Tag Archives: awards

WVUSD Students Honored At Lunch With The Principal Event

 By Kelli Gile

Photo courtesy: Kelli Gile Walnut Valley elementary students were honored during the 2016 Benihana Lunch with the Principal.

Photo courtesy: Kelli Gile
Walnut Valley elementary students were honored during the 2016 Benihana Lunch with the Principal.

Walnut—Nine students were treated to a sizzling reward for achieving their personal best during Benihana’s Lunch with the Principal.

After enjoying a teppan-style lunch prepared by a personal chef, the students were honored by their principals.

Each of the nine elementary schools in the Walnut Valley Unified School District chose a hard-working student to celebrate during the special lunchtime adventure held at the City of Industry restaurant.

Congratulations to this year’s honorees: Andrea Illingworth – Castle Rock, Noah Evans – Cyrus J. Morris, Edgar Wu – Collegewood, Daniel Lee – Evergreen, Anthony Ruiz – Quail Summit, Jazmine Brooks – Maple Hill, Francesca Campos – Vejar, Roy Lin – Walnut Elementary, and Madison Apolo – Westhoff.

The 18th annual event was held at the popular City of Industry restaurant on May 17.

The skilled chefs entertained audiences by creating tiny smoking volcanos from onion rings and flipping shrimp tails in their stovepipe hats.

“I liked the fire with the volcano best!” exclaimed Evergreen fifth grader Daniel Lee.

Principals took turns bragging about their students.

CJ Morris Principal Shehzad Bhojani credited his honoree, 4th grader Noah Evans, for showing tremendous improvement in reading and writing, always smiling, and sharing jokes.

Quail Summit Principal Jeanette Koh shared that her 5th grade lunch guest, Anthony Ruiz, is a positive influence on his peers.

“He is a student of character and always rallies above to do the right thing,” Koh said.

“We selected Roy for his outstanding academic achievement this year. He maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA, was in the GATE program, and very involved in school,” said Walnut Elementary Principal Robert Chang.

“One of the qualities Andrea Illingworth demonstrated this year, along with academics and citizenship, is perseverance after a surgery,” said Castle Rock Principal Dr. Resma Brown.

Honorees received certificates, chef’s hats, and keepsake photos.

Walnut: Mt. SAC VP Honored with State Diversity Award

BY MIKE TAYLOR

 

(L-R) California Community College Chancellor Brice Harris, Mt. SAC Student Services Vice President Audrey Yamagata-Noji, former Mt. SAC student and now Governor’s Fellow with the California Department of Finance Rene Kouassi, past Mt. SAC Associated Students President May Ochoa, and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. (Photo Courtesy: Mike Taylor)

(L-R) California Community College Chancellor Brice Harris, Mt. SAC Student Services Vice President Audrey Yamagata-Noji, former Mt. SAC student and now Governor’s Fellow with the California Department of Finance Rene Kouassi, past Mt. SAC Associated Students President May Ochoa, and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
(Photo Courtesy: Mike Taylor)

Walnut – Mt. San Antonio College Student Services Vice President, Dr. Audrey Yamagata-Noji, was honored recently with the Dr. John W. Rice Diversity and Equity Award in Sacramento.

Yamagata-Noji was named for the award for establishing numerous programs that provide mentorship and tutoring services for underrepresented students. She has been a champion of diversity and equity programs at Mt. SAC that support student success, including the college’s Bridge Program for first-time college students, the Arise Program for Asian and Pacific Islander students, and the Aspire Program for African-American students. The award was established to honor community college staff, districts, colleges and programs that have made the greatest contribution toward diversity and equity at community colleges.

“Dr. John W. Rice wanted all community college students to be treated equally, fairly, and with respect. All he wanted was for everyone to have an equal chance at an education, and the winners of the award today want the same thing,” said California Community Colleges Board of Governors President and Mt. SAC Trustee, Dr. Manuel Baca.

The award is named after the former California Community Colleges Board of Governors member and the father of former U.S. Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice.

“For my father, being a part of the community college system was not just a profession, but it was a passion and indeed a mission and a calling,” said former the U.S. Secretary of State, who delivered the keynote address at the 14th annual awards ceremony. “He recognized that education is not a right, it’s a privilege and that someone stood up for him and that he must stand up for others.”

Yamagata-Noji has served as Student Services Vice President at Mt. SAC since 1996. A resident of Santa Ana, she has also served on the Santa Ana Unified School District Board of Education for over 30 years and is currently serving as Board President.

Walnut: High School Mustang Coaches of the Year Honored

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Walnut High School Girl’s Golf Coach, Cecil Woods, who has been named the San Gabriel Valley Coach of the Year (shown with Board President Cindy Ruiz). (Photo Courtesy: Kelli Gile)

BY KELLI GILEWalnut – The Walnut Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees recognized two outstanding Walnut High School varsity coaches on April 16. Golf Coach Cecil Woods and Basketball Coach Josh Cameron have received the coveted San Gabriel Valley Coach of the Year Award.

 

Principal Jeff Jordan introduced the Mustang coaches along with the Girls’ Golf Team during the Board Meeting. “Both of these coaches have really come a long way in terms of growing and developing some amazing programs. They’ve both had highly successful programs this year,” said Jordan. “But above the wins and losses, they’re both quality people who work really well with our student athletes; they have high expectations, and have really helped developed these athletes into being high-performers,” he added.

In just the third year of the Girls’ Golf Program at Walnut High School, the team earned its second Hacienda League Championship, Runner-Up at the 2013 CIF Championship, top team at the Regional Finals for CIF Sectionals State Qualification, third place in the Southern California State Qualification, and tied for Runner-Up in the CIF State Championships.

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Walnut High Varsity Basketball Coach, Josh Cameron, was recognized by the WVUSD Board of Trustees, (shown with Athletic Director, Jerry Person, Board President, Cindy Ruiz, and Principal Jeff Jordan). (Photo Courtesy: Kelli Gile)

Josh Cameron has been the head varsity basketball coach for the past eight seasons. His team has a record this year of 22 and 6, and finished the regular season will 11 straight wins while earning the undefeated Hacienda League Championship. Cameron was also honored as Coach of the Year for the San Gabriel Valley All-Stars.

Both Diamond Bar and Walnut were in the top three teams in the State of California.