Participants from Regional Educational Leadership Academy visited Loma Linda University Medical Center and pose in front of the “Mission Globe.”
Building community power
Regional Educational Leadership Academy bridges education and civic engagement
August 4, 2025
The following article was written by Marcelino “Mars” Serna, Family and Community Engagement project specialist for the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools.
The Regional Educational Leadership Academy in San Bernardino County is equipping parents, educators, and community members to lead from “the seats that they sit from.” Through immersive learning experiences, agency partnerships, and a commitment to equity, RELA is transforming how communities advocate for their schools and each other.
In the Inland Empire, a grassroots leadership movement is taking root and yielding extraordinary results. The Regional Educational Leadership Academy was created to build the capacity of parents, educators, and community members to lead in educational spaces and civic life. Hosted by the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools in collaboration with local agencies, RELA addresses long-standing barriers to engagement by blending leadership development with hands-on civic learning.
Addressing real needs
San Bernardino County faces many of the systemic challenges seen across California — limited parent engagement, minimal access to leadership training for classified staff, and siloed communication between public institutions and communities. RELA addresses these issues by offering a multi-session academy where participants engage in site visits, leadership workshops, and project-based learning experiences rooted in equity, justice and student success.
Since its inception, RELA has directly trained over 250 participants, including parents, teachers, counselors, and site/district leaders. The ripple effects of this program have impacted hundreds of students and families through RELA-inspired projects like literacy nights, parent education workshops, and school-community partnerships.
Field-based leadership training
RELA’s standout feature is its immersive, cross-sector approach. Participants don’t simply sit through lectures — they step into the systems they seek to understand.
During a powerful site visit to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, participants used a Force Options Simulator to experience decision-making under high-stress scenarios. Outfitted with a training firearm and stun gun, they faced simulations including domestic violence calls and traffic stops, followed by debriefs on how trauma, bias, and de-escalation intersect in real time. Participants also wore virtual reality headsets to simulate tense confrontations officers may face. The experience fostered both empathy and critical dialogue around law enforcement’s role in community wellness.
RELA is emerging as a powerful approach to bridging the gap between public education and public service.
A similar visit to the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office allowed participants to explore not just prosecutorial roles, but also victim advocacy, forensics, public relations, and youth diversion programs, highlighting CTE career pathways students can pursue outside of the more visible “sworn” roles in the justice system. These field visits dismantle stereotypes and open doors for participants, and their children, to view public agencies as partners and potential career destinations.
Stories of change
RELA is not just about learning; it’s about action. The outcomes speak for themselves.
Patricia Luna, a RELA alum, launched a community-based literacy initiative that increased both reading levels and parental involvement at her local elementary school. Her work was recognized by district leadership and has since inspired similar initiatives in neighboring communities.
Michael Garcia, director of Family and Community Engagement at Fontana USD, used his RELA experience to expand partnerships with local businesses and civic organizations, leading to internship and job-shadowing opportunities for high school students. These partnerships are helping bridge the gap between classroom instruction and workforce readiness.
At Southridge Middle School (Fontana USD), RELA participants helped coordinate a school-wide career fair, where students met professionals from Loma Linda University and the Inland Empire Utilities Agency. Meanwhile, at Chaffey High School, parents began a bilingual literacy program, producing a community recipe book filled with cultural stories and family traditions — an effort that both honored heritage and built literacy skills.
Participant testimony
The most powerful evidence of RELA’s success comes from the participants themselves. Celia Saravia, a parent from Rialto USD, shared her journey during a public Board of Education meeting on April 9, 2025: “RELA has given me the tools and confidence to engage more deeply with our schools and support our children’s education in meaningful ways.”
Her comments were met with applause and appreciation, demonstrating how RELA is inspiring not just personal growth — but civic pride.
Innovation that’s scalable
RELA recently added a “Civil Liberties” session in collaboration with the District Attorney’s Office, giving participants a deeper understanding of constitutional rights, criminal justice, and civic responsibilities. This evolution demonstrates how the program is responsive to community concerns and adaptable in its curriculum.
With its sustainable and replicable model, RELA is emerging as a powerful approach to bridging the gap between public education and public service. Its cross-sector lens, immersive learning, and real-world applications make it not just a training program — but a movement for equitable change.
Marcelino “Mars” Serna is the Family and Community Engagement Project Specialist for the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools and Board of Education Member at Fontana Unified School District.
Lowell King, Regional Operations Manager, from Goodwill Industries, gives a presentation about the work Goodwill does in the community
Lowell King, Regional Operations Manager, from Goodwill Industries, gives a tour of Goodwill and explains the lifecycle of items donated to Goodwill.
Bobby Brown of Loma Linda Medical Center explains about the pharmacy programs available to students in the region.
San Bernardino County District Attorney, Jason Anderson, gives a presentation about Civil Liberties.