Various school clubs will collaborate to create a warm, festive atmosphere for all attendees. Families will be welcomed as they enjoy the holiday spirit and receive thoughtfully chosen gifts, including skateboards, board games, toys, headphones, and much more. Guests are encouraged to open their gifts during the event. The event is funded by the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and donations from the school community are organized by active-duty USMC member and Workman High School English teacher Travis Bui. District officials and administrators are invited to attend and celebrate the season of giving.
Covina High School’s student-run thrift shop, Colt Outfitters, which offers students affordable access to clothing, school supplies, backpacks, books, and toiletries, has won a Golden Bell award from the California School Boards Association, recognizing the shop’s innovation and impact on supporting students. Established in the 2021-22 school year by the school’s Interact club, Colt Outfitters offers students essentials, with most items priced at $2 or less. Colt Outfitters serves not only as a resource for students but also as a learning environment for those in the Life-Skills Education Advancement Program (LEAP), which helps special education students develop real-world skills. LEAP students assist with running the store, learning social skills that will help them succeed in future jobs and life beyond high school.
Amid the turmoil of recent hurricanes, students at Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) in Florida discovered that their college was more than just a campus – it was a lifeline. For students like Dara Gibbs, Epifanio Colon, and Rachelle Wills, the college’s unwavering commitment to care and connection as a Caring Campus transformed a time of crisis into a moment of hope, providing not only emergency relief but the stability and support needed to move forward. When Hurricane Helene struck, Gibbs faced severe flooding that damaged her home’s floors, walls, and furniture. Through PHSC’s relief efforts, she received financial assistance, food, and cleaning supplies.
When the Pioneer High School football team struggled during a mid-season slump, coach Ramon Juarez inspired his players by telling them they were on the cusp of greatness if they never stopped believing in themselves. Pioneer shook off decades of frustration and disappointment by capturing their first-ever CIF Southern Section (CIF-SS) football title, after defeating San Gabriel High by a final score of 13-6 in the Division 14 championship game on Nov. 30. The game was played in front of 2,000 passionate supporters at Dick Torres Memorial Stadium, which included Titan alums from as far back as the 1960s.
Bonita Unified will continue its tradition of sending its best musicians to represent the District in the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day, after two students were selected to perform with the Tournament of Roses 2025 Honor Band on Jan. 1, 2025. Bonita High sophomore Logan Martinez (flute) and San Dimas High senior Andrew Ward (snare drum) were both selected for the first time. Bonita High has sent a band member to the Rose Parade for seven consecutive years, excluding the 2021 parade, which was canceled, while San Dimas High musicians are being represented at the Rose Parade for the third consecutive year.
Alder Middle School sixth-grader Xavi Hernandez felt like he was soaring through the air as he sat in a state-of-the-art cockpit simulator inside a mobile 36-foot flight simulator lab located in the middle of his campus. It was part of Fontana Unified School District’s (FUSD) Career Technical Education (CTE) partnership with NextUp Aviation, which brought the world of aviation directly to Alder Middle School students on Nov. 21. The event was designed to help students explore and foster an early interest in diverse career pathways within the aviation and aerospace industry.
Lynwood Unified School District, in partnership with environmental nonprofit TreePeople, has been awarded a $1 million CAL FIRE Green Schoolyards grant to transform three of its campuses into greener, more sustainable spaces. The ambitious project includes planting 110 trees and 1,800 California native plants and removing over 40,000 square feet of asphalt to create new green spaces at Abbott and Lindbergh elementary schools and Vista High School. Tree planting is set to begin in spring 2025, ushering in a new era of sustainability for Lynwood schools.
Fontana Unified School District’s headquarters will once again transform into a Southern California winter wonderland as it continues its tradition of spreading holiday cheer to local families in need during its 27th annual Fontana Santas toy distribution. Throughout the event, District families – who are identified by school sites – will enjoy a festive holiday celebration and receive age-appropriate gifts during a drive-through gift. Donations of unwrapped toys and gift cards can be dropped off at the Fontana School Police Department (9680 Citrus Avenue, Building 9, Fontana).
Bonita High School Class of 2023 graduate Micah Tofilau discovered he had a knack for working with his hands when he took a jewelry-making class as a junior. Realizing that Tofilau had a great aptitude for soldering and fabricating, his instructor Brian Harrison recommended that he look into pursuing a career as a welder. Tofilau was one of nine recent Bonita Unified graduates who received welding certifications from the Welding Certification Center (WCC) in Pomona during a special graduation ceremony on Nov. 21, after taking advantage of a 16-week career technical education (CTE) pilot program that provided low- to no-cost certification training to high school students, through a partnership with Pomona Valley America’s Job Center of California (AJCC) and the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (LACDEO).
Twenty-eight Bonita Unified educators were awarded nearly $10,000 in mini-grants by the La Verne/San Dimas Educational Foundation (LVSDEF), which will help enhance hands-on learning opportunities for students across the District in the 2024-25 school year. Members of the LVSDEF presented the mini-grants, which ranged from $100 to $500, to educators from 13 BUSD schools during the Nov. 6 Board of Education meeting.
