San Dimas High School student-athletes demonstrated their excellence on the field and in the classroom with the release of the CIF Southern Section’s (CIF-SS) 35th annual FORD Academic Awards, in which the Saints earned 23 team academic awards and two individual awards. Each year, CIF-SS issues team awards in 27 sports; all 23 of San Dimas’ eligible squads were honored this year for maintaining team GPAs of 3.0 or higher. The San Dimas High girls’ tennis team secured the Academic Award Team Championship, presented to teams from schools with an enrollment below 1,499.
Lynwood Empowerment Conference Inspires Females to Break Barriers
Lynwood Unified School District’s female students were empowered to push boundaries and pursue their dreams during the District’s inaugural Girl Empowerment Conference on March 30, where they connected with women from various backgrounds who have broken cultural barriers, participated in workshops, and received firsthand advice from other District students and alumni. Workshops included a vision board station, friendship bracelet crafts, painting and more, and provided students with an opportunity to foster creativity and explore self-expression. Keynote speakers included Giselle Carrillo, Karla Rodriguez, and Denise Gomez.
Arroyo High School senior Aurora Che has received more than $1,000 in scholarship money from the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), which acknowledged Che for her moving essay that was submitted to the Voice of Democracy audio-essay contest. Che’s essay earned her a trip to Sacramento in January, after she was named the VFW Post 10218 El Monte and VFW District 11 first-place winner. Che, whose family includes veterans of conflicts in Vietnam and Afghanistan, was honored by Post 10218 on March 23 in a special awards ceremony.
Whittier Union Seniors See College Dreams Come True as Dell Scholars
Pioneer High School seniors Ashley Cortes, Sara Munoz and Wendy Zaragoza have spent countless long nights studying and dreaming of attending an elite university – a dream that has come true after all three were named 2023 Dell Scholarship winners by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. Cortes, Munoz and Zaragoza will each receive $20,000 spread out over the course of several years. All three students have honed their skills in Pioneer’s college-prep elective AVID, which provides instruction and guidance for underrepresented students and first-generation college-goers and puts them on the path to succeed in college and career.
Baldwin Park Unified Announces District Teacher of the Year
Olive Middle School educator Alejandra Covarrubias is a leader on her campus in many ways – she teaches seventh grade Dual Language, sixth grade English Language Arts, a study skills class, and as Associated Student Body (ASB) Director, teaches the ASB leadership class. For her dedication to her students and peers, Covarrubias was named Baldwin Park Unified’s 2022-23 Teacher of the Year. Covarrubias first started working at the District in 2005 as a second and third grade teacher at De Anza and Geddes elementary schools, before transitioning to the middle school level in 2014. She will represent Baldwin Park Unified at the 2023 Los Angeles County Teacher of the Year Awards Ceremony.
Fontana Unified to Hold Third Annual STEM Showcase for Community
Fontana Unified School District will hold its third annual STEM Showcase from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 29 at Summit High School, providing families with a fun, interactive look at the District’s STEM programs, student projects and more. This year’s event, themed “CSI: Cultivating STEM Innovations,” will feature activities and demonstrations in aviation, computing, programming, and robotics, as well as a planetarium. Summit High School is located at 15551 Summit Ave., Fontana.
Buena Park School District to Host Special Olympics Field Day
Pendleton Elementary School will host a Special Olympics Field Day from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., Friday April 14, to celebrate the athleticism of some of its student athletes. The event will demonstrate the athletic skills gained by Pendleton’s students, which include coordination, balance, focus, endurance and more. Students will also receive medals for their participation, hard work and dedication. Pendleton School is located at 7101 Stanton Ave., Buena Park.
Bonita Unified’s San Dimas High to Stage ‘High School Musical’
The San Dimas High School drama club will stage a spring production of “High School Musical on Stage!” at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12 and Thursday, April 13; at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 14; and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 15 at the Bonita Center for the Arts. Tickets are available for purchase online at https://www.bonitacenterforthearts.com/. The Bonita Center for the Arts is located at 822 W. Covina Blvd., San Dimas.
Fontana Unified School District and the City of Fontana are partnering with community stakeholders to create a Community Round Table, giving residents and local leaders the opportunity to come together to address concerns and seek solutions that support diversity, inclusivity and compassion throughout Fontana. The joint effort to foster a more cohesive, respectful sense of community was announced following a recent exchange between a Fontana Unified student and teacher, related to the use of a racially insensitive word, that was recorded and shared on social media.
Covina-Valley Unified's Fairvalley High School has earned re-designation as a Model Continuation High School (MCHS) from the California Department of Education (CDE) in 2023, celebrating the impact of its innovative, student-first programming, and focus on college and career readiness. Fairvalley High was one of 37 continuation schools distinguished as a 2023 Model Continuation High School, announced by the CDE on Feb. 14. The MCHS Recognition Program honors continuation schools that provide comprehensive services to at-risk youth through outstanding programs, instructional strategies, flexible scheduling, and guidance and counseling services.
