Weekly roundup: Westminster High students harvest watermelons for OC Food Bank, and more

Students at Westminster High School rolled up their sleeves for the ninth annual watermelon harvest at the Giving Farm, helping collect produce that will make its way to families across Orange County.

The eight-acre farm, located directly behind the Huntington Beach Union High School District campus, is operated by the Community Action Partnership of Orange County. The farm donates more than 200,000 pounds of fresh produce to the OC Food Bank each year, which distributes it through a network of more than 240 partner agencies, according to the Los Angeles Times’ Daily Pilot.

Students participated in the Sept. 16 harvest by carrying pre-cut watermelons from the field to collection bins, while members of Westminster High’s Future Farmers of America chapter helped with the operation. Students also learned about agriculture and how produce grown at the farm supports the surrounding community.

Westminster High Principal Amy Sabol told the Daily Pilot that the harvest has become a meaningful school tradition, noting that graduating seniors have repeatedly identified it as one of their memorable high school experiences.

Senior Yaretzi Casiano, an FFA member who hopes to pursue a career in agriculture as a veterinarian, said the event also gives students a closer look at opportunities connected to the field.

“I think it’s a great opportunity,” Casiano told the newspaper. “We’re the only [school] with a farm in the district. It’s much bigger than what it seems like.”

The harvest coincided with Hunger Action Month, a national campaign held each September to raise awareness about hunger and food insecurity.

Here are the other stories we’ve been following this week:

• The Orange County Department of Education and community partners are helping Orange County families understand e-bike classifications, local rules and safe riding practices as electric two-wheelers become increasingly common among young riders.

• OCDE will open the second round of its Innovation Funding Initiative on Oct. 7, offering eligible Orange County school districts up to $525,000 for three-year projects aimed at addressing unmet needs and improving student outcomes.

• Five Orange County students earned a $2,500 national award for their documentary exploring Japanese American artist Miné Okubo and her work documenting the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

• Students across Los Alamitos Unified participated in Start With Hello Week, using greetings, signs and student-led activities to strengthen connection, inclusion and a sense of belonging across the district’s nine campuses.

• Project GLAD® will offer Foundations and Secondary Foundations trainings this fall, giving educators research-based strategies to support multilingual learners through language development, collaboration and engaging classroom instruction.

• OCDE is seeking breakout session proposals and award nominations for the 2027 Orange County Counselor Symposium, which will bring school counselors and student-support professionals together Feb. 9 for professional learning and recognition.

• A report commissioned by the Laguna Beach Unified School District found that a May 14 protest was intense but remained nonviolent, while recommending stronger safety and crowd-management protocols for future Board of Education meetings.

• Anaheim High School’s Colonist Band and Pageantry has been selected to march in the 2028 Rose Parade, marking the first appearance in the New Year’s Day tradition in the school’s history.

• Nearly a quarter of California’s transitional kindergarten and kindergarten students were chronically absent in 2024-25, highlighting ongoing concerns about attendance in the earliest grades and the importance of reaching families before absences add up.

• One year after California expanded transitional kindergarten to all 4-year-olds, educators and early childhood experts say students’ experiences still vary widely among schools, with challenges including teacher training, classroom environments and access to developmentally appropriate learning through play.

This is the part where we encourage you to keep up with local education news stories by bookmarking the OCDE Newsroom, subscribing for emailed updates and following us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.