High school seniors honored for community service

One teen has volunteered at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and spearheaded local food-bank efforts. Another has helped out at both ends of the life cycle -- with toy drives and the Oldtimers Foundation. A third spoke out on behalf of the "Jena 6."

All three have been honored for their volunteerism by the Los Angeles Unified School District.

The release announcing the honors follows:

For Immediate Release                                   June 24, 2008
Contact: Monica Carazo (213) 241-6766            #07/08-414
    

2008 Roy Romer Scholarship Winners Announced

Los Angeles -Three recent graduates of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) have

been named winners of the 2008 Roy R. Romer Scholarship Award, which recognizes high school

seniors in the District for their commitment to public service.

This year's winners are Mindy Gee from the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES),

Rosenda Morales from Huntington Park High School, and Luis Lopez from Washington

Preparatory High School. They each received a merit-based scholarship award of $2,500.

Finalists for the award are Jan Victor Andasan from Carson High School, Juliana Davis from

the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES), Karla Muñoz from South East High

School, and Clyde Villacisneros from Canoga Park High School. Each finalist was awarded a

certificate of commendation at a recognition luncheon held June 24 at the Los Angeles

Chamber of Commerce.

"Congratulations to the winners and finalists of the Roy R. Romer Scholarship Award," said

LAUSD Superintendent David L. Brewer III. "These extraordinary students are to be commended

for their volunteerism and commitment to public service, which is important work that

benefits students, schools, families and communities."

Created in 2006, the Roy R. Romer Scholarship Fund for Promoting Civic Engagement is named

after Roy Romer, the former Colorado governor and LAUSD superintendent, who served as head

of the second largest school district in the United States from 2000 to 2006. The

scholarship encourages students in the LAUSD to become future leaders and recognizes

students who have demonstrated a passion for public service.

Mindy Gee, LACES, 4.5 GPA: Mindy has a great interest in journalism and spent a significant

part of her student life on the student newspaper, LACES Untied. As the editor-in-chief,

she oversaw a staff of 30 writers and photographers and was involved in leading every

aspect of the 12-page newspaper. Her interest in journalism has also led to writing for LA

Youth, L.A.'s youth-oriented newspaper, for the past two years. Mindy's newspaper

experience led her to volunteer in many school programs and serve as a volunteer in the

outpatient care unit at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She has led her National Honor Society

students' team in their local food bank efforts. She is also a mentor to other students in

the school. She wants to continue pursuing journalism as an entering freshman at Yale

University.

Rosenda Morales, Huntington Park H.S., 3.85 GPA: Rosenda has characterized herself as a

lifelong volunteer. She began working on projects in elementary school and has volunteered

for many political campaigns of her neighborhoods' local political representatives (Hector

De La Torre, Marco Firebaugh, and Fabian Nuñez). She has worked on toy drives, food drives

and college fairs associated with the Firebaugh campaign. She works with the Oldtimers'

Foundation in her community and has participated in Relay for Life Cancer.

She has been accepted to UC Berkeley and UCLA and wants to prepare for medical school.

Luis Lopez, Washington Preparatory H.S. Magnet Program, 4.16 GPA:  Being exposed to the

many social challenges in his neighborhood has sensitized Luis Lopez to being active in

community life. He has held many leadership roles in his high school including student body

treasurer and he is editor-in-chief of the school newspaper. In addition, he was on

Washington Prep's Academic Decathlon team. Luis' primary community service has been through

his work as a youth worker for South Central Youth Empowered through Action. There he has

learned and been actively involved in many of the organization's community events. He

actively lobbied for the Dorsey High Construction Academy and participated in an event that

allowed him to speak to the media on behalf of the "Jena 6." Luis has a keen interest in

biochemistry and will attend UCLA where he plans to become a biochemist.

-- Howard Blume