In the Category of "Equity and Access," Wheatland Union High School as received a Golden Bell Award for its program, Pirates at SEA.
From the California School Board Association, "The CSBA Golden Bell Awards® promote excellence in education and school board governance by recognizing outstanding programs and governance practices of school boards in school districts and county offices of education throughout California. Golden Bell Awards reflect the depth and breadth of education programs and governance decisions supporting these programs that are necessary to address students’ changing needs."
To qualify for the "Equity and Access" category, these initiatives are dedicated to dismantling barriers that have historically obstructed students from accessing a fair and inclusive education. They actively promote genuine cross-cultural understanding, strategically target services to address students' specific needs, and advocate for a more even distribution of resources. These programs embody the belief that every student can thrive when granted access to high-quality educational programs and the necessary support.
Pirates at SEA stands out as Wheatland Union High School's early college access program, seamlessly connecting students to college credits and career technical education pathways. Since its launch in 2020, there has been a remarkable surge in student enrollment in community college courses, soaring from 5 percent to 55 percent. Students set ambitious goals, including the completion of the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the attainment of an associate’s degree. Presently, 21 percent of the district's 1,119 students participate, with 48 percent earning college credit. The interest in Career Technical Education (CTE) courses has also seen a significant increase, with 753 students enrolled in one or more of the 44 CTE classes, and 23 of these classes providing college credit.
For more information on Pirates at SEA, CLICK HERE
From Lukas Chang, our Student Board Member:
Over the past few days, I have had the privilege to attend the California School Board Association (CSBA) 2023 Annual Leadership Conference in San Francisco. It was a three-day conference for all California board members to gather in one area to discuss educational problems and learn new things that schools can implement on their campuses. The presentations and discussions I was a part of gave me many ideas from other schools that our school could potentially add. At this conference, I was able to make many new friends and meet a variety of new people. I heard stories from so many different people and heard how diverse their lives at school really are from one another. During this trip, I also attended the 2023 Golden Bell Awards, where our school won a Golden Bell for Equity and Access for our Pirate at Sea (Scholars Enrichment Academy) Program for Dual Enrollment and Career and College Readiness! This experience was a great networking opportunity and gave me more confidence to better support our student body's voice. (I may or may not have attended a Warriors basketball game as well…!)
