The Manhattan Beach Coordinating Council, a nonprofit organization that raises funds to award scholarships annually to Mira Costa High School seniors, recognized outstanding students at a recent luncheon.

Kayla Lowenberg of Meadows Elementary School, Will Prince of Robinson Elementary School, Ivy Stevens of Manhattan Beach MIddle School, Hayley Gordon of American Martyrs School, and Pooja Nagpal of Mira Costa High were honored last month at a luncheon at The Belamar Hotel.

Cashmere Une Fois's Linda Harmon Butts, a Manhattan Beach resident who sponsored the event's lunches for the honored students and their academic presenters, told the audience of the beneficial role MBCC scholarships play in a recipient's life. Her granddaughter, who received a scholarship, will graduate from UCLA in June with a major in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics and a minor in Biomedical Research. Linda thanked MBCC for its support.

Linda's business Cashmere Une Fois crafts amazingly soft and gorgeous items from recycled cashmere, and welcomes special orders. West Basin Municipal Water District also sponsored the event's lunches and presented a check for $2,700 to the MBCC scholarship fund. (See West Basin Donates to Manhattan Beach Scholarship Fund.)

Kayla Lowenberg was honored for being an "outstanding student scholar and citizen," said Teacher Katherine Whittaker Stopp. Kayla was recognized for "kindly" keeping everybody "on task and focused" when working on a project, being "humble, confident," and "a deep thinker." "She is very motivated at whatever she does," said Whittaker Stopp.

Will Prince of Robinson Elementary "has an amazing work ethic that has resulted in outstanding academic achievement," said Principal Nancy Doyle. New to the school in August, he integrated well into the school, especially his 5th grade classroom, she noted. Will was also called out for his "kindness and compassion."

MBMS Teacher Rebecca Allen spoke about student Ivy Stevens, lauding her for her "positive attitude, integrity," and "intellect." Said Allen, "She deeply cares about  knowledge and is willing to work for it," called her "a truly extraordinary young person" who is "kind, personable, and friendly."  Ivy has earned all A grades in her career at MBMS, even with a rare affliction, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. "She has persevered through all of her difficulties," said Allen, "without ever complaining," launching a website to educate and inspire others. She also was one of only three students to earn a chair with a top orchestra while she was in 7th grade.

Hayley Gordon was honored as American Martyrs School's outstanding student. Teacher Melissa Ninnis told the audience that Hayley is a "very, very hardworking student" who is "blessed with a great intelligence." Said Ninnis, "Her thirst for knowledge extends beyond the classroom," and then listed some of her extracurricular activities: Academic Decathlon, California Junior Scholarship Federation, club volleyball team captain, USTA tennis player, softball player, "proficient" pianist, and Soles4Souls volunteer. Hayley also held a baby shower for 50 women from the Wilmington Care Center, to which Toyota donated 50 car seats when they learned of her effort.

Mira Costa High's Pooja Nagpal was honored by Mira Costa's Joel Carlson, who directs the Grammy® award-winning music program for the school's bands. Carlson talked about how he'd been peripherally aware of Pooja's activities since they took her away from Marching Band practice last summer and she'd made arrangements with him to be able to remain in Marching Band. But, Carlson, said he hadn't realized the breadth and depth of the project that took her away to India for about 3 weeks until he read about it more extensively in the school newspaper. It was then he realized all that was involved in the Girl Scout Gold Award project she and he sister had taken on--to work seven days a week teaching English and self-defense to girls in India. 
 
The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award in the program and is a two-year undertaking in which girls complete training and use their talents and learned leadership skills to create a Gold Award Take Action project. The large-scale project requires a minimum of 80 hours of planning and implementation and must have a lasting impact on its targeted community. Both Pooja and her sister Meera were named 2014 Emerging Leaders by the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles. (Related: Costa sophomores Meera and Pooja Nagpal travel to India to empower young women by Julia DiFiori, La Vista, October 15, 2014 and Golden Girls by Jessica Miller, La Vista, February 27, 2015).

Congratulations to all of the students honored! MBCC held its April luncheon today (Thursday, April 16) and DigMB will report on that soon.


Previously on DigMB

• West Basin Donates to Manhattan Beach Scholarship Fund
• Luncheon Event to Honor 5 Outstanding Students
• Local Students To Be Honored at Jan. 15 Luncheon
• Local Group Honors Four Students
• Community Luncheon to Recognize Distinguished Students
• MBCC Awards Scholarships to Mira Costa Seniors

MBCC's big event of the year, its scholarship presentation reception at which Mira Costa High seniors will be award scholarships, will be held on Thursday, May 21 at The Belamar Hotel from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Online RSVPs can be made here for $35 per person.