MAY 2026 | MONTHLY NEWSLETTER | | |
Dear Orange County Community,
As we welcome the month of May, we are filled with appreciation and excitement for the many accomplishments, celebrations, and opportunities happening across our High School Inc. community. This school year represents growth, achievement, and new beginnings for our students as they prepare for graduations, competitions, scholarships, internships, and future career pathways.
We are especially thankful for the continued support of our business partners, educators, families, donors, and community members who help make these experiences possible.
Together, we are creating meaningful connections between education and industry that empower students to dream bigger and achieve more.
Thank you for being part of our mission and for continuing to invest in the future of our students and our community.
Sincerely,
Felix Lugo, MSM, CNP
Executive Director
High School Inc. Academies Foundation
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Automotive Academy
Community Garage
Valley High School’s Automotive Academy hosted its final Community Garage event of the school year on Saturday. April 25, 2026. Students provided automotive services while developing technical, customer service, and professionalism skills.
Special Highlights:
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Visit and participation from Congressman Lou Correa (click here)
- Mentorship support from industry professionals
- Participation and giveaways from O’Reilly Auto Parts
- Service opportunity involving a classic Chevy Impala
Students were recognized with awards and a celebratory luncheon at the conclusion of the event.
We are so proud of the Community Garage students from Valley High School and Santa Ana High School. These students showed strong commitment to growing their automotive skills while also serving their community. They dedicated time after school to practice, prepare, and make sure they were ready to provide quality service with care and professionalism.
THANK YOU for making this possible for our students!
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Senior Exit Interviews
35 business partners volunteered to serve on a two-day interview panels for graduating seniors. Students reflected on their academic journeys, academy experiences, skill development, and career exploration. The experience strengthened workforce readiness through professional-style panel interviews and industry feedback.
Thank you to all of the school staff, teachers, business partners, and students you were all amazing.
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Healthcare Academy students competed in Medical Terminology at at the SkillsUSA State Competition in Ontario, California during April 9–12. We are very proud of our students
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Global Business Academy During spring break, our Global Business Academy students proudly represented their academy at the SkillsUSA State Competition in Ontario, California, held April 9–12. Students competed in Promotional Bulletin Board, Chapter Display, Job Interview, Prepared Speech, Community Service, T-Shirt Design, and Entrepreneurship.
We are proud to celebrate two exciting bronze medal wins: GBA earned bronze in Promotional Bulletin Board, and another GBA student earned bronze in Prepared Speech. These accomplishments reflect our students’ hard work, professionalism, creativity, and confidence.
Congratulations to all of our SkillsUSA competitors for representing their academies with pride and showing what is possible when students are given opportunities to lead, compete, and shine
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E-Business Academy Congratulations to our students for an incredible achievement! This past month, students traveled to New York City (many for the very first time) experiencing a city far from home while representing our school on a national stage.
They competed in the Virtual Enterprise National Competition, going up against 50 of the top teams from across the country. We are proud to share that our Century team advanced all the way to the Top 25, an outstanding accomplishment! Their hard work, dedication, and professionalism truly set them apart.
While they did not take home first place, they achieved something just as meaningful: a strong sense of pride and accomplishment. Notably, they are the first E-Business team from our program to advance this far in the competition, marking a significant milestone for our school and our community. We are incredibly proud to see Santa Ana represented among the nation’s best.
As the year comes to a close, E-Business has one final event ahead, an evening dedicated to celebrating and honoring our graduating seniors. Congratulations again to our amazing students!
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Congratulations to our 2026 Scholarship Recipients
Over $30,000 Awarded
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Anthony Michael Bajaras
Act of Kindness Scholarship
Christian Cuatlayotl
Aylet Garcia
Andrew Heredia
Joellie Ibarra
Allison Izquierdo
Sara Juarez
Nancy Mora
Emmanuel Renteria Camacho
Heidi Rubio
Devin Valdovinos
Frank and Ruth Bila Culinary Scholarship
Evelyn Ignacio
Alison Kottelanne
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High School Inc. CHANGE Scholarship
VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Culinary Academy
Evelyn Ignacio & Tommy Nguyen
Healthcare Academy
Christian Cuatlayotl & Sara Juarez
Automotive Academy
Paul Elizalde, Jayden Lara, & Jonathan Morales
New Media Academy
Kevin Flores & Allison Izquierdo
Global Business Academy
Crystal Hernandez & Joellie Ibarra
Engineering & Computer Science Academy
Paula Angel & Luis De La Rosa
“Scholarships are not just financial aid; they are investments in human potential.”
— Benjamin Franklin
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High School Inc.
Alumni Scholarship
Alexander Cordova
Mayte Garcia
Jasmine Cortes Hernandez
Lorenzo Ibarra
Nataley Leonor
Noemi Navarro
CENTURY HIGH SCHOOL
Biomedical Science Pathway
Alison Garcia & Angel Garcia
E-Business Academy
Jacqueline Garrido & Yvette Gabriel Robles
MAGNOLIA HIGH SCHOOL
Magnolia Agriscience Community Center (MACC)
Aivy Dang
Anthony Gonzalez
Linda Hernandez
Mayra Martinez
Steven Nguyen
Abianne Sosa
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Our tomato workshop was a wonderful success! Over 60 community members of all ages joined us at the MACC alongside our partners from OC Master Gardeners for a hands-on learning experience. Participants learned best practices for plant care to maximize their tomato yield, then got to handpick their very own organically grown tomato plant to take home along with a bucket of nutrient-rich soil to get them started. It was truly heartwarming to see so much enthusiasm from our community, and we can't wait to hear how everyone's tomato plant grows!
It is always inspiring to see young students channel their passion into meaningful change for their community. We were honored that Western High School students invited us to hear their pitches for revamping their school garden. The students came well prepared, bringing visuals of their design ideas and sharing survey data they had collected from fellow students and staff. Inspired by our farm, they want to bring that same spirit of growing and community to their own campus. The program coordinator, Sabina Giakoumis and the program manager, Noemi Mendoza were glad to offer suggestions for reducing costs on certain items. We encouraged them to collaborate with other classes on projects that could benefit both the garden and their broader curriculum. We are excited to see where their vision takes them!
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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.
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Cultivating Minds: Educating for Sustainable Growth
Professional Development
Opportunity for K-12 Educators
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Upcoming MACC Farm Events
click here
More information about the
MACC Farm click here
| | Project-Based Learning in Action! | | |
Culinary Academy – Bakery Street Pop-Up
Valley Culinary Academy students hosted “Bakery Street,” a project-based learning event featuring baked goods, street food-inspired small bites, live culinary demonstrations, and student-created treats. Students prepared and served items including tacos, empanadas, desserts, lemonade, and mangonadas while demonstrating culinary and hospitality skills. A churro-making demonstration was a featured highlight.
Senior Breakfast Catering
Intro to Culinary students catered Valley High School’s Senior Breakfast, preparing and serving breakfast burritos, yogurt parfaits, waffles, and pancakes. The event provided students with large-scale hospitality and food service experience.
Global Business Academy – Market Day
Global Business Academy students organized and operated Market Day, where students created, marketed, and sold student-developed products. The event provided hands-on entrepreneurship experience in marketing, customer engagement, and sales. Several student products sold out during the event.
Sophomore BGC Event Project
Sophomore Global Business Academy students planned and hosted after-school game challenge events. Students managed marketing, logistics, event operations, activities, and refreshments while learning project management and business enterprise operations through hands-on experience.
Business partners Mitch Siegel and Paula Garcia-Arsenault supported students throughout the project.
| OUR STUDENTS LOVE FIELDTRIPS! | |
Edwards Lifesciences
Century BioMed students had an incredible opportunity to visit Edwards Lifesciences and explore career pathways in biomedical science, biotechnology, and medical innovation. Students were impressed by the campus, the career opportunities, and the chance to see how heart valves and medical devices are created, tested, and connected to patient care.
Rady Children’s Hospital Healthcare Career Fair
Valley Healthcare students participated in another amazing Healthcare Career Fair at Rady Children’s Hospital, where they explored a wide range of healthcare careers beyond the roles they already knew. Students connected with professionals from different departments, asked thoughtful questions, and left with a stronger understanding of how many people and career paths work together to support children and families.
Masimo
Our Biomedical Science students had the opportunity to visit for an engaging and educational industry experience. During the visit, students participated in presentations and discussions led by knowledgeable industry guest speakers who shared valuable insights, career advice, and real-world experiences in the healthcare and medical technology fields. Students gained a deeper understanding of industry innovation, workplace culture, and the many career pathways available within healthcare and biomedical technology. The experience helped connect classroom learning to real-world applications while inspiring students to explore future opportunities in the field.
Inland Group
On April 27, Global Business Academy students visited Inland Group for a new field trip that exposed them to the printing industry and additional career pathways. Students toured the facility, heard from the operations team, saw the printing process in action, and enjoyed a lunch and learn with Steve Urban, Sheryl Urban, CJ Urban, and GBA business partner Ruben Gonzalez.
Students shared that the experience helped them better understand business operations, entrepreneurship, production, and persistence. One student reflected, “The owner’s story inspired me the most.” We are grateful to have Steve Urban join our GBA Advisory Group alongside longtime partner Ruben Gonzalez as they continue helping us create new opportunities for students.
UCI Leadership-Adventure Experience
This month, 38 freshmen from the Culinary Academy participated in the UCI TeamUp! Leadership-Adventure Experience, an outdoor program designed to foster leadership, collaboration, and personal growth.
Timed to coincide with the onboarding of their new instructor, the experience allowed students to attend as a full cohort, strengthening their sense of community from the outset.
During the program, students engaged in low ropes activities that encouraged teamwork, communication, and trust-building in a supportive environment. They also participated in team-building challenges that emphasized problem-solving, collaboration, and peer connection.
This experience provided valuable opportunities for students to step outside their comfort zones, deepen their relationships with peers, and develop essential life skills that will contribute to both their academic success and career readiness.
Thank you to everyone who coordinated these wonderful experiences for our students.
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Bridge to Employment
On April 30, Bridge to Employment students, along with our partners from UCI and Johnson & Johnson, came together to celebrate another successful year in BTE. Students and partners enjoyed a fun lunch at Shakey’s while reflecting on a year filled with learning, connection, and career exploration.
Our senior cohort was recognized for their commitment to the two-year BTE experience and received certificates of participation, along with special BTE stoles to wear at graduation. Our junior cohort was also celebrated for their engagement and participation throughout the year, with special awards given to students who attended 100% of the sessions.The celebration was a wonderful opportunity to honor our students, appreciate our committed partners, and close out another meaningful year of Bridge to Employment.
Culinary Academy Senior Luncheon
On April 24, Culinary Academy seniors and instructors celebrated their time together with a special luncheon at Buca di Beppo. This luncheon gave students and instructors a chance to pause, reflect, and recognize the seniors’ journey and growth throughout their years in the Culinary Academy.
Students received certificates of recognition based on the number of years they participated in the academy. The celebration also created space for students to share reflections about their culinary experience, including favorite moments, favorite dishes and techniques, and some of the challenges they overcame in the kitchen. It was a meaningful way to celebrate our Culinary seniors and the memories they created along the way.
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Mr. Carlos Mejia
HSI Academy Coordinator
Valley High School
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Ms. Esna Marroquin
Healthcare Academy Teacher
Valley High School
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Ms. Jennifer Yaeger
E-Business Academy Teacher
Century High School
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Mr. Scott Tsuda
E-Business Academy Teacher
Century High School
| | Thank you for always going above and beyond in supporting the students. Your dedication, time, and commitment have played a vital role in student success, and your efforts do not go unnoticed. We are truly grateful for the positive impact you continue to make! | | |
Business Partner of the Month
Johnson & Johnson A special thank you goes to their H.O.L.A. team (Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership & Advancement), whose commitment to uplifting and empowering students made a lasting impact. Their willingness to share their experiences and create space for our students to learn and connect is truly inspiring.
We deeply value Johnson & Johnson as a partner in education. Their dedication to investing in our students’ growth, exposure, and future success plays an essential role in preparing the next generation of leaders.
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Upcoming Events
Saturday, May 9, 2026 - Century High School Prom
Monday, May 11, 2026 - High School Inc. Scholarship Award Celebration
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 - Disney Leadership Day for HSI Student Ambassadors
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 Bio Medical Science / E-Business Academy Luncheon
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 - Global Business Academy Senior Celebration
Friday, May 15, 2026 - Century High School Signing Day
Friday, May 15, 2026 - New Media Academy Senior Celebration
Thursday, May 21, 2026 - Grad Night
Thursday, May 28, 2026 - Valley & Century High School Graduation
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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 and E-Business.
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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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