Candidate for
Board Member; Centralia School District

Our Family - I retired from the Navy in 1982 after 23 years of active service. My last assignment was to the US Embassy and the Joint US Military Assistance Group-Korea in Seoul and a detachment in Jinhae, Republic of South Korea. As a single parent, I along with my son, Christopher Masao Trinkle, relocated from Korea to Buena Park in July 1982. Chris started school at Walter Knott Elementary and I started working for Hughes Aircraft Company in Fullerton. In December 1983, I married Ms. Ae Ran Kim, a resident of Seoul, South Korea. My wife and I have two sons, Stephen and Mark. Our first grand child is 4 year old Madison, daughter of Mark and Sarah. Our second grand daughter was born to Stephen and Carrie and she is 3 year old Chloe. Mason Irvin Trinkle is our first grandson and 2 year old "MIT" is the son of Mark and Sarah. Our sons were educated in Centralia Elementary and Anaheim Union High School Districts. Stephen was in the Oxford Academy inaugural graduating class.

Getting Involved - I served on many committees in both Centralia and Anaheim Union Districts including the second "AUHSD Measure Z Citizens' Oversight Committee." I made recommendations to the AUHSD Board of Education related to what I perceived as a proper leader for AUHSD in some past searches for a Superintendent. Maintaining on-going contact with AUHSD is important as a Centralia Governing Board member because there are approximately four thousand former Centralia students in the AUHSD junior high schools and high schools at any one time. I follow changes in AUHSD policy that may impact our former students to make sure that these students continue to have opportunities both, educationally and developmentally.

Support - Our family supports the Centralia Education Foundation and the instrumental and performing arts programs. We are a strong sports advocate family. Chris ran track and cross country at Savanna High School and at Fullerton College. Stephen played golf and baseball, and performed in the orchestra at Oxford Academy. Mark played football and performed in the "Shamrock Regiment" and orchestra at Kennedy High School. In 2005, I contacted Knott's Berry Farm and made arrangements for our students to perform in the Charles M. Schultz Theater annually. I coached in the Buena Park summer youth sports programs for many years. Away from the district; I am a life member of the Vietnam Veterans of America. I support many military organizations and many non-profit charities. I was honored by the Buena Park Rotary as the "2005 Buena Park Citizen of the Year" and most recently was awarded a Rotary International "Paul Harris Fellowship."

Centralia School - Twenty years ago, while volunteering at Centralia School, I co-founded the award winning "Centralia Healthy Start Collaborative." Ten years ago we opened our "School Site Based Health Clinic" for which the district was highly recognized by Federal, State, and local agencies. I am a representative to the "Healthy Start Collaborative Executive Board." I continue serving in that position today after more than ten years. The California School Boards Association recognized me for the work that I do with the health clinic. The PTA recognized me with their prized "Very Special Person" and "Honorary Service" awards for my volunteer work at Centralia School. I departed Centralia School as School Site Council President and member of the school's PTA Executive Board just in time to join the Centralia Governing Board on September 11th, 2001.

Leadership - I am a four-time Governing Board President and proven community leader. For the past several years, our students' grades continue to improve. My voting record as a Governing Board member shows quite clearly that my greatest concern is for our children. I am equally fair in my thought-out decisions with respect to all of our district employees. During my time as President of the Governing Board we have become more visible to the community-at-large by participating in various community organizations. In December 2006, I was recognized by a California State Assembly Proclamation for my work as President of the CESD Governing Board.

Navy Career - As a retired Navy Electronics Technician Senior Chief Petty Officer with twenty-three years active duty and honorable service, I proudly wear multiple medals from six Vietnam Campaigns including the Combat Action Ribbon. I received the Joint Services Commendation Medal for duty in Korea, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for both Formosa (Taiwan) and Vietnam and more decorations, too numerous to list here. My afloat duty stations included five destroyers and a CIA controlled survey ship. I served at duty stations in Japan, Okinawa, Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam, China (Hong Kong), Thailand, and Korea. During my career in the Navy, I was fortunate to see first-hand, the cultures of more than thirty countries from Japan to New Zealand and the Seychelle Islands to New Guinea and American Samoa. I sailed and made ports-of-call in the Pacific, Arctic and Indian Oceans. During many of our port visits I, along with many of my shipmates, provided assistance to local communities by way of the "People-to-People Program." I respect the rights of all peoples as I would hope they respect mine.

Current Employment - I continue to support our military as an Engineer for US Army programs. I am celebrating thirty-two years of employment at Raytheon. I was/am involved in the design/support of multiple systems now in use by our military in their combat efforts in both Iraq and Afghanistan, and in their peace-keeping efforts at other locations around the world. I was recently awarded with the title of "Engineer with Technical Honors!" That is an honor bestowed by one's peers and is one of the highest honors a professional can receive. This is the second consecutive time I have been selected for this most prestigious award and title.

Fun Times at Knott's Berry Farm - Pursuing my hobbies of entertainment and meeting people, I worked part-time at Knott's Berry Farm for more than fifteen years. In order to have sufficient time to serve on the Centralia School District Governing Board with proper dedication, I retired from Knott's in 2005. During my years at Knott's I met many people from around the world and all fifty states. My limited multi-language ability was a value. I truly consider myself to be a "people person!"

Politics - Politically, I have been very active in supporting education by contacting elected officials at every level of government from local city to the White House and all in between. I will continue my never-ending fight for mandated and guaranteed funding for special education, general education, and the arts and athletics too. Thank you for the privilege and honor of representing you in the past and I appreciate you continuing to allow me to serve your interests in the future.