The small learning community Business, Engineering, Science, and Technology (BEST) held a kickoff at lunch in the auditorium on Nov. 10 to discuss the new SLC and its goals for the year.

BEST faculty wish to prepare the students for future careers in the fields of business, engineering, science, and technology. BEST plans to offer different alternatives in their science classes like engineering and a robotics class. 

The staff in BEST plans to have a monthly speaker who will talk to the students about careers so that the students will have an idea about the variety of jobs available in that field. The students will also have the option to choose the speakers.

Field trips will include a trip to Cal State University Northridge for juniors, a trip to Finance Park on Dec. 10 for sophomores to develop their skills of finance and budgeting through a program sponsored by Junior Achievement and a selective student field trip at Pomona Speedway on Dec. 12 to take a look at behind-the-scenes technology and engineering feats of race car design and driving. 

On Dec. 1, the students will have the option of attending an assembly on greenhouse gases presented by the Alliance for Climate Education. 

The Nov. 10 assembly also included a raffle for the students on the spot. The first prize winner, Cynthia Martinez, won a bicycle, and the second prize went to Amy DeLuis  who won a bag of goodies that include a mug, hat, t-shirt, flashlight, key chain, four VIP passes to the Wheel of Fortune show, and a card with signatures of celebrities Pat Sajak and Vanna White.  

On Nov. 16 BEST faculty Mauricio Arambula, with the help of Courtney Lockwood, organized public speakers for the students in the BEST SLC during third, fourth, and fifth period. The speakers, Arturo Salazar and Myrna Dominguez, transportation engineers from Caltrans with over 10 years of experience, came to talk to the students about their careers and the many different aspects of the engineering industry. 

The speakers presented several videos about the topic. The videos included a short one about why a student should become an engineer, a short video from youtube from first-hand experiences of women as engineers, and a virtual tour of their current project, the Sepulveda Pass Project. 

In the end the kids enjoyed the speakers and asked several questions concerning the Sepulveda project. The SLC plans to have a guest speaker for the kids every month, said Ms. Lockwood. The following month Ms. Beverly Broger will bring a speaker from Chase bank.