May 25, 2021
By Kelli Gile, WVUSD Office of Community Resources
WALNUT, CA—In keeping with tradition, the Walnut Valley USD Board of Trustees recognized exemplary students and parents during the May 18 meeting.
Diamond Bar High School senior Mi-Hyun Suh received the Super Star Student Award for academic excellence. Mi-Hyun has achieved a 4.0 GPA, taken rigorous courses, numerous Advance Placement exams, and delivered TEDx Talks. Mi-Hyun is a member of the school’s Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and Performing Arts Academy. She plays the flute and piano and has participated in over 30 local, state, national, and international competitions earning over $7,000 in cash awards. Mi-Hyun is excited to participate in the upcoming Arthur Frasier International Competition with elite musicians vying to win up to $5,000 and an opportunity to perform with the South Carolina Philharmonic. She will be attending University of Southern California (USC) on a full-ride scholarship in the fall.
When asked what she attributes her success to, Me-Hun replied: “I don’t think I’ve arrived yet, I always strive to do better!” shared Principal Dr. Reuben Jones.
Parent volunteer Cristina Bravo was recognized with the Partner in Education Award. For the past two years, Cristina has served in a leadership role as vice president of the HOPE - Hispanic Organization of Parents and Education at Diamond Bar High School. Through the pandemic, Cristina has stood out through her continued involvement when parent volunteers were not allowed on campus. She coordinated a Mag 7 drive-through In-N-Out fundraiser that raised nearly $2,000. Cristina has also attended monthly Math Access Advocate and Curriculum Enhancement virtual meetings that support efforts to open access to math curriculum for all students. A Summer Bootcamp will be offered as a result of the work she has done with math teachers and staff.
“The three words that best describe Cristina are assertive, caring, and committed,” Principal Jones said. “You have truly been a partner in education and we want to celebrate and thank you!”
Diamond Bar High School senior Anoushka Bhat was honored as winner of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Regional Oratory Contest. She presented her three-minute speech titled “What is Your Greatest Ambition” that highlighted works of true leaders who pushed through obstacles in order to achieve their goals during the meeting.
“Today we stand on the enduring bridge of leaders past and it is our duty to express our gratitude through the continuation of progress,” Anoushka said in her closing statement. “So, I ask you to be the bridge even if it just means laying down one brick. You can ignite a revolution!”
Walnut High School senior Samantha Kozlo, the school’s ASB president, was lauded with the Super Star Student Award for her efforts to keep students and staff connected throughout the pandemic. Since summer 2020, Sarah was in daily contact with school leadership to find ways to boost morale. In January, when COVID-19 numbers surged and the hope of returning to campus looked bleak, Sarah coordinated a presentation designed to build empathy and finish the year strong. Students and teachers shared their perspectives and frustrations with distance learning. The meeting was authentic, insightful, vulnerable, and allowed the Mustang family to grow stronger.
“Sam, you could have given up, lost hope, and phoned it in for the school year, but you continued to push through,” praised Principal Dr. Ryan Maine. “Thank you for your unwavering leadership and the countless hours you invested into our school this year!”
Walnut High School parent volunteer Sarah Woo received the Partner in Education Award for her steadfast involvement as KAPA (Korean American Parent Association) president, Walnut High Community Club member, and band parent. KAPA has been instrumental in bringing the school’s Korean community together while gathering donations, recruiting volunteers, and offering support. One of the many examples of Sarah’s service through KAPA includes coordinating Teacher Appreciation Week staff goodie bags.
“The success of Walnut High School rests heavily on the support and dedication of community volunteers like Sarah,” said Principal Maine. “Sarah, we are grateful for your time, energy, talent, dedication, and the many ‘bandwiches’ you’ve made for our band kids. Our school is a better place because of your service!”
The Walnut High School Wolf Corp. Robotics Team received recognition for winning the Inspire Champions Award at the Los Angeles FTC Regional Tournament in a field of 70 teams last month. This is the first time a team from Walnut Valley USD has received this elite award. Wolf Corp. also scored the Compass Mentor Award and took 3rd Place in the Robot Game, 2nd Place - Think (Engineering Notebook), and 2nd Place - Connect (Interacting with STEM Companies) Award. The team also qualified for the World Championship for the second year in a row. Congratulations to members Kawin Watkins, Nathan Tan, Gordon Lau, Jason Wang, Conor Fox, Kevin Yu, Joshua Hsu, Daniel Ji, Glory Zhang, Zhenkai Weng, Ethan Tungpalan, Jonathan Soo, Prerna Bharath, parent coaches Scott and Lek Watkins, and club advisor Amanda Lindmann Boeder.
Shown:
Board President Layla Abou-Taleb recognizes Diamond Bar High senior Mi-Hyun Suh with the Super Star Student Award on May 18.
WVUSD Trustees honor Diamond Bar High parent volunteer Cristina Bravo with the Partner in Education Award.
Trustees honor Diamond Bar High senior Anoushka Bhat as winner of the ACSA Oratory Contest.
Walnut High ASB President Samantha Kozlo presented with the Super Star Student Award on May 18.
Walnut High parent volunteer Sarah Woo receives the Partner in Education Award.
Walnut High Wolf Corp. Robotics Team honored as winners of the Inspire Champions Award at the Los Angeles FTC Regional Tournament.