fbpx

Whittier Union High School District

  • Whittier Union Students Spread Holiday Cheer, STEM Inspiration through Annual Tradition

    Students from Whittier High School’s Cardinal Academy of Technology (CAT) continued a cherished end-of-year tradition when they made their annual holiday visit to Lydia Jackson College Prep Academy to spread holiday cheer on Dec. 6, delighting dozens of Lydia Jackson second grade students. The holiday visit has been a tradition for the two schools for 20 years, with Whittier High juniors enrolled in the CAT program bearing gifts, telling stories, and singing songs to the elementary students, while also inspiring the students to consider pursuing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects as they progress through school.

    Read More

  • Whittier Union Freshmen Take Deep Dive Via Mobile Museum Virtual Ocean Experience

    La Serna High School freshman biology students took their first steps as marine biologists, with a deep dive through the San Pedro Channel and observing the Pacific Ocean ecosystem, through a unique, immersive multimedia experience brought to campus by the Natural History Museum’s (NHM) “An Ocean Experience” Mobile Museum program. Inside the mobile museum, meticulously transformed into the submersible DSV Sea Nettle to simulate a deep-sea expedition, students received a closer look at underwater species, including squids, sea turtles, sharks, shellfish, and myriad other obscure yet vital organisms that live in the ocean. Led by NHM educator Augie VanDeVeer, who posed as captain of the DSV Sea Nettle, the submersible set off in search of an “anomaly” – in this case, a blue whale carcass lying at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean – and discussed its ecological impact and the efficient way that ocean species use organic biodegradation to keep its ecosystem thriving and robust.

    Read More

  • Pioneer High School Celebrates First-Ever CIF Southern Section Football Championship

    When the Pioneer High School football team struggled during a mid-season slump, coach Ramon Juarez inspired his players by telling them they were on the cusp of greatness if they never stopped believing in themselves. Pioneer shook off decades of frustration and disappointment by capturing their first-ever CIF Southern Section (CIF-SS) football title, after defeating San Gabriel High by a final score of 13-6 in the Division 14 championship game on Nov. 30. The game was played in front of 2,000 passionate supporters at Dick Torres Memorial Stadium, which included Titan alums from as far back as the 1960s.

    Read More

6 Whittier Union AVID Students Named Dell Scholars

California High School teacher Doug Nordquist was honored with a Patriot Award by California Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) on April 5. The award recognizes individuals who provide outstanding patriotic support and cooperation to their employees. Nordquist, the school's band director, has been an educator at Whittier Union for 38 years, 23 of those at Cal High. ESGR, a Department of Defense program, seeks to foster a culture in which employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve.

Whittier Union Schools Earn Awards of Achieving High Academic Growth

Several Whittier Union High School District schools have been honored for achieving high academic growth, with students consistently making academic gains faster than similar students at similar schools. Pioneer High School was honored with the CORE Districts' Academic Growth Award for achieving three years of success in math. California, Santa Fe and Whittier high schools were honored with High Impact Badges for their success in English language arts (Cal) and math (Santa Fe/Whittier).

Whittier Union Schools Earn AVID Schoolwide Site of Distinction Honors

Two Whittier Union schools have been designated as AVID Schoolwide Sites of Distinction. Pioneer and Santa Fe high schools – both of which are National AVID Demonstration Schools ¬– were recognized for demonstrating outstanding commitment to their students by ensuring equity and opportunity for all students, providing rigorous academic opportunities and implementing superb instructional practices across both schools.

Whittier Union Schools Earn CORE Districts Awards for Achieving High Student Academic Growth

Several Whittier Union High School District schools have been honored for achieving high academic growth, with students consistently making academic gains faster than similar students at similar schools. Pioneer High School was honored with the CORE Districts' Academic Growth Award for achieving three years of success in math. California, Santa Fe and Whittier high schools were honored with High Impact Badges for their success in English language arts (Cal) and math (Santa Fe, Whittier).

Santa Fe High Exemplary Student Earns Award of Merit for Leadership

Santa Fe High School senior Maximas Gomez is an exemplary student whose profound drive for success has propelled him to shine as a role model to his peers and teachers alike. After working summer jobs with his father starting at age 5, Gomez has learned the value of time, the cost of necessities and the tireless amount of work it would take to get ahead in school and in life. Those experiences and efforts have resulted in Gomez’s continued success at Santa Fe. He was recently honored by the Whittier Union High School District Board of Trustees with the Award of Merit.

Whittier Union Student Surprised with $40,000 Edison Scholarship

Pioneer High School senior Ana Cortez was surprised with a $40,000 Edison scholarship while in her AP Chemistry class on March 20, surrounded by friends, classmates and teachers. Cortez is one of 30 Southern California high school students to be named a 2019 Edison Scholar. Cortez plans to major in bio-engineering to prepare for a career creating technological advancements for people with disabilities, including artificial prosthetics at an affordable price.

Whittier Union School to Host Every 15 Minutes Program

Santa Fe High School will host a two-day “Every 15 Minutes” program with a trio of techniques to bring home the dangers of drinking and driving: a graphic staging of a deadly drunk-driving crash, students randomly pulled from classes to represent lives lost to drunk driving and a mock funeral service. The drunk-driving scenario involves firefighters, police and a coroner, as well as students pre-selected from the school – including one who “dies” and another who is arrested for driving under the influence and booked into jail. The crash scene will take place at 11:10 a.m. Wednesday, April 3 at Santa Fe High School, 10400 S. Orr & Day Road, Santa Fe Springs. A mock funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 4.

Whittier Union Schools Recognized for Boosting Female Representation in STEM Courses

Two Whittier Union high schools have earned the first College Board AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for achieving high female representation in their AP Computer Science Principles courses. La Serna and Whittier high schools were recognized for either reaching 50 percent or higher female representation in the AP course or having a percentage of the female computer science examinees meeting or exceeding that of the school’s female population. Out of more than 18,000 secondary schools worldwide that offer AP courses, the schools are among 685 to accomplish this feat.