LPEF – a nonprofit organization established in 2015 to support and enhance educational opportunities for Lynwood Unified School District students – will give $87,000 in scholarships to students from Firebaugh, Lynwood and Vista high schools as they pursue trade schools, community colleges or four-year colleges/universities, including Stanford University, Mount Holyoke College, UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Fullerton and Cerritos College. LPEF has secured approximately $1 million in funding for students in Pre-K through grade 12 in the form of college scholarships, STEM programs and other resources that are crucial to students’ success. LPEF also supports teacher grants, school grants, arts education and wellness initiatives.
The idea for a fast-casual restaurant that invites customers to satisfy their guilty pleasures by indulging in artisan-crafted comfort food brought national attention to the San Dimas High School ProStart culinary arts program, when judges bestowed the creators of the fictitious “Cheat Day” business proposal a third-place finish at the 2023 National ProStart Invitational, held in Washington D.C. this spring. This is the first year that a Bonita Unified school has participated in the ProStart Nationals, and the highest finish for a California team in 10 years. Of more than 1,800 ProStart schools located in 50 states, San Dimas High ranks third in the country in restaurant management.
Hacienda La Puente Unified’s first cohort of Youth Cinema Project (YCP) students from California Elementary School and Sparks Middle School walked the red carpet, mingled with industry professionals and watched screenings of their short films during the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival on June 3 and 4. Program instructors and YCP mentors selected a fifth-grade class from California Elementary School and a seventh-grade class from Sparks Middle School to attend the annual two-day festival, where students shared three of their student-produced films, engaged in workshops and live reads and reflected on their creative process during student-led panel discussions.
Whittier Union High School District’s Board of Trustees voted to appoint Josefina E. Canchola to serve the remainder of retiring Board Member Dr. Ralph S. Pacheco’s term during a special Board meeting on June 10. Following the announcement of Dr. Pacheco’s retirement from the Board, which will be effective Friday, July 7, the Board of Trustees unanimously voted in favor of a provisional appointment to fill the Trustee Area 3 seat during a May 9 meeting. During the special Board meeting, the Board of Trustees interviewed six candidates in an open session following a public comment period. At the conclusion of the interviews, the Board deliberated during open session and voted to appoint a provisional seat to Canchola, who will take the oath of office and begin her tenure on Tuesday, July 18.
A.B. Miller High School Class of 2023 graduate Nathan Aguilar loves nothing more than soaring above the clouds. As a member of the school’s aviation career technical education pathway, Nathan quickly developed his flying skills, distinguishing himself as the first A.B. Miller student to earn his private pilot’s license.
Under dramatic theater lights and skies filled with cascading streamers, nearly 750 graduates turned their tassels and tossed their caps into the air during commencement ceremonies that celebrated the triumphs achieved, challenges experienced and memories made by Bonita Unified’s Class of 2023. The ceremonies showcased the graduates’ excellence in their academic, athletic, artistic and extracurricular endeavors, from state awards for leadership and CIF championships to prestigious scholarships and nationally recognized culinary programs. Bonita Unified’s Class of 2023 features high-achieving graduates who will continue their education at institutions such as UCLA, UC Berkeley and Purdue University, as well as those who will enlist in armed forces or enter the workforce.
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 in early May. This is the second time in San Dimas High School history that ProStart culinary students have won the California competition, but the first time that they will make the trip to nationals. 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. Of over 200 schools with ProStart curriculum in California, only 29 culinary teams and 11 management teams were selected to compete at the state level.
The El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) celebrated more than 1,685 seniors from the Class of 2023 during commencement ceremonies as parents, families, teachers, staff, community members and local officials applauded graduates who proudly walked across the stage to receive their high school diplomas on June 7 and 8. The ceremonies featured a special rendition of “Remember Me” from the Pixar Film “Coco” by El Monte High School’s band; heartfelt speeches from South El Monte High School’s 12 valedictorians; videos of Mountain View High School seniors sharing a message to families, their accomplishments throughout their high school careers and favorite memories; singing of the alma mater by Rosemead High School’s choirs; and a series of grand finale fireworks.
Set to the backdrop of cheering families, Baldwin Park Unified School District celebrated more than 1,000 graduates in the Class of 2023 for their hard work and accomplishments during commencement ceremonies for the District’s adult school, continuation high school and two comprehensive high schools. The Baldwin Park Adult and Community Education (BPACE) program kicked off the festivities on June 1 at the Baldwin Park Performing Arts Center, with more than 230 graduates receiving career technical education certificates, diplomas and high school equivalency certificates in front of families, friends, educators and administrators. North Park Continuation High School recognized 126 graduating seniors during an intimate ceremony on June 7, featuring powerful student speeches and an emotional special presentation. During the ceremony, North Park graduates turned the focus from the Class of 2023 to the parents, mentors and guardians who helped them reach this milestone by bestowing beaded necklaces on those who supported them most.
Fontana High School is sparking students’ passion for hands-on work in manufacturing and product development through its Welding and Material Joining career technical education pathway, where they learn about the operation, standards, and current practices in welding and fabrication. Students in the pathway can earn certifications from the nonprofit American Welding Society (AWS) and test for welding certifications for advanced welding employment through Fontana High’s accredited welding testing facility. The AWS offers nine certification categories designed to address all segments of the welding and joining industry that gives students the opportunity to leverage their expanded knowledge and expertise across their future professional roles.
