El Monte High School’s (EMHS) varsity cheerleading team captured the 2026 National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) High School National Championship during a competition held Jan. 23–24 in Fort Worth, Texas, earning the first national title in the District’s and program’s history. The Lions claimed the championship in the Advanced Non-Tumbling Coed Varsity Crowd Leading division, becoming the only California school to compete in the category and just the third California team to claim an NCA national title in the organization’s 75-year history. Teams from across the country competed at the national event.
El Monte Union High School District students who would like to see more vegetarian and vegan options for lunch will have an opportunity to shape their school’s meal plan through the District’s newly-formed Dietary Inclusion Council, a student-led coalition that will work directly with the Nutrition Services Department to advocate for healthy, plant-based items on daily lunch menus. The council was spearheaded by Arroyo High School senior Emily Lin, who petitioned the Board of Trustees to pass a resolution to establish the Districtwide advisory body. The resolution was passed during the Jan. 7 Board meeting. Lin also helped secure a $4,000 microgrant from the nonprofit advocacy group Friends of the Earth to support the promotion and marketing of plant-based options across the District.
Six El Monte Union High School District students took part in the 2026 Rose Parade on Jan. 1 after being selected to perform with the Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Honor Band, representing their schools and the District during one of the nation’s most widely watched New Year’s Day events. South El Monte High School junior Aden Gonzalez returned as a herald performer for the second consecutive year; Mountain View High School (MVHS) senior Pablo Pinedo was selected for percussion (cymbals), and senior Jennifer Rivera-Rivas, along with juniors Samantha De La Cueva Morfin, Daniela Garcia, and Karina Rodriguez, were all selected as color guard performers. The District’s Board of Trustees honored the students during its Jan. 7 meeting, presenting certificates of recognition and celebrating the milestone with family members, school leaders, and music educators.
South El Monte High School’s football team, powered by a lockdown defense and a tightknit roster of longtime teammates, capped a stunning playoff run that drove them to capture their first-ever CIF-Southern Section Div. 14 title, defeating Pioneer High School with a score of 14-6 on Nov. 28. This marks South El Monte’s second CIF title in less than a month, following the Lady Eagles volleyball team, which won the CIF Div. 9 championship on Nov. 6. The key moment in the Eagles run was their decisive 45-7 first-round win against Channel Islands, ending a yearslong CIF playoff first-round losing streak, boosting the team’s confidence, and setting them on the championship path. South El Monte outscored their opponents 86-27 in the four CIF Div. 14 games.
The South El Monte High School Lady Eagles volleyball team made history when it captured its first-ever CIF-Southern Section (CIF-SS) Div. 9 championship, defeating Nogales High School in a nail-biting five-set thriller on Nov. 8. The championship provided a memorable sendoff for a tight-knit coterie of seniors who came close to a title in 2024, and a homecoming for coach and South El Monte physical education teacher Kristina Puckett, who returned to lead the team after a yearslong hiatus.
The El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) marked a momentous milestone this fall with the launch of its CIF-sanctioned girls flag football program, engaging student-athletes from all five comprehensive high schools and providing a platform to compete, develop skills, and enjoy a new athletic experience. The initiative began last year when South El Monte High School (SEMHS) and Rosemead High School introduced girls flag football as a CIF sport. Their early success and strong student interest encouraged El Monte, Mountain View, and Arroyo high schools to join this school year, creating a Districtwide program that expands athletic opportunities for female students.
El Monte Union High School District (EMUHSD) and two of its campuses—Arroyo High School and El Monte High School—have been recognized among California’s top-performing institutions, earning placement on the Educational Results Partnership’s (ERP) 2025 Honor Roll. The ERP Honor Roll recognizes schools and districts that consistently demonstrate high levels of student achievement, California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) scores, improvement over time, and reduced achievement gaps among historically underserved student populations. Approximately 21% of eligible districts statewide earned this distinction in 2025.
El Monte High School history teacher Sara Quezada, a 37-year educator known for her innovative teaching and steadfast dedication to students, has been named El Monte Union High School District’s 2025-26 Teacher of the Year. Quezada, who has spent the last decade inspiring learners at El Monte High, was honored during a Board meeting on Oct. 15.
Arroyo High School (AHS) teacher Tony Wong was honored by Assemblymember Mike Fong as one of 14 educators recognized during Fong’s third annual Outstanding Educators Awards ceremony on Sept. 13 at the Garvey Community Center in Rosemead. Selected from hundreds of nominees across the 49th Assembly District, Wong was praised for his dedication to student success and his leadership in transforming the school’s advanced mathematics programs. The awards highlight educators who go above and beyond to support their students at all grade levels.
Rosemead High School (RHS) English teacher Stacy Lim returned as a first-time mom from maternity leave late in the 2024-25 school year, feeling tired, overwhelmed, and stressed about providing for her son while she was working. She was quickly comforted, however, by the knowledge that she had resources and privacy at school to help make her transition easier with the District’s newly installed Mamava Lactation Pods, a secure, sanitary, and safe space for breastfeeding parents.
