Kennedy Sunday School Newsletter

Message from the Principal
Dear Kennedy High School Families and Community,
What an exhilarating week it has been to be a member of the Fighting Irish family! Our campus is buzzing with pride as we reflect on the incredible grit, talent, and heart our student-athletes displayed over the last few days. While we often say it isn’t just about the scoreboard, I have to admit—it is truly wonderful to see our students' hard work and dedication translate into such well-deserved victories.
The athletic excitement peaked on Wednesday, February 18th, as both our Girls Soccer and Girls Basketball teams competed in their high-stakes CIF quarter-final matches. Our incredible Girls Soccer team saw their CIF run come to a heart-wrenching end in extra time. While the season concluded there, we are immensely proud of these young women. They have had an outstanding season, and we admire how they consistently show up as leaders on the field, on campus, and in their classrooms. Meanwhile, our Girls Basketball team delivered a powerhouse performance, soundly defeating Cajon High School. Your Fighting Irish started strong, maintained a commanding lead, and put up an incredible number of points to secure the win. Following that momentum, the team faced Burroughs High School at home on Saturday night for their D7 Semi-Final matchup. It was an incredible game, with Kennedy winning 49-32. They are headed to the CIF Finals this week!!! Stayed tuned for more information and come out to cheer on our Lady Irish!!!
The spirit of competition extended to Anaheim this past Friday, where our Competition Cheer Team competed at Nationals. They showed up and hit an incredible routine in a very competitive field of teams. Unfortunately, they fell just short of advancing to the next round. Whether they were on the court, the field, or the blue mat, our athletes represented Kennedy with class and determination.
We also had a very productive week off the field. On Tuesday, February 16th, we hosted a powerful "Coffee with the Principal" event centered on healthy relationships for our teens. The parents who attended appreciated the information and the opportunity to discuss these vital topics. If you were unable to join us, I encourage you to watch the recorded version of the session on our YouTube channel.
Looking ahead to this week, our students will engage in a special Black History Month lesson during Advisement on Thursday. This year is particularly significant as we celebrate 100 years of honoring the legacy and contributions of the Black community. Since August of 2020, the AUHSD Social Justice Collective (formerly the Black Lives Matter Taskforce) has been working diligently to address issues related to racial justice in our district. To ensure these concepts remain at the forefront of our students’ education, the Social Justice Collective has created specialized lessons to support our ongoing efforts toward equity and understanding.
I want to invite you to participate in the LCAP Educational Partner Engagement Meeting on Thursday, February 26th, at the AUHSD District Office. This is a highly valuable opportunity for our community to engage with the district, as we will be diving into the goal centered specifically on Parent and Family Engagement. It is important to hear your voice so we can identify our "glows and grows." As the saying goes, when we know better, we can do better. If you would like to attend, please reach out to our FACES, Mr. David Hernandez, and he can support you with the next steps.
Come out and wear your green and gold to support our teams this week!
Tuesday, Feb 24: Varsity Baseball vs. Crossroads @ 3:15 PM (HOME)
Tuesday, Feb 24: Varsity Softball vs. Hillcrest HS @ 3:30 PM (HOME)
Wednesday, Feb 25: Varsity Baseball vs. Century HS @ 3:15 PM (HOME)
Thank you for your continued support of our students and our school.
Go Irish!
Warmly,
Poppy Hill-Bonales
Proud Principal, Kennedy High School
Home of the Fighting Irish
AIME Mentoring Experience
The AIME Summer Internship is now open for Juniors to apply. This is a great opportunity to get hands-on experience over the summer in a professional setting. Apply now until March 13th to be considered for this awesome opportunity. Please refer to the Student Application slideshow attachment for all the details.
Soapbox Speech Competition
Have a topic/idea that you are passionate about? Do you enjoy public speaking? We need Kennedy students to participate in the annual Soapbox Speech Competition. We want to hear YOUR voice!
College Financial Aid Seminar for Parents
Parents! Unsure of how to navigate the expenses of attending college? This seminar will teach you and help navigate the FAFSA process as well as learning some financial tips to set you up for success. The deadline for FAFSA closes on March 3rd, 2026.
Stop by Room 901 on Friday, February 27th at 4:00 pm to learn more!
Girls Engineering Day
Interested in engineering? Our 11th annual Girls Engineering Day event is around the corner on Saturday, March 7th @ Dale JHS! The purpose of this event is to introduce engineering and engineering related careers in transportation, to young scholars. This is an exciting time for women in engineering related careers. We would like to bring the excitement about these career opportunities to students.
Registration is open now through next week. Parent/guardian signatures are required as it is a Saturday event. Please print attached pdf and fill out if interested.
TEDx Kennedy
We’re excited to announce auditions for the first annual TEDx Kennedy event, and we’re looking for a dynamic student host/MC. If you’re positive and love engaging with an audience, this is your chance to shine and be part of something unforgettable with TEDx. All grade levels are welcome to audition. Sign up for auditions by clicking on the flyer or visiting Mrs. Helton in Room 110.
Messages from your Counselors
This is where you can find special announcements and events from our counselors!
This includes scholarship support, classes, webinars, and so much more! Please click on the flyers and attachments below and take advantage of this resource!
This month, College Bound is offering lots of resources for students. Take a look at their offerings below!
Scholarships
PTSA Announcements
Please consider joining the PTSA this year to help foster the connection between the school and the community. Even if you are busy, you can still participate! Take a look at our birthday announcements available to purchase. Nominations for the 2025-2026 HSA awards are now available. Consider nominating someone you find makes a big difference in our community!
Take a look and click on the flyers for more information
School Policies
Please take a moment to go over our school rules and regulations such as our tardy policy, parking permit requirements, and dress code. Thank you!
Contact Us
Main Office:
714-220-4101
Attendance Office:
714-220-4131 (A-L)
714-220-4132 (M-Z)
Counseling Office:
714-220-3006
FACES:
714-220-4104
Health Office:
714-220-4115
Records Office:
714-220-4121
Registration Office:
714-220-4126
Please subscribe to Kennedy’s YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/khighyoutube