To honor Our Lady of Guadalupe, Rose Hills Memorial Park is presenting “Juan Diego & the Beautiful Lady,” a free outdoor theater performance for the community from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4 at Mission Hills Plaza at Rose Hills Memorial Park, 3888 Workman Mill Road, Whittier. The bilingual play is directed and performed by Rio Hondo College theatre arts students, along with pupils from St. Marianne de Paredes Elementary School in Pico Rivera. After the performance, dancers from Pacifico Dance Co. will lead a procession following the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the Sky Rose Chapel for a special blessing
Follow-up Story: Rio Hondo College students, faculty and staff have donated close to 250 backpacks and suitcases for foster children and youths as part of the College’s third annual Case of Hope Drive. The donations, which included gifts from community members, far exceeded the 150 bags donated in 2015, and came with an added surprise: a donation of 200 toys by a Rio Hondo College graduate.
Rio Hondo College Stands in Solidarity with Students
Rio Hondo College is exploring ways it may legally shield undocumented students from immigration actions, according to a Nov. 16 letter to the campus community from College leaders. The letter, signed by Superintendent/President Teresa Dreyfuss and Board of Trustees President Mary Ann Pacheco, affirms the College’s support for all its diverse community members. The letter follows action by the Board of Trustees to reassure the campus community of its support in the wake of community concerns following the presidential election.
Rio Hondo College women’s tennis team will host The Unger Games, a round-robin tennis tournament that offers prizes for the top finishers, at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 19. Named for tennis coach Karen Unger, The Unger Games is an annual outreach event that raises funds for the program. Gates open at 9 a.m. for individuals who wish to warm up before the tournament. Partners are randomly chosen for all rounds but one. The tournament is at the Rio Hondo College tennis courts, 3600 Workman Mill Road, Whittier.
Rio Hondo College Hosts 250 Middle Schoolers for 2nd Discover Rio Day
Follow-up Story: Rio Hondo College hosted 250 students at its second annual Discover Rio Day on Nov. 17, a day of higher-education exploration. Students were welcomed by campus leaders at the Wray Theater, toured the campus and attended workshops on college programs, such as renewable energy and graphic information systems. The event is designed to spark early interest in college and careers.
Rio Hondo College will host a talk on immigration by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas, leader of the Define American movement, at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16. Vargas is an undocumented immigrant who came to the U.S. at age 12 – a status he only discovered when he applied for his driver’s license. He announced his status in a 2011 essay in the New York Times Magazine. Since then, he has advocated for a path to citizenship for those like him. The talk will be at the Wray Theater, 3600 Workman Mill Road, Whittier.
Rio Hondo College will mark Veterans Day with a weeklong program of activities, starting with an opening commemoration at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 7 with speeches from campus and Veterans Club leaders. The Veterans Club also will provide a barbecue lunch to the campus on Monday. Other events include a resource fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8, a daily push-up challenge to highlight veterans suicide issues and a Wall of Courage honoring veterans for their service. At 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, a ceremony will be held for Veterans Day followed by cake to celebrate the 241st birthday of the Marine Corps.
Rio Hondo College’s Board of Trustees has proclaimed support for a statewide ballot measure that would generate $90 million for Rio Hondo College remodeling and renovation projects. Prop. 51 on the Nov. 8 statewide ballot would generate $7 billion to augment local funding of capital projects at K-12 schools and $2 billion for community colleges, which project $29.2 billion in unmet facility needs through 2020-21.
Rio Hondo leaders estimate College facilities needs at $120 million, including those that would qualify for state matching funds.
Rio Hondo College’s 2015-16 Women’s Soccer Team Honored for Academics
Rio Hondo College 2015-16 women's soccer team, which reached the state championship final game, is being honored with a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Team Academic Award for exemplary performance in the classroom. To qualify for the award, the team must achieve a minimum GPA of 3.0 or higher for the entire academic year. Rio Hondo achieved a 3.07 team GPA. This is the third consecutive year the Roadrunners have earned the honor.
Rio Hondo College and automotive technology professor John Frala have received the 2016 Award for Clean Air Education and Outreach in recognition of the College’s groundbreaking Associate of Science degree in hybrid/electric vehicle/fuel-cell technology. The degree is California’s first to serve the growing market in advanced alternative-fuel technology, part of a suite of complementary majors in the College’s innovative automotive technology program. Frala, who is a leader in a statewide effort to create a Hydrogen Highway to support expanded use of alternative-fuel vehicles, designed the degree. The award was presented this month by the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
