Teen flies high with Falcon Award

Lauren Masters

China Sajadian was in the middle of her acceptance speech for

Crescenta Valley High School’s Falcon Award when the loudspeaker

interrupted.

“Good morning, Falcons!” came the greeting. Students laughed as

the voice announced for the second time, “And this year’s winner of

the Falcon Award is ... China Sajadian.”

The students burst into another round of applause as China

finished thanking her peers in the school’s auditorium.

“I was already happy for her before she won,” said Holly Small,

China’s mother. “I’m her mother and I’m biased. But it makes me feel

good because it’s her peers honoring her.”

China was one of five finalists in this year’s Falcon Award of

Excellence, a contest organized by the school’s National Honor

Society chapter. Michael Bayles, Lindsay Corless, Jennifer Kim and

Lizzie Wade were the other finalists.

The group is at the top of its graduating class and represents

most of the extracurricular activities offered on campus.

China was introduced by senior Daniel Adams as being too modest to

describe herself accurately. She is a Girl Scout and is one of the

lead actors in the spring musical. China considers her greatest

community contributions to be serving at Descanso Gardens’ Japanese

Garden Tea House, helping at a Pasadena homeless shelter and giving

swim lessons through the Special Olympics.

“It got so my whole weekend was being at these different

organizations,” she said. “I feel like I have a talent for it.”

In addition to her service, China is an academic and carries a

copy of “Hamlet” in her purse, Daniel said.

She will attend Smith College in Northampton, Mass., this fall.

Michael, the student government’s director of technology, was

described as the “first to go to work, last to go home,” by CV senior

Meriah Moffat. He is a scholar-athlete and will attend Brigham Young

University in Utah.

Talented in music, athletics and academics, Lindsay pushes herself

to do her best, senior Jonathan Callister said. She will also attend

BYU.

Five years ago, Jennifer knew no English. She is graduating sixth

in her class and will attend UC Berkeley. Her passion lies in

mathematics and music, and she has played piano for four years for

the school’s Jazz Band. Lizzie, the marching band’s drum major, has

worked for CV’s Gay/Straight Alliance and promoted AIDS awareness

through the club. She will attend Barnard College in New York.

Eighty-four seniors were nominated by homerooms, organizations and

clubs for the award. A committee of 36 students pared the list down

to five based on the candidate’s scholarship, leadership, commitment,

character and community service and interviewed the finalists before

choosing China, who will receive $1,000. The other finalists will

receive $250.