Four Río Hondo College Math, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) students learned about job opportunities from company executives, mingled with working engineers and showcased their skills by creating products to assist communities impacted by COVID-19 at the MESA 2022 Student Leadership Conference, held Oct. 28 and 29. The conference, held at the Marriot Mission Valley in San Diego, featured attendees from more than 30 higher learning establishments. The purpose of MESA and the conference is to provide guidance to diverse students from underrepresented backgrounds as they enter science, technology, engineering and math education and careers.
San Dimas High School Class of 2016 graduate Kris Lara spent only one year in Bonita Unified’s ProStart culinary education program as a senior, but the training he received inspired him to pursue a career in the restaurant industry. After years of hard work, Lara is now living the dream as pastry sous chef at Californios, a two-star Michelin restaurant in San Francisco. Lara is one of dozens of Bonita Unified students who have participated in ProStart Training, a whirlwind six-day field trip to northern California focusing on culinary and hospitality education, which provides students opportunities to network with chefs and restaurant managers. The training is exclusive to Bonita and San Dimas high school students, and coordinated by Laurie and Nick Brandler, who teach ProStart at Bonita and San Dimas high schools, respectively.
South El Monte High School activities clerk Stephanie Paz is a people person. Whether she is helping graduating seniors select their caps and gowns or putting a project on hold to help a student in need, Paz’s enthusiasm and joy of life has made her one of the most popular staff members at South El Monte. For her willingness to go above and beyond and be a source of positivity during the school day, Paz, an Arroyo High School Class of 2008 alumna, has been honored as a Bobby Salcedo Esperanza Award recipient by the El Monte Promise Foundation. Paz received her award at the Foundation’s annual Tamalada gala on Dec. 8.
Baldwin Park Unified’s BP STEM Academy was recognized with a 2022 Golden Bell Award by the California School Boards Association (CSBA) during the CSBA annual education conference and awards ceremony, held in San Diego on Dec. 1. BP STEM Academy was established in 2021 as a specialized science, technology, engineering and mathematics school for students in grades three through eight. The creation and development of the BP STEM Academy was honored for providing the necessary framework for systemic change by removing the barriers to access in education and establishing an all-inclusive atmosphere that encourages students to be curious about STEM.
Fontana Unified Celebrates 25th Annual ‘Fontana Santas’ Toy Drive
Fontana Unified School District is celebrating 25 years of bringing holiday cheer to local families in need with the kickoff of the annual Fontana Santas Toy Drive. Donations of unwrapped toys and gift cards can be dropped off at the Fontana School Police Department, 9680 Citrus Ave., Building 9, Fontana. The Fontana Santas Toy Drive will culminate with a drive-thru distribution event, to be held on Saturday, Dec. 17 at the District Office. There, families in need identified by school sites will enjoy the sights and sounds of cheerful holiday decorations, festively dressed volunteers and classic holiday music as they receive age-appropriate gifts.
Buena Park School District’s elementary school students drew thunderous cheers of applause from parents and family members for every goal, blocked shot and kick during the first-ever Superintendent’s Cup soccer tournament on Dec. 3. The Superintendent’s Cup brought together more than 160 third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students from each of the District’s five elementary schools for a multi-round soccer tournament, aimed at teaching athleticism, perseverance, teamwork and good player conduct.
Fontana Unified School District has named Dr. Kimberly Moyer, an accomplished leader dedicated to innovation in education, as the new principal of Palmetto Elementary School. Moyer has 15 years of experience in education and has served in a variety of positions in Fontana Unified in recent years. She brings with her a passion for rigorous instructional experiences, educational technology, wellness in schools, and college and career readiness at the elementary level.
El Monte Union Sports Medicine Students Receive Hands-On Training
El Monte Union High School District students are receiving in-depth training in sports therapy and rehab thanks to the District’s new afterschool Sports Medicine Program, offered at Rosemead, South El Monte and Arroyo high schools. In the winter of 2021, EMUHSD worked with a small group of students to develop the program and partnered with ATvantage Athletic Training to provide athletic training services to all comprehensive schools. Rosemead, South El Monte and Arroyo have created afterschool programs that allow students to learn from ATvantage athletic trainers and gain the skills and knowledge needed to enter the athletic training and sports medicine industry.
Six Bonita Unified School District students were selected to be part of the prestigious Southern California Vocal Association (SCVA) Honor Choirs, where they showcased their immense musical talents in a culminating performance at the University of Redlands on Nov. 19. Each school year, the SCVA chooses 270 outstanding high school students from approximately 600 auditionees to sing in one of three choirs: SSAA, TTBB, or SATB, which include a mix of sopranos, altos, bass and tenors. San Dimas High School senior Ethan Maun was accepted into the TTBB Choir for the second year in a row; he was joined in the TTBB Choir by Bonita High School junior Eric Romero. Bonita High School seniors Jhett Buggle and Joe Ensign were also accepted into the SATB Choir, while seniors Ellen Chen and Trinity Moreno performed with the SSAA Choir.
Northview High School’s Fine Arts, Media, and Entertainment (FAME) pathway, which has led students to careers at KTLA, CBS, ABC, and Disney, has won the California School Boards Association Golden Bell Award for its approach to fostering student excellence in media arts and broadcast journalism. This four-year pathway, in partnership with PBS Newshour Student Reporting Labs, Atlas Digital, and KQED Education, teaches students a range of essential skills such as journalism, media literacy, camera composition, editing, story development, character creation, screenwriting, interviewing, and more.
