Palm Springs Unified expands mental health support with new wellness center

While local schools are winding down for the holidays, Palm Springs Unified School District used the last day before winter break to celebrate the expansion of a new wellness center at Rancho Mirage High School.

Also in this week's education roundup: Students at College of the Desert can easily access online courses via the California Community College's Online Exchange program; Cathedral High School's Esports team earned a $3,000 scholarship for their school; and a nursing instructor from Cal State San Bernardino's Palm Desert campus was honored by Vanderbilt University for her dedication to public service.

Did we miss a noteworthy education story? Raise your hand and send it my way: jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com.

Palm Springs Unified expands mental health support with new wellness center at Rancho Mirage High School

The Foundation for Palm Springs Unified School District — a nonprofit supporting projects beyond the district's budget — gathered at Rancho Mirage High School on Friday, Dec. 15, for the dedication of its latest wellness center.

This marks the 11th on-campus wellness center and is part of a broader initiative to establish one at all 27 schools in the district. Eisenhower Health contributed $25,000 to the new center and an additional $25,000 for the forthcoming wellness center at Palm Springs High School.

These centers address the pressing youth mental health crisis, offering a wide array of services and serving as dedicated safe havens during school hours.

Students from College of the Desert now have access to statewide online courses

College of the Desert has joined the California Community College's Online Exchange — a program that enables students enrolled in any California community college to seamlessly access online courses from eligible courses without the need for an extra application.

At the COD board of trustees meeting on Friday, Dec. 15, Interim Superintendent/President Laura Hope recognized that while students have expressed a preference to in-person learning, this opportunity lowers the barrier to higher education by providing support in all modalities and by offering different term lengths.

"With one click, any student can enroll in a class at COD, as well as other classes in the state of California," Hope said. "It's really the height of accessibility for our students."

Cathedral City High School's Esports team take home top honors

The Riverside County Office of Education recently welcomed high school student competitors to battle it out for up to $3,000 in scholarship funds for their schools.

Held Saturday, Dec. 9 in downtown Riverside, the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournament started online in October. The top five Esports teams who qualified to complete included Beaumont, Cathedral City, Centennial high schools, as well as a bonus play-in match between Canyon Springs and Elsinore high schools.

Cathedral City High's students emerged victorious in securing the first place prize at the second annual Riverside County Esports Community Expo — where a partnership with the United States Academic Esports League was also unveiled.

College of the Desert's nursing program endorsed for its educational quality

Recognized for its educational excellence, the nursing program at College of the Desert has been accredited by the leading authority in nursing education, the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.

This accreditation opens doors for COD nursing graduates, allowing them to pursue careers in federal facilities like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Since 1968, more than 3,000 nurses have graduated from the COD nursing program, with 90% securing nursing positions in the Coachella Valley.

Cal State San Bernardino's Palm Desert campus nursing instructor recognized for public service

A nursing instructor at the Cal State San Bernardino's Palm Desert campus received recognition for her commitment to supporting underserved communities through her dedication to care.

Vanderbilt University awarded alumna Diane Vines with the Alma Gault Award for Public Service for her work as the founder and director of the Nursing Street Medicine Program, which offers essential healthcare services free of charge to individuals facing homelessness in the Coachella Valley.

“This award is only possible because I work with the most wonderful students who provide compassionate, empathetic care to the most vulnerable people in the Coachella Valley,” said Vines.

Jennifer Cortez covers education in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at jennifer.cortez@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: COD, CSUSB and PSUSD: Education news from Palm Springs area