FONTANA, CA – Fontana High School’s General Construction Career Technical Education (CTE) pathway students brought their craftsmanship, creativity, and teamwork to the community this season by designing and building a parade float that featured Board of Education members, student board representatives, and Fontana Unified’s Superintendent Miki R. Inbody during the 2025 Fontana Christmas Parade on Dec. 13.

The team consisted of 14 students who used a full range of construction techniques they learned in the pathway, transforming raw materials into a polished centerpiece for one of the city’s signature annual events. The float, themed “Believe in the Magic of Learning,” features an eight-seat platform, blending Christmas elements with academic inspiration, including an oversized hand-built book displaying the float’s theme.

“I wanted my students to come together as a family, to work collaboratively, and practice critical thinking in both planning and building,” Lamar Hanger, three-time Fontana High Teacher of the Year and General Construction Program Lead, said. “I served as a guide, but this experience was about students building together and feeling pride in what they created.”

Working from an original, student-developed concept and design, the team spent four weeks planning and constructing the float. The project helps highlight the leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills developed in the class, with tasks split between class hours and after-school sessions.

According to Christian Ruiz, a Fontana High senior and fourth-year General Construction CTE student, this float reflects the teamwork and camaraderie that define the program, with students taking on leadership roles and pushing themselves creatively to produce a professional product.

“Building this float has shown me what I want to do in the future and gave us a chance to represent our program and our school,” Ruiz said. “My favorite part was that we were able to spend that time working alongside our friends. This project helped us build character and discipline, and not only brought together everything we have learned, but pushed us to be creative.”

Through the CTE program, students receive hands-on training to help cement a strong foundation of skills before graduation to prepare them in an essential trade skill and beyond. Students also have access to industry professionals and materials, including the Carpenters Union Career Connections curriculum.

Students can earn two industry-recognized certifications while still in high school, a Carpenters Union pre-apprenticeship credential and San Bernardino County’s OSHA-10 certification, providing them with immediate work opportunities after high school and expanding their options after graduation.

“I have spent nearly 38 years in carpentry, and it makes me proud to help the next generation gain leadership experience and practical skills that prepare them for opportunities that can shape the rest of their lives,” Hanger said.

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

FUSD_CHRISTMASPARADE1: Fourteen students in Fontana High’s General Construction program built an eight-seat float that featured District officials, including Board of Education members, student board member and Jurupa Hills High School senior Ashley Suarez (right), and Superintendent Miki R. Inbody (left), during the 2025 Fontana Christmas Parade on Dec. 13.

FUSD_CHRISTMASPARADE2: FOHI’s General Construction Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathway students debuted their custom-built float, “Believe in the Magic of Learning,” for the 2025 “I Believe in Magic” Fontana Christmas Parade on Dec. 13.

FUSD_CHRISTMASPARADE3: A.B. Miller High School brought in the festive joy as one of more than 20 FUSD schools, departments, and student groups to be represented in the Fontana Christmas Parade on Dec. 13.

FUSD_CHRISTMASPARADE4: FUSD student performances, groups and District departments lifted the community’s holiday spirits during the Fontana Christmas Parade on Dec. 13.