IEBC Partnership Seeks to Sustain and Institutionalize Caring Campus
The Institute for Evidence-Based Change’s (IEBC) longtime partner, California Community College Classified Senate, is producing a guide outlining strategies for community colleges to sustain and institutionalize Caring Campus beyond its initial implementation, integrating the program's principles and strategies into the college's culture for long-term effectiveness. IEBC created Caring Campus to provide staff and faculty with tools and resources to help students feel more connected to their college, thereby improving student retention, persistence, and success.
El Monte Union Salutes National Athletic Training & Red Cross Month
In celebration of National Athletic Training and Red Cross Month, Rosemead High School sports medicine and athletic training students partnered with the school’s Red Cross Club to host a First Aid Workshop on March 8. Students were taught splinting, spine boarding, how to handle open wounds, and how to perform CPR. Arroyo High School’s athletic training students were also hard at work attending to the needs of athletes during their school’s baseball and softball games on March 18.
Bonita Unified School District Honors 2024 Employees of the Year
Bonita Unified's Executive Cabinet announced the 2024 Certificated, Classified and Management Employees of the Year on March 20 with surprise visits, banners, and flowers, honoring three employees for their dedication to Bonita Unified students and contributions to the District. La Verne Heights Elementary first-grade teacher Elizabeth Quezada is the 2024 Certificated Employee of the Year; she is joined by Classified Employee of the Year Melissa Romanek, a buyer in the purchasing department, and Director of Food Services Edna Mckenna, the Management Employee of the Year. All three Employees of the Year will be honored at the April 10 Board of Education meeting.
Lynwood Unified Students Venture to Catalina Island, Explore Nature
A group of Will Rogers Elementary School fifth-grade students embarked on an enriching overnight camping adventure to Catalina Island held March 16-17, engaging in various hands-on activities to foster a deep appreciation of nature, science and environmental conservancy. The Catalina Island Conservancy piloted the first in a series of all-expenses-paid trips set to take place through 2024 for fifth-graders at Will Rogers and Abbott elementary schools. The opportunity gave students a fresh perspective on the natural world and highlighted the significance of hands-on learning experiences, such as learning to plant, pitch a tent, build a fire, and more.
El Monte Union Alumni Return for Annual Alumni Staff Track Meet
El Monte High School hosted its second annual Alumni Staff Track Meet on March 22, with dozens of alumni and staff challenging the current track and field team, highlighting their athleticism while fostering deeper connections on campus. Participants received commemorative T-shirts and earned medals for their hard work. Alumni and staff took home the trophy for a second year in a row.
Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez presented Río Hondo College with a check for nearly $1 million in federal funding to upgrade its Police Academy Regional Training Center during an April 26 ceremony. The funding, which was secured by Sánchez in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, will be used to install new scenario-based learning environments and virtual reality technology, which will place cadets in emotionally charged, simulated settings that reflect real law enforcement incidents, allowing them to safely learn from mistakes and improve their performance and responses.
LUSD Female Students Participate in Girl Empowerment Conference
Lynwood Unified School District middle school girls engaged in an afternoon of leadership activities designed to embrace girl power, ignite positive change across communities, and amplify the student voice during the second annual Girl Empowerment Conference on March 28. During the event, Hosler and Cesar Chavez middle schoolers heard inspiring words from accomplished women and participated in interactive sessions to process and discuss important topics in a safe space.
L.A. Pierce College Strengthens Campus Culture Through Caring Campus
Los Angeles Pierce College is strengthening its culture of belonging for both students and staff by successfully implementing Caring Campus, a program that teaches principles, tactics, and habits to create a more welcoming, connected environment, thereby improving student retention and success. Data from the Institute for Evidence-Based Change shows that students who feel more connected to their college are more likely to be retained, persist from semester to semester, and complete their academic goals. Caring Campus’ work to increase connectedness aims to help ensure students achieve all that they can from their college experience.
Hacienda La Puente Unified Students Receive Art Recognitions
Los Altos High School junior Angela Shih and senior Amber Juarez are celebrating their recent accomplishments as winners of the Riverside Youth Art Month Competition. Shih and Juarez were recognized for their distinctive drawings, with Shih capturing a first-place award and Juarez receiving second place. The awards reflect the excellent work coming out of Los Altos’ visual arts program, led by teacher Bertha Oseguera. The winning art is now on display at the Riverside Art Museum.
Bonita High School’s Concert Choir and Chamber Singers were emotional as they sang through their pieces during the final dress rehearsal for the San Diego Heritage Festival – reflecting on the past nine years in the District’s choral program, and the significance of sharing one last formal show together. For many of the students, their journey in Bonita Unified’s choral program started in elementary school, allowing them to forge lasting bonds as they grew through song and as individuals. The Bearcats took their poise and energy to the stage on March 22 and swept the competition with eight accolades, including Gold Ratings for both Chamber Singers and Concert Choir, Maestro Awards for two standout individual performers, first place in their division, the Adjudicator Award, Outstanding Choral Group and the Sweepstake for Choral Program award for becoming the top-scoring choir at the competition.
