Lone Hill Middle School’s Where Everybody Belongs (WEB) program is strengthening campus culture by helping sixth graders transition into middle school and providing eighth-grade students with meaningful leadership opportunities. Now in her third year overseeing the program, adviser Katryna Estrada has developed WEB as a key driver of inclusivity and student connection on campus.
John Roach has been selected as the next Superintendent of Hacienda La Puente Unified School District (HLPUSD), bringing decades of experience in public education, a deep commitment to student success, and a passion for creating safe, engaging learning environments rooted in transparency and collaboration. Throughout his career, Roach has served in a wide range of educational leadership and instructional roles, including assistant superintendent of educational services; senior director of assessment, research, data analysis, and educational technology; director of secondary curriculum; middle school principal; and elementary school teacher. Each role has reinforced his dedication to public education and to supporting students, staff, and families.
After four years of developing her skills in Fontana High School’s (FOHI) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (MCJROTC) marksmanship program, senior Stephanie Mendoza capped the program’s 2025 undefeated season by earning the Junior Distinguished Shooter Badge, the highest honor awarded at the junior level, and becoming the first FOHI student to receive the distinction in more than a decade. The Junior Distinguished Badge is awarded by the Civilian Marksmanship Program to junior shooters who accumulate 30 excellence-in-competition points, including at least 10 from national-level championships. With fewer than 2,000 badges awarded nationwide, recipients of this award are among the best in the country, recognizing their sustained discipline and competitive consistency.
Fontana Unified School District (FUSD), in partnership with the Fontana School Police Department (FSPD), continued a cherished tradition of compassion and community by bringing smiles to more than 300 families during the 28th annual Fontana Santas event on Dec. 20. What began in 1997 as a small act of kindness has grown into one of the District’s most meaningful holiday traditions. Fontana Santas was founded by FSPD Officer Cindy Evaro and FUSD Child Welfare and Attendance Liaison Lydia Salazar Wibert after learning about a boy who ran away from home after not receiving any Christmas presents. Determined to ensure no child felt unseen during the holidays, the pair rallied support for five families in need, laying the foundation for a program that today serves hundreds.
Thirteen student musicians from Fontana Unified School District will perform on one of the world’s most iconic stages on New Year’s Day, marching in the 137th Annual Tournament of Roses Parade as members of the Pasadena City College (PCC) High School Honor Band. Eleven members of Kaiser High School’s Catamount Pride Band & Color Guard and two members of Jurupa Hills High School’s Spartan Regiment were selected for the Honor Band. Of the students selected, five will be making their second appearance with the Honor Band, and two musicians – Kaiser High senior euphonium player Liliana Lobo and Jurupa Hills High senior clarinetist Diego Muro – will be making their third appearance.
Fontana High School’s (FOHI) award-winning Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program, dedicated to ensuring students thrive after graduation, received the first-ever AVID 2025 Site Team of the Year award during the inaugural AVID Global Achievement Awards ceremony on Dec. 11. The AVID Site Team award recognized FOHI for its outstanding contributions to the implementation and advancement of the AVID College and Career Readiness System.
San Dimas High School junior Jacqueline Chen first displayed her athletic prowess at nine years old, when she took a 15-foot dive off a cliff in Cancun, Mexico. Since then, her athleticism has taken her across the globe to international competitions, where she has won numerous medals. Soon she will make another big jump, to the Ivy League, after verbally committing to Harvard University. It has been a whirlwind year for Chen, who recently qualified, along with her sister, San Dimas freshman Barbara Chen, for the 2026 Asian Games, where they will represent Chinese Taipei. The Chen sisters earned a bronze medal in the Women’s Synchronized 3M Final competition at the Asian Aquatics Championships, held in India in September.
Fontana Unified School District (FUSD), in partnership with the Fontana School Police Department (FSPD), will host the 28th Annual Fontana Santas, a long-standing event continuing a cherished holiday tradition of service and care. Each year, Fontana Santas serves more than 300 familiesand students across the District, giving them an opportunity to experience the joy and magic of the holiday season.
For A.B. Miller High School junior Jeremy Millias, the Aviation Career Technical Education (CTE) pathway is not only a rigorous, educational program filled with hands-on training, but also a close-knit community that has shaped his high school experience. This year, A.B. Miller’s aviation pathway serves nearly 120 students across introductory and advanced courses. The two-year sequence mirrors private pilot ground school, covering weather, federal regulations, performance calculations, navigation charts, aircraft systems, and aviation communication. Students also gain hands-on experience in flight simulator labs, where they practice maneuvers, plan safe routes, calculate wind corrections, and learn real-world decision-making skills used by licensed pilots.
South El Monte High School’s football team, powered by a lockdown defense and a tightknit roster of longtime teammates, capped a stunning playoff run that drove them to capture their first-ever CIF-Southern Section Div. 14 title, defeating Pioneer High School with a score of 14-6 on Nov. 28. This marks South El Monte’s second CIF title in less than a month, following the Lady Eagles volleyball team, which won the CIF Div. 9 championship on Nov. 6. The key moment in the Eagles run was their decisive 45-7 first-round win against Channel Islands, ending a yearslong CIF playoff first-round losing streak, boosting the team’s confidence, and setting them on the championship path. South El Monte outscored their opponents 86-27 in the four CIF Div. 14 games.
