By Daniel Ching
O’NEALS — Minarets will celebrate its fifth graduating class this year. From the beginning with just 30 students on the Spring Valley Elementary campus to now with five hundred students, Minarets has continued to stay true to the mission and vision that was created from the beginning. The high-tech, project-based, relationship focused culture that was established from the beginning still resonates with each and every student who attends.
Since 2009, Minarets has won two national championships in FFA, three Valley championships in athletics, three years of awards in the prestigious Slick Rock Film Festival, and two years in a row on the US AP Honor Roll list. A state of the art shop was built with the help of Ponderosa which includes five classrooms: wood shop, power mechanics, welding, and floral. The school has been named an Apple Distinguished school and has hosted visitors from Singapore, to Denmark, to Sweden. However, in the words of the Minarets staff, “We are just getting started!”
Minarets is excited to welcome its newest class. District students are already beginning to register and on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at 5 p.m., the newest class of Charter students will begin to enroll. Students from North Fork, O’Neals, Clovis, Fresno, Madera, several Fresno/Madera county towns, and surrounding mountain communities will all come together for the beginning of a great four year experience.
There will continue to be positive change and growth as these students follow their path to graduation. New students will see technology improvements, expanded offerings of college and career based education, improved athletic facilities with plans for softball and football coming soon, and opportunities to receive college credit while taking classes at Minarets. These are just some of the experiences that new students will have the opportunity to be involved with.
In addition to academic and Co-Curricular opportunities, students will see increased opportunities to work with the community. Community, both in school and outside of school has been a continued focus of the Minarets staff and students. Some examples from this year have been students building and riding on floats at the Rose Parade, Show Band playing shows across the valley and looking to record a full length album of classics, students sending care packages to troops in the Middle East, and students starting a CHP sponsored no-texting-and-driving campaign.
This year students will have the opportunity to meet professionals and college representatives from all over the state in our “Life After High School” event. Our focus is to bring the world to our students so they are not afraid to go out into the world and conquer. Minarets continues to guide students in following their passion and interests through living by the motto, “Go Big, Go Pro, Go Now!” As proof of the success of this motto, a video will be released soon entitled, “Where are they now?” which will feature students at Minarets who are attending West Point, Tulane University, UC Davis, Oklahoma State, and more, as well as some cameos from students who are working in Hollywood and the publishing industry in New York City. Minarets is proud of our first four graduating classes.
We are so proud of the positive culture and success we have seen at Minarets. We are also very excited for all of the success to come as we welcome our newest class and bid farewell to our fifth graduating class. If you are interested in visiting the school or stopping by to chat with the staff, please feel free to call and schedule an appointment (559-868-8689). We are more than happy to discuss all of the possibilities!
