Buena Park School District Students Thrill Community during Choral Festival
About 220 Buena Park School District students crooned, grooved and danced their way through seven decades of music for more than 600 applauding parents and community members during the District’s third annual Choral Festival. The “Blast from the Past” themed festival on Feb. 20 featured students dressed as rockers, hippies and disco dancers as they sang popular songs from the 1950s through the 2010s at Thanksgiving Church.
Baldwin Park High’s CTE Department Earns Chapter of Excellence Award
Baldwin Park High School’s career technical education (CTE) department was recognized as a Chapter of Excellence during the 2019-20 Skills USA Region 3 Competition. Students representing five CTE programs scored in the top 10 spots, with Cisco Academy and Early Childhood taking gold. Automotive technology, medical assisting and video production students placed in sixth, fourth and eighth respectively.
Río Hondo College Hires Former Arson Investigator to Head Fire Academy
Andrew E. Grzywa, the new director of the Río Hondo Fire Academy, brings more than 35 years of experience as an urban firefighter, wildland firefighter, arson investigator, police detective, fire agency executive and instructor to the post – in addition to being a graduate of the Río Hondo College program. Grzywa, hired by the Board of Trustees in January, succeeds Chief Tracy E. Rickman, who helped lead the academy for 22 years.
Paramount Unified’s Buena Vista Named 2020 Model Continuation School
Paramount Unified’s Buena Vista High School has been named a 2020 Model School by the California Department of Education for closing the achievement gap and creating a nurturing school environment. Buena Vista and 42 other honorees will be recognized at the 2020 CCEA State Conference in May. Continuation high schools provide diploma programs for students ages 16-18 who are at risk of not completing their education.
El Monte Union Senior Awarded Prestigious QuestBridge Scholarship
El Monte High School senior Dana Hua is a competitive computer coding hacker who sacrifices sleep to develop praiseworthy apps and educational games. Those long hours have finally paid off for the first-generation college-goer, who is among 1,127 seniors (out of 15,000 applicants) to be awarded the 2019 QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship. To top it off, Hua has been accepted to Stanford University. The scholarship, worth over $200,000 over four years, will cover tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies.
Baldwin Park Unified’s North Park Named 2020 Model Continuation School
Baldwin Park Unified’s North Park Continuation High School has been named a 2020 Model School by the California Department of Education for providing academic and social opportunities that ensure students succeed, and fostering a supportive school environment. North Park and 42 other winners will be honored at the 2020 CCEA State Conference, to be held in May in San Diego.
Río Hondo College Foundation to Host 8th Annual ‘A Taste of Río’
More than 700 guests are expected to sample artisan cuisine, fine wine and craft beer from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, April 17 during the Río Hondo Foundation’s eighth annual “A Taste of Río” event. The event, which supports Río Hondo student programs and scholarships, will feature more than two dozen local restaurants, music, a silent auction and opportunity drawings. The event has sold out for the last three years. The College is at 3600 Workman Mill Road, Whittier.
West Covina Unified Students Advance to SkillsUSA State Competition
Five Edgewood High School students will advance to the SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skill Conference, held Thursday, April 16 to Sunday, April 19 at the Ontario Convention Center. EHS students Kylie Nguyen, Camille Conway, Jonathan Ng, David Han, Emily Braunstein and Lauren Lau all qualified to compete at the state level in the video production category after their success at the regional level.
Fontana Unified Elementary School to Commemorate 70th Anniversary
Fontana Unified’s Redwood Elementary School invites families and the community to celebrate its 70th anniversary from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 8. The event will feature family-friendly activities, concessions and more. Redwood, one of Fontana Unified’s two Spanish dual language immersion schools, is at 8570 Redwood Ave., Fontana.
West Covina Unified Students Advance to State Science Olympiad
Students from Edgewood High School will advance to the Southern California Science Olympiad state tournament on Saturday, April 4 at CalTech, after their success in the regional competition. Edgewood’s C-Division team placed sixth out of 51 teams – competing in events pertaining to scientific disciplines like earth science, biology, chemistry and engineering – during the regional contest held at Rio Hondo College on Feb. 22.
