2019-20 and 2020-21 News Archives

Winter and Spring LCAP Meeting Dates and Locations

• January 16th from 6pm-8pm at Buhach Colony Library (AAPAC)
• January 21, 2020 at @5:30pm Merced Senior Community Center (Community Forum #1)
• January 29, 2020 at 5:30pm (DTA) District office Board Room
• January 30th from 6pm-8pm at Merced High School Library (AAPAC)
• February 5, 2020 at 5:30pm (DELAC) District office Board Room
• February 26, 2020 at 5:30 pm (CSEA) District office Board Room
• March 18, 2020 at 5 :30 pm at Merced High School at the Library (Community Forum #2)
• April 1, 2020 at 5 :30 pm at Atwater High School at the Library (Community Forum #3)

List of Merced Sun-Star's Fall Athletes of the Year Includes Many MUHSD Student-Athletes

The Merced Sun-Star released it's annual list of Merced County student-athletes who stood out during the fall sports season and MUHSD schools are well-represented.

Female Athletes of the Year: Kendall Thompson (El Capitan High)- Water Polo; Isabel Perez-Zoghbt (Merced High) - Cross County; Savun Emanivong (Buhach Colony High) - Tennis; Cairo Saxton (El Capitan High) - Golf

Male Athletes of the Year: Youlas Dickson (Buhach Colony High) - Football; Cole McKain (Merced High) - Cross Country; Rocco Cutone (El Capitan) - Water Polo;

To read the full list including the All-Area Honors Teams, click on the buttons below.

Fall Female Athletes of the Year

Fall Male Athletes of the Year

The California Dashboard update for 2019 is out and the scores for Merced Union High School District (MUHSD) show that the district continues to be a leader in preparing students for life after high school. Both the College and Career Indicators (CCI) and graduation rates at all school sites have increased since last year while suspension rates have gone down as the district focuses on closing the opportunity gap.

The California Dashboard is an annual assessment of schools and school districts that measures progress in several categories to give parents and the community a visual representation of how they are doing. The system, which was implemented three years ago, goes beyond test scores to provide a more complete picture of how the needs of all students are being met.

MUHSD is among the highest performing districts in the state in regards to CCI, improving over last year from 54.1% to 63%. When taken into account that over 75% of MUHSD students are considered socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED), this speaks volumes about the work being done at MUHSD. The chart below compares the district’s CCI score to the scores of other districts with a similar SED. The state average is 44%.

Graduation rates also spiked across the board with almost all school sites hitting 95%. The district is especially proud of the improvement over last year for certain groups including Foster Youth (88.1%, up from 77.1%), African American students (91.8%, up from 83.7%), and students with disabilities (85.2%, up from 73.9%). The state average for graduation rate is 85.7%.

Another area MUHSD is gaining ground is the reduction of suspension rates. All sites have lowered their suspension rates this past year, contributing to the district’s overall score dropping to 3.4% and matching the state average. There has been a concerted effort to improve in this arena with training for Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and intervention programs having been added to the 2019-20 LCAP.

In its ongoing efforts to become a more environmentally-sustainable district, Merced Union High School District (MUHSD) is partnering with ENGIE Services U.S. (ENGIE) to install solar panels in parking lots at all of its comprehensive sites. A power purchase agreement (PPA) with the energy company was unanimously approved by the Board at a recent board meeting.

As part of the agreement, ENGIE will install and maintain the solar arrays with no upfront cost to MUHSD and the PPA will allow the district to purchase energy from ENGIE at a fixed rate for the entire 28-year lifespan of the contract. When the contract expires, the district can either purchase the systems or have them removed at no cost to MUHSD.

“We are thrilled to partner with ENGIE on this sustainable energy project as the district moves toward reducing its environmental impact,” said MUHSD Superintendent Alan Peterson. “And not having to worry about potential increases in our energy rates for the next 28 years is huge when it comes to projecting budgets each year.”

In addition to the energy savings and shade benefits, ENGIE offers a classroom component that MUHSD plans to integrate into the district’s Career Technical Education (CTE) program via hands-on activities, energy and sustainability lesson plans and professional development for teachers.

“Our Public Sector ENGIE Services U.S. team is proud to help MUHSD launch its first district-wide solar program with integrated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) solutions,” shared ENGIE Vice President Courtney Jenkins. “With clean energy generation expected to cover ~90% of MUHSD’s electricity needs, the District will be in a laudable position to redirect energy savings to other mission-critical activities, including dedicated CTE engagements for students interested in careers helping to lead the zero-carbon transition of the future. We are excited to partner together and help Merced’s vision come to life.”

Installation of the structures is set to begin in the summer of 2020.

The Merced Union High School District (MUHSD) Board of Trustees appointed Merced Irrigation District General Manager John Sweigard to the vacant Trustee Area 4 seat of the Governing Board at a Special Board Meeting held Monday. The position was recently vacated when John Medearis resigned last month.

Sweigard was one of four candidates who went through the interview process, which was open to the public. Rather than hold a costly special election, the Board opted to go with an appointment to fill out the remainder of the term which runs through December of 2020.

A 33-year resident of the Merced-Atwater area, Sweigard has had three children attend and graduate from the district. Sweigard believes that, while he doesn't have a background in education, his experience on other boards and committees makes him a valuable asset to MUHSD’s Board of Trustees.

“One thing I’ve learned as a board member myself for other organizations is that an outside perspective can be very helpful,” said Sweigard. “Education is not an area of expertise for me, but I’m up for the challenge and look forward to getting to work.”

Sweigard was officially sworn in after the special meeting and will be on the dais at the next regular board meeting in December.

Merced Union High School District's band programs returned home from competitions with some added hardware this weekend. Livingston, Buhach Colony, Atwater, Merced and Golden Valley all participated in the Santa Cruz Band Review, while El Capitan performed in Del Oro.

Below is a recap of the awards each school garnered.

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Ca Secretary of State Pays Golden Valley A Visit

On the eve of National Voter Registration Day, CA Secretary of State Alex Padilla stopped by Golden Valley High to encourage students to register and preregister to vote. Golden Valley High was one of Secretary Padilla's stops on his tour of high schools across the state, letting students know the importance of voting and being counted in the 2020 Census.

During his visit, Secretary Padilla spoke to an assembly of the Cougar senior class. He spoke about his own life experiences - how he was the son of immigrants and why he got involved in politics. Students then had the opportunity to participate in a question and answer session with the Secretary.

The assembly ended with a registration and preregistration drive that the Merced County Registrar's Office was on hand to facilitate.

SUN-STAR ARTICLE

Highlights include the purchasing of all meals for students, funds for alternative discipline programs and the addition of Ethnic Studies Class.

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With the passage of the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) for the 2019-20 school year at last night's special board meeting, all meals including breakfast and lunch, will be free of charge for MUHSD students next year.

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It's been a long time coming for Merced High School and its alumni, but thanks to a generous donation, an on-campus stadium is becoming a reality.

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Program is open to all kids and teens, 18-and-under, regardless if student is enrolled in MUHSD or not.

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The Merced Union High School District is pleased to announce a new addition to the administrative staff. Effective July 1, Mrs. Jennifer Euker will be assuming the role of Principal at Buhach Colony High School.

Mrs. Euker comes from a long line of educators and has two children in education herself. A long-time Mercedian, she attended local schools from Charles Wright Elementary to Merced Community College. Over her teaching career, Mrs. Euker taught various grade levels beginning at the Weaver School District and later joining the staff at Merced High School.

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MUHSD understands that there may be concerns regarding the Novel Coronavirus and would like to share some information released by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

The CDPH goes on to say that there is no evidence of sustained person-to-person transmission of the virus in in the United States. One instance of person-to-person transmission was confirmed in California-San Benito County, but it was with a close household contact. There is no evidence of person-to-person transmission in the genereal public in California.

The Novel Coronavirus is still considered a serious public health concern and the CDPH is actively working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, with local governments and health care providers across the state to protect your health.

Atwater, CA (December 14, 2020) – Merced Union High School District (MUHSD) will be closing schools and returning all students to Distance Learning effective Wednesday, December 16. Sites will reopen and return to in-person learning on January 19, the start of the second semester. 

MUHSD is not being forced to close schools at this time, however, the district is choosing to do so due to a reduction in student attendance and site staffing. This Tuesday will be the last day students will be allowed on district campuses. 

“We knew that closures were a possibility when the holidays came around, but we remained hopeful that it wouldn’t have to come to this.” said MUHSD Superintendent Alan Peterson. “The reality is that our schools are simply unable to operate under the current circumstances.” 

MUHSD reopened schools to students on November 2 while Merced County was in the red tier of the state’s COVID Risk Assessment Chart and was able to keep them open when the county fell back into the purple tier due to having a strong COVID Exposure Prevention Plan and an intensive contact tracing system in place. 

“Our schools have done an excellent job providing a safe learning environment for students and staff,” said Superintendent Peterson. “The safety measures and cleaning procedures we have in place are as thorough as they come.”

Since November, students who chose to return to in-person learning were doing so on a modified A/B schedule where they alternated days they were on campus. Those students will now join their classmates who chose to remain on Distance Learning.

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The wildly popular app "Among Us" has made its way into classrooms at MUHSD. Some teachers have used it as a reward for completing assignments, while others have incorporated the game into the curriculum. But no matter how it's used, everyone we talked to agrees that it's helped foster interaction in a socially distant environment.

Over the past week, social studies teachers around the district have been following the Presidential Election in their classrooms. It was a very eye-opening experience for students, many of whom will be eligible to vote for the next President . 

Eight months after schools were closed due to the pandemic, sites were once again abuzz with activity. Students were allowed to return to campuses for in-person instruction on November 3rd on a modified schedule and with a slew of safety measures in place. All MUHSD students had previously been on Distance Learning since last March.

Families had the option to keep their students on Distance Learning for the remainder of the first semester. Students returning to campuses are doing so on a modified A/B schedule where they alternate days that they are physically at school. On their "off days", students are logging into the classes from home just like they did during Distance Learning. All MUHSD students have classes five days a week. 

The majority of students who returned were able to keep the same teachers and schedules. This is possible because of the media equipment purchased by the school district that allows teachers to broadcast their lessons in real time to students online. 

"One of the main tenets of our 'Return To In-person Learning' plan was to have as little disruption as possible and broadcasting made this feasible," said Superintendent Peterson. "Now, students and teachers can continue building on those relationships that formed during Distance Learning." 

MUHSD worked with the Merced County Department of Public Health on its plan to transition students back to in-person learning as well as the new safety measures have been implemented at sites. Students will become familiar with the new protocols during "Intersession", the first two weeks of the second quarter that also began November 3rd. During this time, students will also have an opportunity to work on their first quarter grade and reacclimate themselves to the campus. 

"Grades took a hit during Distance Learning, so we wanted to give students the opportunity to work on getting those up in a more traditional setting without adding new instruction on top of that," said Superintendent Peterson. "You also have to remember that Freshman have never stepped foot on a high school campus. And even for the ones who have, it's a completely different environment than it was last Spring." 

The return of students to school at MUHSD gained a lot of media coverage. You can view the stories that ran by clicking on the links below. 

ABC30 News Story

KSEE24 News Story

KMPH Fox26 News Story

Merced Sun-Star Story

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MUHSD had four students win National Proficiency Awards at the National FFA Convention and Expo which was held at the end of October. Hunter Aue, Spencer Stephens and Peter Bliss from Golden Valley High and Alyssa Loredo from Merced High were named the top FFA students in the nation for their categories. 

Alyssa and Hunter both won for the entrepreneurship prowess in the areas of agriculture sales and beef production respectively. Peter was recognized for his proficiency in the area of national fiber/oil while Spencer's proficiency in the area of natural resources and environmental science earned him the top honor. 

Check out the article in the Merced Sun-Star for more on this amazing accomplishment! 

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Atwater, CA (October 5, 2020) – At a Special Board Meeting held on Friday, the Merced Union High School District (MUHSD) Board of Trustees approved an updated plan that would allow students to begin transitioning to in-person instruction November 2. The decision comes in light of new data from the Merced County Department of Public Health (MDPH) that showed an improvement in the county’s COVID-19 outlook. 

On September 29, Merced County’s COVID-19 numbers began meeting the criteria needed to move from the purple tier to the red tier in the state’s system of assessing COVID-19 risk. If the numbers hold or continue to improve over the next two weeks, the county will officially move into the red tier allowing schools to reopen under MDPH guidelines. 

“Everyone agrees that students need to be back in schools and MUHSD has always been committed to resuming in-person instruction when it is safe to do so,” said MUHSD Superintendent Alan Peterson. “We have followed the guidelines that have been set forth throughout this entire ordeal, and we are excited to be able to finally begin transitioning back to in-person learning next month.” 

Families will be given the option to remain on Distance Learning for the remainder of the school year if they prefer and staff members with health concerns will be able to continue teaching from home. Students that return to in-person instruction will be on a modified schedule, attending classes every other day or with two days between school visits, depending on the social distancing guidelines at the time.

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The start of school for Merced Union High School District looked a lot different than previous years. Students logged into classes online from home while teachers worked both from home and in the classroom. 

Due to Merced County's high COVID numbers, MUHSD was forced to begin school on Distance Learning. To see how the first day of classes went, check out the story below by KSEE24 News. 

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The Merced Union High School District Board of Trustees voted on Wednesday evening to delay the start of the 2020-21 school year by one week to August 19, 2020. The decision was made to give the district time to program and distribute mobile Internet devices to all of its students.

The district will also utilize the extra time to further prepare staff for Distance Learning. Earlier in the month, MUHSD announced that all students will learn online for the entire first half of the school year.

“As much as we want to get back to learning at MUHSD, we want to do it the right way and unfortunately there are some variables that are out of our hands,” said MUHSD Superintendent Peterson. “In keeping with MUHSD’s commitment to providing access for all students, this was the best decision.”

At a previous meeting held July 13, the Board approved the purchase of over 10,000 MiFi wireless devices from Verizon to provide Internet access for all of its students and staff. In addition, MUHSD will be “piggybacking” broadband services at a discounted rate from the existing contract between Los Angeles Unified School District and Verizon, an option that the state provided to all California schools in early June.

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When Nancy Salmeron was 15, her parents had raised enough money to send her to the United States for a better life. Nancy was actually born in the states, however her family had to move to Mexico when she was six due to the legal status of her parents. She says that the decision to move to another country without her parents was difficult, but she knew that it was the right thing to do.

“My parents always motivated me to pursue an education, but it was hard moving away from them,” said Nancy. “However, I decided to leave because I wanted to have a better future for myself and them.”

From meeting new people in a new environment to learning a new schedule and new set of social guidelines, the freshman experience can be daunting in and of itself. Nancy had the added hardship of not knowing any english at all when she began taking classes at Atwater High. She had a hard time understanding her teachers and wasn’t fitting in.

“Not knowing english was a barrier because I wasn’t able to take regular English classes or any advanced classes which could affect my transcript,” said Nancy. “Also, I wasn’t able to communicate with my classmates.”

Things also took a turn at home as her living arrangement wasn’t working out. Nancy found herself homeless, and unsure if she was going to even be able to finish school. Thankfully, another family took her in which allowed her to focus again on her studies.

Determined to make her family proud, Nancy took several ELD classes her freshman and sophomore years. ELD classes help English Learners improve their reading, writing and speaking so that they can take a traditional English class. By her junior year, Nancy was in a traditional English class. She also earned the Merced County Seal of Biliteracy for which she will receive a gold seal on her diploma.

Nancy took a college prep English course her senior year and she will be graduating with honors. Nancy will be the first in her family to attend college and is excited to start working toward a career in nursing.

As she reflects on how far she’s come and all she has been able to accomplish, Nancy says it wouldn’t have been possible without the help and encouragement of the AHS staff.

“I have faced several challenges over the past four years and the teachers and staff have always supported me,” said Nancy. “They were always pushing me to keep going.”

Nancy also says that the sacrifices her parents made so that she could come to the United States and get an education kept her motivated.

“Learning english was challenging and there were times when I just wanted to go back with my parents,” said Nancy. “But they were the reason I wanted to keep studying. I want them to be proud of me.”

Nancy is grateful for the opportunity she was given and says that getting to this point has given her confidence in herself.

“During the four years that I have been part of high school I have experienced many things,” said Nancy. “I have learned that life is not that easy, but I have the strength and determination to achieve my goals, no matter what hurdles I have to overcome.”

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In the 1989 film "Dead Poet's Society", a professor encourages his students to get the most out of life by using the Latin phrase "Carpe diem" which translates to "seize the day". It's fair to say that Merced High Senior David Chen seized every day of his high school career.

David is a National AP Scholar, a National Merit Finalist, a US Biology Olympiad semifinalist, and he also won the Presidential Gold Service Award. He’s the president of multiple organizations including the school’s science club (which he founded as a freshman) and the local Junior Statesmen of America chapter.

David's accolades also extended to athletics as he was on the water polo and swim teams all four years and played tennis for the Bears as well. David won several individual and team swimming titles and was selected Team MVP for a season of water polo. He has been named the Merced County Swimmer of the Year and was the recipient of the A. Dale Lackey Scholarship, awarded to the top male student-athlete in the entire section.

As if his plate wasn't full enough, David also produced and hosted a podcast on campus where he interviewed students, staff and special guests that happened to be visiting the school on any given day. Admittedly, he says it all got to be tough to organize.

“On paper it looks a little excessive and, oftentimes, I did bite off more than I could chew, but I was just interested in so many things,” said David. “There were times when my schedules conflicted, and in those cases I had to prioritize and sacrifice one thing for another. But the coaches and advisors were always willing to work with me.”

David also carries a 4.59 GPA which is first in his class of over 400 seniors. Like the rest of them, he was disappointed about the pandemic ending his final year at Merced High so abruptly. He misses his friends, the MHS staff and, of course, the pool. But the thing that David is disappointed about the most is not being able to hold the Ted Talk event on campus that he had been planning for months.

“We had been working on it really hard and had a great group of speakers lined up,” said David. “It was shaping up to be one of the highlights of not just high school but of my entire life.”

If Merced High decides to try putting one on again, David says he would jump at the chance to help out. That may be a little difficult as he will be attending Harvard in the fall. However, David might be available seeing as how he isn’t sure yet if he will be taking classes that first semester on campus or online from home due to the pandemic.

One thing David is sure about is that he plans to continue podcasting. He recorded his first podcast in March of 2019 as a creative and unique way to do an English project. He enjoyed doing it so much that he decided to create the “We The Students” podcast and has been regularly posting episodes since, even during the school closures.

And with everything he’s been able to accomplish in high school, one might be surprised to learn that the podcast is the thing David is most proud of.

“If there’s anything that I consider my crowning achievement, it’s the podcast for sure,” said David. “That, more than anything, is the definition of my four years at Merced High and I hope that it continues in some form after I’m gone.”

David calls the podcast his passion project and he recommends students make an effort to discover their own passion project in order to get the most out of high school.

“A lot of students just go through the motions and many of them graduate not knowing what they want to do which, to me, would be regrettable,” said David. “Our schools offer so much, and all you have to do is explore and find that thing that you want to do. Then do it.”

Sounds a lot like something the professor from "Dead Poets' Society" would say.

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It was during her Freshman year on the varsity cheerleading squad at El Capitan High when Hayley Moua found out from her older teammates that students have the ability to take college classes while in high school. Three and half years later, Hayley will be receiving both her high school diploma and an AA in Social and Behavioral Science this spring.

Thanks to a partnership between Merced Union High School District (MUHSD) and Merced College, students enrolled at MUHSD have been able to fulfill high school requirements and earn college credit concurrently via the Dual Enrollment Program. The program provides an avenue for students looking to get a jump on the next step in their education, which in turn, can result in an early graduation from college and, ultimately, beginning a career sooner.

This scenario appeals to goal-oriented students like Hayley, who saw the Dual Enrollment Program as both a way to save money and to get a step ahead of the game while transitioning into a young adult.

“This program allows students to gain an upper hand on higher education and it gave me the opportunity to grow as a student and individual,” said Hayley. “The knowledge and experience it provided me will assist me in my future endeavors.”

Daniela Belmonte, also from El Capitan High, made the decision to participate in the Dual Enrollment Program at the end of her Freshman year while planning out the remainder of her high school career. Along with her high school diploma, Daniela has also earned associate degrees in Psychology, Sociology and Human Behavioral Science this spring as well as a certificate for her CSU general education.

Also a student-athlete, Daniela had to find a balance between school, sports, friends and homelife. Admittedly, it wasn’t easy but Daniela says any sacrifice was worth the feeling of accomplishment. There was also an unexpected journey of self-discovery along the way.

“Taking college classes during high school allows you to realize that it is possible to balance multiple things in your life while still being possible to get good grades, said Daniela. “It allows oneself to realize how much more they are capable of in all aspects of life.”

Students taking dual enrollment courses spend time onsite at Merced College and both Hayley and Daniela feel that the experience of being on a college campus prior to being enrolled at one is invaluable, especially for students who plan to further their education after high school.

“A large difference that I experienced between the two was the self discipline,” said Hayley. “The teachers in high school are much more involved with student lives and hold a more personal connection with them. In college, the teachers and students come to class, in agreement, that students are to hold their own throughout the class.”

Daniela adds that exposing oneself to higher learning while in high school can relieve some of the anxieties students may have about college life.

“College can be scary, stressful, and much more knowing that you’re fully responsible for your academics,'' said Daniela. “Taking college courses during high school prepares a student more for college by allowing them to become more confident and organized.”

Hayley plans to attend UC Davis in the fall where she will be majoring in Biological Science while chasing her dream of becoming a pediatrician. Daniela will remain local and attend UC Merced where she’ll pursue a Masters in Psychology. She isn’t sure what she wants to do after that, but is leaning toward a career as a high school counselor.

Both graduates are grateful for the existence of the Dual Enrollment Program and believe that anyone serious about their education should take advantage of it, even if they're not sure if they are “college material”.

“You own the right to determine your self-worth and it only takes one step to begin the journey of a thousand miles,” said Hayley. “Along the way you will find endless possibilities.”

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In light of the Merced County Department of Public Health's denial of any in-person ceremony through July, MUHSD is moving forward with an alternative graduation. Student will still get to walk across the stage and receive their diplomas, however in keeping with social distancing guidelines, loved ones will have to watch from their vehicles.

Check out the story done by the Merced Sun-Star.

Agriculture students around Merced Union High School District (MUHSD) look forward to the Merced County Fair to showcase the livestock that they have been tending to all year in hopes of securing a buyer. But when the annual June event was cancelled due to uncertainty surrounding the ongoing pandemic, students had to either sell their animals themselves or participate in an online auction. Mackenzie Paschall took a more charitable route.

The Buhach Colony High junior is donating her class project, a hog named “Hudson”, to Rainbow Valley Foster Care. The non-profit provides care and services for children that have experienced physical, sexual and mental abuse. After speaking to the organization's Executive Director, Mackenzie knew she made the right decision.

“The best part of donating my hog is knowing that my small act of kindness is going to help Rainbow Valley Foster Care in many ways,” said Mackenzie. “It feels good to be able to help others who weren't given a chance to have a normal life, especially during this unpredictable time.”

Hudson still has some growing to do to make butcher weight, and to help reach that goal Mackenzie has started up a fundraiser to help cover feeding and butchering costs. Any amount raised beyond that will go toward the foster home as well.

Anyone interested in supporting Mackenzie can reach her via email at mackenziepaschall@gmail.com or text 209-635-8373.

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Corbin Cash Distillery donated 50 gallons of hand sanitizer today to Merced Union High School District (MUHSD). The school district has currently shut down all of its school sites to students, however many employees including cafeteria workers and custodians are still performing essential functions such as maintenance and meal distribution.

Like many other distilleries, Corbin Cash Distillery made the switch to producing hand sanitizer when it became scarce due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hand sanitizer has become especially difficult to acquire for businesses outside of the medical field.

“Up until now, hand sanitizer has been unavailable to us which means our essential workers have had to go out of their way to find a place to wash their hands several times a day, which can be very time consuming, said MUHSD Director of Facilities Ted Walstrom. “We are very thankful for Corbin Cash Distillery for their donation so that our employees can be safe and focus on their jobs.”

Corbin Cash Distillery has also provided hand sanitizer for several hospitals and cancer centers in Merced and Fresno, all free of charge. Owner David Souza, an Atwater High graduate, says that he’s just doing his part to help people get through a tough time.

“It feels good to give back to my community and to the medical professionals who are out there saving lives,” said Souza. “If doing this helps them in some small way, then that’s payment enough for me.”

Merced Union High School District will honor its seniors by lighting up the night sky! Beginning this Friday night, and continuing every Friday night for the remainder of the school closures, all school site stadiums and athletic field lights will shine at 20:20 (8:20pm) for one hour.

“Our stadiums and athletic fields are symbols of strength, commitment, hope, school spirit and most of all, community,’ said MUHSD Superintendent Alan Peterson. “We need to show our seniors that we have their backs and give them some hope that their graduation will happen. Let it shine for 2020, at 2020!”

Merced Union High School District has started up a podcast, a fast-growing medium, to disseminate information during the current health crisis and school closures. The podcast entitled “Impact” will aid the district’s efforts to provide information to students, staff and the community

The district’s Director of Communications, Sam Yniguez, hosts the show that features interviews with students and staff members across the district who are making an impact at their sites and in the community.

“I’ve been a long-time podcast listener and recognize that the value and accessible nature of podcasts lends itself well to education,” said Yniguez. “And when you combine the current climate where information is being consumed at such a rapid rate with the fact that everyone is looking for something to do while sheltered in their homes, it seemed like the perfect time to start it up.”

MUHSD plans to record at least one new episode per week throughout the duration of the closure. Superintendent Peterson has appeared as a guest on two of the three episodes uploaded so far, and has committed to returning as long as there are questions from students and staff regarding the school closures. Questions may be submitted on the district’s social media pages or via email to the host (syniguez@muhsd.org).

“Impact” is available on the district's webpage, SoundCloud, Anchor FM and Spotify.

Yosemite High’s Leadership students held a “Penny War” fundraiser to send former Yosemite High School Leadership student and recent graduate Larayna Tapetillo to Disneyland and got the entire campus involved.

Larayna is currently undergoing radiation and chemotherapy for a rare, inoperable form of brain cancer. Larayna and her mother, who had been living in San Francisco since December while Larayna was receiving treatment, returned to Merced last month. In an effort to lift her spirits, Leadrship students began the fundraiser to send Larayna and her mom to Disneyland.

“As you can imagine, this has taken a tremendous financial and emotional toll on Larayna and her mom,” said YHS Principal Charles Jolly. “It was a shock for our staff, and it's been great to see the generosity of students for a YHS grad that many did not even know.”

The family set up a GoFundMe account for anyone who wishes to help cover travel/medical expenses.

Thank you ABC30 Action News for covering this story!

Londyn Ekizian, a Freshman at El Capitan High, is known for helping those in the community who are in need. It’s this reputation that earned her a nomination to be one of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) “Student of the Year'' participants. The nationwide program selects students who have shown an interest in charity work to tap into their resources and raise awareness and money for LLS to help find a cure for blood cancers.

“This is right up my alley.” said Londyn. “I’ve always been the type of person to be helping others and doing community service type of stuff.”

Londyn has until March 13th to raise as much as she can, and while her goal of $100,000 is ambitious, she has a plan to reach it and an army of volunteers willing to help.

“We’re going to all of the schools during rallies and there’s also the webpage and social media. We’ll also be doing fundraisers like drive-through meals and selling bracelets,” said Londyn.

Londyn was the only student from Merced County chosen by LLS to take part in the “Student of the Year” campaign where she is competing against students across the nation. The student with the most money raised at the end of the seven-week period is named the LLS “Student of the Year” and receives a $2500 scholarship to the college of their choice.

Londyn says that winning would be nice, but she’s more focused on making a difference in people’s lives.

“People living with cancer don’t know if they’re going to see another day, so just raising awareness about it and helping the cause makes me feel good. No matter how much we raise, my hope is that this will inspire others to donate their own time and money to help people in need.”

If you would like to contribute to Londyn’s campaign, visit www.soylondyn.org.

Ag Horticulture classes around MUHSD are gearing up for one of their busiest days of the year...Valentine’s Day. Students and staff typically spend the days leading up to it arranging orders that have come in and preparing for the last-minute rush.

“Valentine’s Day is extremely busy for us,” said Merced High Ag Teacher Mrs. Brewer. “I mean, we’re making arrangements all day long. It gets pretty hectic around here.”

On the big day, Mrs. Brewers class will spend the mornings filling orders and making deliveries to other classes and offices. Then during lunch, they’ll set up out in the quad for those who may not have seen their flyer and didn’t know flowers were sold on campus. Some campuses also sell flowers to the public, and at a more affordable rate than most floral shops.

“Because students make the arrangements, we do offer them at a lower cost than a regular business,” said Brewer. “But we also ask for a donation which goes right back into the program.”

All proceeds earned go toward purchasing more flowers, which can be quite expensive, as well as supplies and marketing tools. A recent purchase for Mrs. Brewer’s class was a lightbox to create better photos of the student’s work, which are then posted on the class website and social media pages.

“Marketing is a big element of the class,” said Brewer. “It allows students to see the business side of floral and how it’s not just about creating something pretty. You have to present it in a way that makes people want to spend their money.”

Those photos can then be assembled into a portfolio, something Atwater High Ag Teacher Kaylyn Davenport stresses to her students.

“The students learn how to promote themselves as a designer by doing things like posting their arrangements on social media,” said Davenport. “Even if they don’t have an account, I tell them to create one just to show off their work. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a lot of followers, but it’s a good way to market yourself to the public and to a prospective employer.”

Another way to impress a potential boss is to have design certification, something that is available for those taking the advanced horticulture class. To earn the certificate, upon completion of the class students must demonstrate proficiency in several areas including bouquet design, corsage and have the ability to duplicate an arrangement.

“The certification is recognized industry-wide, so for someone interested in pursuing a career in floral, having that already in their portfolio will give them a head-start in front of everyone else,” said Davenport.

Both Brewer and Davenport have big goals for their respective programs that include an actual storefront on campus run by students. A vehicle for deliveries would be ideal too. Until then, the public can call and arrange a time to pick up orders which are submitted online. The flowers that are available at any given time depends on the season, and as you would imagine, right now it’s all about the roses!