As Fontana High School’s Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (MCJROTC) marksmanship team delivered one of its strongest finishes in program history during the MCJROTC National Air Rifle Championship in Utah from February 5 to 7, freshman cadet Victoria Avila’s dedication and hard work cemented her place alongside her team on the national stage. Avila’s path to the national competition was equally shaped by her growth in the classroom as well as on the range. During her first semester, her grades fluctuated, and at times threatened her eligibility to travel with the team. Determined to earn the opportunity, she pushed herself to improve and used the competition as motivation to stay focused on her academics.
Jurupa Hills High School juniors and seniors gathered along the street in front of campus on the morning of Feb. 23, where they were met with a tragic scene: a staged car crash involving their classmates, designed to confront them with the real-life consequences of driving under the influence. The simulation is part of Jurupa Hills’ participation in the national “Every 15 Minutes” program, challenging students to reflect on the dangers of impaired driving. Throughout the school day, one student was pulled from class every 15 minutes, symbolizing the lives lost to alcohol-related crashes. By the time students assembled outside, they were faced with a powerful visual reminder of how quickly a single decision can alter countless lives.
Southridge Tech Middle School eighth-grader and community leader Cyrus Moss, who led the effort in the successful renaming of O’Day Short Elementary School to pay tribute to the Short family and formally recognize their place in Fontana’s civil rights history, has been selected to serve as Grand Marshal for the 58th Annual San Bernardino County Black History Parade & Expo.
Fontana Unified School District (FUSD) celebrated academic achievement, strong character, art, and cultural pride at its fourth annual Black History Month celebration on Feb. 7, honoring the achievements and contributions of Black students and families across the District. More than 1,300 Black students in grades 3–12 were recognized for academic success, including high GPAs and excellent attendance. An additional 130 students and parents received Historical Figures Character Awards recognizing their leadership, service, and community engagement.
When Henry J. Kaiser High School Catamount Pride and Color Guard band director Roberto Ronquillo arrived to lead the music program at the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, he was tasked with replacing a legend, former Kaiser band director Anthony Allmond, who led the music program from the school’s inception in 1998 until his retirement in 2022. It was a steep learning curve for Ronquillo – an A.B. Miller High School Class of 2007 graduate who had previously worked alongside Allmond as a student teacher at Kaiser – but one that has brought its own rewards, with a long list of recent team and individual accolades that have added significantly to Kaiser’s esteemed history. These honors include a first-ever Southern California Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA) 2025 Division B championship, along with selections to state and regional honor bands and the Pasadena City College (PCC) Rose Parade Honor Band.
The Summit High School Fortepiano String Orchestra will make its way to the Big Apple this April for a return performance at Carnegie Hall’s National Band and Orchestra Festival, continuing the momentum of achievement for the SkyHawks Marching Regiment thanks to instrumental music and band director James Sharp. The Summit High band program – which includes concert band, wind ensemble, prep orchestra, Color Guard, drum line, and the Fortepiano Orchestra – encompasses more than 200 visual and performing arts (VAPA) students in addition to the Summit Majorette squad, which performs at football games and special events.
Fontana High School’s Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (MCJROTC) marksmanship team captured the Sporter League championship and earned a league Most Valuable Player honor for senior Angel Posada, capping an undefeated postseason run. The championship performance marked Fontana MCJROTC’s 10th consecutive postseason victory, completing a 10–0 run and following an undefeated regular season. Competing in the Champions Division, Fontana closed the final match with a comeback win.
As construction progresses at one of Fontana Unified School District’s (FUSD) newest, state-of-the-art campuses, District leaders have unveiled the official name and academic vision for Oak Grove Preparatory Academy, a seventh- to 12th-grade school designed to blend career-connected learning, academic advancement opportunities, and student-centered support. Formerly known as the Secondary Academy, Oak Grove Prep reflects the District’s continued focus on serving a growing North Fontana community by expanding opportunities for students to explore careers and expand their academic and social foundations. The school, opening fall 2026, will begin enrolling students from grades six to nine, adding on an additional grade level each academic year.
Kaiser High School’s Career Technical Education (CTE) Visual and Performing Arts Theatre students turned months of creativity and collaboration into statewide recognition, earning first place at the California Educational Theatre Association (CETA) High School Theatre Festival with their production of “The Adventures of Pericles,” by William Shakespeare, where Fontana students surpassed 20 performing arts programs from across the region. Kaiser’s CTE students transformed their school’s multipurpose room into a reimagined, immersive theater space, where they brought the production to life. The award reflects three intensive months of student-led work, including designing and constructing the set, creating costumes, engineering lighting, and managing front-of-house operations. Additional Fontana Unified School District competing schools also performed strongly at the festival, with Jurupa Hills and Fontana high schools each earning second-place finishes in their respective divisions.
After four years of developing her skills in Fontana High School’s (FOHI) Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (MCJROTC) marksmanship program, senior Stephanie Mendoza capped the program’s 2025 undefeated season by earning the Junior Distinguished Shooter Badge, the highest honor awarded at the junior level, and becoming the first FOHI student to receive the distinction in more than a decade. The Junior Distinguished Badge is awarded by the Civilian Marksmanship Program to junior shooters who accumulate 30 excellence-in-competition points, including at least 10 from national-level championships. With fewer than 2,000 badges awarded nationwide, recipients of this award are among the best in the country, recognizing their sustained discipline and competitive consistency.
