Before Frontier High School senior David Arias could pursue an academic journey of self-realization and dedication, he had to confront his biggest nemesis – procrastination. Failure to follow through on his class assignments at his home school put Arias a full year behind his peers, jeopardizing his chances to graduate. Transferring to Frontier as a sophomore, Arias found that the school’s smaller class sizes inspired him to work harder and more efficiently, and he earned more credits in his first semester at Frontier than he had in his first three semesters at his home school. Establishing a positive connection with teachers, Arias found a love for writing and storytelling. In his junior year, Arias submitted an essay to the statewide California Continuation Education Association (CCEA) conference, earning second place in the state. Reading his essay before family, Frontier staff and educators from across California at the conference, Arias received a standing ovation.
La Serna High School students received a crash course in money management during “Bite of Reality,” an event held on Nov. 8 as part of the school’s Financial Wellness Program that saw nearly 250 La Serna students participate in an interactive financial education simulation designed to teach them how to budget their money as adults. Using the Bite of Reality phone app, students were randomly assigned virtual personas, which provided them jobs, salaries and families, as well as debts from sources such as student loans and credit cards. Students then went “shopping” to find out how much various necessities – like housing, clothing, food and daycare – would cost them annually. The goal for students was to finish their assignment with zero debt. Bite of Reality is a service provided by CU SoCal’s Business and Community Development department.
Whittier Union Students Display Talents During Annual Band Jamboree
Whittier Union High School District students from all five comprehensive high schools lit up the stage at California High School’s stadium during the District’s annual Band Jamboree on Nov. 6. The Band Jamboree saw band groups, entertainment units, color guard, dance, drill and song teams perform their best routines in front of a crowd of enthusiastic and proud parents, friends and community members
Whittier Union Celebrates Día De Los Muertos with Community Event
Whittier Union High School District students, teachers, staff and families took part in a day of remembrance during La Serna High School’s Día De Los Muertos Community Event on Nov. 1. The event saw attendees dressed as La Catrina – a female skeleton commonly depicted wearing a fancy dress. Students and families also enjoyed live entertainment, food vendors, painting stations, crafts and activities such as flower making.
Whittier Union Adult School Citizenship class teachers are known for continually showering their students with care, support, devotion and celebrations as they navigate the steps of becoming a U.S. citizen, accomplishing what is a lifelong dream for many. Teachers Jesus DeLaTorre and Katherine Herrick provide their students with application assistance and help refine their grammar, pronunciation, dictation and reading skills in preparation for their citizenship interview. DeLaTorre and Herrick also provide instruction in American history and government to further prepare students for the citizenship test.
California High School’s Academic Mentors embarked on a thrilling adventure at the Orange County Ropes Course, where they were pushed out of their comfort zones and taught valuable lessons in teamwork, courage and risk-taking. The Orange County Ropes Course is an elaborate network of above-ground obstacles, climbing structures and a final zipline that are each designed to test a person’s physical and mental abilities. The Academic Mentors faced the rope course on Oct. 5, building a strong mentality of overcoming obstacles that they will now bring to their mentoring sessions in the classroom. The Cal High Academic Mentors are a group of juniors and seniors who help support teachers by working in small groups or one-on-one with mentees in classes that are designed to provide extra support to at-promise students.
Three Whittier Union high schools were recognized by the College Board as Advanced Placement Honor Roll schools, reflecting a commitment to increasing a college-going culture on campus and providing opportunities for students to earn college credit and maximize college readiness, based on data compiled from the schools’ Class of 2023 graduates. La Serna High School earned a Silver Award, while Pioneer and Santa Fe high schools were honored with Bronze Awards. Additionally, La Serna and Santa Fe each earned the AP Access Award, recognizing the schools for providing underrepresented students access to advanced coursework. The College Board places schools on its Honor Roll after evaluating three separate data sets representing college culture (students taking at least one AP exam), college credit (students scoring a “3” or higher on an AP exam) and college optimization (students taking five or more AP exams).
Whittier Union Adult School Citizenship Students Achieve Their Dreams
Whittier Union Adult School Citizenship class teachers are known for continually showering their students with care, support, devotion and celebrations as they navigate the steps of becoming a U.S. citizen, accomplishing what is a lifelong dream for many. Teachers Jesus DeLaTorre and Katherine Herrick provide their students with application assistance and help refine their grammar, pronunciation, dictation and reading skills in preparation for their citizenship interview. DeLaTorre and Herrick also provide instruction in American history and government to further prepare students for the citizenship test.
History will be made when the California Museum screens “The Great American Lowrider Tradition,” an award-winning car culture documentary created and produced by Pioneer High School maintenance custodian Martin Torrez, as part of the museum’s Fall programming celebrating the rich history, artistry and impact of low rider culture. The film will be screened on Saturday, Oct. 21, followed by a Q&A with Torrez and documentary subjects from the film. The screening will be the first time a movie exploring American car culture will be presented at the museum and represents a major advancement in telling the first-hand stories of lowrider enthusiasts who endured decades-long racial discrimination for pursuing their passions and celebrating their Chicano heritage.
Three Whittier High School seniors have taken a significant step towards achieving their dreams of attending a top-tier university after high school by securing coveted spots in the prestigious and highly-selective University of Southern California’s (USC) Bovard Scholars program. Whittier High seniors Diana Nguyen, Fabiola Ramirez and Cynthia Flores participated in a three-week intensive program this summer that began with a week of online preparation, followed by two weeks on USC’s campus free of charge. The USC Bovard Scholars program connects underrepresented, first-generation students with higher education resources and coaching opportunities, helping them to gain admission and succeed at the nation’s top universities.
