Introducing Les Fleurettes to be presented at 67th annual Bal Blanc de Noël
Fourteen young women will be presented Saturday, Dec. 29 during the 67th annual Bal Blanc de Noël as this year’s class of La Cañada Thursday Club debutantes. The black-tie affair will be held at the Westin hotel in Pasadena.
Having completed the club’s 16-month Les Fleurettes program of personal development, cultural education and service, the teens, all wearing white ball gowns, will be introduced to guests by La Cañada Flintridge Mayor Terry Walker. Each will then be presented with a camellia charm by Sheri Morton, a past president of the Thursday Club, and will enjoy the traditional first waltz with their fathers.
Those who will be taking their bows to society are Megan Andrews, Samantha Aydin, Nareh Derhartounian, Caroline Higa, Emily Jordan, Kathleen Knudsen, April Miller, Sydney Mueller, Veronica Muller, Allegra Rendina, Gabriella Rendina, Kalyn Stewart, Gwendalynn Stilson and Madelyn Susank.
Biographical information for each, based on information provided by the Thursday Club, follows:
Megan Andrews is a senior at La Cañada High School where she participates in the Chamber Singers and in musical theater productions. In fact, she hopes to study musical theater in college and one day pursue a career in that field. A member of the California Scholarship Federation and a longtime Girl Scout who earned her Gold Award in 2016, Megan has also taken on civic duties including a stint on the La Cañada Flintridge Youth Council and as a member of the Miss LCF Royal Court. Megan is the daughter of Alison McQuay and Todd Andrews.
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Samantha Aydin, a La Cañada High senior, was vice president of the 2018 Les Fleurettes class. At school she is a member of the California Scholarship Federation, co-captain of the campus speech and debate team and a member of the women’s choral ensemble. She teaches Sunday school at her church and is a Girl Scout. She plans to study biology and business at a university and is considering a career as an obstetrician. Samantha is the daughter of Shahin and Christine Aydin.
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Nareh Derhartounian is the president of the 2018 Les Fleurettes class. A senior at La Cañada High School, she is a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation and has participated in the school’s speech and debate team for four years. She is also an avid sabre fencer. As a Girl Scout, she earned her Gold Award last spring. She intends to study history with a minor in ethics/philosophy at a university and eventually pursue a career in the field of law. Nareh is the daughter of Ani and Harmik Derhartounian.
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Caroline Higa attends Glendale Community College, where she is a member of the honor society Alpha Gamma Sigma. Throughout her high school years in La Cañada, she was a member of the University of La Verne genetic engineering team. She earned the Girl Scout Gold Award and was selected to carry a banner in the 2018 Rose Parade as a member of the Tournament Troop. She plans to transfer from GCC to a university with a strong agricultural program, as she hopes to have a career focused on genetically engineered plants for a more sustainable future. Caroline is the daughter of Tracy Lee and Tom Higa.
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Emily Jordan is a senior at La Cañada High School where she is a team manager of the lacrosse team and a member of the California Scholarship Federation. She’s working on obtaining her Scuba certification in coming months. A Candy Striper at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, she can be found volunteering in the hospital’s labor and delivery department. She has an interest in studying marine biology at university, then move on to medical school. Emily is the daughter of Ruth and Edward Jordan.
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Kathleen Knudsen is a senior at La Cañada High School and a member of the California Scholarship Federation. An athlete who has loved and played softball since the age of 7, she is co-captain and starting third baseman for the LCHS varsity softball team. A Girl Scout, she is working on organizing her Gold Award project, which will involve a blood drive. She plans to study psychology at a university and eventually pursue a career in the field of forensic psychology. Kathleen is the daughter of Karen and Thomas Knudsen.
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April Miller is a senior at La Cañada High School, where studio art and theater are her special interests. She has participated in all four levels of studio art and particularly enjoys portraiture. In the field of theater, April has taken on roles in several school and community productions over the years. Outside of those two interests, she has also studied karate for 12 years, becoming a black belt this fall. She plans to attend a university and hopes to study environmental science. April is the daughter of Susanne Whatley-Miller and the late Thomas Miller, and the stepdaughter of David Klandrud.
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Sydney Mueller is a senior at La Cañada High School, where she is a member of the California Scholarship Federation and a participant in the cross-country and track and field teams. In 2016, she was the Rio Hondo League champion in shot put. She is also a Girl Scout who is currently working on her Gold Award project. She will be a member of the 2019 Tournament of Roses Troop and will carry a banner in the Rose Parade on Jan. 1. She hopes to study political science and history when she reaches college. Having an interest in criminal law, she is also considering attending law school after completing her undergraduate studies. Sydney is the daughter of Kristin and Kenneth Mueller II.
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Veronica Muller is a senior at La Cañada High School, where she is a member of the National Honor Society, the California Scholarship Federation and the Spanish Honor Society. She is a semi-finalist in the National Merit Scholarship program and is director for the LCHS branch of the Science National Honor Society. She is senior president of the school’s science team and a member of its science bowl. She is a member of the Chamber Singers and has performed in school musicals. Outside of campus, she was named an international youth ambassador for the La Cañada Flintridge Sister Cities Assn. She plans to attend a university to study biomedical engineering and hopes to pursue a career as a physician scientist. Veronica is the daughter of Danielle Gladding and Richard Muller.
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Allegra Rendina attends Santa Barbara City College. Prior to that, she attended La Cañada High for two years and then graduated from Fusion Academy. At LCHS, she was a member of the pep squad, the Korean Culture club and the Korean drum line. She earned her Girl Scout Gold Award for decorating a new front porch for the Pasadena Ronald McDonald House. Allegra plans to transfer to a university to study nursing. She hopes to become an emergency room nurse. Allegra is the daughter of Ron and Susan Rendina and twin sister of Gabriella Rendina, who is also being presented this season.
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Gabriella Rendina attends La Cañada High School, where she has played on the school soccer team. She also plays for Los Angeles Premier Soccer Club. An active member of the Crescenta-Cañada YMCA, she has participated in its Youth and Government program, worked as a swim instructor, attended Camp Fox, and now serves as a counselor there. A Girl Scout, she earned her Gold Award for work on the gardens at the Pasadena Ronald McDonald House. She volunteers at Huntington Hospital in the labor and delivery unit. She plans to study science in college and hopes to pursue a career in the health sciences. Gabriella is the daughter of Ron and Susan Rendina and twin sister of Allegra Rendina, who is also being presented this season.
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Kalyn Stewart is a senior at La Cañada High School, where for three years she has served as president of the Operation Walk club, which raises funds to help with orthopedic relief efforts in third world countries. She also took part in the Best Buddies club for two years and has been involved in the LINK crew to help freshmen become better integrated on the LCHS campus. She recently completed her Girls Scout Gold Award and is a volunteer at Huntington Hospital. After high school, she plans to attend nursing school on the West Coast. She hopes to have the opportunity to do some studying abroad during her college years. Her long-term goal is to become a nurse anesthetist. Kalyn is the daughter of Suzanne Stewart and Tracy Stewart.
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Gwendalynn Stilson is a senior at La Cañada High School, where she is a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation. She is an AP Scholar with Honors and a National Merit Commended Scholar. She has been a member of the La Cañada Marching Spartans for three years, first as a flute, second as a trumpet, and lastly as a mellophone. She joined the LCHS Jazz Band this year as a trumpet player. For the past three years, she has played a vibraphone in the winter drumline. She also enjoys dancing. She plans to attend a university in California to study biology and music. She hopes to pursue a career in medicine. Gwendalynn is the daughter of Christine Bingham and James Stilson.
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Madelyn Susank is a senior at St. Monica Academy in Montrose. She enjoys volunteering and helping others. She assisted her sister parish school in the creation of a music program for its elementary school students. Two years ago, she earned her Girl Scout Gold Award and has recently been chosen to be a member of the 2019 Tournament of Roses Troop. She studied Irish dancing and has competed at national and international levels in that discipline. She plans to attend a university to earn a degree in accounting. After that, she hopes to one day to work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Madelyn is the daughter of Ava and Kevin Susank.
