Scholarship Opportunities

The following organizations are accepting applications for scholarships:

The California Credit Union invites college-bound students in Los Angeles County to submit an application in its annual College Scholarship Program. Through the program, California Credit Union provides $20,000 in scholarships to recognize students who are motivated in their academic studies, active in their schools and communities, giving back to others through service and volunteer work. Interested students can find more information and apply online at ccu.com/scholarship. Online applications will be accepted through March 21. Recipients will be announced on April 19.

The Community Scholarship Foundation of La Cañada Flintridge (CSF) is accepting 2019 scholarship applications. Full-time students who attend a public or private school located within the City of La Cañada Flintridge, as well as Crescenta Valley High School, regardless of home residency, are eligible to apply. 

Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 unweighted grade point average and references and the electronic Student Aid Report (SAR) 2019-20. The completed applications, and additional required information, must be received by April 1. Award recipients will be notified in May.

The Cañada Auxiliary of Professionals of Assistance League of Flintridge, CAP, is offering scholarships of $1,000 or $2,000 for a two-year or occupational program to further the education of La Cañada Flintridge area students. Applicants must attend a school in the La Cañada Flintridge area or Verdugo Hills High School, Crescenta Valley High School, Pasadena City College or Glendale Community College. They must have graduated from high school by June 2019, and must have maintained a grade-point-average of 2.5 or better.

Applications can be downloaded or a sample is available from counselors or scholarship staff at the schools, or from Assistance League of Flintridge, 4607 Oakwood Ave., La Cañada Flintridge. Applications must be returned to Assistance League of Flintridge by no later than Friday, May 3. Visit https://alflintridge.org/programs/scholarships/ for details. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Dine-Out to Support Prom Plus

Prom Plus is having a fundraising dine-out on Monday, March 25 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Blaze Pizza – La Cañada, 990 Town Center Drive. Supporters need to either bring in the flyer (found at the CV Weekly website at www.cvweekly.com/YOUTH) or show the flyer on their phone prior to paying in order for a donation of 20% of their meal to be donated to Prom Plus.

St. Monica’s Hosting Havana Nights Gala

St. Monica Academy is hosting a fundraising gala on Saturday, March 30 at the Pasadena Hilton from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The event includes live music from the Cuban band Candi Sosa & Friends, live entertainment from SMA students, and one-of-a-kind silent and live auction items. Tickets are $150.

Pasadena Hilton, 168 S. Los Robles

For more event details, visit www.bidpal.net/sma2019.

Our Lady of Lourdes had its annual Rainbow Run between the rains in February. It was the final fun Friday event ending Catholic School Week. The Rainbow Run is when different colored powder is thrown on the kids as they run past teachers turning the entire school into a rainbow by the end of the race. 

OLL had many events all week long, including the competitive Penny Wars; however, it was the Rainbow Run that is the most highly anticipated event. First grade took first place bringing in over $56 in pennies in support of the event and was given the prize of spraying the OLL teachers at end of the Rainbow Run.

By Lori BODNAR, intern

Nearly 500 high school students were inspired and enlightened during Health Career Night at Crescenta Valley High School. CVHS Health Career Night was a fun, educational, and highly informative event where students could hear from various experts in the fields of science and medicine to learn about different career paths and opportunities in health care.  Thirty of the school’s Academy of Science and Medicine officers, over 25 career professionals, and a dozen parent volunteers also attended.

As detailed in the Oct. 18 issue of CV Weekly, “Honing Skills in the Academy of Science and Medicine,” the Academy at CVHS is a career pathway program offering students the opportunity to explore the various careers available in the fields of science and medicine. Academy students perform internships, go on field trips, and use equipment and techniques used in today’s medical and research laboratories, in addition to taking extra Career Technical Education (CTE) courses in addition to their science class.

Attendance to the Health Career Night is a required event for all Academy students but other non-Academy students attended too. Many of these students received extra credit in their science classes but many were also interested in the opportunity to learn more about careers in health, medicine and science. There were more than 30 speakers with medical/scientific careers who came to share their expertise and experiences. The students stayed in eight different classrooms and the speakers rotated through the classrooms during the evening. The speakers ranged from USC/Keck Medical School neuroscientist Dr. Marcelo Coba to Adventist Health vice president Ramella Markarian and Kaiser Permanente medical director Dr. Kim Tran. Other speakers included doctors, surgeons, occupational therapists, physical therapists, marriage and family therapists, social workers, medical researchers, medical directors, medical coding assistants, public health, clinical laboratory scientists, pharmacists, nurses and nursing students.

Xefia Braganca, a nursing student from Glendale Community College, was one of the presenters.

“Being a nursing student has its ups and downs,” said Braganca. “Having your own motivation and sticking to it is a great part of being a nursing student.”

Her co-presenters Patricia Gonzalez, Jennifer Lam, and Leyla Zacarias expanded on her thoughts.

“It is a really interesting field to be in, to know about our bodies,” said Gonzalez.

Glendale Community College program director Sonali Perera was also on-site. Perera was instrumental in organizing the GCC dual enrollment program for Academy members at CVHS.

In addition to doctors and nurses, scientists also presented information. One of these was USC neuroscientist Dr. Marcelo Coba.

“We work on psychiatric disorders. We don’t work directly with the patients,” said Dr. Coba. “We do medical research. We try to find drugs to treat neurodevelopmental diseases.”

Dr. Coba also talked about what it takes to become a neuroscientist.

“First, you get a college degree in a science-related field. Then, you earn a Ph.D. You need to have experience in a lab and do research for a couple of years and learn the curriculum to apply for a Ph.D.,” he said. “Obtaining a Ph.D. is very competitive. The important thing is to plan and have your research published to have a higher chance of earning a Ph.D.”

Dr. Aaron McGuiness and Dr. Jaclyn Nash Lindell are both local physical therapists at Aspire Physical Therapy in La Cañada Flintridge. Aspire was founded by Dr. McGuiness in 2015. This was their first time participating in the CVHS Health Career Night.

“I had a personal experience that drew me into physical therapy,” said Dr. Lindell. “My friend was injured and was in a coma, and then later I was able to see her recover, progress and become herself again, happy and laughing. The doctors saved my friend’s life, but it was her physical therapist who brought my friend back to who she was. She now hikes the Pacific Crest Trail and is doing great. It was very moving. I started observing physical therapy at the clinic that she went to, as well as other places. I knew I wanted to be a part of working with someone and helping them get better.” 

“We help a lot of local dancers and athletes who are injured to recover and gain back their range-of-motion and strength,” added Dr. McGuiness. “In addition, we help to train the next generation of physical therapists. We have CVHS Academy students who come to Aspire to do internships to learn about physical therapy and kinesiology.”

Among the speakers were several CVHS students. Dr. Evelyn Avanessian, Dr. Emil Avanes, Dr. Vicken Sepilian, Dr. Sirvard Khanoyan, Dr. Romic Eskandarian, and Ramella Markarian are all CVHS graduates.

“Adventist Health has close ties to CVHS Academy,” said Markarian, vice president at Adventist Health. “In addition to Health Career Night, we also have monthly lunch speaker presentations for CVHS students. We offer summer internships. We are dedicated professionals committed to health care, including helping to build the next generation of future leaders in health care. In a few weeks, we are offering a full-day tour of Glendale Adventist Medical Center to the Academy students, including viewing the operating rooms, hospital, pharmacy, and laboratories.”

Giulia Daneshgaran, a graduate of CVHS, is a third year medical student studying plastic surgery at Albert Einstein College. Currently she is a medical researcher at USC/Keck Medical School.

“I was in the Academy, but I didn’t graduate with the Academy. I wish I had stayed in the Academy because there are a lot of opportunities and it is amazing to connect with people and to be exposed to different fields, such as this Health Career Night event,” said Daneshgaran. “Orenda Tuason provides a lot of opportunities to the students such as internships, etc., through her connections. Having lots of connections helps.”

Orenda Tuason is a clinical microbiologist/laboratory scientist, CVHS teacher and Academy of Science and Medicine coordinator who organized the Health Career Night with the assistance of Alamelu Arunachalam and Vero Coba. The Academy leadership also helped with setup, cleanup, and organization.

Faith Nicoll, the sophomore vice president, said, “The Academy is a great opportunity to meet people and have new experiences. You have an array of new classes that are super cool. At Health Career Night it was interesting to see the different pathways people followed.”

Nicoll said the first she heard about the Academy was when she was in Tuason’s medical biology class as a freshman.

“My friends and I decided that it would be a great idea to join and, after hearing about the opportunity to be sophomore vice president, I knew it was the right choice for me.”

“At Health Career Night, I learned about how many opportunities and careers there are in the medical fields. I thought the most interesting was nursing and the pediatric surgeon, Dr. Kasper Wang, who works at the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles,” said Molly Fleischer, a sophomore, of the night. “I have always found the topic of surgery interesting. I thought it was cool hearing about what they do at work day to day. I also learned how you make a strong connection when being a nurse.”

The next CVHS Academy event that all Academy members are required to attend is the Academy banquet held at the end of the school year to celebrate the Academy’s achievements during the school year and to honor the Academy seniors. The Academy also provides monthly field trips, movies and weekly lunch presentations. Next month, a field trip will be taken to Adventist Health.

For Academy events, check out the Academy calendar posted on the CVHS website at http://www.cvacademy.50megs.com/calendar.html. The recruitment of new Academy members continues through March 15.

Scholarship Opportunities

The following organizations are accepting applications for scholarships:

The California Credit Union invites college-bound students in Los Angeles County to submit an application in its annual College Scholarship Program. Through the program, California Credit Union provides $20,000 in scholarships to recognize students who are motivated in their academic studies, active in their schools and communities, giving back to others through service and volunteer work. Interested students can find more information and apply online at ccu.com/scholarship. Online applications will be accepted through March 21. Recipients will be announced on April 19.

The Community Scholarship Foundation of La Cañada Flintridge (CSF) is accepting 2019 scholarship applications. Full-time students who attend a public or private school located within the City of La Cañada Flintridge, as well as Crescenta Valley High School, regardless of home residency, are eligible to apply. 

Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 unweighted grade point average and references and the electronic Student Aid Report (SAR) 2019-20. The completed applications, and additional required information, must be received by April 1. Award recipients will be notified in May.

The Cañada Auxiliary of Professionals of Assistance League of Flintridge, CAP, is offering scholarships of $1,000 or $2,000 for a two-year or occupational program to further the education of La Cañada Flintridge area students. Applicants must attend a school in the La Cañada Flintridge area or Verdugo Hills High School, Crescenta Valley High School, Pasadena City College or Glendale Community College. They must have graduated from high school by June 2019, and must have maintained a grade-point-average of 2.5 or better.

Applications can be downloaded or a sample is available from counselors or scholarship staff at the schools, or from Assistance League of Flintridge, 4607 Oakwood Ave., La Cañada Flintridge. Applications must be returned to Assistance League of Flintridge by no later than Friday, May 3. Visit https://alflintridge.org/programs/scholarships/ for details. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Dine-Out to Support Prom Plus Relay for Life Team

Prom Plus is having a fundraising dine-out for its Relay for Life team on Monday, March 25 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Blaze Pizza – La Cañada, 990 Town Center Drive. Supporters need to either bring in the flyer (found at the CV Weekly website at www.cvweekly.com/YOUTH) or show the flyer on their phone prior to paying in order for a donation of 20% of their meal to be donated to Prom Plus – Relay for Life team.

St. Monica’s Hosting Havana Nights Gala

St. Monica Academy is hosting a fundraising gala on Saturday, March 30 at the Pasadena Hilton from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The event includes live music from the Cuban band Candi Sosa & Friends, live entertainment from SMA students, and one-of-a-kind silent and live auction items. Tickets are $150.

Pasadena Hilton, 168 S. Los Robles

For more event details, visit www.bidpal.net/sma2019.

By Grace BENNETT, intern

At the Rosemont Middle School (RMS) open house on Thursday night the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA), along with generous attending families, made tremendous strides in raising money for new Chromebooks for the classrooms.

The school hosted multiple opportunities for fundraising, including a silent auction that featured the chance to bid on the 24-hour rental of a Tesla, and a slideshow presentation that highlighted the need for Chromebooks and their uses in core education classrooms.

The silent auction was held in the RMS cafeteria, where 10 tables lined the room displaying over 100 different items that families could bid on, including an all-expense paid stay at a Hilton hotel.

Jessica Sheen, the RMS PTA president, with Julie Black and Anna Bruck, organized the fundraising aspects of the night. Sheen commented on the purpose and goals of the fundraiser overall.

“The fundraiser is 100% for Chromebooks,” Sheen said. “At Rosemont, we just don’t have the funding from the district and from the state in order to get enough [Chromebooks] for the students. So we turned to our parents and community. That’s what the fundraiser is all about. If we could get one Chromecart full, which [costs] about $15,000, that would be a win for us. It’s just a drop in the bucket of what we need here at Rosemont, but every [donation] helps,” Sheen said.

A full Chromecart is equipped with 40 working Chromebooks.

Currently about 40% of Rosemont’s core education classrooms are equipped with Chromebooks. Because these laptops are such a vital aspect of students’ education, the lack of supply could be harmful to the productivity and efficiency of the students.

The need for these computers can be seen throughout the various departments at RMS, including the four core classes of English, history, science and math. Especially with the rise of technology today, digital laptops can be extremely useful in the curriculum taught in these classes.

For example, Adam Grant, a history teacher at RMS, said that he uses the Chromebooks very often as a part of his teaching method.

“The history department has one Chromecart to share among eight history teachers. I get the Chromecart about once a month, and they are really useful for the kids to research historical events or historical figures and write their essay,” said Grant. “Through this, we are saving paper and I have access to the documents while they’re working on them. [The Chromebooks] are incredibly valuable tools.”

In addition to the pragmatic uses of these devices in the core classes at RMS, their benefits can also be seen throughout the various electives as well. In language classes, for example, the students are able to research the countries they are studying, as well as use online resources to further deepen their understanding of the language. Online programs such as Duolingo offer additional support in education and are often utilized in classes as another teaching tool. For instance, Señora Rivera, a Spanish teacher at RMS, had Chromebooks set up in her class at open house to allow for student demonstrations. She explained the significance of this tool as a part of teaching Spanish.

“[The Chromebooks are] an extraordinary tool that we are just beginning to learn how to utilize in education, and I see a lot of potential use in the future to accelerate students’ [education]. This will incorporate global teachings and global citizenship development in terms of collaboration, open mindedness, language development, and becoming a citizen of the world,” Rivera said.

The importance of Chromebooks is emphasized in each education department at RMS through the devices’ efficiency and ability to connect students with the modern era.

Tallying after the event showed that the fundraising efforts were successful.

“We collected $7,158 through both the slideshow presentation and silent auction,” reported Sheen in an email to the PTA board. These were funds that were paid on the night of the event. An additional $6,999 was gathered in the days following the open house. Additional donations were received from the Armenian and Korean Parent Clubs resulting in a total of all the money needed to buy one full Chromecart.

The 2019 Winter Friends & Family Show, which takes place on Thursday, March 28 at
7:30 p.m. in the La Cañada High School South Gym,  features the 7/8 Winter Drumline, 9-12 Winter Drumline, and Winter Guard.
The 9-12 Winter Drumline’s show is “The Other Side of Fear.” They will be competing on Friday in the SCPA championship prelims at the Coussoulis Arena at Cal State San Bernardino. The Winter Guard’s show is “Our Secret Speakeasy… Keeping the Tradition a Secret.” They will be competing over spring break at the WGI World Championships in Dayton, Ohio.

Admission is free. This is their only “home” performance.

La Cañada High School, 4463 Oak Grove Dr, La Cañada Flintridge

California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced this week additional honors for 22 California Distinguished middle schools and high schools selected as having an exemplary programs. https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr19/yr19rel24.asp

CV High School is the only high school in the state to be awarded two.

In addition to being named a California Distinguished School, CVHS is being honored as having exemplary programs in arts education and physical activity and nutrition.

Statewide, only 10 schools were so honored for arts education, and only four schools received the award for physical activity and nutrition—with only CV receiving honors in two categories.

“This is a very big deal. I am so proud of our amazing staff!” wrote principal Linda Junge. “We take pride in committing to offer the best educational experiences to our students, and it feels good to have the state validate that we do.”

The Exemplary Program Award winners, along with other California Distinguished Schools, Exemplary Districts, California Green Ribbon Schools, Civic Learning Award Schools, Model Continuation High Schools, National Blue Ribbon Schools, and National ESEA Distinguished Schools, all will be honored in April during a ceremony at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.

“We have a team assembled to attend and celebrate together at that time,” added Junge. “The Board of Education will also be recognizing [CV], and I’ll share details as they are available.”

More information on Exemplary Program Awards is available at the California Distinguished Schools Program web page https://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/sr/cs/.

The kids at Our Lady of Lourdes School are running laps for their annual Cardio Club. Cardio Club is an afterschool activity bringing all grades together to run laps, burn some energy and get great exercise. OLL’s longtime PE teacher Natalie Peterson started the program about 16 years ago when she recognized how much it could benefit the students. She usually runs Cardio Club through February and March.

“Not only is it great exercise,” she said, “but it benefits the kids [by incorporating] fun socialization and parent involvement and it’s something all grades can participate in.”

The kids seem to enjoy running or walking to music blasting across the grounds and collecting “sticks” with each lap. “Mrs. Pe-eterson,” as they call her, records all the laps and tallies them.

“I recall the most miles one year was well over 2,000,” she said.

Parents like to join their children getting in a few laps as well. Junior high kids will help out (if not running) by handing out the sticks and tallying. Pe-eterson feels they should be an example to the younger kids and makes sure to involve them whenever possible.

Every Cardio Club member kicks into gear when they hear that “last song” come over the speakers. It’s always the same song to signal the end of their 30-minute run and they want to earn a few more sticks to beat the last number of laps.

For more information about Our Lady of Lourdes School, visit OLL’s website at www.ourladyoflourdes.us/school.

Scholarship Opportunities

The following organizations are accepting applications for scholarships:

The Community Scholarship Foundation of La Cañada Flintridge (CSF) is accepting 2019 scholarship applications. Full-time students who attend a public or private school located within the City of La Cañada Flintridge, as well as Crescenta Valley High School, regardless of home residency, are eligible to apply. 

Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 unweighted grade point average and references and the electronic Student Aid Report (SAR) 2019-20. The deadline for completed applications, and additional required information, has been extended to April 17. Award recipients will be notified in May.

The Cañada Auxiliary of Professionals of Assistance League of Flintridge, CAP, is offering scholarships of $1,000 or $2,000 for a two-year or occupational program to further the education of La Cañada Flintridge area students. Applicants must attend a school in the La Cañada Flintridge area or Verdugo Hills High School, Crescenta Valley High School, Pasadena City College or Glendale Community College. They must have graduated from high school by June 2019, and must have maintained a grade-point-average of 2.5 or better.

Applications can be downloaded or a sample is available from counselors or scholarship staff at the schools, or from Assistance League of Flintridge, 4607 Oakwood Ave., La Cañada Flintridge. Applications must be returned to Assistance League of Flintridge by no later than Friday, May 3. Visit https://alflintridge.org/programs/scholarships/ for details. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

St. Monica’s Hosting Havana Nights Gala

St. Monica Academy is hosting a fundraising gala on Saturday, March 30 at the Pasadena Hilton from 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The event includes live music from the Cuban band Candi Sosa & Friends, live entertainment from SMA students, and one-of-a-kind silent and live auction items. Tickets are $150.

Pasadena Hilton, 168 S. Los Robles

For more event details, visit www.bidpal.net/sma2019.

Every month Crescenta Valley High Schol student Thalia Miller gives her perspective on some of today’s most popular and upcoming YA titles.

(review)

“Sky in the Deep”

William Shakespeare – the Bard. He is one of the most influential authors of all time and has been referenced almost as often as the Bible. His works have created the backbone for many important novels and stories. Many of the popular and entertaining books of Herman Melville and Aldous Huxley have been loosely based on Shakespeare’s narratives. Similarly, a modern novel by Adrienne Young, “Sky in the Deep,” has many intriguing elements of a Shakespearean story that makes it alluring and captivating.

This novel is set in a Viking world where two clans fight every five years to defend their honor and their god. The main character, Eelyn, who is part of the Aska clan, believed her brother was dead until she saw him fighting alongside the opposing Riki clan. When she follows him seeking answers, she is captured and taken to a Riki village. While she is there, a different clan attacks, leaving Eelyn worried about her own village. She and her captor, Fiske, must work together to make peace among the Aska and Riki in order to join together against the new threat. As she and Fiske work toward peace between the clans, they realize the hate they held for each other may be turning into love.

Young’s tale will capture the readers’ attention from the very first page and, as they delve deeper into the book, will realize they do not want to put it down. Also, since this is the debut novel of the author, the reading community will hope to see more riveting works from her in the future.

Fans of “To Kill a Kingdom” or “The Cruel Prince” will find the same appealing fantastical aspects and mystical principles of those novels in Young’s narrative. Her book invites readers into a frozen world filled with battles and love so whether readers are lovers of fantasy or just want to see how Shakespeare has affected the modern writing world, I recommend getting a copy of “Sky in the Deep” and beginning to read.

Once Upon A Time, the nation’s oldest children’s bookstore, has this plus many more YA titles. Stop by the store at 2207 Honolulu Ave. in Montrose, call them at (818) 248-9668 or visit online at www.shoponceuponatime.com.

LCHS Choir to Perform at Community Center

Fresh off their international tour of France, the award winning La Cañada High School Chamber Singers will be performing at the Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge on Tuesday, April 16 at noon. Under the direction of Dr. Jeff Brookey, the 30 high schoolers will draw from a wide repertoire of classical, popular and gospel music to entertain our local seniors.

The LCHS Chamber Choir has participated in several choral festivals over the year and has consistently been awarded a “superior” ranking. Over spring break the choristers travelled to France to perform at the Normandy American Cemetery to honor U.S. WWII veterans and the cathedral in Rouen. Their tour culminated with a concert at Notre Dame in Paris.

The Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge, 4469 Chevy Chase Drive, La Cañada Flintridge

Fundraisers for CVIM

Support the Crescenta Valley High School Instrumental Music Dept. by dining out from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10. Blaze Pizza, Baked Bear and The Habit – all located in the La Cañada Town Center – are offering a portion of proceeds from sales to benefit the CVIM. Bring or show the flyer that can be found at www.cvweekly.com/YOUTH.

Then on Saturday, April 20 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., CVHS Instrumental Music is teaming up with Goodwill to accept reusable donations. Bring donations of clothing and accessories, shoes, household linens, small working appliances and books, movies (VHS, DVD, Blue Ray) and music (records, CDs) to the CV Music parking lot at 4316 Ramsdell Ave. For a list of acceptable items, visit www.cvweekly.com/YOUTH.

Scholarship Opportunities

The following organizations are accepting applications for scholarships:

The Community Scholarship Foundation of La Cañada Flintridge (CSF) is accepting 2019 scholarship applications. Full-time students who attend a public or private school located within the City of La Cañada Flintridge, as well as Crescenta Valley High School, regardless of home residency, are eligible to apply. 

Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 unweighted grade point average and references and the electronic Student Aid Report (SAR) 2019-20. The deadline for completed applications, and additional required information, has been extended to April 17. Award recipients will be notified in May.

The Cañada Auxiliary of Professionals of Assistance League of Flintridge, CAP, is offering scholarships of $1,000 or $2,000 for a two-year or occupational program to further the education of La Cañada Flintridge area students. Applicants must attend a school in the La Cañada Flintridge area or Verdugo Hills High School, Crescenta Valley High School, Pasadena City College or Glendale Community College. They must have graduated from high school by June 2019, and must have maintained a grade-point-average of 2.5 or better.

Applications can be downloaded or a sample is available from counselors or scholarship staff at the schools, or from Assistance League of Flintridge, 4607 Oakwood Ave., La Cañada Flintridge. Applications must be returned to Assistance League of Flintridge by no later than Friday, May 3. Visit https://alflintridge.org/programs/scholarships/ for details. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

By Lori BODNAR, intern

Mountain Avenue elementary students entertained their families, friends and neighbors in a top-rated talent show, “Mountain Avenue’s Got Talent!” in February.  Sixty-five students were showcased in the talent show and performed amazing acts that entertained the audience.The students played instruments, danced, performed magic tricks, sang songs and performed skits. 

Wendy Goldsworthy, Michelle Paxton, Sean Paxton, Jennifer Peñez and Latha Risso were the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) volunteers who organized the talent show.

“Mountain Avenue has a great group of kids that have wonders of talent that need to be recognized so PTA is proud to host this talent show to showcase all of them,” said PTA President Jennifer Peñez.

The talent show opened with fourth-grader George DiMundo on the drums playing “Jump” by hard rock band Van Halen. The song pumped up the audience, leading to a lot of clapping and excitement throughout the program. Another drummer, Jeong-Jae Yoon, played “Sharp Dressed Man” by ZZ Top midway through the show.

Jeong Jae said, “The talent show is a lot of fun!”

Second-grader Laura Lund and her brother, fourth-grader Linus Lund, also performed as a kid band.

“The song ‘Hardest Button to Button’ by the White Stripes is the song we are doing,” said Laura. “I am playing the drums and my brother is playing guitar. We were thinking about entering the talent show and we thought it would be a lot of fun. I am really excited.”

The Lunds’ rock band drum set and guitar riff performance was amazing, complete with blasts of stage fog to wow the crowd. 

Fourth-grade friends Iris Stanescu, Jane Luna, and Lylah Dunlavey sang “Roar” (Katy Perry) combined with dance moves.

“I decided that this year we could show the school who we really are and have a lot of fun,” said Iris.

“We figured out dance moves to the song. We had a lot of fun dancing, singing, and practicing together,” added Jane. “We thought the talent show would be a perfect way to show what we could do. If one person fails, we all fail. If one of us succeeds, we all succeed. We are a team. We practiced and worked together to be our best.”

Second grade friends Kate Walter and Emma McDonald danced to “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” They were dressed “to the nines,” complete with top hat, tails and tap shoes.

“It was a lot of fun being in the talent show and going on the stage,” said Kate. The audience loved their bouncy, joyous performance.

Another dance number that wowed the audience was “Fly” (Avril Lavigne), with second grade friends Suzanna Bodnar and Alisha Singh dancing. The audience breathed in a collective gasp when Suzanna and Alisha took to the stage in lit-up glowing iridescent belly-dance wings and sequined costumes. The pair danced with the large wings that were on telescoping rods taller than they were; then later in the dance they dropped the wings and performed to the rest of the song using colorful rhythmic ribbon wands.

“I love the talent show and I’ve auditioned every year,” said Suzanna. “This is my third time in it. I like to sing and dance.” 

Alisha added, “We made up all of our own dance moves and practiced together to be in sync. It’s really fun to be in the show with friends and perform.” 

Other dances included a colorful and fun number, “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Bailynn Bell, Michayla Bell, Allison Curtis, Cora Dziurgot, Harper Goldsworthy, Sienna Kimber-Torres, and Sammy Lee. Siblings Izaan Zaman and Zyan Zaman also performed the dance “Bollywood.” 

Another swinging dance was the “Dancing Cowgirls” by third graders Merribeth Brown and Kara Welch.

An audience favorite was the skit “Kung Fu Fighting” by kindergarteners Nash Dziurgot, Ethan Nakano and Jetson Robbins. A carefully-placed screen and some fancy handiwork made the kindergarteners appear even smaller than they were, as if they were doing all of their awesome “karate moves” in mid-air.

Singers included fourth-graders Brent Fortis and Alex Gharehbagloo singing “Sunflower,” third-graders Lauren Hamlin and Julia Jockin singing “Fight Song,” third-graders Ella Risso and Paige Jensen singing “When I’m Gone,” and Chloe Gerstein singing “Fire on Fire.”  Hudson Chaisson also delighted the audience with his “Hudson the Magnificent Magic Show.”

A flute and violin musical medley, “Flower Waltz,” was performed by fifth graders Claire Buda and Sophia Buda. Piano-playing numbers included Anthony Alexandrian, David Whinston, Cameron Paxton, Willie Rhodes, Pranav Arunachalam, Sevana Gregorian, Miranda Kowalkowski, and Iva Encontro. Fifth graders Bethany Chang and Maya Hakushi ended the evening show with a singing and piano duet.

In order to squeeze in all of the student performers, the acts were limited to a maximum of two minutes in the spotlight.

Pizza and drinks were available for purchase through the sixth-grade fundraising class.

On March 20, the Kiwanis Club of La Cañada hosted a luncheon to recognize 22 students selected as “Terrific Kids” from the sixth grade classrooms of La Cañada, Palm Crest and Paradise Canyon elementary schools. The students were chosen by their teachers for demonstrating qualities such as helpfulness, respect and kindness and displaying a positive attitude. A group of over 100, which included the students, parents, guests and Kiwanis members, attended the luncheon. 

Several weeks before the lunch, the students had a surprise visit from Kiwanis Club of La Cañada members and Terrific Kids coordinator Nancy Leininger; Dr. Michael Leininger and Tom Slaughter, who made the announcements, handed out certificates, and invited the kids to bring their parents and guests to the luncheon.

To kick off the celebration, La Cañada Flintridge Mayor Terry Walker, who is also a member of the Kiwanis Club, served as guest speaker, and congratulated the students for all the “great things” they were doing for their classmates and their community.

Leininger added, “Now, more than ever, the qualities of a Terrific Kid can be considered powerful and gifted skills that are building the foundation for success. We congratulate the students and thank their families for nurturing and supporting them … for they are truly our future leaders.”

For over 30 years, the Kiwanis Club of La Cañada has been honoring students through the Terrific Kids program, inspired by the Kiwanis Club worldwide program, whose aim is to further encourage children who are making a difference around them. 

Those interested in joining the Kiwanis Club of La Cañada are encouraged to come to a lunch meeting to get acquainted and enjoy the guest speaker-of-the week program. The goal of the club is to help youth through sponsoring community projects and scholarships. The group meets every Wednesday at 11:50 a.m. at Descanso Gardens in the Van de Kamp Hall.  For more information, visit www.lacanadakiwanis.org and click on “Meetings” to reserve a seat.

On March 29-30, students from Chamlian Armenian School in La Crescenta/Glendale participated in the 69th Annual Los Angeles County Science Fair at the Pasadena Convention Center. The fair provides cross curricular learning opportunities for students integrating multiple subjects into one project, such as English, math and science, as well as critical thinking, problem-solving, analysis, computer/technology and public speaking skills.

The Chamlian Science Dept., headed by Lida Gevorkian, was on full display winning several awards and various other accolades. Several hundred students from many different schools participated at the fair, and the Chamlian students were competitive placing first, second and honorable mention in several categories including chemistry, engineering, plant biology, physiology, mathematics, product science, behavioral science, environmental science, materials science and computer science.

The winners were: first place plant biology & physiology Gary

Shirikchian, first place engineering Jake Grigorian, first place materials science Keghon Kasparian and Vahan Kordian, second place environmental management Shant Koutnouyan, second place product science Michael Baghdassarian, honorable mention non-human behavioral science Nareh Almassian, honorable mention general chemistry Rafael Enfiadjian and honorable mention mathematics and computer sciences Isabella Kedikian. Daniel Scorza received a special award: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Award.

Submitted by
Steve SHENIAN

LCHS Choir to Perform at Community Center

Fresh off their international tour of France, the award winning La Cañada High School Chamber Singers will be performing at the Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge on Tuesday, April 16 at noon. Under the direction of Dr. Jeff Brookey, the 30 high schoolers will draw from a wide repertoire of classical, popular and gospel music to entertain our local seniors.

The LCHS Chamber Choir has participated in several choral festivals over the year and has consistently been awarded a “superior” ranking. Over spring break the choristers travelled to France to perform at the Normandy American Cemetery to honor U.S. WWII veterans and the cathedral in Rouen. Their tour culminated with a concert at Notre Dame in Paris.

The Community Center of La Cañada Flintridge, 4469 Chevy Chase Drive, La Cañada Flintridge

Scholarship Opportunities

The following organizations are accepting applications for scholarships:

The Community Scholarship Foundation of La Cañada Flintridge (CSF) is accepting 2019 scholarship applications. Full-time students who attend a public or private school located within the City of La Cañada Flintridge, as well as Crescenta Valley High School, regardless of home residency, are eligible to apply. 

Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 unweighted grade point average and references and the electronic Student Aid Report (SAR) 2019-20. The deadline for completed applications, and additional required information, has been extended to April 17. Award recipients will be notified in May.

The Cañada Auxiliary of Professionals of Assistance League of Flintridge, CAP, is offering scholarships of $1,000 or $2,000 for a two-year or occupational program to further the education of La Cañada Flintridge area students. Applicants must attend a school in the La Cañada Flintridge area or Verdugo Hills High School, Crescenta Valley High School, Pasadena City College or Glendale Community College. They must have graduated from high school by June 2019, and must have maintained a grade-point-average of 2.5 or better.

Applications can be downloaded or a sample is available from counselors or scholarship staff at the schools, or from Assistance League of Flintridge, 4607 Oakwood Ave., La Cañada Flintridge. Applications must be returned to Assistance League of Flintridge by no later than Friday, May 3. Visit https://alflintridge.org/programs/scholarships/ for details. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Recently, LA Country Fire Station 19 crew members from La Cañada took time out from their busy schedules to talk to preschoolers at Crescenta-Cañada Cooperative Nursery School (CCNS) about fire safety. Not only that; the firefighters showed the kids some really cool stuff.

When Engine 19 arrived, the “Busy Bears” and “Darling Ducks” of CCNS assembled with their teachers in the school parking lot, excited at the sight of the shiny fire engine. Captain Pugh introduced himself and accompanying crew members Paramedic Keith Wieczorek and Engineer Vince Roldan.

Paramedic Wieczorek spoke about the protective gear firefighters use to enter burning buildings and assured the children they shouldn’t be afraid when they see a firefighter dressed up that way (though the clothing may look a little funny to them). Engineer Roldan then put the gear on piece-by-piece. The function of the clothing’s different parts was explained, and some of the kids even tried hefting the SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) to see how heavy it was.

After giving each of the children their very own Jr. Fire Chief hat, the crew from Engine 19 gave the kids a tour of the fire engine itself. They opened up the pump panel to show where the fire hose is connected. The preschoolers explored (and posed for pictures in) the fire engine’s cabin.

Finally came the most fun part of all: testing out the fire hose! Paramedic Wieczorek held the line with the assistance of CCNS kids as they shot water into the wooded gorge behind the parking lot. The kids got a good sense of how powerful the water pressure in a fire hose really is, and were able to pretend for the moment that they too were firefighters.

The crew at Station 19 are not just invaluable in the Crescenta Valley for what they do to protect property, the environment, and the welfare of our citizens. They’re also respected members of the community and role models for the kids, and the time they spent at CCNS left a lasting impression on these youngsters.

Scholarship Opportunities

The Cañada Auxiliary of Professionals of Assistance League of Flintridge, CAP, is offering scholarships of $1,000 or $2,000 for a two-year or occupational program to further the education of La Cañada Flintridge area students. Applicants must attend a school in the La Cañada Flintridge area or Verdugo Hills High School, Crescenta Valley High School, Pasadena City College or Glendale Community College. They must have graduated from high school by June 2019, and must have maintained a grade-point-average of 2.5 or better.

Applications can be downloaded or a sample is available from counselors or scholarship staff at the schools, or from Assistance League of Flintridge, 4607 Oakwood Ave., La Cañada Flintridge. Applications must be returned to Assistance League of Flintridge by no later than Friday, May 3. Visit https://alflintridge.org/programs/scholarships/ for details. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

By Grace BENNETT,
Intern

On April 12, Crescenta Valley High School (CVHS) students participated in the national Day of Silence as a part of the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) club’s efforts to increase visibility and support members of the lesbian gay bisexual transgender queer plus (LGBTQ+) community.

The event was originally organized by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) in 2001 as an opportunity to shed light on the struggles of and discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. In 1996, students at the University of Virginia created the Day of Silence as a non-violent protest in response to an academic assignment. Since its beginnings, and its adoption by GLSEN, the event has taken off in schools across America.

GSA held a club meeting on Friday, April 5 where the leaders talked about the different ways to communicate while participating in the Day of Silence. This included making lanyards with note cards about the history of the Day of Silence that participants could show to their peers, as well as creating contracts allowing the participants to speak during class.

The meeting also educated attendees by playing an online quiz game called Kahoot, where the winners of the game received official GLSEN pins and stickers.

These efforts of preparation from the GSA Club benefited participants on the following Friday when about 30 students participated in the Day of Silence. The mute, yet powerful, protest proved to be successful through many different aspects of the event. For instance, although the people taking part in the activity had limited means of informing their peers of their actions, they compensated by sharing posts on social media explaining why they, individually, stood up for LGBTQ+ rights.

In addition to this method of communication, one of the silent activists and co-publicists of the GSA Club, Riley Helberg, wrote common phrases on her hands as means of quick conversation. Some of these phrases included “please,” “thank you” and “sorry.” Helberg also utilized the notes app on her cellphone to write down more complicated answers to questions; other people, such as Catherine Del Castillo, brought a dry-erase board to school.

The significance of this event was emphasized by the number of people who signed up for the peaceful protest in addition to support from other students. Sarah Ricci, vice president of the GSA Club at CVHS, explained her personal reasoning behind joining the affair.

“There are a lot of people who don’t realize the significant impact that bullying and harassment can have on LGBTQ+ students,” she said. “I think that the Day of Silence is one way in which we can shift our culture to be more respectful towards queer people.”

This step in the direction of combating adversity in the LGBTQ+ community is fundamental in altering society’s outlook on minorities, added Ricci.

With the ongoing support of the LGBTQ+ community in the local community, and nationwide, due to the Day of Silence, the students and faculty of CVHS and citizens of La Crescenta can hope for a more future that is more accepting.

The La Crescenta Elementary School Foundation and PTA are hosting the annual Pancake Breakfast & Spring Campus Beautification on Saturday, April 27. The fun begins with breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. then beautification of the campus from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Come for breakfast and stay to help make the school beautiful. Supplies will be provided, but wear clothes that can get dirty.

Regular tickets are $5 each; children 10 and under, are $3 each. Make checks payable to LCES Foundation.

Families, neighbors and friends are welcome. Tickets will be sold at the door.

La Crescenta Elementary School, 4343 La Crescenta Ave.