Buena Vista High School

Standing (L-R) Jean Law, Marlon Ruiz, Fredy Martinez and Jose Mendez. Sitting (L-R) Ariel Waggener, Rosalinda Morales, Shakia Russell and Lisa Ferrer.

Principal Jean Law has been at Buena Vista for six years.  She has led this alternative education facility of 240 students who have experienced problems and need to catch up on credits to graduate.  They were awarded a "School of Excellence" and named a tier 1 education facility by the U.S. Army to allow graduates to enter the armed forces.

Lisa Ferrer has been a teacher for 25 years and has found Buena Vista to be her home away from home.  Lisa loves her students and teaches them to cope with obstacles, love learning, independent study and creates a sense of family.  She opens doors that many thought were closed to them.

Jose Mendez has been a counselor at Buena Vista since its' beginning.  He makes it a point to get to know the students, develop their self esteem and helps them with their personal issues.  Graduation checks make sure the students are on track.

The students were three Rotary Scholarship award winners and two Juniors that attended RYLA.  January graduate Shakia Russell had a hard time when attending Paramount High School, but Buena Vista with smaller class size convinced her she needed school and is currently on a path to become an RN.  June graduates, Marlon Ruiz attributes caring teachers to his turn-around and he will attend Cerritos College with a goal to become an Optometrist.  Fredy Martinez was nervous to go to Buena Vista, but was surprised to find it was not bad at all.  He fell behind when he returned to El Salvador to tend to his ill grandmother.  The caring teachers and family have motivated him to pursue a career in medicine.

RYLA attendees, Ariel Waggener knows she had a bad attitude but Buena Vista has turned her around.  She feels they really care about her and that she was lost and is now found.  Rosalinda Morales got with the wrong crowd and failed all of her classes.  She has now discovered that she is smart and is a teachers pet.  She plans to become a psychologist.