California School News Radio
California School News Radio is a weekly podcast focused on education issues at public school districts hosted by Kevin Ausmus and Drew Schlosberg. Peruse our library of clips from past shows.
Leadership 101: Innovative Scholars in Covina-Valley Unified School District
Released March 7, 2024
South Hills High School senior Ahriana Chavez, Covina High School junior Gianna Herrera and Northview High School freshman Jin-Jin Sanglimsuwan discuss being chosen to join the League of Innovative Students, how they are helping shape future education policies, and why they feel compelled to give back to their communities.
Listen to older seasons of the California School News Radio podcasts:
Season 6 Podcasts
Listen to our older podcasts from this season:
Date | Episode | Description | Time |
---|---|---|---|
February 22, 2024 | Building a Bright Future: Construction CTE Pathway in Fontana Unified | Fontana High School Career Connections CTE instructor Lamar Hanger and Fontana High junior Cyrus Sapien discuss the Career Connections construction pathway, preparing for the annual CIEF Foundation Design Build competition, learning life skills and the camaraderie of being a family of aspiring carpenters. | 1:03:54 |
February 8, 2024 | Write On Time: Student Literature in El Monte Union and Whittier Union | South El Monte High School senior Aaron Morales (“Legacy: After Effects”) joins Whittier High School junior Julia Rae Rodriguez (“Dried Lavender & Sage: Poems As I Grow”) to discuss their latest published works, what inspires them to write, balancing their studies with literary pursuits, extracurricular activities and what writer – living or dead – they would love to have a conversation with. | 56:45 |
February 1, 2024 | The Diplomatic Process: Model United Nations in Whittier Union | California High School Model United Nations advisors Sean Reagan and James Palmer join senior Madeleine Reagan and junior Katy Tinoco to discuss the school’s Model United Nations program, the importance of learning diplomacy, the benefit of traveling to high schools and colleges to attend conferences, and the school’s CondorMUN5 conference for high school and middle school students, held in Dec. 2023. | 57:50 |
January 25, 2024 | All the World is a Stage: Award-Winning Theater and Shakespeare in Fontana | Henry J. Kaiser High School Director of Theater Wendi Johnson is joined by Kaiser seniors and Kaiser Artistic and Theatrical Society (KATS) members Leah Young and Dani Garcia as they discuss the Fontana Unified school’s first-ever first place award for their performance of Shakespeare’s “Cymbeline” at the California Educational Theatre Association high school theatre festival in January. | 1:00:40 |
January 7, 2024 | On the Pathway to Success: Career Technical Education in El Monte Union | El Monte Union High School District Director of Curriculum, Instruction and CTE Kirk McGinnis discusses current and future CTE pathways available at the District, acquiring Strong Workforce Grants to help develop digital media classes, the role of local business partnerships and working with surrounding school districts to boost math scores. | 49:20 |
December 7, 2023 | When Worlds Collide: The State of AI in K–12 Public Education | Lynwood Unified Assistant Superintendent of Technology & Innovation Dr. Patrick Gittisriboongul discusses the future of artificial intelligence (AI) education, how it can spark innovation, how to recognize AI fact from fiction, how to navigate AI’s ethical standards and what future careers are being made possible by using AI. | 58:14 |
November 16, 2023 | Innovation Empire: State-of-the-Art Technology at Fontana Unified | Strategic Innovations Facilitator Gibran Carter and Makerspace Manager Josh Brown discuss the grand opening of Innovation Empire, a dynamic creative learning environment exclusive to Fontana Unified students, which includes a think tank for students to learn entrepreneurship, and a Makerspace with state-of-the-art 3-D printers, laser cutters and other high-tech machinery, that will allow students to create and design their own projects. | 58:11 |
November 9, 2023 | Civic Engagement: Award-Winning Democracy Program in Hacienda La Puente | Sunset Elementary School Principal Rosette Holmes, Nelson Elementary School Principal Dr. Marci Chavez and La Puente High School Principal Dr. Lisa Lopez discuss Project LEAD (Life Experience About Democracy), a Golden Bell award winning program that connects La Puente K–12 students with City of La Puente leaders through presentations such as mock city council. | 1:03:43 |
November 2, 2023 | Striking Gold: Award-Winning CTE Pathways in Covina-Valley Unified | Covina-Valley Unified Director of Curriculum and Instruction Julie Harrison is joined by Covina High School senior Aiyana Martel, Northview High School Hannah Coulthurst and South Hills High School senior Liani Arevalo to discuss the District’s award-winning career technical education pathways, including Agriculture/Animal Science, FAME Academy and Business. | 1:02:41 |
October 26, 2023 | Blue Ribbon Special: Academic Excellence in Hacienda La Puente Unified | Glen A. Wilson High School International Baccalaureate teacher Josipa Casey and Wilson High senior Emily Axelrod discuss academic programs and pathways available at the award-winning school, one of four Hacienda La Puente Unified schools to receive a national Blue Ribbon designation from the U.S. Dept. of Education in 2023. | 48:34 |
October 12, 2023 | Equal Opportunity for All: Equity in Lynwood Unified School District | Lynwood Unified Director of Equity, Access and Instructional Services Dr. Patricia Brent-Sanco discusses the District’s wide-ranging Equity Plan, social justice standards, Lynwood Equity Warriors, parent engagement, PBIS, and the importance of listening to students to find out their individual needs. | 58:15 |
October 5, 2023 | Cue the Orchestra: Equity in Music Education at Baldwin Park Unified | Baldwin Park Unified Orchestra Director Paul Grant discusses providing equity in music education in Baldwin Park, and channeling the music teachers from his youth who inspired him to learn and teach music, leading to his selection as the American String Teachers Association Los Angeles Chapter 2023 Outstanding Teacher of the Year. | 55:58 |
September 21, 2023 | Remembering the Holocaust: Whittier Union Teachers Reflect on Trip to Auschwitz | Pioneer High School history teacher Gena Arriola-Salas and Whittier High School history teacher John Bellanti discuss their trip to Poland as part of the Auschwitz Legacy Program, and reflect on what they saw at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Warsaw Ghetto. | 1:08:31 |
September 12, 2023 | Pathway to Success: Career Technical Education in Bonita Unified | Bonita Unified Career Technical Education Director Vanessa Tilford discusses reshaping the District’s CTE pathway programs, staging Bonita’s first community resources fair, and partnering with colleges and businesses to create training opportunities for students. | 54:12 |