Covina High Senior Named National Merit Scholarship Finalist
Covina High School senior Heidi Alhannat dreams of breaking down barriers and showing others that they can do anything they set their minds to. This passion has driven Alhannat to outstanding achievement in her academic and personal pursuits, earning her recognition as a National Merit Scholarship finalist. Alhannat has been accepted to several prestigious schools, including Harvard University and Stanford University. Both schools boasted incredibly low acceptance rates for the 2022-23 applying class, with Harvard maintaining a 3.4% acceptance rate according to Crimson Education, and Stanford holding a 3.7% acceptance rate according to the Stanford Daily.
Bonita Unified School District continued to outpace school districts across the state in reading competency, ranking No. 1 in the state on the California Reading Coalition’s (CRC) California Reading Report Card, based on California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress English language arts test scores from 2021-22. Among districts with at least 100 economically disadvantaged Latino third-grade students, Bonita Unified led the way with 53% of the subgroup meeting or exceeding California grade-level standards. Bonita Unified’s No. 1 ranking is the result of a years-long District commitment to boost reading comprehension across all grade levels, embracing a data-driven method that reflects teaching practices proven by extensive research to effectively teach children how to read.
Bonita Unified Culinary Students Advance to National Competition
San Dimas High School ProStart restaurant management students punched their tickets to Washington, D.C. after their idea for an unapologetically delicious, fast-casual restaurant specializing in guilty pleasure entrees won first place in the California Restaurant Foundation’s 2023 ProStart Cup. Following their victory at the state competition in March, the winning students will now advance to the nation’s capital to compete in the National ProStart Invitational, to be held Tuesday, May 2 to Thursday, May 4 at the Washington Hilton. The first-place victory was the capper in a historic day for the Bonita Unified ProStart culinary program, with five San Dimas High and Bonita High teams placing in the top five in both the culinary and restaurant management categories, and more than a dozen students winning a total of $80,000 in scholarships. Photos are available.
Sixty-five of the top instrumental music students from all five of the Whittier Union High School District’s comprehensive high schools will take to the stage during the District’s annual Honor Band Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 21. The concert will take place at the Vic Lopez Auditorium, 12417 Philadelphia St, Whittier. Students will be under the baton of guest conductor Anthony Parnther, who has forged a career that melds his love for the music of all genres with his prowess as a conductor, bassoonist, opera singer, producer, storyteller, comedian, and activist. The District’s Honor Band represents the best instrumental music students in the District who all had to put their skills to the test and pass an audition to be part of the prestigious ensemble.
Buena Park School District students demonstrated new and exciting teaching techniques, such using Apple apps to design video games and learning geometry and architecture by programming Cue robots to draw two-dimensional houses, during the District’s second annual Innovation Showcase, held April 6 at Buena Park Middle School. The Innovation Showcase is designed to show the progress students are making as they expand their knowledge and creative skills in science, technology, engineering and math subjects.
Santa Fe High School senior and student leader Christian Sanchez has become a prominent figure on campus for his tenacity and commitment to fostering a sense of community amongst his peers, as well as his unwavering dedication to creating unforgettable experiences for those around him. As a member of Santa Fe High School’s Associated Student Body (ASB), Sanchez's contributions to the school's social and academic life are undeniable, as he sometimes spends his weekends tirelessly preparing for student activities and assemblies. While juggling his ASB responsibilities, Sanchez has managed to complete 25 honors and Advanced Placement credits in the span of three semesters. For his motivation to be a student leader and his numerous academic achievements, Sanchez was recognized by the Whittier Union Board of Trustees with an Award of Merit during its April 11 Board meeting.
El Monte Union High School District will host a Clean Mobility Info Fair to celebrate Earth Day at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 20 at El Monte High School. The event, which will be held in partnership with the California Air Resources Board (CARB), will allow school community members to learn about clean energy transportation, meet the District’s project partners, engage with high school green club members, view all-electric vehicles, visit exhibit booths and participate in several photo opportunities. Parking will be limited during the event and attendees are encouraged to use clean transportation by carpooling, walking, cycling or taking the bus. El Monte High School is served by Metro Local 287 and the City of El Monte Orange Route. El Monte High School is located at 3048 Tyler Ave., El Monte.
Río Hondo College Superintendent/President Dr. Marilyn Flores will host “Un Cafecito at a time” or “One Coffee at a time” virtual chat to meet with community members and the public at large. The audience will help drive the conversation with the questions they ask and the comments, suggestions, and feedback they share over coffee during this open to the public event. Dr. Flores, who started her tenure as Superintendent/President of Río Hondo College on July 1, 2022, launched “Un Cafecito at a time” in January 2023 as a monthly conversation with the campus community. More than 60 students, faculty and staff attended the first Cafecito chat in January before the spring semester started and more than 70 attended each of the February and March events.
Elementary students at Baldwin Park Unified’s STEM Academy are writing code, programing robots, building crash test dummies and more as part of the in-depth, hands-on learning instruction through Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Launch curriculum. BP STEM Academy third- through fifth-grade students are immersed in activities, projects and problem-solving opportunities that help them develop skills in engineering, biomedicine and computer science. The curriculum aims to challenge students to design and execute experiments, and communicate their results visually and orally.
El Monte Union Celebrates Mountain View High Upgrades
Mountain View High School (MVHS) students, families, staff, dignitaries and community members celebrated the newest upgrades to the school’s Cafetorium with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on March 29. The renovation includes the addition of theater-quality retractable seating, a proscenium wall for performances, and lighting and sound systems. The Cafetorium will provide students with a versatile and flexible space that includes ample seating and an open stage for performances, rallies, ceremonies and more.
