El Monte Union Teacher Receives Bobby Salcedo Esperanza Award
South El Monte High School math teacher Oscar Castillo was named a 2020 Bobby Salcedo Esperanza Award recipient at the 17th annual Tamalada fundraiser on Dec. 10. The award – named for a respected El Monte Union educator who died in 2009 – is given to outstanding educators who exemplify Salcedo’s tireless commitment to education. The El Monte Union Nutrition Services Department was also recognized at the event, which is sponsored by the El Monte Promise Foundation, for its heroic efforts since the start of the pandemic. Juan Munoz from El Monte City School District and Ruby Huesca from the Mountain View School District were also recognized as Bobby Salcedo Esperanza Award winners.
More than 400 families drove through a tunnel of Christmas lights, enjoyed performances by Folklorico dancers, received an authentic tamale dinner and treats from Santa, including pan dulce, during El Monte Union High School District’s third annual Posada holiday event on Dec. 4. Blending Mexican and American traditions, the District’s Posada offered parents and students the opportunity to gather safely for a night of good food and fun. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Posada was transformed by staff and parent volunteers into a drive-thru parade.
El Monte Union High School District Hosts Third Annual Posada Event
El Monte Union High School District will hold its third annual Posada at 4:45 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4 at the District Office as a drive-thru celebration, honoring Mexican and American holiday traditions. Over 400 families registered for the drive-thru, where staff and parent volunteers will give families a hot tamale meal, toys and pan dulce. Media contact: Kendra Craighead, 626-529-4864
El Monte Union Farm Lab Provides Template for Sustainability
Arroyo High School’s Farm Lab, developed through a partnership with EcoUrban Gardens and the City of Hope, provides a template for sustainability that can help transform urban food deserts into rich sources of nutrition and biodiversity, while opening doors for students eager to pursue careers in biology, environmental science and urban agriculture. The Farm Lab includes an organic garden, fruit orchard, eco-lab, butterfly garden, compost area, bioswale, hügelkultur and regenerative learning center. Produce picked from the garden has been made available to the Arroyo community during weekly drive-through meal services. A video showcasing the benefits on the Farm Lab is available on YouTube.
El Monte Union High School District and the El Monte Promise Foundation are honoring 1,800 Class of 2020 graduates with 400 individualized banners displayed along major corridors and streets across the three cities that the District’s six high schools call home. The banners – which recognize graduates from Arroyo, El Monte, Fernando R. Ledesma, Mountain View, Rosemead and South El Monte high schools – each include up to four student photos, names and plans for college, trade school or military. The Class of 2020 donation campaign was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that halted many graduation ceremonies across the nation. Banners are placed on streetlights within District boundaries and near each high school.
El Monte Union Student Receives Nomination for Theater Competition
Arroyo High School student Terralyn Contresceri-Ryan pursues her passion in musical theater by actively searching for online opportunities while on distance learning. Just recently, Contresceri-Ryan was accepted as a nominee for Broadway’s Next on Stage, a high school musical theater competition. In Contresceri-Ryan’s video submission she performed “Sonya Alone” from the musical “Natashe, Pierra and the Great Comet of 1812.” Though she did not qualify for Top 30, Contresceri-Ryan’s dedication is a great example of the passion and drive El Monte Union students have.
El Monte Union High Schools Host Virtual Back to School Nights
El Monte Union high schools held virtual back to school nights, inviting students and parents to learn more about their campuses, teachers and distance learning. To enhance the virtual experience, El Monte High School and Mountain View High School created YouTube presentations with welcome messages from principals, teachers and the Associate Student Body. To view El Monte High School’s Back to School video, click HERE. For Mountain View High School’s video, click HERE.
El Monte Union High School District will continue its distance learning program for the remainder of the fall 2020 semester, but is exploring the possibility of developing learning groups (pods) on campus for students most in need, including those in special education programs and English learners. Under the learning pod program – which could begin as early as October – El Monte Union plans to establish small cohorts of no more than 12 students with two supervising adults per group. The District is also working on providing day care and academic support via its After School and Safety Program (ASES) program, LEARN.
El Monte High School art teacher Patrice Cooley has a flair for connecting with her students, encouraging beginning and experienced artists alike to bring a unique voice and passion to their art. For her exceptional ability to empower students, set standards for quality education and achieve the highest level of professionalism in art education, Cooley has been recognized as the California Art Education Association (CAEA) 2020 Outstanding Visual Art Educator of the Year. She will be honored at CAEA’s virtual state conference in November and will represent California at the 2021 National Art Education Association convention.
Fernando R. Ledesma High School Opportunity teacher Patty Autran’s love for teaching began as a third-grade student when she – the only Spanish-speaking student in class – was asked by her teacher to help an English learner who had just joined the class. Autran, however, put her teaching dreams on hold after high school to serve in the United States Air Force, an experience that has greatly shaped her teaching philosophy. There, she learned the importance of structure and discipline, how strength comes through unity, and to never leave anyone behind – values that Autran brings to her classroom every day.
