Seventy-five Bonita Unified School District students received new pairs of brand-name shoes as the centerpiece of a holiday gift basket created by the District in partnership with Sempra Energy and Claremont nonprofit Shoes That Fit. The baskets are filled with toys donated through the District’s annual toy drive, led by Lone Hill Middle School campus supervisor Cyndy Starkey.
Shirpser School third-grade teacher Jose Espinoza has received a Bobby Salcedo Esperanza Award from the El Monte Promise Foundation for inspiring students to be their best selves, providing in-depth assistance to struggling students, relaying the importance of higher education and offering a friendly face for students in need of support.
Baldwin Park Unified is adding five electric buses to its school bus fleet – with the first three arriving Dec. 20 – thanks to a $1.8 million California Energy Commission grant. The grant will cover the cost of charging stations and the vehicles, which replace five diesel-powered buses. These upgrades will help to improve air quality and increase the use of renewable fuels in the community.
Inglewood High School alum Daniel ‘D Smoke’ Farris is making major waves in the music industry and inspiring the community around him. The champion of Netflix’s “Rhythm + Flow,” Farris has recently released a project titled The “Inglewood High EP” and will make a guest appearance at Inglewood High’s Winter Concert in January.
Charles G. Emery School has been named a California Distinguished School, joining the ranks of 323 elementary schools that received the award on Dec. 18. Emery School was recognized for its Balanced Literacy program, which encourages students to develop a love of reading. The effort has boosted English language arts state test scores.
A record-setting five El Monte City School District schools have been named California Distinguished Schools, celebrating the District’s overall excellence and superb growth in academics, state test scores and community outreach initiatives. El Monte City School District is one of just nine school districts to receive more than five awards in 2019 – and by far the smallest District to secure the achievement.
Six members of the Henry J. Kaiser High School Catamount Pride Band and Color Guard, a member of the Jurupa Hills High School Marching Spartans Band, a Wayne Ruble Middle School student and three Southridge Tech Middle School students have been selected to perform at the San Bernardino Basin Honor Band Concert at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1 at the University of Redlands Memorial Chapel, 1220 E. Colton Ave., Redlands.
Fontana Unified will conclude its 22nd annual Fontana Santas Toy Drive with the District’s third annual holiday breakfast and community event on Saturday, Dec. 21 at Henry J. Kaiser High School, 11155 Almond Ave., Fontana. Families will enjoy a pancake breakfast, family-friendly games and pictures with Santa. Fontana Santas is an effort by Fontana Unified, Fontana School police and community partners to provide gifts to FUSD families in need.
Lynwood Unified has increased its District graduation rate by more than 6 percentage points through programs that focus on college and career success and build on the achievement culture of the District. Lynwood Unified’s graduation rate has surged to 90.8 percent for the 2018-19 school year, up from 84.6 the previous year, according to recently released California data.
Pioneer High School students cheered loudly during a recent math competition that pitted Pioneer calculus students against Whittier College math majors, a contest that saw the high school math whizzes triumph over their collegiate peers. The academic competition, dubbed the Derivative Bee, is now in its second year and was created by Dallas DeHart, a Whittier College senior and 2016 Pioneer High graduate. DeHart – who is the daughter of Pioneer math teacher and Whittier Union 2019-20 Teacher of the Year Carolina DeHart – is also president of the college’s math club.
