Latest news with #DavisHighSchool
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Exploring how Latinos can get ahead. Work ethic already there, Modesto speaker says
In Modesto last week, Merced County's director of workforce development laid out statistics on how his fellow Latinos have been held back in the job market. He also told of an ambitious plan to make the future better. Erick Serrato spoke about the effort, which also involves Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties, at Thursday's meeting of the Latino Community Roundtable of Stanislaus County. The plan, North Valley Thrive, aims for well-paying jobs for residents of all backgrounds. The report was compiled under a $5 million state grant. Some of the plan is well under way, such as solar and biomass energy and making various products from crop waste. The documents also note the long-standing need for nurses, electricians, mechanics and other skills. Serrato knows Modesto well, having graduated from Davis High School in 1994. He urged training and business investments to get Latinos beyond the farm and service jobs they have long filled. He noted that this group suffers more than the overall workforce when downturns happen. He said one measure, called labor force participation, highlights the eagerness of Latinos to work. It counts not just job-holders but people looking for work. The most recent report showed 67% of the total Latino population in this category, vs. 61% of all workers. The people not counted include children and retirees. Serrato recalled a saying from his boyhood: 'As long as there is work.' It was instilled by his parents, Rodolfo and Graciela Serrato, who attended his talk. 'What that means is that as long as there is work to do for us, everything else will kind of fall into place,' the son said. Graciela Serrato was a teacher's aide at Prescott Junior High School. Her husband worked farms and also commuted to his supervisor job at Pacific Steel in Berkeley. For a few years, the couple ran a Creole restaurant named Cafe Bravo on Kansas Avenue. Erick Serrato earned an architecture degree at Woodbury University in Los Angeles. His thesis dealt with social goals in public housing design. He got into economic development with the city of Long Beach and joined Merced County in 2020. North Valley Thrive is one of 13 regional plans around California. They can compete for $600 million to carry out the ideas. Serrato said Latinos make up 95% of California farmworkers but only 12% of farm owners. He urged 'advanced manufacturing' beyond the current food processing, selling goods made from agricultural waste to the world. The region also could have high-tech niches, such as semiconductors, measuring devices and electric vehicles. Serrato suggested fabricating accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, to ease the housing shortage. The plan also envisions jobs in 'climate smart flood management,' letting rivers spread across restored forests that store carbon. And it calls for 'placemaking,' using the arts and other means to improve a community's quality of life and attract companies. North Valley Thrive overlaps with Stanislaus 2030 in its call for converting crop and livestock waste. The latter has spread to Merced and San Joaquin counties. The ventures could include earth-friendly fuels, building materials, plastics and more. Both efforts also seek to expand child care so parents can get to these jobs, along with growing small businesses of many types. The bioindustry push drew a protest from Bianca Lopez, a leader with both the Latino Roundtable and Valley Improvement Projects. She urged a focus instead on local agriculture — 'take care of our soil, be good stewards of the land, grow food that we're actually going to eat, not almonds that go to China.' Gov. Gavin Newsom received the North Valley Thrive report during a Jan. 6 news conference at Stanislaus State University. It mainly was about his proposed budget for the next fiscal year. Serrato was on hand in Turlock, as noted Thursday by Roundtable President Karlha Arias. 'You are bringing state attention to our area,' she said. 'No one ever thinks about us, so that's a lot of work.' Praise went to Serrato's parents from Marian Kaanon, president and CEO of the Stanislaus Community Foundation. 'You did such a great job with this guy, incredible. Thank you.'
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Davis High School AP exam interrupted by fire alarm, needs to be retaken
More than 200 students at Davis High School thought they were nearly done with their Advanced Placement calculus exam Monday when a fire alarm sounded. With just 30 minutes left of the almost four-hour test, the piercing sound of the alarm evacuated the whole school and meant all 200 tests were declared invalid. 'All of us were so focused when that alarm went off. We jumped up and were all scared and looked around. The proctors in charge said, 'OK, we're going to walk outside.' We stood out there for 30 minutes, and by the time we came in, the test was done, and they said, 'Well, it was invalidated,'' Davis senior Luke Cadwallader said. At first, the seniors were too stunned to react. They didn't understand what had just happened. 'After that, we were all very frustrated. I was very mad. A couple of people started crying. It was just like, 'What do you do?'' he said. The culprit was a balloon. 'The cause of the alarm was due to a balloon that interfered with the connection of a beam detector,' Chris Williams, a Davis School District spokesman, said. He did not elaborate on where the balloon came from. The electronic systems are 'pretty sensitive,' Williams said. But according to state law, everyone must be evacuated when a fire alarm goes off. The high school contacted the Advanced Placement College Board to determine makeup testing. Students were told they could turn their tests in at whatever completion they had reached or retake them on one of two makeup days. The first makeup day is May 22 at noon, which happens to be during the school's graduation ceremony, or on May 28th. 'What hurt, that decision, is everyone was going to be out of town for the 28th. Everyone has their senior trip or family vacations, and who wants to take it during graduation?' he said. Out of the 205 students taking the exam, 165 were seniors. Now, they must all choose between risking a lower score, missing graduation or continuing to study for a test after graduation and potentially missing summer activities. The school said it would try to plan a special ceremony for any graduating students who choose to retake the test that day, but disappointment is prevalent. Most people Luke has talked to have decided they will just risk it and submit what they have finished. 'With 10% to 15% of the test left, and that being a pretty weighty portion of this test, I decided I'm not gonna risk it. I'm going to just take it on the 28th. Yes, I'm going to have to keep studying math, but maybe it's a blessing in a way that I have more time to study,' Luke said. The calculus exam was Luke's fourth and final AP test. 'The funny part, though, was this was my fourth one .... and it's unfortunate. It was the last one, the final one. Thought I'd be free, but apparently not,' he joked.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Ballon triggers Davis High fire alarm disrupting students' AP testing
KAYSVILLE, Utah () — Students were nearly done taking the AP calculus exam Monday when a balloon triggered the fire alarm, barring them from finishing the test. Monday morning, May 12, a balloon interfered with a beam detector's connection at Davis High School, causing the fire alarms to sound, according to school officials. All students evacuated the building and returned to classes 20 minutes later once the building was cleared. The interruption made it so students taking the AP calculus exam could not finish the last 30 minutes of the three-hour test. Davis High officials contacted the College Board — the nonprofit that administers the exams –which gave students three options: Score their exam as is, retake an alternate version of the exam on May 22, or retake the alternate version on May 28. 'Love Island' contestant charged with domestic violence in Salt Lake City Students can choose which option is best for them, but for seniors in particular, none are particularly ideal. If they choose to have the test graded as is there will be no adjustments made for the lost time. The May 22 exam is scheduled over graduation, meaning seniors would have to attend a separate graduation ceremony planned specifically for those affected. Finally, the May 28 test will be administered after the semester is over. 'We are working with our test takers individually to help them identify which of the three choices they will select and process the request appropriately with the college board,' Principal Lori Hawthorne said in a statement. 'Again, we'd like to stress that the decisions are dictated by College Board with the intention of preserving the rigor of the AP exams.' Officials said any parents with concerns can call (888) 225-5427. 'I don't have the words to express my admiration and appreciation for the resiliency of the Davis High students, the teaching staff in our math department, and our administrator over AP Testing. We have a team of people working to support our students,' she wrote. Speaker Johnson supports ban on stock trading for members of Congress Ballon triggers Davis High fire alarm disrupting students' AP testing LDS temple in Antofagasta Chile opens for public tours KTVX-KUCW's Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning Sweepstakes Tom Brady to ride in 'Fastest Seat in Sports' in vehicle driven by Jimmie Johnson ahead of Indy 500 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
High School Senior Dies in Crash Just Days Before Graduation: 'Only 2 Miles from Her House', Family Says
Davis High School student Averiee Osmundson, 18, died in a traffic collision near U.S. Highway 77 in Oklahoma, almost a week before her graduation In a statement, her cousin said that she was planning to attend Oklahoma State University on a scholarship 'She could always just put a smile on everybody's face,' said Osmundson's auntA high school student who was about to graduate in a few days was killed in a single-vehicle collision in Oklahoma last weekend. In an incident report obtained by PEOPLE, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) stated that the crash occurred on Saturday, May 10, on Foothill Road about 0.4 miles west of U.S. Highway 77, which is approximately 3 miles north of Springer. The OHP report said that a 2005 Lexus RX330 driven by Averiee Osmundson, 18, was traveling eastbound on Foothill Road. The vehicle departed the roadway to the left when it 'overcorrected reentering the roadway before overturning an unknown amount of times.' The Lexus was ejected 'approximately 78 feet from where the vehicle came to rest,' continued the report. Osmundson, who hailed from Springer, was pronounced dead at the scene following injuries sustained in the crash, according to authorities. Her body was taken to the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner's Office. The OHP report also noted that a seatbelt was not in use at the time. The cause of the crash is under investigation. Kegan Muth, Osmundson's cousin, paid tribute to her in a statement shared with KOKH. 'She was more than an 18-year-old graduating high school; she was a beautiful, young, talented girl,' Muth's statement read in part. 'She knew just the right words to say and when to say them. She had a scholarship to attend Oklahoma State University, which she couldn't wait to attend, even if her bubs said to rethink it.' 'She wanted to be a pediatrician,' the statement continued. 'All she ever wanted was to help the ones who needed the help. She always made everyone smile and happy. She didn't see life like everyone else. She saw the bright light in the pitch black dark.' Osmundson was a senior at Davis High School and was scheduled to graduate on Friday, May 16, per CBS affiliate KOTV. Davis Public Schools acknowledged Osmundson's death in a letter shared on Facebook Sunday, May 11. 'This devastating loss will be deeply felt throughout our entire school community, especially among the Senior Class of 2025,' read the letter in part. 'Our deepest sympathy goes out to Averiee's family, friends, and our entire school community,' the letter added. 'Please continue to keep her loved ones in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.' Cassie Muth, Osmundson's aunt, told KOTV that the family has been shattered by what happened. 'She was only two miles from her house," said Muth. Muth remembered her niece for having an amazing heart. 'She could always just put a smile on everybody's face. She was very adventurous, very outgoing,' Muth said. 'Honestly, I'm still in disbelief that she's been taken from us at such a young age with so much potential and a lot still ahead of her,' she said, per KOTV. Read the original article on People
