Jurupa Hills High School senior Kaitlyn Dodgen – an International Baccalaureate Class of 2019 Diploma Candidate – has been recognized as a 2019 Gates Scholar by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, one of just 300 students across the United States to receive the honor. Dodgen, who has a 4.6 GPA, was accepted into more than a dozen colleges, including two Ivy League schools, and will attend the University of Chicago to study statistics. The university has an acceptance rate of less than 10 percent.
Bonita Unified culinary arts students cooked up a recipe for success during the 2019 California ProStart Cup, with four student teams earning accolades and scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $6,000 for their kitchen, management and innovation skills. The ProStart Cup, held March 15-16 at the Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Conference Center, brought more than 200 students from across California to compete in three contests: the Wurstkuche Innovation Cup, the BJ’s Restaurant Culinary Cup and the BJ’s Restaurant Management Cup.
Buena Park Junior High School seventh-grader Ricardo Estrada said he loved learning about the life cycles of insects and their effect on local flora and fauna as a result of working on his school’s student-run native habitat garden. The school’s garden was installed in December 2017 and has been maintained by horticulture students, as they learn about the various plants that thrive in California and how they benefit the environment. The upkeep is done by seventh and eighth grade students in the horticulture program, overseen by electives teacher Shelley Andros.
Students at Inglewood Unified’s Frank D. Parent Elementary School are enjoying new school supplies after receiving a donation from a local IKEA. The IKEA in Carson dropped off truckloads of desks, tables, office chairs, folders, binders, rugs, lamps, plants and clocks during three deliveries over this past month. The donations, valued at $7,500, were coordinated by a Parent Elementary School parent. Photos are available.
Lynwood Unified Celebrates Fitness at District Track and Field Event
More than 700 Lynwood Unified K-8 students competed in the District’s annual Track and Field Championships on April 13 at Lynwood High School. Athletes trained for four months in preparation for the event, which celebrated health and fitness. Students who earned first- through fifth-place finishes advance to a Qualifier Meet on May 19 at Rancho Dominguez Preparatory in Long Beach. Photos are available.
Monrovia Unified’s Santa Fe Students Study Brain and Lung Specimens
Sixth-grade students from Monrovia Unified’s Santa Fe Computer Science Magnet School learned about brain and lung specimens on April 23 during a crash course with Sonia Maljian, director of laboratory services at Methodist Hospital. Students also learned about other organs such as the heart and liver and closely observed samples that were brought into the classroom.
Paramount Unified Briefs Parents on Early College Program
Paramount Unified held six parent informational meetings in April to share details on the new Administration of Justice Early College Program, which allows students to earn an associate degree for transfer in administration of justice at the same time they earn a diploma. Parents were able to visit with educators and ask questions about the new program, which will begin this summer. For more information, visit www.tinyurl.com/ParamountEarlyCollege.
Monrovia Unified Offers Students an Alternative Approach to Learning
Mountain Park School, a K-12 tuition-free homeschool option provided by Monrovia Unified School District, offers flexibility to non-traditional students – some of whom are pursuing careers in acting or athletics. Mountain Park exposes students to career pathways, extra-curricular programs and early college opportunities that help with college and career preparation.
California Secretary of State Visits Inglewood High School
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla visited Inglewood High School on April 23 to speak to students about voting and the importance of civic engagement. The event included an assembly, rally and a voter registration drive with students using tablets and paper forms to register to vote. Photos are available.
Baldwin Park Unified is partnering with Care Solace, an online research tool that assists individuals in finding local counseling-related services, to promote the importance of mental health and ensure the well-being of the District community. Care Solace services are available at no cost to BPUSD students, families and staff. To use the program, individuals answer 10 questions and are directed to an extensive list of referrals for care providers.
