Pioneer High School senior Jeremiah Parra was struggling to find his footing at school after suffering through the loss of both of his parents. Parra’s life changed when he first arrived at the Boys and Girls Club of Whittier/Pico Rivera. There, Parra rediscovered his love of learning, eventually joining the Club’s Leader in Training program as a teen tutor. For his ability to overcome adversity and commitment to bettering the lives of others, Parra was named the Boys & Girls Club of Whittier/Pico Rivera’s 2023 Youth of the Year. Parra received a trophy and certificate of recognition at the Youth of the Year presentation in early 2023.
U.S. Rep. Linda Sánchez delivered a $750,000 check to the City of Whittier and the Whittier Union High School District, which will help transform the athletic fields at Sierra Education Center (SEC) into a community recreation space that can be used for youth sports programs and serve more than 2,000 young people annually. Sánchez, who represents the 38th District, was joined by Superintendent Dr. Monica Oviedo, Board President Jaime Lopez, Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri and Whittier City Manager Brian Saeki for a ceremony at SEC on March 14.
La Serna High School senior Ivonne Perez recognized the importance of being a leader and acquiring an education early in her life. Growing up in a single-parent household, Perez helped raise her two younger siblings, even as she pursued her dream career as an aerospace engineer. As a La Serna High freshman, Perez joined the college prep program Puente, which greatly enhanced her academic and leadership skills. As Perez established herself as a mentor willing to sacrifice personal time to help her classmates, she developed into one of La Serna’s top students. For her leadership skills and academic achievements, Perez was recognized by the Whittier Union Board of Trustees with an Award of Merit during its March 14 Board meeting.
Whittier Union Students Receive Insight into Healthy Relationships
United Sierra Education Center (USEC) and Project Sister Family Services partnered to recognize Teen Dating and Awareness Month in February, providing USEC students with a series of educational workshops that provided valuable resources on building healthy relationships. A longtime partner of the USEC, Project Sister provides crisis intervention services, prevention education programs, professional counseling and support groups. This month’s workshops educated students on the importance of consent, boundaries and healthy relationships.
Whittier Union Cheer Team Takes First Place at USA Nationals
California High School’s junior varsity (JV) and varsity Show Cheer Non-Tumbling teams, along with the Song/Pom Novice JV and varsity teams, advanced to the United Spirit Association (USA) Nationals competition at the end of February, showcasing their vast talent, dedication and prowess. Varsity Show Cheer and JV Song put on thrilling performances and both teams clinched first place during the competition. The teams also took home first place during USA Regionals in January, giving the athletes the confidence to bring their routines to the next level.
Whittier Union Basketball Team Makes First Appearance in CIF Finals
The La Serna High School Lancer boys basketball team completed a whirlwind season which saw them go undefeated in Del Rio League play, then battle their way to their first-ever CIF Southern Section Division 3AA championship game on Feb. 25. Though the Lancers came up just short of winning the CIF title, they established a new team record with 27 wins and thrilled their fans with their hard-fought triumphs, including an exhilarating 77-75 overtime quarterfinal win over Hillcrest High School, which was followed by a 41-38 victory over Camarillo High School in the semifinals.
Whittier High School senior Adria Marin likes to take the initiative. Whether she is volunteering for a nonprofit organization, advocating for underrepresented students, creating a photography portfolio or building a pathway to higher education, Marin always does her research, comes prepared and leaves nothing to chance. Marin, who has a 4.4 GPA, has received early acceptance to Barnard College in New York City – one of the prestigious “Seven Sisters” universities – where she plans to study political science and French, with a career focus on international relations. For her leadership and devotion to advocacy, Marin was presented with an Award of Merit by the Whittier Union Board of Trustees during a Feb. 14 Board meeting.
Whittier Union High School Basketball Team Advances to CIF Finals
The La Serna High School Lancer boys’ varsity basketball team are looking to cap off a dream season with a championship when they take on St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy in the CIF Division 3AA Finals at noon on Saturday, Feb. 25 at Colony High School. La Serna advanced to the finals after defeating Camarillo High School 41-38 in a semifinal match on Feb. 17. La Serna is riding a hot streak, having won 16 of its last 17 games. Colony High School is located at 3850 E. Riverside Dr., Ontario.
Santa Fe High School Max Villanueva is dedicated to constantly bettering himself, whether it is in the classroom, where he sports a 4.22 GPA, as a member of the school’s cross country/track and swim teams, or when it comes to his impact on the environment. That determination has led Villanueva to receive a full-tuition Posse Foundation scholarship to attend Middlebury College. He has also been an active leader in several school clubs such as science, technology, engineering, art, and math club; Earth Alive, an environmental club; Youth Alive, a faith-based club, and Men Achieving Greatness, which focuses on leadership and volunteerism.
Does overcharging your electronic devices cause climate change? What is the effect of Ph levels on algae growth? Do vegan cleaning products work better than non-vegan products? Pioneer High School STEM students attempted to answer these questions and more during the school’s first annual Science Fair, held Feb. 2-3, providing a showcase for its future engineers and scientists. Among the winning projects at the fair was an automatic pet feeder made almost entirely out of cardboard and duct tape, which was awarded Best of Show, and a hydraulic robotic arm made of cardboard, popsicle sticks and plastic syringes, which won first place in the environmental science category.
