Ninety Baldwin Park Unified fifth-graders cheered wildly on March 9 as Ariana Ramirez’s glittery cat-driven car edged out Andrea Salazar’s sleek red speedster and Leslie Hernandez’s heart-festooned block of wood on wheels to win Walnut Elementary School’s first-ever Pinewood Derby. The students built and raced the cars as part of a broader lesson on the contributions of women to STEAM fields.
Coolidge Elementary fifth-grader Kyle Tang will represent San Gabriel Unified School District at the 13th annual Los Angeles County Elementary Spelling Bee on Wednesday, March 28 after taking top honors in the school spelling contest.
Whittier Police Officer Keith Boyer’s surviving bandmates from his classic rock tribute band, Mrs. Jones’ Revenge, will perform a memorial concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17. The event will raise funds for the Keith Boyer Memorial Scholarship at La Serna High School, from which he graduated in 1981. The two-hour concert will be at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada.
The Baldwin Park Adult and Community Education (BPACE) Older Adult Program, in association with the City of Baldwin Park, will welcome 400 community members to a Year of the Dog celebration of the Lunar New Year from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 16. The event, held at the Performing Arts Center, 4640 N. Maine Ave., Baldwin Park, will feature a traditional lion dance and other cultural presentations. At the end of the program, dim sum, rice, green tea, oranges and fortune cookies will be served.
Washington Elementary School hosted students and their families for a night of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) experimentation at the Family STEM Night on Feb 7. Guests experienced a gaming truck that featured science activities and explored a portable planetarium. An opportunity drawing awarded one lucky winner with a tablet.
Thurgood Marshall Elementary School will gather community members to enhance its campus during a beautification day at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 3. Students will receive school credit as they join parents and staff for the campus cleaning. Water, snacks and gloves will be provided. Marshall is at 3593 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Lynwood.
Rio Hondo College will host a Cash 4 College financial aid overview and workshop on Saturday, Feb. 3 for students and their families, offering assistance with the 2018-19 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and California Dream Act application. The overview will begin at 9 a.m.; the workshop will run from 9:30 to 1 p.m. Both will be held in the Rio Hondo College Rio Café, 3600 Workman Mill Road, Whittier.
Baldwin Park High School junior Ashlie Chaidez is being honored as the Bilingual Student of the Year-High School by the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) in recognition of her pledge to use her language skills to serve families in need. Chaidez was chosen from 250 students based on an essay she wrote in her second language – English – on how her language skills will boost her effectiveness as a social worker. Chaidez, a native Spanish speaker, has attended Baldwin Park Unified’s Dual Language program since elementary school. Chaidez will receive a $500 cash prize and e honored at NABE’s annual conference, set this year for Feb. 28-March 3 in Albuquerque, New Mexico
McKinley Elementary School students enjoyed the vocal stylings of Suzanna Guzmán in her “Don't Be Afraid: It's Just Opera!” performance, part of the Music Center of Los Angeles’ educational programming. The Jan. 19 assembly taught students about the foundation of an opera experience and highlighted the supporting talent involved in putting on a performance. The assembly was sponsored by the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts and the San Gabriel Educational Foundation. Photos are available
Bassett High students joined more than 1,000 of their peers from across Southern California at Monrovia High to learn how to become leaders in a digital society as part of Josten’s Renaissance’s “Find Your Grind” Tour. The Jan. 16 assembly was one of 47 stops across the nation. Speakers urged students from 24 area schools to follow their passion, regardless of their educational level and experience, and to commit to contribute to their communities. Photos are available