Ashley Ruiz of California High School recently received recognition from the WUHSD Board of Trustees for turning around her academic career, raising her grade point average and preparing herself for college.

While Ruiz left middle school with a 1.0 grade point average, she joined California High School’s Academic Community for Enrichment Program, ACE, because she had a sincere willingness to do better, California High School Principal Bill Schloss told the Board of Trustees. Now Ruiz has a 3.5 GPA and is hoping to attend UCLA or San Francisco State University in the fall and hopes to one day become a dentist.

“ACE gave her that extra push to do better,” Schloss said. “Now she helps her sisters with their homework.”

“I feel very special and honored,” Ruiz told the Board. “I want to thank Mr. Padilla and Mrs. Gonzalez (ACE teachers) and my family for their love and support – without them I don’t know where I would be today.”