Benton Weekly Update

I hope you were able to see Matilda Jr. over the past two weeks, it was a fantastic show with a huge ensemble, and the talents of our Benton students were on full display. Many thanks to all the families and friends who came out to support the show. We had Board Members, District Administrators, retired Benton staff, current Benton staff, as well as groups of teachers from Eastwood, Gardenhill, Foster Road, and Escalona all come out to cheer on the students. A special thank you to Ms. Berry, Ms Churchill, Ms. Lin, Mr. Brown, and Ms. Nitschke for all your hard work putting together such a great show.

On Monday at Lunch, the Dance students will be performing in the quad. The Dance recital is coming up on Friday, April 11th.

On Tuesday and Wednesday this week, Band, Orchestra, and Choir students will be competing in music festivals, we wish them luck!

📸 Benton Photography Students Shine in the 2025 California Streaming Digital Photo Contest! 🎉

Each year, California Streaming hosts a prestigious Digital Photo Contest, inviting students from kindergarten through 12th grade to submit powerful visual stories. Contestants not only capture stunning images but also pair them with meaningful narratives that connect their work to the competition’s theme. With hundreds of entries submitted annually, only eight photographs are selected as Winners, while others receive Honorable Mentions—and many remain unselected.

Benton Middle School has built an incredible legacy of excellence in this competition, with a Photography student winning in six of the past eight years (2016–2024). But this year, history has been made!

We are thrilled to announce that in 2025, TWO Benton students have earned the Winner distinction!

Congratulations to Elise Amavisca and Eva Robins, our 2025 California Streaming Digital Photo Contest Winners!

In addition to these two outstanding photographers, eight additional Benton students have received Honorable Mention for their incredible work:
📸 Andrea Alfaro
📸 Audrey Cobian
📸 Sophia Figueroa
📸 Illya Luna
📸 Hana Kim
📸 Maya Kim
📸 Rylee Thurmond
📸 Kandice Wong

👏 We couldn’t be prouder of these talented students for their hard work, creativity, and artistic vision. Their success is a testament to their dedication and the strength of Benton’s Photography program.

🌟 Way to go, Benton photographers! Keep capturing the world through your lens! 📷✨

The SBAC Academy is after school on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays to provide support for students as they gear up for SBAC testing. Students are not required to attend all sessions, but to drop in and receive the support they need in Math, ELA, or both. At Benton, we firmly believe in providing every student with the tools and resources they need to excel academically. This program is not only an opportunity for your child to enhance their academic skills, but also a chance for them to approach the SBAC assessment with confidence and ease. The SBAC Academy will be from 3:05-4:00 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays through 4/11/25. Support in mathematics and reading and writing is provided each day. Students will be provided with snacks at each session.

Our Kaleidoscope VAPA Festival is coming up on Friday, May 16th. This annual festival showcases all the arts at Benton with multiple stages and venues for student performances and exhibits. There will be food trucks so tell your friends and neighbors, bring the family, and come celebrate the Arts created by Benton students. We encourage you to order your Kaleidoscope t-shirt below. Kaleidoscope - It's like Coachella, but at Benton!

Just a quick reminder of school rules: phones are to be kept OFF and in the backpacks while at school; gum is not allowed at school, nor are confetti eggs; there is a Dress Code (posted below in this newsletter). Your support is much appreciated!

We have just 8 weeks of school, let's make every day count, work hard, learn, and finish strong!

Make it a great week!

In the spirit of March Madness (NCAA Basketball Tournament), Ms. McMath's Advanced Media Arts students designed custom basketball courts for a variety of colleges and universities. Students researched a university of their choosing and were required to incorporate their research creatively throughout their design. Here are some courts designed for UC San Diego, Maine State, and Stanford University.

6th Graders:

All 6th Graders will need a Tdap vaccination to enter 7th Grade. Start scheduling those doctor's appointments now, and email twohlford@nlmusd.org your student's updated vaccination record.

7th Graders:

Payments due now for Science Camp on Catalina Island in May. Visit our Science Camp page for more details.

8th Graders:

• 8th Grade parent interested in volunteering? Click on this link for ways to help out with end-of-year activities.

Your support will help us offer a higher quality experience for all of our performing and visual arts students. Raising dollars for festivals, concerts, art exhibits and overall equipment both visual and performing is vital for our program. If you could please spread the word about our fundraiser by sharing it with your friends via Email, Facebook and Twitter we would greatly appreciate it!

Fundraiser Dates: 03/17/2025 - 04/14/2025

You can place an ad or well wishes for a student in the yearbook. Choose from a Full Page for $125, half page for $100, quarter page for $75, or eighth of a page for $50. Please provide finished artwork digitally to Ms. Pflanzer at vpflanzer@nlmusd.org and pay with cash or check payable to Benton ASB in the front office.

You can purchase your Benton Yearbook in the front office for $35. Yearbooks will be distributed during the last week of school. Don't miss out!

If you're planning to buy candy for Easter, you can shop at this link, have the candy mailed to your home and support Benton! Did someone say chocolate eggs?

Students will attend periods 1A– 4A on Wednesday. This Wednesday, like all Wednesdays, we have early dismissal at 1:45pm.

The next meeting of the School Site Council will be on Thursday, April 3rd at 3:30pm in the Benton Conference Room. The agenda is at this link.

Spring Break begins Friday, April 18th through Friday, April 25th. Thursday, April 17 is a minimum day with dismissal at 1:15pm. Students return to school on Monday, April 28th.

8th Grade Students and Families, we have a newsletter curated just for you! The 8th Grade newsletter contains information specific to you, 8th Grade Students and Families, to help you make the most of 8th Grade, and to plan for the end of the year. Click here to read the 8th Grade Newsletter.

Parents, please help us by checking your student's outfit before they leave for school. If students are out of dress code, the students may be asked to change into P.E. clothes or a loaner shirt or shorts.

As you can see below, we have A Days and B Days. Students have periods 1A-4A on A Days, every Monday and Thursday, and periods 5B-8B on B Days, every Tuesday and Friday. On Wednesdays, we alternate between A Days and B Days.

Benton Middle School is a Visual & Performing Arts Magnet school. Follow us on Instagram @Bentonwolverines.

Email: rridgeway@nlmusd.org
Website: benton.nlmusd.org
Location: 15709 E. Olive Branch Drive, La Mirada, CA 90638
Phone: (562) 210-2500
Facebook: facebook.com/bentonmiddleschool

Instagram: @BentonWolverines