JULY 2026 | MONTHLY NEWSLETTER | | |
Dear Orange County Community,
As we move through the summer months, I continue to be inspired by the incredible dedication of our students, educators, business partners, volunteers, and supporters. While many students are enjoying a well-deserved break, countless others are participating in internships, building career skills, serving the community, and preparing for another exciting school year.
This month's newsletter highlights what makes High School Inc. so unique our commitment to connecting classroom learning with real-world opportunities. From scholarship celebrations and healthcare internships to MACC Farm programs and community partnerships, our students continue to demonstrate the talent, leadership, and determination that will shape tomorrow's workforce.
None of this would be possible without the support of our business partners, donors, volunteers, and school districts. Thank you for investing in our students and believing in the power of career-connected education.
As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we look forward to expanding opportunities, strengthening partnerships, and creating even more pathways to success for the future generation we serve.
Thank you for being part of the High School Inc. family.
Sincerely,
Felix Lugo, MSM, CNP
Executive Director
High School Inc. Academies Foundation
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Celebrating Student Achievement and Future Success
High School Inc.'s Scholarship Awards Dinner last month was a memorable evening dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments, aspirations, and bright futures of our outstanding student scholars. Surrounded by family members, educators, community supporters, and High School Inc. staff, each scholarship recipient was recognized individually for their dedication, perseverance, leadership, and commitment to achieving their educational dreams.
The evening served as a powerful reminder of the impact created when students are supported by a community that believes in their potential. As each student walked across the stage to receive recognition, the applause and pride in the room reflected not only their personal achievements but also the encouragement and investment of the many individuals who have supported them along the way.
Events like this highlight High School Inc.'s mission: to empower students, celebrate their successes, and provide opportunities that help them build a strong foundation for their future. We are grateful to our staff, volunteers, community partners, and supporters whose dedication helped make this celebration possible.
Congratulations to all of our scholarship recipients. Your hard work, determination, and commitment to your goals inspire us, and we look forward to celebrating all that you will accomplish in the years ahead.
| | June: A Month of Planning, Connection, and Student Opportunity | | |
Last month was filled with intentional planning and meaningful connection for High School Inc. As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we focused on making sure our programming continues to meet the needs of students across all of our sites. This month has also opened the door to new conversations and future partnerships that will help us continue to strengthen and expand student opportunities.
Through these partnerships and programs, our goal remains the same: to ensure young people are exposed to real-world experiences that help them make informed decisions about their futures.
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Bridge to Employment Program Planning: High School Inc., UCI, and Johnson & Johnson partners came together for a full-day Bridge to Employment planning session to reflect on the 2025–2026 school year. Partners shared program wins, discussed challenges, and reviewed student feedback survey data to help guide planning for the upcoming school year. Together, the team identified session topics, partnership supports, and ways to enhance field trip experiences. By the end of the session, the 2026–2027 program plan was developed with program objectives and student voice at the center.
The planning session concluded with renewed energy, clear priorities, and a shared commitment to providing students with exceptional career-connected learning experiences during the 2026–2027 school year.
| | Internships: Summer Internships Provide Hands-On Learning | | |
Summer internships continue to provide students with transformative real-world learning experiences. Across multiple career pathways, students are developing technical skills, building professional confidence, and exploring future career opportunities alongside industry mentors.
Healthcare Academy Internships: 17 Healthcare Academy students are gaining real-world experience across 10 local healthcare sites, including pediatric offices, OBGYN clinics, family medical practices, and community health clinics. Students are learning about patient care, front and back office operations, and the many roles that help medical offices serve their communities each day.
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Interns at
Radys Children's Hospital
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BioMed Academy Internship at Rady Children’s Hospital:
5 Biomedical Science Academy students from Century High School are participating in internships at Rady Children’s Hospital in Orange County. They completed a full onboarding process that gave them a real-world look at what it means to begin a professional opportunity. Students are preparing for lab rotations, working on presentations connected to their learning, and sharing small projects as part of their experience. They are engaged, eager to learn, and excited about the opportunities ahead.
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Global Business Academy Spyder Lab Internship: GBA students participated in a summer Spyder Lab internship, where they gained hands-on experience using wide-format printers and cutter machines while creating personal projects. Students also had the opportunity to earn certifications connected to the equipment and skills they practiced. One student shared,
“My internship was a positive experience because I was able to create personal projects while gaining hands-on experience with the Eco Solvent Large Format.”
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New Media Academy Internship:
New Media Academy students are participating in a paid internship with Will Singleton and the Singleton Car Collection team. Through this hands-on opportunity, students are building their skills in research, production, filmmaking, and professional collaboration while learning directly from industry professionals. This experience gives students the chance to apply what they are learning in their academy and explore future career possibilities.
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MACC Farm Summer Internship
Brings Learning to Life
The MACC Farm is hosting one of High School Inc.'s largest summer internship experiences, where 80 students are gaining hands-on experience in agriculture, entrepreneurship, healthcare, culinary arts, and food preparation.
This summer, students are participating in three cohorts: Culinary, Entrepreneurship, and Public Health, along with a dual enrollment horticulture course through Fullerton College.
Students have been busy supporting daily farm operations while also bringing their cohort projects to life. Public Health students are teaching elementary students about healthy eating and healthy living through farm-based learning rotations. Entrepreneurship students are creating businesses inspired by sustainability, healthy choices, and the resources of the farm, while hosting Market Days every Thursday to sell their products.
The Culinary cohort is learning farm-to-table food preparation and creating dishes inspired by Blue Zones practices that promote health and longevity. Students are also learning how to prepare large quantity food orders, including packaging salads for the district, and will support a catering opportunity for the AIME Summer Internship celebration.
The MACC Farm Summer Internship has been filled with learning, creativity, and full student participation. It has been exciting to see students apply what they are learning in ways that support their community and help them see new possibilities for their future.
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MACC Interns Build Financial Skills Through
Bite of Reality Experience
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MACC interns recently participated in an engaging and interactive Bite of Reality financial simulation hosted by SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union at their location. The hands-on event provided students with the opportunity to experience real-world financial decision-making while developing important skills related to budgeting, saving, and responsible money management.
During the simulation, SchoolsFirst employees took on the roles of merchants and community service providers, creating realistic scenarios that challenged interns to make thoughtful financial choices. Students navigated expenses such as housing, transportation, childcare, food, and other everyday needs while learning how their decisions can impact their overall financial well-being.
The interactive format allowed interns to see first hand the importance of planning, prioritizing needs over wants, and making informed choices when managing personal finances. Through this experience, students gained valuable insight into the responsibilities that come with financial independence and the importance of building strong financial habits early.
High School Inc. is grateful to SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union and their dedicated employees for providing this meaningful learning opportunity and for investing in the growth and success of our MACC interns. Experiences like Bite of Reality help prepare students with the knowledge, confidence, and skills they need to thrive in college, careers, and beyond.
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Supporting Community:
MACC Farm x Haskett Branch U-Pick & Story time
The MACC Farm continues to be a special place where learning, community, and connection come together. Families and young children participated in the MACC Farm x Haskett Branch U-Pick and Storytime event, where children enjoyed farm-themed stories, music, dancing, and sing-alongs.
After storytime, MACC Program Manager Noemi Avilez taught the children how to safely pick strawberries before they had the chance to pick their own. Their excitement was a reminder of how powerful hands-on learning can be, even for the youngest learners.
This is the second year hosting this community activity, and it continues to be a big hit. Experiences like this show how the MACC Farm brings families together, builds community, and creates lasting memories.
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As we continue to expand our impact, we invite you to be part of this movement. The MACC is always seeking volunteers to help us grow fresh food for our community.
Join us on Fridays for volunteer days and experience firsthand the incredible work happening on our farm.
We hope to see you at our next farm-to-table dinner and in the fields alongside us soon.
Upcoming MACC Farm Events
click here
More information about the
MACC Farm click here
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High School Inc. Staff Spotlight | | |
Noemi Avilez is a dedicated member of the High School Inc. team who who consistently works to ensure the MACC Farm is operating at its best. She takes an active role in supporting the MACC Farm Summer Internship Program and plays an important part in making sure the program runs smoothly each day.
Throughout the summer, Noemi helps support the MACC team, instructors, and students by making sure they have what they need to be successful. From daily farm operations to student activities and cohort projects, Noemi is involved from start to finish. Her work helps create a strong learning experience for students as they build important skills, gain hands-on experience, and prepare for their futures.
Thank you, Noemi, for all your hard work and dedication, especially during the busy summer internship program. Your support makes a difference for the students, the team, and the MACC Farm community.
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Congratulations to recent Century High School graduate Jesus Valencia, recipient of the prestigious Student Ambassador Award. His leadership, perseverance, and positive attitude have distinguished him as an exceptional student leader.
We are so proud of all he's accomplished and can't wait to see what's next for him!
| | | Business Partner of the Month | | Thank you so much for giving our students these opportunities. | | Radys Children's Health continues to demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to ensure all our needs were met and has generously offered to host another career fair next school year for both the fall and spring semesters. They also provided our students in their internship with laptops, gift cards, and t-shirts. | | |
Want to learn more about High School Inc.?
Schedule a VIP Tour where you will be able to see how students lives are transformed on a daily basis.
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Photo on right: Guests touring our Healthcare Academy dental facility at Valley High School
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Supporting the
Next Generation
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Partner with
High School Inc.
| Together: Make A Difference | | | |
We are currently seeking business professionals to join our Advisory Boards.
Your insight and expertise would greatly contribute to helping our students connect classroom learning with real-world experiences.
We welcome all business professionals who want to be part of any of our Academy/Pathway Advisory Boards: Culinary & Hospitality, Healthcare, Automotive, New Media, Global Business, Engineering & Computer Science, Biomedical Science, E-Business, and Esports.
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We Love to Celebrate Birthdays!
Please let us know when it's your Birthday.
When you sign up you will automatically be entered for a chance to win cool High School Inc. swag (t-shirts, tote bags, mugs, and more...)
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