El Monte Union High School District’s (EMUHSD) ongoing partnership with Beat the Streets (BTS) Los Angeles continues to create opportunities for student-athletes to shine, with six students — including two recent graduates from the Class of 2025 — proudly representing their schools and community at the 2025 Beat the Streets National Camp and Duals, held June 24-26 at the University of Pennsylvania.
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BTS, a national mentor and sports-based youth development organization, aims to empower youth through wrestling. Its annual National Camp and Duals combines elite wrestling instruction with mentorship, leadership development, and team-building experiences. 
 
Arroyo High School Class of 2025 graduates Lucas Long and Destiny Huitron and rising junior Joaquin Almendariz; Mountain View High School’s rising senior Sara Ayala; and South El Monte High School’s rising seniors Jade Linarte and Alexzandra Cardenas earned all-expenses-paid spots at the weeklong National Camp and Duals. They joined athletes selected from 12 Los Angeles County wrestling programs.
 
“This is a truly unique opportunity for our students, many of whom may not otherwise have the means to travel or engage in experiences like this,” said EMUHSD Math Teacher on Special Assignment and BTS volunteer Alejandro Sanchez. “We’re proud to continue this tradition and are already looking forward to taking our team to Cleveland next year.”
 
El Monte Union student-athletes earned their spots on the Greater Los Angeles team through standout participation in the Beat the Streets Los Angeles Tomorrow’s Leaders program, which offers leadership workshops, career exploration, and college readiness training. In the week leading up to the competition, students completed intensive wrestling prep and training.
 
During their trip to Philadelphia, students experienced exciting firsts, like flying on a plane and visiting East Coast universities, while also training with former Olympians, touring Drexel and Columbia, and competing on a national stage. The Greater Los Angeles girls team earned a second-place finish, while the boys placed fifth overall.
 
Beat the Streets Los Angeles currently serves more than 1,600 youth annually across 15 free wrestling programs, including 76 students at South El Monte and 113 at Mountain View high schools. The program provides coaching, gear, and mentorship to help students grow both on and off the mat.

“We are incredibly proud of our students and their remarkable achievement,” Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga said. “Beat the Streets continues to open doors for our youth and provide life-changing experiences that inspire confidence, growth, and future success. We value the strong partnership we’ve built and look forward to seeing how the program continues to thrive in our schools.”
 
To view more details about the trip and learn more about the program, visit beatthestreets-la.org. 

Arroyo High School student-athlete Lucas Long (right) competes during the 2025 Beat the Streets National Camp and Duals event held June 24-26 at the University of Pennsylvania.

South El Monte High School student-athlete Jade Linarte (left) prepares to take on her opponent during the 2025 Beat the Streets National Camp and Duals event held June 24-26.

Mountain View High School student-athlete Sara Ayala (left) smiles as she prepares to train alongside Olympic gold medalist and six-time world champion Jordan Burroughs (right) during the 2025 Beat the Streets National Camp and Duals event held June 24-26.