SANTA ANA : Volunteers Win Presidential Award

President Bush on Tuesday named Savvy, a volunteer group from Century High School, as the 353rd “Daily Point of Light.”

The group, founded in 1982 by Century High School teacher Shirley Bebereia, was recognized by the President for helping to provide poverty-stricken pupils with basic necessities of life and for encouraging their peers to serve the community, according to a White House press release.

Savvy, which stands for Santa Ana Volunteer Youth, has more than 150 members. Bebereia said she founded the organization to help keep youngsters out of gangs and to encourage low-income students to look past their own poverty to help others.

The group collects used clothes and food for needy classmates and their families throughout the year and makes regular visits to nursing homes.

During the holiday season, Savvy collects toys and clothes for children who live in some of Santa Ana’s poorest neighborhoods and provides the families of needy classmates with Thanksgiving dinner, presents and Christmas trees through an “adopt a family” program.

The presidential recognition is one of many awards the group has received since its inception. Last year, Savvy was selected from among 800 candidates as the outstanding youth service group at the Disneyland Community Service Awards and received the Spirit of Volunteerism Award for being the outstanding youth group from the Volunteer Center of Greater Orange County.

Bebereia, who was Orange County’s Teacher of the Year in 1989, said this latest accolade rates above all the others.

“Everyone is so excited because we have presidential support for what we are doing,” she said.

“A national award like this gives us the credibility that we need and will enable us to get more support from the community and encourage more student involvement.”

President Bush recognizes a “Daily Point of Light” six days a week. Organizations or individuals are recognized for successfully addressing urgent social needs through community service.