Ed Student of the Month
 
Emely Marquez was honored by the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise with the Alt Ed Student of the Month award for February 2023. The award is given to students who have demonstrated outstanding academic and personal achievement and who are nominated by their teachers.
 
La Cuesta teacher Norma Gallagher nominated Emely for this award for her hard work and determination. “Emely is a wonderful young lady. A few words to describe her are responsible, hard worker, motivated, caring and positive. She takes her schooling very seriously and goes above and beyond to stay on track. It's hard to have her in my study skills class because she is always caught up and has nothing to do in class.”
 
The presentation was attended by Sonia Amaral, Principal Alta Vista High School and La Cuesta High School, and Emely’s father, Filiberto Marquez. Ms. Amaral shared Emely is in dual enrollment at La Cuesta and Santa Barbara City College. She is studying Psychology and hopes to work as a therapist.
 
The Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise is very proud of Emely’s dedication to her studies and extends our best wishes as he continues his education. Congratulations, Emely! 
 
The Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise is committed to supporting youth organizations and youth-serving programs in Santa Barbara County. Beginning in 1999, the club sponsored the Student of the Month program at El Puente Community School until the school closed in 2013. The program resumed at La Cuesta Continuation High School for several years and is now includes the district's Alt Ed program. 
 
Santa Barbara Unified School District offers two alternative education programs, Alta Vista Alternative High School and La Cuesta Continuation High School. Both schools are Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accredited and the diplomas that students earn are the same as the three traditional high schools in the Santa Barbara Unified School District. Alta Vista Alternative High School offers independent studies options for 9-12th grade students that need a more flexible schedule and prefer a smaller school setting. La Cuesta Continuation High School is set up to support 10-12th grade students who need to recover credits in a smaller, more personalized setting.
 
 
Photo: Kathleen Rogers, Youth Services Chair; Sonia Amaral, Principal; Emely Marquez, Student of the Month; and Filiberto Marquez.