News

City of Industry – Hacienda La Puente Unified parents gained insight into science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) college and career pathways, while students participated in a lively introduction to music production, engineering and coding, during the Equipando Padres University and Meta Code Remix workshops on March 25. 

The free, half-day pilot workshops are sponsored by the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and aim to provide English and Spanish-speaking parents with information about how to prepare their high school student for college. The workshops also strive to empower students to immerse themselves in creative STEM-related curriculum.

“I want to create my own music when I grow up, so the workshop was a great opportunity to express our individuality, take inspiration from the music we like and use coding to create our own beats,” Los Altos High School freshman Ayla Magat said. “Thank you, Hacienda La Puente Unified for providing us with fun opportunities to explore and reach our future career goals.”

During the student workshop, students ages 13 and up used block-based coding to learn the importance of STEM, collaborate with their peers and discover the similarities between music and coding. 

At the same time, the Equipando Padres University participants heard testimonials from students and engineering professionals and spoke to college recruiters about the application process and preparing for campus tours. Participants also received free lunch, supplies and other giveaways.

“On behalf of the entire Board of Education, I want to thank SHPE for providing this incredible educational opportunity for our HLPUSD families,” Board President Christine H. Salazar said. “It was amazing to see students and parents from across the District, of different ethnicities, come together to learn more about pursuing STEM degrees and engage in fun-filled coding opportunities. We are proud and humbled to work alongside you and look forward to future events.”

Hacienda La Puente Unified plans to continue its pilot program with Equipando Padres University, providing additional parent workshops and student learning experiences throughout 2023.

“It was an honor and inspiration to see such an amazing turn out from our HLPUSD community during our first SHPE partnership event,” Superintendent Dr. Alfonso Jiménez said. “Partnerships and workshops like these exemplify our District’s commitment to having a shared responsibility for creating learning environments that reflect our community’s diversity and individual needs of our students to ensure they meet the highest standards and succeed in college, careers and life.”

Photo Captions:

HLPUSD_WORKSHOP1: HLPUSD Board President Christine H. Salazar, Superintendent Dr. Alfonso Jiménez and students proudly showcase the District’s newest augmented reality tool, Oculus, during the Meta Code Remix Workshop on March 25.

HLPUSD_WOKRSHOP2: Parents and caretakers gather to learn more about helping their children pursue an engineering degree during the District’s Equipando Padres University workshop held on March 25.