AN 3401221
City of Fortuna
APPLICATION FOR APPOINTMENT TO
CITY BOARD/COMMISSION
Name of Board or Commission: Fortuna Historical Commission Applicant Name: Susan O'Hara
Home Addressi
Mailing Address (if different):
Home Phone:_ - Business/Cell Phone:
Email Address:
Education: B.A., History & Anthropology, U.C. Santa Cruz, M.A. History, U.C. Santa Barbara, Teacher Cert., HSU Length of Time in the Fortuna Area: 30 + years, 60 years in Southern Humboldt Present Employer: Southern Humboldt Unified School District Job Title: English and History Teacher, Casterlin High
Organizations in which you are currently involved: Fortuna Historical Commission, Fortuna Garden Club Reason for wanting to serve on this Board/Commission: I still have knowledge and expertise to share with the board.
I still have knowledge and expertise to share with the board. I would also like to see the launch of our Rodeo Book.
Expertise you bring to this Board/Commission: she and I are collaborating on the 100 year History of the Fortuna Rod she and I are collaborating on the 100 year History of the Fortuna Rodeo, which will be released in 2022.
References:
1 Shannon McWhorter, Sequoia Gas,
2. Christine Mengel,
Susan Eara Jan. 1, 2022
Signatur Date
This application will be kept on file for six months.
Board/Commission Application
1| Page
Teacher Determined 80 Experienced 80
Collaborator & Historian 80
Objective: History Commission
Appointment
Professional Experience:
Teacher, High School, History & English
Casterlin High, Southern Humboldt
Unified,
2020- Present
Susan J.P. O'Hara
*Teach Students History &
English skills including writing and
research
Teacher 6 - 7- 8th Grades Casterlin
Elementary, Southern Humboldt Unified
2016- 2020
* Taught multiple subjects, including
Ancient Civilizations, Medieval History,
U.S. History and Local History.
Students presented "Grave Matters" at
local Cemetery about lives of early
Blocksburg residents
* Write Grants for School
Teacher at Rio Dell Elementary for 20
years
• Taught grades 1-8, 1995- 2016
Served on Site Council, Master
Teacher, Presented several
workshops on reading to staff,
mentorship in history, wrote local
history book for students in third
grade,
* Taught 7-8 grade History and
Language Arts classes
*Taught 1st and 5th grades at Agnes
Johnson, Southern Humboldt Unified
1991-1992, and 1994-1995
Osprey Learning Center, 1992
* Trainer for Governor's Reading
Institutes for Sacramento Office of
Education, 2002-2007
Volunteer Experience:
* 1990-2018 Humboldt Redwoods
Interpretive Association
* President 7 years
• Created 3 large permanent
exhibits, including Native
Americans, Split Product Industry
Susan J.P. O'Hara and Photo History of Park
• Wrote History of Humboldt
Redwoods State Park with Dave
Stockton
*Fortuna Historical Commission 2006-
Present
* Created annual holiday
interpretive exhibits including
1964 Flood and Fortuna Rodeo
* Wrote four local history books
with curator Dr. Alex Service;
Contracted to write 100 year
history of the Fortuna Rodeo, to be
published in 2022
* Chairman of Commission 2010 -
Present
Credentials & Certificates:
* California Clear Credential, with single
subject endorsement for History
exp. 2020
* California CLAD Credential
*National Board Certified Teacher,
Childhood Generalist, 2001, re-certified,
2011
Humboldt Reading Council, Exemplary
Service in the Promotion of Literacy,
2011
Education
Teaching Credential, Humboldt State
University, 1990
* Master of Arts, History, University of
* Celebrate Literacy California at Santa Barbara 1987
Award, The * Bachelor of Arts, Double Major, History
International
and Anthropology, University of California at
Reading Council, Santa Cruz, 1984 Graduated with Honors Susan J.P. O'Hara Publications:
In and Around the Arena, The 100 Year
History of the Fortuna Rodeo (2022, Archway
Press, Bloomington, Indiana co-authored with
Alex Service)
Mills of Humboldt County, 1910-1945 (2018,
Arcadia Publishing South Carolina Co-authored
with Alex Service)
Mills of Humboldt County, 1850-1900 (2016,
Arcadia Publishing South Carolina Co-authored
with Alex Service)
Northwestern Pacific Railroad, Eureka to
Willits (2013, Arcadia Publishing South
Carolina Co-authored with Alex Service)
Humboldt Redwoods State Park (2012, Arcadia
Publishing South Carolina Co-authored with Dave
Stockton)
Fortuna and the Eel River Valley (2011,
Arcadia Publishing South Carolina Co-authored
with Alex Service
Saving California's Coast, Army Engineers at
Oceanside and Humboldt Bay (1991, Arthur
H. Clark Company, Spokane)
Public Justice, A History of the Santa
Barbara County District Attorney, Chapter
One The Early Years, (1988, Graduate
Program in Public History, U.C. Santa Barbara)