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San Dieguito Union High School District

SDUHSD in the News

2024

2024

Four female students awarded scholarship during San Diego Young Enterprising Women Mentoring Forum (Nov. 23, 2024) - Encinitas Advocate 
Four outstanding female students from the San Dieguito Union High School District were recently honored with a scholarship that mentors young women forging careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields.
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Torrey Pines wins record-setting sixth state golf title; star junior finishes second (Nov. 21, 2024) - San Diego Union-Tribune 
On Wednesday afternoon at the San Gabriel Country Club, the Falcons won their sixth girls golf state championship.
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San Diego County’s 25 Most Remarkable Teens Honored for Accomplishments (Nov. 20, 2024) - County of San Diego News Center
The San Diego County Public Defender’s Office collaborated with the San Diego Public Library to name and recognize the 25 Most Remarkable Teens from around San Diego County at a special ceremony Tuesday. Hayden Crocker, a senior at Canyon Crest Academy, won in the Innovation category. 
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Canyon Crest students’ Diwali celebration supported CRY America (Nov. 15, 2024) - San Diego Union-Tribune 
For the second year in a row, Canyon Crest Academy hosted a Diwali Chat Night as a fundraiser for the school’s chapter of Child Rights and You (CRY) America, a way to celebrate the Hindu festival of lights while contributing to social good.
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18th Annual Inclusion Basketball Event at La Costa Canyon HS, hosted by SDUHSD (Nov. 7, 2024) - KUSI News
The event allows students in Adapted PE programs across the San Dieguito Union High School District, who typically would not play on a competitive basketball team, the chance to play.
Click here to view the segment.

Roundup: LCC wins league title, gets to raise banner; top-10 teams roll to victories (Oct. 26, 2024) - San Diego Union-Tribune
For the first time in 13 seasons, the La Costa Canyon High School football team is a league champion. A dramatic 21-11 win over No. 7 Carlsbad (6-2, 2-2) before a full house at LCC gave the Mavericks the Avocado League title. 
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2024 Student Podcast Challenge Honorable Mentions (Oct. 24, 2024) - NPR
Here are the honorable mentions from the 2024 Student Podcast Challenge. Thanks again to students, teachers, and mentors for being a part of our annual contest
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San Dieguito board makes progress on ethnic studies course, approving second unit (Oct. 23, 2024) - Del Mar Times
The district has taken a measured approach to its new curriculum, conducting a community engagement night and a board workshop on each unit and incorporating feedback before it comes to the board for approval. 
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San Dieguito breaks ground on first district pool at Torrey Pines (Sept. 8, 2024) - Del Mar Times 
The San Dieguito Union High School District celebrated a historic groundbreaking on Sept. 5, getting the dirt moving on the 88-year-old district’s first pool on the Torrey Pines High School campus. 
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Canyon Crest Academy Foundation hosts ‘Parent Welcome Coffee’ (Aug. 15, 2024) - Del Mar Times
Canyon Crest Academy Foundation held a “Parent Welcome Coffee” at CCA on Aug. 13, the first day of the 2024/2025 school year, where parents had the opportunity to meet board members and staff of CCA, the San Dieguito Union High School District and CCA Foundation.
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San Dieguito Union High School District sends reminder to students about e-bike safety (Aug. 13, 2024) - ABC 10 News
As the first day of school rolled around Tuesday for the San Dieguito Union High School District, students are opting for the wheels on the e-bike over the bus for transportation. District leaders say students are now required to take a safety course if they want to ride a bike or e-bike to and from campus.
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San Dieguito's plans to implement ethnic studies (July 17, 2024) - KPBS
In 2021, California became the first state to create an ethnic studies graduation requirement for public high schools. The deadline to implement that curriculum is coming up in the 2025–26 school year. San Dieguito Union High School District will be hosting a series of "community engagement nights" to get feedback on the proposed curriculum.
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New athletics facility to open this fall at La Costa Canyon (June 26, 2024) - The Coast News 
The Maverick Athletic Center, or The MAC, will include PE classrooms, a turf field, an outdoor basketball court, and a cutting-edge weight room.
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San Dieguito surf team wins NSSA National Championship, ending 17-year drought (June 25, 2024) - The San Diego Union-Tribune 
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SDA student club donates books to children at Operation Hope (June 24, 2024) - Encinitas Advocate
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Surf-off leads San Dieguito Academy to unforgettable national championship (June 22, 2024) - The San Diego Union-Tribune 
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CCA students’ Youth Health Coalition making an impact locally, globally (June 18, 2024) - Del Mar Times 
Students in Canyon Crest Academy’s Youth Health Coalition are committed to doing their part to raise awareness on health disparities across different demographics, improve youth health literacy and provide resources they hope will spark others into action.
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Torrey Pines’ history-making Laurel Gonzalez is the Union-Tribune’s 2023-24 Girls Athlete of the Year (June 14, 2024) - Del Mar Times
In the CIF San Diego Section’s 64-year history, Gonzalez is the first boy or girl to be named Player of the Year in three sports. In 2023, she was honored as the Girls Lacrosse Player of the Year. Last December, in flag football’s first year as a sanctioned sport, she was named Offensive Player of the Year. And in March, she was named the Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
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Solana Beach Civic and Historical Society announces 2024 scholarship winners (June 9, 2024) - Del Mar Times 
Members of the Solana Beach Civic and Historical Society celebrate the three young people who will receive the Historical Society’s 2024 college scholarships.
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North County adaptive swimmer wins high school state championship (June 8, 2024) - NBC San Diego 
La Costa Canyon High School freshman swimmer won the 50-meter freestyle at the CIF State Championship meet.
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Encinitas Chamber of Commerce holds 27th Annual Salute to Education Ceremony (June 6, 2024) - Encinitas Advocate 
Twenty-two students and 19 teachers were honored. Recognition and awards for the students and teachers were presented by the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce. 
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San Dieguito senior who raises her own goats and chickens wins Don Diego Scholarship (May 27, 2024) - Encinitas Advocate
San Dieguito Academy senior has cared for her own backyard chickens, bred and shown goats at the fair, started her own successful goat milk soap and company, and is headed to UC Davis this fall to study to become a livestock veterinarian.
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Carmel Valley students’ e-bike safety project wins state, regional STEM competition (May 25, 2024) - Del Mar Times
A duo of enterprising Carmel Valley students are using their STEM smarts to help find a solution to a major community issue: e-bike safety. Canyon Crest Academy freshman Naomi Mehl and her teammate Ahaan Pandey, a Pacific Trails Middle School eighth grader, recently took top honors at both the state and regional levels of eCYBERMISSION, a national STEM competition sponsored by the U.S. Army and the National Science Teaching Association.
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Torrey Pines High School showcases many student talents at Arts Festival (May 22, 2024) - Del Mar Times 
Torrey Pines High School held its annual Arts Festival May 17-18, hosting live performances on both days, including a special art exhibit, “Symbiosis,” on Saturday evening. 
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Two schools from San Dieguito Union High School District receive California Distinguished Schools Award (May 22, 2024) - Del Mar Times
Two San Dieguito Union High School District schools have been honored with the prestigious title of being a California Distinguished School, according to a news release. Canyon Crest Academy (CCA) and Pacific Trails Middle School (PTMS) in Carmel Valley were celebrated for their remarkable achievements.
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SDA’s Laura Bennett honored as San Dieguito Union High School District Teacher of the Year (May 13, 2024) - Encinitas Advocate
Laura Bennett, the multilingual learner lead teacher at San Dieguito Academy, was recently honored as the San Dieguito Union High School District Certificated Employee of the Year. 
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La Costa Canyon wraps up successful three-week run of “Urinetown” (May 12, 2024) - Encinitas Advocate
La Costa Canyon High School (LCC) recently performed its spring musical “Urinetown,” directed by Brad Golden, featuring a cast of 36 actors and eight student technicians, with a total of nine shows; 21 of these students experienced being part of a musical for the first time.
Archive

Archive

2023

 
Two Encinitas Surfers Will Ride for USA on Junior National Surf Team (11/13/23) - Encinitas Advocate
Encinitas surfers Titus Santucci and Cole McCaffray have been named to the USA Junior National Surf Team. The two will compete in the International Surf Association World Junior Surfing Championships in Rio De Janerio, Brazil this month with the hopes of bringing home the gold for Team USA. Titus is currently a senior at San Dieguito Academy while Cole graduated from SDA as part of the class of ‘23.
 
 
Two North County Students to be Featured in Coronado Island Film Festival (11/6/23) - Del Mar Times
Two North County students are among the filmmakers who will have their work screened at the Coronado Island Film Festival’s Emerging Filmmakers Showcase.The festival runs from Nov. 8-12. “Memories in Blue,” a film by Canyon Crest Academy senior Yezy Suh, is about a girl who struggles with her relationship with her mother, who died.
 
 
Encinitas Teen Becomes First Filipino-American Male to Make U.S. Jr National Surf Team (11/2/23) - Del Mar Times
Eighteen-year-old San Dieguito High School Academy student, Titus Santucci began his surfing journey when he was just 9-years-old. After riding the waves for nine years and competing in numerous competitions, he received a call that would change his life. He qualified for the U.S. Junior National Surf Team out of hundreds who tried out from different leagues. And he’s the first Filipino-American man in San Diego to do so.
 
  
San Dieguito’s Student Art Gallery Dedicated to its Founders (10/30/23) - Encinitas Advocate
On Oct. 20, San Dieguito dedicated the Mustang Art Gallery on campus to the founders who were instrumental in its creation, helping students find their artistic voices. 
 
 
New Club at Canyon Crest Academy Supports Cancer for College (10/30/23) - Del Mar Times
What started out as a student project for an advanced business class has now become a club, Coconuts for College. Utilizing the student business CocoLoco’s coconut shell products, the club supports Cancer for College, which provides educational scholarships to cancer survivors. Noah Benhaim and Shaan Garg created the new club with the goal to raise $25,000 for the first-ever high school-sponsored Cancer for College Scholarship Fund. To date, the club has helped raise $6,400.
 
 
Dad & Daughter Complete 'Four Generation Football Family' with Flag Football  (10/26/23) - CBS 8
Coach Darrin Brown and daughter Joie Brown are both gridiron stars at San Dieguito Academy.
 
 
CCA Student Group Hosts Successful Charity Event for Anti-Gun Violance Awareness in Schools (10/25/23) - Rancho Santa Fe Review
Two student-led organizations, the Students Against Destructive Decisions chapter (SADD) at Canyon Crest Academy (CCA) and the Youth Anti Gun Violence Club (YAGV), recently joined forces to organize a charity event, “Protect Our Peace Talent Show and Art Auction”,
 
 
Outstanding Local High School Students Honored at Encinitas Chamber of Commerce’s October Rising Star of the Month Program (10/19/23) - Encinitas Advocate
The Encinitas Chamber of Commerce hosted its second Rising Star of the Month event for the 2023-24 school year on Oct. 4. The chamber has partnered with MiraCosta College’s San Elijo campus this school year which will host and sponsor the monthly breakfasts honoring exceptional seniors from the local high schools in the San Dieguito Union High School District..
 
 
San Dieguito High School Academy To Dedicate Student Art Gallery (10/17/23) - Patch
San Dieguito High School Academy will dedicate its student art gallery during a public event Friday at the Encinitas school. The Faculty and Staff Exhibition will kick off the gallery season at San Dieguito Academy and showcase artwork created by members of the school's staff. Student work will continue to be shown throughout the rest of the year.
 
 
A Special Bond: La Costa Canyon Field Hockey Senior Coached by Mother (10/1/23) - Fox 5
Some moms yell at home. Mia Diguilio’s mom, however, yells on the field as La Costa Canyon’s head field hockey coach.
 
 
4 Encinitas 'Rising Stars' Honored During Chamber of Commerce Event (10/11/23) - Patch
Four Encinitas students were honored during the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce's second Rising Star of the Month event of the school year. The event recognized Edric Saphire from Canyon Crest Academy, Maiya Rosetto-Arvizu from La Costa Canyon High School, John Gruber from San Dieguito High School Academy, and Kyra Dominguez from Torrey Pines High School.
 
 
LCC Students Hope to Bring the Community Together in Service (10/3/23) - Encinitas Advocate
La Costa Canyon High School students Michael and Elizabeth Christensen have organized a community-wide stuffed toy drive to benefit Toys for Tots, Ronald McDonald House Charities and children in crisis through local Encinitas and Carlsbad first responders..
 
 
Student-Led Garden Club Takes Root at Carmel Valley Library (10/1/23) - Del Mar Times
Torrey Pines High School students are leading a new monthly Garden Club for kids at the Carmel Valley Library. The Garden Club’s youth leaders Arthur Wang, Scarlett Hyun and Ethan Jin also serve on the Teen Advisory Board of the Carmel Valley Library.
 
 
Torrey Pines’ Natalia Mochernak is a Mandarin-Speaking ‘A’ Student Who Shines On, Off Tennis Court (9/26/23) - San Diego Union-Tribune
Singles or doubles? Doubles or singles? Pound away relentlessly from the baseline or team with a partner and bang volleys at the net? For Torrey Pines High School senior Natalia Mochernak, it’s a flip of the coin.
 
 
San Dieguito District to Add Electric Vehicles to Bus Fleet (9/26/23) - Del Mar Times
The San Dieguito Union High School District is going electric. The district is just starting the process of transitioning to electric school buses after receiving word that they are eligible for four of the 10 vehicle applications they submitted to the Volkswagon Mitigation Replacement Bus Program.
 
 
Local Kung Fu Artists Win at Golden State International Wushu Championship (9/26/23) - Del Mar Times
Two local young martial artists showed off their growing kung fu skills at the 2023 Golden State International Wushu Championship in Santa Clara on Sept. 2-3. Ethan Yue, a Pacific Trails Middle School student, took home gold and silver medals in flipping fist and Southern-style hand form while Solana Beach’s Mason Gargaro, an Earl Warren Middle School eighth grader, won a silver medal in traditional hand forms in the competitive 13-14 age group.
 
 
7 San Diego Students Named Finalists in National STEM Competition (9/5/23) - CBS8
Seven local students are celebrating a major achievement after being named finalists in one of the nation's premier STEM competitions. 300 finalists were chosen out of 2,000 kids from 49 states, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto for the inaugural Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, a competition for middle school students. Ethan Leem (Pacific Trails Middle School) and Jey Parthasarathy (Pacific Trails Middle School) were two of the finalists. 
 
 
Mainly Mozart’s 2023 Genius Week Will Premiere 17-year-old San Diego Composer Edric Saphire’s Bassoon Sextet (9/8/23) - San Diego Union-Tribune
Mainly Mozart’s expanded 2023 edition of its annual Genius Week will include the world premiere of a bassoon sextet composed by Edric Saphire, a 17-year-old senior at Canyon Crest Academy.
 
 
Carmel Valley Students Win Multiple Medals at 4th Pan American KungFu Championships (9/5/23) - Del Mar Times
Three Carmel Valley students - including sisters Kate and Audrey Zhao from Canyon Crest Academy and Pacific Trails Middle School - recently won numerous medals in the 4th Pan American KungFu Championships, an international Wushu Kungfu competition with 757 athletes from 11 countries. The competition was held last month in Markham, Ontario, Canada.
 
 
Encinitas Teen Advocates for Plant-Based School Lunches in Washington D.C. (9/5/23) - Encinitas Advocate
LCC Senior Michael Christensen spent part of his summer lobbying for more plant-based options in school lunches in Washington D.C. as part of the Plant Powered Youth Steering Committee. He was one of only 11 students from across the country selected to be a part of the coalition to raise their voices at the capitol.
 
 
Athletic Director Position Elevated to Full-Time at Torrey Pines (8/28/23) - Del Mar Times
Both Charlenne Falcis-Stevens and her La Costa Canyon counterpart Kari DiGuilio, who had each been functioning in a 40% athletic director/60% teacher capacity, have had their job descriptions adjusted to 100% administrator by the San Dieguito Union High School District Board of Directors
 
 
CCA Student Naisha Patel Shines at Solo Indian Classical Dance Performance (8/28/23) - Del Mar Times
Swapanthi Dance Academy presented “Naisha Patel Rangapravesha/Bharatanatyam” to a full audience on Aug. 6 at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts. The event featured Naisha Patel, a Canyon Crest Academy sophomore, who did a two-hour solo Indian classical dance performance.
 
 
Local Teens Honored for Community Work (8/25/23) - Del Mar Times
Six high school students who attend Torrey Pines and San Dieguito Academy were honored at a San Diego County Tobacco-Free Coalition Youth Advocacy Recognition Event on Aug. 9. 
 
 
Encinitas Chamber Continues Rising Star Program (8/16/23) - Coast News Group
The Encinitas Chamber of Commerce is partnering with MiraCosta College to continue its Rising Star program honoring exceptional seniors from the five local high schools in the San Dieguito Union High School District. The teens are members of the youth group “The Changers,” a prevention sponsored by the San Dieguito Alliance for Drug Free Youth.
 
Carmel Valley Middle School Student Named Carson Scholar (8/15/23) - Del Mar Times
Samson “Sammy” Synn, an eighth grader at Carmel Valley Middle School, was named a Carson Scholar at the end of the last school year. Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson founded the Carson Scholar program to recognize fourth to 11th-grade students who achieve excellence in academics and community service.
Torrey Pines High School Announces Launch of Pilot Concussion Treatment Program (8/10/23) - Del Mar Times
In a groundbreaking effort to prioritize the health and well-being of its student-athletes, Torrey Pines High School recently announced the launch of a state-of-the-art Pilot Concussion Treatment Program.
 
Diegueno Middle Will Debut New-Look Classrooms on First Day of School (8/8/23) - Encinitas Advocate
Diegueno Middle School is prepared to launch into the school year with completely transformed math classrooms and a renovated Cougar Hall: There will be no more playing basketball on carpet, thanks to the brand new flooring in the updated multi-purpose room.
 
 
Summer High School Scholars Work with Salk Institute Scientists (8/7/23) - KPBS
World-class scientists led the work with the help of high school students selected across San Diego County. Twelve full-time, paid students participated in Salk Institute’s Heithoff-Brody High School Summer Scholar program. Will Knickrehm, 16, and David Samy, 17, are both students at Canyon Crest Academy in the San Dieguito Union High School District. They were chosen from more than 350 applicants to do research with artificial intelligence (AI).
 
Assistance League of Rancho San Dieguito Awards Scholarships (8/2/23) - Del Mar Times
The Assistance League of Rancho San Diequito recently awarded $33,000 —$10,000 more than last year — in college scholarships to 11 outstanding and educationally-motivated graduating seniors of the San Dieguito Union High School District, and eight students continuing in their college studies. 
 
 
Students to Sell Books at Comic-Con to Raise Money to Help Afghan Students (7/14/23) - San Diego Union-Tribune
A group of teens at Canyon Crest Academy is trying to help a group of teens in Afghanistan get the education they seek. The students here met the students there through Zoom classes, where they enjoyed talking about common interests like favorite books, courses and sports. Now the local students are raising money to help their friends’ learning center in Kabul, Afghanistan, which for many female students is their only chance to get an education.
 
 
CCA Student Business Receives Award at National Junior Achievement Summit (7/8/23) - Del Mar Times
The Canyon Crest Academy student-run business CocoLoco, which repurposes coconut shells to create succulent planters and candles, recently won the 2023 Global Possibilities Award at the Junior Achievement National Student Leadership Summit in Washington D.C. Canyon Crest student entrepreuneurs Daniella Addeo Cortes, Noah Benhaim, and Shaan Garg comprised one of 15 teams from across the country to present their businesses at the summit. 
 
 
Torrey Pines Principal Rob Coppo's Podcast Dives Deep on 'What's Best For Kids' (5/30/23) - Del Mar Times
This school year, Torrey Pines High School Principal Rob Coppo has taken on a new role: podcaster. With his “What’s Best for Kids?” podcast, he offers a deep dive into what educators wish parents knew about education and what parents wish educators knew about parenting. The pod’s goal is about listening to learn rather than listening to respond, staying curious in conversations about the ever-changing world of education.
 
Salute to Education Honors Students, Teachers for Exemplary Work (5/25/23) - The Coast News Group
The Encinitas Chamber of Commerce and Rancho Sante Fe Security Systems honored three dozen students and teachers from local public and private schools for their outstanding achievements on May 24 at the 26th annual Salute to Education. 
 
 
Canyon Crest Academy Student Business Gets National Attention (5/24/23) - ABC10
At Canyon Crest Academy the student-run business is open for business. It's called CocoLoco, as the students have combined their love of coconuts, candles, and succulents. So far business has been crazy good.  The business has been such a success, that they have been recognized nationally. CocoLoco has qualified for the Junior Achievement Nationals in Washington D.C.
 
 
CCA Students Soar to National Rocketry Finals (4/20/23) - The Coast News Group
A nine-member team from the Proxima Rocketry Club, comprised of more than 20 Canyon Crest Academy students, is set to compete next month as a finalist in the American Rocketry Challenge in Washington, D.C. The club started two years ago when founder and president Vinay Vetticaden, a junior at Canyon Crest, formed a group of students with a passion for rocketry. 
 
 
CCA Students Honor Holocaust Remembrance Day (1/30/23) - Del Mar Times
On the Jan. 27 International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Canyon Crest Academy students led an effort to honor the memories of the approximately six million Jewish lives lost in the Holocaust, and to make sure it never happens again.
 
 
Career Day Provides a Reality Check for Middle School Students (1/27/23) - KPBS
Career Day at one Encinitas middle school took on a new meaning Friday. Students heard experiences from adults in professions including law enforcement, financial planning, and the aerospace industry. But presenters also gave students at Oak Crest Middle School a reality check on their careers in the current climate of economic insecurity and social justice protests.

2022

 
Encinitas Student Earns Girl Scout Gold Award (9/30/22) - The Coast News Group
A lifelong Girl Scout, San Dieguito Academy senior Dorothy Stocks wanted to learn more about handling the real world outside of school and homework. Stocks, 17, accomplished that goal as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project (equivalent to the Eagle Scout service project), developing her own website filled with resources and practical information not found in the classroom.
 
 
School Board Passes Student-Driven Resolution on Gun Violence (8/30/22) - Encinitas Advocate
The San Dieguito Union High School District board unanimously supported a resolution Aug. 25 on the prevention of gun violence in American schools, brought forward by La Costa Canyon seniors Shane and Andrew Baum. The resolution includes important steps that the district could take, such as implementing free, safe gun storage education initiatives and advocating for federal common sense gun laws.
 
 
Young Cardiff Dancer Participates in All-State Dancers National Convention (8/27/22) - Encinitas Advocate
Bellina Tricarico, an 8th grader at Earl Warren Middle School, recently attended the All Star Dancers National Convention in New York City. She was selected to participate in the convention based upon a solo contemporary routine she performed at the Rainbow Dance Competition in downtown San Diego.
 
 
Torrey Pines Tennis Player Alyssa Ahn Is On The Fast Track (8/23/22) - Rancho Santa Fe Review
How good can this girl become? The long-term answer remains to be seen. But in the short term, the answer is coming in hard and fast like one of Ahn’s blistering flat forehands: the Carmel Valley teenager is scary good. National champion good.
 
 
Canyon Crest Academy Students Campaign for International Human Rights (8/8/22) - KPBS
Students at Canyon Crest Academy in Carmel Valley formed a Fair Trade Club and drafted an amendment to U.S. law that would allow many more victims of abuse to sue companies in a U.S. court.
 
 
San Dieguito To Start District Office Upgrades (8/2/22) - Del Mar Times
Construction is expected to begin this month on San Dieguito Union High School District’s office overhaul. The office building at 710 Encinitas Boulevard in Encinitas closed on July 12 with district departments now spread out at campuses across the district for the duration of the modernization project. The work is anticipated to be completed in May 2023.
 
 
Torrey Pines’ Alyssa Ahn In Running for Prestigious Girls Tennis Honor (7/17/22) - Del Mar Times
Following a freshman season in which her superlative play ultimately resulted in winning the 2021 CIF individual championship, Torrey Pines girls’ tennis standout Alyssa Ahn has now vaulted onto the national stage.
 
 
14-Year Old Local Author Releases 11th Book (6/21/22) - Encinitas Advocate
At 14, incoming San Dieguito Academy freshman Shanti Hershenson has already published 11 books. For her latest release, “Neverdying,” she will be hosting a book signing at Mysterious Galaxy bookstore on Rosecrans Street in San Diego on June 25. The book signing will begin at 2 p.m. on June 25 at Mysterious Galaxy, located at 3555 Rosecrans St. #107 in the Midway District. For more information, visit shantihershenson.com. Her books are also available on amazon.com.
 
 
Pacific Trails’ Austin Olson is County Middle School PE Teacher of the Year (6/2/22) - Del Mar Times
Pacific Trails Middle School teacher Austin Olson has been named San Diego County’s Middle School PE Teacher of the Year. The honor was awarded by the San Diego County chapter of the California Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD).
 
 
High hopes: Young Aerialist is an ‘Emerging Pro’ in Cirque (4/5/22) - Del Mar Times
Flying through the air with the greatest of ease, the daring young Jillian Ryan recently won an aerial cirque competition with her performance on lyra, also known as the aerial hoop. Jillian, a senior at Canyon Crest Academy, competed against aerialists from across the country in the “emerging pro” level at De Leon Cirque Fest, held Feb. 19-20 at De Leon Dynamics in Carmel Mountain.
 
 
Canyon Crest Academy Grad Releases New Book of Affirmations (4/2/22) - Del Mar Times
A Canyon Crest Academy graduate recently released a book of more than 100 affirmations aimed at helping teens “unleash their potential and live a life that is aligned with their most authentic selves.” Kim Peretz, 17, graduated high school early and has been writing and working on other personal projects.
 
 
Canyon Crest Academy Students Create Clothing Rental Business (3/30/22) - Del Mar Times
Students in Canyon Crest Academy’s advanced business class created a business called AppaRent, an instant clothing rental service that allows customers to rent clothes, shoes and purses for short-term leases on their website. The all- female business is run by the team of Trisha Thontepu, Hanna Kuster, Reagan Neuendorf and Yolanda Liu.
 
 
Students Develop NFT Line To Help Ukraine and Other Causes (3/23/22) - Del Mar Times
A group of Canyon Crest Academy students are releasing an NFT collection to support humanitarian efforts, such as supporting Ukraine in its continuing battle against Russian forces, for a business class project.As part of the class project, student groups have to launch their own businesses.
 
 
CCA Student Business Sells Clothing To Support Homeless Population (3/22/22) - Del Mar Times
A group of advanced business class students at Canyon Crest Academy has formed Revitalize Loungewear, a clothing line that gives back and raises awareness about the mental health struggles in the homeless community. The students are selling the sweatshirts as part of the Junior Achievement Company Of The Year competition and 10% of the proceeds will go to Art and Creativity for Healing, an art therapy program that allows homeless people to find comfort in their lives. The Revitalize team includes students Tiana Abrishami as CEO, Lauren Ross as CMO, Spencer Dicken as CFO and Owen Reily as COO.
 
 
Optimist Club Announces Winners of "Essay Contest" (3/12/22) - Del Mar Times
The Del Mar-Solana Beach Optimist Club conducted its annual “Essay Contest” based on a theme of “How Does an Optimistic Mindset Change My Tomorrow?”. First place went to Roha Rupareliya, a student at Pacific Trails Middle School. Roha will be awarded a check for $250, gold medallion, and certificate. Roha’s essay advanced to the district contest for a chance at even greater prizes including a college scholarship. Second place went to Sachin Wijay, a student at Torrey Pines High School. Sachin will be awarded a check for $150, silver medallion, and certificate.
 
 
Winner named in Encinitas Rotary Club Speech Contest (3/7/22) - Coast News Group
Ximena Yanez, a freshman at San Dieguito Academy, won the Encinitas Rotary Club 4-Way Speech Contest on Feb. 23, held at the Encinitas Historical Society’s Historic 1883 Schoolhouse. Yanez will reprise her speech on March 24 when she competes with the winners of other Rotary Clubs’ 4-Way Speech Contest.
 
 
San Diego Youth Symphony flautist Erica Wang wins pre-professional competition (3/6/22) - KUSI
Erica Wang is a student at Canyon Crest Academy and has been a member of San Diego Youth Symphony for four years. She is also the winner of the 2021 Pre-Professional Level Concerto Competition and will perform solo March 13 at California Center for the Arts. Wang performed “Fantaisie Brilliante Sur Carmen” live on KUSI’s “Good Morning San Diego.”
 
 
Winners of the 2021-2022 Art of the Immune System Student Competition Announced (3/1/22) - La Jolla Institute of Immunology
La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2021-2022 Art of the Immune System Student Competition: 1st place: Jennifer Hu, Canyon Crest Academy; 2nd place: Neshama Reed, IDEA Center High School; 3rd place: Kelly Dai, Canyon Crest Academy
The competition, now finishing its second year, welcomed pieces from students across San Diego County. The goal of the program is to encourage students to think creatively about science and medical research.
 
 
CCA Students Launch Business That Give Back (3/1/22) - Del Mar Times
Students in the Advanced Business Management Class at Canyon Crest Academy have created businesses that give back.
 
 
Canyon Crest Students Win Virtual Garibaldi Bowl (3/1/22) - Del Mar Times
Canyon Crest Academy students won the Garibaldi Bowl, a regional ocean science academic competition that is part of the National Ocean Sciences Bowl. The Garibaldi Bowl, hosted virtually by the University of San Diego on Feb.12, tests students’ knowledge of ocean science disciplines through buzzer-style, multiple-choice questions and open-ended team challenge questions.
 
 
CCA Student Nominated for Music Award (1/27/22) - Del Mar Times
Canyon Crest Academy senior Maya Rosenbaum has been nominated for a San Diego Music Award in the Best Folk or Acoustic Album category.
 
 
How Torrey Pines High School student Daniel Cai is paving the way for better diagnostics (1/20/22) - La Jolla Institute for Immunology
Daniel Cai is a senior at Torrey Pines High School, in San Diego County. He’s also one of the few people to have witnessed the onset of an autoimmune skin disease called pemphigus vulgaris.
 
 
Canyon Crest Academy Student Achieves Top ACT Score (2/3/22) - Del Mar Times
Hanan Eli Zhang, a senior at Canyon Crest Academy, earned the highest possible ACT composite score of 36. Hanan is very involved in PALS, a leadership organization devoted to promoting student wellness. Fewer than half of 1 percent of students who take the ACT earn a top score. In the U.S. high school graduating class of 2021, only 4,055 out of 1.29 million students who took the ACT earned a top composite score of 36.
 
 
Local Students Candidates in US Presidential Scholars Program (1/27/22) - Del Mar Times
Several local students were named among more than 5,000 candidates in the 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. The candidates were selected from nearly 3.6 million students expected to graduate from U.S. high schools in 2022.
 
 
Canyon Crest Academy Student Launches Anti-Hate Podcast (1/26/22) - Del Mar Times
Melinda “Michi” Synn, a freshman at Canyon Crest Academy, has co-founded Annihihate, a student-led organization and podcast to educate, debate and annihilate hatred. A first-generation Asian American (Chinese/Korean), Michi formed Annihihate in response to the increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans, mostly due to misplaced blame in the pandemic. 
 
 
Canyon Crest Academy Singer-Songwriter Releases New Single (1/24/22) - Del Mar Times
A singer-songwriter who attends Canyon Crest Academy released a debut single called “Pieces and Pages” on streaming platforms Jan. 21, with an EP to follow in the spring.
The song, by CCA senior Emilia Vaughn, was co-written by her friend Gabby Neeley.
 
 
Input Provided on New Trustee Area Maps (1/24/22) - Del Mar Times
Over the next few weeks the San Dieguito Union High School District will work on rebalancing its trustee area map to reflect population growth, as must be done every 10 years when new census numbers are released. The 2020 census has revealed the district’s map is out of compliance and area boundaries need to be adjusted to ensure equal population in each of the five areas by March 1.
 
 
Why Was I Born A Girl? An Afghan Poem Inspires US Students (1/22/22) - New York Times
When Fariba Mohebi, an 11th grader, learned in September that most Afghan girls would not join boys returning to school under Taliban rule, she shut the door and windows to her room. Then she broke down and sobbed. From her despair, a poem emerged: “Why Was I Born a Girl?” Fariba’s poem found its way to Timothy Stiven’s A.P. history class at Canyon Crest Academy, a public high school 8,000 miles away in San Diego.
 
 
Torrey Pines Grads Make Forbes 30 Under 30 List for Science (1/5/22) - Del Mar Times
Two Torrey Pines High School graduates were named to the Forbes list of 30 under 30 in science for 2022. Amin Aalipour, class of 2010, and Elora López-Nandam, class of 2011, both found out they had been included in December, when the list was released.
Aalipour is a resident physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. López-Nandam, a postdoctoral researcher at the California Academy of Sciences, has a background in evolutionary biology and using genetic tools to understand evolution and conservation of marine life.

2021

 
Community Supports Canyon Crest Academy on GivingTuesdayCCA With Record-Breaking Donations (12/31/21) - Del Mar Times
The Canyon Crest Academy Foundation set a goal of $150,000 this #GivingTuesdayCCA and thanks to 477 generous donors, the goal was met. Because of the unwavering support of the CCA community, donations were easily up from last year’s 2020 pandemic year (total $95,000 donated), but also more than 25% higher than from the last biggest GivingTuesday in 2019. A record-setting number of donations were received for #GivingTuesdayCCA, demonstrating the incredible support that Canyon Crest Academy is given by its community.
 
 
New Agreement To Bring Solar To Five San Dieguito Schools (12/29/21) - Del Mar Times
The San Dieguito Union High School District has entered into an agreement with ForeFront Power to design, construct and install solar facilities at five of its district campuses. The contract will assist the district in meeting the state’s energy conservation goals and help reduce the rising costs of energy needs at schools.
 
 
LCC's Bill Vice Concludes Extraordinary Cross Country Coaching Career (12/18/21) - Encinitas Advocate
After 24 remarkable seasons coaching the boys’ and girls’ cross country and track & field distance programs at La Costa Canyon High School, Bill Vice recently announced that he was stepping down from his coaching role at the close of the fall 2021 season and, following the 2022-23 academic year, retiring from his teaching position at the school as well.
 
 
Torrey Pines High Alums Kraft and Maple Capture Beach Volleyball U19 World Title (12/12/21) - Times of San Diego
Two Torrey Pines High School graduates won the 2021 FIVB Beach Volleyball women’s U19 world championship, defeating a Russian team Saturday in Phuket, Thailand.
Megan Kraft and Delaynie Maple beat Olga Gavrilova and Alina Salmanova, 21-12, 21- 17.
 
 
SDA Student Bryce Wettstein Named GEO Style Director (12/8/21) - Coast News Group
There are many ways to describe Encinitas local Bryce Wettstein — high school student, skateboarder, Olympian, musician, philanthropist. And now add “fashion icon” to the list. Wettstein, 17, was recently named the new style director of LA-based skate apparel company GEO Skate, also known as The GEO Metro Party, and will soon have her own signature collection available through the brand.
 
Wettstein, a student at San Dieguito Academy, has been a GEO fan for some time and began communicating with the brand before her trip to Tokyo this summer for the Olympic Games.
 
 
CCA Student Campaign Promotes International Human Rights (12/7/21) - Del Mar Times
A group of Canyon Crest Academy juniors started the Fair Trade Canyon Crest Academy Campaign to advocate for changes in the Alien Tort Statute, which grants federal courts power over certain lawsuits filed by citizens of other countries over alleged violations of international law.
 
They started their campaign after the U.S. Supreme Court, by an 8 to 1 vote earlier this year, threw out a lawsuit alleging that American companies Nestle and Cargill aid and abet child slavery by purchasing cocoa from the Ivory Coast. 
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CCA Students Recognized in iGEM Competition (12/6/21) - Del Mar Times
A group of students at Canyon Crest Academy were recognized for a project they completed for an International Genetically Engineered Machine Foundation competition. The CCA team won a gold medal, the school’s first since it began competing seven years ago, and a Best Education prize.
 
 
CCA Teacher Helps Raise Money to Support School for Afghan Girls (12/6/21) - Del Mar Times
A Canyon Crest Academy teacher has been raising money through a GoFundme page to support girls in Afghanistan who want to continue their schooling with the country under Taliban rule.
 
“The girls still want to be educated, and I’m doing all I can to make sure that happens,” said Tim Stiven, a history teacher who connected his class with Afghan students earlier this school year via Zoom.
 
 
Students at CCA Participate in 2021 San Bernardino Forestry Challenge (12/4/21) - Rancho Santa Fe
Two students from Canyon Crest Academy participated recently in the 2021 San Bernardino Forestry Challenge, one group of a total of 64 high school students from 10 schools from the Southern California area. The event was held Nov. 10 to 13 at Hume SoCal near Green Valley Lake, Calif. The Canyon Crest team placed third overall at the event, with a score of 201.3 out of a possible 250 points.
 
 
Cardiff Teen Named a Winner of Statewide Playwrights Contest (12/2/21) - Coast News Group
In “Petunia,” a play written by San Dieguito Academy sophomore Ana Cabrera, a bespeckled flower with roots on both sides of the Mexico and United States border struggles to find her place in the world.
 
It’s a story that is very personal to Cabrera.
 
 
Education Matters: Comic-Con Special Edition's Education Panels Shine (12/1/21) - Del Mar Times
Nearly all the comic books and graphic novels mentioned by educators were created by well-known artists and writers. Yet one graphic novel, unique in its creation, was written and illustrated by local students at Canyon Crest Academy in the San Dieguito Union High School District.
 
“Jasper and the Spirit Skies” is an international collaboration between CCA and a sister school in Panama, and focuses on environmental stewardship and conservation.
 
 
San Dieguito School Board Approves Vaping Sensors (12/1/21)
A pilot program will soon bring new sensors and cameras onto campuses in the San Dieguito Union High School District to help stop vaping on campus.
 
The school board recently voted in a 3-2 decision to launch the pilot program from the company Verkada on a 30-day trial which will bring 10 vapor sensors into bathrooms on two campuses in the district as well as cameras installed outside of the bathroom doors.
 
 
CCA Junior Optimist Club Members Provide Support to San Diego Food Bank (11/27/21) - Del Mar Times
On Friday, Nov. 19, several members of the Canyon Crest Academy Junior Optimist Club volunteered at the San Diego Food Bank.
 
 
Individuals Shine for LCC at Cross Country Championships (11/23/21) - Encinitas Advocate
Following a pandemic-driven season bereft of major events, having the CIF Championships on the racing calendar Saturday at Balboa Park’s Morley Field produced a palpable sense of joy for the prep cross country world—like getting re-acquainted with an old friend.
 
A new beginning, definitely, but it was marked the end of an era for La Costa Canyon, the final San Diego section meet for veteran Head Coach Bill Vice, under whose tutelage the past 23 years, LCC has become a fixture on the podium at this affair. Vice-coached units have captured 13 CIF team crowns since 2010.
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With Stars Gone, This Falcons Duo Can Soar To New Heights (11/23/21) - San Diego Union-Tribune
With college-bound stars Chris Howell and Nick Herrmann carrying the load and grabbing the headlines, Otto Landrum and Logan Huston “flew under the radar” on Torrey Pines’ 30-1 San Diego Section Open Division champion boys basketball team last season.
 
 
Canyon Crest Academy's Envision Dance Returns to the Stage in December (11/18/21) - Encinitas Advocate
Canyon Crest Academy Envision Dance will host two dance productions in December. Presented by the Envision Dance day classes on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3, “Resilience” celebrates the human gifts of perseverance, creative expression, and community. “Resilience” features choreography by CCA Envision Dance faculty, as well as guest artists Guillermo Castro, Marty Dorado, and Nikki Dunnan.