A trio of Fontana High School scholars will pursue their goals of higher education at elite universities across the United States after earning prestigious scholarships that will allow them the freedom to work toward their dream jobs. Jasmin Hurtado-Mendez will attend UC Berkeley after being named a 2023 UC Regents’ and Chancellors’ Scholar; Josue Arias-Ramirez will attend Boston College after being named a Questbridge National College Match scholar; and David Munoz-Padilla will attend Columbia University in New York after earning a Big Brothers Big Sisters scholarship. Hurtado-Mendez was home alone, staring in disbelief at her computer, when she discovered that she had been accepted to UC Berkeley. After jumping for joy in celebration, she read a little further down the message and realized the news was even more momentous – she had also been named a UC Regents’ and Chancellors’ scholarship recipient.
Covina-Valley Unified School District (C-VUSD) celebrated its success in fostering “Educational Excellence for Every Student, Every Day” during its first-ever State of the District event on May 16, which featured a one-of-a-kind multimedia presentation that detailed the District’s innovative programs and achievements. Board President Maria Caceres and Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Eminhizer led the event, featuring heartfelt accounts by students from all three of the District’s comprehensive high schools on the impact of District programming. The multimedia presentation gave an overview of Covina-Valley Unified and highlighted the innovative programs and accomplishments that make the District a standout educational institution in the region.
United by their shared passion for supporting students’ education and the great outdoors, Lynwood Unified students, families and community members laced up their sneakers and hit the ground running for The Lynwood 5K/10K Run on May 13. Held in partnership with the Lynwood Partners Education Foundation (LPEF), the City of Lynwood and Aztlan Athletics, the fundraising event, now in its second year, drew 540 participants who ran or walked between three to six miles through the City of Lynwood and raised over $48,000.
Six Fontana Unified School District employees have gone above and beyond in their leadership, instruction, and commitment to English and multilingual learners, earning them the Multilingual Recognition Award from the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. The Multilingual Recognition Award was established in 1987 as a way to recognize the outstanding contributors that enrich the educational experience and academic achievement of linguistically diverse students. Awardees from various districts across San Bernardino County were honored at the 36th Annual Multilingual Recognition Celebration on April 28.
Ninety-six deserving seniors from El Monte Union High School District were awarded scholarships by the EKG Foundation, in partnership with C.B.M. Towing Inc., for their academic achievement and community involvement at a senior scholarship banquet on May 11. The EKG Foundation, a non-profit organization created in honor of the late Arroyo High School alumnus Edward-Kenneth F. Guerrero, collaborated with C.B.M. Towing Inc., a local towing and recovery company committed to giving back to the community, to recognize and reward the achievements of El Monte Union seniors.
In front of a packed house of family and friends cheering on their favorite hometown celebrities, Fontana Unified rolled out the red carpet and trained the spotlight on its emerging K-12 student storytellers during the inaugural Fontana Film Festival, held May 5 at Steelworkers Auditorium. Curated from more than 130 student videos submitted from across the District, the Film Festival showcased the diverse talent and technical skills acquired in Fontana Unified’s TV and video production programs. Students from Summit, Jurupa Hills and A.B. Miller high schools, along with students from Southridge Tech Middle School and Almond Elementary School, competed for statuettes that resembled tiny Oscars.
Washington Elementary School teacher Shirley Giacoman – a student advocate and an exemplary teacher leader in the District for almost two decades – was announced as Lynwood Unified’s 2023 Teacher of the Year during the Board of Education meeting on May 11. Giacoman – who has taught at Washington Elementary for 10 years for a total of 16 years in the District – was recognized by the Board of Education for her proven track record of setting up students for academic and personal success.
Fontana Unified at-promise students looking to change the trajectory of their lives and achieve at higher levels celebrated the completion of a 10-week Success Club intervention program – featuring support from life coaches, motivational speakers and spoken word poets to help students get back on track for graduation – during a ceremony held May 10 at Citrus High School. Rescue a Generation (RAG) is a San Bernardino-based nonprofit designed to help underserved students overcome obstacles and empower themselves to establish high expectations and transform their lives. RAG Success Clubs were initiated at Sequoia, Almeria, Truman and Southridge Tech middle schools, and A.B. Miller, Citrus and Eric Birch high schools, with approximately 200 students participating.
Fontana High School’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) students are qualified to enter the workforce and gain experience – all while pursuing degrees and career opportunities in the medical field – after achieving a 92 percent pass rate on the state board exam during the 2022-23 school year. This is the second year in a row FOHI CNA students’ exam pass rate has exceeded 90 percent. The program – offered through the Patient Care career technical education (CTE) pathway at FOHI – provides hands-on training at nursing facilities, offers the opportunity to earn credit at Chaffey College, and prepares students to earn state certification.
The Whittier Union High School District Board of Trustees will interview six eligible candidates to fill the vacancy for the Trustee Area 3 seat, following Dr. Ralph S. Pacheco’s retirement from the Board on July 7, 2023. The candidates, all from Santa Fe Springs and Norwalk, will participate in a candidate orientation during a Special Board Meeting beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 10 at the District Board Room, 9401 S. Painter Ave., Whittier. Following the orientation, candidates will be interviewed during open session. At the conclusion of the interviews, the Board will deliberate during open session and vote to appoint a provisional seat to the Whittier Union Board of Trustees.
