Arroyo High School on May 1 was declared the winner of El Monte Union’s inaugural Cooking Showdown, a cooking competition in which student chefs from three El Monte Union high schools squared off to prepare a full meal. Filmed by Mountain View's VISTA Academy video production class, the game show-style competition featured three teams of six students receiving identical surprise ingredients and being given 75 minutes to plan and prep their dishes.
Baldwin Park Unified Seniors Recognized by East San Gabriel Valley ROP
Twelve seniors from Baldwin Park Unified’s two comprehensive high schools received awards from the East San Gabriel Valley Regional Occupational Program (ROP) during a Merit Scholar Recognition Ceremony on May 1. Two seniors from Baldwin Park High School earned Counselor Awards: Salvador Olmos took home an award for video production and Nayley Orellano won an award for early childhood education. Seven seniors from Baldwin Park High and three students from Sierra Vista High School were recognized as Merit Scholars.
Lynwood Unified to Host Comedy Showcase to Raise Money for Students
Lynwood Unified will hold its second annual Comedy Showcase at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 3 in the Lynwood High School auditorium, 4050 E. Imperial Hwy., Lynwood. The event is a benefit for the Lynwood Partners Educational Foundation Scholarship Fund.
West Covina Unified High Schools Celebrate College Commitments
West Covina High School and Edgewood High School celebrated college-bound students with College Signing Day activities on May 1, including concessions and goody-bag handouts and photo booths where students could pose with memorabilia from their college of choice.
Baldwin Park Unified Student Achievement Director Honored
Baldwin Park Unified School District’s Director of Student Achievement Dr. Maria C. Rios earned an Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region XV Charter Leadership Award on April 29. Region 15 is composed of districts across Los Angeles County. Rios started her career in BPUSD as a bilingual instructional aide after graduating from Sierra Vista High School. She was recognized for her exceptional leadership and innovative approach to education.
With graduation day fast approaching, Whittier Union’s college-bound seniors celebrated the end of their K-12 education journeys with festive ceremonies observing College Signing Day, held during the first week of May at each comprehensive high school. Seniors celebrated their commitment to continuing their education at four-year universities, community colleges, the military or vocational schools, inspiring crowds of underclassmen to work toward similar goals. More than 100 students from Whittier, California and La Serna high schools also attended UCLA’s National College Signing Day on May 1, hosted by former first lady Michelle Obama.
La Verne Heights Elementary School will open next school year with a new principal, Dr. Jaymi Abusham, who brings with her more than 24 years of educational experience. Dr. Abusham is an assistant professor and program chair for educational leadership at the University of La Verne and has centered her career on equity for students, one of Bonita Unified’s core values.
Inglewood Unified Juniors Selected for Entertainment Industry Fellowship
City Honors College Preparatory Academy students Sophia Baker and Sahil Multani are among just 25 juniors selected to participate in the Hollywood Reporter’s Young Executives Fellowship, a two-year program that will immerse them in the entertainment industry. The program is open to students from Compton, Inglewood and Los Angeles and is designed to create an inclusive pipeline for future leaders in entertainment.
Rio Hondo Elementary School fifth-grader Nicole Orozco said playing the sassy marionette Pinocchio in her school’s production of “Shrek Jr.” boosted her confidence in public speaking and allowed her to make new friends across several grade levels. El Monte City School District’s musical theater showcase features 11 of its schools putting on performances of popular works such as “Hairspray,” “Mary Poppins” and “Beauty and the Beast.”
West Covina Unified Names 2018-19 District Teacher of the Year
West Covina Unified administrators surprised Orangewood Elementary teacher Karla Toledo with flowers and balloons on April 30 to announce her selection as the WCUSD 2018-19 Teacher of the Year. Toledo teaches kindergarten in Orangewood’s highly popular Spanish Dual Language Immersion program.
