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Whittier Union High School District

  • Whittier Union Chamber Singers Find Their Voice as Honor Choir Performers

    California High School’s acclaimed Chamber Choir offers a safe space for its singers, with the inclusive environment in Cal High Choir Director Dan Hawkins’ classroom encouraging students to showcase their talents without prejudice and find their voice as performers who are prepared to take their vocal gifts to the next level. This year, four Cal High Chamber Choir members have been recognized for their excellence by being named to prestigious regional honor choirs. Seniors Roxie Navarro and Larissa Ortega and junior Allison Orellana-Mejia were selected to the Western American Choral Directors Association’s (WACDA) High School Honor Choir. The three singers performed together at the 2024 WACDA Pasadena Conference Honor Choir concert, held March 9. Ortega was also selected, along with sophomore David Gutierrez, for the Southern California Vocal Association (SCVA) Honor Choir, with both students performing at the SCVA Honor Choir concert at Redlands University in November 2023.

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  • Whittier Union Senior Receives Award of Merit for Academic, Personal Perseverance

    Whittier High School senior Fabiola Ramirez stands as a testament to resilience, facing and conquering challenges that few encounter in a lifetime. From the moment she was born with severe hearing loss in both ears and labeled medically hard of hearing, Ramirez has defied stereotypes and refused to let her unique journey be defined by her hearing loss. Ramirez, a lifelong Whittier resident, has worn hearing aids since childhood, enduring the isolating experience of being the only student in her class with such devices. Amid instances of bullying, she transferred elementary schools twice. However, her journey took a positive turn when she enrolled at Katherine Edwards Middle School, where she began to find her stride. For her ability to overcome challenges and excel in her academic and personal pursuits, Ramirez was recognized with an Award of Merit by the Whittier Union Board of Trustees during a March 12 meeting.

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  • Whittier Union School Recognized as 2024 Model Continuation High School for Exemplary Instructional Strategies

    Frontier High School has been named one of California's 2024 Model Continuation High Schools by the California Department of Education (CDE), highlighting the school for excelling in providing innovative programs addressing the academic and socioemotional needs of its students. Frontier High’s academic program offers students instruction designed to match their needs, learning style, and skill level. The school’s smaller class sizes and individualized learning experiences allow students to make up missing credits. The school also offers robust support for social-emotional and student well-being, a diverse range of extracurricular activities, and the chance for students to concurrently complete college courses. Frontier was one of 31 schools recognized by the CDE for their exceptional commitment to providing comprehensive services to at-promise youth.

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Whittier Union’s La Serna High Celebrates College-Bound Student-Athletes

La Serna High School will hold a special ceremony at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 27 in the school gym to recognize 24 Whittier Union student-athletes who have signed letters of intent or who have committed to play at a college or university. Each senior will have banners and decorative items representing the local and national universities they will attend, from Cal Baptist University to the University of Southern California. Sports represented include bowling, soccer, cheer, volleyball, soccer, water polo, softball, baseball, football, tennis, track and swim. La Serna is at 15301 Youngwood Drive.

La Serna High Pilots Peer-to-Peer Mental Health Referral Program

Follow-up Story: La Serna High School student leaders on May 11 challenged more than 550 classmates to “Shatter the Stigma” associated with mental health through the debut of a “Notice, Talk, Act” pilot program, which encourages students to actively support friends who may struggle with mental illness. The presentations were among several activities planned for La Serna’s “Mental Health Awareness Day.” The school also screened a student-produced video encouraging students to use the “Notice, Talk, Act” approach to reach out to friends in need and hosted a presentation outlining the benefits of seeking professional mental health counseling.

Cal High Seniors Learn Governance via Students in Government Program

Follow-up Story: Thirty California High School Seniors were formally recognized by the Whittier City Council at a meeting held April 28 for their successful completion of the “Whittier Students in Government” (WSIG) Program, a collaborative effort between the City of Whittier and the Whittier Union High School District that offers students who are interested in government with ground-level, hands-on experience working at the municipal level. The Advanced Placement (AP) Government students were given the opportunity to serve in roles that parallel those within existing city government, including mayor, mayor pro-tem, city council members, city manager and administrative staff. Students conducted research over the course of several months and organized proposals.

Whittier High School ASB Students Love Their Lunch Lady

Whittier High School’s food services manager Kathy Tyler won the Southern California School Nutrition Association’s inaugural “I Love My Lunch Lady” competition after Associated Student Body students sang their praises for her in a video they produced spoofing Weird Al Yankovic’s “Girls Just Want to Have Lunch.” The honor brings with it a $1,000 award that will be split between Tyler and Whittier High. The student-produced video is available at www.EatSmart2beSmart.org.

Whittier Union Celebrates Grand Opening of Dick Torres Memorial Stadium

Follow-up Story: Whittier Union High School District unveiled on May 28 its spectacular 7,000-seat Pioneer High School football stadium – among the largest in the San Gabriel Valley – before a crowd of several hundred students and community members. The stadium was dedicated as the Dick Torres Memorial Stadium in honor of the late Richard (Dick) Torres, a former Santa Fe High School teacher and Pioneer’s former Assistant Principal of Business and Activities. The $17.5 million facility – built with proceeds from the Measure W Bond and to be shared with Santa Fe High – features a synthetic football field and track, scoreboard and goal posts.

Whittier High Student Brings Health to Campus with First Mud Run

Whittier High School is hosting its first-ever mud run obstacle course fundraiser as part of a healthy eating, active living initiative started by high school freshman Analaura Amezquita. The Cardinal Survival Mud Run will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 16 at the school, 12417 Philadelphia St, Whittier. Funds raised will go to support school organizations and clubs, including ASB, football, band, cheer, Academic Mentors and more. Students were encouraged to collect pledges from sponsors to participate in the obstacle course, which will include water slides and mud.

Whittier Union Schools Awarded Prestigious California Gold Ribbons

All five of the Whittier Union High School District’s comprehensive high schools on May 5 were named California Gold Ribbon Schools – the state’s highest award for academic excellence. Gold Ribbons were awarded to California, La Serna, Pioneer, Santa Fe and Whittier high schools; the latter three received an additional award for being Title I Academic Achieving Schools that demonstrate success in meeting the educational needs of all students. The awards come on the heels of Whittier Union’s alternative school, Frontier High School, being named a Model Continuation School in March.

California High Senior Named Gates Millennium Scholar

California High School senior Ivan Delatorre is one of 1,000 students from across the nation to be named a Gates Millennium Scholar. Delatorre, who holds a 4.3 GPA and is ranked seventh in a class of 720 at the Whittier Union school, was chosen from among tens of thousands of applicants for the Millennium Scholar Program, established in 1999 through a $1.6 billion grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The program helps high-performing students attain their dream of attending four-year universities and colleges through graduate school. Delatorre will use the funds to pursue a degree in accounting at UCLA.

Whittier Union Students Take on City Leadership Roles for Civics Program

Whittier Union High School District has teamed with the City of Whittier to provide students with hands-on experience running a municipality, culminating in a mock city council meeting at Whittier City Hall at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 28. As part of Whittier Students in Government, about 25 to 30 students from California High School serve as student leaders in posts that parallel those in the city government, from Student Mayor to Student City Manager. The event will end with students being recognized at the Whittier City Council meeting at 6:30 p.m. The program is designed to encourage students' civic involvement and incorporate the voice of youth in the democratic process.

Santa Fe High Senior Surprised with $40,000 Scholarship

Aylin Arreola’s eyes filled with tears early April 15 as the Santa Fe High School senior was surprised with the news she had won a coveted $40,000 Southern California Edison scholarship that will make her dream of attending UC Santa Barbara a reality. A group of SCE representatives paid an unannounced visit to the 17-year-old’s Whittier Union school to break the news, bringing with them her mother and father, Lourdes and Audon Arreola, to share in the good news. Just 30 students were chosen from 2,768 applicants for the 2015 Southern California Edison Scholars program, which directs funds to first-generation college students with financial need who plan to major in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Aylin, who holds a 4.3 GPA and plans to major in chemical engineering, had been accepted by UC Santa Barbara, but her family couldn’t afford the cost.