Fontana Unified’s Career Technical Education (CTE) program opened its theater season with live musical productions of “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” as District elementary and middle school students got the holiday season off to a spirited and nostalgic start. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is the latest production presented by Fontana Unified’s Theater Conservatory and brought together the talents of Canyon Crest Elementary School, Dorothy Grant Innovations Academy and Wayne Ruble Middle School students at the historic California Theatre for the Performing Arts in San Bernardino. For the first time, it featured an all-student cast, who once again worked with A.B. Miller High School multimedia design teacher Joseph Henson. The FUSD Theater Conservatory was established so that young students could discover the joys of theater and work as actors in a professional show, as well as get involved in CTE projects at an early age.
When Fontana High School career technical education (CTE) instructor Lamar Hanger arrived on campus at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year to lead the school’s building and construction pathway, he had a vision to transform the traditional woodshop into a modern commercial and residential construction lab while conducting his classroom as a job site. In less than three years, Hanger’s passion for teaching – and passing on his knowledge of the construction industry – has nearly tripled the number of students in FOHI’s Career Connections program, a CTE pathway in general construction. For his dedication and enthusiasm in guiding the next generation of homebuilders, Hanger has been honored by the Associated General Contractors of California (AGC) with their Construction Education Friend Award. Hanger will be presented with the award at the AGC Installation and Awards Gala on Feb. 2 in San Francisco.
FUSD TV Production Students Partner for Launch of New Program
Fontana Unified School District students and staff from Summit and A.B. Miller high schools partnered with students in Baldwin Park High School’s sports media club to share best practices and mentorship in preparation for BPHS’ launch of a news broadcast, the Braves Sports Network, on Jan. 17. Summit and A.B. Miller students shared filming and editing techniques they have learned through their schools’ career technical educational pathways in TV/film and video production.
Henry J. Kaiser High School theatre students qualified for the prestigious California Educational Theatre Association’s (CETA) State Festival and walked away with several awards for their production of William Shakespeare’s “Cymbeline” on Jan. 13. Kaiser’s fall play impressed judges at the Regional CETA Festival in December, resulting in a first place win out of 16 schools and a spot in the State Festival. This is Kaiser High School’s 13th year competing and their first top win at the regional level.
Fontana Unified to Host Black History Month Celebration
Fontana Unified School District and the FUSD African American Parent Advisory Council will honor the rich contributions of African and African American heritage during a Black History Month celebration at Fontana High School from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3. With its theme of “Harmony in Heritage and Knowledge,” the event will be split into two parts, with a Black Excellence Awards Ceremony, to be held in the FOHI theater beginning at 10 a.m., and continuing with a Black History Celebration Fair, beginning at noon in the school quad. The Celebration Fair will include live performances, traditional African dancing, arts, crafts and exhibits. Fontana High School is located at 9453 Citrus Ave., Fontana.
Fontana Unified School District students and staff from Summit and A.B. Miller high schools will partner with students in Baldwin Park High School’s sports media club to share best practices and mentorship in preparation for BPHS’ launch of a news broadcast, the Braves Sports Network. Summit and A.B. Miller students will share filming and editing techniques they have learned through their schools’ career technical education pathways in TV/film and video production.
Summit High School senior Imran Chaudhery’s passion for robotics has not only taught him important life skills, lessons and shaped his goals for the future, but taken him around the world – with his latest stop coming at the 2023 World Robotics Olympiad in Panama. Chaudhery joined a robotics team outside of school and began earning team victories at numerous competitions. He previously earned a spot in the World Robotics Olympiad Friendship Tournament in Denmark in 2019. Chaudhery and his teammates represented America again at the 2023 World Robotics Olympiad, which was held in November.
A.B. Miller High School Class of 2023 graduate Nathan Aguilar was named one of 50th District Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes’ 2023 “30 Under 30” recipients, honoring the initiative he displayed in becoming A.B. Miller’s first aviation student to earn his private pilot’s license. The recognition honors 30 residents under the age of 30 from California’s 50th District – which includes Fontana – for their dedication, innovation and service. Aguilar was recognized along with his peers at the seventh annual “30 Under 30” ceremony, which was hosted by Reyes at the Esri campus in Redlands.
Members from across the Fontana Unified community, including staff, students and elected dignitaries, gathered at Randall Pepper Elementary on Dec. 15 for the dedication of the O’Day Short Family Unity Garden that will serve as a living symbol of the District’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. The O’Day Short Family Unity Garden commemorates the lives of O’Day, Helen, Carol Ann and Barry Short. The family is remembered for breaking Fontana’s color barrier in 1945. All four members of the African American family died after their house burst into flames on Dec. 16, 1945, and Randall Pepper Elementary was later built on the site in 1950.
Fontana Unified students, staff and community members loaded up cars with gifts of toys, food and information on community resources during the District’s annual Fontana Santas event on Dec. 16. Fontana Santas began in 1997 when the Fontana School Police Department learned a Fontana boy ran away from home after Christmas because he did not receive any presents. Since then, the Fontana School Police Department and Fontana Unified employees have collected toys and donations from local organizations and delivered them to families in need during the holidays, creating a treasured tradition that has provided toys to thousands of Fontana Unified students over the last 26 years.
