Fontana Unified School District Superintendent Miki R. Inbody has been named a Superintendent to Watch by the California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA), while the District also earned four awards during the 2025 CalSPRA Awards Gala on March 7, underscoring FUSD’s commitment to innovative outreach and community engagement. Inbody joins CalSPRA’s prestigious list of Superintendents to Watch, who have demonstrated dynamic, fast-paced leadership with strong communication at its core. She was selected from a pool of nominees for the award, which recognizes superintendents with fewer than five years of experience. FUSD was also recognized with three CalSPRA Awards of Merit while Senior Director of Marketing, Communications, and Engagement Clarissa Trejo was named a 2025 CalSPRA Rising Star. CalSPRA awards are designed to celebrate outstanding communications work in comprehensive programs/campaigns and tactics.
Fresh off an award-winning production, Jurupa Hills High School’s theatre group, dubbed Players of the Palace, is wrapping up its 2024-25 season with its production of “Frozen: The Broadway Musical.” Based on Disney’s beloved animated film, the production will bring all of its iconic characters to life on stage. The Players of the Palace offers Jurupa Hills students advanced theatre instruction, preparing them for success in performance and technical roles. The general public can purchase tickets to one of its performances through tix.com.
El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of its new Family and Community Engagement Center. Designed to serve as a central hub for Districtwide workshops and events—including the annual Posada in December—the facility will provide valuable resources and support services for families and the community. The center features a state-of-the-art meeting room with advanced technology, modern finishes, and an inviting exterior. Additional amenities include a conference space, kitchenette, and nursing room, offering a welcoming environment for collaboration and engagement.
Two Fontana High School (FOHI) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (MCJROTC) marksmanship teams will travel to Sandy, Utah looking to continue its run of success at the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) Three-Position Air Rifle (3PAR) Western Regional hosted at the Mountain America Exposition Center on April 10-12. Media are invited to visit a FOHI MCJROTC marksmanship practice leading up to the regional competition, where FOHI MCJROTC Senior Marine Instructor (SMI), Lieutenant Colonel Rugsithi Denny Meelarp, Ret. and student team members will be available for on-camera interviews.
Arroyo and Rosemead high schools’ boys’ basketball teams battled through a competitive, 32-team bracket to set up an all-El Monte Union High School District championship game in the CIF Southern Section (CIF-SS) Division 5A finale. It marked the third meeting of the season between the Mission Valley League (MVL) opponents, with both teams splitting the regular season series. In the end, Arroyo High won the hard-fought CIF-SS championship game by a final score of 50-38 in front of a packed crowd at Azusa Pacific University on Feb. 28. Students, families, and alumni from both schools filled the stands, creating an electric atmosphere as fans rallied behind the players throughout the night.
Hacienda La Puente Unified brought the Year of the Snake alive during a visually stunning and melodious Lunar New Year’s celebration on Feb. 18 featuring the student talents of Glen A. Wilson and Los Altos high schools, and Mesa Robles and Newton middle schools, who honored the holiday’s cultural heritage with song and dance. Wilson High senior Taylor Hornell, who attended previous District Lunar New Year celebrations, said he was eager for an opportunity to kick off the cultural festivities and provided opening remarks in Mandarin, with others speaking in English and Korean.
South Hills High School has been nationally recognized for its commitment to closing the gender gap in computer science, earning the AP® Computer Science Female Diversity Award by the College Board’s AP Program, underscoring Covina-Valley Unified’s commitment to providing equitable opportunities that empower all students to excel in high-demand fields. South Hills secured the award for its efforts in expanding young women’s access to both the AP Computer Science A (CSA) and AP Computer Science Principles (CSP) classes. It was one of only 237 schools nationwide to receive this recognition for AP CSA, reflecting the school’s success in increasing female representation in computer science during the 2023-24 school year.
Energized by the pioneering legacy of Black and African American artists, San Dimas High School art students have created work in a diverse range of styles, themes, media, and cultural influences, assembling them for the exhibit, “Inspired by Black: Student Reflections on African American Artistry,” currently on display at the Bonita Center for the Arts (BCA). Curated by San Dimas High visual and performing arts chair and art teacher Dominic Black, the exhibit features drawings, paintings, sculptures, and mixed media pieces from dozens of art students, who engage and reflect on the work of Black or African American historic and contemporary artists.
Bonita High School’s Chamber Singers became the first choir in Bonita Unified School District history to perform at the California All-State Music Educators Conference (CASMEC), a selection reserved for the most elite choirs in the state. Each year, the California Music Educators Association (CMEA) and California Choral Directors Association (CCDA) select choirs from across the state to perform at CASMEC after a rigorous audition process. CMEA hosts CASMEC for music educators including professionals in all musical disciplines, from choir and orchestra, spanning from elementary to the college level.
Jurupa Hills High School senior Karla Louisa dedicates every Tuesday to inspiring the next generation, sharing her passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) while playing games and building a meaningful bond with her fourth-grade “Little,” Yasmin, as part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) program. BBBS of the Inland Empire named Louisa one of its two 2025 Mentors of the Year from its High School Bigs Program for her extraordinary mentorship, friendship, and advocacy. Each year during National Mentoring Month, BBBS honors two outstanding mentors with a regional title, which comes with a $2,500 College & Career Award to help fund their post-graduation dreams.
