Baldwin Park Unified Honors Namesake Tradition at Elementary School
Baldwin Park Unified students and staff from Margaret Heath Elementary gathered on Oct. 6 to celebrate Margaret Heath Day and recognize the educational pioneer as well as name a Margaret Heath Scholarship winner. Abigail Gil, a 2023 graduate of Baldwin Park High School, was awarded this year’s scholarship to put toward her academic pursuits at Cal State Los Angeles. Every year, Heath students collect coin donations for the scholarship, which goes to a Margaret Heath alumnus and Baldwin Park Unified graduate.
San Dimas High School freshman Jacqueline Chen first displayed her diving prowess at nine years old during a trip to Cancun, Mexico with her family. Standing atop a cliff more than 15 feet above the water, Chen showed no fear when she suddenly leapt off, performing a perfect dive. Now Chen is preparing to make another huge leap – from high school student to Olympic athlete. After years of participating and medaling in USA Diving Junior Olympic competitions, Chen will travel to the Philippines for the Asian Age Group Championship, to be held from Dec. 3 to 6, trying to stamp her ticket to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. At San Dimas High School, Chen plays clarinet in the marching band and enjoys art class, juggling campus activities with Honors classes and her rigorous diving practice schedule. Chen will also represent San Dimas High in CIF meets when diving season begins in spring 2024.
Virtual Coffee Talk with Río Hondo College Superintendent/President
The Río Hondo College community is invited to join Superintendent/President Dr. Marilyn Flores for a virtual coffee talk event, Un Cafecito, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 1. Dr. Flores will use this opportunity to meet with members of the community, hear their ideas, and establish camaraderie with those who participate in the event. To join Un Cafecito, use this Zoom link.
Bonita Unified to Host Skilled Trades Fair for High School Students
Bonita Unified School District will host a Skilled Trades Fair from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 6, providing students from Bonita, Chaparral-Vista and San Dimas high schools the opportunity to network with professionals from a variety of industries, learn about industry needs and trends for future employment, and receive insight into training opportunities. Bonita Unified is seeking to expand its work-based learning and career technical education in 2023-24, providing students with a greater understanding of the professional and educational opportunities that await after high school. The fair will be held at Bonita High School, 3102 D St., La Verne.
Fontana Unified to Host Hispanic/Latinx Month Cultural Celebration
Fontana Unified School District will host a Hispanic/Latinx Month Cultural Celebration at Fontana High School from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14 to commemorate how those communities have influenced and contributed to American society at large. The event will include mariachi, food trucks, guest speakers, arts and crafts, cultural performances and more. Fontana High School is located at 9453 Citrus Ave., Fontana.
Baldwin Park and Sierra Vista high school varsity football teams will battle for the community bell and District bragging rights during Baldwin Park Unified’s annual Crosstown Showdown at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20 at Sierra Vista High’s Jack B. White Stadium, located at 3600 N. Frazier St., Baldwin Park. BPHS and SVHS cheer teams, band and color guard teams will perform during the game and at halftime to showcase the talent in the District’s visual and performing arts programs.
Glen A. Wilson High School Principal Dr. Danielle Kenfield and Wedgeworth Elementary School Principal Dr. Paulina Cho have been named two of the nine school leaders from the 2023 cohort of National Blue Ribbon Schools honored with the 2023 Terrel H. Bell Award for Outstanding School Leadership from the U.S. Secretary of Education on Oct. 16. All nine recipients have served as catalysts within their districts, fostering positive school cultures and successfully finding new ways to engage students, families, educators and staff. The U.S. Department of Education will present the award to the administrators during the National Blue Ribbon Schools ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 16 in Washington, D.C.
History will be made when the California Museum screens “The Great American Lowrider Tradition,” an award-winning car culture documentary created and produced by Pioneer High School maintenance custodian Martin Torrez, as part of the museum’s Fall programming celebrating the rich history, artistry and impact of low rider culture. The film will be screened on Saturday, Oct. 21, followed by a Q&A with Torrez and documentary subjects from the film. The screening will be the first time a movie exploring American car culture will be presented at the museum and represents a major advancement in telling the first-hand stories of lowrider enthusiasts who endured decades-long racial discrimination for pursuing their passions and celebrating their Chicano heritage.
Jurupa Hills and Fontana high schools both earned top positions in the California Student Aid Commission’s Race to Submit campaign for their exemplary Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and California Dream Act Application (CADAA) completion rates among Class of 2023 graduates, showcasing Fontana Unified School District’s dedication to promoting college readiness. Schools are divided into different levels based on their senior enrollment and are ranked by the highest percentage of completed FAFSA/CADAAs and matching GPAs. Fontana High School’s Class of 2023 ranked fourth in level six with a 92.11% completion rate and Jurupa Hills High’s Class of 2023 was sixth in level five with a 92.98% completion rate, according to the most recent data available from June 30, 2023.
Lynwood Unified School District opened the doors to a new state-of-the-art Health and Biomedical Sciences Classroom and Lab at Marco Antonio Firebaugh High School during an Oct. 12 ribbon-cutting event, celebrating increased opportunities for scholars to explore the District’s career technical education (CTE) pathways and pursue STEM careers. Students in the program will enjoy hands-on, innovative learning tools and modernized equipment to explore topics within the school’s biomedical science and nursing CTE pathway, including human medicine, physiology, genetics, microbiology and public health. Programs typically require a four-year sequence of classes that end with a capstone project and an opportunity to earn industry-recognized certifications prior to graduation.
