Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, September 19, 2020

9

EDUCATION AND YOUTH

Mountain Views-News Saturday, September 19, 2020 

ARCADIA HIGH STUDENTS SEE CONTINUED SUCCESS IN 
NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLAR PROGRAM

ARCADIA-- Over the past 25 years, Arcadia High has had an average of 20 or more National 
Merit Scholarship semifinalists each school year and adds 20 more Arcadia High students this 
year who have earned a coveted spot in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship competition. 

While it is not uncommon for public high schools to have only a handful of students or zero 
students who make it into the prestigious National Merit Scholarship program each year, in the 
past 25 years, Arcadia High has been home to over 600 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists. 

This year’s 20 Arcadia High students join less than 1% of high school seniors across the nation 
who now have the opportunity to continue to the next round of the competition and contend 
for one of roughly 7,600 scholarships that are collectively worth more than $30 million.

“Being recognized as a semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship program is such a special 
honor for our students,” said Arcadia High Principal Angie Dillman. This was the motivation 
for Dillman and her fellow Arcadia High administration team and Arcadia High counselors to 
personally deliver certificates, balloons, and cupcakes to the homes of each of Arcadia High’s 20 
National Merit Scholarship semifinalists in an effort to ensure these students’ accomplishments 
did not go unnoticed through this time of Distance Learning.

Applying to the National Merit Scholarship program begins in a student’s junior year of high 
school, with Arcadia High’s current 20 semifinalists starting this journey by joining over 1.5 
million juniors from nearly 21,000 high schools across the country in taking the 2019 Preliminary 
SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Of these test-takers, approximately 
16,000 of the highest-scorers from each state are awarded entry into this acclaimed academic 
competition.

To be eligible for a finalist spot in this program, Arcadia High’s semifinalists and Arcadia High 
counselors will work together to submit a detailed scholarship application, wherein they provide 
information about a semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community 
activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. 
In addition, semifinalists need to have outstanding academic records throughout their high 
school careers, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, and write an essay.

Of the approximately 16,000 semifinalists, 15,000 finalists will be selected. Those who make it 
to the finalist phase will receive notification of this designation in February 2021 and will be the 
final pool of scholars considered for a 2021 National Merit Scholarship.

In addition to a stellar showing each year in the National Merit Scholarship program, Arcadia 
High School has been ranked in the top 1 percent of best public high schools in the nation by 
Niche.com, and its Class of 2018 saw a 100 percent graduation rate. In addition, Arcadia High 
has also been distinguished as a U.S. News and World Report Gold Medal School three times, 
an honor bestowed on less than 3 percent of the more than 19,000 schools in the country. 
Similarly, Newsweek named Arcadia High on its Top Public High Schools in America list. Arcadia 
High graduates are represented in every Ivy League school and in top universities across 
the country. Likewise, for two consecutive years, the Arcadia Unified School District has been 
named on the College Board’s Annual AP® District Honor Roll. For additional details on the 
National Merit Scholarship program, visit http://nationalmerit.org, and for information about 
Arcadia High School, visit https://ahs.ausd.net/.

Arcadia High School National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists: (Alphabetical order by last 
name)

Legolas Chen, William Chen, Alex Dang, Jiacheng Hu, Dongming Hua, Jolene Huey, Nathan 
Kuo, Kate Larrick, Tanya Lee, Claire Liang, Margaret Lin, Alex Liu, Charisse Liu, Maxwell Montemayor, 
Jenny Qiu, Maggie Sun, Onassa Sun, Jonathan Wang, Melody Yang, and Henry Zeng.

SCHOOL DIRECTORY

Alverno Heights Academy

200 N. Michillinda Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-3463 Head of School: Julia V. Fanara

E-mail address: jfanara@alvernoheights.org

Arcadia High School

180 Campus Drive Arcadia, CA 91007

Phone: (626) 821-8370, Principal: Brent Forsee

bforsee@ausd.net

Arroyo Pacific Academy

41 W. Santa Clara St. Arcadia, Ca, 

(626) 294-0661 Principal: Phil Clarke

E-mail address: pclarke@arroyopacific.org

Barnhart School

240 W. Colorado Blvd Arcadia, Ca. 91007

(626) 446-5588 

Head of School: Ethan Williamson

Kindergarten - 8th grade

website: www.barnhartschool.org

Bethany Christian School

93 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-3527 

Preschool-TK-8th Grade

Principal: Dr. William Walner

website: www. bcslions.org

Clairbourn School

8400 Huntington Drive

San Gabriel, CA 91775

Phone: 626-286-3108 ext. 172

FAX: 626-286-1528

E-mail: jhawes@clairbourn.org

Foothill Oaks Academy

822 E. Bradbourne Ave., Duarte, CA 91010

(626) 301-9809

Principal: Nancy Lopez

www.foothilloaksacademy.org

office@foothilloaksacademy.org

Frostig School

971 N. Altadena Drive Pasadena, CA 91107

(626) 791-1255

Head of School: Jenny Janetzke

Email: jenny@frostig.org

The Gooden School

192 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-2410 

Head of School, Jo-Anne Woolner

website: www.goodenschool.org

High Point Academy

1720 Kinneloa Canyon Road 

Pasadena, Ca. 91107 

Head of School: Gary Stern 626-798-8989

website: www.highpointacademy.org

La Salle College Preparatory

3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 

(626) 351-8951 website: www.lasallehs.org

Principal Mrs. Courtney Kassakhian

Monrovia High School

325 East Huntington Drive, Monrovia, CA 91016 

(626) 471-2800 Principal Darvin Jackson

Email: schools@monrovia.k12.ca.us

Odyssey Charter School

725 W. Altadena Dr. Altadena, Ca. 91001

(626) 229-0993 Head of School: Lauren O’Neill

website: www.odysseycharterschool.org

Pasadena High School

2925 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 

(626) 396-5880 Principal: Roberto Hernandez

website: http://phs.pusd.us

St. Rita Catholic School

322 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

Principal: Adela Solis (626) 355-6114 

solis@st-ritaschool.org

Website: www.st-ritaschool.org

Sierra Madre Elementary School

141 W. Highland Ave, Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 355-1428 Principal: Lindsay LUIS

E-mail address: LUIS.lindsay@pusd.us

Sierra Madre Middle School 

160 N. Canon Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024

(626) 836-2947 Principal: Garrett Newsom

E-mail address: newsom.garrett@pusd.us

Walden School

74 S San Gabriel Blvd

Pasadena, CA 91107 (626) 792-6166 

www.waldenschool.net

Weizmann Day School

1434 N. Altadena Dr. Pasadena, Ca. 91107

(626) 797-0204

Lisa Feldman: Head of School

Wilson Middle School

300 S. Madre St. Pasadena, Ca. 91107

(626) 449-7390 Principal: Ruth Esseln

E-mail address: resseln@pusd.us

Pasadena Unified School District

351 S. Hudson Ave., Pasadena, Ca. 91109

(626) 396-3600 Website: www.pusd@pusd.us

Arcadia Unified School District

234 Campus Dr., Arcadia, Ca. 91007

(626) 821-8300 Website: www.ausd.net

Monrovia Unified School District

325 E. Huntington Dr., Monrovia, Ca. 91016

(626) 471-2000 

Website: www.monroviaschools.net

Duarte Unified School District

1620 Huntington Dr., Duarte, Ca. 91010

(626)599-5000 

Website: www.duarte.k12.ca.us

Arcadia Christian School

1900 S. Santa Anita Avenue Arcadia, CA 91006

Preschool - and TK - 8th Grade

626-574-8229/626-574-0805

Email: inquiry@acslions.com

Principal: Cindy Harmon

website: www.acslions.com


Arcadia High National Merit Semifinalists received a special delivery from Principal 
Angie Dillman and team


PUSD LEARNS, GRAB & GO 
FOOD CENTERS OPEN FOR FULL 
SERVICE MONDAY, SEPT. 21

With air quality forecasted to improve next week, all Pasadena 
Unified School District (PUSD) LEARNs programs 
and Grab and Go Food Centers will resume full service on 
Monday, September 21, 2020. This is subject to changing 
fire conditions, but we will notify you as soon as possible. 

We know that this has been an anxious time for many students, employees, and families. 
We’re pleased to resume these important services for our community. 

LEARNS supervised care programs will resume Monday, September 21 at all school campuses. 
Students who participate in the program will be indoors, following COVID-19 
health and safety protocols. More information at www.pusd.us/learns 

Grab & Go Food Center curbside service resumes Monday, September 21 at all 20 sites 
from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The free meal service consists of pre-packed nutritious breakfast 
and lunch, and is offered for students and their families Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. - 12 
p.m. at 20 sites. Details. On Fridays, families are encouraged to request extra meals for 
the weekend.

Please note that the City of Pasadena’s weekend lunch service, which operated at seven 
PUSD campuses since the “Safer at Home” orders took effect in March, ended on September 
13. We thank the City of Pasadena for supporting PUSD families and the community 
during this crucial time. www.pusd.us 


CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAM FOR TEENS AT LIBRARY 

Arcadia Public Library is offering free online creative writing workshops from September 
through November. The workshops are taught by Arcadia High School student and 
published writer, Audrey Sloeng, who is completing her Girl Scout Gold Award. 

Each workshop focuses on a different genre—journaling, flash stories, poetry, song writing, 
and free writing—and lets teens express themselves and share their work in a safe 
and encouraging environment. 

The workshops are open to students in grades 6 through 12. They will be held on September 
12, 19; October 17, 24; and November 14 and 24 from 3 to 4 pm, except for 
November 24’s workshop which is scheduled for 5 to 6 pm. Teens do not have to attend 
all the classes, although it is strongly recommended that the poetry writing workshop be 
taken with the song writing workshop. 

For more information and to register, call the Arcadia Public Library’s Adult and Teen 
Services department at 626.821.5569. For more information, please call 626.821.5569 or 
visit the website at www.ArcadiaCa.gov/Library. 

The Library is located at 20 West Duarte Road, Arcadia, CA 91006. The Library is open 
Monday through Thursday from 10:00 am to 9 pm; Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 6 
pm. You can also follow the Library on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737