In 1936, journalist Manchester Boddy wrote, “You and every other citizen need what the (L.A. County) Fair can give you.” Boddy was pleasantly surprised by the Fair’s range of educational offerings, from youngsters being taught chemistry to a display of farm equipment, which he noted as the “end product of the age of science!” He ended his article by writing that “no honest, intelligent citizen can visit the Fair without coming away with a pardonable feeling of pride for the system…, the people or the form of government that had achieved such miraculous results in so many fields of human effort as are there exhibited.” Wow. Nearly three-quarters of a century later, we are still diligently bringing education to everyone who steps onto our campus. Today, our reach extends beyond the Fair, with several year-round endeavors, and, now in particular, to The Learning Centers at Fairplex. This is the reason we can call ourselves “the world’s largest classroom®.”
The Evolution of Education - Fairplex Puts an Emphasis on Learning
When a group of local business and community leaders started the L.A. County Fair 88 years ago, it also launched its educational mission – deciding the Fair would not only entertain, but would also educate. In that sense, education is as much a part of the Fair’s DNA as cotton candy, livestock and Ferris wheels. Over the years, the Fair, Fairplex and the Los Angeles County Fair Association have changed and grown along with the world they inhabit. The Association’s mission, too, changes with its physical and experiential growth. Today, that evolution has turned the Foundations at Fairplex into The Learning Centers at Fairplex (TLC). The new name and structure more clearly identifies the mission of this nonprofit arm of the Association, which remains as integral to its operations as it was 88 years ago.
“We have two primary focuses: education and giving back to the community,” said Sue Hyland, chairwoman of TLC’s board of directors and local businesswoman. “With this new title, it sends a strong clear message of what we are all about to the community we serve and the community who supports us.”
Under the direction of the Association and governed by a volunteer board of directors, TLC encompasses the Education Foundation, The Child Development Center and The Millard Sheets Center for the Arts. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency also provides oversight for fundraising and delivery of the inspirational and highly relevant educational programs held at Fairplex that serve the greater Southern California community.
Current programs include:
• L.A. County Fair Education programs (such as the FairKids Discovery Club Field Trip and Big Yellow Bus Programs)
• Career and Technical Education Center (CTEC)
• Junior Fair Board
• Millard Sheets Center for the Arts
• Child Development Center
With a unique brand of educational programs that takes place on the 543-acre Fairplex campus, the goal of TLC is to meet educational and community needs and provide opportunities for students of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. The foundation of TLC remains consistent with the lifelong educational mission of the Association.
Progress continues on the Sheraton Fairplex Conference Center, which broke ground in February. Graders and backhoes can be seen daily clearing the southeastern area of the Fairplex campus, adjacent to Building 8 and the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel. Crews are capping the storm water channel. Landscape plans are being developed to tie the entire area of the buildings, conference center and hotel together. The center is on target for a spring 2011 opening. Once completed, the conference center will be managed by Sheraton’s parent company, Starwood Property. In preparation, the Sheraton Fairplex has hired Tim McGill as director of sales and marketing and Cindy Smith, director of conference sales. Smith will be responsible for booking engagements at the conference center. The operation of the conference center is yet another addition to the portfolio of successful enterprises managed by the Sheraton. The hotel itself is one of the most successful in the region. In a May 2010 survey, the Sheraton Fairplex had the second highest guest satisfaction rating for all North America Sheratons. The hotel’s catering department has become an extremely valuable partner with Fairplex, servicing numerous on-site functions, and McKinley’s Grille has become a culinary destination with the addition of chef David Teig. Teig’s signature menu at McKinley’s Grille has enticed many palates, building a loyal customer base and constantly attracting new guests. Return to Top
The ABCs of Emotional Composure
Fairplex Child Development Center Teaches Youngsters Positive Coping Skills
Teaching children how to manage their emotions is the key to the positive behavior program embraced at the Child Development Center. Conscious Discipline looks at discipline challenges as an opportunity to teach children how to use skills and strategies to manage their feelings. CDC director Holly Reynolds, a certified Conscious Discipline trainer, has had tremendous success with the program at the CDC and now offers training to faculty and staff of the Pomona Unified School District and other childcare centers in the community. “It is very powerful for children to walk away from a situation and use the knowledge we’ve taught them through Conscious Discipline,” Reynolds said. The program teaches children to calm themselves and remember, “I am safe, keep breathing, I can handle this.” Visual icons are used to help children, and parents, with easy recall; a star symbolizes Smile, Take a deep breath And Relax. The program also teaches children empathy, which does not come naturally to humans. Studies show that the inability to deal appropriately with conflict combined with a lack of social skills leads to the creation of, and involvement with, gangs and other violent behavior. Dealing with discipline and emotional issues in the classroom can consume a large amount of teachers’ time, leaving less for educating. Reynolds said programs like Conscious Discipline thwart the negative and accentuate the positive.
Fairplex’s latest venture, Event Production Solutions (EPS), has garnered a reputation as an efficient resource in the business community in the few short months of its operation. The company rents equipment and services for events of all sizes and needs, from tables and chairs to forklifts and ticket booths to creative design and ticketing services. Since it started earlier this year, EPS has worked with such major events as the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and the National Orange Show. In today’s economy, businesses need to look at all their resources to ensure they are making the most of the opportunities on hand while keeping expenses down. EPS has proven to be a highly effective use of just such a resource, helping to improve the company’s bottom line without requiring new investment.
The vision of the Los Angeles County Fair Association continues to grow through the expertise and experience brought by each of its diverse members. Three new members recently joined the Association – additions that fit in perfectly with the Association’s mission and core values.
Heidi Gallegos is vice president of the Rowland Unified School District Board of Education, a delegate to the California School Board Association Region 23 and a member of the Regional Economic Association of Leaders of California’s Education Subcommittee. Gallegos is also active in the community as president and chief executive officer of the Regional Chamber of Commerce San Gabriel Valley and secretary/treasurer of the Los Angeles County Business Federation, among other activities. A graduate of Glendale Community College, Biola University and the Los Angeles Police Academy, Gallegos served in law enforcement as a peace officer and trainer at the Academy for 12 years. She and her husband, Bob, reside in Walnut and are parents to five children and have five grandchildren.
Tom Hsieh served more than 10 years with EarthLink before starting his own company, SplinterRock. He managed more than 450 employees with EarthLink as vice president of engineering. Supporting a commitment to community service, Hsieh is involved with a number of non-profit organizations including as founding president of the board of Pomona Hope, an organization that grew to have its own community center, after school program, computer lab, community organization effort, job creation/economic development program in partnership with the city of Pomona and providing housing services in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity. He also serves on the board of Servant Partners. He received an executive MBA from the Drucker School of Management and a bachelor of science degree in physics from Harvey Mudd College. He resides in Pomona with his wife, Bree, and their daughter.
Darryl Porter is co-CEO and founder of PorterGeller Entertainment in Hollywood. The company focuses on film, television and new media projects based on iconic brands and trademarks. Porter previously was senior vice president with the Tribune Entertainment Company Business Group and senior associate at McBride Baker & Coles law firm in Chicago, specializing in entertainment and sports. Porter is on the board of the “I Have a Dream”® Foundation. He is a graduate of DePaul University, College of Commerce and the University of Illinois, College of Law. Porter and his wife, Adabelle, and their two children reside in Sherman Oaks.
In 1936, journalist Manchester Boddy wrote, “You and every other citizen need what the (L.A. County) Fair can give you.” Boddy was pleasantly surprised by the Fair’s range of educational offerings, from youngsters being taught chemistry to a display of farm equipment, which he noted as the “end product of the age of science!” He ended his article by writing that “no honest, intelligent citizen can visit the Fair without coming away with a pardonable feeling of pride for the system…, the people or the form of government that had achieved such miraculous results in so many fields of human effort as are there exhibited.” Wow. Nearly three-quarters of a century later, we are still diligently bringing education to everyone who steps onto our campus. Today, our reach extends beyond the Fair, with several year-round endeavors, and, now in particular, to The Learning Centers at Fairplex. This is the reason we can call ourselves “the world’s largest classroom®.” 
s County Fair Association have changed and grown along with the world they inhabit. The Association’s mission, too, changes with its physical and experiential growth. Today, that evolution has turned the Foundations at Fairplex into The Learning Centers at Fairplex (TLC). The new name and structure more clearly identifies the mission of this nonprofit arm of the Association, which remains as integral to its operations as it was 88 years ago.
Progress continues on the Sheraton Fairplex Conference Center, which broke ground in February. Graders and backhoes can be seen daily clearing the southeastern area of the Fairplex campus, adjacent to Building 8 and the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel. Crews are capping the storm water channel. Landscape plans are being developed to tie the entire area of the buildings, conference center and hotel together. The center is on target for a spring 2011 opening. Once completed, the conference center will be managed by Sheraton’s parent company, Starwood Property. In preparation, the Sheraton Fairplex has hired Tim McGill as director of sales and marketing and Cindy Smith, director of conference sales. Smith will be responsible for booking engagements at the conference center. The operation of the conference center is yet another addition to the portfolio of successful enterprises managed by the Sheraton. The hotel itself is one of the most successful in the region. In a May 2010 survey, the Sheraton Fairplex had the second highest guest satisfaction rating for all North America Sheratons. The hotel’s catering department has become an extremely valuable partner with Fairplex, servicing numerous on-site functions, and McKinley’s Grille has become a culinary destination with the addition of chef David Teig. Teig’s signature menu at McKinley’s Grille has enticed many palates, building a loyal customer base and constantly attracting new guests.
Development Center. Conscious Discipline looks at discipline challenges as an opportunity to teach children how to use skills and strategies to manage their feelings. CDC director Holly Reynolds, a certified Conscious Discipline trainer, has had tremendous success with the program at the CDC and now offers training to faculty and staff of the Pomona Unified School District and other childcare centers in the community. “It is very powerful for children to walk away from a situation and use the knowledge we’ve taught them through Conscious Discipline,” Reynolds said. The program teaches children to calm themselves and remember, “I am safe, keep breathing, I can handle this.” Visual icons are used to help children, and parents, with easy recall; a star symbolizes Smile, Take a deep breath And Relax. The program also teaches children empathy, which does not come naturally to humans. Studies show that the inability to deal appropriately with conflict combined with a lack of social skills leads to the creation of, and involvement with, gangs and other violent behavior. Dealing with discipline and emotional issues in the classroom can consume a large amount of teachers’ time, leaving less for educating. Reynolds said programs like Conscious Discipline thwart the negative and accentuate the positive. 
School Board Association Region 23 and a member of the Regional Economic Association of Leaders of California’s Education Subcommittee. Gallegos is also active in the community as president and chief executive officer of the Regional Chamber of Commerce San Gabriel Valley and secretary/treasurer of the Los Angeles County Business Federation, among other activities. A graduate of Glendale Community College, Biola University and the Los Angeles Police Academy, Gallegos served in law enforcement as a peace officer and trainer at the Academy for 12 years. She and her husband, Bob, reside in Walnut and are parents to five children and have five grandchildren.
Tom Hsieh served more than 10 years with EarthLink before starting his own company, SplinterRock. He managed more than 450 employees with EarthLink as vice president of engineering. Supporting a commitment to community service, Hsieh is involved with a number of non-profit organizations including as founding president of the board of Pomona Hope, an organization that grew to have its own community center, after school program, computer lab, community organization effort, job creation/economic development program in partnership with the city of Pomona and providing housing services in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity. He also serves on the board of Servant Partners. He received an executive MBA from the Drucker School of Management and a bachelor of science degree in physics from Harvey Mudd College. He resides in Pomona with his wife, Bree, and their daughter. 
television and new media projects based on iconic brands and trademarks. Porter previously was senior vice president with the Tribune Entertainment Company Business Group and senior associate at McBride Baker & Coles law firm in Chicago, specializing in entertainment and sports. Porter is on the board of the “I Have a Dream”® Foundation. He is a graduate of DePaul University, College of Commerce and the University of Illinois, College of Law. Porter and his wife, Adabelle, and their two children reside in Sherman Oaks. 
