Fontana Unified Student Supports Peers with Gift Card Fundraising Drive
Canyon Crest Elementary School fifth-grader Noah Walker wanted to do more to help families facing hardships brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Initiating a community fundraiser, Walker raised approximately $650 and used it to purchase a variety of gift cards – including McDonald’s, Target, and other food-related cards – for families in need. The gift cards will be distributed to families beginning Monday, March 29 and continue throughout the week. Canyon Crest Elementary is at 11851 Cherry Ave., Fontana.
Monrovia Unified Secondary Students to Return for In-Person Instruction
Monrovia Unified School District secondary students will return to campus for in-person instruction on Monday, April 19, using a Secondary Hybrid Instructional Model approved by the Board of Education in March. The approved schedule will divide students into three separate cohorts, with Cohort A and B attending school Monday and Tuesday, and Thursday and Friday, respectively. Cohort C will continue with 100% distance learning.
Río Hondo College’s Board of Trustees welcomed Anais Medina Diaz as the Area 1 Trustee following a swearing-in ceremony during a March 24 board meeting. Medina Diaz was sworn into office by her husband, El Monte Union High School District Board of Trustee Clerk David Diaz, during a virtual Zoom meeting. In attendance were Congresswoman Grace Napolitano and a representative for Assemblymember Blanca E. Rubio.
Grammy Award-winning composer Eric Whitacre joined Río Hondo College choral students for a virtual music workshop on March 11, providing guidance for those seeking to pursue a career as a professional singer or music composer. Whitacre discussed his influences, his early years as a student at the Julliard School of Music, moving to Los Angeles to work as a film composer, his initial successes in the music industry, the value of chance in the songwriting process, how to turn failure into success and the inspirations that led to the formation of his Virtual Choir project.
Helen Keller and Washington elementary school staff greeted more than 60 total K-2 students at the front entrance on March 22, a day when even face coverings could not mask the excitement of Lynwood Unified School District reopening its doors for in-person instruction. The District welcomed back students on a limited basis, beginning with grades K-2 for just two schools, and will continue with a staggered restart of all elementary grades on April 15 following spring break.
Buena Park Middle School teacher Kristina Walshe positively radiates joy at the idea of getting students excited about math and science, especially when new students are afraid of the daunting subjects. Her unending positivity and exemplary work have earned her recognition as Buena Park School District’s 2021 Teacher of the Year.
Baldwin Park Unified Orchestra Recognizes Anniversary of Distance Learning
Baldwin Park High School’s orchestra department staged a musical project to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent move to distance learning. Student musicians performed heartfelt pieces which included written commentaries to express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences from the past year.
Whittier Union High School Wellness Program Connects with Students
Personalized gift bags – filled with snacks, stress balls, school supplies, resource guides and positive messaging – reached the homes of 55 students as part of California High School’s Cal Cares wellness program, during a distribution event that took place March 17-19. Cal Cares is aimed at connecting Cal High administrators and counselors with students who have experienced social-emotional distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The gift bags have been distributed to more than 175 Cal High students through the 2020-21 school year, providing comfort to students who have lost loved ones, are experiencing anxiety or just need to hear a kind word.
El Monte Union High School District held a socially distanced groundbreaking ceremony at Rosemead High School on March 25, with administrators and staff cheerfully celebrating the launch of construction for the school’s new track and field. The project, which features a new synthetic football field and repairs to the rubberized track, is expected to be completed in July 2021.
Summit High School career technical education (CTE) students delivered impressive performances at the SkillsUSA Region 6 2021 Virtual Leadership and Skill Conference, earning 15 gold medals and sending 46 students to the state finals, to be held in April. From entrepreneurship and cyber security to pin design, Summit students rose to the challenge of the virtual format, medaling or placing in 17 separate categories. Medalists included Aaron Vera, Emma Hernandez, Natalia Ramirez and Jade Centeno, who captured gold in Entrepreneurship for their startup app Wisteria, a healthcare platform that allows users to access a wide range of mental health services and resources, with the goal of increasing equity in mental health resources for underrepresented populations.
