63 Poway Unified School District seniors have been selected as semifinalists in the 63rd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. About 1.6 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2016 PSAT, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. See the complete list of names in this article.

14 PUSD students have been selected for the Southern California Vocal Association's All-Southern Honor Choirs. Women's Honor Choir: Lauren Springett, Jadyn Ponder, Collette Cribbins, Laine Carter, Cassandra Lidstad, Jessica Trost; Men's Honor Choir: John Lettang, Luke Sommer, Evan Bartholomeusz, Alexander Pruetting, Aaron Hayne; Mixed Honor Choir: Nandini Rajgopal, Nidhi Deshiikan, Esheta Garb.

Tierra Bonita Elementary School has been recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for 2017-2019 for its successful and innovative implementation of Apple technology to transform students’ learning. Apple Distinguished Schools are centers of innovation, leadership, and educational excellence. They use Apple products to inspire creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking, with documented results of academic accomplishment. Watch this video to see how Tierra Bonita is leveraging iPads for learning and teaching.

Poway High School's Robotics Team Spyder 1622 hosted the FIRST Lego League Poway High Qualifying Tournament, with 15 local teams competing. The following PUSD teams are advancing to the Championship at Legoland December 2-3!
-Championship winner: 5680 Falconers
-Championship winner: 422 R.O.B.O.T.
-Project winner: 31330 Technological Terrors
-Robot Design winner: 20726 Robo Stars
-Core Value winner: 2606 Mechanical Munsters
-Robot Performance Award: 20726 Robo Stars

Congratulations to the CyberAegis teams from Del Norte High School, Oak Valley Middle School, and Design39Campus! They competed in the "Cyber Day L.A." cyber security competition, entering the most advanced categories against some of the top competitors in the country. PUSD students won 1st place in the Nationals division, 1st and 2nd in the High Schools advanced division, and swept 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in the Middle Schools advanced division.

Creekside Elementary 2nd Grade Teacher Diana Thomas was selected as NBC7/San Diego County Office of Education's Inspirational Teacher of the Month. She received a surprise visit on November 15th. She was chosen for her passion for teaching, inspiring students to love reading, and providing extraordinary communication with parents and encouraging parent involvement. Her episode will air in December.

Tweet from @DavidLLemaster: "Your Division 4 Southern Regional State Champions! Congratulations ladies."

Tweet from @Principal_Magno: "It is a 3-peat for MC Band and Colorguard! Another championship performance in Band Championship at Arcadia! Great work Sundevils! @MtCarmelRedSea @PowayUnified @SCSBOA"

Tweet from @calistalouise54: "Your 2017 CIF Champs!! So proud of this team! Regionals here we come! #backtoback #gobroncos – at Admiral Baker Golf Course"

Administrative Assistant II, Alternative Programs

Lead Custodian, Midland Elementary School

School Administrative Assistant-Elementary, Painted Rock Elementary School

Extended Student Services Supervisor, Sunset Hills Elementary

Extended Student Services Supervisor, Stone Ranch Elementary

Office Specialist, Preschool Department

Phillip Medved, Vehicle Maintenance Supervisor; Kristopher Contino, Assistant Mechanic.

Kimberly Carroll, High School Registrar, Westview High School; Teresa Small, Attendance Accounting Assistant III, Ranch Bernardo High School; Nancy Schiffer, School Administrative Assistant - High School, Poway; Nancy Brundrett, Instructional Assistant II Special Education Highland Ranch Elementary School; Bonnie Loparo, Instructional Assistant II Special Education, Westwood Elementary School; Robby Boyd, Health Services Technician, Stone Ranch Elementary School; Heather Barnard, Health Services Technician, Del Sur Elementary School; Monique Cordeau, School Administrative Assistant - Middle School, Black Mountain Middle School; Shelley Fleming, Library Media Technician, Park Village Elementary School; Janet Crews, Department Operations Technician, Maintenance and Operations; Cris Rollins, School Administrative Assistant - Elementary, Valley Elementary School

Hilary Cuevas-Balanon, TOSA, Learning Support Services; Stephanie Martin, TOSA, Learning Support Services; Kristin Thomas, TOSA, Learning Support Services; Vickie Carroll, TOSA, Learning Support Services

Instagram post from @mcsundevils: "It's a full dance floor at tonight's Marvelous Homecoming. #whereyouatmc"

Tweet from @KeithOpstad: "Westview High School pep rally Speed Painting. 45 minutes, 4 teams, 2304 square inches of canvas and 2,550 students."

Post from Rancho Bernardo football: "Looking forward to a great game tomorrow in the 26th Rotary Cup, which happens to be our Homecoming game! Should be a fun night!"

Tweet from @MisterDelaCruz: "Kicking off #RedRibbonWeek @ DeerCanyonElem! 4th grade students discovering their strengths!@PUSDinnovate @PowayUnified @thrively"

Tweet from @SidiaLeadership: "#STOMP helping us celebrate red ribbon week! #drugfree #anti-bullying"

Tweet from @PomeradoPUSD: "Wildcats showing off their rainbow of Good Character! Red Ribbon Week Rocks! #CharacterCounts

@PowayUnified #PomeradoWildcats"

Tweet from @JeHalsey: "Our amazing CVES moms painting our Character Counts Poles! So thankful for our parent community! #CVESRocks"

Tweet from @KatieMorganEDU: "@rbhsbroncos ambassadors visited #HRES to kick off #RedRibbonWeek2017 ! They loved Billy the Bronco!"

Pajama Day for Turtleback Elementary at Friday Flag to cap off a week of dress-up days to show school spirit and character.

Tweet from @PowayUnified: "Thank you Rancho Bernardo @Rotary Club for fruit tree donations to @AbraxasHigh organic garden, which has so far donated 2,500 pounds of produce to needy families." You can read more about it in the article here.

Tweet from @IAmDarshPatel: "Successful disaster drill at @PowayUnified Park Village ES. #teampusd"

Tweet from @PowayCTE: "@OVMS_Falcons in Ms. Garver's Gateway to Technology classes got to tour the Qualcomm Institute (CalIT2), and see how STEM professionals are working with University researchers to integrate science, culture and technology to improve the world! @PowayUnified #CTEinCA"

Tweet from @TwinPeaksRams: "Ms. Rubacky’s students hear from WWII veteran TL Shelton about his service. He made them promise to get all the education they can get. And, yes, that is a PurpleHeart!"

Tweet from @SanDiegoCOE : "Beautiful morning at @SanDiegoCounty Board of Supervisors to celebrate 2018 Teachers of the Year! Thanks @dianne_jacob @KristinDGaspar@RonRobertsSD @SupervisorCox for giving #teachers their day! #SDTOYs @PowayUnified"

Tweet from @Principal_Magno: "MC’s annual Veterans Day Flag raising. Thank you to our local VFW Post, our veterans, NJROTC, the choir, staff and all of our guests! #sundevilway @VFWHQ @MtCarmelRedSea @PowayUnified"

TK-8 students planned a rummage sale which included costumes, sports equipment, books, toys, lemonade and baked goods, a slime-making station, succulent garden, and hand-made masks. On October 6th from 2-5pm the campus hosted the #RebuildPortA Fundraiser to benefit Port Aransas hurricane victims.

For two days, guest speaker Keith Hawkins led Unity Days at Westview High School. Members of the sophomore class spent the time having real conversations and learning about respect and doing what is right.

Tweet from Anne Smith @AnneMFS: "5th grade students adding conductive material to their @makeymakey mazes. Next step writing a program in @scratch @sunsethillsneu @PowayUnified"

Tweet from @GardenRoadES: "Celebrating love of reading and learningAll You Can Read Diner #GardenRoadEagles"

Tweet from @Dinhgineers: "Student Council announced we've collected 641 pairs of socks for #SOCKTOBER so far @WestwoodPUSD @PowayUnified"

Tweet from @BobcatsBHMS: "Great night of music with Mr. Holmes and the BHMS bands! @BHMSASBnews @PowayUnified"

In honor of Veteran's Day, Rolling Hills Elementary had a special celebration for the military members in our community. There were songs, poems, and readings, and students brought their military guests to the front and introduced them to the crowd.

Tweet from @PowayUnified: "Great job to @PowayCTE and Adult Ed, collecting professional clothing for @DressCodeCA for women going from military to civilian workforce!"

Tweet from @ValleyElemPUSD: "Valley Tigers enjoying the Boogie Bash."

Tweet from @PicTrumpet: "Mesa Verde kids as part of the Sousa foundation honor band. #PowayUnified"

Tweet from @MBMS_Mustangs: "Our Mustang Leaders are working hard at building teamwork."

Tweet from @XplorationModel: "@mattsterling01 @PowayUnified @scratch

First graders at Monterey Ridge learning to code on X-Ploration Day!!!"

Tweet from @PhotoNess: "Photo 3/4 and AP environmental science collaborating at the Safari Park this week! Stay tuned for the final results! #iteachphoto @rbhsbroncos @PowayCTE @PowayUnified"

Tweet from @VanNormanJosh: "Grateful for amazing students & staff @DelSurExplorers ! @SharelleVenable class celebrating Thanksgiving :) @PowayUnified"

Tweet from @AggieMary03: "Students in Poway High’s Floral Design classes got to take their finals home for the holidays today! @PowayCTE @PowayHighTitans @PowayUnified"

Tweet from @DNHSNighthawks: "Nighthawks at Petco Park sign their National Letters of Intent today. #soaring #NighthawkStrong"

Tweet from @Thankabit_Lab: "Amazing class from @PowayUnified left us some tear-jerking reflections. #ThingsThatMakeYouGoAwww"

Tweet from @BuhrCHES: "Our little preschool Hawks at the jog-a-thon. #CHESHawks @PowayUnified"

Thank you @MissionFed and @1057MAXFM for “Maxing our” Nicol Marshall’s classroom at Morning Creek Elementary! #PowayUnified #TeamPUSD

Tweet from @ABESAztecs: "FLEP Foreign Language For Elementary Parents in Mandarin taking place #ABES #PowayUnified"

Tweet from @MKimPhelps: "It takes empathy, courage, learning, trust, respect, and listening to create campuses where there’s #noplaceforhateSD #PowayUnified"

Facebook post from @StoneRanchFoundation: "Future business leaders are at their Biz Town interviews today. Thanks to all of our volunteers that help make this 5th grade experience a success. We can’t wait to see where the world takes these kids!!!"

Facebook post from @WillowGroveElementary: "Willow Grove’s 1st Family Fun Day is today from 3-6 PM! Come join the fun!!!"

Tweet from @XplorationModel: "Los Penasquitos Elementary kids work together to make predictions at Xploration!! @XPlorationModel @PowayUnified"