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The Accolade
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The Student News Site of Sunny Hills High School

The Accolade
Blue Ribbon Academy (Footer)
The Student News Site of Sunny Hills High School

The Accolade
A mix of Link Crew leaders and the Class of 2028 freshmen line up facing each other, touching their fists to identify their partners on Wednesday, July 31, during Link Crew’s annual freshman orientation in the gym. The group, which works throughout the school year to ease ninth-graders’ adjustment to the high school climate, conducts this activity in the beginning segment of its orientation to get students active and comfortable meeting each other.

Photo Gallery: Link Crew Freshman Orientation Wednesday, July 31

Seowon Han, Web Editor-in-Chief • August 9, 2024

Accolade staff writers junior Kayden Kim (left) and sophomore Kevin Lee work on creating magazine layouts for The Accolade’s upcoming May senior issue during fourth period Tuesday, April 17, in Room 138. With the creation of an honors Advanced Journalism course starting next school year, Kim, Lee and their peers on staff can be eligible to earn honors credit for taking this elective if they become an editor.

Starting in the 2024-2025 school year, Advanced Journalism students eligible to earn honors credit

Aiden Park, Opinion Editor • April 25, 2024

For the first time in Sunny Hills history, students enrolled in Advanced Journalism are eligible to earn honors credit starting in the 2024-2025 school year. “It was a long and arduous process to...

The principal's digital newsletter promotes three new tutoring programs introduced this year. The Algebra Center, however, on the top right hand corner is an after school tutoring program that has been on campus for awhile..

Faculty, Link Crew introduce new after school tutoring options for such subjects as English, Spanish

Emily Lee and Irene Park • March 27, 2024

For the first time in school history, the World Language Department has created an after-school tutoring program for students struggling in Spanish classes. “During one of our Professional Learning...

To celebrate the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Crown finalist nomination, The Accolade adviser Tommy Li presents a plastic container of Ferrero Rocher chocolates as a treat for staff members during the fourth period Advanced Journalism class on Wednesday, Dec. 20. Li wanted those on staff to know that regardless of any national award The Accolade will receive on Friday, March 15, he sees them as Gold Crown winners.

The Accolade, Helios earn Crown finalist nominations for second straight year from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association

Susie Kim, Web Editor-in-Chief • February 9, 2024

While the Columbia Scholastic Press Association [CSPA] marks its 100th spring convention anniversary in New York next month, The Accolade staff hopes the award ceremony held there will lead to its first...

Dance Production members perform to will.i.am's "Bang Bang" during the Friday, Sept. 29, homecoming assembly in the gym. Starting this school year, the team practices during zero period instead of sixth period after dance teacher Leiana Volen assumed the role of Conservatory of Fine Arts co-director.

2023-2024 school year brings more zero period options

Justin Pak, Web Managing Editor • October 25, 2023

School officials added six more zero period classes this school year compared to the previous one with some of the increase coming from three more academic classes, two sports teams and Dance Production...

The Sunny Hills Helios yearbook program has earned its fourth Pacemaker finalist nomination by the National Scholastic Press Association [NSPA]. The latest recognition – posted on the NSPA website Dec. 16 during final exam week last semester – is based on the 2020-2021 annual titled, “Don’t Stop Now. You Haven’t Tried This.” The staff will find out whether it’s a Pacemaker winner during the NSPA’s convention April 7-9 in Los Angeles.

For the second time in three years, Helios named Pacemaker finalist for 2020-2021 yearbook

Susie Kim, Web Editor-in-Chief • February 4, 2022

This story was updated with new information on Feb. 7 at 3:20 p.m. Of the 29 Helios staff members during the 2020-2021 hybrid/distance learning school year, only three students attended school in person....

Link Crew leaders senior Alyssa Galvez (left) and junior Ellie Kim (right) hand out hot dogs to sophomores Andy Aguirre (left) and Maximiliano Soto (right) at the Sophomore Welcome BBQ held Wednesday, Aug. 11, in the quad.

Sophomores get fed hot dogs and tour the campus with Link Crew leaders since they only had an online orientation last year

Kate Yang, Editor-in-Chief • August 16, 2021

Since Link Crew was first organized on campus five years ago, its aim has been to train juniors and seniors to become mentors, role models and leaders who guide freshmen along their transition to high...

Though the 2020-2021 yearbook will not be distributed until late June or early July, Helios released an image of its front cover with the theme “Don’t Stop Now. You Haven’t Tried This.” on its Instagram account (@shhshelios) April 30.

Helios makes modifications to 2020-2021 yearbook after transition to online instruction

Minjeong Kim, Feature Editor • May 21, 2021

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which provided an unreliable event timeline, Helios staffers had to make a series of adjustments to how they produce content, causing it to be delayed for distribution...

A group of Accolade editors and journalism adviser Tommy Li (right) celebrate Tuesday, March 9, after school outside the 130s wing their recent accomplishments, winning Best of Show plaques for newspaper and online from the Saturday, Feb. 20, Orange County Journalism Education Association writeoffs contest as well as earning the program's second Silver Crown plaque last spring from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. Because of coronavirus-related campus restrictions, Li and his editors wore masks and remained six feet apart.

The Accolade’s online website wins Best of Show for first time in Orange County writeoffs contest; newspaper also earns Best of Show plaque for fifth straight year

Nevya Patel, News Editor • March 11, 2021

For the first time since The Accolade revived its news website in the 2018-2019 school year, the program swept the Orange County Journalism Education Association [OCJEA] Best of Show categories for Newspaper...

For the second time in as many years, the Helios staff earned Crown finalist honors but must wait until March to find out whether or not it will repeat as a Gold Crown winner.

Yearbook named Crown finalist for second straight year

Kate Yang, Editor-in-Chief • December 9, 2020

For a second consecutive year, a national journalism organization named the Helios yearbook a Crown finalist -- the only program to receive the award in Orange County, and one of three programs in Southern...

Helios editor-in-chief senior Anika Madan (first row, second video window from left) captures a historic moment -- the first virtual yearbook camp sponsored by Herff Jones on July 25, the camp's first day. Traditionally held at California State University, Long Beach, the July 25-29 Yearbooks by the Beach offers publications students sessions ranging from staff bonding to theme brainstorming. A total of 23 of the 33 Helios yearbook staffers attended the event to prepare for the 2020-2021 annual's production, which now will take place during fifth instead of sixth period.

Yearbook class changes from sixth to fifth period to accommodate schedule conflicts

Alice Shin, Managing Editor • September 3, 2020

After three years of the award-winning Helios yearbook class being held during period six, it has switched back to fifth period this school year, joining other electives like the Associated Student Body...

All wearing face masks as part of state COVID-19-related guidelines, social science teacher and co-ASB adviser David Fenstermaker (left), dance instructor Leiana Volen and yearbook adviser Lindsay Safe greet seniors as their cars come by the Sunny Hills parking lot as part of the May 8 drive-through event to pick up cap and gowns and Class of 2020 graduation yard signs. Fenstermaker handed out the yard signs. Video screen shot taken by Accolade photo editor Megan Shin.

With live-graduation ceremony postponed until August, Class of 2020 will have YouTube virtual one instead May 28

Rida Zar, Opinion Editor • May 24, 2020

In hopes of providing the Class of 2020 with a proper send off, school officials will host a virtual graduation ceremony for seniors and their family on YouTube May 28. “As with everything we do,...

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