Earlier this week, I shared with the Board news of many of our students and their accomplishments. It is interesting that while I came to Santa Ana Unified from Washington DC, two award-winning groups of students traveled from Santa Ana to Washington DC, where they showed the country the strength of Santa Ana’s students.

Our Century High School Architecture, Construction and Engineering Team, the ACE Team, were one of three national finalists in the 6^th annual CIRT-ACE Design Competition in Washington DC with their California Air and Space Museum entry. The competition took place in one of my favorite DC places, the National Building Museum. They placed first in the “History Museum” category and 3^rd overall. The Century team is the first in the LA/OC area to reach the finals in DC!

Our Valley High School Culinary Team also traveled to Washington DC to compete in the National Cooking Up Change competition. The competition was held at the Department of Education, and the students cooked in the very cafeteria I ate in every day in DC. Our students won first place in the competition! My former supervisor, Arne Duncan and others I know from DC recognized that these were our students. They emailed congratulating us and letting us know that the meal was absolutely delicious.

Seeing the Simon Scholars, students who have overcome financial and personal challenges, was very touching. With the help of the Simon Foundation, they will enter college. Each of the students has touching stories of overcoming huge obstacles and striving for success. All dressed up and excited for their senior years of high school and to apply for colleges, I felt very grateful that our students had so much to look forward to and will be able to achieve their dreams.

I am so proud of our students in Santa Ana Unified. As a district and as a community, we work every day to help our students reach for their goals. I am, again, so proud that I am a part of this community as well.