EL MONTE – El Monte-Rosemead Adult School (EMRAS) united its community to encourage public health awareness and civic participation in October through events aimed at raising awareness for breast cancer research and funding and registering voters for the upcoming elections.

EMRAS continued its legacy of community engagement through a Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign, marked by visual reminders on campus, including vibrant signs and a remembrance wall. The school launched the month of personal and collective awareness with a four-day voter registration drive, which ended on Oct. 3.

“We are so proud of our El Monte-Rosemead Adult School community’s efforts to raise awareness for breast cancer. Education and early detection save lives, and these events help spread that vital message,” El Monte Union Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga said. “We’re also empowering our students and community to be active participants in the democratic process. Voting is a fundamental right, and we are committed to helping our students shape their future.”

Throughout October, EMRAS promoted Breast Cancer Awareness Month by hosting on-campus activities and sharing tips for early detection and prevention. Many students and staff participated in “Pink Wednesdays,” wearing pink to show their support for those who have been impacted by breast cancer.

“Breast cancer has touched nearly everyone, whether through a friend or family member, which is why it’s so important to share this information with our students,” EMRAS Acting Principal Carrie Frogue said. “These activities help foster a sense of belonging and connection on campus, beyond just attending class.”

The EMRAS voter registration drive offered a quick and convenient option for students and community members to register to vote for the upcoming general and presidential elections. A Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters representative was on site to offer any additional support.

“We want to ensure our students have a voice and are equipped with the knowledge and resources to register to vote,” said Frogue, whose school held its first voter registration drive in 2016. “Many are in the process of becoming citizens or don’t have the time to visit outside facilities, so having this access right here on campus makes all the difference.”

EMRAS student Maira Saunders, who is working toward receiving her high school diploma, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to vote and for her school’s efforts in providing resources.

“I feel proud to register to vote because it is our right. If we don’t vote, we have no say in what happens,” Saunders said. “When I turned 18 and finally had the opportunity to have my voice heard, I was so happy. I think it’s great that our school encourages students to register.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

EMUHSD_EMRAS OCT. EVENTS_1: From left to right: El Monte-Rosemead Adult School Program Administrator Paul Diaz, Acting Principal Carrie Frogue, student Maira Saunders, and retired educator Howard Kim assist with the school’s four-day voter registration drive, which ended on Oct. 3.

EMUHSD_EMRAS OCT. EVENTS_2: El Monte-Rosemead Adult School students and staff place breast cancer ribbons on the school’s remembrance wall in honor of those affected during the school’s month-long breast cancer awareness campaign in October.

EMUHSD_EMRAS OCT. EVENTS_3: El Monte-Rosemead Adult School student Maira Saunders registers to vote with the help of retired educator Howard Kim during the school’s voter registration drive, which ended on Oct. 3.