El Monte Union High School District students explored a variety of career opportunities during “A Day With The Trades,” an informational seminar held on Feb. 20, which connected juniors and seniors with industry professionals who shared insights into high-demand careers that offer financial stability and job security without requiring a traditional four-year degree. Students engaged with industry experts at informational tables during the event at Fernando R. Ledesma High School, collecting materials and learning about apprenticeships, certifications, and specialized training in fields such as construction, electrical work, and automotive technology. By engaging directly with professionals, students were able to explore various career pathways and gain insights into the skills and training required for success.
Lynwood Unified School District is taking a bold step to ensure the safety and well-being of its students, staff and families, implementing state-of-the-art programs to bolster security, strengthen emergency response, proactively identify potential threats and maintain seamless communication among all school personnel. This school year, the District implemented the CENTEGIX Rapid Incident Response and Raptor Technologies Visitor Management systems across all LUSD schools. The District is also upgrading public address (PA) systems at elementary and middle schools, installing on-campus security cameras and upgrading fixtures to improve outdoor lighting at all elementary schools.
Two Fontana Unified School District (FUSD) administrators, Michele Mower and Yubleni Cazares, will be honored by the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Region 12 for their achievements and dedication to public education. Mower, Beech Avenue Elementary School’s principal, has been named the ASCA Region 12 Elementary Principal of the Year. Cazares, FUSD’s Expanded Learning Programs manager, has been named Classified Leader of the Year by a selection committee. ACSA Region 12 serves the educational administrators of San Bernardino County and holds an annual awards program to honor students, administrators, and community organizations for excellence in public education.
Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, AL is deepening its commitment to student success by sending 10 employees to the Caring Campus Academy (CCA), ensuring they have the tools and strategies to create a supportive environment where students thrive. Designed by the Institute for Evidence-Based Change, the CCA bolsters Caring Campus through a series of sessions that guide faculty and staff in developing and institutionalizing behaviors that foster student connectedness and success. By participating in the next CCA cohort at the end of February, Wallace State ensures that all employees are aligned in their dedication to students, strengthening the college’s culture of care and support.
Wendy Carcamo is praised as a community leader and visionary as a senior on Whittier High School’s campus. A first-generation Latina who is the youngest of five siblings, Carcamo has faced personal challenges with remarkable resilience as she actively seeks out environments that foster her growth and align with her core values. As a member of Whittier High’s Puente Program, Carcamo has demonstrated deep-rooted values and a steadfast desire to make a positive impact on society. As a second-year academic mentor, she is known for supporting and uplifting her peers. Additionally, as president of the Cardinal Academy of Technology (CAT), Carcamo is laying the groundwork for a career of technological advancement and innovation.
Elementary, middle, and high school students across Fontana Unified School District made history as they performed in one of the first student, theatrical productions of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child High School Edition” in the A.B. Miller High School and District Theater Conservatory. With wands at the ready, 39 students from Canyon Crest Elementary, Wayne Ruble and Southridge Tech middle schools, and A.B. Miller High School took the stage for eight performances of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” at the historic California Theatre of the Performing Arts between Jan. 27 and Feb. 2. A.B. Miller High School and Fontana Unified’s professionally produced show, supported by the Theatrical Arts International Foundation, gave students the opportunity to perform in a high-caliber production and brought the magic of the wizarding world to life. As part of the District’s career and technical education programming, FUSD’s Theater Conservatory gives students a taste of life on a professional stage, helping them build their portfolios and take their first steps toward a career in the performing arts.
Fontana Unified’s Beech Avenue Elementary School has earned national recognition from the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) for its effective implementation of the Teaching for Effective Learning (TEL) program, highlighting the school’s success in enhancing teaching practices and fostering collaboration among educators to advance student academic growth. Principal Michele Mower launched TEL, a research-based program that equips teachers with tools and strategies rooted in the science of learning, at Beech Avenue Elementary in 2021 to help mitigate learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and bridge achievement gaps, with positive impacts found among all student groups.
Whittier Union High School District’s Frontier and Sierra Vista high schools have both earned a six-year accreditation from the Accrediting Commission of Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS-WASC), reaffirming their commitment to fostering supportive learning environments and ensuring student success both academically and personally. ACS-WASC accreditation guarantees that a school’s credits and diplomas are recognized by colleges and universities. It also drives school improvement through a rigorous self-study and the development of an action plan focused on student achievement. While all public high schools in California are required to be ACS-WASC accredited, earning a six-year accreditation with a half-way progress report is known as the highest distinction a school can receive.
Students in Fontana High School’s (FOHI) Bio-Animatronic and Neuroprosthetic career technical education (CTE) pathway earned special recognition in the International Technology and Engineering Educators’ (ITEEA) REACH Challenge for their work designing adaptive and assistive living devices. The REACH Challenge is a national competition where students create innovative technological solutions to improve people’s lives in their community. This year, four teams of FOHI students earned special recognition for their REACH Challenge projects. The honor comes with a REACH banner and discounted registration for the 2025 ITEEA Conference on April 2-5, 2025 in St. Louis.
As curtains rose on the 19th annual Bonita Unified Spelling Bee, 53 elementary and middle school students stepped into the Bonita Center for the Arts, ready to battle it out in a war of words on Feb. 3. With vowels and consonants at the ready, students went up one by one, with a cash prize and yearlong bragging rights on the line. The competition unfolded over several rounds and students showcased their skills under pressure as the field narrowed with each passing word. In the end, Gladstone Elementary fifth-grader Iresh Oswal claimed first place, securing a $250 cash prize for himself and an additional $250 for his school’s library. Alex Yang of Shull Elementary finished in second place, followed by Kamsiyochukwu Aniwigbo of Grace Miller Elementary in third.
