Lynwood Unified will partner with St. John’s Well Child and Family Center for a collaboration that will expand access to the COVID-19 vaccine to employees of the District and the City of Lynwood, with the goal of ultimately providing vaccinations to community residents at Lynwood Unified facilities. On March 15, Firebaugh High School began serving as a vaccination site to serve District employees.
Lynwood Unified School District Board of Education members and District leaders joined together to unveil Lincoln Elementary School’s modernized security entrance during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 11. Following all health and safety protocols, Superintendent Gudiel R. Crosthwaite and Lincoln Principal George Guerrero welcomed more than 15 District employees to participate, marking the first in-person event in almost a year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lynwood Unified Senior Prepares for Higher Education by Serving Community
Lynwood High School senior Alexa Escamilla is preparing for higher education by doing what she loves, helping others. For Escamilla, who has a 4.6 GPA, community service has given her purpose amid the uncertainty of the world over the past year. Escamilla is targeting Columbia University and UCLA as two prospective schools to attend in the fall.
Abbott Elementary School students welcomed rapper, writer, producer and “Hamilton” star Daveed Diggs to a virtual assembly that celebrated music and the arts on Feb. 24. The award-winning actor visited students through the Turnaround Arts: California program to inspire students to follow their passion.
Lynwood High School senior Alexa Escamilla is preparing for higher education by doing what she loves most - helping others. For Alexa, serving the community she loves has given her purpose amid the uncertainty of the world around her over the past year. Alexa, who is among the top of her LHS class with a 4.6 GPA, is targeting Columbia University and UCLA as two prospective schools to attend this fall. One would keep her closer to her family, the other would allow her to venture to the East Coast and join the Ivy League as LHS 2020 graduate Jaren Johnson (Dartmouth) did before her.
Lynwood Unified has partnered with PAPER Educational Support system to provide more than 4,000 high school students with real-time distance learning support beginning in February as the District works to prevent learning loss. LUSD high school students will now receive 24/7 live help and essay review from PAPER expert tutors, while teachers will get feedback and intervention tools to inspire learners. Students will be able to access the service by logging on to the Clever platform using their Gmail accounts.
To support student and staff safety, Lynwood Unified School District plans to move instruction off Lynwood High School’s campus for the 2021-22 school year, as the District works to resolve structural issues discovered after exterior ceiling panels collapsed at the school in June 2020. The Board of Education discussed plans moving forward based on a staff facilities update and recommendation during a Jan. 24 special meeting. Out of an abundance of caution, the District will also assess all other LHS campus structures to ensure they are structurally sound, and to identify other repair needs.
Lynwood Unified Graduate’s Story of Becoming Animator Inspires Students
Lynwood High School Class of 2007 graduate Lidia Garcia knew from an early age that she wanted to be an animator. Now a professional storyboard artist on the Hulu animation series “Solar Opposites,” Garcia made a virtual return to the school’s Advanced Placement Art Studio class when she hosted a video conference for current students, using personal animation to share her journey as a first-generation college graduate.
Lynwood Unified Graduate Inspires Art and Animation Students
Lynwood High School Class of 2007 graduate Lidia Garcia addressed LHS AP Art Studio students during a video conference in December, sharing her journey as she worked her way from first-generation college goer to a career as a professional storyboard artist. Garcia described the thrill of her college years, meeting fellow animators, honing her craft, receiving her first internship, and getting hired by a major animation studio.
Lynwood Unified Data Analyst Diana Hawkins has always lit up the District with her smile and energy, and on Dec. 15 she introduced it to a nationally televised audience with an unforgettable performance on Wheel of Fortune. Hawkins laughed, shouted, and cheered her way to a winning total of $57,850 and a trip to Puerto Rico while stealing the spotlight and being hailed a “super contestant” by media and social network observers.
