search

E-Subscribe

Subscribe

E-SUBSCRIBE
Call 805 525 1890 to receive the entire paper early. $50.00 for one year.

webmaster