Zahra Razi has always had the heart of a teacher and can trace her passion for computer science back to her high school years in Iran, where she was born and raised. Those two characteristics helped bring her to Wayne Ruble Middle School, where she has taught for more than a decade. Over the past five years, Razi has used the Amazon Future Engineer program to share her enthusiasm for computer science with her students. Now, she’s one of 50 educators nationwide selected for a two-year, paid fellowship as a teacher ambassador for the program, aiming to expand science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and tech opportunities for students.
Mountain View High School (MVHS) students packed the school’s cafetorium to hear three-time Golden Globe and seven-time Primetime Emmy nominee Jane Kaczmarek share her expertise and experiences in the entertainment industry during a recording of the school’s “The Art of Talking” podcast on Sept. 4. Kaczmarek, best known for her role as the sharp-witted mother on "Malcolm in the Middle," brought her on-screen passion and intensity to “The Art of Talking’s” first episode of the 2024-25 season. The podcast is produced entirely by Mountain View students in the Viking Informational Systems Technology Academy (VISTA) and was recorded in front of a live audience of eager Mountain View High yearbook and journalism course students, along with fans spanning generations.
Twelve Covina-Valley Unified School District schools have been granted 2024 ENERGY STAR Certification by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the second year in a row, marking the District’s dedication to environmental stewardship and operational efficiency. Twelve of the District’s elementary, middle, and high schools performed in the top 25% nationwide for energy efficiency and met strict ventilation standards to receive 2024 ENERGY STAR Certification. These schools have not only excelled in reducing energy consumption but also set an example for educational institutions nationwide. These certifications not only recognize the District’s efforts in energy conservation but also signify potential cost savings and improved learning environments for students and staff. Schools that earn the ENERGY STAR Certification are recognized for their superior energy performance, contributing to a healthier planet and a more sustainable future.
Students in Fontana Unified School District’s Future Shapers Academy (FSA) will present its contributions and input to the city of Fontana’s Downtown Core Project, a proposal to develop downtown Fontana into a local and regional destination. Fontana Unified launched the Future Shapers Academy in 2023-24, with FSA students spending the inaugural school year collaborating with leaders from the city of Fontana on designing an entertainment center in downtown Fontana. Students tackled a series of smaller design challenges that contributed to the larger project.
Longtime Whittier resident Yoshio Nakamura, whose engaging personality and gentle encouragement transformed the highly-decorated World War II combat veteran into a much beloved and influential art teacher for multiple generations of Whittier students, returned to Whittier High School on Sept. 7, when the District officially dedicated the school’s art building in his honor. The Whittier community, which included the Whittier Union Board of Trustees, Congressional representatives, City Council members, former students, and veterans from the U.S Armed Forces, gathered to honor the 98-year-old Nakamura, known to everyone as “Yosh,” for his longtime career in education, which included 10 years as an art teacher at Whittier High School and nearly 30 years as an art teacher, dean, and vice president at Río Hondo College.
As a member of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles’ (NHM) teacher advisory council, San Dimas High School art teacher Dominic Black has created art projects and curriculum designed to give students of all ages access to museum exhibits – both in-person and online – and inspire them to learn more about the art process and natural history while creating their own original work. In the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Black’s ideas on curriculum allowed art students from across L.A. County and beyond to continue their education virtually, through books like “Art Inside and Out” and personal story projects, including a cultural self-portrait assignment where students reimagined a mural by L.A.-based artist Barbara Carrasco.
Río Hondo College (RHC) and El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) celebrated its longstanding partnership and collaboration to create pathways that empower students to achieve their academic and career aspirations at EMUHSD’s Board of Trustees meeting on Sept. 4. Over the last six years, Río Hondo College and El Monte Union have partnered to establish free dual enrollment opportunities for EMUHSD students, including the Early College Academy (ECA) at South El Monte High, allowing them to get a jumpstart on higher education by earning college credit in high school.
Redwood Elementary School students are benefitting from language development and increased cultural awareness and connection as part of the school’s popular dual language immersion (DLI) program. Each year, Redwood Elementary School holds a lottery for its dual language immersion (DLI) program with about 100 families applying for the 50 seats offered to kindergartners entering the program.
Fontana Unified School District voted to rename Randall Pepper Elementary School to O’Day Short Elementary – shining a light on a dark moment in Fontana’s history while affirming the District’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion – during its Board of Education meeting on Sept. 4. Southridge Tech Middle School seventh grader Cyrus Moss first set the wheels in motion for the name change when he presented the Fontana Unified Board with a petition signed by 132 members of the community at its March 13 meeting. In accordance with administrative regulations, FUSD was unable to act on the petition until its Sept. 4 meeting.
As the 2024-25 school year gets underway in Bonita Unified School District, the countdown is officially on for the 52nd chapter of the storied Smudge Pot Rivalry Game between the Bonita and San Dimas high school football teams. The annual, friendly rivalry is a District staple, celebrating school unity by showcasing not only the athletic but artistic talents of its students. The game features spirited halftime performances from the schools’ cheer and dance teams, marching band, and color guards that reflect the rich culture at both Bonita and San Dimas high schools.
