Kennedy Sunday School Newsletter

Dear Kennedy High School Families and Community,

It has been an exhilarating week to be a member of the Fighting Irish family. From hosting educators from across the state on our own campus to traveling across Southern California to cheer on our athletes in the state playoffs, the energy surrounding our students is a testament to their dedication and heart. Here is a look back at an incredible week at Kennedy.

Monday was a day defined by leadership and eloquence. We welcomed approximately 100 educators from across the state to Kennedy and Walker to learn about our KITE AI exclusive pathway and our integration of Computer Science. Our student ambassadors and panelists were the stars of the show. It was a true "proud principal moment" to watch them showcase the brilliance of our school and our unique curriculum to our visitors.

The momentum continued with the Kennedy Soapbox Speech competition. Listening to ten of our students speak with such passion and conviction was moving, making the judges' decision incredibly difficult. After much deliberation, the panel selected 10th grader Allison Han to represent Kennedy High School at the AUHSD Soapbox Speech competition on Tuesday, March 17th. I also want to highlight 9th grader Felicity Rodriguez, who earned a second-place runner-up spot for her outstanding performance.

Fresh off their CIF Championship win, our Girls’ Basketball team traveled to Palisades High School for Round 1 of the California State Playoffs. We started strong, leading 34-23 at the half. Palisades rallied in the third quarter to pull ahead 40-50, but our Irish never backed down. While the final buzzer saw a heartbreaking 59-61 loss, our girls fought until the last second. We are so proud of this team; they have been a joy to watch all season!

Also on Tuesday, our students who volunteered for the Kennedy Gives Back Servathon were recognized at the La Palma City Council meeting. We are fortunate to have such a strong, supportive relationship with our city government, and seeing our students honored for their service was a highlight of the week. It truly exemplifies the amazing bond Kennedy shares with our local community.

On Thursday, students participated in an Advisement lesson on Public Speaking. This is essential preparation for our My Kennedy Story Senior Capstone Showcase Presentations, taking place April 7, 9, and 10. We are currently looking for volunteers to serve on our presentation panels to provide feedback and support for our graduating class. If you are the parent of a senior and would like to be on the panel for your student’s Showcase Presentation, or if you are a community member who would like to support our students by serving as a guest panelist, please sign up using the QR code or the bit.ly link found further down in this newsletter. Seniors will be notified of their specific assigned dates very soon!

Our incredible Show Choir students spent Friday and Saturday competing at the Burbank Blast 2026. The Ambassadors led the charge with a stellar second-place finish, while both the Secret Service and the First Ladies delivered impressive performances to secure third-place wins in their respective divisions.

This week marks the end of the 2025-26 third quarter! Please remind your students to stay focused and finish strong. Friday, March 13th, in addition to being "spooky" Friday the 13th, is the last day of the quarter and will follow a Minimum Day bell schedule. Our 6th period will end at 12:50pm and I want to make our community aware that all offices, including Attendance, Main, Registration, and Counseling. will be closing at 2:00 PM that day. Please make arrangements to reach out to our staff prior to 2:00 PM if you need assistance.

Please come out and support our scholar-athletes at our upcoming home matches!

Tuesday, March 10

Varsity Boys' Golf vs. Calvary Chapel @ Lakewood Golf Course – 3:00 PM
Varsity Badminton vs. Fountain Valley HS – 3:15 PM
Varsity Boys' Tennis vs. Valencia HS – 3:15 PM

Thursday, March 12

Varsity Badminton vs. Marina HS – 3:15 PM

Friday, March 13

Varsity Badminton vs. Millikan HS – 3:15 PM
Varsity Baseball vs. Segerstrom HS – 3:15 PM

Thank you for your continued support of our students and our school. Let’s have a great final week of the quarter!

Sincerely,

Poppy Hill-Bonales

Proud Principal, Kennedy High School

Home of the Fighting Irish

We are one month away from our Capstone Showcase! The fourth annual Capstone Showcase presentations are happening on April 7th, April 9th, and April 10th. We will have an informational session in MP1 each day at 7:30 am to review the Capstone process and classroom placements. After the presentation, we will help you locate classrooms.

We are looking for panel participants to help enrich the Capstone experience. If you are interested in participating, please sign up here: bit.ly/kensto

This month we will be celebrating St. Patrick's Day with a special edition Coffee with the Principal. Come and find out more about the history of our school and the holiday. More details to come.

Please join us on March 17th from 9:00 am to 10:00 am in our Family and Community Engagement Center - Room 901

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.

pdf

insert_drive_file

Kennedy Copy of 2026 AIME Summer Internship Student Application Directions.pdf

Download

945.2 KB

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.

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!

pdf

insert_drive_file

February 2026 College Bound Calendar (11 x 8.5 in).pdf

Download

373.7 KB

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