Firebaugh High School senior and avid engineering enthusiast Brigitte Lopez is among 30 Southern California students to be named a 2024 Edison Scholar, earning a $50,000 scholarship for her outstanding academic performance and dedication to shaping a clean energy future. Lopez, who earned early admission to Stanford University for the upcoming fall semester, plans to major in aerospace engineering. She aspires to work at NASA or SpaceX and drive innovation with an environmentally conscious approach to technology while promoting diversity and inclusivity in the STEM field.
Bonita High School senior Junze “Jenny” Zhang was a sixth-grade English learner when her family moved from China to the United States. Even as Zhang worked to master a new language, she was already immersing herself in research that would lead her to focus on the destructiveness of climate change and the possibility of establishing colonies within our solar system. Zhang’s enthusiasm for STEM subjects, willingness to put in long hours of research, and determination to find solutions for global environmental issues were rewarded when she was named a 2024 Edison Scholar, which will provide her with $50,000 to support her dream of attending Cal Tech to study aerospace engineering.
Lynwood Unified to Host Annual Girls STEM Conference
Lynwood Unified School District is accumulating a noteworthy list of female guest speakers and innovative workshops in preparation for its second annual Girls STEM Conference at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24 at Bateman Hall. The event will welcome elementary and middle school students from across the District to celebrate female empowerment, engage in hands-on activities, and hear from women in STEM careers. Bateman Hall is located at 11331 Ernestine Ave., Lynwood.
Covina-Valley Unified to Host Community Health and Wellness Fair
Covina-Valley Unified School District is hosting a Health and Wellness Fair for students, parents, and staff at 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 18 at the Covina District Field. The fair will include a variety of health and wellness activities and resources including educational sessions and consultations with wellness experts designed to enhance physical fitness and overall wellness and nutrition. Covina District Field is located at 220 W. Puente St., Covina.
Hacienda La Puente Unified to Host Annual Autism Walk
Hacienda La Puente Unified School District’s Special Education Department is busy creating colorful posterboards and coordinating activities to host its annual Autism Awareness Walk at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 13, at Palm Elementary School. The event will feature numerous guest speakers, including local dignitaries, District officials and families, leading speeches surrounding this year’s theme, “Neurodiversity is our Strength, Minds of all Kinds Together,” and encouraging families to visit the resource tables and connect with students and community members during the walk. Palm Elementary School is located at 14740 Palm Ave, Hacienda Heights.
Fontana High School’s highly acclaimed Fire Technology and Law Enforcement Public Service pathways were each awarded national certification from the Law and Public Safety Education Network (LAPSEN), representing the commitment to excellence and quality of both programs. Both of FOHI’s career technical education (CTE) Public Service pathways join a prestigious cohort of secondary and post-secondary schools across the country to be named a LAPSEN National Program of Excellence (NPE). A LAPSEN national certification signifies a program has reached the apex in terms of preparing students for careers in law enforcement, firefighting, emergency management, legal studies, and related fields. Fontana High’s Fire Technology and Law Enforcement CTE pathways are hands-on electives that prepare students for jobs in the public safety sector, with more than 170 students enrolled across both pathways. The pathways fulfill a student’s A-G requirements and are dual-enrollment programs that articulate with Chaffey College, allowing students to earn both high school and college credits and putting them on a fast track for industry certifications.
Whittier High School senior Erik Villa rarely stops to catch his breath. Between his schoolwork, mentoring classmates in the school’s Cardinal Academy of Technology (CAT), volunteer work for the Whittier Chamber of Commerce, and managing a Whittier juice bar, Villa goes nonstop from sunup to sundown with a goal of helping anybody who needs his assistance. An unsuspecting Villa was sitting with his CAT classmates when a representative from Edison International came into the class with a surprise announcement – Villa had been named a 2024 Edison Scholarship winner, an honor that comes with $50,000 in tuition support for students pursuing a major in a STEM field. Following the announcement, Villa’s classmates erupted in applause. Villa is one of just 30 Southern California high school students to receive the award.
Grace Miller Elementary School first-grade teacher April Maidens has been recognized with Computer-Using Educator’s (CUE) second annual Suzanne Mitchell Award, honoring her years of volunteer work for the nonprofit, which aims to advance student achievement through technology. Maidens, a former Grace Miller student and Bonita High School alumna, has been a member of CUE’s planning committee since 2011, helping organize CUE’s annual conferences, working behind the scenes to schedule sessions, prepare speakers, talk to guests, and ensure that the events run smoothly.
Fontana Unified School District will expand its Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program to Jurupa Hills High School starting in the 2024-25 school year to complete a full K-12 DLI pathway and rigorous and enriching educational experience for District students. The DLI program, a cornerstone of academic excellence within the Fontana Unified School District, has garnered widespread acclaim for its commitment to bilingual education and fostering multicultural understanding. Through a comprehensive curriculum, students have the unique opportunity to become proficient in both English and Spanish, equipping them with invaluable linguistic skills and cultural competence.
Ramona Middle School has been honored as a 2024 Distinguished School by the California Department of Education, celebrating its exceptional academic performance and efforts to foster a supportive and welcoming learning environment. Ramona is among 293 middle schools and high schools honored by the CDE this year, marking its first California Distinguished School recognition since 1996. The school’s academic success is attributed to a robust instructional program that includes dedicated intervention classes in English language arts and math. Ramona’s supportive campus culture is bolstered by a focus on building students’ character, supported by Where Everybody Belongs peer mentors and Associated Student Body leadership who offer encouragement and celebrate their peers’ successes.
