Gallery of Diamonds - Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® About Us

Kathi Manuel

Cox Elementary, Fountain Valley, CA

I have been teaching for over 35 years in the Fountain Valley School District. I am currently the Coordinator for the School Improvement Program at James H. Cox School.

Several summers ago, I participated in the U.C.I. Writing Project. It changed my life. Teachers were expected to write a selection each week to share with their writing group. It revealed to me the power of words and of writing. That’s why I am so impressed with the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest. By participating in it, many young writers will feel the power of their words. They’ll be able to pay tribute to their mothers and experience how their words touch the hearts of their wonderful moms.

I enjoyed reading each and every entry and encourage everyone to keep writing!

Kathi was also a Diamond Contest Panel Judge in 2009!

Jan Bryant

Mariners Christian School
Costa Mesa, CA

I love it when students who never thought they could write begin to learn the joy of creating beautiful and expressive words.

As a veteran teacher of over 30 years, Mrs. Bryant has inspired many students to express themselves through their writing.
As an author of two books, Mrs. Bryant credits her earliest writing experience to her 4th grade teacher, who compiled her own classroom book of Poems Written by Children on a Rainy Afternoon. Mrs. Bryant still has some of those poems she wrote as a child, and she encourages all of her students to save their poems and writing ideas.

“You never know when that idea can be turned into a published story or poem!”

Anna Smith

Los Coyotes Elementary
La Palma, CA

I feel one’s relationship with their mother is one of the most valuable and important aspects in life, and the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest is a wonderful outlet for students to express their gratitude.

Anna received her Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Art from Pepperdine University and her Master’s degree in 2006. She has been teaching for seven years in Centralia School District.

I love working with young learners and always enjoys my students’ delight in writing for the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest. My classes have participated in the contest for the past 6 years. I credit my own mom for helping me become a teacher and discover the joys of teaching others to learn.

Guita Afzali

I am so happy to work for a company that encourages every kid to express their feelings about their moms.

Guita was born in Tehran, Iran. She came to the United States in 1978 and studied at the Academy of Arts in San Francisco. She also worked as a jewelry consultant for a major jewelry chain.

Guita moved to Orange County in 2001.

Jeanette Rodriguez

"I believe there are no accidents. Being part of Gallery of Diamonds has inspired me to be a better mother and daughter to my own mother.

My desire is to share that inspiration with other families."

Jeanette was born in Los Angeles and moved to Orange County when she was in High School.
Jeanettte enjoys traveling and sight -seeing.

You can often find Jeanette riding bikes with her son in Newport Beach.

"I believe there are no accidents. Being part of Gallery of Diamonds has inspired me to be a better mother and daughter to my own mother.

My desire is to share that inspiration with other families."

Jan Richards

College View Elementary, Orange, CA

"As both a teacher and a mother the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest touches my heart. I value the opportunity to provide a forum for my students to extol the virtues of the women so important in their lives - their moms."

I received my Bachelors degree in Sociology from the University of California San Diego and my Teaching Credential a few years later from Cal Poly Pomona. I also received my Masters degree in Education from National University. I have been teaching for 18 years.

Michael Watson

Michael graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from Indiana University. After working for ten years as a diamond merchant, he moved to California and founded Gallery of Diamonds.

Watson is a member of the American Adoption Congress and is a GIA Gemological Institute of America-trained gemologist. He is the Co-President of the GIA Orange County Alumni Association and the author of Adopted Like Me- Chosen to Search for a Birthmother.

Tracy Heck

A mother is not only the one who gives you life, she teaches you about life; loves and protects you through life, encourages you to be the best in life; and allows you to live your life to the fullest.

I am the mom I am today because of my beautiful mom.

First learning of the contest in 2001 when her eighth grade daughter won a garnet, Judy decided to share her experience with her own students. Judy is a History and English teacher of seventh and eighth grade students. She holds a history degree from California State University at Fullerton and a Master's in Education from Pepperdine University.

"It has been enriching to see my students strive to find the right words to describe their mothers' in their lives. To be given the opportunity to praise "Mom" is appreciated by all my students."

Shelli Eckenrod

Shelli teaches 3^rd grade at Schroeder Elementary in Huntington Beach. She received her Bachelors degree in Liberal Studies from Cal State Long Beach and her Masters in Education from Concordia University. Her greatest accomplishment is her family. This is the fifth year that Mrs. Eckenrod’s class has been participating in the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® poetry contest and her first year as a panel judge.

“I love reading about the love that these students have for their own mom. Writing is easy when you write about the one you love. I enjoyed being a part of this contest."

Dr. De Marco began her love for teaching eighteen years ago as a ski instructor in the mountains when she was attending college. She received her Bachelor's Degree from California State

Ms. Lane is a former choral conductor, English teacher, and literary magazine advisor, recently retired from Huntington Beach High School. She was also nominated for Disney Star Teacher of the Year and Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. When she was teaching, she found Michael Watson’s contest to be an inspiration to her writing students - not only to hone their communication skills, but to recognize how truly wonderful their mothers are and to convey that appreciation - positively affecting their relationships. All of this leads to enhanced self-esteem and general joy! Ms. Lane is honored to continue to be part of the process. I just love saying , “Congratulations! You’re published!”

Polytecnic University, Pomona. She continued her graduate studies in teaching at Claremont Graduate University, earning her multiple subject teaching credential and her Master's Degree. She has taught grade school for eleven years, and has been a fifth grade teacher for the last six years in the Newport-Mesa Unified School District. In 2004, Debbra completed her educational goals at the University of Southern California earning her Doctorate in Educational Leadership. Although she has accomplished a tremendous amount, her greatest accomplishment, she says, is being a mother. "Thank you for letting me be a part of such a wonderful experience!"

Amanda McGinnis

Amanda is a California native. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture from California State University and earned an Associates Degree in Liberal Studies from Long Beach City College.

Amanda brings many years of jewelry knowledge and marketing experience. Her mission is to spread the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest throughout the nation.

"Working with a company that inspires creative expression in children is an honor and a privilege."

Karen French

Reilly Elementary, Mission Viejo, CA

I simply love the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest because it gives the opportunity for my students to reflect on the love they have for their moms and to express it creatively in words.

As a mother, wife, and teacher, I am honored to participate in the judging and to read each child's amazing words of love.

Karen French is a veteran teacher of 22 years with the Capistrano Unified School District. She has participated with her students in the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest for over ten years. Karen has been an honored Diamond Teacher in 2001 and 2004 and was a Diamond Contest Panel Judge in 2009!

Debbie Igram

Trinity Lutheran School, Anaheim, CA

“I love the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest because it gives the students the chance to think about, verbalize, and write about why their mothers are special to them. We have a really good time discussing why moms are important.”

Debbie has been a teacher for 23 years, teaching grades 2,3, 4, and 6 and teaching both children and adults in Sunday school. She loves kids and enjoys helping them learn new and exciting things in every subject, especially history and the Bible. Her hobbies include traveling, camping, scrapbooking, arts and crafts, and playing with her two labrador retrievers.

Jennifer Ahn

Fern Drive Elementary, Fullerton, CA

“Thank you again for the amazing opportunity to serve as a judge. I truly enjoyed the experience!”

Jennifer received her Bachelors degrees in Psychology and Sociology from Biola University and her teaching credential from California State University, Fullerton, with a BCLAD in Mandarin-Chinese. She continued her graduate studies and received a Masters degree from National University.

Jennifer has been teaching for seven years in the Fullerton School District and is currently a second grade teacher at Fern Drive Elementary School.

Donna was born in Greenfield, Iowa, and spent most of her adult life in Des Moines. She has been in the fine jewelry and diamond business since 1979. She later relocated to Orange County to continue her profession. Donna is a graduate of the University of Iowa in Elementary Education. She has four adult children and eight grandchildren.

Doretta Debrick
CPM, RPA

Doretta is the mystery person who manages the data input of thousands of essays. Doretta grew up in Arcadia, California. During her first typing session in junior high school, she cut her thumb on the electric typewriter return bar. She always wondered if she would get the momentum to type fast. Well, Doretta now types up to 85 wpm!
She raised her two children in Laguna Beach and currently works in San Diego as a Portfolio Manager. When not typing, she enjoys golfing, walking on the beach, and reading.

"It is a joy to get all of those words formatted for the final stages of publishing."

Claudio Canestro

Claudio was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and lived in Sanremo, Italy for twelve years. He has worked for renowned companies such as Yahoo, Adobe, and Google and has been a computer consultant specializing in the graphic and advertiing industries. Claudio is also a Macintosh computer genius.

Because our Mother's writing contest requires extreme organization, Claudio makes sure operations run smoothly by programming software. Claudio was the graphic designer of the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® books from 2003-2008.

Eileen O'Hearn

Who is that amazing singer? Eileen is the mystery vocalist of the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® song! Her captivating voice has already charmed thousands of families from the in-store video and the Internet.

Eileen teaches voice, beginning piano, and other music courses at various colleges and universities.

She also teaches a summer musical theatre camp for kids up to eighteen years old and is a frequent soloist with the local symphony and local chamber music groups. Eileen is also mom with two kids.

Valarie Ruig

Courregges School
Fountain Valley, CA

I’m thrilled to participate in this event. What an amazing way to ignite creativity in our children and offer gratitude toward Mom!

Valarie received her Bachelors degrees in Journalism and in Communications from the University of Southern California and her teaching credential from Concordia University. She continued her graduate studies and earned a Masters in Education from Concordia as well. Valarie is currently teaching fifth grade G.A.T.E. in Orange County.

Sandra Babic
Sandra received her Bachelors degree in French and English from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and her teaching credential from California State University, Fullerton. She continued graduate studies in the areas of English as a Second Language, Linguistics, Special Education, and Reading. Sandra has taught from preschool to graduate school in her principal areas of expertise, foreign languages and English. She joined the teaching staff in the Saddleback Unified School District in 1989.

Sandra is currently a teacher at La Paz Intermediate School in Mission Viejo.

"It is with great pleasure and pride I have joined the panel of judges for this most worthwhile contest."

Claudia Elliott

Claudia was born the night day before Easter in the middle of a blizzard in Fargo North Dakota. Her life experiences has confirmed that as a diamond gal (April’s birthstone), she is truly multi-faceted and able to withstand many forces of nature.

Claudia has prospered by not following conventional practices. With twenty years of natural resource management and business experience - she values her family, friends, plants and animals the most.

As an almunae of University of Idaho, B.S. Range Resources, her passion is the great outdoors.

“I thrive on the peace, love and the joy that I gather while helping others!”

Marianne Stewart

Lexington Junior High School, Cypress, CA

"I was moved to become a judge for the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest as a tribute to the love I shared with my own mother. My mother was also a teacher, and has always inspired me to make the world a better place, one day (and one student) at a time."

Marianne Stewart has been teaching in Orange County for the past 10 years. There has been nothing in her life that has been as fulfilling as helping young people in their journey of discovery.
Marianne began teaching at Drama at Pacific School of Music and the Arts in Costa Mesa.

Marianne earned her BA in English from University of California, Irvine. Later, she returned to UCI to earn her Masters of Arts in Teaching. She is grateful everyday to share her passion for writing with her students.

Marina Baltazar

Lincoln Elementary
Santa Ana, CA

This is my first year being a judge and I had a great time reading about what they felt about their mother. I am glad I was part of this wonderful acknowledgement for mothers.

I teach 4^th grade at Lincoln Elementary in Santa Ana for the past three years. I received my Bachelors degree in Liberal Studies from Cal State Fullerton as well as my Bilingual CLAD teaching credential. The most important achievement has been having a family to share my accomplishments. I enjoy teaching because I believe that every child has potential to become great leaders and as a teacher I provide the educational tools to achieve their goals.

Laura Little

Laura has participated in the contest every year since its inception and was an honored Diamond Teacher in 1994 and 2007! She has taught English at Capistrano Valley High School for over twenty years. She is the advisor for National Honor Society and Cougars for Character. She also teaches an etiquette class to elementary students through Saddleback College's College for Kids program. She was selected as Teacher of the Year for Capistrano Valley High School and the High School Teacher of the Year in 2005 for character education.

"My students include their winning of the WHY MOM DESERVES A DIAMOND® contest in their college resumes as an honor. After all, they are published poets."

Janey Perone

Janey is a native of Southern California. She has trade experience in a variety of fields including jewelry. Janey makes sure the contest is a positive and rewarding experience for every mother and child. Her creative talent is an asset of our industry. Janey loves crafting and cooking. She especially loves to fish.

Janey's true passion is her children Ricky, Dominic, Pretties, Hayley, Michaela, and Zachary.

Janey understands what a gift it is to be a mom.

Marina Hernandez

The Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest has been inspiring and a true validation of what matters to her the most: motherhood and being a wife and teacher.

Marina Hernandez has been teaching for the past 8 years. After teaching elementary school in the Newport-Mesa school district for 7 years, Marina recently took over the Tiny Tots Preschool Program at the Recreation Center in the city of Fountain Valley. One of the best joys of her job is being able to go to school with her own pre-school aged son.

Marina graduated from UCLA with a BA in History and received her teaching credential from Cal State Fullerton. In 2007, Hernandez discovered both DiamondWinning essays!

Stephanie Goodenough

Stephanie received her undergraduate degree at University of California Santa Barbara in Environmental Science and her Masters in Education from Pepperdine University. She has been teaching 3rd-6th grade students for seven years in the Newport Mesa Unified School District including one year of teaching English in Japan. She currently works as a tutor and teaches pre-school in Fountain Valley.

Jennifer Ferrara

Emery School
Buena Park, CA

Writing about the one you love most is so natural. That is why every poem is truly a winner!

Jennifer has been teaching for 19 years in the Buena Park School District. She has taught all grade levels, and is currently teaching sixth grade at Charles G. Emery Elementary School. Jennifer received her Bachelors and Masters degrees from California State University, Fullerton. She received Teacher of the Year from her colleagues in both 1995 and in 2002.

This is the ninth year that Miss Ferrara’s class has participated in the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest, and her fifth year as a panel judge.

Dionis Daughters

Dionis was born in Los Angeles, California. She and her family recently moved near the ocean in Huntington Beach from the mountains of Lake Arrowhead. Dionis graduated from Vicki Clemeces School of Modeling and Dance in 1994 and studied at Fullerton College. Dionis has designed jewelry since 1998, and is excited about her new career in managing and learning the fine jewelry industry.

Dionis is also a singer entertainer and has performed solos for many jazz bands and musical theatres.

“I have a great passion for life, jewelry, and fashion. Come and be inspired by us at Gallery of Diamonds.”

Carmen Watson

What I love about the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest is the smiles on the winners faces when I say, 'Today you are going to honor your mother.'

Born in Guatemala, Carmen came to the United States after teaching young students in her native country.

Since our inception in 1991, Carmen has been responsible for the daily accounting and merchandise buying decisions for the company.

Carmen has proven many of her remarkable talents, such as scheduling thousands of Orange County families to enjoy a wonderful mother and chid experience. Carmen also hand selects every gemstone prize in the contest.

Paulette Dunn

Lincoln Elem.
Santa Ana, CA

One of the most rewarding tasks in life is to teach children, and in teaching them, I’ve learned a simple truth. The Mother-child bond is the strongest link to family that there is.

The genuine love that children feel for their mothers is written so tenderly in their essays. I so enjoy reading the sincere and innocent beauty of the words they express so sweetly.

Danielle De Frank

Plaza Vista
Irvine, CA

Pink roses wrapped in aluminum foil. A collection of sea rocks in a Ziploc. Baked goods burned on the bottom. What does a child give her queen? Already an adult, Danielle De Frank still tries to find the right gifts to express appreciation for her mom, knowing none could ever match in comparison with what has been provided.

As an Elementary Science Specialist for the Irvine Unified School District, running science labs at two schools, she learned about the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest last year.

In fourth grade, students study about rocks and minerals, as well as Moh's Hardness Scale, so the timing was perfect: they knew about the stones being presented as prizes and Mother's Day was around the corner!

Janete Mattoon

St. Paul’s Lutheran School, Orange, CA

"It is amazing to see the growth in small children, and the amazing abilities in older students. The Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest is a wonderful experience to be a part of. To see the reflection in writing of how lucky we are to be mom’s."

Janette has been teaching sixth grade for the past eight years and taught kindergarten for her first twelve. Janette graduated from Concordia University in Irvine with a multiple subject teaching degree in 1988, and with her Masters in Curriculum in 1989. She began teaching at St. Paul’s in August of 1989 and has been there ever since. She has two children who are in sixth and eighth grade and loved participating in the contest.

Orlene Burd

Linda Vista Elementary
Orange, CA

“I have been enjoying the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest with my students and my own children for 14 years. I am helping judge, as a way of giving back to a program that gives so many people a chance to tell and hear just how deep their love goes.”

Orlene Burd has been teaching for 12 years. Her B.A. in Child Development, and her teaching credential are from Cal. State Univ. at Fullerton. She has taught 3rd, 4th and 6th grades. She enjoys her upper grade Math club on Wednesdays after school. The object is to help these (students) learn that Math is important in everything we do, and can be fun to play with.

Gail Gilpin

Barcelona Hills Elem., Mission Viejo.

As a mother and a teacher I treasure the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond® contest as a highly motivating writing experience for my students and a life long memorable event for the winners and their mothers.

Gail Gilpin has been teaching for 30 years for the Capistrano Unified School District. She received her Bachelor degree from the University of California, Riverside and her Masters in Education from the United States International University.

Marsha Sipkovich

"My students have participated in the Why Mom Deserves a Diamond contest for many years. It was a joy to read all of the heartfelt sentiments the students wrote about their mothers. Writing about someone they love definitely inspires their creativity!”

Marsha is a teacher from Westmont Elementary in Westminster, California. “