At Bert Corona Charter High School, we believe that education extends beyond the classroom. It means preparing young people to engage with the world around them — to recognize a problem, speak up, and take action. This week, several of our students, including Angel Arciniega demonstrated exactly that spirit in a way that made our entire school community proud.
Angel, a junior, joined Council-member Imelda Padilla and community leaders at Los Angeles City Hall ahead of a historic LA City Council vote. The Council unanimously passed a motion directing the city attorney to draft an ordinance banning the sale of nitrous oxide; commonly known as whippets or laughing gas; at smoke shops near schools and neighborhoods. What moved Angel to action was something deeply personal: he had witnessed firsthand the harm these products were causing among his peers, some as young as middle schoolers. He noticed canisters of nitrous oxide being sold directly across the street from Bert Corona — a school collocated with a neighboring middle school — and he refused to look the other way.
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“When these products are being sold near schools, it’s making them seem normal and harmless.” — Angel Arciniega, Junior, Bert Corona Charter High School |
Angel spoke candidly with local news reporters about what he hears from students his age: that nitrous oxide can be difficult to stop using once started, and that young people are being put at serious risk. Medical experts confirmed that recreational inhalation of nitrous oxide can displace oxygen in the bloodstream, leading to loss of consciousness and, in severe cases, death.
Rather than accept this as someone else’s problem to solve, Angel showed up — literally. He rallied alongside elected officials and community leaders, spoke on camera to a citywide news audience, and helped push forward legislation that will protect students across Los Angeles. His effort is part of a broader statewide conversation, with multiple California bills currently advancing to limit the sale of these products.
As administrators, we could not be more proud. Angel exemplifies what it means to be an informed, engaged, and courageous citizen. He saw something wrong, he educated himself, he used his voice, and he made a difference. That is the very definition of active citizenship.
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We encourage all of our students to follow Angel’s example. Your perspective matters. Your community needs your voice. And moments like this remind us why preparing young people to lead is the most important work we do. We are Bert Corona Charter High School — Go, Knights! Max Garcia Executive Administrator Bert Corona Charter High School |
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