Community Service Award

List of 7 items.

• 2024 Recipients

  Arguments Across the Americas (AAA): Nathan Verny '19

  Nathan is spearheading an ambitious project to host an online debate tournament this summer through his organization, Arguments Across the Americas (AAA). AAA aims to address inequities in the debate space by bolstering infrastructure and fostering a Pan-American debate coalition for resource-sharing and skill-building. Initially focused on the Americas, AAA has expanded to include teams from diverse nations such as Greece, Cambodia, and Angola, promoting international unity. The tournament featured four preliminary and three elimination rounds over two days, with free registration and judges provided at no cost to participants. The event also included sample debates and lectures between rounds, reflecting AAA's commitment to service and education.

  
  

  Eagle Scout School Improvement Project: Wynne Davis '20 

  Wynne, a Life Scout in Troop 108, used his CEE Community Service award to expand his Eagle Scout Service Project this summer, enhancing educational environments at Crete Academy and Hancock Park Elementary. He helped to design, build, and install vegetable garden beds and compost bins, enriching these schools with green spaces and hands-on learning opportunities. Over 80 hours were spent on this project, organizing volunteers and leading his troop in the construction and installation process. Motivated by a desire to support underprivileged students and inspired by his past volunteer work with Crete Academy, Wynne hoped to foster a love of learning and environmental stewardship among the students. This project reflects his commitment to giving back to the community and providing the benefits of green spaces and outdoor education to schools in need.

  
  

  Oliver's Piano Lessons/The People Concern: Oliver Savage '19 

  Oliver led a project to provide piano lessons to underserved children who cannot afford individual music instruction. Collaborating with The People Concern, a non-profit housing and social services agency dedicated to improving the lives of those in need in Los Angeles, Oliver's Piano Lessons offers lessons every weekend at the agency's permanent housing locations. In addition to teaching, he aims to provide each child with a keyboard and music books to facilitate practice between sessions. Inspired by his musical journey, which began at age seven, Oliver is passionate about sharing the joy of piano and the cognitive benefits it brings. Through this project, he hopes to enrich the lives of children from families supported by The People Concern, fostering a lifelong love of music.

  
  

  Par for Patriots: Wyatt Kline '19

  Wyatt is dedicated to connecting veterans and high schoolers through the game of golf. Par for Patriots hosts monthly events where veterans can learn golf, socialize, and participate in pre-event meditation sessions to help manage stress and PTSD. Inspired by his experience at a Vets Whole In One event, Wyatt used his award to create a space where youth and veterans can form meaningful connections. This project not only positively impacted veterans but also expanded the horizons of other high school students like himself, giving them the chance to converse with and learn from people very different from them. With a lifelong passion for golf, Wyatt is committed to making the sport more accessible while fostering a supportive community for veterans.

• 2023 Recipients

  Fentanyl Fight Club, benefitting Song for Charlie: Jasper Tronciale '18
  Jasper led a Narcan training program to ensure that high schoolers and parents know how to properly administer Narcan in case of fentanyl poisoning. Jasper co-designed Fentanyl Fight Club (FentanylFightClub.org) with Song for Charlie founders, Ed & Mary Ternan, who lost their son Charlie to fentanyl poisoning. Fentanyl Fight Club is Song for Charlie’s youth peer-to-peer program, dedicated to empowering youth to speak about and share educational resources about the dangers of fentanyl with their peers, both online and at their schools.

   

  The Empowerment Initiative Project, benefitting STEM Preparatory Schools: Capri Chaves '19

  Capri and members of the project worked with children K-12 in South Central Los Angeles, creating stimulating educational projects to engage the students and help empower their self-esteem. Capri visited the kids every week to play games, teach life skills, and provide a support group. The project helps create a safe zone outside their community, giving students a forum to discuss and address bullying and cyberbullying-related issues.

   

  Dear Armenia: Post-War Healing and Cultural Enrichment in the Caucasus, benefitting The Armenian General Benevolent Union and the Fuller House Construction Project: Derek '18 and Andrew Esrailian '20

  Derek and Andrew traveled to Armenia to engage in community service activities such as home construction and volunteering at orphanages, while connecting with their ancestral heritage. They interacted with old and young Armenians alike and expanded their perspectives on Armenia’s past, present, and future. Their experience also included increasing their proficiency in the Armenian language, learning traditional Armenian dances and music, engaging in authentic Armenian artisanship, deepening connection with the Armenian Apostolic faith, and exploring the Armenian landscape, such as the Aragats mountain range.

• 2022 Recipients

  Back-to-School Backpack Drive: Will Chandrasekhar '17
  Will has been volunteering as a math tutor for the past year with El Nido Family Centers, an organization that provides child and family services in underserved regions of Los Angeles. He has become increasingly involved with El Nido’s programming, further honing his own skills by serving as a videographer and editor to raise awareness about their mission. With the help of the Community Service Award, he plans to provide El Nido with substantial assistance for their back-to-school backpack program, including purchasing essential school supplies and organizing volunteers to prepare the backpacks for distribution to students. Will explains how his time at CEE encouraged him to continue giving back, saying that the values taught “both socially and academically will be with me through my life, guiding me and serving as the foundation of my experience in the world.”

  
  Sunday Lunch Drives: Anya Shah '17

  Anya has been involved with Hang Out Do Good as a part of their coalition that collects lunches made by families across Los Angeles to distribute to other families who lack access to a healthy, stable food supply. Each weekend, Anya and her family bond while giving back by preparing and delivering 20-60 paper-bag meals. With the Community Service Award, Anya plans to expand the number of meals she can prepare and work to further combat food insecurity in low-income communities. Anya’s project is inspired by the mindset and intentions of CEE’s work with the West Hollywood Food Coalition, demonstrating CEE’s core values of caring and responsibility.   

• 2021 Recipients

  Friends in Need: Carly & Aaron Platt '17, Alex Hahn '17, and EJ Chavez '17

  Aaron, Carly, Alex, and EJ have worked with children from the Learning Lab at Hathaway-Sycamores, an organization that provides child and family services, for several years. In February 2020, they started a weekend basketball clinic program for children. When the sports clinics paused due to the pandemic, they helped Hathaway-Sycamores collect clothes, books, and food for the families. In June 2021, with the help of the Community Service Award, the basketball clinics resumed once a month and included fun activities for the children like pizza parties and water games. The group also donated basketballs, a scoreboard, footballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, and two soccer nets to the organization. Alex explains, “By encouraging the students to be good team players, play fair, and take losses with grace, this experience helped us appreciate the importance of CEE’s core values of respect, inclusion, caring, and honesty.” 

  
  

  Fix the Beep: Dylan Foley '18 

  Dylan developed the Fix the Beep program alongside A Sense of Home, which helps youth aging out of foster care establish their first homes. Fix the Beep provides fire alarm kits to individuals moving into their own housing and provides fire prevention training to families. The Community Service Award helped Dylan create 25 kits for 25 new homes; the kits include an informational pamphlet, a magnet to hang up the pamphlet with a QR code to the Fix the Beep website, a battery tester, and 9V batteries. In addition to the kits, Fix the Beep will be creating an informational video for all Sense of Home foster alumni. This fall, Dylan is developing an educational kit in English and Spanish for John Burroughs Middle School. 

  
  

  Outside the Box: Jade Villapando '17 

  Jade has been involved in the No Limits service club at Brentwood School for several years. When the No Limit Center’s activities for deaf children and families all moved online due to the pandemic, Jade wanted to help the children access all the supplies they may need for virtual activity groups and school, ultimately creating 50 boxes with over 20 items for each child. Some of the supplies in the boxes included crayons, pencil sharpeners, whiteboards, Play-doh, and a chalk set. Jade says that she “hopes the children have a chance to think outside of the box and be creative in and outside of school.” The highlight of the process for Jade was going to the No Limits Center to deliver the boxes, sharing that “having the kids and parents thank me and seeing them with big smiles on their faces opening the boxes was my favorite part of the whole experience.”

• 2020 Recipient

  SmartPacks Backpack Drive: Landon Lewis ‘16
  Landon Lewis '16 developed the SmartPacks Backpack Drive to support low-income students preparing for back-to-school at Ninety-Ninth Street Elementary. Landon was able to create hundreds of backpacks full of supplies like pencils, glue sticks, paper, and more!

  
  

  Landon shares, “I feel that it is important that all students feel confident and prepared to start the new year with the necessary tools to succeed. With high unemployment rates during the Covid-19 pandemic, many parents are unable to provide adequate supplies for their children. Studies have shown that students often disconnect in class when they don't have adequate supplies for school. My goal was to play a pivotal role in supporting students on their journey towards building strong educational foundations; I also hoped to help teachers with limited classroom budgets. This project relates to two of the Center's core values of responsibility and caring. I feel a responsibility to help other students who may not have the same resources that I have, and it is with a caring spirit that I have the potential to help send children back to school with backpacks, supplies, and smiles!”

• 2019 Recipients

  Environmental Fair for NRDC: Catherine Dickerman '15 and Zoe Redlich '15
  Catherine and Zoe organized an environmental fair in support of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Through various activities, demonstrations, and information booths, the fair helped spread awareness about climate change and how to combat its effects. 

  
  

  Allies for Every Child: Oliver Berry '15, Esan Durrani '15, and Max Hahn '15
  Oliver, Esan, and Max partnered with Allies for Every Child (formerly the Westside Children’s Center). The three alumni are dedicated to advocating for children at risk of neglect and abuse and hope to build a strong partnership with AEC to provide educational, health, and social services to families in need.
  

• 2018 Recipients

  Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition: Ethan Hodess '14 and Bryce Louie '14
  Ethan and Bryce planned an event to raise funds for the Greater West Hollywood Food Coalition. Their CEE grant helped secure a venue and through sponsorships and ticket sales, they raised over $5,000 which the Food Coalition was able to use for Thanksgiving meals, a new laundry service, sleeping bags, and other critical supplies.

  
  

  The Help Group: Matthew Burkow '13
  Matthew volunteered with children at The Help Group, making lasting connections with kids with special needs who face autism spectrum disorder and other attention, developmental, and learning challenges. Matthew explained how the CEE core value of inclusion helped him build a strong bond with the students.

  
  

  The Pad Project: Mason Maxam '15
  Mason used the funds to support The Pad Project, a student-led nonprofit she is involved in that seeks to bring access to safe menstrual products to girls around the world, providing “pad machines” to these communities and building awareness through their Academy-Award-winning documentary, Period. End of Sentence.

  
  Making it Forward: Will Toth '13
  Will spent the summer helping kids in the community make their own guitars from scratch. Through the Making it Forward program he started in 2016, children met regularly to work on building a guitar, providing an opportunity to learn the value of making something themselves and exploring the art and science of music making.