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‘Women in History’ Essay Winners Named

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The Orange County Commission on the Status of Women has named five high school students as winners of its “Women in History” essay contest. The winners--Veronica Gianesini of Foothill High in North Tustin, Laura Paik of Ocean View High in Huntington Beach, Helen L. Chen of Valencia High in Placentia, Kristina Larsen of Gilbert West High in Buena Park, and Christa Cerciello of Laguna Hills High in Laguna Hills--each received $130.

The contest was promoted as a “Women’s History Month” event to call attention of young people to the unsung deeds of women in American history. One winner was chosen from each of the five county supervisors’ districts.

Alfonso Marquez, a junior at Fullerton Union High School and an active volunteer, was named Boy of the Year at the Boys Club of Fullerton.

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Fabian E. Moni of Trabuco Canyon was named a winner of the Harold G. Hull graduate assistant in agriculture award at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he is a student. He will receive $2,000 for support of research projects involving the guidance or collaboration of a faculty mentor.

Moni is working on a market assessment for a milk-based, caramel-like spread from Argentina. The spread is a popular food item there, especially in Latino communities.

Huntington Beach resident Leland J. Hendrie, a Garden Grove insurance company president who holds several honors and awards from the Boy Scouts of America, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Orange County Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

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The honor caps his 36 years of Boy Scout volunteer work.

Hendrie joins 70 other Orange County business leaders in formulating and implementing policies for the Costa Mesa-based council, which serves an estimated 80,000 youths.

“The Boys Scouts of America is an extraordinary organization, and I am honored to be able to help ensure its future in Orange County,” he said.

Hendrie is the recipient of the Award of Merit and the Silver Beaver Award from the Scouts, as well as the God and Service Award, given for exemplary volunteer service to the church and Boy Scouts.

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Robert Minnicks has been named Elk of the Year by the Mission Viejo Elks Lodge. Clinton Toby received the same honor from the Garden Grove Elks Lodge.

Manuel Medina, 14, was named Youth of the Year by the Boys & Girls Club of Stanton, and Daniel Schoonover, 13, Beth Kavan, 8, and Joshua Arteno, 13, won awards for their participation in various departments of the Stanton club.

Laguna Hills resident Erin Renee Reidy was named winner of the Miss South Orange Coast Scholarship Pageant and will compete in San Francisco in the June Miss California Pageant. Her talent portion for the local competition was ballet dancing.

Marjorie Laird Carter, a Newport Beach attorney who specializes in probate and business law, has been elected president of California Women Lawyers. She has been a member of the board of the statewide organization for 4 years and is the first president to be elected from Orange County. The group was founded in 1974 to work for the advancement of women in the law profession.

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