Fontana Unified High School Theater Troupe Sets Sail with ‘Moana’
Looking to draw on their success at the recent California Educational Theater Association High School Festival, the award-winning Jurupa Hills High School Players of the Palace theater group will set sail on a wondrous journey across the high seas during its spring production of the Disney musical “Moana JR.” Performances are set for Friday, March 10 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 11 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursday, March 16 at 7 p.m.; Friday, March 17 at 7 p.m.; and Saturday March 18 at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and $15 and can be purchased online. Jurupa Hills High is located at 10700 Oleander Ave., Fontana.
Fontana Unified School to Hold Black History Month Celebration
Southridge Tech Middle School will hold a Black History celebration for the community from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 22. The event, held in honor of Black History Month, will feature cheer, dance, choir and Casa Del Tambor performances from Southridge Tech students, as well as poetry readings, arts and crafts, and food. Southridge Tech Middle School is located at 14500 Live Oak Ave., Fontana.
Whittier Union High School Basketball Team Advances to CIF Finals
The La Serna High School Lancer boys’ varsity basketball team are looking to cap off a dream season with a championship when they take on St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy in the CIF Division 3AA Finals at noon on Saturday, Feb. 25 at Colony High School. La Serna advanced to the finals after defeating Camarillo High School 41-38 in a semifinal match on Feb. 17. La Serna is riding a hot streak, having won 16 of its last 17 games. Colony High School is located at 3850 E. Riverside Dr., Ontario.
Santa Fe High School Max Villanueva is dedicated to constantly bettering himself, whether it is in the classroom, where he sports a 4.22 GPA, as a member of the school’s cross country/track and swim teams, or when it comes to his impact on the environment. That determination has led Villanueva to receive a full-tuition Posse Foundation scholarship to attend Middlebury College. He has also been an active leader in several school clubs such as science, technology, engineering, art, and math club; Earth Alive, an environmental club; Youth Alive, a faith-based club, and Men Achieving Greatness, which focuses on leadership and volunteerism.
Citrus High School has been named a 2023 Model Continuation High School by the California Department of Education (CDE), recognizing its holistic approach to supporting student success and social-emotional wellness on the path to graduation. Citrus High is among just 37 continuation schools to receive the award this year, which were celebrated for providing exemplary instructional strategies, flexible scheduling, and guidance and counseling services to “at-promise” students through an alternative educational program.
Buena Park School District students spelled a variety of tongue-tying, treacherous words, putting their spelling skills to the test during the District’s 2023 Spelling Bee on Feb. 9. The Spelling Bee, held in the Buena Park Middle School gymnasium, featured 51 students from each school in grades four through eight. Fourth- and fifth-grade had their own division, while the sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade spellers competed to see who would advance to the Orange County Spelling Bee.
Oak Mesa Elementary School has been named a California Distinguished School by the California Department of Education (CDE) for the fourth time, celebrating the school’s excellence in closing the achievement gap and achieving exceptional student performance. Oak Mesa, which is among 356 elementary schools honored by the CDE this year, was previously named a California Distinguished School in 2008, 2012 and 2020. Schools were selected by analyzing data from the 2021-22 school year reported on the California School Dashboard, including assessment results, chronic absenteeism, suspension rates and socioeconomic data.
Does overcharging your electronic devices cause climate change? What is the effect of Ph levels on algae growth? Do vegan cleaning products work better than non-vegan products? Pioneer High School STEM students attempted to answer these questions and more during the school’s first annual Science Fair, held Feb. 2-3, providing a showcase for its future engineers and scientists. Among the winning projects at the fair was an automatic pet feeder made almost entirely out of cardboard and duct tape, which was awarded Best of Show, and a hydraulic robotic arm made of cardboard, popsicle sticks and plastic syringes, which won first place in the environmental science category.
Lynwood Unified Elementary School Students Celebrate New Mural
Abbott Elementary School sixth-grade students put their imagination and art skills to the test, creating a mural depicting a brightly colored butterfly representing peace and rights, and inspired by the indigenous Tongva people, the California poppy and climate change. The mural, titled “We Are All Connected,” was officially unveiled during a festive celebration on Feb. 3. Working with L.A.-based artist Lilia “Liliflor” Ramirez, a resident artist working with District partner Turnaround Arts: California, nearly 70 Abbott students contributed in bringing together a visionary artwork that honors the Earth, its people and the beauty of life.
South Hills High School senior Saniya Tillis developed a passion for service and improving the world at an early age, creating service clubs and volunteering at homeless shelters as an elementary school student. Tillis continues to work with at-risk families – through her own nonprofit Students Uplifting Students, which advocates for students experiencing homelessness. Tillis will take her entrepreneurial mind and service-based leadership to Northwestern University after being named a 2023 Posse Foundation scholar, one of just 10 Posse Los Angeles Chapter members to receive a full-ride scholarship to the prestigious university. Tillis plans to major in economics with a minor in business institutions to achieve her dream of becoming the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
