Two El Monte Union high schools – Arroyo and Rosemead – have been named to the 2017-18 California Honor Roll for demonstrating consistently high levels of student academic achievement, narrowing the achievement gap and preparing students for college. The honor is given by the Educational Results Partnership (ERP) and sponsored by the Campaign for Businesses and Educational Excellence (CBEE), based on the results of state standardized tests in math and English language arts (ELA) taken in spring 2017. The program, which this year recognized 1,798 schools in California, is part of a national effort to identify higher-performing schools and districts that are improving student outcomes.
The El Monte Union High School District honored more than 2,000 members of the Class of 2018 in commencement ceremonies that included teachers and staff proudly looking on, excited students waving their diplomas through the air and families and friends cheering loudly from the stands. The District celebrated 530 graduating seniors from Arroyo High School, 427 students from El Monte High School, 322 students from Mountain View High, 394 seniors from Rosemead High and 305 students from South El Monte High. Fernando R. Ledesma graduated 75 students and the El Monte-Rosemead Adult School celebrated 90 students at its ceremony.
The Lynwood Unified Board of Education will recognize eighth-graders Zion Bennett and Jose Laguna, who have been selected to journey to Rwanda from July 3-16 to showcase their acting and writing talents as a part of the District’s Building Relationships and Inspiring Dialogue through Global Exchange (BRIDGE) Theatre Project. Bennett and Laguna were chosen from more than 500 District students who participate in the program. Bennett co-wrote an original play, “Great Minds Alike,” a story about female empowerment which will be performed at the annual Ubumuntu Arts Festival next month. In exchange, the Lynwood students will perform a play written by Rwandan students at the festival.
Baldwin Park High School valedictorian Camella Audrey Tieu encouraged her graduating classmates to be open to every opportunity and to not fear feeling lost because together they can reach their paths to happiness during the Class of 2018’s commencement ceremony on May 31. The event honored 400 graduating seniors who accepted long-anticipated diplomas in front of families, friends and educators. Salutatorian Melissa Lepe highlighted the ups and downs of high school and challenged her peers to push their boundaries of success. Lepe earned a 4.52 GPA and will attend UC Irvine to study aerospace engineering. Of the 400 graduates, 110 were accepted to one or more four-year universities, including USC, UCLA, Pepperdine and the University of La Verne. Students will also attend community colleges, trade and technical schools and enlist in the U.S. armed forces.
Dolores Huerta International Academy, Sierra Lakes Elementary and Dorothy Grant Elementary were named to the 2017-18 California Honor Roll for narrowing the achievement gap and producing strong results on state standardized tests. All three Fontana Unified schools were honored as Star Schools, a designation for high-performing schools with substantial populations of socioeconomically disadvantaged students.
Two Jurupa Hills High School juniors have been invited to participate in the 2018-19 National Hispanic Recognition Program (NHRP) for their performance on the PSAT, placing them among the top 2.5 percent of Hispanic and Latino students in their 12-state region. If selected, Angel Guerrero and Kaitlyn Dodgen would be among 5,000 Hispanic/Latino students to be named NHRP Scholars, chosen from a pool of 250,000 high school juniors.
More than 130 graduating seniors received diplomas during a memorable commencement ceremony at North Park Continuation High School on May 30, which featured an interlude with students bestowing orchid leis on parents, teachers and mentors who helped them on their educational journey. Associated Student Body treasurer Mariana Rojo Hernandez and classmate Wilmer Antonio Sanchez encouraged their fellow graduates to never give up and to recognize their resiliency and strength. Hernandez received a scholarship from Schools First Credit Union. Sanchez earned scholarships from the Baldwin Park Education Association and the California School Employee Association.
Karina Cortes Garcia walked through a crowded Paramount High School gymnasium on May 24, proudly holding a certificate that displayed her college destination of the University of California, Berkeley. Garcia was one of nearly 370 college-bound seniors who gathered for University Celebration Day, which honored students for their acceptance to four-year universities. The group shared lunch and memories as PHS staff recognized each by name and awarded them with congratulatory certificates.
Southern California Edison and El Monte Union High School District held a “1,000 Station Celebration” at South El Monte High School on May 30 to mark the installation of the 1,000th EV charging station under SCE’s Charge Ready program. Charge Ready is SCE’s pilot program to get more electric vehicle charging stations installed in locations where drivers park their cars for extended periods of time. El Monte Union, the first public school district in the program, has installed 44 stations at six District sites.
Gabrielino High School senior Hugo M. So will pursue his passion for engineering at Harvey Mudd College after being named a 2018 National Merit Scholar, a distinction earned by just 7,500 of 1.6 million students who apply by taking the PSAT. So, a varsity pole vaulter with a 4.84 GPA, will receive a $2,500 scholarship for scoring 1500 out of 1520 on the PSAT, achieving academically and participating in a variety of community service opportunities.
