Bonita Unified School District celebrated student achievement in the arts during the district’s Reflections Awards Ceremony on Oct. 17. Parents, community members and staff recognized students who submitted entries in the National PTA Reflections Program, centered around the 2018-19 theme “Heroes Around Me.” Nineteen Bonita Unified students earned Merit of Excellence awards and will advance to the First District competition in November.
The College Board has recognized 11 Bonita Unified Class of 2018 graduates and a current senior as National Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars, highlighting a successful year for the District’s AP program as it continues to increase pass rates for AP exams and the number of students attending four-year universities. Bonita High School’s graduates named as National AP Scholars include: Stephen Brod, Rachel Cheung, Cynthia Dang, Garrett Palmer, Valerie Warner, Justin Woo and Monica Wu. San Dimas High School’s students include: Cameryn Baker, Aidan Ferguson, Ahmed Hasan and Jonathan Tsai.
Luke Melkesian from Bonita High School, Naomi Pearson from Chaparral High School and Erik Vargas from San Dimas High School are the newly appointed Board of Education student representatives for the 2018-19 academic year. Melkesian, a senior at Bonita High and Associated Student Body (ASB) president, has taken seven Advanced Placement (AP) courses over the last three years. He holds a 4.25 GPA.
Bonita Unified Announces 2018-19 Student Board Representatives
Luke Melkesian from Bonita High School, Naomi Pearson from Chaparral High School and Erik Vargas from San Dimas High School are the newly appointed student board representatives for the 2018-19 academic year. All three students were sworn in at the Board of Education meeting on Oct. 3. The three seniors are active in campus clubs and sports, including the Associated Student Body.
Bonita Unified School District students improved their performance in English language arts (ELA) and math on the California Standards for ELA and math, according to state data released Oct. 2. The 2018 state test scores show that 70.99 percent of students Districtwide met or exceeded state standards in ELA, up 3 percentage points from 2017, and 56.19 percent met or exceeded standards in math, up 2 percentage points.
Bonita Unified Senior Named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist
San Dimas High School senior Amita Stowitts was named a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist, placing her in the running for the prestigious award thanks to exemplary scores on the Preliminary SAT. Stowitts is among 16,000 students across the nation being considered for 7,500 scholarships.
Bonita Unified, Soroptimist International to Host Student Shopping Day
In partnership with Soroptimist International, Bonita Unified will treat more than 70 students in need from the District’s eight elementary schools to a shopping day at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12 at Target, 2462 Foothill Blvd., La Verne. Students will be able to pick out new school clothes and shoes.
Bonita Unified High Schools Prepare for Annual Smudge Pot
Bonita Unified’s San Dimas and Bonita high schools are warming up for their annual Smudge Pot football game, set for 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8 at Covina District field, 200 W. Puente St., Covina. The friendly rivalry started in 1972, with both high schools competing for an iconic silver Smudge Pot, an oil-burning tool used to shield fruit trees from frost and a symbol of the two cities’ roots in the region’s citrus industry.
onita Unified School District welcomed more than 10,000 students for the 2018-19 school year, with teachers, staff and administrators from across the District’s 13 elementary, middle and high schools preparing for another year of excellence.
Bonita Unified School District will begin major renovations to the Bonita High School stadium on Aug. 8, as a part of the final project funded under the $97.1 million Measure AB bond. The $7.2 million renovation, expected to be completed by June 2019, received a generous contribution of $437,000 from the City of La Verne during Bonita Unified’s Board of Education meeting on Aug. 1.
