Monthly Archives: June 2015

Buckingham sends grads out into world with class – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

The future beckoned Friday morning at the doorsteps of The Mission for 115 students from Buckingham Charter Magnet High School.

Once through the doors after graduation, they were on their way to the rest of their lives.

But first, there were some tears, hugs and laughter as the soon-to-be graduates sat in their maroon caps and gowns and gave the standing-room-only audience of 1,800-plus a piece of their senior year in retrospect through a video montage, some songs, awards and a humorous speech from class speaker, Symone Salmon.

via Buckingham sends grads out into world with class.

Armijo’s purple and gold sets sail for success – Daily Republic

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By Susan Winlow

The colors of purple and gold were the hues of success at Armijo High School’s graduation Friday evening.

The 458 seniors, soon-to-be-graduates, made an impressive entry as they traversed the length of Brownlee Field to their seats amid the screams of various names from friends and family, along with the occasional air horn sound from the stands.

Three valedictorians, Mark Vincent Go, Jason Less and Timothy Liu, gave uplifting speeches of encouragement, as did student body president Lauren Seabrooks, who talked about saying hello to the new chapter in their lives.

via Armijo’s purple and gold sets sail for success.

6 valedictorians address Vanden High grads – Daily Republic

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By Ryan McCarthy

One valedictorian expressed his love for his mother. Another quoted Malcom X’s words that “education is our passport to the future.” A third speaker thanked the Vanden High School graduate who paid him $5 for mentioning the student’s name in his valedictorian address.

Six valedictorians, who all had straight A’s for their four years at Vanden, spoke at the graduation Friday night with messages about coaches who had been some of the best teachers, friends who made them better people and how “too many teachers do too much work that isn’t recognized enough.”

via 6 valedictorians address Vanden High grads.

Salutatorian challenges grads at Will C. Wood to pursue success – Daily Republic

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By Kevin W. Green

“Success is not measured by the number of awards you win or the amount of money you make,” Joanna Curry told fellow graduates during the Will C. Wood High School commencement Friday night at Tom Zunino Stadium.

Speaking before a packed crowd, the class salutatorian challenged classmates to find a career they are passionate about.

“When you are working on something that you truly love, success is inevitable,” she said. “It may take us a while to figure out what that passion may be, but don’t settle for something that doesn’t make you happy or hold you back from your true potential.

via Salutatorian challenges grads at Will C. Wood to pursue success.

Matt Garcia students visit state Capitol – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

Eighth-graders from The Matt Garcia Learning Center on May 11 visited the state Capitol in Sacramento.

The field trip was a culminating activity to observe Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, present Senate Bill 128 (the end-of-life bill) to the Senate Appropriations Committee. The legislation has since cleared the full state Senate and awaits action in the state Assembly.

Participants included Diamond Aiken, Anthony Barajas, Tyler Carpenter, Miranda Felix, Jacob Jones, Keshawn Johnson, Sade Miller, Edwin Ruiz, Giselle Ruiz, Markee Scott, Kalelah Washington, Taylor Whitfield, Dwynah Young, Laura Blake, Denise Felix, Bonnie Okamura, Leonia Scott, Rita Upshaw and Candace Wills.

via Good News: Matt Garcia students visit state Capitol.

Vanden student earns Eagle Scout honor – Daily Republic

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By Bill Hicks

Vanden High School student Kristopher Kandle, 15, earned the honor of Eagle Scout through Boy Scout Troop 897. A ceremony honoring Kandle’s achievement took place May 30 at the Travis Air Force Base USO Ballroom.

Kandle earned 33 merit badges leading up to becoming an Eagle Scout, which was well-beyond the 21 needed to earn the Eagle Scout award. Kandle’s progress toward the honor was made more difficult due to the fact that his military family has relocated numerous times.

As a result, Kandle experienced Scouting in five different councils, including a stint in Japan.

via Good News: Vanden student earns Eagle Scout honor.

Solano schools participate in Girls on the Run event – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

A Girls on the Run Napa & Solano event took place May 9 at Napa Valley College. to celebrate the women and their families through a 5K run that saw participants from Solano County schools.

More local girls took part this year with 440 participants versus 309 last fall, according to a press release about the event. Organizers hit new levels of overall participation with 825 runners and total of 1,200 in attendance, to include spectators.

Solano County schools whose students took part in the run include Crescent Middle School, Dan O. Root Elementary School, K.I. Jones Elementary School, Anna Kyle Elementary School, Cleo Gordon Elementary School, Tolenas Elementary School, Cordelia Hills Elementary School, the Fairfield Police Activities League and the Matt Garcia Youth Center, Cooper Elementary School, Fairmont Elementary School and Steffan Manor Elementary School.

via Good News: Solano schools participate in Girls on the Run event.

Vacaville High grads break into dance to mark milestone – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

The Vacaville High School Class of 2015 surprised parents and family members Saturday with a bit of funk and a lot of dancing.

Members of the Vacaville High Symphonic Orchestra – to include graduating seniors – began playing “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars and half the seniors gathered for commencement at Tom Zunino Stadium stood up and started dancing. It took only a few minutes for the rest of the class to join in, with cheers and whistles from the crowd echoing through the stadium.

Leis and honors ribbons of multiple colors hung about the necks of graduates as they waited to step up to the stage and out into the world.

via Vacaville High grads break into dance to mark milestone.

Rodiguez High School: Top students – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

May Abdelnaby

Plans next year: Attending University of California, Davis, in the fall under the college of biological sciences with an emphasis on genetics and genomics. Career goal: My career goal is to become a successful geneticist. High school highlights: Receiving most improved player my first year of being on the badminton team. Being picked as a juror for the senior mock DUI trial. Scholarships and awards: Scholar athlete award (sophomore- senior year). In 10 years: I see myself in a fulfilling and stable career with my stay-at-home husband and my three children. Ha-ha.

via Rodiguez High School: Top students.

Fairfield High School: Top students – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

Katherine Cabasal

Plans next year: Attend Dominican University as a nursing major. Career goal: Nurse practitioner. High school highlights: Attending FIRST Robotics competitions at University of California, Davis along with my team, playing basketball on my school’s team, and helping the community. Scholarships and awards: Trustee Scholarship. In 10 years: To be working toward a Ph.D. in nursing. I wish that I would be furthering my studies, as well as establish a happy family life with whomever I am with.

via Fairfield High School: Top students.

Vacaville High School: Top students – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

(V) Haley HensenPlans next year: Going to the University of California, Los Angeles, entering as an undeclared engineering major. Career goals: To encourage girls to become interested in STEM. High school highlights: Loved playing varsity tennis with my best friends for all four years and my crazy coaches. Scholarships and awards: Interact scholarship $500. In 10 years: I hope to be traveling, working and encouraging young girls to follow their passions in STEM.

via Vacaville High School: Top students.

For Vanden senior, education has been a dream fulfilled – Daily Republic

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By Bill Hicks

The contributions of Hispanics in California, from Junipero Serra to Cesar Chavez, have been paving a way to lift up future generations.

Such is the case with Vanden High senior, Diana Villegas Sanchez. Her parents, Miguel and Maria, were born in Mexico and left their homes for the promise of a better life in the United States.

The realization of that promise was only available through hard work, sacrifice and determination. For Villegas Sanchez, and her sisters, Nathalie and Alejandra, benefitting from the sacrifice of their parents wasn’t simple.

via For Vanden senior, education has been a dream fulfilled.

Will C. Wood High School: Top students – Daily Republic

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By Susan Hiland

Krista McCollumPlans next year: I’m not sure where I want to go yet, which is kind of bad, but I know that I want to study nursing. Career goal: I want to be an awesome nurse and help as many people as possible to feel better. High school highlights: I’ve loved getting to form friendships with people who I didn’t know before, and becoming a completely different person from whom I was in my freshman year. In 10 years: I see myself with a stable job as a nurse in a hospital somewhere, and also having travelled to at least one different country by that point, because that’s definitely a dream of mine.

via Will C. Wood High School: Top students.

Struggling Benicia student turns top senior at Liberty High School – Times Herald

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By Irma Widjojo

Jacob Lavezzo never thought that one day he would end his high school career as the best in his class.

The 17-year-old, who had struggled with school work almost all his life, graduated Thursday as Liberty High School’s class of 2015 valedictorian.

Although Lavezzo and his mother were skeptical with the move at first, they said attending Liberty was the best choice they ever made.

“I’ve heard it’s horrible,” said Lavezzo, who was enrolled at Benicia High School for the first two years. “But the teachers (at Liberty) really care, and they want you to succeed.”

He helped at the school’s greenhouse, became the head of the leadership class, and was a Liberty representative at the Benicia Unified School District.

via Struggling Benicia student turns top senior at Liberty High School.

Liberty High School students celebrate graduation – Times Herald

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By Dianne de Guzman

Balloons swayed in the air, family members cheered and air horns sounded as the graduates of Liberty High School were introduced by the advisors that worked with students closely to get them on that graduation stage.

The backgrounds and stories of the graduates widely varied, but the resounding theme of everyone who spoke was of students with the tremendous strength and perseverance required — and demonstrated — by the students that graduated on Thursday evening. The alternative high school graduated 31 students this year.

“This is a very special day and it’s a very special journey these students have come through,” Benicia Unified School District Superintendent Janice Adams said to the crowd. “When you arrive at Liberty, some of you are not so sure of your worth as a student; maybe you’re not feeling so great about yourself. But something magical happens at Liberty High School and that is each and every one of you are known and valued and cherished and mentored.

via Liberty High School students celebrate graduation.

Solano agencies team up to help homeless students – The Reporter

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During the last school year, Solano County schools have identified nearly 2,000 homeless students and nearly 500 foster students, county officials said and now a group of agencies is teaming up to help them with school supplies.

Homeless youth may be unaccompanied and couch surfing from home-to-home, living on the streets, in shelters, or staying temporarily with family or friends due to a loss of housing or financial problems. Foster youth may reside with a relative, in a foster home or in a group home.

To assist the foster and homeless youth of Solano County, the Solano County Office of Education, Educational Partnership Foundation of Solano, Sutter Medical Group, Sutter Solano Medical Center and Wednesday Club of Suisun are supporting the regional Stuff the Bus program.

via Solano agencies team up to help homeless students.

Country High mints 68 graduates – The Reporter

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By Richard Bammer

Mike Sullivan, principal of Country High, Vacville Unified School Districts’ continuation school, said the campus he leads essentially means “second chances.”

“That’s what Country High is about,” he told more than 60 seniors who, clad in brilliant blue caps and gowns, gathered Thursday evening for a 30-minute graduation ceremony at Tom Zunino Stadium on the Vacaville High School campus.

Awaiting knee replacements and temporarily using a wheelchair, Sullivan — in his first full year as leader of McClellan Street school — told the graduates that life can be divided into two segments, 10 percent and 90 percent.

via Country High mints 68 graduates.

Country High grads earn diplomas – Daily Republic

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By Ian Thompson

Before he came to Country High School, Class of 2015 graduate Sevrin Garcia said he was not sure he would make it through high school.

When Francis Lukachinsky was told that he was going to Country High after goofing off too much at Vacaville High School, he was not sure Country High would be doing him too many favors because of the reputation it had.

Destiny Roessler was “told too many times that I would not make it” through high school before she landed at Country High.

And Ashley Schell-Ortiz planned to simply drop out of high school and get her GED later until her family and best friend convinced her to give Country High a shot.

via Country High grads earn diplomas.

Rodriguez High graduates more than 400 – Daily Republic

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By Ryan McCarthy

More than 400 Mustangs gathered Thursday on the Rodriguez High School football field in front of stands packed with supporters.

The Class of 2015 graduates heard from students, the principal, superintendent and Rodriguez High teacher Katherine Gagnon, who studied at the Globe Theatre in London as part of a program to improve Shakespeare instruction.

“Be yourself,” Gagnon told graduates during her faculty address – but added that at college, work or whatever followed Rodriguez “make being ‘you’ matter to more than just you.”

via Rodriguez High graduates more than 400.

Teachable Moments and Academic Rigor: A Mini-Unit | Edutopia

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By Travis Bristal Ph.D.

There is a revolution taking place in the United States. What started in Ferguson, Missouri has marched on to other cities and, as Pedro Noguera notes, “widespread poverty, chronic interpersonal violence, and a nonfunctioning economy where work is scarce” are the root causes. Even while we, as a country, have barely begun to address the troubling meaning behind the incidents of violence between law enforcement and U.S. citizens of color in Ferguson, still more shockwaves of such violence ripple across America, notably including the more recent events in Baltimore.

High-Cognitive-Demand Thinking and Critical Consciousness

We believe that the classroom is an important arena to address these events. Not only are most students aware of and concerned about them — especially those who live with the same realities — but addressing this trend gives our society one more tool to further change, and helps Americas children learn ways to be engaged and responsible citizens.

via Teachable Moments and Academic Rigor: A Mini-Unit | Edutopia.