Fontana High School principal Joe Malatesta, AVID co-coordinator Kevin Escobar and AVID teacher Mario Echeverria discuss the school’s award-winning AVID program, the importance of being an AVID Showcase and National Demonstration School, FOHI’s AVID-inspired, Golden Bell Award-winning College Application Day, how AVID culture has spread throughout the campus, and how AVID changed the lives of FOHI graduates and former AVID students Escobar and Echeverria, who returned to the school to help teach the next generation of AVID scholars.

Bonita Unified CTE Coordinator Vanessa Tilford and Covina-Valley Unified CTE Coordinator and AVID District Director Harmonie Redding discuss their processes for bring career technical education programs to their districts, the benefits of collaborating and sharing information, how data and assessments help students find career paths, working with local employers to develop programs, and the importance of employment companies such as America’s Job Center of California.

Lynwood Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Patrick Gittisriboongul and Asst. Superintendent of Educational Services Dr. Maribel Martinez discuss their new roles in the district as top administrators, implementing a 100-day plan, the four pillars that make up the District’s strategic plan, their focus on mental wellness and commitment to students and families, and the personal journeys they took that inspired them to become educators.

Manzanita Elementary School Principal Amanda Vanessa Noriega discusses the Covina-Valley Unified school’s Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program, its designation as a National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST) 2025 Top Schools Award winner, administering DLI programs across the United States, growing up as an English learner, what training and education is needed to teach a DLI class, and how she came to love the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Live Oak Elementary School Resource Specialist and Fontana Unified School District 2024-25 Teacher of the Year Michelle Vazquez discusses developing Individualized Education Programs (IEP) for students with a wide range of disabilities, preparing students to transition to middle school and encouraging them to advocate for themselves, talking with parents about the need for services, collaborating with classroom teachers and aides, assisting SPED teachers through her Stepping Into Special Education podcast, and her experience as a contestant on “American Idol.”

Mountain View High School Principal Jose Relson Bañas left a small farm village in the Philippines more than 20 years ago, traveling to Southern California to teach mathematics. The El Monte Union administrator retraces the steps of his journey, from the Philippines to Compton to El Monte, and discusses the metaphorical oceans he had to cross to be successful, those of fear, doubt, and insecurity. Bañas also discusses assimilating to American pop culture, his fascination with numerology, and how he found his community in Southern California.

It’s a Season 7 clip show! California School News Radio hosts Kevin Ausmus and Drew Schlosberg share clips from top scholars and Class of 2025 graduates, including scholarship winners and Ivy League-bound students Carmen Ung (El Monte Union High School District), and Oswaldo Garcia (Whittier Union High School District); Silver Surfer service club president Emily Moore (Bonita Unified School District); Regional Center interns Marlee Walker and Jazmine Cardenas (Bonita Unified); and middle schooler Cyrus Moss (Fontana Unified School District), who successfully petitioned the school district to rename an elementary school after a pioneering Fontana African-American family.

Sunnyvale Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Gudiel R. Crosthwaite discusses his 15 years as an administrator at Lynwood Unified School District, including the last eight years as superintendent, his favorite teachers growing up, what inspired him to become an educator, how his students taught him how to be vulnerable, his “Dream Team” executive cabinet, the benefits of college-level dual enrollment, inspiring students to share their talent and find their identity through districtwide VAPA programs, how the Lynwood Partners Educational Foundation helps students achieve their dreams of college, and the challenges he is looking forward to as the new top administrator at Sunnyvale Unified.