Roynon Elementary students stepped into the world of invention and entrepreneurship during their fourth annual Shark Tank event on March 23, pitching creations designed to solve real-world challenges and improve the lives of others.
Arroyo High School senior Gary Chen has been named a 2026 Edison Scholar, earning a $50,000 scholarship to support his pursuit of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in higher education. He plans to attend the University of California, Berkeley, where he will study electrical and computer engineering. The recognition came as a surprise during Chen’s Advanced Placement (AP) English Literature class, as students finished the first act of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” The classroom door opened and a group entered, including Chen’s father and representatives from Edison International, delivering the announcement.
Fontana Unified School District (FUSD) earned multiple top honors from the California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA), including three Awards of Excellence, recognizing the District’s high-impact outreach efforts that elevate student and District successes and strengthen connections with the community. CalSPRA’s Awards of Excellence represent the organization’s highest level of recognition, honoring outstanding work in school communications across California. The awards highlight Fontana Unified’s ability to deliver impactful messaging while building trust and fostering strong community relationships.
When San Dimas High School athletes take the field for competition, they do so with confidence, knowing they are backed by a world-class athletic training staff that responds lightning quick to mishaps and injuries on the field. The staff is backed by its own student trainees, who are part of the school’s esteemed Sports Medicine pathway, where they learn first aid, injury evaluation, and medical skills.
Two Fontana High School (FOHI) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) cadets are preparing to take the next step in their academic and military journeys after earning highly competitive naval scholarships, a milestone capping off a year of success for FOHI’s MCJROTC program. Cadet Stephanie Mendoza has been awarded a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) scholarship, valued at approximately $180,000, which will cover the cost of her undergraduate education and would lead to a commission as an officer in the United States Navy. Cadet Yamileth Velasco has been accepted into the Naval Preparatory Program (NPP) at Norwich University, a pathway that covers a full year of preparatory study before transitioning into a four-year NROTC scholarship, bringing the total value to an estimated $370,000.
A single book recommendation in fourth grade transformed Bonita High School junior Lexi Cocores from a reluctant reader into a passionate storyteller, a journey that has since led her to publish her debut novel at 16 and begin work on a full trilogy. In the months following its release, Cocores marked the milestone with a book signing at Judging By The Cover in San Dimas, where she shared her work with friends, family, community members, and staff from Allen Avenue Elementary, marking a full-circle moment for a student whose love of reading first began in the classroom.
Culminating a year in which they learned about financial literacy and professional career paths, 12 Mountain View High School seniors serving as interns in the school’s U.S. Bank Student Intern Branch Program hosted a leadership forum which included a Q&A with U.S. Bank senior administrators on April 30. Mountain View seniors Jennifer Rivera Rivas and Natalie Nguyen moderated the forum, titled “Guided by Greatness: The Power of Leadership and Mentorship,” asking the panel their advice on how to further develop the skills they have learned in class and apply them in their pursuit of college and career success.
Lynwood High School girls’ basketball head coach Ellis Barfield was honored with the Humanitarian Excellence Award by the Lynwood Alumni Foundation earlier this spring, recognizing three decades of leadership that have shaped one of the region’s most accomplished athletic programs. Under Barfield’s guidance, the highly competitive program has earned more than 700 wins and 30 consecutive league championships. These milestones place Lynwood High among the most consistent high school basketball programs in the region – but for Barfield, the accolades have never been the goal. Instead, he said they reflect a decades-long commitment to mentorship through creating opportunities for student-athletes to succeed beyond the court.
Three college-bound Santa Fe High School seniors are seeing their higher education journeys receive a financial boost, after being named Youth Enrichment Fund (YEF) Destiny Scholars and receiving scholarships ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 from the Santa Fe Springs Chamber/League program designed to support Santa Fe Springs high school students. Santa Fe High seniors Samuel Zamora, Sandra Sanchez, and Rida Athar were each named Destiny Scholars, with Zamora receiving a $20,000 scholarship, while Sanchez and Athar both received $5,000 scholarships.
Staff at Texarkana College are finding creative ways to increase Caring Campus awareness and visibility across campus, ensuring students experience a consistent culture of care and approachability. Members of Texarkana’s 32-member Caring Campus team attend campus events wearing polo shirts featuring their “TC Cares for You” branding to promote Caring Campus and strengthen its visibility. Team members also greet students during the first days of each semester, welcoming them to campus, answering questions, and helping direct them to classes and resources.
Whether pioneering student-led aerospace research or conducting scientific lab work as first-generation scholars, six El Monte Union High School District standout seniors are charting bold futures as they prepare for graduation. Through Advanced Placement courses, dual enrollment opportunities, career technical education pathways, and leadership programs, El Monte Union students have the opportunity to participate in academic and career-focused experiences in fields including public health, business, engineering, and public service.
