Written by: Carmel Student Council

On Thursday, April 24, 2025, Carmel Elementary School was buzzing—literally—during their recent spring choir performance of Bugz!. With bright costumes, catchy songs, and a heartfelt message about teamwork and transformation, the performance showcased the talents of 84 young singers—and the dedication of the teacher who leads them. The POD was transformed into a vibrant garden stage where butterflies fluttered, fireflies twinkled, and army ants marched proudly, all under the direction of a teacher whose passion for music is as infectious as the songs her students sang.

The Carmel Choir is led by a passionate educator, Christine Coppinger, who has directed school choirs at seven schools across three states. A vocal music major turned elementary teacher due to state budget cuts, she has always found ways to bring music into her classroom. “When I am directing a choir, I feel the very most like ME, like this is what I was made for!” she shared. Her inspiration? Her own elementary music teacher, who remained a lifelong mentor and friend.

Each school year, she carefully plans themes and searches for music. So what inspired the choice of this insect-themed musical? “I spend my summers thinking of themes for our shows and searching for music,” she explained. After discovering a company that creates engaging children’s musicals, the choir performed The Night Before Christmas in December and loved the catchy tunes and stylistic variety. When she found Bugz! on the same site, she knew she had found their spring show. While the original script featured solo speaking parts, she adapted it to include choral readings, giving more students a chance to participate and creating entire bug groups, like butterflies (including caterpillars who transformed mid-show), horseflies, fireflies, bumblebees, ladybugs and a delightfully mischievous “bug gang” featuring characters like a dragonfly, gypsy moth, stink bug, beetle, praying mantis, and maggot.

The students practiced diligently for three months, rehearsing once a week for an hour beginning in late January, with additional practices for soloists and dancers. Among the performers were fourth graders Sadie Sanders and Madison Lewis, both veterans of the choir with 1½ years of experience. Sadie played the role of the dragonfly, while Madison lit up the stage as a firefly.

“I liked that I was one of the main bugs of the show,” said Sadie. “We were the only ones in our roles, so there were no copies of us. I loved my one line: ‘That’s right, I’m a dragonfly. I may look rather odd, well I’ve just gone through metamorphosis, for I’m an arthropod.’”

Madison added, “The firefly dance was fun, especially when the lights turned off. I liked moving around and dancing.”

Their dedication ran deep. “We practiced for three months straight and woke up at 6:30 every Thursday to be at school by 7:30,” said Sadie. “It wasn’t always fun waking up early but once the performance is over, you see how happy everyone is and it makes it worth it. I love seeing everyone's reactions. The sweetest thing was when we started performing and we saw Ms. Coppinger start crying.”

For Madison, the joy of performing was also personal. “I taught my sister some of the songs, and when we performed for the school, I saw her singing along. It was cute! Now she wants to join the choir next year.”

The Carmel Choir is open to 3rd through 6th graders during the first semester, and in the spring semester, 2nd graders are invited to join. This semester’s group reached a record 84 students—each one playing a unique and critical part in the musical production of Bugz!.

Costuming such a large and diverse cast of bugs was no small feat. Thanks to a fine arts grant, most costumes were covered, and Ms. Coppinger personally pitched in to provide T-shirts and set decorations. “I bought the t-shirts myself and added some fun set pieces,” she said.

The result? A magical performance that left grown-ups—and the director herself—in tears. “Our goal is always to make the grownups cry,” she laughed. “But then I’m always the one who ends up crying in the middle of the show!”

With the buzz still lingering from this spring's show, there’s already excitement for what’s next. “I think we might do a sequel for Bugz! in December,” she hinted. “There’s a Bugz! Christmas version, and I think that would be pretty exciting.”

At Carmel Elementary School, choir is more than an extracurricular—it’s a place where students find their voice, teachers fulfill their calling, and audiences are left a little more joyful (and maybe a little teary-eyed) than when they arrived. One thing is clear: whether it’s summer, spring, or holiday season, the Carmel Elementary Choir isn’t just performing—they’re spreading joy, building confidence, and creating unforgettable memories for students and families alike.

Amazing April Elementary eSports tournament! Congrats to our winners, 4th place Krystal #2, 3rd Juniper #4, 2nd Maple #3 and the Grand Champions, winning gift cards from our sponsor Horace Mann Insurance, Krystal #1 with students Johnny Larios & Jeremiah Jackson!

-Taken from HUSD social media pages see links at the end of the newsletter to like and follow for more content like this.

A BIG congratulations to Camila Rascon, a 5th Grade student at Cottonwood Elementary, who was recognized last week by the Mojave Environmental Education Consortium (MEEC) with the Junior Environmental Visionary Award. We at HUSD are so proud of you, keep up the good work!

-Taken from HUSD social media pages see links at the end of the newsletter to like and follow for more content like this.

Topaz Elementary has been buzzing with excitement lately, and for good reason! Mrs. Tate's amazing kindergarten class embarked on a fascinating life cycle project that culminated in the arrival of some adorable new schoolmates.

It all started with nineteen eggs, carefully placed under a special warming light in an incubator. For weeks, the Tiger Students cared for and eagerly observed the eggs and wondered what would happen next.

Finally, the big day arrived! Thirteen of the eggs hatched, revealing fluffy, yellow baby chicks! The students couldn't get enough of their new friends!

This heartwarming project perfectly exemplifies the Hesperia Unified School District's commitment to engaging, real-world learning. And these Topaz students got the chance to welcome some charming new friends while they also mastered some important learning standards along the way. These Tigers think learning is Grrrrrreat!

The California Highway Patrol, Hesperia School Police, Oak Hills High School staff, and other emergency services entities teamed up on Thursday, April 3rd and Friday, April 4th, 2025, to deliver the impactful "Every 15 Minutes" event.  Every 15 Minutes is a hard-hitting, two-day experience designed to showcase the devastating consequences of impaired driving. This isn't your average school assembly; it's a raw and real look at how choices behind the wheel can shatter lives and impact our entire community. 

Did you know that the once-alarming statistic of someone dying every 15 minutes in the US due to an alcohol-related crash has tragically worsened? Now, the dangers of texting, distracted driving, and driving under the influence of marijuana or other illegal substances mean a life is lost approximately every seven minutes! That's why this program is more crucial than ever! Day one kicked off with a dramatic simulated traffic collision right on campus. Flashing lights, the wail of sirens, and the urgent response of police, fire, ambulance, the coroner, public works, and tow trucks all painted a vivid picture of the chaos that follows an impaired driving incident. Adding to the powerful atmosphere, students experienced the chilling "Every 15 Minute Bells," the eerie presence of a Grim Reaper, heartfelt (and heartbreaking) eulogies placed in classrooms, and a somber display of tombstones in the quad, each representing a student who played the role of a victim in the crash. But it didn't stop there. OHHS juniors and seniors who were "victims" in the crash embarked on an overnight field trip, gaining a sobering look at the San Bernardino County Morgue, connecting one-on-one with CHP officers, and hearing directly from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.) representatives.

The emotional journey continued on Friday, April 4th, with a moving mock funeral. Students honored their peers and a staff member who were "lost" in the previous day's simulation. A recap video brought the experience full circle, followed by incredibly impactful real-life stories shared by M.A.D.D., guest speakers, and even mock eulogies from the families of students who played the role of being involved in the staged crash. The message was crystal clear: every decision made when getting into any vehicle, car, scooter, or even an off-road bike carries immense weight. Choosing to buckle up, put the phone down, and stay sober isn't just a suggestion; it's a lifeline!

Oak Hills High School Senior, Madyson Nguyen, who played a simulated crash victim, shared, "Being a part of the Every 15 Minutes program was truly an eye-opening experience... This program taught me to be wary of my actions and decisions both on the road and in any event involving the lives of others... While this experience was heavy, I thought that it was extremely influential. The Every 15 program serves for a greater purpose which I hope will impact others in the same way that it touched me."

Mrs. Lourdes Checa Sanchez, a staff member who played the role of a simulated crash victim, reflected, "It made me realize just how impactful visual and emotional experiences can be in teaching lessons that words alone can’t convey. I hope that the memory of this day stays with them long after they leave Oak Hills High School and influences their choices to keep them safe. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be a part of something so meaningful and potentially life-saving!”

This powerful program is a testament to Oak Hills High School's and the Hesperia Unified School District's commitment to the safety and well-being of its students. Let's all take the lessons to heart and make responsible choices every time we get behind the wheel!

To view photos of the reenactment, provided by School House Photo, please visit: https://bit.ly/E15-Photos-OHHS-2025

To view photos of the reenactment, provided by Visions by Preston, please visit: https://bit.ly/E15-Pics-OHHS-2025

Note: No drinking and/or use of intoxicants occurred, and no one was injured. Events were all simulated and reenacted.

All media inquiries should be forwarded to Officer Wheeler at the San Bernardino County Office of the California Highway Patrol.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Special Shout-Outs to: CHP Officer Wheeler, CHP Office Caracsco, OHHS Vice Principal of Activities, Carrie Martinez, Krysta Holland, the Checa-Sanchez Family, the Nguyen Family, the Duffer Family, the Lopez Family, M.A.D.D. Coordinator - Armsale, Kelly Dowland - VVC Nursing & Skills Lab, Sandy Glick and Bulldog Graphix, G&M Towing, Brandon Krejckant, and Preston with “Visions by Preston.”

March 14th, 2025

MOJAVE HIGH SCHOOL, March 4 - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced that 74 schools throughout the state were recognized as Model Continuation High Schools (MCHS) for 2025. These schools provide comprehensive services to at-risk youth through exemplary instructional strategies, flexible scheduling, and guidance and counseling services. Continuation schools provide a high school diploma program for students who have not graduated from high school, are required to attend school, and are at risk of not completing their education.

We would like to congratulate Mojave High School on this prestigious achievement and for implementing innovative educational strategies to build their school culture of academic success

The District regularly provides a window into classrooms through our #SchoolSiteHighlight program. This highlight is at Eucalyptus in Ms. Erb's TK class for their closing circle activity. At the beginning and the end of each day the class comes together to share their thoughts and recap their learning. In HUSD, relationships and collaboration are every bit as important as the standards being taught. Way to go Koalas!

-Taken from HUSD social media pages see links at the end of the newsletter to like and follow for more content like this.

14 CTE Fire Science students from Hesperia High brought the heat at the Physical Agility Competition hosted at Fontana High! Competing against eight other teams — including Law Enforcement Explorer Posts and fellow Fire Tech programs — our students earned an impressive 3rd place overall, missing 1st by just four points! Proud of our future first responders for their grit, teamwork, and CTE pride!

-Taken from HUSD social media pages see links at the end of the newsletter to like and follow for more content like this.

This year, Hesperia Junior High finally put on its first drama performance of “Alice in Wonderland.” Many students and teachers worked together to create the amazing performances, however, not all of them were recognized as much as others were. Classes like Construction and Art collaborated with the Drama class to make the musical truly amazing. Staff and other students went out of their way to help create those wonderful performances, and it’s way overdue that they receive recognition for their hard work and effort.

First off, the musical would be nothing without the beautiful backgrounds made by HJH’s art teachers. The art teachers, Mr. Smith and Ms. Larsen, collaborated together to make the backdrops that were changed throughout the play. How cool is that? Not many people were aware of this, but these teachers were working hard to make the backgrounds absolutely perfect, even going so far as to touching up parts of the set on the first performance night! When asked about this, Mr. Smith explained, “Mr. Grimble brought up the play during a PLC meeting, and while it was last minute, we took on the challenge. I inspired the rabbit hole background off of show rooms you would see with deer heads hung up on the walls to make it more interesting.” The drama department will forever be grateful for these generous teachers taking their time to help form the performances into what they were.

Continuing on, of course the backdrops needed something to hang onto, right? This leads us to the construction teacher, Mr. Evelyn, and his class. They helped to create the boxes that the actors stood on and the structures that held up the backgrounds. By creating these structures, the construction class helped the drama department bring the musical to life. “It took me and my class around two weeks to make all of the structures and boxes,” said Mr. Evelyn.

Finally, most of the students involved in the musical were our actors, but what about the one who worked behind the scenes? Drama student Cheyenne Morton was chosen to be the stage manager for the production of “Alice in Wonderland.” Morton was the one working on the sound queues and the lighting throughout the show, but not many people were aware of this! “Getting to work behind the scenes on lighting and sound made me realise how important those parts of a musical are,” said Morton. This production truly would not have been possible without this student’s help.

Overall, this musical involved so much more than just the students who portrayed the roles on stage. There was help from all corners of Hesperia Junior High, and recognition for their efforts is long overdue. 

These people and every other person involved in making this production come to life will always be known for their hard work and dedication to these amazing performances. From the actors to the teachers and other students who participated in it, every person involved was a key element in the success of the musical. Next time you see a musical, remind yourself, so much goes into the art, but you may not see it all.