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Whittier Union High School District

  • Whittier Union Senior with Gift for Designing Receives $50,000 Edison Scholarship

    Whittier High School senior Erik Villa rarely stops to catch his breath. Between his schoolwork, mentoring classmates in the school’s Cardinal Academy of Technology (CAT), volunteer work for the Whittier Chamber of Commerce, and managing a Whittier juice bar, Villa goes nonstop from sunup to sundown with a goal of helping anybody who needs his assistance. An unsuspecting Villa was sitting with his CAT classmates when a representative from Edison International came into the class with a surprise announcement – Villa had been named a 2024 Edison Scholarship winner, an honor that comes with $50,000 in tuition support for students pursuing a major in a STEM field. Following the announcement, Villa’s classmates erupted in applause. Villa is one of just 30 Southern California high school students to receive the award.

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  • Santa Fe High School Students Witness Dangers of Driving Impaired with ‘Every 15 Minutes’ Program

    Whittier Union High School District’s Santa Fe High School hosted an “Every 15 Minutes” program, a two-day event featuring a simulated car crash, rescue efforts, and the dramatized deaths of students. The program consisted of a mock funeral that aimed to emphasize the dangers of operating a vehicle while under the influence. “Every 15 Minutes” is a national campaign that focuses on high school juniors and seniors and aims to challenge students to think about the dangers of drunken driving. The campaign also encourages students to think about the impact that their decisions can have on their family, friends, and community.

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  • Santa Fe High Prepares Students for College and Careers, Revalidated as AVID National Demonstration School

    Santa Fe High School's Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, known for its commitment to preparing students for college, careers, and beyond, has secured revalidation as an AVID National Demonstration School, affirming its dedication to academic excellence and student success. With its revalidation, Santa Fe High serves as a model for other schools looking to improve their AVID programs by hosting showcases, conducting AVID trainings, offering classroom visitations, and more. Since 2001, Santa Fe High School has been recognized as an AVID National Demonstration site, showcasing its commitment to the AVID College Readiness System. More than 380 students are enrolled in Santa Fe High’s AVID program. Students in the program boast high A-G course completion rates, with more than 90% of AVID seniors on track to graduate and to be accepted into universities.

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Whittier Union Seniors Named National Merit Commended Scholars

Five Whittier Union High School District students have been recognized as National Merit Commended Scholars for being among the top 34,000 students in the nation to receive high scores on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The nationally recognized students are seniors Cole Aedo, Ian Brennan, Kelvin Chong and Katelyn Nye from La Serna High School and senior Julia Casas from Whittier High School.

Whittier Union Adult School Hosts Inaugural Job Fair

The Whittier Union Adult School hosted its first-ever Career and Job Fair on Oct. 23, attracting over 500 community members and students from the Adult School, Frontier High School and Sierra Vista High School. The event featured nearly two dozen local employers, including Whittier Union High School District, the Census Bureau, Starbucks, Fed Ex and Defense International, among others, who conducted on-site interviews. Many employers have committed to hiring Whittier Union students. The Census Bureau, for instance, plans to hire 80 students at $20 an hour. Fifteen students were hired on the spot and 50 students scored second interviews.

8 Whittier Union Musicians to Perform in Tournament of Roses Parade

Eight Whittier Union students have been selected to perform in the 2020 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade Honor Band on New Year’s Day. The students won coveted spots in the nearly 250-member Honor Band after a rigorous audition process that included hundreds of high school musicians from throughout Southern California. From California High School, they are Kaelee Chavez (clarinet), Seth Diaz (tenor sax), Mark Gonzalez (trombone), Roberto Haro (trumpet), Myriam Hernandez (color guard/tall flag), Erica Leal (color guard/banner) and Chloe Martin (color guard/banner). Trumpet player Hector Torres will represent Santa Fe High School.

Whittier Union Recognized for Beating the Odds in Stanford Study

Whittier Union has been identified as one of 167 California school districts to excel at supporting the learning of all students, particularly Hispanics, at higher-than-expected levels on the state’s new, more rigorous math and reading assessments in a “Positive Outliers: Districts Beating the Odds” study. Whittier Union ranked at 65 in the study, which was released earlier this year by the Learning Policy Institute out of Stanford University. The Institute is headed by Linda Darling-Hammond, president of the California Board of Education. Whittier Union’s earned reputation for attaining and sustaining substantial academic progress has been over two decades the making.

Whittier Union Students Explore College Options at Annual Fair

The Whittier High School quad was filled with hundreds of students and their families eager to explore their post-secondary options and forge a path to their future during the 2022 Whittier Union College Fair, held Sept. 21. Long lines formed as students spoke with representatives from more than 50 colleges from across the country and participated in workshops geared toward navigating the college application process. Information on social services were provided by local vendors. The College Fair was presented in-person for the first time since the 2019-20 school year.    

Whittier Union to Host Annual District College Fair on Sept. 18

Whittier Union High School District will host its annual District College Fair at La Serna High School from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, allowing students and parents to meet with dozens of college representatives and get first-hand information about the college systems and financial aid. Students from all of the District’s high schools are invited to participate in the event, taking place at 15301 Youngwood Drive, Whittier.

Whittier Union Schools to Hold Back to School Nights

Whittier Union High School District’s five comprehensive high schools are inviting parents and students to their Back to School Night events, taking place as follows: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11 at Whittier High School, 12417 E. Philadelphia St.; 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11 at Pioneer High School, 10800 E. Benavon St.; 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 at Santa Fe High School, 10400 S. Orr & Day Road; and 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 at California High School, 9800 S. Mills Ave. La Serna High School has held its event.

Whittier Union to Welcome Student, Families with Back to School Nights

Whittier Union High School District’s five comprehensive high schools are inviting parents and students to their Back to School Night events, during which they will have the opportunity to learn about the school’s academic and extra-curricular programs and how to ensure student success. Parents can meet teachers and administrators, learn about the curriculum for their students’ courses, discover volunteer and engagement opportunities on campus, and learn more about upcoming events that will contribute to their children’s academic progress.