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Take 5 - December 2025

  • Dec 31, 2025
  • 3 min read

Take 5! is a monthly spotlight of promising practices happening at county offices of education throughout the state, rotating the five that are featured and the focus areas covered. The map coordinates with the location of the stories featured this month from across our state.


This month, in the spirit of the holiday season, we share stories that highlight a few of our favorite things: a county superintendent out in the community engaging with students, heartfelt ways COEs connect with students and meet them where they are, sparking innovation and creativity in students, guiding students to explore career options with experience and access, and empowering youth voice.


You can view past bright spots by clicking the link at the bottom of this page. 

"Sup on the Street" creates a fun way to engage with students at the annual STEM Career Day

STEM Career Day is one of the Shasta County Office of Education's most highly anticipated events, where more than 1,000 high school freshmen converge upon the Shasta District Fairgrounds to prepare for career opportunities in STEM fields. This year, County Superintendent Mike Freeman took a different approach to covering the annual event: he took to the streets with a camera and microphone where he earned some "street cred" and participated in the activities. From hands-on building challenges to tech-powered experiments, he was side-by-side with students and interviewed them about what they’re learning and why it matters.

Infant program's Sensory Santa event is an inclusive holiday experience tailored to their unique sensory needs

The Sensory Santa event is a welcoming, inclusive holiday experience designed specifically for children who benefit from a calmer, more personalized environment. The event is hosted by Placer County Office of Education's Infant Development Program in partnership with the Roseville Parks & Rec department. It provides their youngest students the opportunity to meet Santa in a setting tailored to their unique sensory needs. Unlike traditional holiday gatherings, Sensory Santa features reduced noise, softer lighting, minimal waiting, and a relaxed, supportive atmosphere.

Innovation Funding Initiative officially launches, offering up to $525,000 for bold ideas in Orange County schools

The Orange County Department of Education just launched the Innovation Funding Initiative, opening a new opportunity for school districts to propose bold, creative approaches that strengthen student engagement and achievement.


The Innovation Funding Initiative was created to support new strategies — or novel applications of existing strategies — that address unmet needs in education and can be scaled or replicated across Orange County schools. Districts serving students in grades TK–12 are eligible to submit proposals for awards of up to $525,000 to support three-year projects.


Riverside COE CTE student in the Emergency Medical Technician program, Simon Garcia (center), helped deliver a baby on a routine shift at his Cal Fire Station in Perris, CA.


More than a class: EMT student helps deliver a baby, showcasing the impact of CTE programs

Simon Garcia didn’t wake up expecting to help deliver a baby. He was just heading into another internship shift as part of his high school Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program offered through the Riverside County Office of Education. But by the end of the day, he had helped load a laboring woman into the back of an ambulance, watched a new life enter the world, and held the scissors that would cut the cord.


Every year, RCOE CTE teacher Magdalena Robles teaches a lesson on emergency childbirth procedures. Little did she know that one of her students, Simon, would need these skills two weeks later.

Youth Leadership Summit helps youth/adult partnerships flourish

The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) recently hosted its second Youth Leadership Summit of 2025, bringing together teams of students and adults to explore better ways to engage students and amplify their voice. Working in school teams, more than 80 attendees from the county and state participated in a variety of activities to support adults in strengthening student partnership in meaningful ways and to encourage them to engage with adults to influence educational decisions. “It’s so important to have a forum for students and adults to come together,” said Linda Lee Garibay, coordinator and event lead at SDCOE. “If we are creating programs and opportunities for students, we really need to be creating them with young people, because the students are the ones that are closest to the issues in their communities.



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