INDUSTRY >> Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis joined business and community leaders Wednesday in the Principal for the Day program in the Bassett, Rowland and Hacienda La Puente school districts, as well as the La Puente Valley ROP.
“My home is actually about 10 minutes from here, where my mother still lives,” Solis said. “I’m a proud (La Puente High) Warrior,”
Growing up, Solis never expected to have the opportunities she has had.
“All I can tell you is that at a tender age I was once told not to dream, not to dream too big, to go along, get along,” Solis said. “Maybe just be a secretary … but I never thought I would receive a call from the White House to become the Secretary of Labor.”
• PHOTOS: Hilda Solis joins Principal for the Day program
She credited local schools with giving her a good start.
“There were people in the school system that helped to direct me, to motivate me but also to give me the inspiration to go on,” Solis said.
After graduating from Cal Poly Pomona, Solis earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from USC. Solis worked for President Jimmy Carter in the White House Office of Hispanic Affairs. Later, she became a management analyst in the Civil Rights Division.
“I know there are students we are honoring here,” Solis said. “Follow your dreams, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t be or do what you want to do, because I know you can.”
Scholarships were given to 10 high school students, three adult education and one ROP student. Solis called adult education and Regional Occupational Programs very important to the economy.
“It’s about the economic development, about education and continuing to open up a career path for all of us,” Solis said.
Local businessmen were impressed by their day in our local schools.
“It’s not at all like the rote and memorization that we did while going to school,” said Seth Lewis, a quality process engineer for Ecolab. “Students at Yorbita Elementary are very engaged in their learning, they’re very inquisitive.”
Principal Sylvia Cadena said the engineer even helped the Rowland Unified third graders with their fractions.
“Wow, they have some fabulous programs at Willow Adult School campus,” said Cliff Chewning, western market manager for Whirlpool Corp. “They have a wide diversity of programs. I liked the new culinary arts center.”
Chewning was already familiar with the appliance repair program at the Hacienda La Puente Unified campus. Whirlpool provides appliances for the students to learn on.
History professor Bruce Solheim was principal at Edgewood Academy in Bassett Unified.
“I was impressed, there’s so much going on in the school,” the Citrus professor said. “I don’t know how they do everything with such a small staff.”
Principal Monica Portugal thanked Solheim for encouraging her students to go to college.
