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Bonita Unified School District

  • Bonita Unified’s 53rd Smudge Pot Game Unites Generations of Students in Display of Friendly Rivalry, School Spirit

    For more than half a century, the Smudge Pot has been more than just a football game in Bonita Unified – it has been a showcase of community pride, student talent, and family tradition. On Sept. 13, that legacy continued as Bonita and San Dimas high schools brought their rivalry to Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) for the 53rd annual matchup. This year marked the first time the storied contest was played at Mt. SAC’s Hilmer Lodge Stadium, where Bonita High secured its seventh consecutive Smudge Pot victory with a 28-14 win. Beyond the scoreboard, the annual Smudge Pot tradition has long been a celebration of the entire Bonita Unified community, District students’ talents in athletics and the arts. Students on both sidelines kept the energy high throughout the game; San Dimas High and Bonita High Associated Student Body (ASB) leaders led their sections in chants, while cheer and dance teams from both schools performed.

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  • Recent Bonita Unified Grads Begin Careers in Healthcare Industry after Completing CNA Training

    Ten recent Bonita Unified graduates are ready to begin new careers in healthcare after receiving their Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) diplomas during a commencement celebration held Aug. 30 at the Village in Pomona, as part of a career technical education (CTE) partnership between the District, America’s Job Center of California (AJCC), and Prestige Career College. The former Bonita Unified students received their diplomas after completing the rigorous five-week course and passing the California CNA certification exam. As CNAs, the students will assist nurses and healthcare providers in the field, at hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities, providing, among many essential tasks, basic bedside care and personal hygiene while serving as patient advocates.

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  • Bonita Unified Grads Learn Importance of Recycling Organic Waste through Waste Management Internships

    Three recent Bonita Unified graduates looking to learn more about protecting the environment and the importance of processing recycling materials and organic waste spent the summer as interns for Waste Management (WM), assisting the Baldwin Park-based company in its efforts to ensure corporations and businesses are complying with green waste mandates issued by the state of California. San Dimas High School Class of 2025 graduates Jacob Hidalgo and Krishna Ramnani teamed up with Bonita High School Class of 2025 graduate Isabel Rodriguez for the one-month internship, working with Waste Management representatives to canvass areas and contact companies that have failed to comply with Senate Bill (SB) 1383, which requires all residents and entities to put green waste – such as fruits, vegetables, and coffee grounds – in yard waste containers.

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Bonita Unified Celebrates Arts Education with Reflections Program

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.

Bonita Unified School District Celebrates High-Achieving AP Scholars

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.

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 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 Students Make Gains on Standardized Tests

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.

Bonita Unified Approves $7.2 Million Stadium Renovation

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.