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.
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.
Bonita Unified Board Appoints New San Dimas High School Principal
The Bonita Unified Board of Education appointed Omar Mayen as the new principal of San Dimas High School during its Oct. 4 meeting. Mayen is an experienced high school educator; prior to coming to San Dimas High, he spent six years as an assistant principal and an additional 12 years as a high school special education teacher in Corona-Norco Unified School District. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Redlands, teaching inclusive practices to credential and master’s degree candidates.
Bonita High School senior Andrew Watson, Chaparral-Vista High School senior Riley Koscielski and San Dimas High School senior Beatrice See stepped up to the podium – and into new leadership roles – before the Bonita Unified Board of Education on Oct. 4, receiving applause and cheers of encouragement as they took the oath of office to serve as the Board’s student representatives for the 2023-24 school year. Watson, Koscielski and See will serve as the voices and advocates of their peers throughout the school year, attending all regular monthly Board meetings to provide school reports and share feedback and concerns. All three students also serve in leadership positions on their campuses.
Bonita High School students are diving into the world of video production through their partnership with LVTV-3 and the University of La Verne to produce Local Lens, a magazine show that highlights interesting people, stories and events in the community. Video II teacher Paul Eichen has partnered with LVTV station manager Ken Pucci over the past several years to help students with various Bonita High projects, including filming at sports games and graduations. This year, Eichen and Pucci brought the idea of Local Lens to students as a project they could complete for their Purpose-Driven, Active, Career Exploration (PACE) graduation requirement. Local Lens is a student-produced show from start to finish – including writing, reporting, directing and editing.
La Verne Police Detective Janessa Gonzalez and La Verne Firefighter/Paramedic Tristan Janeway trailed behind eager Bonita Unified elementary students at Target La Verne, taking note and filling handbaskets with each child’s choice of brightly patterned jackets, stylish shoes and other clothing essentials during the annual Bonita Children’s Shopping Day on Sept. 14. This is the first year Gonzalez and Janeway had the opportunity to participate in the shopping experience, a collaboration between Bonita Unified School District and Soroptimist International of San Dimas/La Verne that provided nearly 70 students in need from the District’s eight elementary schools with a $75 budget to pick out new school clothing basics.
Grace Miller Elementary has been honored as a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education, a coveted recognition that celebrates the school’s remarkable efforts to close the achievement gap and help students achieve academic excellence. Grace Miller Elementary is among just 33 schools in California to receive the award this year and is the second Bonita Unified school overall to earn the honor – joining Shull Elementary School, which was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2012 and 2022. Grace Miller Elementary was celebrated for its collaborative learning environment, which Sandoval credits as the school’s key to success in establishing a campuswide culture of inclusion, successful early intervention practices, and holistic support of student achievement.
Bonita High School Auto Technology students will have the opportunity to work toward an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) entry-level certificate during the 2023-24 school year, a vital step for students looking to join the private sector or continue their education at a trade school or community college in pursuit of a career as a mechanic or auto technician. ASE certifications – the industry standard for auto repair – are available for entry-level, professional and master technicians. Throughout the school year, BHS Auto Tech students will pursue multiple projects, including: building an electric car from scratch, participating in National Hot Rod Association race-day events and working to restore vintage and classic vehicles.
Bonita High School’s ProStart culinary students will seek to enhance their technical skills in the new school year, bolstered by their success in the California Restaurant Foundation’s Culinary Clash over the summer. Students both volunteered and competed at the annual event, which brings the restaurant community together to raise funds for high school culinary arts programs. In the Culinary Clash, restaurants are paired with a ProStart student sous chef to create a menu item using required ingredients. In this year’s competition, Bonita High students and alumni represented Outback Steakhouse and Black Bear Diner.
Bonita Unified School District’s emphasis on student achievement – which includes strong academic performance and a culture of college and career readiness – has earned both Bonita and San Dimas high schools recognition among the top-performing public high schools in the state and country, according to the 2023-24 Best High Schools rankings by U.S. News & World Report. Bonita High was ranked in the top eight percent of public high schools nationwide; San Dimas High was listed among the top 15 percent of schools nationwide.
