When La Serna High School senior Marcos Barajas launched his streetwear clothing line as a junior, he never dreamed he would come to school and see his classmates wearing his latest designs and showing off his brand to their friends. The recognition Barajas has received for his creations shows how far he has come since a challenging freshman year. After recording a 0.4 GPA in ninth grade, Barajas was placed in the school’s award-winning OASIS Studies program, where he was assigned a peer academic mentor. Now on track to graduate, Barajas has a 3.0 GPA, was a recipient of La Serna’s “Be Your Best” award and is committed to working with struggling underclassmen as a Haven academic mentor. For his hard work and dedication to overcoming adversity, Barajas was presented with an Award of Merit by the Whittier Union Board of Trustees during a meeting on Feb. 13.
Whittier Union Students Learn Importance of Diplomacy in Global Affairs
California High School’s Model United Nations (Condor MUN) program is giving students a real-world perspective on global issues and allowing them the opportunity to learn the importance of diplomacy by serving as delegates, role-playing and writing position papers on a diverse array of topics such as maritime piracy and mental health in humanitarian crises. Available as an afterschool extracurricular since 2007, Condor MUN has increased its profile among southern California MUN programs, with Cal High adding an AP Comparative Government class compatible with MUN research areas and boosting its MUN club membership enough so that Cal High could host its first Condor MUN conference in December 2023.
Pioneer High School is deepening its college-ready culture through the expansion of its Early College Academy and partnership with Río Hondo College, which will now include an opportunity for new students to earn an associate degree or a certificate of achievement in Spanish, beginning in the 2024-25 school year. The expanded program is geared towards incoming freshmen who are strongly motivated academically, ready to commit to taking rigorous college-level classes and follow the course of study for all four years of the program. The Early College Academy Associates Degree Pathway (ECA-ADP) program is available only to Pioneer High students. There is no cost for students who are accepted into the program, with tuition, books and fees all covered. All courses are taught by Río Hondo College professors after school on the Pioneer High campus. All credits earned through ECA-ADP will be transferable to any public college or university in California.
California High School’s Model United Nations (CondorMUN) program is giving students a real-world perspective on global issues and allowing them the opportunity to learn the importance of diplomacy by serving as delegates, role-playing and writing position papers on a diverse array of topics such as maritime piracy and mental health in humanitarian crises. Available as an afterschool extracurricular since 2007, Condor M.U.N. has increased its profile among southern California M.U.N. programs, with Cal High adding an AP Comparative Government class compatible with MUN research areas and boosting its M.U.N. club membership enough so that Cal High could host its first Condor M.U.N. conference in December 2023. The program is coordinated by Cal High social science teachers Sean Reagan and James Palmer. Cal High students who have participated have gone on to such prestigious universities as UCLA, Harvard, UC Berkeley, NYU and Stanford.
Whittier Union Students Learn Communication, Leadership Skills
La Serna High School student leaders engaged in the school’s annual Student Leadership Conference on Jan. 23, where they received valuable training on effective leadership strategies and learned how to connect with their peers to enhance the high school experience. Link Crew leaders, academic mentors, academy leads, sports captains, Associated Student Body members, and Oasis/Haven leaders attended the conference. Throughout the day, students actively participated in breakout sessions that delved into diverse leadership topics such as mastering emotional intelligence, harnessing the power of storytelling and understanding the significance of effective communication and conflict resolution.
Whittier Union Mentoring Group Inspires Male Students
At California High School, a group of sophomores are bonding over meals, conversations and hobbies while they navigate life in high school and prepare for their post-graduation opportunities through the school’s Fresh Air Mentoring (FAM) group. Cal High counselors Humberto Solorio and Matthew Tremper started the FAM group in 2019 to connect with male students who were otherwise disconnected from campus life. The counselors saw an opportunity for these students to connect with one another by spending quality time outdoors and bonding over a love of food and community. Since its launch, FAM has quickly turned into a group of brothers and mentors. Now with the second cohort of FAM members – consisting of 26 sophomores – counselors Tremper and Solorio are creating an ecosystem of support.
Whittier Union Students Improve Social-Emotional Wellbeing
Frontier High School students are improving their social-emotional wellbeing and engaging in physical exercise by participating in Feet First, a cardio boxing program that builds character, confidence, and coping skills. More than 20 Frontier High students meet weekly for a one-hour session that includes a cardio boxing workout session and a lesson on topics including managing stress, motivation, emotional intelligence, and healthy self-regulation, led by local Feet First boxing coaches. Frontier High launched the program in Dec. 2023 and will continue hosting the program through the remainder of the 2023-24 school year.
Santa Fe High School senior Ezra Tetteh learned how to advocate for herself at an early age. Born in Gabon, Africa, Tetteh moved with her family to the United States in 2015, settling in Houston, Texas. As a native French speaker with no English language skills, Tetteh realized that she would need to stay focused if she wanted to earn an education, as her family continually relocated over the next several years. Coming to Santa Fe High as a freshman, Tetteh began taking intermediate classes in English, quickly moving on to Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses in her sophomore year. With a 3.31 GPA, Tetteh is on track to complete her A-G course requirements and attend a four-year university in the fall. For her resilience and ability to overcome adversity, Tetteh was presented with an Award of Merit by the Whittier Union Board of Trustees during its Jan. 16 meeting.
Whittier Union High School District is starting off the new year with a reorganized Board of Trustees, including Trustee Gary Mendez filling his new role as President and Trustee Josefina E. Canchola stepping into the role of Vice President, as the Board members collectively continue to pursue their mission “To Achieve and Maintain Excellence.” The Board also selected Trustee Irma Rodríguez Moisa to serve the Board as Clerk. Outgoing Board president Jaime López and Dr. Russell Castañeda Calleros close out the Board, serving the community as members. Under their new roles, members will continue to ensure that all Whittier Union students have access to the opportunities and resources that they need to succeed.
On a festive afternoon that saw Whittier High School embracing the wonder of literature, junior Julia Rae Rodriguez read selections from her recently published first book of poetry to a packed library filled with friends, classmates and teachers, the feature presentation during a ribbon-cutting ceremony honoring Whittier High alumni authors on Dec. 6. Rodriguez joined Whittier High School Alumni Association Board Member Rob West and WHS history teacher Dean Myers to officially unveil a commemorative display case containing books written by Whitter High grads, including former President Richard Nixon, best-selling thriller writer John Saul and lawyer/author William C. Gordon, whom the library is dedicated to. After the ribbon-cutting, Rodriguez placed her new book, “Dried Lavender & Sage: Poems as I Grow,” inside the display case, joining the alumni authors.
