The annual Smart-A-Thon was held on Wednesday, March 13, hosting a room of delighted quizzers at the USC Verdugo Hills Hospital. Mary Pinola, of the Mary Pinola Education Fund, crafted a head-scratching collection of over 75 trivia questions with a local spin for the players to answer. The top 15 teams received prizes of chocolate bars and bragging rights. The proceeds of the event went in part to charities in attendance and mostly to the Education Fund, which will then distribute the funds to other local non-profits that work for the betterment of the community youth.

A special moment to highlight was the surprise presentation of a new saxophone to Crescenta Valley High music director Matt Schick. One of his students burst into the room and played a jazz blues improvisation piece for the audience before presenting Schick with the instrument, provided by the Education Fund.

The winning team was the Therapy Pool team from the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center.

Photos by Charly Shelton