Hundreds of seniors from five El Monte Union comprehensive high schools celebrated their university-bound commitments in front of cheering crowds of underclassmen, teachers and administrators during College Signing Day ceremonies. Rosemead, Mountain View, El Monte, South El Monte and Arroyo high schools hosted events to recognize seniors achieving their academic pursuits and to showcase the college-going culture of each campus.
Rosemead High School senior Alec Nguyen – an accomplished track and field athlete and stellar student – will study chemical engineering this autumn at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology after being named a 2018 Gates Scholar. The prestigious scholarship – bestowed to only 300 students out of more than 28,700 applicants – will cover all Nguyen’s tuition costs, as well as provide academic and social support, mentoring and leadership training opportunities throughout his college career.
Fontana High School senior Alexandra Ortega is one step closer to achieving her dreams thanks to the 2018 Gates Scholarship, an all-expense-paid scholarship given to just 300 high-achieving minority students in the U.S. Ortega will study biochemistry at UCLA and hopes to pursue a career in medicine.
Baldwin Park Unified’s Adult and Community Education program lauded more than 190 graduates of its academic and career technical training programs during commencement exercises held May 24 at Baldwin Park High School. The festive event included the National Anthem performed by the Baldwin Park High School band and speeches by valedictorian Tarah Zharny Abregana Amor and salutatorian Lourdes Suastegui Melchor, as well as the awarding of scholarships
Bassett Unified will host a “Celebrating Bassett” event from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 24 to highlight student, teacher and District successes from the 2017-18 school year. Students will demonstrate coding, rocketry and visual arts. Interim Superintendent Debra French, Teacher of the Year Jessica Estrada and students will speak. The event will be at the Torch Middle School Watanabe Center, 751 Vineland Ave., City of Industry.
Rio Hondo College will hold a series of ceremonies at the end of May to celebrate students who have earned degrees and certificates, including a special event for nurses and for graduates of the College’s first-ever class of TESLA-trained technicians. On Wednesday, May 23, TESLA graduates will be honored at 4 p.m.; at 5 p.m., nurses will be recognized with a pinning ceremony. The College’s 55th annual Commencement Ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 24. All events will be at the College, 3600 Workman Mill Road, Whittier.
More than 200 Lynwood Unified parents are expected to celebrate their participation in the District’s parent education program during the 4th annual Parent University commencement event from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19. Parents who completed Parent University workshops throughout the year will gather at Marshall Elementary School, 3593 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Lynwood.
Nearly 200 Fontana Unified students with special needs raced across a track, warmed up their throwing arms and tested their long jump skills during the sixth annual Splash and Dash on May 11, an event that builds relationships and celebrates diversity.
Wesley Gaines Elementary School will celebrate moms during its annual Mother’s Day Breakfast from 7 to 8 a.m. Friday, May 11. The breakfast will be held on campus, 7340 Jackson St., Paramount.
Roosevelt Elementary’s student Mariachi band will showcase its talent at the Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park Medical Center farmer’s market and Cinco de Mayo celebration on Friday, May 4 from noon to 12:30 p.m. Part of the school’s award-winning Music Immersion Experience (MIE) program, the Mariachi band consists of 22 fourth- and fifth-graders. This will be the band’s second public, off-campus performance since the elective class was introduced in August 2017.