Willie Allen Jr., a dedicated educator and coach at Glen A. Wilson High School, was recently honored with a Community Spotlight Award by Assemblymember Lisa Calderon for his lasting contributions to the community. With 25 years of experience as a math teacher and coach, Allen Jr. has spent his career giving back to the district that shaped him – running the Wilsons Kids Summer Camp for 23 years and serving as athletic director for 15 years.
With a new principal at the helm, Chaparral Academy of Technology has embraced its "Level Up Your A-Game" theme, helping students find renewed excitement and passion for learning, and setting the stage for a dynamic school year. Chaparral Academy’s schoolwide call to level up your A-game or the five characteristic traits that start with A: altruistic, aspiring, artistic, adaptable, and achieving has not only inspired Roadrunner students but faculty and staff – or “staffulty” a term Principal Tim McCaffrey calls them.
Pioneer High School students received an opportunity to see how the real-life consequences of driving drunk, distracted, or impaired can have devastating and tragic results for their friends, family, and community during an “Every 15 Minutes” demonstration held in front of the school on March 18. The staged simulation for Pioneer High juniors and seniors – featuring the participation of the California Highway Patrol (CHP), Los Angeles County Sheriff, City of Whittier Police Dept., Los Angeles County Fire Dept., first responders, and Funeraria de Angel Pico Rivera mortuary – took the students through an entire DUI car crash scenario – the initial 911 call, the rescue of victims, a sobriety test, and the subsequent arrest of the driver.
Clad in personalized, royal blue aprons and chef hats, three Lassalette Elementary School Lunch Divas faced off against a trio of ambitious culinary teams from Mesa Robles Middle School in their quest for the tastiest entrées at the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District’s third annual Student Chef Recipe and Cookoff, held March 14 at the Willow Adult School culinary kitchen. The four teams sliced, stirred, and sautéed their way through the TV cooking show-inspired competition, racing against the clock to diligently plate at least 25 servings. The Lunch Divas came out victorious with their birria tacos, winning over the taste buds of the judges.
The Ramona Middle School Drama Society is celebrating another season of outstanding performances, earning awards and accolades at prestigious theater festivals across California in February, then returning home to stage its showstopping annual musical, “Shrek Jr.” for three performances, including a sold-out, standing-room-only show on the final night. A touring group of 24 Ramona Drama Society students traveled to Sacramento for the 2025 Junior Theatre Festival – the world’s biggest theatre festival – featuring drama programs from across the United States, as well as Canada, New Zealand, South Korea, China, and Australia. Ramona Drama Society members performed a 15-minute section from their 2024 production of “Annie, Jr.,” earning an exclusive Excellence in Ensemble award, presented to only five groups in the 55-team field. Not to be outdone, a group of 11 Ramona Drama Society students attended the Junior Thespian Festival at the Orange County School of the Arts, with seven students competing in the Solo Musical or Duet Musical categories. Ramona eighth-graders Lillian Krane and Tia Kaldas received “Superior” rankings and Judges Choice Awards in the Duet Musical category, while eighth-grader Peyton Lokar received a “Superior” ranking in the Solo Musical category.
The California League of Middle Schools (CLMS) recognized four Hacienda La Puente Unified School District schools for their exceptional contributions to academic excellence, social and emotional support, and hands-on programs that prepare students for future success. Grandview College Preparatory Academy and Sparks Middle School are among 46 California schools to be newly designated as Schools to Watch, with Newton and Orange Grove middle schools being among 44 others to be redesignated. All schools were honored during the National Schools to Watch conference from March 6 to 7.
Covina-Valley Unified School District’s Northview High School is inviting students, families, and the community to VikingFest 2025, an annual celebration highlighting the school’s exceptional programs, student achievements, and Viking pride.
As an incoming freshman, California High School senior Viridian “Viv” Gonzalez got off to a flying start, earning straight A’s in her first semester, with a challenging schedule that included several Honors classes. Her future looked bright; then calamity struck. Gonzalez fell ill during her second semester and was hospitalized for months, missing a considerable amount of school. When Gonzalez returned to Cal High for her sophomore year, she was still very weak and wheelchair bound but determined to pick up where she left off. Enrolling in Cal High’s Health Academy pathway and with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to guide her, Gonzalez persevered despite her limited mobility, excelling in all her classes and slowly regaining her health. As a senior with a 3.5 GPA and improved health, Gonzalez said she is looking forward to taking the Certified Nurse’s Assistant (CNA) exam this spring.
Covina-Valley Unified Trade-Tech Academy students demonstrated their expertise in welding, hair-cutting, electrical work, and more at the SkillsUSA Regional Competition in January, showcasing their career readiness and technical proficiency. The SkillsUSA competition is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their skills in various career technical education (CTE) fields in real-world scenarios, performing hands-on tasks judged by industry professionals. This is the first year Trade-Tech Academy students have participated in the competition, and 15 students across all three Covina-Valley Unified comprehensive high schools advanced through regionals and will compete at the State competition in April.
Lynwood Unified School District is teaming up with SLA Inc. to transform 10 school sites and campuses into sustainable green spaces in which to learn and grow through The Lynwood Greening Initiative, a project funded by nearly $2 million in CAL FIRE grants. The initiative, which will roll out over the next three years, will revamp 10 sites – Firebaugh High School, Hosler Middle School and Mark Twain, Helen Keller, Lincoln, Lugo, Roosevelt and Washington elementary schools, and the Early Childhood Education (ECE) centers at Lindbergh and Will Rogers elementary schools – into eco-friendly hubs that reflect the community’s vision while providing students with hands-on environmental learning experiences.
