NEW PRINCIPAL BRINGS NEW DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM TO WILSHIRE CREST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: When Gayle Robinson signed on to become the new principal at Wilshire Crest Elementary School in the fall of 2017, one of her big goals was to bring more neighborhood students back to the school.  (Like  many other traditional neighborhood schools in recent years, Wilshire Crest has been steadily losing enrollment to the increasing array of specialty school options now available to city families.) Robinson told the Buzz that she originally considered a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) magnet for Wilshire Crest, because she also wants to increase the school’s arts instruction. But LAUSD had other ideas, and encouraged her to consider a dual-language program. Read More…

CLASS OF 2018 SPOTLIGHT: HAMILTON HIGH GRAD EMBODIES ‘Sí se puede’ INITIATIVE: Alexander Hamilton High School graduating senior Dennis Portillo started his college search one restless night when he was in the tenth grade. Lying in bed and unable to sleep, Dennis began surfing the Internet. “I started researching all the top schools,” he recalled . “I thought, ‘No way I’ll be able to get into any of these.’” Fast-forward two years, and Portillo’s self-doubts are gone. He is graduating from Hamilton with a 4.4 grade-point average and will be attending Yale University in the fall. He credits his family, friends and teachers as well as a great deal of hard work. Read More…

CLASS OF 2018 SPOTLIGHT: MUSIC AND PASSION LAUNCH CAREER OF VENICE HIGH GRAD:  It’s late spring, and thousands of L.A. Unified seniors are preparing to walk across the graduation stage filled with dreams of what they will become in the years ahead. For Venice High senior Kiev Morales, his dream has already come true. Having studied the violin for a mere seven years, the 18-year-old is already performing professionally. “Music is my passion and my life,” he said. “I don’t foresee doing anything in my future that doesn’t involve music.” Read More...

CLASS OF 2018 SPOTLIGHT: WHITMAN CONTINUATION HIGH STUDENTS SHOW PRIDE ON THEIR SCHOOL - AND THEIR SUCCESS: As a freshman, Amanda Sinquimani recalled, she envisioned a bleak future for herself. “I just wanted to drop out of school,” she said. “I had a lot going of challenging things going on in my life. I didn’t think there was anyone out there who cared, and so I didn’t care.” Now a senior at Walt Whitman Continuation High School, Amanda is not only on track to earn her diploma, but on the fast-track to college. She is also earning her associate’s degree degree through dual-enrollment at Los Angeles Trade Technical College. She is set to transfer this fall to Cal State L.A., where she plans to earn her nursing degree. Read More…