high school

It’s graduation day at South Tahoe High School, the weather finally turned, and the school’s principal is looking forward to next year.

Graduation
Seniors end their high school journey today at 4 p.m. on the Viking Football Field at STHS. But new adventures await the graduates.

Shyrra Javier is most excited about exploring the world and starting a new chapter in her life. She learned to stay focused in high school.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Good news for the entire community on both sides of the California-Nevada border. Lake Tahoe College Promise, the free tuition program at Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC), is expanding from one year to three years starting Fall 2019.

There is a Special Runoff Election on June 4, 2019 scheduled to fill a vacancy in Senate District 1. All currently registered voters in the County of El Dorado are eligible to participate.

When Ted Gaines won a seat on the California Board of Equalization in November, the Senate District 1 seat he had held since 2011 was up for grabs. In March there was an election to decide his replacement, but since no candidate won more than 50 percent of the vote the top two are now on Tuesday's ballot.

Queen Elizabeth requests your attendance to celebrate the 26th anniversary of merrymaking and celebration at the Valhalla Renaissance Faire June 1-2, 2019 at Camp Richardson in South Lake Tahoe.

Travel to a time of revelry and magic. Return to the Renaissance – Return to the Magic! Be a part of history and come in costume, or come as you are and immerse yourself in games, theater, and splendid Renaissance marketplace.

Stephanie Zepeda, a 2011 graduate of South Tahoe High School, was recently initiated into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Zepeda was initiated at the University of Southern California.

Zepeda is a 2015 graduate of UC San Diego and now in graduate school at USC.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra (SITS) awarded $12,700 in awards and scholarships on Thursday to students from South Tahoe High, Whittell High, Mt. Tallac High, and South Tahoe Middle School. The students and their families were treated to breakfast as the awards were given to the deserving students.

George Whittell High School Most Improved Eighth Grade Students
Faith Alvarez, James Johnson

South Tahoe Middle School Most Improved Eighth Grade Students
Victoria Capilla, Anthomy Navarro Rodriguiez

Tahoe Valley Thunderbird Choir excelled at the Music in the Parks Choir Festival.
The choir consisting of Tahoe Valley Students grades 3 through 5 traveled off the hill to American Canyon High School in American Canyon, California on Saturday, May 11 to be adjudicated. The intention was to provide the students with the opportunity and experience of performing under pressure in the presence of top quality competitors. The result was an outstanding showing that resulted in the choir receiving 1st place in their division and a rating of excellence from the panel of judges.

Allison, also affectionately known as Allidaughter, was born in Bishop, California to Mary Strobel and Robert Dietz when Robert was the manager of the Mammoth Mountain Inn.

She attended Immaculate Heart High School in Hollywood and graduated from South Lake Tahoe High School. She studied at El Camino College and Lake Tahoe Community College.

Allison was an accomplished sailor spending almost every weekend during her early high school years sailing to Catalina Island.

South Tahoe High School students took the week to promote end-of-year events and commemorate Mental Health Awareness Month. Testing begins, sports end and school spirit is running wild.

On Campus
STHS is taking time to observe Mental Health Awareness Month in May by sending out advice to students, including posting positive comments on social media, writing for fun, and learning a new skill. Here’s what some students plan to do:

Senior Tess Devine is attending therapy more regularly to strengthen her mental health.

The memory of Kelly Arnold will be celebrated at a gathering of his friends at the American Legion Hall in South Lake Tahoe on May 15 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Kelly Jay Arnold, 56, of South Lake Tahoe, California died from a brain abscess on April 1, 2019, in Reno, Nevada.

Kelly was born in Greeley, Colorado on March 24, 1963 to Gerald and Dorothy (Bartlett) Arnold. Growing up he was active in Boy Scouts and attended John Evans and Greeley Central High School.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra (SITS) is hosting "Dream It Be It" on Saturday, May 4 and there are still some spots available for local girls.

Dream It, Be It gives girls the tools they need to achieve their education and career goals through a day of inspirational speakers and activities. The program gives girls access to professional role models as they learn how to set and achieve goals.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Not only did internationally acclaimed illustrator and artist Rafael López came to South Lake Tahoe last week to speak to local first graders during Gift of Literacy day at Lake Tahoe Community College, but he also stopped by South Tahoe High School (STHS) and worked with students on a large mural.

In just six hours López showed the students how to create not only a work of art from several large blank panels, he also showed how to create community by collaboration and teamwork and celebrate diversity, literacy and aspiration.

With only two months until summer, South Tahoe High School is getting ready for end-of-year school spirit activities and dances. Students also took the time to prepare for tonight’s Black Light Dance and celebrate Earth Day.

On Campus
This week, students went online to select their schedule for next year.

Black Light Dance is in the student union 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. tonight. Before the dance, the Black Light Rally is being held in the school’s gym at noon.

Harrah’s Casino hosted a job fair Tuesday for students interested in summer jobs.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - South Tahoe High School Career & Technical Education (CTE) students shared their knowledge and expertise with 5th graders from Lake Tahoe Environmental Science Magnet School on Thursday, showing them several options the school has in those programs.

South Tahoe High School (STHS) has ten different CTE programs, including sports medicine, auto mechanic, culinary and dental hygiene.

The visiting 5th graders got hand's one experience in all programs and were then treated to a lunch catered y the school's culinary students.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Long has been the joke that there are two seasons in Lake Tahoe, winter and roadwork. Both are holding up true for 2019 as we leave a long and heavy winter and prepare for several road construction projects.

On Wednesday, April 24, CalTrans is inviting the public to come out and learn about their three projects scheduled to begin on US 50 in the Lake Tahoe Basin this summer. The public meeting will be in the South Tahoe High School Student Union from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

EL DORADO COUNTY, Calif. - A 34-year-old teacher at El Dorado High School was arrested Thursday by the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office (EDSO) for multiple violations.

An investigation began after a former student of James Eduardo Bourdett came forward and said she had a sexual relationship with him in 2017 when she was 17-years-old. At the time he was a teacher at Natomas Pacific Pathways Charter School in Sacramento.

The former student said she and Bourdett met repeatedly at his home in Cameron Park over a six-month period.

Weather permitting, Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District and the USDA Forest Service may continue prescribed fire operations over the next several weeks in the Tahoe Basin.

The following areas are scheduled to be treated at this time:

Kingsbury Grade, off Granite Springs Drive - 2 acres to be burned by Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit 4/8 - 4/12

Behind South Tahoe High School - 15 acres to be burned by Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit 4/8 - 4/12

Adjacent to Sawmill Pond -10 acres to be burned by Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit 4/8 - 4/12

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - In a world where youth are faced with continued bullying on social media and at school, and where they feel disconnected and unsafe, a program continues to be offered to South Lake Tahoe students to change the direction of negative outcomes.

Imagine a school where everyone feels safe, loved and celebrated. Imagine enemies finding common ground and making peace; friends healing past hurts and making amends; people igniting their passion for service and leadership; adults and youth working together to create a school where everyone is included and thrives.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - On Tuesday, April 2, 325 6th graders from South Tahoe Middle School, Zephyr Cove Elementary School and home-schooled youth, will spend the day at Lake Tahoe Community College going through the 16th annual Drug Store Project.

Since 2004, middle school students in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) have gone through the Drug Store Project (DSP), a day-long comprehensive drug prevention program designed to educate youth about the dangers of substance use and abuse.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - During their mid-cycle review of South Tahoe High School (STHS) the visiting committee from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) provided the school with positive feedback on all they are accomplishing at the school.

"Students and families feel safe on the campus and have multiple opportunities for connectedness to the school," said the committee in their report. "The facility is kept clean and safe from accidents. An SRO (student resource officer), social worker and empathy training has made the campus a friendly place for students and staff."

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - South Tahoe High's Sports Medicine students earned impressive third-place honors at the 18th annual High School Sports Medicine Competition at UC Northridge this past weekend. They competed against 700 students from 50 high schools from western states including Kansas, Texas, Washington, and California.

This is the third year the school's Sports Medicine Coordinator Isaiah Tannaci has taken a group of his students to the competition. The first year the group went to observe and learn, the second year they came in tenth, and now a top-three finish.

South Lake Tahoe native Kylee Lyons was honored with the Distinguished Appointed Board Award, First Place in Mei Po Wong Overall Service, and Second Place in Outstanding Total Service Hours at the California-Nevada-Hawaii Circle K International (CKI) District Convention this past weekend in Los Angeles. Lyons was the 2018-2019 Small-Scale Service Chair of the CKI chapter at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she is studying to obtain a bachelor's degree in Psychobiology, aspiring to become a Physician Assistant.

Location

At South Tahoe High School, the students celebrated the first day of Spring with jeans and t-shirts, as the temperatures got up to 50F and the ice melted away. This week started with an emotional experience at Challenge Day, students prepare for SAT and ACT testing, the athletics team have kicked off their seasons.

In School

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Dozens of school teachers in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) filled the board room in South Lake Tahoe last Tuesday to show trustees they want a cost of living increase to their pay.

Jodi Dayberry, President of the South Tahoe Educators Association, led the teachers in their presentation to the LTUSD Board of Trustees, telling the five elected members teachers are struggling due to the high cost of living and many have second jobs and summer jobs to fill their financial void.