The Accolade

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER: Increase of students interested in Korean classes brings third Korean teacher – a first

Stacy Kim, Feature Editor • December 22, 2023

For more than two decades, Sunny Hills has assigned only two instructors to teach Korean classes. However, two weeks after the start of the 2023-2024 school year, school officials decided to hire a third...

RETURNING TO HIS ROOTS: SH Spanish department welcomes former basketball coach as new Spanish teacher

Angelina Jeong, Spotlight Specialty Magazine Editor • October 22, 2023

This is the eighth in a series of profiles on new, full-time instructors hired at Sunny Hills during or before the fall semester of the 2023-2024 school year. Expect more profiles to be posted soon. Students...

A STROKE OF ART: New teacher paints her path to Sunny Hills

Stacy Kim, Feature Editor • October 11, 2023

This is the second in a series of profiles on new, full-time instructors hired at Sunny Hills during or before the fall semester of the 2023-2024 school year. Expect more profiles to be posted soon. She...

Second time’s the charm for new Spanish teacher who applied for a position in the district in 2020

Justin Pak, Web Managing Editor • September 6, 2022

The second – instead of the third – time became the charm for new Spanish teacher Cindy Ruiz. Before joining the faculty this school year, Ruiz said she applied to teach Spanish for the Fullerton...

New agriculture teacher aims to continue with traditional events like ‘Kiss the Cow’ while helping students grow as leaders

Esther Oh, Staff Reporter • January 19, 2022

Shannon Deskin grew up in South Orange County with parents who owned such pets as cats, dogs, horses, snakes, lizards and geckos. “We always had animals,” Deskin said of her childhood Mission Viejo...

Once a promising pediatrician, art teacher draws on her artistic talents to help students

Minjeong Kim, Feature Editor • September 1, 2021

When she entered California State University, Fullerton, in 2014, Vashtty Lemus dedicated herself to becoming a pediatrician because she loved science and wanted to help a lot of people. The lifelong...