Almeria Middle School will have more options to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects after science teacher Jean Yoo received a $5,000 Society for Science grant, which will help the school reestablish a science club and pave the way for a new science research class in the 2022-23 school year. The grant will pay for advanced technology equipment such as hydroponic kits, centrifuges and physics sensors that will give students the opportunity to conduct more in-depth STEM projects and develop a love of science. Yoo was one of only 95 teachers worldwide to be recognized with a Society of Science grant.
Lynwood Unified Elementary School Celebrates Return of Venus Williams
Mark Twain Elementary School students welcomed professional tennis player and Mark Twain alumna Venus Williams on March 18, one of the many activities the school staged to celebrate Women’s History Month. Williams visited the campus to connect with the students, share information on the importance of Women’s History Month, and inspire them to keep following their dreams. Mark Twain students also participated in an empowerment march on March 24, carrying handmade signs with slogans that advocated for women’s rights and celebrated women’s contributions to society.
Santa Fe High School will host the “Every 15 Minutes” program, a two-day event featuring a simulated car crash, rescue efforts and the dramatized deaths of students, as well as a mock funeral to emphasize the dangers of operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The event will take place on Wednesday, April 6 and Thursday, April 7 at 11 a.m. at Santa Fe High School, 10400 S. Orr & Day Road, Santa Fe Springs. The program will include a simulated live-action auto crash in front of the school, along with a pre-recorded 911 call which will trigger emergency response by local law enforcement agencies, firefighters, paramedics and the coroner. The event will conclude with a mock funeral school assembly the following day, featuring a video of the previous day’s event. Media contact: Andrea Garcia, 909-447-2403
Emery Elementary School students gazed in wonder at constellations, the moon and the highly visible Venus during Astronomy Night, which also included games, music and a visit from popular “Star Wars” characters. Held on March 30, Astronomy Night allowed guests onto campus to increase excitement about science learning and future STEM careers. The event had an arts and crafts section where guests could make constellations from marshmallows and pasta, an information table, and three telescopes set up and run by volunteers from Orange County Astronomers.
Less than a year after relaunching its intramural sports program, Eric Birch High School’s boys basketball team is celebrating its first championship as a member of the Inland Empire Alternative School League. The 13-member team, which includes one female player, won the title after defeating Sierra High School, 61-56, on March 16. The basketball triumph follows a third-place finish by Birch’s girls volleyball team during the fall semester. The option for credit-deficient students to participate in sports has provided a more inclusive and welcoming atmosphere on the Birch campus, increasing the students’ motivation to excel in the classroom and get back on track to graduate.
Orange Grove Middle School science teacher Terri Serey has developed a knack for delivering a collaborative and hands-on experience for students and creating a deeper understanding and excitement around science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) learning. For her unique teaching methods and strategies, leadership and lifelong learning in STEAM education, Serey has been named one of six finalists from California for the 2022 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
Buena Park School District students transformed their voices and demeanor and demonstrated poise as they competed against each other and neighboring district students during the District’s annual Speech Championship. Held via Zoom, the competition for Buena Park School District elementary and middle schoolers along with students from Anaheim Elementary School District, consisted of categories including prose, original oratory, storytelling, declamation, interpretative and impromptu speaking.
Pioneer High School senior Oscar Antonio has been honored as a 2022 Dell Scholar by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, an award that comes with a $20,000 scholarship spread over four years, textbook credit, and a laptop to support Antonio as he pursues his post-secondary education goals. Antonio, a high-achieving student with a 4.3 GPA and Summa Cum Laude honor, will also have access to Dell Scholars Connect, a mentoring program that offers academic support from other scholarship recipients. Upon graduating high school, Antonio hopes to attend either California State University, Los Angeles, the University of La Verne or California State University, Long Beach and obtain a degree in accounting.
Gordon H. Beatty Middle School students made a splash at the Orange County Academic Pentathlon, winning nearly 50 awards during a multi-subject competition and Super Quiz that challenged this year’s contestants on the topic of water. Beatty Middle School’s team of 14 seventh- and eighth-graders competed against 40 other schools in Orange County, taking home 48 medals at the competition, with eighth-graders finishing in first place in their division overall and seventh-graders earning fifth place.
Baldwin Park Unified Athletes Named Football Foundation Scholars
Baldwin Park High School student-athletes Orlando Gutierrez, Elian Lopez and Dominic Ruiz were recognized with Scholar Athlete awards for their accomplishments on the field and in the classroom by the National Football Foundation San Gabriel Valley chapter, during its 2022 Scholar Athlete Awards Banquet, held March 23. Representing the Braves, Gutierrez, Lopez and Ruiz were celebrated alongside other student-athletes from across the San Gabriel Valley.
