California School News Radio

Fontana High School Career Connections CTE instructor Lamar Hanger and Fontana High junior Cyrus Sapien discuss the Career Connections construction pathway, preparing for the annual CIEF Foundation Design Build competition, learning life skills and the camaraderie of being a family of aspiring carpenters.

South El Monte High School senior Aaron Morales (“Legacy: After Effects”) joins Whittier High School junior Julia Rae Rodriguez (“Dried Lavender & Sage: Poems As I Grow”) to discuss their latest published works, what inspires them to write, balancing their studies with literary pursuits, extracurricular activities and what writer – living or dead – they would love to have a conversation with. 

California High School Model United Nations advisors Sean Reagan and James Palmer join senior Madeleine Reagan and junior Katy Tinoco to discuss the school’s Model United Nations program, the importance of learning diplomacy, the benefit of traveling to high schools and colleges to attend conferences, and the school’s CondorMUN5 conference for high school and middle school students, held in Dec. 2023. 

Henry J. Kaiser High School Director of Theater Wendi Johnson is joined by Kaiser seniors and Kaiser Artistic and Theatrical Society (KATS) members Leah Young and Dani Garcia as they discuss the Fontana Unified school’s first-ever first place award for their performance of Shakespeare’s “Cymbeline” at the California Educational Theatre Association high school theatre festival in January.  

El Monte Union High School District Director of Curriculum, Instruction and CTE Kirk McGinnis discusses current and future CTE pathways available at the District, acquiring Strong Workforce Grants to help develop digital media classes, the role of are business partnerships and working with surrounding school districts to boost math scores. 

Lynwood Unified Assistant Superintendent of Technology & Innovation Dr. Patrick Gittisriboongul discusses the future of artificial intelligence (AI) education, how it can spark innovation, how to recognize AI fact from fiction, how to navigate AI’s ethical standards and what future careers are being made possible by using AI. 

Strategic Innovations Facilitator Gibran Carter and Makerspace Manager Josh Brown discuss the grand opening of Innovation Empire, a dynamic creative learning environment exclusive to Fontana Unified students, which includes a think tank for students to learn entrepreneurship, and a Makerspace with state-of-the-art 3-D printers, laser cutters and other high-tech machinery, that will allow students to create and design their own projects. 

Sunset Elementary School Principal Rosette Holmes, Nelson Elementary School Principal Dr. Marci Chavez and La Puente High School Principal Dr. Lisa Lopez discuss Project LEAD (Life Experience About Democracy), a Golden Bell award winning program that connects La Puente K-12 students with City of La Puente leaders through presentations such as mock city council.

Covina-Valley Unified Director of Curriculum and Instruction Julie Harrison is joined by Covina High School senior Aiyana Martel, Northview High School Hannah Coulthurst and South Hills High School senior Liani Arevalo to discuss the District’s award-winning career technical education pathways, including Agriculture/Animal Science, FAME Academy and Business.

Glen A. Wilson High School International Baccalaureate teacher Josipa Casey and Wilson High senior Emily Axelrod discuss academic programs and pathways available at the award-winning school, one of four Hacienda La Puente Unified schools to receive a national Blue Ribbon designation from the U.S. Dept. of Education in 2023. 

Lynwood Unified Director of Equity, Access and Instructional Services Dr. Patricia Brent-Sanco discusses the District’s wide-ranging Equity Plan, social justice standards, Lynwood Equity Warriors, parent engagement, PBIS, and the importance of listening to students to find out their individual needs. 

Baldwin Park Unified Orchestra Director Paul Grant discusses providing equity in music education in Baldwin Park, and channeling the music teachers from his youth who inspired him to learn and teach music, leading to his selection as the American String Teachers Association Los Angeles Chapter 2023 Outstanding Teacher of the Year. 

Pioneer High School history teacher Gena Arriola-Salas and Whittier High School history teacher John Bellanti discuss their trip to Poland as part of the Auschwitz Legacy Program, and reflect on what they saw at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Warsaw Ghetto. 

Bonita Unified Career Technical Education Director Vanessa Tilford discusses reshaping the District’s CTE pathway programs, staging Bonita’s first community resources fair, and partnering with colleges and businesses to create training opportunities for students.  

Lynwood High School Class of 2018 graduate Andrea Lopez and her brother, Class of 2019 graduate Efren Lopez discuss how Lynwood Unified's English learner program put them on the path to academic success, their decision to attend Loyola Marymount University together, and why they returned to the District to mentor a new generation of English learners.

Fontana High School Class of 2023 graduates Jasmin Hurtado-Mendez, David Munoz-Padilla and Josue Arias-Ramirez discuss the prestigious scholarships that will allow them to attend some of the top universities in the country, including UC Berkeley, Columbia University and Boston College. 

Buena Park School District Technology Teacher on Special Assignment Andy Osborn discusses the District’s technology curriculum, the District partnership with Apple, and the end-of-year Innovation Showcase, where Buena Park teachers and students share their tech projects with the community. 

La Serna High School Intervention Specialist Lisa Barnes discusses the school’s unique multi-tiered intervention programs, including HAVEN, a program for juniors which provides career and college preparation, assisted by student mentors and community partners; the importance of providing students with social capital and taking over from her mentor, Ken LaVigne. 

Lynwood Unified School District English Learners Coordinator Aranzazu Garcia discusses the District’s English learner program, how students are mentored and assessed, support services for parents, and her passion for English language development after moving from her native country, Spain, to become a teacher in the United States. 

Dolores Huerta International Academy sixth-grade Spanish dual language immersion teacher Ashley Silva discusses her passion for infusing technology and fun in STEAM education, being selected to join the Teacher Innovator Academy in 2022, her recent recognition as an Alma Flor Ada Award for Social Justice recipient, and embracing the Hawaiian concept of ‘ohana.