Students from South High and other campuses urged trustees to allocate Prop 28 arts funds to support large ensemble programs and reduce the financial burden on families.
Campbell Guzak, Sophie Kong, Ashley Park and other band students described how the marching band program — more than 120 students strong — relies heavily on parent fundraising and fair‑share donations, sometimes approaching $1,000 per student per season. "By allocating the funds from Prop 28 to invest in existing programs you'll be able to relieve the financial burden off of families," one student said.
On business items, trustees approved district support for students to attend the 2024 Invention Convention U.S. Nationals in Dearborn, Michigan. Staff said 32 inventions and 46 students advanced to nationals; travel costs are being offset by grants and donors and the board encouraged community support for remaining expenses.
The board also accepted a K12 Strong Workforce grant to expand career‑technical and workforce partnership opportunities, and trustees highlighted potential CTE apprenticeship and pathway development with local partners.
Students' pleas for equitable arts funding and the district’s approvals for student travel and CTE funding indicate parallel priorities for extracurricular opportunities and workforce preparation.