Hundreds of seniors from five El Monte Union comprehensive high schools celebrated their university-bound commitments in front of cheering crowds of underclassmen, teachers and administrators during College Signing Day ceremonies. Rosemead, Mountain View, El Monte, South El Monte and Arroyo high schools hosted events to recognize seniors achieving their academic pursuits and to showcase the college-going culture of each campus.
Rosemead High School senior Alec Nguyen – an accomplished track and field athlete and stellar student – will study chemical engineering this autumn at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology after being named a 2018 Gates Scholar. The prestigious scholarship – bestowed to only 300 students out of more than 28,700 applicants – will cover all Nguyen’s tuition costs, as well as provide academic and social support, mentoring and leadership training opportunities throughout his college career.
Hundreds of El Monte Union students are poised to celebrate an important next step toward achieving their academic pursuits during College Signing Day ceremonies. Rosemead High School will hold its Acceptance Day ceremony for about 165 students from 11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Thursday, April 26. El Monte High School will hold a College Signing Day ceremony for 150 seniors from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Friday, April 27. Mountain View High School will hold a ceremony from 9:45 to 11:20 a.m. Friday, April 27. South El Monte High School will hold its ceremony for students at 11:20 a.m. Wednesday, May 2. Arroyo High School will hold its event from noon to 12:45 p.m. Thursday, May 3.
Two South El Monte High School seniors who helped create the school’s Freshman Mentoring Program have been selected as 2018 Dell Scholars. Miriam Benavides and Sandra Amezcua Rocha will each receive a $20,000 scholarship from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. As mentors, Benavides and Amezcua offer advice, recommend classes and making freshmen aware of scholarship opportunities.
El Monte Union Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga will be honored by the Cal Poly Alumni Association as a distinguished alumnus during its 2018 Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner at 6 p.m. Friday, April 27. Zuniga has been selected for the 2018 College of Education and Integrative Studies Distinguished Alumni Award. He graduated from the university with a bachelor’s degree in history and teaching credential in social science. The awards are presented to former students who have achieved success professionally and through involvement within their community and the university.
Each time El Monte High School hurdler Derek Song steps onto the track, he pushes himself to improve on his momentum and speed; however, it is his kindness toward opponents and genuine care for his teammates that earned him the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) Triple-Impact Competitor award. Song is one of 10 Los Angeles-area high school student-athletes to receive the recognition along with a $3,000 scholarship from PCA, a national nonprofit that works to develop better athletes and individuals by providing character-building sports opportunities.
Two El Monte Union High School District seniors are among 30 high school students from across the Southland to receive $40,000 STEM college scholarships from Edison International during surprise announcements. South El Monte High School senior Sandra Amezcua Rocha was surprised during her Spanish Literature class on March 26 and El Monte High School senior Connie Lee received the exciting news via Skype on March 19. The duo was selected from more than 2,000 applicants.
Each time El Monte High School hurdler Derek Song steps onto the track, he pushes himself to improve on his previous times; however, it is his kindness toward opponents and support for his teammates that earned him the Positive Coaching Alliance’s Triple-Impact Competitor. Song is one of 10 Los Angeles-area high school scholar-athletes to receive the recognition and a $3,000 scholarship from the nationwide nonprofit organization that works to develop better athletes and citizens.
Rosemead High School Culinary Arts students are using their kitchen techniques and entrepreneurial skills to serve nutritious breakfasts and fresh-baked treats at the student-run Panther Café, which opens every school day at 6:50 a.m. The Panther Café, which derives all its income from the nearly 150 food items sold per day, will receive a boost in funding during the A Taste and Sound of El Monte/South El Monte event on Thursday, March 22 at Grace Black Auditorium, 3130 Tyler Ave., El Monte.
In its first year as a Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE) Division I school, Rosemead High School’s Academic Decathlon team earned a fourth-place finish at the LACOE Academic Decathlon, advancing to the California State Championship on Friday, March 23 and Saturday, March 24 in Sacramento.