13 College Students Win Gold Awards for Community Service

Thirteen area students who organized food drives, umpired baseball games for low-income children, volunteered at convalescent homes or otherwise helped their communities were honored recently with Congressional Gold Awards in Washington.

To be eligible for the awards, young adults ages 14 to 23 had to complete 400 hours of voluntary service, 200 hours of physical fitness activities, 200 hours of personal development and 40 hours on a trip in two years, said Jean Rivera, executive assistant at the Congressional Award Foundation.

Fifty-eight gold medal winners from 16 states were treated to four days in Washington, Rivera said.

All seven gold medal winners from the 32nd Congressional District are Long Beach residents who attend Long Beach City College:

Sylvia Alvarado-Beyer organized food, clothing and recycling drives on campus.

Jessica Valeria Cardenas worked as a city parks recreation leader and organized a workshop for a food program.

Christopher Dunlap worked on blood drives, recycling projects and in soup kitchens.

Mervin Janquart assisted on canned food drives and sports events at the college.

Martha Morales spent time helping in a convalescent home and child development center.

Richard Santillan worked with the parks department and umpired baseball games for low-income children.

Vicky Wray helped organize a Senior Olympics program and worked for the parks department.

The students were recognized by Rep. Glenn M. Anderson (D-San Pedro) at an April 10 ceremony in Lakewood.

Six gold medal winners from the 34th Congressional District are:

Marca Robinson, a Norwalk resident taking classes at Long Beach City College, coordinated food programs for a battered women and child development center.

Sandra Chacon, a Pico Rivera resident attending Cerritos College, was recognized for her work with senior citizens.

Jesus Mejia, a South El Monte resident attending Cal Poly Pomona, worked as a peer counselor and mentor to migrants.

Ernesto Carreon, a Pico Rivera resident studying at Cal State Long Beach, assisted an elderly woman in his neighborhood and organized college club activities.

Ernest Gavara Jr., a Pico Rivera resident studying at Cal State Long Beach, worked with a senior citizens community services program.

Jose Rodriguez, a Pico Rivera resident attending Cerritos College, worked with a senior citizens community service program.

The students will be recognized by Rep. Esteban Torres (D-Pico Rivera) at a ceremony this fall, a Torres spokeswoman said.

* Santa Fe Springs resident Mercedes Diaz, who was recently elected to the City Council, was awarded the Lorenzo Sandoval Humanitarian Award for community contributions at a reception at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Diaz has worked with the Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse since it began in 1971.

* The city of Santa Fe Springs and its Chamber of Commerce chose Hilda Zamora as its resident of the year and Supt. John V. Pulice of the Little Lake City School District as its business/professional citizen of the year. They will be honored at a luncheon on Wednesday.

* The Poly High School Young Black Scholars Club recently won the first Black History Superquiz held at Loyola Marymount University. The team went undefeated in nine rounds of competition. Members included seniors Bobby Bryant, Joshua Johannson, Jared Tyler, Sherrie Winston and junior Danielle Dunn. Teachers Kim Ransom and Anthony Rogers helped the team prepare for competition.