Four El Monte Union students have been selected from a competitive pool of applicants to serve on the 2024-25 Los Angeles County Superintendent Dr. Debra Duardo’s Student Advisory Council, providing them with a leadership platform to engage in meaningful conversations on critical issues in public education. Rosemead High School (RHS) senior Alexis DiPrima, junior Van Do, and Mountain View High School (MVHS) junior Alejandro Dena and sophomore Noah Reyes have joined fellow student leaders across Los Angeles County public high schools on the council. The group meets virtually every quarter throughout the 2024-25 school year to discuss and influence decisions on key educational topics, including educational equity, student well-being, and the overall quality of our schools.
Río Hondo College (RHC) will undertake a series of construction projects for essential upgrades and repairs in alignment with its institutional mission to provide affordable access to higher education and job training to Los Angeles County students, thanks to the passing of Measure RH. Río Hondo College, which celebrated 60 years of serving the community in 2023, will utilize the bond dollars to address safety and accessibility issues on campus, as well as modernize classrooms, labs and facilities to better prepare students for careers or university transfer. Measure RH, a $442.2 million facilities bond, passed with more than 64% of the vote from Río Hondo Community College District voters, clearing the 55% approval rate needed for local bonds to pass on the November ballot.[1]
A.B. Miller High School students continue to reach new heights as they explore future career opportunities through the school’s Aviation Career Technical Education (CTE) pathway, with three students recently passing written exams in pursuit of their private pilot licenses. Jesse Cuba, Xavier Gonzalez, and Christopher Hernandez became the most recent A.B. Miller students to pass the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Private Pilot Certificate written exam this school year, continuing a legacy of excellence in the school’s CTE program. The two-year pathway serves as a flight training school and includes a pilot training class, an airline mechanic class, and a flight simulator lab.
More than 300 Lone Hill Middle School (LHMS) students, parents, and community members promoted inclusivity and acceptance as they celebrated the legacy of American civil rights icon and activist Ruby Bridges by participating in the school’s inaugural Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day on Nov. 14. Students at Lone Hill gathered early in the morning, enjoying donuts as they prepared for a walk promoting inclusion and unity. Led by two students carrying a “Brave Like Ruby” banner, participants marched together in a large line, starting from two locations, holding signs that celebrated diversity and togetherness. The walk concluded with an assembly featuring speakers who highlighted the importance of acceptance and kindness as cornerstones of Lone Hill culture.
When Whittier High School junior Anika Monzon and her sister, sophomore Adelina Monzon, saw the Tournament of Roses Parade in person on New Year’s Day, they felt great pride in seeing their older brother, Whittier High Class of 2024 graduate Myles Monzon, march in the Honor Band, performing on the tenor drum. This year, it will be a Monzon family affair, as Anika and Adelina are among five Whittier Union students selected to perform at the 2025 Rose Parade as members of the Pasadena City College (PCC) Tournament of Roses Honor Band, joining Myles, currently a PCC student, who was again selected to play tenor drum.
It was far from an ordinary day at Fontana High School (FOHI) as a large portion of campus was carved out for the school’s annual, award-winning College Application Day on Nov. 14, which promotes college readiness throughout the community and dates back to 2014. Hundreds of FOHI seniors, with many surrounded by family members, patiently waited for their opportunity to take a large step toward their goal of postsecondary education during the seven-plus hour event. Students collectively submitted more than 2,450 applications to four-year colleges and universities – an event record. Fontana High seniors Ana Porras and Iris Martinez said they had looked forward to the day for years after their older siblings took part in the event.
Willard Elementary School students and staff are enjoying newly renovated first and second-floor restrooms, funded by Measure O, that bring a cleaner, more modern, and welcoming environment to the school. Construction on the second-floor restrooms finished in summer 2024, with the first-floor restrooms now also complete and open for daily use. The upgrades include new concrete flooring, modern wall and floor tiling, and updated fixtures, including sinks, toilets, partitions, and hand dryers – all necessary improvements in Willard Elementary’s historic building.
For El Monte High School (EMHS) junior and art student Michelle Garcia, Día de los Muertos is a holiday to be celebrated with vibrant colors, a special day when family and friends come together to pay tribute to loved ones, and a sacred observance rich with symbolism and traditions that evoke happiness and memories of the past. To honor Día de los Muertos, Garcia created an artwork bursting with radiant imagination, communicating the delicate dance between life and death. The piece features brightly lit marigolds, a dapper calavera in a flower-lined sombrero, nostalgic Lotería cards, and the mysterious, watchful gaze of the Día de los Muertos icon, La Catrina. Garcia’s captivating art was honored by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, winning first place in the fifth annual Día de los Muertos Art Competition, in the 14 to 18 age group. Along with the recognition, Garcia received a $2,000 scholarship, presented in partnership with the Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles. Her work can be viewed online.
Nine Fontana Unified School District students achieved one of the greatest feats high school musicians and color guard performers can obtain after being selected to showcase their talents on a national stage when they march down Colorado Boulevard in the 136th edition of the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day. Each year, hundreds of high school students from across Southern California audition for one of the coveted spots in the elite Pasadena City College (PCC) Tournament of Roses Honor Band and Color Guard, which has performed through the Rose Parade’s six-mile trek since 1930. Eight Henry J. Kaiser High School students and a Jurupa Hills High student separated themselves from the rest and will represent Fontana Unified in PCC’s prestigious group this year. Kaiser High will be represented by seniors Alec Franco (Herald Snare) and Kimberly Gomez (color guard/banners) and juniors Anabelle Escobedo (flute), Maximo Franco (trumpet), Achilles Jauregui (trombone), Liliana Lobo (euphonium), Jhiana Magalong (bells/xylophone), and Marcos Perez (bass trombone) in the PCC Tournament of Roses Honor Band, along with Jurupa Hills High junior Diego Muro (clarinet).
Dr. Vincent Tinto and Dr. Peter Felten, two of the nation’s foremost experts on student success, will be featured keynote speakers at the inaugural Caring Campus Conference 2025: Building a National Culture of Care, which will take place from Nov. 12-14, 2025, at the DoubleTree Hotel in San Diego. Dr. Tinto, a professor emeritus at Syracuse University and a leading authority on student retention, and Dr. Felten, executive director of the Center for Engaged Learning and assistant provost at Elon University, and co-author of “Relationship Rich Education,” will share decades of research and insights on how connection, belonging, and a culture of care can drive student persistence, retention, and success.
