OC HIGH / STUDENT NEWS & VIEWS : Making a Difference

Life in high school is more than hitting the books and going out on Saturday nights. In fact, Orange County teen-agers are involved in a wide variety of school and community activities that enrich others’ lives as well as their own. From raising money to feeding the homeless to tutoring other students, here’s a sampling of how some of them have gotten involved.

Gary Goble, 14

Orange County High School of the Arts, Los Alamitos When Gary dances, it’s with purpose. In fact, he has raised more than $7,500 to help the homeless by staging benefit dance performances involving himself and other students. About four years ago, while running an errand for his mother, he ran into a group of homeless people who asked for money. Gary had none to give, but the encounter changed his life. “I wanted to help people who couldn’t help themselves,” Gary said. On his 12th birthday, he put his plan in action, seeking supporters. In April, 1992, Gary and 10 friends held the first benefit concert in Westminster, and several have since followed. The group now has a name: Stepping Out for Shelter.

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Samantha Nguyen, 17

senior, Santiago High, Garden Grove Samantha volunteers at Pacific Haven Convalescent Home in Garden Grove, talking with seniors, painting and polishing their nails, calling out bingo numbers, helping them cook and guiding them from place to place in their wheelchairs. She also volunteers at a Fountain Valley hospital and has been involved with the Girls’ Club Clinton Elementary Tutoring Program, helping children with their studies. Samantha said she began volunteering to enhance her college prospects but now volunteers because of the emotional rewards.

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Coleen Redmond, 14

freshman, Rosary High, Fullerton Coleen has been involved with Amnesty International for about a year and is hoping to establish a chapter at her school. She became involved in the group after attending a concert by U2, which supports the group’s efforts to protect basic human rights throughout the world. “Amnesty International has taught me to become a world citizen. It has taught me that the world doesn’t revolve around me . . . and how valuable my rights are,” Coleen said.

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Anabel Sanchez, 17

senior, Century High, Santa Ana Anabel is president of Santa Ana Volunteer Youth (SAVVY), a school organization dedicated to helping the poor. The group collects clothes for the needy, distributes food to the hungry, visits a convalescent hospital monthly--sometimes taking residents on field trips. In addition to the ongoing projects, the group also helps provide meals and other items for families during the holidays. Anabel’s interest in SAVVY began when she was a freshman and helped raise funds for it; she has since contributed countless hours to her community through its projects.

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Maria Ramirez, 17

senior, Santa Ana High, Santa Ana As student government president, Maria has worked to continue a tradition of students’ pooling resources to help others. She has helped collect and deliver food to the families of students on campus who are homeless and been a part of efforts to work with the Bright Light Center in Santa Ana. She has been involved in efforts to remove graffiti and clean up trash. Maria is taking part in the Peer Assistance Leader program in which students learn mediation techniques to resolve conflicts. She plans to study psychology in college and return to Santa Ana to work with children.

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Cathy Pham, 17

senior, El Modena High, Orange Cathy has been interested in emergency response since she was 5 years old and pulled a drowning girl from the water. She has been a volunteer since seventh grade with the Orange County chapter of the American Red Cross and acts as the emergency services contact between her school and the Red Cross. She is on the Red Cross youth council executive board and is the leadership development conference liaison. She recently acted as youth coordinator for the fifth annual Orange County HIV/AIDS awareness poster contest.

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Michael Bolen, 17

senior, Huntington Beach High, Huntington Beach Spurred by the violent attack on San Clemente High School student Steve Woods last fall that resulted in Woods’ death, Michael revived his school’s “Green Ribbon Campaign,” which is designed to stop gang violence on school campuses and in the community. As commissioner of communications at Huntington Beach High, Michael set about to inform the student body of the destructive consequences of gang violence and how to stop violence with positive influence. Michael rallied support for the campaign by passing out buttons and stickers during “Green Ribbon Week.”

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Gloria Lee, 16

junior, Loara High, Anaheim Gloria is president of Loara’s Key Club and helped transform it into an organization that recently was acclaimed internationally and in the state for its accomplishments. Gloria helps arrange volunteer opportunities for club members, who have participated in projects at Hope University for the mentally challenged, Olive Crest Abused Children Homes, the American Cancer Society, Special Olympics, Cystic Fibrosis, Re-Leaf Anaheim, Buena Vista Convalescent Home and the Muscular Dystrophy Assn. Gloria also volunteers on her own for the pediatric ward at UCI Medical Center.

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Beth Eiser, 15

sophomore, Los Alamitos High, Los Alamitos Beth joined the National Charity League, a mother- daughter philanthropic organization, in seventh grade. Some of the group’s projects include helping at Orangewood, a home for abused children, and delivering food baskets to the needy. Beth also worked as a Peer Assistance Leader during the summer at the Los Alamitos Youth Center, planning activities for children.

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Heather Jewell, 17

senior, El Dorado High, Placentia Heather is vice president of the school’s Ecology Club and a member of the Social Services Club, which provided backstage help for a local haunted house fund-raiser and adopted a homeless family at Thanksgiving. She’s also a member of the Jack and Jill Club, a family organization for young blacks. On Sundays, she teaches first- and second-graders at her church--an activity she’s been involved in for four years. Last summer she participated in a six-week academic and goal program at a women’s college in Atlanta.

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Sarah Joung, 17

senior, Fountain Valley High, Fountain Valley Sarah is an active member and a school representative on the Youth Leadership Council of the Volunteer Center of Greater Orange County. She volunteers her time for various organizations and is a delegate for the school Keywanettes Service Club. Sarah also is founder and president of the Earth Action Club, organizing weekly projects to preserve the environment and motivate students to become more aware of environmental issues at school and in the community.

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Becky Lorenzen, 17

senior, Canyon High, Anaheim Because she enjoys meeting people and helping others, Becky became active in the school’s Girls’ League, a community service organization that also provides safe entertainment alternatives for students. She is the group’s president. She also is a teacher’s aide at Canyon Hills Presbyterian Church, organizing music and art activities.

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Rajani Rajan, 16

junior, University High, Irvine “Everyone in the world should have basic human rights,” says Rajani, president of the school’s chapter of Amnesty International. Rajani recently helped organize a candlelight vigil promoting human rights that involved student groups from other schools. She also writes letters to nations believed to be committing human rights offenses because “if enough people voice their opinion, then that voice will be heard.”

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Chad Kingsbury, 14

freshman, Trabuco Hills High, Mission Viejo Thanksgiving was a bit merrier for about 100 residents of Leisure World due to the efforts of Chad and other volunteers at United Methodist Church of Laguna Hills, where Chad is a member of the youth group. A holiday feast was prepared and served at the church for the Leisure World guests. Chad has been helping with the dinner for the past three years.

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Eric Kim, 18

senior, Kennedy High School, La Palma Eric is campus president of the California Scholastic Federation and led a food drive during the winter holidays to distribute food to the hungry in the community. He is also president of the school Key Club and helped raise funds as part of the organization’s efforts to feed the hungry worldwide. Other projects he has been involved in include the Easter Fantasy program for children in La Palma.

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Lori Swingle, 17

senior, Los Alamitos High, Los Alamitos Lori has dedicated much of her time to working with children. She supervises a playroom for young patients at Long Beach Memorial Hospital and spends Saturdays helping one of her grandparents run a “movie time” for various groups hosting parties. As part of movie time, Lori helps with the party’s setup and cleanup and attends to any needs the children may have.

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Ngoc Nguyen, 17

senior, Costa Mesa High, Costa Mesa Ngoc is known for taking the initiative and is president of the school’s Key Club and secretary of the Associated Student Body. Key Club members helped fill sand bags for distribution after the recent Laguna Beach fire and raised money for a Costa Mesa High School teacher who lost his home in that fire. Ngoc has also had a hand in planning school dances and is helping to arrange a health fair to provide checkups and health information for interested students.

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Karen Hollinger, 16

junior, Villa Park High, Villa Park As a member of Assisteens of Orange, Karen helps put on parties for children at Orangewood, a home for abused children, and arranges donations of clothing for the youngsters. She has also helped paint out graffiti around the city. She also volunteers in the thrift shop of the Assistance League, parent group of the organization.

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Jocelyn Wang, 17,

senior, Katella High Anaheim As a member and officer, Jocelyn was a leader in turning her school’s Key Club into an active service organization that has been recognized at the regional level for its many contributions to the community. Among its activities, Jocelyn and other club members helped put on a holiday dinner and program at the Braille Institute of Orange County. They have worked with the Wipe Out Graffiti program to paint over graffiti throughout Anaheim and, closer to home, coordinated an Adopt-A-Block program in the neighborhood around the school. As an officer on the Key Club district level--which covers California, Nevada and Hawaii--Jocelyn has helped attract many students to volunteer work.

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Jessica Hulsey, 17

senior, Cypress High, Cypress Jessica has been an active voice in the anti-drug movement. She is president of the Orange County Organization of Students Against Drug Abuse and is a board member of both Drug Abuse (Use?) Is Life Abuse and the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America. She is chairwoman of the coalition’s youth advisory committee, which includes nine students nationwide. She has assisted in setting up anti-drug programs and is a frequent speaker for the cause.

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Jenna Sanders, 17

senior, Capistrano Valley High, Mission Viejo When the Orange County food Distribution Center needed help removing a toy that could possibly injure a child from boxes of donated cereal, Jenna was on hand. She and other volunteers pulled the toy from the boxes so that the cereal could be included in a shipment that filled 20 trucks and was distributed to various food banks. She has also participated in various 5K charity walks.

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Renee M. Poole, 17

senior, Anaheim High, Anaheim Renee has participated in the student-run National Honor Society tutoring program for three years, helping students with all kinds of course work--although she is especially strong in math. The tutoring program is held before and after school. She is also participating in the Peer Assistance Leader program and will soon finish her training as a counselor.

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Nicole Dilday, 18

senior, Ocean View High, Huntington Beach When Nicole joined the youth ministry at St. Bonaventure Church four years ago, she was required to accumulate service hours through volunteer work. She fulfilled the requirements but didn’t stop there. She helps at the Southwest Community Center in Santa Ana, bringing holiday gifts to children, planting flowers and serving meals. She also helped give a party for abused children at Orangewood Children’s Home. And at Thanksgiving, she helped served dinner at a local convalescent home.

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Kasey O’Leary, 17

senior, Dana Hills High, Dana Point As co-president of her school’s Keywanettes, Kasey often can be found spearheading club projects: running bake sales, making food baskets for needy families, helping at soup kitchens and running Operation Santa Claus, which provides gifts to needy children. She also helps once a week at a San Clemente day camp, where she plays games and does crafts with children.

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Anton Rytting, 17

senior, Westminster High, Westminster Anton is president of a service club at his school. His duties consist of organizing and performing year-round voluntary service projects for people in need. Anton, who plays the French horn, has also organized a group called the Poinsettia Band. The band performs free during the winter holidays at the Westminster Mall and this year added a performance at the Children’s Hospital in Westminster. (no such on style list of hospitals)

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Nari Cho, 17

senior, Laguna Hills High, Laguna Hills Because of a desire to help others, Nari has been involved for four years in the school’s Key Club service organization. Every club member must give five hours of community service each month, but Nari always surpasses that goal, putting in added hours organizing the events. She now serves as president of the group and is also editor of the school newspaper.

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Terry Fu, 18

senior, Irvine High, Irvine Terry tutors other students in chemistry, algebra, trigonometry and SAT preparation. She is vice president of the Key Club, which takes part in community service projects, is treasurer of the Society of Asian Students and a writer for the student newspaper. She also was a student representative on the team selecting a new principal for Irvine High (when?).

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Contributing to this report on students making a difference were:

Jennie Timar, sophomore, Los Alamitos; Sarah Halverson, junior, Costa Mesa; Luke Fenchel, junior, University; Leeza Duong, junior, Santiago;

Amanda Garcia, junior, El Modena; Audrey Rosenberg, senior, Laguna Hills; Robert Wenzel, junior, Irvine;

Jenny Yee, senior, Canyon; Rachel Odom, senior, Century; Mona Hanouni, junior, Loara; Amber Pierce, sophomore, Los Alamitos;

Tricia Michels, sophomore, Fountain Valley; Michelle Pham, junior, Trabuco Hills; Jennifer Tobkin, junior, Villa Park;

Joslin Gemsch, junior, Capistrano Valley; Judy Tsai, junior, Huntington Beach; Lisa Okikawa, senior, Cypress; Christine Monette, junior, Rosary;

Alison Koodrich, senior, Ocean View; Tina Toochinda, senior, Dana Hills; Koreen Kalie, junior, Westminster.