El Monte Union High School District received a $5,000 grant from the City of Hope, helping to fund the District’s Burger Swap Project, held Feb. 28 to March 11. Partnering with Impossible Burger, school cafeterias from Rosemead, South El Monte and Mountain View high schools offered the plant-based burger as a lunchtime option, opening the minds and taste buds of students with a goal of promoting healthier living habits and sustainable living.
Covina-Valley Unified has been awarded more than $1 million in funding through the A-G Completion Improvement Grant, advancing the District’s efforts to develop comprehensive programs to increase the number of students who have completed their A-G requirements by graduation. The grant funding, delivered through the California Education Budget Trailer Bill, will support Covina-Valley Unified’s goals of creating a comprehensive college roadmap and calendar for middle- and high-school students, expand the number of tutoring opportunities and summer school A-G course offerings, and ensure low-income students and students of color have equitable access to the District’s most academically rigorous high school programs.
San Dimas High School students Vanessa Sandoval and Eva Yassine were selected to serve on the California Association of Student Leadership (CASL) Board in 2022-23, through which they will work to foster positive and nurturing school environments across the state and empower students to help shape their school communities. The two were selected at the annual CASL leadership conference, held April 2 to 4, where they networked with student leaders from across California and discussed leadership projects.
El Monte High School senior Chau Trinh will pursue her dreams of becoming an architect and supporting the El Monte community through the construction of safe and affordable housing after receiving an $80,000 scholarship to attend Cornell University. Trinh, a campus leader with a 4.1 GPA, will major in architecture, with a goal of providing all families access to comfortable living accommodations. Trinh has established herself as an El Monte High campus leader, serving as varsity tennis captain and debate club president, while furthering her love of learning and community outreach through an internship with El Monte Promise.
Students from Santa Fe High School witnessed the real-life consequences of driving under the influence during the school’s “Every 15 Minutes” program, which featured a simulated car crash that claimed the lives of their peers, an overnight retreat, and a mock funeral. The event, held April 6-7, included a pre-recorded 9-1-1 call that triggered an emergency response by local law enforcement agencies, firefighters and paramedics. “Every 15 Minutes” is a national campaign which focuses on high school junior and seniors, with a goal of challenging students to consider the dangers of drunk driving. The two-day program was held in partnership with the City of Santa Fe Springs; participants included the Whittier Police Department, Santa Fe Springs Fire Rescue, Mercy Air and the California Highway Patrol.
San Dimas High School seniors took part in the City of San Dimas’s Students in Government Day on March 23, which provided students with a real-world look at the challenges and rewards of running a city. Fifteen San Dimas High students had the opportunity to tour City departments, run the March 22 City Council meeting and discuss the pros and cons of a fictitious housing development.
Baldwin Park Unified Students Awarded $500 Music Scholarships
Four Baldwin Park Unified student musicians earned $500 scholarships after competing in the San Gabriel Valley District Music Scholarship competition on March 11, with Sierra Vista High School students winning all four categories. Sierra Vista High’s Carol Contreras won the classical vocalist category; Deidre Barragan won the classical instrumentalist category; Litzy Taborda won the pop vocalist category; and Wilson Le won the pop instrumentalist category. The winning students also earned $200 music scholarships from the Baldwin Park Women’s Club in February, qualifying them for the March event.
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
