Baldwin Park Unified’s BP STEM Academy was recognized with a 2022 Golden Bell Award by the California School Boards Association (CSBA) during the CSBA annual education conference and awards ceremony, held in San Diego on Dec. 1. BP STEM Academy was established in 2021 as a specialized science, technology, engineering and mathematics school for students in grades three through eight. The creation and development of the BP STEM Academy was honored for providing the necessary framework for systemic change by removing the barriers to access in education and establishing an all-inclusive atmosphere that encourages students to be curious about STEM.
Fontana Unified Celebrates 25th Annual ‘Fontana Santas’ Toy Drive
Fontana Unified School District is celebrating 25 years of bringing holiday cheer to local families in need with the kickoff of the annual Fontana Santas Toy Drive. Donations of unwrapped toys and gift cards can be dropped off at the Fontana School Police Department, 9680 Citrus Ave., Building 9, Fontana. The Fontana Santas Toy Drive will culminate with a drive-thru distribution event, to be held on Saturday, Dec. 17 at the District Office. There, families in need identified by school sites will enjoy the sights and sounds of cheerful holiday decorations, festively dressed volunteers and classic holiday music as they receive age-appropriate gifts.
Buena Park School District’s elementary school students drew thunderous cheers of applause from parents and family members for every goal, blocked shot and kick during the first-ever Superintendent’s Cup soccer tournament on Dec. 3. The Superintendent’s Cup brought together more than 160 third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students from each of the District’s five elementary schools for a multi-round soccer tournament, aimed at teaching athleticism, perseverance, teamwork and good player conduct.
Fontana Unified School District has named Dr. Kimberly Moyer, an accomplished leader dedicated to innovation in education, as the new principal of Palmetto Elementary School. Moyer has 15 years of experience in education and has served in a variety of positions in Fontana Unified in recent years. She brings with her a passion for rigorous instructional experiences, educational technology, wellness in schools, and college and career readiness at the elementary level.
El Monte Union Sports Medicine Students Receive Hands-On Training
El Monte Union High School District students are receiving in-depth training in sports therapy and rehab thanks to the District’s new afterschool Sports Medicine Program, offered at Rosemead, South El Monte and Arroyo high schools. In the winter of 2021, EMUHSD worked with a small group of students to develop the program and partnered with ATvantage Athletic Training to provide athletic training services to all comprehensive schools. Rosemead, South El Monte and Arroyo have created afterschool programs that allow students to learn from ATvantage athletic trainers and gain the skills and knowledge needed to enter the athletic training and sports medicine industry.
Six Bonita Unified School District students were selected to be part of the prestigious Southern California Vocal Association (SCVA) Honor Choirs, where they showcased their immense musical talents in a culminating performance at the University of Redlands on Nov. 19. Each school year, the SCVA chooses 270 outstanding high school students from approximately 600 auditionees to sing in one of three choirs: SSAA, TTBB, or SATB, which include a mix of sopranos, altos, bass and tenors. San Dimas High School senior Ethan Maun was accepted into the TTBB Choir for the second year in a row; he was joined in the TTBB Choir by Bonita High School junior Eric Romero. Bonita High School seniors Jhett Buggle and Joe Ensign were also accepted into the SATB Choir, while seniors Ellen Chen and Trinity Moreno performed with the SSAA Choir.
Northview High School’s Fine Arts, Media, and Entertainment (FAME) pathway, which has led students to careers at KTLA, CBS, ABC, and Disney, has won the California School Boards Association Golden Bell Award for its approach to fostering student excellence in media arts and broadcast journalism. This four-year pathway, in partnership with PBS Newshour Student Reporting Labs, Atlas Digital, and KQED Education, teaches students a range of essential skills such as journalism, media literacy, camera composition, editing, story development, character creation, screenwriting, interviewing, and more.
Lynwood Unified to Host Community Wellness Resource Fair
In partnership with the California Department of Education and the office of State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, Lynwood Unified School District will host a “Health for the Holidays” Community Wellness Fair, from 2 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 7 at Lynwood High School, providing students with health resources, holiday activities and giveaways. Thurmond will attend the event to encourage students to make the most of the resources available to them, including free prescription eyeglasses, COVID-19 vaccines, housing resources, health screenings and other health services. Lynwood High School is located at 12124 Bullis Rd., Lynwood.
Bonita Unified Choir to Perform in Disneyland Candlelight Processional
The Bonita High School Chamber Singers, as well as alumni, have been selected to sing in the mass choir at Disneyland’s annual candlelight ceremony and processional, which will take place in the evening on Saturday, December 3 and Sunday, December 4. Following a vigorous audition process, the Bearcats were selected from a pool of applicants that included high school, collegiate and community choirs from across Southern California. Only 12 choirs were selected to perform in the mass choir. The Candlelight Processional is a 45-minute musical retelling of “The First Christmas” story, which features a mass choir as the centerpiece of the show.
Fontana High School’s Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (MCJROTC) Raider teams and Drill teams delivered showstopping performances during the fifth annual Santiago High School Raiders and seventh annual Santiago Drill competition on Nov. 5, continuing the program’s successful streak as it seeks to capture a national championship. Fontana High School’s two Raider teams earned the first-place overall award, as well as first place for the circuit physical fitness challenge, first- and second-place trophies for the speed orienteering challenge, first place for the top female physical fitness event, first- and second-place awards for the litter carry challenge, and second place for the single rope bridge. The Drill team, consisting of 10 students, brought home first place for the Unarmed Regulation Drill and second place for the Unarmed Inspection.
