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Middle College High senior Manny Mejia celebrates his Yale acceptance with family and his teachers. (Courtesy of CBS LA)

Weekly roundup: Santa Ana senior receives acceptance from Yale, Korean language program celebrates first graduating class, and more

Madeline Gray May 15, 2026
Saddleback Valley Unified School District students Deepali Srinivas and Gianella Rodriguez showcase their honored project, "ShamPOOCH-inator" at the OcMaker Meet the Maker event Feb. 27.

OcMaker Challenge Awards to spotlight student innovators on May 19

Madeline Gray May 15, 2026
Students and coaches from McGarvin Intermediate School in the Garden Grove Unified School District pose for a photo during the 2026 Orange County Academic Pentathlon competition at Savanna High School.

Four Orange County teams advance to United States Pentathlon National Finals

Vicky Nguyen May 15, 2026
Two students speak at a podium onstage during the Friday Night Live Chapter Recognition Ceremony at the Barclay Theatre.

OC Friday Night Live Partnership honors student chapters and advisor for prevention leadership

Ian Hanigan May 14, 2026
MTSS logo

Governor’s May Revision proposes renewed investment in California MTSS

Ian Hanigan May 14, 2026
National History Day OC Logo

Experience history through the eyes of students at National History Day – Orange County

Staff reports March 3, 2015
To study history you have to become a detective. Historians, like detectives, ask questions, analyze evidence for clues and apply investigative skills to reconstruct history. Over 450 students from 32 schools and 11 districts accepted the challenge to be history detectives for the annual National History Day-Orange County competition. [...]
An image of two young women arguing

‘Restorative practices’ can nurture positive relationships, prevent unwanted behavior

Ian Hanigan March 3, 2015
How can teachers address conflicts and behavioral issues in a manner that re-engages students -- and keeps them in the classroom? That’s a question that has stirred plenty of discussion among educators. But the use of restorative practices is one potential answer that’s been gaining momentum in Orange County. [...]
An image of the 2015 Orange County Spelling Bee winners

OC’s champion speller headed to Washington D.C. to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee

Staff reports March 2, 2015
“Foreordained” – meaning to dispose or appoint in advance – was the final word that officially clinched the title of Orange County Spelling Bee champion for 12-year-old Sarika Rau, a seventh-grade student from Sierra Vista Middle School in the Irvine Unified School District. After four hours and 18 rounds of intense competition on Saturday, Rau walked away with a large trophy and a copy of Webster’s Third New International Dictionary. She also earned a bid to compete in the 88th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, which will take place in Washington, D.C. in May. [...]
Orange County Classified Employee of the Year logo

Outstanding OC school workers honored as 2015 Classified Employees of the Year

Staff reports February 24, 2015
The Orange County Department of Education has announced the top classified school employees for 2015. Established in 2008 by the California Department of Education, the Classified School Employees of the Year program annually highlights the contributions of employees who have performed exceptionally in support of public school students, from preschool through grade 12. Classified workers with a minimum of five years of service are eligible for the recognition, whether they serve at traditional schools, charter schools, district offices or county offices of education. […]

Orange County teens to stage ‘Reality Party’ to spotlight the dangers of underage drinking

Ian Hanigan February 24, 2015
Local prevention organizations are joining forces to raise awareness about the dangers of underage drinking by staging a “Reality Party for Parents” in Lake Forest this Saturday. Teen actors from the Santiago de Compostela Church Youth Ministry’s Friday Night Live chapter plan to portray typical party scenes exposing the perils of underage alcohol consumption, as well as the culture of binge-drinking. Participants will also voice concerns about adults who host drinking parties for minors. [...]
Friday Night Live logo

OC students earn grant funding for campaigns to address traffic safety, underage drinking

Ian Hanigan February 19, 2015
Working through a program called Friday Night Live, some enterprising students from Orange County are taking it upon themselves to promote traffic safety and prevent underage drinking. And now they’re about to get a little extra help -- in the form of a $17,500 grant from the California Friday Night Live Partnership. […]
An image of Westminster High School's Academic Decathlon team

Westminster High leads a pack of five OC schools headed to the California Academic Decathlon

Ian Hanigan February 18, 2015
Marking a first in the 47-year history of the Orange County Academic Decathlon, five O.C. schools have been selected to advance to next month’s state decathlon in Sacramento. Cheers rang out in a packed Orange Coast College auditorium on Feb. 17 night as perennial powerhouse Westminster High was named the overall team winner with 50,981.8 points. Along with a special plaque, individual medals and local bragging rights, the school will receive a $4,000 travel stipend from the Orange County Academic Decathlon Association, which joined OCDE in announcing this year’s winners. [...]
Science Olympiad Logo

A dozen Science Olympiad teams from Orange County advance to state competition

Ian Hanigan February 14, 2015
On a day for roses, it was all about STEM at UCI on Saturday. More than 650 students from 17 middle schools and 28 high schools spent a good part of Valentine’s Day competing in the 30th Annual Orange County Regional Science Olympiad on the campus of the University of California, Irvine. […]
An image of young students using desktop computers

New web-based state assessments to emphasize critical thinking, problem-solving

Ian Hanigan February 10, 2015
Next-generation assessments are coming soon to a classroom near you. Over the last few years, California has introduced new instructional standards emphasizing critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical writing in addition to subject knowledge. And with those new standards comes the...
An image of Orange County Superintendent Al Mijares

Mijares: Research suggests ‘grit’ plays a significant role in a student’s educational success

Al Mijares February 9, 2015
In education, we often talk about the factors that contribute to academic achievement. We talk about quality teaching, family support, high expectations and the role we all play in the success of our students. We dialogue about poverty, crime and how a lack of access to health care and basic services can stand as barriers to college and career readiness. Yet there’s another factor that research suggests is a major gauge of growth and development. In fact it’s a personal trait we know as grit. […]
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