Feb. 2013
Nov. 7, 2012
Hart District High School Students Connect To Success
Hart District juniors from Valencia, West Ranch, Hart, Saugus, Bowman, Golden Valley and Sequoia Charter School are participating in Connecting To Success, which gives students a real-life opportunity to attend a business / educational conference that empowers students “to achieve at the business of life.” Sponsored by the Valley Industrial Association of Santa Clarita (VIA) in collaboration with each school, the students participate in group workshops and seminars on topics such as financial literacy, ethics in the workplace and communicating your value. The sessions are facilitated by close to 100 local business leaders, who volunteer their time and expertise for the students. Students dress in business casual attire for the event, which takes place at Grace Baptist Church, over three days, to accommodate all the students. This annual event has been used as a model for school districts across the country. (Pictures: Marsha Bruce Bush, businesswoman, leading a workshop; BJ Atkins, businessman and Joe Messina, businessman and Hart District Governing Board member, working with students.)
Golden Valley High Student Attends Young Leaders Conference
Vicente Escamilla, a Golden Valley High School sophomore, just returned from a six-day National Young Leaders Conference held in Washington D.C. Escamilla and other outstanding high school students from across the country had the opportunity to interact with a variety of personnel who operate within the three branches of government, the news media and the international community. Students went through a series of simulations including an activity called “If I were President,” participated in Model Congress and discussed many issues facing the country today. Escamilla did have the chance to meet Congressman Howard “Buck” McKeon, (pictured with Escamilla), during his trip, as well as tour sights around the capitol. Escamilla spent time with Congressman McKeon and discussed the possibility of doing a semester-long internship during his Junior year, as part of the Pages program. Escamilla would like to study an area within the investigative sciences in college.
Valencia High Band Mentors Rio Norte Band Members
Valencia High School marching band section leaders, drum majors and band director paid a visit to Rio Norte Junior High School to work with the students on the music for an upcoming football game. The Rio Norte students were thrilled to have the Valencia students work with them and share stories about playing in the VHS high school marching band. This get-together will help create a smooth transition for the junior high students planning to join the high school band, following promotion. Rio Norte students will have a chance to join their high school counterparts by playing together during the Oct. 29 Valencia High home football game.
Academy of the Canyons Recognized as a Top School in America
Academy of the Canyons Middle College High School was recently recognized with a bronze medal from U.S. News and World Report as one of America’s top high schools. AOC has nearly 400 students, grades 9-12, and is housed in the College of the Canyons University Center. Students must apply to be accepted to AOC, with nearly 200 students vying for 75 freshman seats this year. AOC fosters academic and personal success in the high school and college environments. Students attending AOC concurrently take college classes at COC for college credit. AOC students earned an API score of 930, putting the school amongst the top scoring in the state. For two consecutive years, 100% of the students taking the CAHSEE High School Exit Exam for the first time, passed. AOC organized a back to school night, last month, where parents were able to meet their children’s teachers. At the event, teachers discussed and presented the learning material that would be taught for the year and also explained the environment of their class. A raffle was held as a fundraiser with prizes such as gift certificates and Disneyland tickets. Parents were able to donate to the Academy of the Canyons scholarship fund which is awarded to selected seniors. Overall, the night was a huge success with students and their parents looking forward to another successful school year.
Hart District Students Win Top Honors in City Art Contest
Students throughout the Hart District were successful in the City of Santa Clarita Art on Canvas contest, hosted recently as part of their annual Festival of the Arts event. Ji Yoon Jung from Rancho Pico Junior High won first place in the 5th to 8th grade painting division, and Clara Park from Valencia High School won first place in the 9th to 12th grade division, (pictured below with VHS teacher Cindy Pharis and People’s Choice winner, Tyler Recchia). The theme this year was “A Fresh Look”. Jung, (pictured alongside her paining, right), painted a still life against a patterned background and Park painted a lush garden with a butterfly juxtaposed with a smoggy city. Many students from Hart District schools were finalists in the program, with the following selected as top winners: Alyssa Lau, Arroyo Seco Junior High, third place in the 5th to 8th grade division and Michelle Shin, Golden Valley High School, third place; Samantha MacDonald, Hart High School, second place; and Tyler Recchia, Valencia High School, People’s Choice award in the high school division. In the junior high photography division, Nadine Babboussi, Arroyo Seco, second place; Katie Gutowski, Arroyo Seco, third place; and Brock Jensen, Arroyo Seco, People’s Choice award. From the High School photography division: Christin Clark, Saugus, first place; Maddie Bukowsky, Golden Valley, second place; and Jennifer Chitgian, Golden Valley, third place. Winning students earned a trophy and a cash prize and also earned a cash prize for their school arts program. Student work was exhibited in the Festival’s Art Gallery.
West Ranch Students Improve Algebra Skills
Algebra teachers at West Ranch High School gave students a formative assessment on writing equations of lines. All Period 2, 4 and 6 teachers came together to analyze data and regroup their students based on what skills they needed to help close their learning gap before they took a test. Students met in their regular classroom, then were given a new room assignment for the day. Mrs. Hand focused on teaching writing equations of lines, Mr. Correll worked with students on writing equations of parallel and perpendicular lines, and Miss Gabel showed students an engineering application of writing equations of lines. The students enjoyed the regrouping exercise and improved their algebra skills and problem solving strategies.
Hart High ROP Student Project Benefits City of Hope
Hart High School ROP screenprinting class students, Shane Clancey and Tim Waschak, both seniors, designed a screenprint to help promote Hart’s recent successful effort to raise breast cancer awareness on campus and raise funds for the City of Hope. Clancey and Waschak screenprinted 170 pink shirts and thanks to a mention on Hart TV and support from ASB and administration, Clancey and Waschak sold out in the first 10 minutes they went on sale! $600 was raised and will be donated to City of Hope from the sale of the shirts, alone. Additional items were also sold on campus during the month, to raise additional funds.
Sierra Vista Students Raise Funds for Lee National Denim Day
SiViCS Club, Sierra Vista’s community service club, participated in Lee National Denim Day, on Oct. 8, to raise funds and help find a cure for breast cancer. Many students and staff donated $5 each and wore jeans to school. Sierra Vista raised over $2,200 this year, and has participated for five years. They created a “pink” ribbon display on the outdoor stage, made up of pink paper notes, written in honor or in memory of many family and friends affected by breast cancer. Sierra Vista was one of more than 3,000 companies and organizations that supported the day, which was started by Lee Jeans in 1996 with the mantra: one day, one cause, one cure. $80 million has been raised since its first year for the fight against breast cancer, and Sierra Vista students are proud to be part of this campaign.
Golden Oak Adult School Student Close to Goal
Success is at hand for Golden Oak Adult School student Marco Barrera. Barrera entered Golden Oak’s High School Diploma program in 2006 attending classes two nights a week in pursuit of his goal to obtain a diploma, and with only 5 credits to go, this will be the year he makes it happen. Over the years, Golden Oak staff and teachers have watched Barrera grow and mature into a dedicated young man, sending him off to prom, anxiously awaiting his driving test results, and celebrating passing CAHSEE, the high school exit exam. Teacher Jamie Hawn says, “Marco exemplifies extraordinary dedication and determination. No obstacle was too large to interfere with his objective.”
