Suicide prevention foundation expands board

Angela Curtis, an English teacher at Downey High School, and Thomas Hutchinson, a realtor and tax consultant, have been added to the board of directors at the Sean Vernon Feliciano Amazing Day Foundation. Curtis and Hutchinson will help the foundation advance its mission of reducing suicide among college students. The foundation was created in 2009 after Downey resident Sean Feliciano took his life while attending UC Santa Barbara. He was 20. The foundation is in the midst of planning its second annual Walk for Life fundraiser, taking place Sept. 10 at Stonewood Center. Last year's proceeds helped fund an on-campus mental health intern who worked with students at UC Santa Barbara. Curtis and Hutchinson were added to the foundation's board for their own unique reasons. Curtis, a product of Downey's education system, graduated with honors from Downey High School in 2001. She earned a bachelor's degree in English from Cal State Fullerton and later obtained a teaching credential. She was hired as an English teacher at Downey High School in 2007 and currently a tenured member of the teaching staff. Curtis has a personal interest in the foundation's work since she lost her father to suicide at the age of 6. She was also close to Sean Feliciano, whom she called "like a brother." At Downey High she acts as a liaison between campus clubs and the foundation. Hutchinson, a lifetime resident of Downey, is a certified public accountant, bookkeeper, tax consultant and realtor currently with Century 21 My Real Estate. For more than 20 years he has volunteered with Boy Scouts of America, specifically Downey's Troop 2, where he acted as scout leader during Sean Feliciano's journey to Eagle Scout. Hutchinson was a recipient of the Boy Scouts' District Leadership Award of Merit. Hutchinson has also been involved with Downey Rotary, the PTA Helps food bank and Downey United Methodist Church, where he was named "Volunteer of the Year." He graduated from USC with a bachelor of science degree in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Finance. "Angela and Tom are outstanding addition to the foundation's board and I feel honored to have both of them working diligently towards our mission of saving lives," said Bob Feliciano, president of the foundation and father of Sean. For more information on the foundation or to register for the Walk for Life, go to amazingdayfoundation.org or call Bob Feliciano at (562) 869-0660. The foundation is also accepting monetary donations, and gifts to be raffled at the walk.