Pioneer High School senior Samantha Araujo was a freshman when she was summoned to her counselor’s office and told her father – the man who inspired her to be a scholar – had just died. Araujo spent weeks grieving, lacking the motivation to get out of bed. One day, Araujo began rereading her father’s encouraging text messages and returned to school with renewed enthusiasm. Araujo found an extended family in the Pioneer High Spirit and Dance team and a mentor in Dance Team Director Christine Avila. Araujo, who was honored as Pioneer High’s 2021-22 standout student, was recognized by the Whittier Union Board of Trustees with an Award of Merit during its Nov. 9 board meeting, honoring her resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
Fontana Adult School will open enrollment for its January courses at 8 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 6, providing adult learners with opportunities to pursue new educational and professional pathways in the new year. As part of the Fontana Unified School District, Fontana Adult School provides adult students at all stages of life the opportunity to expand their education with an array of free and affordable courses aimed at developing new skills, earning high school diplomas and career technical education certificates and more.
Proudly waving certificates and beaming with pride, 11 Whittier Union parents enrolled in the District’s Path to College Success Parent Mentors program celebrated the completion of their three-month parent mentor program, designed to increase parent engagement and support parents of English learners, during a virtual ceremony held Oct. 27. The goal of the Parent Mentor program is to train parent volunteers to promote a Road to College Success mentality for their children, while learning basic technology like accessing Zoom and sending emails. Upon completion of the program, parents serve as ambassadors throughout the District, sharing their knowledge with other parents. The parent graduates were the second cohort to complete the program, joining 12 parents who graduated in October 2020. During the ceremony, parents shared clips of a final video project demonstrating their understanding of a topic they studied, such as the benefits of being bilingual or how to apply for financial aid.
Fernando R. Ledesma High School has received a $5,000 grant from the Barona Band of Mission Indians to develop student literacy and promote a love of reading among underrepresented students. The high school began the application process for the Barona Education Grant after interviewing their Trinity Youth Services students. The feedback received expressed a high student interest in wanting to read more books that resonated with them.
Nearly 70 Buena Park School District students worked with snakes and bugs while learning about water conservation, recycling and plants during the District’s Super Saturday GATE event, a day of learning focused on science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM). The District’s long-standing Super Saturday events are held on a bi-annual basis, with one event in the fall and another in spring. Traditionally, Super Saturdays are engineering competitions – giving Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) students the chance to build objects such as rockets or miniature bridges. This year’s Super Saturday, held Nov. 13, focused on building environmental literacy through collaborative learning for water conservation, wildlife, plant life and recycling.
El Monte Union High School Receives Grant to Focus on Reading Needs
Fernando R. Ledesma High School has received a $5,000 grant from the Barona Band of Mission Indians to develop student literacy and promote a love of reading among underrepresented students. The high school began the application process for the Barona Education Grant after interviewing their Trinity Youth Services students. The feedback received expressed a high student interest in wanting to read more books that resonated with them.
Whittier Union Teacher Creates Award-Winning Lesson Plan
Frontier High School teacher Mary Ann Fajardo was honored with the 2021 Holodomor Research and Education Consortium Educator Award for Holodomor Lesson Plan Development. The award shines a light on powerful educators who teach a unique and impactful curriculum. Fajardo, who has been teaching at the Whittier Union High School District for more than eight years, was recognized for her senior social studies lesson plan, “The Holodomor and Its Children.” Fajardo’s lesson plan encouraged students to dig deeper into the topic of human rights, and through coordinative activities and research, students learned about the impact they have on other people and society.
Baldwin Park Unified is collaborating with the City of Baldwin Park for an upcoming Holiday Food Basket Program, to be held 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 11, at the Esther Snyder Community Center, located at 4100 Baldwin Park Blvd., Baldwin Park. The Baldwin Park Charitable Relief Foundation, Navidad en el Barrio and local supermarkets are also part of the community effort to ensure Baldwin Park families have access to meals. Donations of food and money are accepted from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the Teri G. Muse Family Service Center, located at 14305 East Morgan Ave., Baldwin Park.
Baldwin Park Unified Students Enjoy Holidays with Santa Clothes Project
Braving the early morning rain and cold, 416 Baldwin Park Unified students received an early gift of holiday cheer as they were treated to a shopping spree at Wal-Mart, receiving $80 gift cards to spend on new outfits and shoes during the 24th annual Santa Clothes Project, held Dec. 7. The Santa Clothes Project – a partnership between the Baldwin Park Unified, the Baldwin Park Charitable Relief Organization, the City of Baldwin Park, the Baldwin Park Police Department and other local organizations – pairs students in need with volunteer chaperones, who assist the students in picking new clothes and basic essentials. In addition to a new outfit and shoes, each child receives a toy at the end of the shopping spree.
Banning Unified School District hosted “A Night to Remember” on Nov. 15, bringing together local officials, educators, students and families at Banning High School to celebrate the grand opening of the District’s state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center. The festivities began with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, featuring heartfelt speeches about how the project came to fruition and the vital role of the community in supporting the center. Banning Unified families, local officials and community members then gathered in the 27,000 square-foot auditorium – featuring a professional stage, orchestra pit, dressing rooms and more – to enjoy student performances from each school, showcasing the creative talents and arts offerings in Banning Unified.
