Principal of Nelson Academy, Sparkle Peterson and “Principal for a Day”, Stefanie Gillett, Communication Specialist for Signal Hill Petroleum.

November 13, 2014 marked the Long Beach Unified School District’s 13^th Annual Principal For A Day Program, an event that invites business and community leaders to participate in a day of insight and education on the progress of our local schools. The Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) educates more that 86,000 students in 91 public schools and is the thirst largest school district in California. Every school in the district is assigned a Principal For A Day, who is given the opportunity to interact with students and teachers through classroom visits, meetings, testing and supervision periods.

This year, Signal Hill Petroleum’s Communication Specialist, Stefanie Gillett, was given the honor to serve as Principal For A Day at Jessie Elwin Nelson Academy here in Signal Hill. Stefanie shadowed the middle school’s Principal, Mrs. Denise “Sparkle” Peterson, whose passion and commitment to her staff and students was profoundly inspiring.

“It was truly a privilege to be involved in the program and get a behind-the-scenes look at all the progress and potential in motion at Nelson Academy. Mrs. Sparkle gave me a tour of the school, allowed me to help “supervise” and discussed the school’s many programs and events, as well as challenges and potential solutions. Mrs. Sparkle has a very high standard for her students, staff and herself.  Her motto is “Raising the Bar” and we discussed the importance of achieving excellence and facing challenges for student, educator and business leader.”

“I am a living testimony to the hard work hard and dedication the Long Beach Unified School District puts into their students’ success, having started kindergarten in the LBUSD to graduating from California State University, Long Beach. The City’s educational programs have had a direct effect on my personal growth, along with my decision to continue in a career dedicated to my local community and future generations. It was incredibly inspiring to see the programs that shaped me continue to thrive and unveil new opportunities that unite Signal Hill Petroleum and local schools.”

-Stefanie Gillett, SHP Communication Specialist

Signal Hill Petroleum would like to thank the LBUSD and its dedicated educators for their commitment to shaping the minds of future generations. It’s an honor to participate in programs within our city and see our employees share SHP’s commitment to our local community. We look forward to continuing to support the future growth and development of our local students.

Click here to learn more about Nelson Academy

Click here to learn more about the “Long Beach College Promise”

Click here to learn more about the LBUSD