8 Whittier Union Musicians to Perform in Tournament of Roses Parade
Eight Whittier Union students have been selected to perform in the 2020 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade Honor Band on New Year’s Day. The students won coveted spots in the nearly 250-member Honor Band after a rigorous audition process that included hundreds of high school musicians from throughout Southern California. From California High School, they are Kaelee Chavez (clarinet), Seth Diaz (tenor sax), Mark Gonzalez (trombone), Roberto Haro (trumpet), Myriam Hernandez (color guard/tall flag), Erica Leal (color guard/banner) and Chloe Martin (color guard/banner). Trumpet player Hector Torres will represent Santa Fe High School.
Whittier High School’s historic Vic Lopez Auditorium transformed into a dazzling Hollywood-inspired concert hall when the Los Angeles Philharmonic staged a one night-only, showstopping performance for over 2,000 students and members of the community on Sept. 27.
Whittier Union has been identified as one of 167 California school districts to excel at supporting the learning of all students, particularly Hispanics, at higher-than-expected levels on the state’s new, more rigorous math and reading assessments in a “Positive Outliers: Districts Beating the Odds” study. Whittier Union ranked at 65 in the study, which was released earlier this year by the Learning Policy Institute out of Stanford University. The Institute is headed by Linda Darling-Hammond, president of the California Board of Education. Whittier Union’s earned reputation for attaining and sustaining substantial academic progress has been over two decades the making.
The Whittier High School quad was filled with hundreds of students and their families eager to explore their post-secondary options and forge a path to their future during the 2022 Whittier Union College Fair, held Sept. 21. Long lines formed as students spoke with representatives from more than 50 colleges from across the country and participated in workshops geared toward navigating the college application process. Information on social services were provided by local vendors. The College Fair was presented in-person for the first time since the 2019-20 school year.
Whittier Union High School District will host its annual District College Fair at La Serna High School from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, allowing students and parents to meet with dozens of college representatives and get first-hand information about the college systems and financial aid. Students from all of the District’s high schools are invited to participate in the event, taking place at 15301 Youngwood Drive, Whittier.
Whittier Union Schools to Hold Back to School Nights
Whittier Union High School District’s five comprehensive high schools are inviting parents and students to their Back to School Night events, taking place as follows: 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11 at Whittier High School, 12417 E. Philadelphia St.; 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11 at Pioneer High School, 10800 E. Benavon St.; 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 at Santa Fe High School, 10400 S. Orr & Day Road; and 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12 at California High School, 9800 S. Mills Ave. La Serna High School has held its event.
Whittier Union High School District’s five comprehensive high schools are inviting parents and students to their Back to School Night events, during which they will have the opportunity to learn about the school’s academic and extra-curricular programs and how to ensure student success. Parents can meet teachers and administrators, learn about the curriculum for their students’ courses, discover volunteer and engagement opportunities on campus, and learn more about upcoming events that will contribute to their children’s academic progress.
Across Whittier Union, 2,727 members of the Class of 2023 participated in Freshman First Day activities that are hosted annually by student Link Crew teams at each school in an effort to build connections with freshmen and ease their transition into high school. The program is now in its 15th year. Overall, the District welcomed over 11,100 students to its campuses.
Nearly 750 incoming ninth-graders at California High School will preview classes, meet teachers, make new friends and learn more about the Condor campus – their home for the next four years – on Tuesday, Aug. 13 as part of Whittier Union High School District’s Freshman First Day program. This year, Whittier Union will welcome over 2,700 freshmen and over 11,000 overall. The first day of school for all students is Wednesday, Aug. 14.
Pioneer High School math teacher Carolina DeHart has been selected Whittier Union's 2019-20 Teacher of the Year. DeHart has spent nearly 30 years making a positive impact on Pioneer students as a teacher and tutor, instilling high expectations while pushing students to attend college and pursue their dream careers. She was hired as a calculus teacher at Pioneer in 1989. Over the years, she has taught every math class at Pioneer, from algebra and geometry to trigonometry and math analysis. In addition, she tutors three afternoons a week as part of Pioneer’s Prep Program.
