California School News Radio

Gabrielino High School Speech and Debate students Starlee Hoc, Brandon Du and Kenny Le. Gabrielino’s acclaimed Speech and Debate team has won 21 straight Southern California Debate League Championships, making the team one of the top Debate teams in the nation. On Election Day 2018, three Gabrielino students share their thoughts on the political process, the importance of voting and what they feel are the most compelling issues facing students today.

The Paramount High School Green Club has been serving the school and the community for 12 years, providing students an opportunity to experience the outdoors and take leadership roles in the restoration of the environment. Green Club adviser Daniel Hasheminejad and student members Christopher Shokunbi and Brian Rodriguez discuss recycling, community gardens and field trips to Bolsa Chica Wetlands and Yosemite National Park.

Rio Hondo College Police Academy Director Walter Allen III discusses the rigorous training process that awaits new recruits, the fearlessness of first responders, the influence the Police Academy has had throughout police departments across California, and how the academy has adapted to the changing needs of law enforcement.

Kenmore Elementary School in the Baldwin Park Unified School District is a California Distinguished School that recently received recognition as a 2018 America’s Best Urban School. Kenmore Principal Jane Sattari and sixth-grade teacher Jennifer Lopez discuss Thinking Maps and other instructional techniques, and what they love the most about their jobs.

Rio Hondo College Fire Academy Coordinator Tracy Rickman and Cadet Josh Morris discuss the school’s 50-year anniversary celebration, fire safety, the myriad challenges of preparing a Wildland firefighting force, and the special qualities needed to be a firefighter or EMT.

Baldwin Park Adult and Community Education School Senior Director Dr. John Kerr discusses the myriad ways the adult school provides services for the Baldwin Park community, the success stories of graduates and the generous support for adult school education by the BPUSD Board of Education.

Paramount Adult School Principal Dr. Yvonne Rodriguez and Assistant Principal Hector Lujan discuss the role the adult school plays in the community, the recent ribbon-cutting for their new cosmetology program, and the joys of watching their students become citizens of the United States.

Established in 1868 as one of the first school districts in California, San Gabriel Unified School District celebrates its sesquicentennial by looking towards the future. SGUSD Superintendent John Pappalardo discusses the district’s personalized learning programs and how a quote from Aristotle played a significant role in guiding him into a career in education.

As Monrovia High School celebrates 125 years as an educational institution, MHS Principal Kirk McGinnis discusses “Living Life the Wildcat Way,” watching students transform into lifelong learners, and the special role Monrovia High plays in defining the character and spirit of the tight-knit Foothills community and school district.

El Monte Union High School District Asst. Superintendent of Education Services Larry Cecil discusses the district commitment to sustainable living through a series of “Go Green” initiatives that have brought electric car charging stations and solar panel carports to its campuses, as well as a community garden of fruit trees planted at Mountain View High School.

Baldwin Park Unified School District Superintendent of Schools Dr. Froilan Mendoza discusses the vital role Baldwin Park alumni play in the district’s commitment to college and career, the importance of introducing kindergartners to a college culture, early childhood development and dual language immersion.

Keith Nuthall, principal and co-founder of Odyssey STEM Academy, discusses how he worked with Paramount Unified School District to create a new, non-charter, STEM-focused high school in Paramount through an iterative design process that re-imagines high school by transforming students into scholars who pursue internships in their community, becoming active participants in their school curriculum.

In 2015, Holland Middle School in Baldwin Park Unified School District partnered with Project Lead the Way to provide Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curriculum for its students. Holland Principal Mike Rust talks about the growth of the program, Holland’s award-winning robotics team, the Femineer Club and the changing nature of STEM education in the classroom.

Guest 2: Joe Quintero, Adam Kalesperis – Co-founders, Directors, B.R.I.D.G.E Theater Project In 2014, Lynwood Unified School District began a partnership with BRIDGE Theatre Project, an L.A.-based arts education provider. In four years, BRIDGE has overseen more than 100 student-written and performed plays and in July 2018 traveled with two Cesar Chavez Middle School students to the Ubumuntu Arts Festival in Rwanda. BRIDGE co-founders Adam Kalesperis and Joe Quintero discuss the origins of the program and its impact on the Lynwood community.    

Guest 1: Dr. Edward Zuniga – El Monte Union High School District Superintendent When El Monte Union High School District Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga graduated from El Monte High School in 1991, he never dreamed he would someday return as the District’s top administrator. In a wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Zuniga details El Monte Union’s commitment to providing a path to college and career for every student, STEM education, civic engagement, and the educational journey he took that brought him full circle with the El Monte community.

VMA Communications president and CEO Valerie Martinez discusses the history of the outreach firm she created in 1996 to highlight academic success in school districts across California, outlining VMA’s goals and successes with their education clients, the tremendous growth of the firm, and the launch and development of California School News.

Bassett High School Principal Gabriel Fernandez and Design School X (DSX) founder and executive director David Clifford have begun a learning partnership that seeks to redesign high school so that it is more centered on student equity and inclusion. Fernandez and Clifford discuss the formative steps they are taking at the classroom level to provide Bassett High faculty and staff with student and parent feedback, and their surprising results on the first day of school.