John F. Kennedy High School Home

Are you falling behind in your classes? Do you need to make up credits to graduate on time with your class? Want to convert that “D” into a higher grade for college? Come to Kennedy’s Summer School. This 5-weeks program is from June 19-July 24. There will be NO class July 4, 5 in honor of Independence Day. Classes are 2 ½ hours long. Period 1 is 8:30-11am; Period 2 is 11:30a-2pm. Lunch is from 11-11:30a and is free for ALL students. We are offering: Algebra 1, Geometry A/B, Algebra 2A/B, English 9A/B, English 10A/B, World History A/B, US History A/B, ICS A/B, Biology A/B, Chemistry A/B, PE, and Health. Space is limited and is available on a first-come first-served basis. Students receive 5 credits for each class (Algebra 1 is 10 credits). You must commit to the entire 5 weeks of class. More than 3 absences will result in no credit due to the concentrated nature of the instructional time frame. See your counselor to sign up and for more details.

Emily Chun — Age: 17 — High school: John F. Kennedy High School — GPA: 4.342 — High School Activities or Groups: President- SkillsUSA and California Scholarship Federation. Chairperson-School Site Council. Gold Medalist for two years representing California- Outstanding Chapter. Full ride scholarship to Loyola Marymount University from Lori Greiner- $250,000. — After Graduation/College Plans: Loyola Marymount University. Major- Applied Information Management Systems. I plan to jump start my career with internships and become an active member in my community utilizing my leadership skills. — Career Goal: Chief Information Officer — Parents: Steve and Agnes Chun

On Wednesday, May 22, Kennedy senior Andrew Maximo was selected as Student of the Month and Jacinto Garcia was selected as Teacher of the Month by CBS2/KCAL9/LA Rams/LAUSD. Andrew played soccer, plays keyboard, holds down a part-time job, volunteers in the community, and this semester is maintaining a 3.7 GPA on top of overcoming numerous personal obstacles; and always has a smile on his face. Mr. Garcia started out as a substitute teacher and now teaches Spanish full-time at Kennedy. He serves as the Track & Field Coach, Cross Country Coach, Assistant Athletic Director, Senior Class Sponsor, Leadership Teacher, and PTSA Treasurer. He never says no to Kennedy. Mr. Garcia, Andrew, CBS2 This Morning Anchor DeMarco Morgan, LA Rams Community Affairs Jonathan Franklin, CBS 2/KCAL 9 President and General Manager Steve Mauldin, LAUSD Board Member Scott Schmerelson, LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner, and Local District Northwest Superintendent Joseph Nacorda were greeted with a Cheer tunnel; entertained by Kennedy’s own drumline; and cheered on by a Kennedy student audience. Mr. Garcia and Andrew were each given a certificate from CBS2/KCAL9/LA Rams/LAUSD, Board of Education Resolution certificates, #1 Rams jersey, and VIP tickets to the Rams opening game. Go cougars!

JFK players proudly present our spring musical, Back Thru-Broadway. This musical time trip will transport you through Broadway’s best eras. We will sing and dance to decades of delightful tunes and bring you right back to Broadway’s most contemporary hits. Join us as we travel Back Thru-Broadway. Upcoming show times are: Thursday, May 30 @6pm; Friday, May 31 @6pm; and Saturday, June 1 @7pm.

Lights out cougars! Unplug from technology and get a full night’s rest. With finals approaching, getting the right amount of sleep is vital for your success. Minimize your stress by putting your books down at a reasonable time, and turning off your technology an hour before you go to bed. Our mental health is something that we cannot neglect. We must make time for ourselves in our busy lives, to disconnect, and relax. Take part in recognizing May as Mental Health Awareness Month by filling out the survey linked down below to help everyone improve their mental health at John F. Kennedy High School!

Last Saturday, May 18, students from Kennedy’s Guitar Class performed at the Roxy Theater in Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard. The lights and sound were engineered by professionals and the students sounded amazing! The event was well attended by parents, family, friends, and the community. Don’t forget to watch them live here at Kennedy High School in the Little Theater during the Guitar Showcase tomorrow Thursday, May 23 from 6-7pm. Everyone is invited!

YEARBOOKS ARE HERE! The yearbook staff has been working hard since the beginning of the school year to preserve as many memories of the 2018-2019 school year as possible. If you have already purchased a yearbook, pick it up at the Student Store today. If you would like to purchase, go to the Student Store. They are $110; cash only. There are limited copies, so get your yearbook TODAY! Yearbooks make great graduation gifts!

11th grade filmmaker, Thaly Rivas, was selected to participate in the highly selective GFS (the most elite and inclusive film academy in the world) LA program. This 30 month program offers participants a rigorous filmmaking curriculum taught by working professionals, all expenses paid summer residency at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, paid travel to an international location, a paid internship at a major media company, and college application advising and test prep. Congratuations to Thaly!

On May 8, 23 Digital Design students along with students from 2 other LAUSD high schools attended the Snap CAMP Teen Summit for a dynamic work-based learning experience. Snap CAMP Teen Summit is an all-day immersive event exposing teens from underserved communities to careers in technology. Hosted at Snap Inc. headquarters in partnership with Bixel Exchange, the Snap CAMP Teen Summit included hands-on workshops led by Snap employees and interactive experiences.

Kennedy’s SkillsUSA chapter was recognized as a “Chapter of Distinction” for the 2018-2019 school year. As silver medalists, our chapter received a school banner, a stipend of $2,500 stipend to attend this summer’s SkillsUSA National Conference in Kentucky, and attended the Evening of Excellence dinner at the 52nd Annual SkillsUSA California State Leadership and Skill Conference in Ontario. This year’s delegation included 31 competitors, 2 observers, and 4 Courtesy Corps volunteers. These competitors were entered in 9 different events. Kennedy earned 5 gold medals including: Emily Chun, Analisa Duarte, Anthony Bautista for Outstanding Chapter; Leo Kahlenberg for Job Skill Demonstration-Open; and Celine Sanchez-Rosas for Advertising Design. Mia Medina won a silver medal for Extemporaneous Speaking. Nico Dela Fuente won the t-shirt design contest that became this year’s official SkillsUSA California shirt. Our Courtesy Corp student, Andrea Metz, was voted “Best Courtesy Corp team member”. Faculty Advisor, Aaron Kahlenberg, was named “SkillsUSA Region 3 high School Advisor of the Year”. All 5 gold medalists will compete at the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Louisville, Kentucky June 24-28.