Paramount Unified’s Hollydale K-8 School hosted South Gate Mayor Maria Davila among other community members on March 26 to celebrate its 2018 California Schools to Watch listing. Hollydale is one of 22 schools in California, and one of two in Paramount Unified, to be lauded for boosting student achievement and improving campus relations.
Banda Nueva Dinastia de Zoochila, a second-generation Oaxacan brass band from Lynwood, is teaching its young members that the discipline required to master a musical instrument also provides a pathway to higher education. The internationally-acclaimed philharmonic band composed primarily of Lynwood Unified students, is sending nearly 90 percent of its student-musicians to college. Banda Nueva Dinastia debuted in 2001, with 36 first- and second-generation Oaxacan members attending Lindbergh Elementary School. Though dropout rates at that time were high throughout the community, all 36 original Banda Nueva Dinastia members graduated high school, with many of them becoming the first in their family to attend college.
Baldwin Park Unified school psychologist Susan Coats and Sierra Vista High School student Annastasia Phan will be honored by state Sen. Ed Hernandez from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 27 during the 10th annual Women of Achievement Awards for the 22nd Senate District at the Covina Center for the Performing Arts, 104 N. Citrus Ave., Covina. Coats will be honored as one of 19 Women of Achievement and Phan as one of two Emerging Leaders.
Bassett Unified eighth-grade students slathered their hands with hand sanitizer before placing them inside a cardboard box. The students then peeked inside the box from an opening on the top and saw a special light illuminating the lingering germs on their palms and under their fingernails. The demonstration was presented by Bassett High’s Health Academy as part of a three-day career and technical education showcase that introduced Edgewood Academy, and Torch Middle and Bassett High school students to pathways in health care, business, engineering and education at the high school.
Baldwin Park High School will present Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” as its spring musical, a performance in song and dance by 33 student actors, at 7 p.m. Friday, March 23, and at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 24 at the Baldwin Park Performing Arts Center, 4640 Maine Ave., Baldwin Park.
Paramount High School senior Steven Hurtado had never set foot on a golf course, but on March 11 he found himself walking step for step with Hall of Fame golfer Vijay Singh at the Toshiba Classic professional tournament in Newport Beach. Hurtado wasn’t shadowing as a fan, but as a videographer and working member of the media. He was one of five PHS seniors who received a paid internship to work the event through the school’s Career Technical Education (CTE) Media Pathway program.
Sprint provided 35 Sprint ZTE hotspots to Baldwin Park High School students on March 23, the first stage of a project to provide 1 million devices over five years to students who lack home internet. The hotspots allow students to access 3 GB of data a month for free throughout their high school careers. So far, 40 devices also have gone to Sierra Vista High School students and 12 to North Park Continuation High School students. Some 172 more Baldwin Park Unified students are eligible to receive devices.
The Whittier Union High School District’s five comprehensive high schools are inviting future freshmen and their parents to attend Future Frosh Night on Thursday, March 22, where the members of the class of 2022 will receive valuable information about the classes and programs available at each campus. Teachers, students and administrators at the high schools will host the eighth-graders for an evening of exploration of exemplary programs for ninth-graders, including: Advanced Placement courses and challenging Honors programs; rigorous academics; college preparation and counseling; innovative career academies; top athletics programs; visual and performing arts programs; extensive support services; and exciting extracurricular activities.
Fontana Unified’s Dorothy Grant and Chaparral elementary schools have begun the process of becoming Code to the Future schools, which offer immersive computer science curriculum. Both schools will implement the new computer science curriculum in the 2018-19 school year. They will be the only Code to the Future schools in the Inland Empire.
Nueva Vista High School students dressed for success as they completed their Career Week by conducting mock job interviews with Bassett Unified School District staff on March 9. More than 30 Nueva Vista students spent the week preparing for the interviews by assembling resumes, writing cover letters and listening to professionals from manufacturing and law enforcement sectors. Bassett Unified staff reviewed student interviews, offering feedback for improvement.
