EL-CENTER — New classes. New daily routine. New school year. Monday, August 12, was officially the first day of school in the Central Union High School District.
Among the students, Valerie Salazar, a 12th-grader at Southwest High School, has already been busy this school year with her Associated Student Body duties, such as decorating the campus gates with festive gold and purple balloons to welcome students.
A colorful Eagles backdrop was set up on campus so students could pose with their long-lost friends after summer vacation. “And we greeted everyone at the gate. Link Crew and ASB teamed up to greet people this morning,” Salazar said during an interview with some classmates.
“We were out there since about 7 a.m. just cheering and clapping for them,” added Kianah Alvarez, speaking of her Eagles teammates on campus.
Alvarez was a third-year this year and part of the Link Crew, a group that focuses on working with freshmen on campus. Jenna Lomax, another senior who joined the group interview, added, “And for the Link Crew, we also handed out maps of campus.”
The three girls were full of energy, ready for a new school year, and excited to pass on their Eagles knowledge to the new freshmen. ASB Pep Leader Salazar said all students are invited to Southwest’s “Meet the Eagles” day on Wednesday evening, August 14, where the new administration, band, coaches, ASB officials, fall athletes, cheerleaders and more will be introduced to ring in a new year.
According to Salazar, ASB is currently brainstorming different themes for the evening event. “We want to be more involved because last year we didn’t really get to attend many (games), so this year we want to make sure everyone feels welcome and motivated,” Salazar said, speaking of her plans to instill more school spirit among her classmates this year.
Alvarez said Link Crew will have a lot for her and Lomax to do each week: “Every Friday we go to freshman counseling to get them all involved. So we do different activities with them,” and one of the other girls added that she thought on First Friday they could hand out popsicles to make for a fun first week.
Around the corner and down the street at Central Union High School, Principal Craig Lyon was also eager to encourage and welcome his Spartans and staff on their first day on campus. “Our motto for teachers this year is ‘Let’s be great!’ … meaning every interaction we have, we want to be great at what we do,” Lyon said in an interview Monday afternoon.
After a visit from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges last year, Lyon said, “WASC pointed out that we’re doing a lot of good things here at Central, and they just said we’re on the verge of being great. So I kind of adopted that as a motto: ‘Let’s be great’ and do those little things to help us go from ‘good’ to ‘great.'”
This year, the school district made the transition a little easier for its students, and both Southwest and Central were able to offer a schedule with at least one school day for Monday and Tuesday, August 13, during the first week of classes – a new feature for the 2024-2025 school year.
The Spartan University chancellor said the first day itself went smoothly and he feels the decision to have classes half-day is beneficial for his students on campus. “It’s always a hot day, but overall everything went very, very well. I’m always happy when the students come back. They’re always excited to see their friends again after the summer,” he said.
“Whether it’s mock trial, being on the football field or being part of the band, we’re just excited to have Friday nights again. Our Friday nights are amazing and we love seeing our Central community come together and support our students in any area they want to get involved in,” Lyon said.
In the news about the new school, Lyon shared, “Next Monday there will be an information meeting organized by the Link Crew and ASB students to help the newcomers transition to high school in a positive way.
“There is a really good group of 11th and 12th year students, but this graduating class is doing really well and we are excited to see them graduate in June,” Lyon said of his oldest on campus.
From the school principal to the district superintendent, CUHSD staff can’t wait to start a new year that will bring new experiences and even new construction projects.
“This year we have made facility improvements to enhance our students’ experience, such as: new shade systems at all of our campuses, a larger fleet of electric school buses, and new modular buildings at Central Union High School,” District Superintendent Dr. David Farkas said via email. “I am confident that together we will create another year of learning, growth, and unforgettable experiences.”
Desert Oasis High School, the district’s third campus, also began classes on Monday.
Eagle view of the new school year
The three Southwest students, all connected through groups, classes or sports, are not only ready for another year of making friends and connections on campus, but they’re also ready to put on their thinking caps and start learning.
Valerie Salazar of Southwest has big career goals after graduation, saying, “I want to be a pediatrician.”
Salazar is currently a member of Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), a group for future health professionals, and is taking sports medicine this year in addition to her other courses. Salazar is also a student who plays sports, like her two classmates, and said she will be accepting her CIF ring for volleyball this year. The team won the CIF-San Diego Section Division V championship last school year and will receive its rings later this week, she said.
Junior Kianah Alvarez is taking classes like calculus this year that will help her achieve her future career goal of becoming a physical therapist. Going to physical therapy for various issues like her ankle and shoulder is nothing new for Alvarez, and she says she knows the benefits of the practice and wants to pay it forward.
See also
When asked what the junior’s favorite class would be this year, Alvarez replied, “I think Link Crew, my counseling class. It’s a really fun class. Everyone already knows everyone and it’s a really cool class. You’re literally helping the newbies.”
“I found Link Crew super helpful, so I wanted to get involved,” Alvarez added.
A new class at Southwest this year is co-ed physical education. Alvarez was part of the pilot class and explained, “This is where special education kids are taught how to play sports. This is a new class this year.”
When asked about her future, high school senior Jenna Lomax said, “I want to be a police officer,” and later clarified that she wants a career with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Lomax said that while her classes don’t necessarily align with her career prospects, her goal is simple: “To have a good high school experience. I’ve done a lot of things around school. For example, I also play sports and join clubs.”
Lomax is ready for a busy year in and out of the classroom and said she will play flag football, basketball and hurdling on the track. The first flag football game is this weekend for the Eagles, with them having home-field advantage in a tournament on Saturday, Aug. 17.
The three-sport athlete is ready to get creative with the yearbook club for another year. “The exciting thing is that I’m the president of the club this year… They’re the ones who come up with the theme and stuff,” she said with a smile.
Alvarez, a student-athlete herself, said, “In golf, it’s my second year and I had a lot of fun last year, especially with the coach… And in softball, it’s my third year on the varsity team, so it’s going to be fun. And I’m excited for this season because we’re all really connected and I’m just excited about it.”
Spartan pride
On Central’s campus, students can expect construction during the first half of the school year. Principal Lyon said, “We’ve demolished all of our old math buildings… There’s construction going on in the middle of campus, we’re preparing the area to put in new classrooms hopefully by December. And then our students will be there at the start of the second semester.”
Lyon has been principal for 10 years and is entering his 32nd year in education. In that time, he said, he has seen a lot of construction. He is looking forward to the new building, which has been “modernized to provide a better learning environment for our students,” he said.
Regarding the Spartans’ future prospects, Lyon said, “We’re just excited to continue to showcase the great things that happen at Central and the Spartan pride that has been here for well over 115 years.”
