Follow-up Story: Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal shared the book “Stealing Home,” with more than 100 Lynwood Unified students on July 31 at Helen Keller Elementary School during the finale of the Read Lead Summer Literacy Program. The book tells how Jackie Robinson – who broke baseball’s color barrier in 1947 – stole home to help the Dodgers beat the Yankees in Game 1 of the 1955 World Series. During the reading program, children ages 5-13 were given culturally relevant materials to help stem summer learning loss, which has been identified as the primary factor in widening the achievement gap among student groups.
Summer Workshop Assists Lynwood Unified Seniors with College Planning
Follow-up Story: About 30 Lynwood High School seniors took part in a series of workshops from July 27-31 on how to apply to colleges, obtain financial aid and manage finances during college. Workshops will be held at Firebaugh High School, 5246 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Lynwood. The California Student Opportunity and Access Program runs the program to empower students and their families to access all higher-education opportunities. Representatives navigated students through the college application process and will later help them find and apply for scholarships.
Follow-up Story: More than 110 Lynwood Unified students recently practiced strategies for passing difficult Advanced Placement (AP) exams while receiving training in college essay writing during a special District summer program. The three-day AP Camp, which started July 13 at both Firebaugh and Lynwood high schools, provided students with courses to help them develop the writing, goal-setting, planning, time management and note-taking skills needed to achieve success in the challenging courses and beyond. As part of the camp, about 40 Lynwood and Firebaugh high school students also embarked on a one-day excursion to California State
University campuses at Northridge and Long Beach on July 15.
Follow-up Story: More than 80 students from Lynwood Unified’s high schools celebrated graduation during a combined ceremony in the Marco Antonio Firebaugh High School gym on July 16 in Lynwood. Thirty Firebaugh High, 39 Lynwood High and 14 Vista and Pathway high schools graduates were honored in the commencement ceremony in front of friends, family and school staff. Students who had to complete units required for graduation during the summer took part in the event. The District graduation rates have climbed to more than 75 percent. Grad rates from the District’s comprehensive high schools have cleared 85 percent.
LCAP Goes Before Lynwood Unified Board of Education for Approval
Lynwood Unified School District will put its 2015-18 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) before the Board of Education for approval at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 23 in the District Board Room, 11321 Bullis Road, Lynwood. The document outlines the district’s vision for educational improvements over three years, sets annual goals and lists actions to achieve those goals. The LCAP includes goals for improved student performance, ensuring all students meet the A-G curriculum requirements for admission to UC/CSU systems. The District also will add support to campuses, including campus monitors, social workers, case managers and more technology.
Lynwood High junior Kevin Estrada will get a leg up on his artistic career when one of his paintings is showcased in the U.S. Capitol beginning in late June. Estrada’s depiction of an area fire hydrant was selected from 70 pieces displayed at the Croatian Cultural Center in San Pedro during Memorial Day weekend as part of an art contest run by U.S. Rep. Janice Hahn, D-San Pedro. The selection includes a $500 scholarship and a trip to Washington, D.C. Estrada’s painting, representing the 44th Congressional District, will hang with art contest winners from across the country in the U.S. Capitol for the next year.
Lynwood Unified Celebrates Graduates
Follow-up Story: Lynwood Unified celebrated nearly 900 graduates from Firebaugh, Lynwood and Vista high schools during commencement ceremonies June 1-5. Since 2011, Firebaugh High’s graduation rate has climbed nearly 20 percent, with 89.2 percent of seniors graduating in 2014-15. Similarly, rates at Lynwood High grew to 80.9 percent. The two comprehensive high schools are also sending more students than ever to institutions of higher education. More than 87 percent of the graduating classes at Firebaugh and Lynwood highs will advance to a university, college or enter the U.S. Armed Forces.
More than 350 students from Lynwood’s Firebaugh High School will receive their diplomas at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 4 at Whittier College, 13847 Earlham Drive, Whittier. Of the graduates, more than half will be moving on to four-year universities including UCLA, UC San Diego, University of Virginia, UC Berkeley and UC Irvine. About 86 percent of the graduating students have committed to higher education or the United States military.
Follow-up Story: Nearly 700 Lynwood Unified students connected with employers and professionals from the financial, construction trades, government agencies, military and even the acting industry during Firebaugh High School’s inaugural job fair held in the gym on May 20. In all, more than 40 vendors showcased their industries and talked to students about what skills and education they needed for going into each field. Doctors, money managers, and even a consultant to the skateboard industry spent time with students.
Follow-up Story: About 1,500 students jumped to rhythms of up-and-coming artists and participated in developing their own talents in arts and music for two hours in the campus Quad on May 19 as Lynwood High hosted the High School Nation Tour. The event not only brought musical acts to the campus but also exposed the students to a world of music, arts and media through interactive areas including the Guitar Center Music Zone, Tilly's Clothing Zone, Sony Media Zone and the Tulip Art Zone. In these zones, students could play music on top instruments, silk screen T-shirts and create designs for shoes.High School Nation donated more than $10,000 in music and arts equipment to the school and gave away more than $5,000 in prizes to the students, including Gibson guitars, backpacks and art supplies.
