Two Fontana Unified scholar-athletes will take their games to the next level after signing letters of intent to play college ball with Western Athletic Conference universities. Jurupa Hills High School senior Antonio Mayes signed with Dixie State University in St. George, Utah to play football; Mayes, a two-time All-League defensive back for the Spartan football team, is fulfilling a dream he has had since he began playing football at the age of five. Summit High School senior Mikayla O’Brien signed with Cal Baptist University in Riverside to play soccer, capping a prep career that saw her achieve All-League three times and lead her team to the quarterfinals of the CIF Division VI Southern Section playoffs during 2020-21.
Twenty-five Bonita Unified School District teachers were awarded mini-grants from the La Verne/San Dimas Educational Foundation, providing financial support for educators who aim to enrich classroom experiences for their students. The mini-grants, totaling nearly $9,500, were presented to this year’s awardees during their March 2 Board of Education meeting. Since 1983, the La Verne/San Dimas Educational Foundation has been committed to enriching and enhancing educational opportunities for Bonita Unified students and teachers.
Southridge Tech Middle School and Wayne Ruble Middle School have been recognized in the 2022 California Schools to Watch program, celebrating their continued success in providing positive learning environments that boost student achievement and foster college and career readiness. Southridge Tech and Wayne Ruble middle schools are among 31 high-performing California middle schools to be re-designated as Schools to Watch this year. First designated in 2019, both schools were re-evaluated to retain the designation – a process that occurs every three years.
Bonita Unified High School Athletes Recognized by Board of Education
The Bonita Unified School District Board of Education recognized student-athletes from San Dimas and Bonita high schools for their CIF championship wins, during the Board’s March 2 meeting. The Board of Education recognized Bonita High School’s girls water polo for winning the CIF-SS Division 3 championship, and recognized San Dimas High School’s Juliana Marquez, Esperanza Dorantes, and Cameron Ortiz for placing at the CIF wrestling state championship.
Lynwood Unified Students Explore Art Through artworxLA Partnership
Lynwood Unified students are embracing their artistic talents through a partnership with artworxLA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing extensive art education for the professional development, cultural awareness, and personal expression of students. The program was introduced to Vista High School in 2016 to provide students with instruction from professional artists as well as opportunities for scholarships and internships. After benefiting from the influence of artist-led workshops, Vista students have also received career and college opportunities through artworxLA.
La Serna High School senior Carmela Claytor never lost her love for learning, even through the most trying times. From being placed in foster care as a freshman to struggling through distance learning as a junior, Claytor remained focused on academic achievement and emerged as one of La Serna’s top-performing scholars and student leaders. Going from intervention student to academic mentor, Claytor was recognized with an Award of Merit by the Whittier Union Board of Trustees during its Feb. 27 board meeting.
Baldwin Park Unified Hosts SCSBOA Band, Orchestra Festival
Baldwin Park Unified hosted the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA) band and orchestra festival on March 1-2, featuring performances by BPUSD’s middle school string orchestra, symphonic-concert and symphonic bands, BPUSD’s high school wind ensemble and orchestra, and other bands from local districts. The two-day festival included 30-minute performances from 21 bands and orchestras, followed by rigorous judging sessions to evaluate the technical skills of the student musicians. SCSBOA is the largest professional organization that serves music teachers and schools in 11 counties in Southern California.
Lynwood Unified to Host Community Campaign Art Contest for Students
Lynwood Unified is inviting all Lynwood students to enter its Community Campaign Art Contest. On a blank piece of paper, students must express the meaning of what “Together We are Lynwood" signifies to them. Students can submit a variety of art that suits their talents, including paintings, drawings, collages, prints, digital illustrations, photography, and poems. Three winners will be announced via social media on Thursday, March 31, with their work displayed as a billboard in front of the District Office, located at 11232 Bullis Rd., Lynwood.
Baldwin Park Unified High School to Hold Youth Football Camp
Baldwin Park High School will host a free youth football camp from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 5, at 3900 Puente Ave, Baldwin Park. The camp is open to Baldwin Park Unified students in elementary and middle school. Training will be provided by Baldwin Park High School’s football staff and players.
Covina-Valley Unified School District is bolstering its mental wellness efforts through partnering with Yale University’s Center for Emotional Intelligence, which will promote the significance of social and emotional learning across the District. Through this partnership, Covina-Valley Unified has implemented social-emotional taskforces at their schools and aims to teach students and staff the RULER program—an acronym that stands for recognizing, understanding, labeling, expressing and regulating emotions. The District has augmented its counseling services since the start of the 2021-22 school year—sharing mental health resources on the District website, opening wellness centers at their schools and employing an on-site counselor at each school to ensure students have the resources they need to support their emotional wellbeing.
