They started high school in their bedrooms and at kitchen tables in front of computers, taking classes over Zoom. They’re coming of age at a time when our nation is politically divided, our world is facing war and unrest, and artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules of education and work. But the students graduating from Ventura County high schools in 2024 are not deterred. They’re facing the future with a sense of optimism that will take them far as they enter the next stage o...

The high school years can be challenging for anyone, but it was especially tough for Ricardo Vasquez. His dad was in and out of his life, which left a significant void. “It was very hard learning certain things that you need a father figure for,” he says.

It was her freshman year, and Flor Rivas was failing all of her classes at the large urban high school she attended in Las Vegas. The situation at home wasn’t good and she never imagined she’d earn her diploma. Then a lifeline came from her brother Elios, who suggested she come live with him and his family in the small Ventura County town of Fillmore.

When Danny Smiley was in 10th grade, he decided to write some notes for his little sister Katie who was getting ready to join him as a student at Ventura High School. “I took a lot of really challenging classes and I loved them, but they were a lot to handle,” he recalled. “I wanted to give my sister the best chance she could possibly have to succeed.”

In March, Marlen Oviedo stood in front of a panel of judges and presented a speech on a topic that had just been given to her, with no time to prepare. She gave her speech in English, a language she had only started learning three years earlier. She went home with the first-place prize.

Emily Bryant and Ramon Moreno Jr. have a few things in common. They’re both about to graduate from Thousand Oaks High School. They both wowed the judges with their entries in the Ventura County Science Fair. And they both went on to win major awards in national and international science competitions.

Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools, is pleased to announce that Daniel Cook from Adolfo Camarillo High School (ACHS) in the Oxnard Union High School District is the 2024 Ventura County Teacher of the Year. Cook found out about the honor today when a group of local education officials made a surprise visit to the campus in Camarillo. Cook is a 16-year teaching veteran who currently serves as a Learning, Instruction, & Technology (LIT) Coach. Prior to that,...

 Teachers from throughout Ventura County are being honored with grants for developing innovative lessons for their students. At a ceremony last night in Camarillo, the Ventura County Office of Education presented IMPACT II grants worth $1,000 each to seven teachers. The winning entries cover a variety of subject matters, including history and science. Detailed lesson plans prepared by each of the grant winners are available here for use by other teachers in Ventura County and...

Chris Geist, who has dedicated her career to teaching students incarcerated at the Ventura County Juvenile Facility, has been named the 2024 Teacher of the Year for schools operated by the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE). Ms. Geist will now have the opportunity to compete for the Ventura County Teacher of the Year award, which is open to all teachers countywide. Ms. Geist found out she was being honored during a surprise announcement on Monday at the County Juvenile Facility. She ...

Budding Scientists Shine at Science Fair • Local Team Wins State Mock Trial • Middle School Mock Trial Picks Up Steam • Sandy Hook Survivor Shares Message of Hope in Ventura County • Westlake Wins Academic Decathlon • Equity Conference Has Record Attendance • Migrant Students Compete in Speech and Debate Tournament • Affordable Housing for School Employees