The La Cañada Thursday Club culminated a trio of April events when last Sunday it awarded scholarships to 12 local high school seniors at the annual Scholarship Tea. All of the La Cañada Flintridge students have made their college selections and proudly held the banners of their future schools. Each student gave a short speech of his or her community service experiences and future college plans.

Ed Morales, the president of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, addressed the recipients and audience. He spoke about the importance of volunteering and leadership. He emphasized taking individual passion for community service and applying it to future endeavors. His wife, Lisa Schembari Morales, was a 1986 Thursday Club debutante.

The Club’s Greenawalt Scholarship was named in honor of Club member Denise Greenawalt and honors a student/s who have achieved academic excellence and exhibited energy and tenacity in overcoming obstacles. Selected for the Greenawalt Scholarship this year were Isabella Chan from Flintridge Prep and Yasmin Ghaneh from LCHS. In the fall, Chan plans to attend University of Colorado, Boulder, and Ghaneh plans to attend UC San Diego.

The students awarded the Club’s Foundation Scholarship included William Bigby of Flintridge Prep, who plans to attend NYU; Annabelle Fung, LCHS, to attend Anglo American University in Prague; Aidan Henriques, St. Francis, to attend UC Berkeley; Cameron Hong, LCHS, to attend Harvard; Irene Hong, LCHS, to attend Olin College of Engineering; Annabelle Lee, Flintridge Prep, to attend Tufts; Katelyn Matarese, LCHS, to attend Harvard; CJ Sullivan, Flintridge Prep, to attend University of San Diego; Jenna Todoro, Flintridge Sacred Heart, to attend UC Santa Cruz; Kevin Zhang, Flintridge Prep, to attend MIT.

The presentation was followed by an informal tea in which students, parents, Club members and the keynote speaker socialized while snacking on tea sandwiches and cookies.

Other April events celebrated at the Thursday Club began on April 18 with a gala luncheon fashion show benefit, April in Paris, held in the Club’s courtyard. Fashions were presented by Everson Clare Boutique. Chairing the event was Verna McElderry and Ingrid May.

On the 27, the Club debutantes were honored and participated in a brunch and fashion show, Fashion in Bloom. The brunch was attended by family members and friends. Debutante models included Annalise Armetrout-Wiswall, Emily Yang, Olivia Cha, Jenn Musso, Sophia Barton, Patricia Tomasulo, Sienna Thompson, Madison Thompson, Judy Ku, Cassandra Dirkin, Shannon Speaker, Norah Dusing, Julia Vazquez, Reese Arturo and Ava Stygar.

Submitted by Jane Napier NEELY