Follow-up Story: Whittier High School art students on Aug. 5 unveiled 17 murals crafted by local artists, teens and elementary school students depicting the history of the City of Whittier and their school inside an 80-foot campus tunnel. Using historical archives from Whittier High’s library and the Whittier Historical Museum, students created a vivid representation of what it has meant to be a Cardinal over the decades. As part of the friendly competition, students researched, sketched and painted murals of a decade of their choice from 1900 to today. Photos are available.
La Serna High School sophomore Brianna Chacon, a fast rising 14-year-old golfer, is competing in the 116th U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship – the premier amateur tournament in the country. The tournament runs through Sunday, Aug. 7 at the Rolling Green Golf Course in Springfield, Pennsylvania. Chacon, competing against mostly college players, punched her ticket to the championship after finishing as just one of eight players to make it from a field of 84 in a qualifying tournament June 28 at Friendly Hills Country Club in Whittier. She shot a 73 and finished tied for fifth place.
Follow-up Story: Hundreds of local middle and high school students who took part in the annual Escalante Summer Math Academy at Pioneer High School received achievement certificates on July 14 for completing the rigorous six-week program. The academy, named for famous math educator Jaime Escalante, who died in 2010, offered instruction in pre-algebra, Algebra I, Algebra II, geometry and math analysis, and calculus preparation. Participants included seventh- and eighth-grade students from Whittier-area middle schools and students from Whittier Union’s five comprehensive high schools. Photos are available.
To ensure that special education students receive high-quality services closer to home, Whittier Union this summer launched the PRIDE Santa Fe program, which will offer specialized instruction to students with emotional challenges who would otherwise have to attend private facilities. Adjacent to the Santa Fe High School campus, the program serves students from throughout the District with emotional, social and behavioral challenges. Seven students have enrolled in the program this summer and school officials expect the program to grow over the 2016-17 school year, with a maximum of 24 spaces for students.
Whittier Union’s La Serna High School will offer two new STEM classes this fall thanks to the lobbying efforts of Markie Wagner, a rising senior on her way to launching her second smartphone app. This summer, two La Serna High teachers are receiving training at Cal Poly Pomona to teach Intro to Engineering and Advanced Placement Computer Science in fall. Wagner is one of many girls and young women entering the coding field, in part, because of encouragement from the nationally renowned group Girls Who Code, which is dedicated to closing the gender gap in the technology industry.
Follow-up Story: The Whittier Union Board of Trustees on June 22 adopted a 2016-19 Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) that invests $123 million – including $18.7 million in funds for high-needs students – to increase student access to technology, provide training and empowerment workshops for English learners and their parents, reduce Advanced Placement test fees and expand PSAT/SAT test opportunities. The LCAP, a requirement of the state’s school funding system, guides District efforts to improve student learning. It identifies goals for each year, strategies to achieve those goals and funding sources. With widespread input from District stakeholders, many programs are developed to target all students, while others focus on the state’s three high-needs groups: economically disadvantaged students, foster children and English learners. The Board also adopted a balanced 2016-17 budget based on the LCAP.
A drawing by a La Serna High School student will be on display in the U.S. Capitol for one year after taking the top prize in the 38th District for the 2016 Congressional Art Competition, a national contest that recognizes and encourages artistic talent among high school students. Elise Martinez, a rising senior at La Serna High, was awarded best overall work for her drawing, titled “Great Egg in the Sky,” in the 38th Congressional District by U.S. Rep. Linda Sanchez and a panel of local art teachers and professors. Martinez and her family will attend an award ceremony in Washington, D.C. later this month.
Cal High Teacher Earns National Board Certification
California High School English teacher Mark Quintero has earned National Board Certification, the most respected professional certification available in education, demonstrating advanced knowledge, skills and practices required of an outstanding educator. There are now 27 National Board certified teachers at Whittier Union, accounting for 5 percent of its teaching staff – significantly above the state average of 1.6 percent and national average of 3 percent.
Follow-up Story: Whittier Union High School District held graduation celebrations for four of its five comprehensive high schools at the new Dick Torres Memorial Stadium at Pioneer High School. La Serna and California high schools held their ceremonies on June 1, followed by Whittier and Pioneer high schools on June 2. Frontier High School held its commencement on June 1 at First Family Church and Santa Fe High School held its ceremony on June 2 at Cerritos College. Photos are available
First Whittier High School Cardinal Headed to MIT
Whittier High School student Dylan Carranza is the first Cardinal in the school’s recent history to be accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Carranza, one of six valedictorians this year, will attend the prestigious university on a full-ride scholarship and explore his passions in science and math. Other valedictorians include Andrea Pelayo, who will attend UC Berkeley; Chastity Baeder, who will attend Biola University; and Matteo Munoz, Yulissa Serrato and Pavle Pejovski, who will all attend UCLA.
