UHEF & Uni News

30

Jan, 2018

Uni student featured on the “Today” show!

By: Rich-Perelman | Tags: | Comments: 0

[Posted January 30, 2018] A December segment of NBC’s “Today” featured both a Uni student and the new Collins & Katz YMCA. Guillermo Hercules, 17, a Uni student who has been plagued with homelessness in his young life, was profiled on “Today” by Sheinelle Jones last December 21 The segment not only addresses his challenges, but the sense of community he has found at the new YMCA on the Uni campus. A Warren Christopher Scholarship winner as a sophomore in 2016, Hercules struck up a friendly relationship with YMCA spokesperson […]

25

Jan, 2018

Uni in the aftermath of the 1933 Long Beach earthquake

By: Rich-Perelman | Tags: | Comments: 0

[Posted January 25, 2018] UHEF co-president Judy Wolfenstein received a note from 1939 graduate Mits Kayagowe, who actually attended Uni for five years – from the eighth grade in 1935 through 12th, in 1939 … the last class to graduate prior to the outbreak of World War II! Among the highlights were memories of how the campus changed after a major earthquake: “After the 1933 Long Beach earthquake, the main administration bldg. was unusable so the city had to import half-canvas, parklike cabins for classrooms. These were lined up on […]

15

Jan, 2018

Who are Collins & Katz in the Collins & Katz Family YMCA?

By: Rich-Perelman | Tags: | Comments: 0

[Posted January 15, 2018] With the opening of the Collins & Katz Family YMCA on December 9, the question has been asked: Who are Collins and Katz? We can tell you! The “Collins” is Jim Collins, who graduated from UCLA in 1950 and enjoyed a long career in the restaurant business as a franchisee for Kentucky Fried Chicken beginning in 1960 and as the owner (and expander) of the Sizzler Family Steak House chain from 1967. Now 91 and (mostly) retired, he and his wife Carol (pictured above) have been […]

10

Jan, 2018

Thanks to our October, November and December contributors!

By: Rich-Perelman | Tags: Donations | Comments: 0

[Posted January 10, 2018] The mission of the Uni Hi Education Foundation is to raise funds for the continued support of Uni’s academic, athletic and performing arts programs. Created in 1985 to counter the effects on Uni of budget cuts across the L.A. Unified School District, more than $1 million has been raised to assist faculty and students. Anyone can contribute: 103-year-old Hal Cunningham, who attended the school when it was known as Warren G. Harding High, joined the ranks of donors in 2014 and helped out again in 2015! […]

26

Dec, 2017

Uni’s yearbook: from “Chieftain” to “Paw Prints”

By: Rich-Perelman | Tags: Chieftain, Yearbook, Paw Prints | Comments: 1

[Posted December 25, 2017] In Uni’s first year, the yearbook was titled La Estrella – “The Star” – but was changed to Chieftain for 1926 in honor of the school’s Warrior mascot. Thanks to an edict from the Los Angeles Unified School District, Uni became the “Wildcats” for the 1998-99 school year and the yearbook was entitled “Enter the Wildcat.” Moreover, the yearbook staff decided that in keeping with the change of name, the reference “Chieftain” was no longer appropriate. For the 75th anniversary yearbook, published in the spring of […]

20

Dec, 2017

Keep ‘em coming: More than 300 books donated to the Uni library!

By: Rich-Perelman | Tags: Tascha Folsoi, Uni Library | Comments: 2

[Posted December 20, 2017] Through the marvelous generosity of Uni alumni, more than 300 new books have been provided to the Uni library … and you can join in! Some 312 books have now been received by the library, from 27 donors who have self-identified and many more who wish to remain anonymous. We now have donors from the 1940s, ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s: Michael Alcalay ‘80 Geraldine Armstrong ‘59 Connor Gilmore 2022 Jeff Deckman ‘76 Ivan Finkle ‘50 Barbara Wong Franklin ‘68 Sukey (Roth) Garcetti ‘57 Kelly Gilmore […]

15

Dec, 2017

Excitement for “Grease” building toward April 18 opening

By: Rich-Perelman | Tags: Grease, Uni Hi Theater | Comments: 0

[Posted December 15, 2017] There are shows and then there are shows! Uni’s production of Grease is being widely anticipated on campus, as one of the most popular musicals in production across the country. Although originally written in Chicago in 1971, with specific ethnic references to that city, it is best known from Paramount’s 1978 film that starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John as Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson in their senior years at fictional Rydell High School. Uni’s Director of Theatre Arts, Ronnie Sperling ‘76 has a special connection […]

11

Dec, 2017

Collins & Katz Family YMCA finally opens at Westgate & Ohio

By: Rich-Perelman | Tags: Collins & Katz Family YMCA | Comments: 0

[Posted December 11, 2017] The long-awaited Collins & Katz Family YMCA formally opened its doors on Saturday, December 9, completing the more than six years of planning and building on what used to be a seldom-used corner of University High School. The section of Uni at the corner of Westgate and Ohio Avenues was for years home to four classroom bungalows which were used mostly for storage. That all changed when the Metropolitan YMCA decided it needed to expand and modernize the Westside Y building at 1947 Sawtelle Avenue (at […]

1

Dec, 2017

Not like the old days: Uni’s attendance decline

By: Rich-Perelman | Tags: Uni attendance | Comments: 0

[Posted December 1, 2017] As noted in our November 15 issue, Uni is working toward a new status as a community charter high school (more details here) in significant part because of declining enrollment. The draft outline of the proposed Affiliated Charter program notes in part, “[D]espite its academic, community partnership, and facility revitalization achievements, University High has experienced decreasing enrollment: as an increasing number of community families elect to send their high-school age students to nearby affiliated charter and independent charter high schools.” In fact, the downturn has been […]

20

Nov, 2017

Thanks to the 14 Uni alumni now teaching there!

By: Rich-Perelman | Tags: Alumni Teachers | Comments: 0

[Posted November 20, 2017] Uni has a long history of alumni involvement, including a significant number of teachers and staff who have come back to school. Today, there are 14 alumni serving in staff positions: Steve Ackerman ‘89 Teacher/Social Studies, Leadership Advisor and Boys Basketball Coach (at Uni since 1994) Roberta Barnes ‘73 School Psychologist (at Uni since 1999) Daniel Bravo ‘91 Counselor Walter Burgos ‘91 Teacher/Special Education Leslie Coleman ‘89 Teacher/Spanish Sam (German) Estrada ‘85 Teacher/Special Education (at Uni since 1992) Brenda Fabbro ‘98 Teacher/Physical Education Dayle Fuqua-Caballero Teacher/Spanish […]