Making Nature Accessible: Students with Special Needs Attend Camp KEEP
KCSOS’s Special Education program arrived at Camp KEEP Ocean last week for an opportunity to experience the various activities offered in one action-packed day.
RISE Students Build Confidence Through Summer Empowerment Workshops
Inside the boxing ring, RISE students are learning more than footwork and technique. Through a summer partnership with Warm Up Athletics, they’re gaining confidence, discipline, and lessons that extend far beyond the gym.
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America 250 Invites Kern County to Reflect, Celebrate
n July 4, 2026, the United States will commemorate a historic milestone — the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, the Declaration announced the 13 American colonies’ independence from Great Britain and articulated the founding ideals of liberty, self-government, and equality that continue to influence the nation today.
Senior Spotlight: Faith, Football Inspire Mason Rothermel’s Call to Serve
Driven by faith, football, and a lifelong desire to serve others, Tehachapi High School graduate Mason Rothermel will attend the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, where he will play football and prepare for a career dedicated to leadership and national service.
Golden Valley Grad Wins National SkillsUSA Championship
A recent Golden Valley High School graduate has become the first California student ever to win the National SkillsUSA Championship in Automotive Refinishing Technology. Learn how Nick “Nico” Patalinghug’s dedication, hands-on training, and relentless preparation helped him earn the title on the national stage.
Senior Spotlight: John Lambert’s Tehachapi Roots Lead Him to Princeton
John Lambert, a Tehachapi High School co-valedictorian who learned to advocate for himself and excelled in academics and healthcare training, earned admission to Princeton University, where he plans to study molecular biology and pursue a career as a physician.
Highland’s Mia Salas First-Ever KHSD Student Selected for Jimmy Awards
Highland High School’s Mia Salas has made history as the first Kern High School District student ever selected to compete in the prestigious Jimmy Awards, the nation’s highest honor in high school musical theater, after earning Best Lead Actress for her role as Eurydice in “Hadestown: Teen Edition” at the Rita Moreno Awards.
Community Partners Host Under the Sea Storytime at CALM
Families had an ocean-themed adventure as the Under the Sea Summer Storytime transformed CALM into a day of hands-on learning, imaginative play, and community resources.
Kern County Students Advance to National History Day Competition
Months of research, countless hours of practice and revisions, and a passion for uncovering stories from the past have earned three Kern County students an opportunity to compete in the National History Day Competition.
Senior Spotlight: Yaquelin Guadalupe Acosta Vasquez Headed to Yale as Gates Scholar
For Yaquelin Guadalupe Acosta Vasquez, a recent graduate of Arvin High School, believing in herself opened the door to opportunities her younger self never imagined possible. This fall, the first-generation college student will attend Yale University after earning admission to the prestigious institution and receiving a Gates Scholarship.
Graduation Marks New Beginning for RISE Students
Students in KCSOS’s RISE program celebrated more than graduation Saturday morning. Speakers reflected on overcoming adversity, breaking barriers, and proving that difficult circumstances do not define a person’s future. The Class of 2026 embodied the program’s mission of Reaching Individual Success through Education.
Four Valley Oaks Students Honored for Their Quiet Impact
The Superintendent’s Award once again honored Valley Oaks Charter School students whose resilience, leadership, kindness, and personal growth have made a lasting impact both on campus and behind the scenes. The recognition celebrates students whose achievements may not always fit traditional definitions of success, but whose actions continue to inspire those around them.
Wasco High’s Braydon Ricks Carries Mother’s Life Lessons to Westwood
From carrying a football through the halls of Wasco High as an eighth grader to earning a full academic scholarship to UCLA, Braydon Ricks’ journey has been shaped by perseverance, sacrifice, and the lessons instilled by the grandmother he simply called “Mom.”
English Learners Celebrate Success on ELPAC Tests
English learner students are being recognized and celebrated for making strides toward fluency. This week schools from the KCSOS RISE program, formerly known as Alternative Education, celebrated students who showed significant improvement in their English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) tests.
Adult Learners Forge New Career Paths in Spanish-Language Child Education
A small cohort of 25 adult learners proudly walked across the graduation stage at Cerro Coso Community College in Ridgecrest last week with not just a certificate, but the beginning of a new career path. The students are part of a Spanish-language child development cohort supported by a partnership between the Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS) and the college.
Senior Spotlight: Myah Wright’s Journey of Confidence, Achievement Leads to UC Berkeley
After being named a recipient of the prestigious Gates Scholarship, Highland High School senior and first-generation college student Myah Wright will attend University of California, Berkeley this fall to study mechanical engineering, marking a new chapter in her journey of self-confidence and personal achievements that shaped her high school years.
Kindness Takes Center Stage as Students Honored for Compassion, Service
A group of Kern County students was honored Tuesday evening not for grades or athletic accomplishments, but for the compassion, empathy, and everyday acts of kindness that have made a lasting impact at their schools and in the community.
Kern County Celebrates Classified Employee Week
Nine outstanding school employees from across Kern County were recognized as 2026 Classified Employees of the Year during the annual Education Champions ceremony, celebrating the essential behind-the-scenes work that helps schools operate smoothly every day.
RISE Students Recognized for Overcoming Obstacles, Inspiring Others
Four students in the Kern County Superintendent of Schools (KCSOS) RISE program were honored during the 2026 Graduate Memorial Awards ceremony for demonstrating extraordinary empathy, perseverance, optimism, and integrity while overcoming significant personal challenges on their path to graduation.
Student Voice Ambassadors Earn Civic Engagement Honors
This week, students were honored at the second annual Student Voice Ambassador Program (SVAP) Award Ceremony, where they received either the California State Seal of Civic Engagement or the Pathway to Civic Engagement Award in recognition of their year-long civic engagement and community improvement projects.