Henry J. Kaiser High School’s award-winning Kaiser Artistic and Theatrical Society (KATS) program is wrapping up its 2024-25 season with a production of “Chicago.” KATS offers Kaiser High students advanced theatre instruction, preparing them for success in performance and technical roles. Tickets for the performances can be purchased at the door.
l Monte Union High School District broke ground on a transformative modernization of its Rosemead Center Adult Education Complex on April 16, marking a major milestone in its ongoing efforts to expand educational opportunities. The $18 million project—funded by voter-approved Measure HS—will feature a two-story expansion, modern classrooms, upgraded infrastructure, and extensive site improvements to the campus, which houses both the Adult Transition Program (ATP) and El Monte-Rosemead Adult School (EMRAS). Designed to foster independence, skill-building, and academic achievement, the revitalized complex will serve thousands of adult learners annually in the western San Gabriel Valley, including young adults continuing on alternate pathways to a high school diploma.
At a crossroads with her education, California High School Class of 2018 graduate Abigail Villanueva had completed her bachelor’s degree in biological sciences and public health at the University of Southern California, with a goal of enrolling in medical school. But before she could apply to a college, Villanueva needed to gain clinical experience in a medical setting. Taking the advice of a friend and former Whittier Union Adult School (WUAS) student, Villanueva enrolled in the WUAS medical assistant program, a comprehensive two-quarter course where students gain essential clinical and administrative skills through hands-on training that prepares them for real-world scenarios, clinical training, and internships.
Bonita Unified School District continues to distinguish itself as one of California’s top-performing districts, with all 10 of its elementary and middle schools ranking in the top 32 percent of schools statewide in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best K-8 Schools list. The Best K-8 Schools rankings are based on U.S. Department of Education data from more than 79,000 public schools nationwide. The rankings evaluate performance in mathematics and reading/language arts, considering student background and achievement. Ties in overall scores were broken by student-teacher ratios. Each of Bonita’s eight elementary schools – Allen Avenue, Ekstrand, Gladstone, Grace Miller, La Verne Heights, Oak Mesa, Roynon, and Shull – placed in the top 32% of 8,773 elementary schools in California. Grace Miller, Roynon, and Oak Mesa elementary schools ranked in the top 15%, and Shull placed among the top 4%. In the middle school rankings, Lone Hill Middle School and Ramona Middle School placed in the top 21% and 11%, respectively, of California’s 7,160 middle schools.
Truman Middle School teachers Christopher Leach and Kurtis Yinger have been recognized for their commitment to student success, earning regional or state-level honors for their impact inside and outside the classroom. Leach, a language arts teacher, was named a finalist for the California League of Middle Schools Educator of the Year award. Yinger, a history teacher, was recognized as a History-Social Science Educator of Excellence by the Inland Empire Council for Social Studies (IECSS).
Rosemead High School senior Carmen Ung was in second grade when her father came home with a family gift, a Dell tabletop computer. Ung was immediately fascinated – the way the screen lit up her face, the ability to explore new worlds with a touch of the keypad – she knew right away that technology would change her life. As her computer skills grew rapidly over the next several years, Ung set a goal for herself to become a driving force in the world of tech and use tech to help change lives for underrepresented students in low-income communities – whether through artificial intelligence, software engineering, or computer science. The Ivy League-bound senior is now well on her way to achieving these goals.
Hacienda La Puente Unified’s annual Art Show transformed Willow Conference Center into a gallery of imagination from March 26 to April 3, showcasing more than 1,000 student-created works centered on the theme, “Kaleidoscope: A World Where Many Pieces Fit Together.” The original art pieces were created by students from pre-kindergarten to grade 12, and the gallery featured live performances during opening night from the Fairgrove Academy Jazz Band, Glen A. Wilson High School Korean drummers, and the District’s middle school Mariachi ensemble made up of students from Orange Grove and Sparks middle schools.
Jurupa Hills High School junior Ashley Suarez has been chosen to serve as Fontana Unified’s Board of Education student representative for the 2025–26 school year, as the District continues its commitment to student empowerment and shaping future leaders. Suarez was selected following a competitive application and interview process with the Board on April 23. In her role as student representative, she will provide the Board with valuable insight on behalf of the District’s student body.
Gladstone Elementary has earned its first-ever California Distinguished School recognition from the California Department of Education (CDE), marking the 21st time in Bonita Unified history a District school has received the prestigious honor for closing the achievement gap and demonstrating exceptional student performance. This year, 336 elementary schools received the California Distinguished School award, putting the Griffins in the top 6% of elementary schools in the state. The CDE uses multiple metrics to select California Distinguished Schools each year, such as chronic absenteeism, suspension rates, and scores in English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics, as measured on the California School Dashboard.
