Many organizations work throughout the year to raise money for scholarship funds that are then distributed to recipients graduating from local high schools.
Below is a snapshot of some of this year’s organizations and their recipients.
For a list of scholarship awardees, visit www.cvweekly.com/localyouth.

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California

Nikolas Gutierrez-Kovner from Crescenta Valley High School was among 104 Southern California recipients awarded $2,000 from Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of Southern California to help pay for first year college expenses. The charity awarded $328,000 in scholarship funds to exceptional high school seniors who reside in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. These students were recently honored at an awards luncheon hosted by the McDonald’s Operators’ Association of Southern California.

Community Foundation of the Verdugos

On June 9, the Community Foundation of the Verdugos held a brunch where funds were distributed by representatives of the many scholarships the Foundation oversees. Approximately $90,000 in scholarship money was given to further the education of dozens of recipients.
Foundation president Robert Knauf and honorary scholarship chair Betty Porto assisted in presenting the students with the funds.

Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce

At its June business mixer, CV Chamber of Commerce advisor Jean Maluccio (left) with Mike Padula and Chamber President Leonard Ghazarian presented scholarship money to graduating foothills students. Shown from left next to Padula are Clare McCreary, Jacqueline Kershner, Aimee Yeghiayan, Jacob Magana and Molly Shelton.

Glendale Elks

Sixteen college-bound seniors from seven of the area high schools were honored at the 82nd Annual Scholarship Awards Dinner sponsored by Glendale Elks Lodge #1289 on May 22. The top six finalists competed for district, state and national honors and received a total of $43,450. Shown above (left to right) are Exalted Ruler Rick Adams, Manuk Hovanesian (UC Berkeley), Steven Ghazikhanian (Duke University), Julia Lim (University of Pacific), Jacob Kim (Harvard), Yervand Azatian (USC), Justin Sao (Stanford) and Scholarship Chairman Jack Wright.

ICF Branch 374

Pricilla Moreno, left, and Shannon Rodick, graduates of St. Bede the Venerable Roman Catholic Church Elementary School, were awarded scholarships in the annual Branch 374 essay contest by Mark Mannarelli, branch scholarship chairman. Not pictured is fellow recipient Gabriella Lopez.

Glendale Latino Association

On May 31, the Glendale Latino Association awarded $16,000 in scholarships to 16 exceptional Glendale Unified School
District students.
Jessica Palacios, a senior at Clark Magnet High School, was the recipient of Glendale Memorial Hospital’s funded scholarship. With Jessica are Matt Gerlach (left) and Glendale Mayor Frank Quintero.

Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce

On May 3, the Montrose-Verdugo City Chamber of Commerce Golf Classics Par 3 Masters was held at the Verdugo Hills Golf Course. The proceeds from the event fund the chamber’s Anita Peet Geyer Scholarship Fund for graduating seniors in the Crescenta Valley area.
This year, GUSD Board of Education members Christine Walters, at left, and Nayiri Nahabedian distributed the funds at the golf tournament. Next to Walters is former recipient Katie Redmond and recipients Nicholas Gutierrez-Kovner, Rachel Kwon, Molly Shelton, Aimee Yeghiayan, Clare Kyle Mc Creary, Jessica Palacios (next to Nahabedian).