Arroyo High School seniors Ethan Wong and Molly Hake share an affinity for academics and athleticism. After years of diligence in the classroom and in athletic competition, the students have been recognized as two of the top scholars in the nation. Wong, a tennis player, scored his most impressive ace when he earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36, a perfect score reached by only 2,760 students – or 1/10 of 1 percent – of the more than 2 million who took the exam in 2017. Hake, a distance runner who has garnered many awards on Arroyo’s track and cross country teams, was recently recognized as a Commended Student in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
El Monte Union hosted a CTE Fair on Jan. 23 for area middle school students and their parents, introducing them to a host of career technical education pathways available at EMUHSD schools. Students and parents learned about pathways in business/finance; engineering; arts/media/design; health care; hospitality and food service; building and construction; transportation; and manufacturing.
Students at Paramount Unified’s Odyssey STEM Academy are learning from successful professionals at hospitals, in city government buildings and at schools through a six-week internship program that immerses them in real-world careers. Students are spending two days per week in their fields of study from Jan. 14 to March 8. Students were required to seek out their own mentors and apply for the internships through job fairs and personal visits. Students will continue with new internships throughout their four years to learn new skills and career possibilities before they graduate.
A podcast launched in fall 2015 by two Bassett Unified teachers on special assignment (TOSAs) celebrated its 100th podcast this month and logged its 70,000th download by educators who are keen to learn ways to integrate technology into their instructional plans. Called “TOSAs Talking Tech,” the podcast was created by Tom Covington and Michael Jephcott to connect with District educators with busy schedules. The show’s popularity skyrocketed after the duo presented at classroom tech conferences in 2017.
Students from El Monte City School District’s Gidley School will test their science acumen against 39 area schools at the 33rd annual Los Angeles Regional Science Olympiad from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23 at Rio Hondo College, 3600 Workman Mill Road, Whittier. Gidley School students will compete on science topics such as viral outbreak causes, decoding encrypted messages and identifying parts of human anatomy.
More than 300 students in kindergarten through third grade at El Monte City School District’s Potrero School received new pairs of athletic shoes during a Shoes That Fit event on Jan. 23 funded by Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Baldwin Park. Shoes That Fit is a Claremont-based nonprofit that battles poverty by giving children new pairs of shoes with help from the community.
Inglewood Unified Senior Accepted to Caltech as QuestBridge Scholar
Erick Jiminez, a senior at Inglewood Unified’s City Honors Preparatory Academy, took a step closer to his dream of a career in aerospace when he earned acceptance to the California Institute of Technology as a four-year QuestBridge Scholar, which will cover his tuition, room and board, books and travel expenses. Class valedictorian with a 4.36 GPA, Jiminez scored in the top 3 percent in the nation on the PSAT and earned a 1460 on his SAT. He plans to major in math or engineering.
Bonita Unified’s San Dimas High School to Perform Broadway Musical
More than 50 students from San Dimas High School’s drama club and from Bonita Unified’s elementary and middle schools will stage the Broadway musical “Big Fish” at the Bonita Center of the Arts, 822 W. Covina Blvd., San Dimas. Performances will run at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30 and Thursday, Jan. 31, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 1 and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2. Tickets are $5 for students, $15 for the presale and $20 at the door.
Gabrielino High to Hold School Counselor Forum for Parents
San Gabriel Unified’s Gabrielino High School will hold its latest parent seminar, “Ask a Counselor,” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20. Parents will have the opportunity to meet with Gabrielino’s school counselors and discuss high school education and college-prep topics during the forum. Gabrielino High is at 1327 S. San Gabriel Blvd., San Gabriel.
Lynwood to Help Parents Better Connect with Students through Workshop
Lynwood Unified will hold a family engagement workshop from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29 at the Lindbergh Elementary School Parent Center to help parents inspire and connect with their children. The session will tackle how to teach children and young adults to appreciate themselves and others. Light refreshments, childcare and Spanish translation will be provided. The center is at 3300 Agnes St., Lynwood.
