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My name is John Palileo, and I am in 12th Grade. When I started high school in my first year, I wondered how I would complete my four years. I was concerned about how I would adapt to high school life academically with many classes to balance and socially, with the number of students attending Birmingham.

The Birmingham experience made me realize that I had to make new friends to avoid the sense of loneliness. Progressing through my high school journey, I gained many new friends, creating many memorable experiences. I also connected with staff members who got to know me and have helped me. As a result, it gave me a sense of belonging and helped me grow as an individual.

Birmingham played an essential role in my growth as a student because of the various opportunities that allowed me to challenge myself to the fullest. When the opportunity presented itself to be admitted to the School for Advanced Studies (SAS) program, which are courses that allow you to get started on completing your General Education requirements through community college, I also learned about another program, the National Equity Lab, which allows high school students to take college courses from different universities across the country. These opportunities gave me a better understanding of various subject areas that may be of interest in my future as a possible career. Overall, I was glad these opportunities enabled me to challenge myself as a high school student to prepare for college.

I am thankful for my high school experience at Birmingham, as I experienced many events that were important to me like attending a football game for the first time. Another event I am thankful for is the College Bound Summer Institute (CBSI), which allowed me to understand the process of applying to colleges, applying for financial aid, identifying a college list, and other college application-related topics. Not only was I able to start drafting the Personal Insight Questionnaire (PIQ) for college applications, but because we spent a couple of nights in the UCLA dorms, I was able to spend time with friends hanging out and feeling a little bit of the college experience.

One thing I love about Birmingham is the diversity of opportunities available to students. From academic opportunities like courses offered by Stanford University, Princeton University, and Howard University to career pathways, the arts, student activities and athletics, there is something for everyone here!

Birmingham is a place where students have both the opportunity and the support to challenge themselves beyond what they believe they are capable of. I like to say that practice makes progress, and we haven't reached our goals . . . yet! The Birmingham community, from coaches to counselors, works with teachers and parents to support student success. I love that students who are hungry for a challenge, like John, have so many cheerleaders helping them experiment with what's possible and explore their potential for growth!

I'm grateful for the entire Birmingham family, welcoming and supportive, that helps each member of the community find a way to achieve their dreams. From the office staff to the campus custodians and supervisors to the teachers, coaches, counselors, and administrators, Birmingham is a community that supports each other and focuses on student success!

After working on the Obama campaign, I realized my dream of becoming a teacher. I'm grateful for finding such a warm and welcoming home in Birmingham. I love my colleagues, and I'm honored to have the privilege of teaching amazing students like John.

My favorite thing about Birmingham is the sense of community throughout the campus. Birmingham is special because of my relationships with students, families, and staff members. Birmingham has given me a space to invest time in our students, allowing me to see their growth throughout the years. Birmingham has been a home to me. It has been the place that has allowed me to grow personally and professionally. I grew up in Mexico and came to the US when I was 12 years old. Adjusting to a new country, learning a new language, and getting used to a new way of life was extremely difficult. It was the connections and relationships I built with my teachers and counselor that made a positive and strong impact on my life. This is when I knew I wanted to pursue a career in education and give back the same positivity and support I received to students and parents.

John Palileo is an extraordinary student and human being. Since starting his 9th grade year at Birmingham Community Charter High School, he has been an active member of our School for Accelerated Studies (SAS) and National Education Equity Lab Programs. One can always count on John to educate, encourage, and motivate students. His positive and proactive personality makes him a true role model of our student population.

My favorite thing about Birmingham is the clubs and activities. Birmingham is important to me as you can find your people there and be accepted by everyone. I'm thankful for Birmingham since I found my passion for art at this school. My passion for cartoons started at a young age, and it grew as my family, and I emigrated from El Salvador when I was seven years old. During my freshman year, the animation club became my home and I didn't hesitate to join it and be involved in all the activities and projects. I finally entered the animation pathway to learn more about art and animation and strengthen my skills. Both the club and pathway are led by Ms. Bedrossian, who is not only one of the most supportive teachers on campus but also knowledgeable, caring, and loving. Ms. Bedrossian was like my second mom, teaching me how to be the best artist/animator possible, and thanks to her and the skills I learned for four years, I became better and better. Because of the care, support, and education I received along the way, I am now pursuing my college degree in animation arts.

My name is Ms. Annette Bedrossian, and I studied fine arts with an emphasis in Animation at Woodbury University in Burbank, where I obtained my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. I later continued my education by obtaining a Master of Fine Arts in TV and Film Production at Mount St. Mary's University in Los Angeles. I  also hold cleared CA State credentials in Art and CTE Arts, Media, and Entertainment.

Since 2015, I have been a full-time high school visual arts lead and animation pathway teacher.  I’ve had the opportunity to spearhead and create the Animation Pathway, develop curriculum for a variety of courses, teach college articulated courses, demonstrate techniques/train students/teachers, help student portfolio/reel development, manage animation student internships via RAT Studios, and organize the student Animated film showcase annually.

I also work as an independent artist/animator and filmmaker in a comprehensive arts, design, animation, and film studio I co-founded, RAT Studios. I love to tell stories using as many mediums as possible and share my passion and knowledge with the future generation of artists and filmmakers.

I enjoy directing, producing,  teaching, and animating.  I use my keen artistic eye to create visual stories and assist others in bringing their visions to life. Over the last several years, I have worked on various projects that have explored multiple ways to tell stories that have won awards and accolades. I have gotten hands-on experience creating narratives through stop-motion animation, traditional animation, music videos, and live-action short narratives within these projects. Birmingham has allowed me to not only bring my passion into the classroom but also allows me to grow as not only a filmmaker but an educator. 

Lorena has been one of my most hard-working and enthusiastic students who have come through the animation pathway here at BCCHS. Her commitment to the craft, learning new techniques and software, and time management will help further her pursuit of becoming a well-rounded animator. I look forward to seeing her name on the big screen one day.

My name is Lisa Gazarian, and I am one of the counselors for the class of 2027.  My favorite thing about Birmingham is the amount of support it offers students by way of counselors and programs.  It has college and career counselors who help students with their futures, three academic counselors per grade level, and more.  It has a variety of programs such as sports, arts, CTE pathways, college classes, SAS, tutoring, and, most importantly, great teachers.

Some of those teachers had the privilege of having Lorena Vaquerano as their student over the last four years.  Lorena graduated in 2023 with a plethora of experiences at Birmingham.  She was an Honors/AP student who enjoys art and completed our Animation pathway with straight A's.  Lorena accepted an offer of admission from Glendale Community College to study Animation. We all hope she is enjoying her education and thriving in this next chapter of her life.

Birmingham is important to me because it's where I started my career in Education, it is in the heart of the valley I grew up in, and because it is a big part of the Armenian sports community by frequently hosting the Navasartyan games and Kaham games.

I'm thankful for Birmingham for being open to ideas that support students, especially when they are ideas outside the box.  

I'm a descendant of an Armenian Genocide survivor and of a World War 2 prisoner of war.  I was born in Montebello and moved to Reseda when I was 2 years old.  After high school, I attended CSUN, earning 2 Bachelor's degrees. Then, after a short career in Law Enforcement (LAPD), I decided to go back to school to earn a Master's degree and start my career in education at Birmingham.  I'm very close to my sister; our families often take vacations together. In addition to traveling, I love books and the ocean.  I've been married to a Navy combat veteran for 19 years and have three amazing boys and three wonderful dogs.

My name is JB Dalumpines, and I am a Senior.

The community and support that Birmingham has cultivated, from faculty and students, is one that has allowed me to gain connections that have led me to greatness both in academics and sports. Birmingham is important to me because it has acted as my stepping stone to my achievement in baseball. I am most thankful for the support that I have garnered throughout my time in this school. If not for my coaches that guided me through failures and hardships, it would have been hard for me to find my way on and off the field. The lessons I have learned didn't only apply to baseball but also in my classes, where I have learned to adapt and hone in on important skills like teamwork.

As a Filipino-American, it's not often that I see a lot of Filipino representation of athletes. For this reason, pressure was very prevalent throughout my athletic career. From having 3 cousins who were all on the baseball team, and having a family that is very into sports, it's always been a goal of mine to make them as proud as possible. Likewise, I feel as though representing Filipinos, even in a small setting like high school baseball, can promote our community.

My name is JB Dalumpines Sr. My favorite thing about Birmingham is its community. Birmingham allowed my sons to play baseball at a high level. For this reason, the school’s community, values, and outlook on students’ futures are what make Birmingham important to me.

Birmingham makes me thankful for the environment it allows my children to grow in. Without the teachers, supportive staff, and coaches, it would be difficult to navigate a strong sense of confidence in knowing my kids will end up with a great future. With two sons playing baseball, my goal was to find them a school that could accommodate their dreams and aspirations. Instead, we found an environment that not only did that but also gave parents a community to vie for the same thing. This is Birmingham. Now, my family and I are able to find ourselves thriving in an environment that protects its students and gives them the proper resources to achieve greatness.

My name is Matt Mowry, and I have been a part of Birmingham High School and its baseball program for quite some time now.

I graduated from Birmingham High School ('90) and played baseball all four years. Shortly after graduating from college, I returned to Birmingham as a teacher and JV coach, then an assistant varsity baseball coach for ten years.

I then got the honor of becoming the Head Varsity baseball coach, which I have been for the last 17 years. I want to mention one of my players, JB Dalumpines. I am impressed with how he has developed over the last three years. He has accelerated on and off the field. His performance on the field speaks for itself, as he was named City section player of the year and named the co-MVP of the playoffs in 2023. JB is also one of our top performers in the classroom. As an alumnus and coach, he makes me very proud.

Over the last 17 years, I have had the privilege to coach so many unbelievably talented players, and I'm so grateful for that. I've been lucky enough to coach 5 City Championships teams. Seeing my players compete and win at Dodger Stadium is a feeling like no other. I was named the LA City Section Coach of the Year 5 times and the LA Times Coach of the Year in 2023.

I have also been honored to be named NFHS West Coast Region Coach of the Year, ABCA Region 8 Coach of the Year, and I'm 1 of only 2 City Section Coaches to be named Cal Hi Prep Coach of the Year in baseball for the medium-sized school. I am very grateful for the opportunities I have been given and the awards that have been presented to me.