Hacienda La Puente Unified School District is home to four comprehensive high schools, each offering a distinctive mix of programs and resources to support every student on their path to success. These schools ranked in the top 25% of California schools in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best High Schools rankings, released on April 23. Top performers were selected by weighted scores across six indicators of school quality. Additionally, Glen A. Wilson ranked among the top 4% of all high schools in California for the second consecutive year.
Bonita Unified Musicians Win Awards at Route 66 Jazz Festival
Bonita Unified’s domination of music competitions continued at the Route 66 Jazz Festival on April 20, where San Dimas High School’s jazz band took home three individual awards. Hunter Peterson’s compositional/arrangement talents, evident in his jazz arrangement of “Cantina Band,” inspired judges to create a new award category and name Peterson as the inaugural Outstanding Young Composer Award recipient. John Lopez and Anthony Bailey were also honored with Outstanding Soloist Awards.
Hacienda La Puente Unified Celebrates 2024 Teacher of the Year
Valinda School of Academics second-grade Dual Language Immersion teacher Fany Melendez has been named Hacienda La Puente Unifed’s 2024 Teacher of the Year for her unwavering commitment to student success and holistic approach to teaching, inspiring excellence in every aspect of her classroom. With 13 years of service in education, Melendez is a passionate nurturer of students' academic and personal growth. She focuses many of her efforts on closing the achievement gap for language learners by incorporating the DLI curriculum into meaningful lessons that also support students' socio-emotional growth.
Lynwood Unified to Host Third Annual 5/10K Run for Student Benefit
Lynwood Unified will promote health and wellness while celebrating Lynwood schools during the third annual Lynwood Run 5/10K at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 11 at Lynwood City Hall. The entire Lynwood community is invited to participate, with all proceeds supporting Lynwood Partners Educational Foundation scholarship funds. For details and to register, visit thelynwoodrun.com. Lynwood City Hall is located at 11330 Bullis Rd., Lynwood.
Fontana Unified to Showcase Future Shapers Academy
Fontana Unified School District will display the creative and innovative projects developed by more than 30 students enrolled in the District’s Future Shapers Academy from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8 at the Jessie Turner Health & Fitness Community Center. The event will provide employers an opportunity to hear about these ideas firsthand and explore opportunities to collaborate for the benefit of Fontana’s entertainment and recreation industry. Jessie Turner Health & Fitness Community Center is located at 15556 Summit Ave., Fontana.
Orange Coast College is enhancing its commitment to student well-being and success by embracing the principles of Caring Campus, empowering staff to foster a student-centric environment grounded in intentionality and care. The Institute for Evidence-Based Change created Caring Campus as a way to increase college students’ sense of belonging and connectedness with their institution, resulting in greater retention, persistence, and success rates for students of all demographics.
Covina-Valley Unified School District students, families, and community members received complimentary health screenings, wellness tips, and valuable demonstrations during the District’s third annual Health and Wellness Fair on April 18, spotlighting the District’s commitment to nurturing the holistic well-being of every individual within their community. The Health and Wellness Fair has seen significant growth over its three-year history, expanding from 40 community partners to nearly 100 this year.
Whittier Union’s Prom Pop-Up Empowers Students Across Counties
High school students from across Los Angeles and Orange counties gathered at La Serna High School on April 13 for an innovative prom pop-up event, taking away luxurious dresses, breathtaking accessories, and fashionable suits to ensure they were impeccably outfitted for their upcoming proms. For the past two years, La Serna counselor Michelle Ortiz has hosted a “Swag Store,” allowing all La Serna students access to prom clothes and accessories at no cost. This year, Whittier Union alumna and charitable community member Marissa Gayton contacted Ortiz to partner with and host a similar event on a larger scale, opening the event to neighboring counties and districts. Community members and local businesses donated countless dresses, shoes, suits, and jewelry pieces, empowering Ortiz and Gayton to give out more than 70 outfits to student shoppers.
Hacienda La Puente Unified Students Hit Dance Floor for Conga Kids
Fifth-grade students from 22 Hacienda La Puente Unified elementary schools put their costumes on, grabbed their partners and headed to the dance floor to compete in the second annual Conga Kids semifinals on April 17. The gymnasium was at maximum capacity as families gathered to watch the largest semi-finals in Conga Kids history, featuring students showcasing their determination, communication skills, and dancing abilities with a variety of ballroom dances and battling for a spot in the finals, to be held at L.A. Live in May.
El Monte Union’s Student Leaders Shine Bright at ASB Leadership Day
El Monte Union's Associated Student Body members celebrated leadership and community engagement at the District's annual ASB Leadership Day on April 19, where they gathered to hone skills, share experiences, and inspire positive impacts in their schools and communities. With a theme of “Cars,” inspired by the Pixar film, the event helped to cultivate leadership skills, foster teamwork, and inspire innovation among the El Monte Union’s future leaders. Students engaged in interactive workshops, participated in team-building activities, and heard from guest speakers renowned for their expertise in leadership development.
