Robert W. Bruesch
1997 Inductee
In 1974, Robert Bruesch organized KIDPOWER (Kids Interested in Diligently Preserving Our World's Environmental Resources), an outdoor education program which culminated in a free four-day campout for sixth graders and which earned the State Environmental Merit Award three times.
As a participant in the state's first Single Parent Adoption Program, Bruesch adopted a "difficult to place" boy from Rice School in his district who had been through 22 placements during his 11 years. In response to the Los Angeles riots, Bruesch wrote The Shape of Things to Come, an anti-gang and graffiti musical that also promoted student community service.
Robert Bruesch organized the Rosemead Boys and Girls Club out of his garage until the school district offered a room in 1981. He raises $5,000 annually for the club, has served as its president for 10 years, and personally took almost 500 boys and girls to summer camp in the High Sierras free of charge. And Bruesch established the Rosemead Organization in Support of Youth (ROSY) which buys computers students whose families cannot afford them and which awards grants to teachers to start community service programs with students.
Education
Additional hours at Pepperdine University, University of South Dakota, University of California-Los Angeles | |
1970 | Whittier College, Master of Education |
1965 | Whittier College, Bachelor of Arts, History |
Career Experience
2001 - Present | Independent Educational Contractor |
1980-2001 | Willard School, sixth grade bilingual |
1979-80 | Emerson School, sixth grade bilingual |
1971-79 | Fern School, fifth and sixth grade |
1970-71 | Lower Brule Reservation School, Title I Reading Coordinator |
1966-70 | Gern School, fifth-eighth grades |
Honors/Awards
2002-Present | National League of Cities Taskforce on Children, Families and Education |
2002 | PTA Honorary Life Service Award |
2000 | National Child Labor Committee's Lewis Hine National Friend of Youth Award |
1999 | Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen Award |
1992 | Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award |
1992 | State Teacher of the Year semifinalist |
1992 | Elected to city council |
1988 | Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award |
1988 | Elected to city council |
1985 | UCLA Summer Study Grant |
1984 | Milken Family Foundation National Educator Award |
1984 | PTA Life Membership Award |
1984 | Elected to city council |
1983 | UCLA Summer Study Grant |
1982 | UCLA Summer Study Grant |
1977 | Optimist Man of the Year |
1975 | Optimist Man of the Year |
1975 | PTA Life Membership Award |
1974 | Optimist Man of the Year |