Good morning, Santa Clarita.

Santa Clarita invites residents to join its fifth annual Community Beautification Day on Saturday, Sept.

12, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in multiple areas where volunteers can mulch, remove litter and graffiti and use Newhall Park’s bulky-item drop-off with scheduled street sweeping.

Soroptimist International of Valencia will host its 23rd Annual Bras for a Cause on Saturday, Sept.

26 at the Hyatt Regency Valencia, featuring a bra runway, dinner and auctions to raise funds for the Sheila R. Veloz Breast Center and programs supporting women and girls.

Ghungroo Dance School Inc from Santa Clarita will travel to Disney World to perform at the Diwali Dance Fest — an event honoring Indian heritage and community — from Oct.

22–25.

Catfe in Canyon Country offers a unique coffee experience with free-roaming cats & community events; visitors can enjoy Hiss-terical Comedy Night on Wed, Aug 26, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Additional events follow later.

Santa Clarita Theatre Center is planning a multi-venue facility with rehearsal space and production resources to support more than 30 local performing arts groups.

The nonprofit is gathering input from over 50 local organizations and industry experts through a needs assessment.

Hart District high schools are recognized among the nation’s best in the latest U.S. News and World Report rankings, with each comprehensive school placing in the top 25%.

Officials credit rigorous academics and community support (from Canyon, Castaic, Golden Valley, Hart, Saugus, Valencia, and West Ranch) for the strong performance.

Dr. Aakash Ahuja, a board member in the local high school district, said that removing the SAT from UC admissions has hurt students by shifting reliance from objective test scores to subjective measures like GPAs + essays.

He cited data from 3,000 UC professors and urged state leaders to reinstate the exam to support true academic standards.

The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health launched the Do Worthwhile Work campaign to inspire youth to explore mental health careers; the new website features quizzes and videos (designed for middle and high school students) and printed materials (shared with local schools) to guide future job seekers.

College of the Canyons head track and field coach Lindie Kane and assistant coach Denean Howard-Hill received the 5CTCA Coach of the Year Awards at a convention held Aug.

18, boosting recognition after also earning Western State Conference honors at season's end.

The Saugus Centurions are gearing up for a new season as they replace key players like star quarterback Jake Nuttall + Coach Bornn said the team will maintain its high standard and face Agoura on the road soon.

Santa Clarita’s 11-year-old Geo Gan competed in the King of Kings Yo-Yo competition in Osaka, Japan on Tuesday, Aug.

18 (Aug. 19 in Japan), showcasing local talent on an international stage.

Local SCV high school football teams gear up for Week 0 games starting Thursday and Friday; the Castaic Coyotes will host the Buena Bulldogs at 7 p.m. at Valencia High School + other matchups are set at Simi Valley, Lake Balboa, Agoura, Pasadena, Canyon and West Ranch high schools.