California Life News Room

Combine the torrential downpour and the biggest game day in the Bay and you have a massive traffic jam. Working as a traffic reporter and producer for nearly three years I should have anticipated this but somehow I thought leaving three hours in advance would be enough time to travel 30 miles. Clearly, I underestimated the magnitude of the 49′ers/Raiders fan base. As I sat on the Bay Bridge stuck with thousands of other Bay area football fans the radio DJ was hyping game day, the cars around me donned their 49′ers and Raiders decals and all I could think about was what was happening before the battle even began. At 12:30 some of the Bay Area’s most amazing teachers were going to walk on the field in front of a sold out crowd and be recognized for hard work and dedication teaching the future football fans of America.  The California Lottery makes it their mission to give back to education and honor those who have given so much to California kids and I had less than 30 mins to make it across the bridge and capture their award winning achievement on camera. Working in this business more more than a decade it takes a lot to get me nervous and let me tell you as I weaved my way across the bridge and into Candlestick Park I was nearly as nervous as my first live shot in Pocatello, Idaho ten years earlier. I got to the the stadium, grabbed my gear, dodged tipsy tailgaters, made it past security and found the teachers on the field. Even with sopping wet clothes, makeup down my face and hairspray in my eyes their accomplishment was crystal clear. There they stood pelted with rain and proud representing the best of the Bay during the biggest battle of the Bay.
Check out my education story on this  week’s episode of  California Life by clicking on this link www.californialifehd.com

Monique Soltani ~ msoltani@californialifehd.com