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.
Sierra Vista High School senior Abrahan Vasquez will study biology at Claremont McKenna College this fall after earning a 2019 Gates Scholarship, an all-expense paid award given to just 300 students across the country. Vasquez, president of the school’s National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) club, was accepted to 11 universities, including USC and UCLA.
Fontana Unified School District showcased student excellence, touted award-winning schools and programs and announced two major projects at the 2019 State of the District scholarship breakfast on April 23 at Center Stage Theater. During a keynote address, Superintendent Randal S. Bassett announced the District’s two newest projects to propel the District forward: an innovative secondary school that will feature a museum and community science center; and a 1:1 tech device initiative that ensures every student has access to a laptop or tech device in the classroom.
Roosevelt Elementary transformed the San Gabriel Library into a music festival on April 27 with dance routines to “Footloose” and “Thriller,” a raucous Mariachi performance of “La Bamba” and a rock band rendition of “Earth Angel” during the fourth annual Music Immersion Experience (MIE) Unity Fest. Unity Fest was created by MIE coordinator Samantha Theisen and staff as a way to highlight the impact of music to the community and showcase MIE elective courses, which include handbell choir, ukulele, Orff percussion, camerata, drumline, Mariachi band and folkloric dance.
Buena Park School District’s Gordon H. Beatty School has been named a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme, which lays a foundation to nurture and develop young students into caring, active participants for a lifelong journey of learning.
Washington Elementary students delighted parents and community members with vibrant self-portraits, lively musical performances and art demonstrations during the 10th annual ArtFest on April 26. ArtFest, a PTA-supported celebration of student talent and creative expression, transformed the school’s cafeteria into an art gallery showcasing still life paintings and multimedia projects alongside family-friendly art activities led by professional artists and Washington teachers.
