El Monte Union to Unveil Winner of Student Cooking Showdown on May 1
Student chefs from three El Monte Union high schools squared off to prepare a full meal – complete with a protein, vegetable and starch – in Cooking Showdown, the District’s first-ever cooking competition on March 15. 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. The winner will be announced at the Board of Trustees meeting on Wednesday, May 1.
Odyssey STEM Academy showcased student work for the Paramount community during an Exhibition of Learning event on March 14. Scholars presented lab concepts, internship projects and more for families and friends. Photos are available.
Baldwin Park Unified High Schoolers Compete in Public Speaking Contest
Sierra Vista senior Diana Aguilar Cruz and freshmen Maryhelen Ortega argued the meaning of freedom of the press during the annual Lions Club Student Speaker Contest on Feb. 25. Cruz won first place, earning a $100 scholarship and the opportunity to progress to the next regional area contest – to be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, March 9 at the Salvation Army, 970 E. Walnut St., Pasadena.
El Monte City School District to Host Breakfast, Leadership Showcase
Potrero School will host its third annual Leadership Day to showcase its Leader in Me program to parents and family members from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 7. Potrero School is at 2611 N. Potrero Ave., El Monte.
Baldwin Park Unified Promotes National School Breakfast Week
Baldwin Park Unified is celebrating National School Breakfast Week from Monday, March 4 through Friday, March 8 with new breakfast items, including cheese omelets, whole-grain croissants and waffles with fresh strawberries and bananas. More than 25,000 breakfasts are served to students on a weekly basis.
El Monte Union Partners with City of El Monte to INSPIRE Students
El Monte Union recently partnered with the City of El Monte to host two leadership conferences, dubbed INSPIRE, for hundreds of boys and girls who were provided with mentorship, inspiration and encouragement to ensure their success in high school and beyond. Students participated in three empowerment workshops, followed by luncheons with community leaders.
Inglewood High School Band Wins Kingdom Day Parade Competition
The Inglewood High School Band marched and played its way to a first-place finish at the annual Kingdom Day Parade, a Los Angeles event that celebrates the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Showcasing its woodwind, percussion, brass instrument sections, along with a drumline and cheer squad, Inglewood High outperformed local high schools. The band is led by Conrad Hutchinson, who has overseen the Inglewood band since 1977.
Southridge and Wayne Ruble middle schools are among 16 newly designated schools in the state to join the 2019 California Schools to Watch List, recognized for bridging the technology gap, boosting student achievement and improving campus culture. The Schools to Watch list, created by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform, identifies schools across the U.S. that share three features: academic excellence, developmentally responsive to early adolescence and social equity.
Nearly 250 Lynwood Middle School students will receive free eyeglasses through the District’s partnership with Vision To Learn, a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating vision issues as a barrier to education. The students who will receive new eyewear went through free screenings in fall 2018. The recipients have chosen their own frames. VTL specialists have partnered with Lynwood’s Rotary Club and will join LMS staff members to distribute the glasses on the school’s campus Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 9 a.m.
An educator known for her unconventional classroom tactics brought more than 700 Clifton Middle School students to tears on Feb. 14 with stories of how her “unteachable” students have blazed paths to college and successful careers. Erin Gruwell, a former Wilson High School teacher in Long Beach Unified School District featured in the film “Freedom Writers,” discussed the transformative power of education during a Freedom Writers Foundation assembly, leading students through activities demonstrating the impact of such obstacles as financial hardships, homelessness, and depression.
