Six Fontana Unified School District elementary and middle school students are preparing to showcase their teamwork, coding, and critical thinking skills on a world stage at the 2025 World Robot Olympiad Open Championships to be held in Panama this October. Mango Elementary School’s Luis P. and Roman H., West Randall Elementary’s Joey Santana, and Wayne Ruble Middle School’s Flora F., Angel F., and Ivanna V. all qualified to represent Team USA Robotics and the United States Engineering League (USEL) at the World Robot Olympiad. They will compete in the challenge-based “RoboMission” category in the elementary and junior divisions, respectively.
More than 2,900 Fontana Unified School District’s (FUSD) Class of 2025 graduates celebrated a milestone to remember, capturing joyful moments, from walking across the stage to singing alma maters and celebrating under streams of confetti, on phones and handheld camcorders to relive for years to come. Fontana Unified held eight commencement ceremonies for its seven high schools and one adult school on May 22 at the Ontario Convention Center and May 27-28 at the Toyota Arena. This year’s graduating class includes multiple QuestBridge and Gates scholarship winners and more than 370 students who earned the California State Seal of Biliteracy after demonstrating a high level of proficiency in bilingualism and biliteracy. Fontana Unified’s Class of 2025 will embark on a range of post-graduation paths, including continuing their education at top universities such as UCLA, Barnard College, Boston University, UC Berkeley, Stanford University, and UC San Diego; joining the armed forces; or launching directly into the workforce. Many graduates are equipped to pursue high-wage, high-demand careers as a result of Fontana Unified’s 39 career technical education pathways.
Four Fontana Unified School District representatives, including volunteers, a principal, and a teacher, have been honored for their dedication to student achievement, leadership, community service, and commitment to education in San Bernardino County. Fontana High School Principal Ofelia Hinojosa earned a Distinguished Service Award, a highly selective distinction, from the San Bernardino County School Boards Association (SBCSBA) and San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools (SBCSS). Established in 1998, the award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, unwavering dedication, and long-standing service to public education in San Bernardino County. A.B. Miller High dance teacher Nicole Robinson and Redwood Elementary community volunteers Jade Centeno and Maria Medina also received Education Medals of Honor during the SBCSBA and SBCSS awards ceremony.
Seventy-five Summit High School students are headed to New York for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to showcase their musical talents on the iconic Carnegie Hall stage, after the school’s Fortepiano String Orchestra earned an invitation to perform at the prestigious National Band and Orchestra Festival in April 2026. Summit High is one of nine high schools or colleges nationwide selected to perform at the festival. The invitation-only event is coordinated by WorldStrides, an educational travel and experience provider that offers immersive learning opportunities. This will mark Summit High’s second appearance at the event after first qualifying in 2019.
Led by Chaparral Academy of Technology (CHAT) Principal Tim McCaffrey and buoyed by chants of “Show Us CHAT,” the school officially revealed its Epic Campus makeover, which has transformed the elementary school’s culture and climate, on May 13. Standing atop the school’s rooftop, Fontana Unified School District (FUSD) maintenance workers dramatically pulled away plastic tarps to unveil a series of newly-rebranded teal and purple Roadrunner mascots casting watchful eyes over the school and surrounding neighborhood, while faculty, staff, scholars, and parents cheered. Earlier this school year, Jostens Renaissance named Chaparral Academy the grand-prize winner of its second annual Epic School Revamp Contest. The win came with a $150,000 prize package that included a full campus rebrand.
Fontana Unified’s Class of 2025 will embark on a range of post-graduation paths, including continuing their education at top universities such as UCLA, Barnard College, Boston University, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego; joining the armed forces; or launching directly into the workforce. Many graduates are equipped to pursue high-wage, high-demand careers through Fontana Unified’s 39 career technical education pathways.
Jurupa Hills High School junior Ashley Suarez has been chosen to serve as Fontana Unified’s Board of Education student representative for the 2025–26 school year, as the District continues its commitment to student empowerment and shaping future leaders. Suarez was selected following a competitive application and interview process with the Board on April 23. In her role as student representative, she will provide the Board with valuable insight on behalf of the District’s student body.
Truman Middle School teachers Christopher Leach and Kurtis Yinger have been recognized for their commitment to student success, earning regional or state-level honors for their impact inside and outside the classroom. Leach, a language arts teacher, was named a finalist for the California League of Middle Schools Educator of the Year award. Yinger, a history teacher, was recognized as a History-Social Science Educator of Excellence by the Inland Empire Council for Social Studies (IECSS).
Henry J. Kaiser High School’s award-winning Kaiser Artistic and Theatrical Society (KATS) program is wrapping up its 2024-25 season with a production of “Chicago.” KATS offers Kaiser High students advanced theatre instruction, preparing them for success in performance and technical roles. Tickets for the performances can be purchased at the door.
Fontana Unified School District Board of Education Vice President Danielle Holley and Board Member Mary Sandoval have been named 2025 Women of Distinction by Assemblymember James Ramos in recognition of their leadership in education and service to the Fontana community. Each year, Assemblymember Ramos presents Women of Distinction awards to celebrate those women in Assembly District 45 whose dedication to service, excellence, and leadership have had a profound impact on their communities. Thirteen women earned recognition this year, including Holley and Sandoval.
