When Brandon Calderon walked across the stage to accept his high school diploma at South Hills High School’s commencement ceremony on June 7, it capped a run of nearly perfect high school attendance – an uncommon achievement in a post-pandemic world. Calderon only missed one day of school in his four years of high school – when he took a day off after finals to attend his sister’s graduation.
A Taste of Río, Río Hondo College’s biggest annual event, will bring delicious foods, fine wines, craft beer, vibrant entertainment and more when the event returns to campus from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, June 9. The event, which is produced by the Río Hondo College Foundation, will raise funds to support student scholarships, programs and equipment to promote success. For more information visit: https://www.riohondo.edu/a-taste-of-rio/. Río Hondo College is located at 3600 Workman Mill Rd., Whittier.
Baldwin Park Unified School District’s STEM Academy has earned the SupportMusic Merit Award from the NAMM Foundation, celebrating its inclusive music education program that fosters a love for the arts among both typical learners and students in the school’s special education Cornerstone program. The SupportMusic Merit Award honors schools that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access to all students. BP STEM Academy is one of 78 schools across the nation to earn the award in 2023.
Bonita High School Class of 2022 graduate Verena Padres was in an unusual place when she received the news that she had been named a 2023 National Merit Scholarship winner – Cornell University, where she was assisting in the college’s Alpha CubeSat research project. Padres, who has dreamed of working for NASA since reading a book on female astronauts in elementary school, was one of approximately 840 students across the United States to be named a National Merit scholar, receiving $2,500 to help cover the cost of her higher education. She is also the first Bonita High School student to ever receive the National Merit Scholarship. Padres, along with her twin sister Ashley, graduated from Bonita in three years; both now attend Cornell.
Six local residents have been declared eligible to fill a vacancy in the Whittier Union Board of Trustees created with the retirement of Dr. Ralph S. Pacheco. Pacheco, who currently serves Trustee Area 3 and is the Board’s vice-president, informally announced his retirement during the April 11 Board meeting, which will bring his service to the District to a close after 32 years as a trustee. Dr. Pacheco submitted his formal resignation letter to Los Angeles County Office of Education Superintendent Dr. Debra Duardo on May 8. His final day as a Whittier Union trustee will be Friday, July 7. Following the formal announcement, the Board unanimously voted in favor of a provisional appointment to fill his seat during a meeting on May 9, setting in motion a comprehensive selection process that gave Trustee Area 3 residents an opportunity to apply for the position.
Buena Park School District celebrated the accomplishments and leadership of its teachers, administrators and staff, marking their years of service and retirement during the annual Employee Recognition Celebration on May 25. The event was held at the Buena Park Community Center, where families and friends of recognized employees gathered to cheer on their colleagues and loved ones. More than 80 employees were celebrated during the ceremony.
Lynwood Unified students from Firebaugh High School’s Project Lead the Way (PLTW) engineering program and Lynwood High School’s various Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) and career technical programs put their talents to the test, taking home silver and gold medals during the SkillsUSA State competition in April. Lynwood High School’s Biomedical Sciences, Engineering and Culinary Arts programs made their presence known throughout the thrilling competition held April 13-16. After earning gold in the Occupational Health and Safety and Drafting categories, seven Lynwood High students will advance to the National Leadership and Skills Conference on June 19 in Atlanta.
Santa Fe High School sophomore Lucas De La Loza has been writing short stories since elementary school and has more than 100 original works stored on his Google Drive. Now, De La Loza can add “professional playwright” to his resume after his one-act play was selected to be staged as part of Los Angeles-based Theatre of NOTE’s 2023 Young Writer’s Project (YWP). De La Loza’s play, “A Wicked Hallucination,” which centers on the Salem Witch Trials, ran for two consecutive weekends in May, and was one of five YWP high school student plays chosen to be performed by the Theatre of NOTE. On the final weekend, De La Loza and the other YWP student winners were presented with stipends and certificates that identified them as professional writers.
Almond Elementary School Principal Tim McCaffrey has been a legend in Fontana Unified ever since, as an assistant principal at Sequoia Middle School, he threw himself on the gym floor during a pep rally dance-off and performed the “worm.” McCaffrey’s spontaneous energy, which earned him an ovation from students and staff, continues to resonate throughout the District. McCaffrey, now in his fourth year as Almond Elementary’s principal, was honored for his commitment to student achievement and literacy by the Association of School Administrators (ACSA), which named him the Region 12 Elementary School Principal of the Year.
Fontana Unified School District provided the Class of 2023 with an emotional sendoff during a series of commencement ceremonies, held May 23 at the Ontario Convention Center and May 24-25 at the Toyota Arena, that featured passionate speeches, joyful cheers, proud renditions of alma maters, colorful streamer cannons and loud applause from loved ones. The Class of 2023 includes high-performing students who will further their education at institutions across the country – including Columbia University, Boston College, UC Berkeley, UCLA and Stanford University – as well as graduates enlisting in the armed forces and beginning their careers with support from the District’s robust career technical education training. This year’s graduating class also featured nearly 550 State Seal of Biliteracy recipients.
