With bright futures ahead of them, graduates of the fourth annual Leadership Academy celebrated their accomplishments on June 30 at the Youth Center in Los Alamitos. The top rated non-profit awarded certificates of completion after a week of intensive workshops designed to give a real world education of adult life beyond high school.
Student safety gets a boost from LAEF
The Los Alamitos Education Foundation (LAEF) Board of Directors approved an $11,500 donation to Los Alamitos Unified School District to significantly support the installation of a video surveillance system at Los Alamitos High School. The 15 camera system is being installed this summer and will be operational for the start of the 2016-17 school year.
Big year for the Los Al School District
Los Alamitos Unified School District has a long-standing legacy of excellence in Academics, Athletics, Activities, and the Arts. They take their motto, Igniting Unlimited Possibilities, seriously and continually strive to meet the needs, goals, and aspirations of their students and the dreams families have for their children. They’ve continued this tradition in 2015-16 and celebrate the following accomplishments:
• All schools were recognized as California Gold Ribbon Schools, naming Los Alamitos Unified as a Gold Ribbon District
American Legion names new board
The American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 716, Los Alamitos has elected and installed their 2016-2017 officers.
The American Legion supports veterans, their families and the community.
The ladies from Unit 716 are very active working the programs and helping 100’s of veterans on a daily basis. For more information or to join call 562-430-6033.
Los Al All Stars qualify for So Cal State Championships
The Los Alamitos Girls Softball All-Star teams had a chance to qualify for the Southern California All Star “B” State Championships. The 8 and Under team did qualify with a second place finish at the District Championships at Aliso Viejo on June 26.
After dropping their second-round game, the 8U Red All-Stars battled back through the elimination bracket to reach the title game.
Of their eight games, the 8U Red team went to an International Tie-Breaker in five games.
Undefeated Surf City Tourney Champs
FC Premier’s Girls 2004 new team, coached by Lyle Stamps, competed in the 2016 Surf City Tournament on June 25-26. Over the course of the tournament the team went undefeated and outscored their opponents 11 to 3. They played four games and came out on top with 36 points. The second place team had 23 points. This is their seconnd tournament together as a team. Pictured from left to right, back row: Lyle Stamps, Eilda Hare, Avery Masaniai, Madison Stamps, XioMara Gonzalez, Mel Navarro, Gizelle Bruno, Emi Schram, Eilda Hare, and Assistant Coach Julio Santillan.
Los Al High graduates receive scholarships
The Seal Beach International Friendship Association recently awarded the 2016 June Roughton Hopkins Memorial Scholarship of $1,500 each to two Los Alamitos High School seniors who graduated in June.
Renee Kimberlin Congdon of College Park East in Seal Beach will be attending Colgate University in upstate New York, majoring in International Relations and Psychology.
Cypress Soroptimist’s new board members
The 2016-2017 Soroptimist International of Cypress Board Members were installed to their new officers at an appetizer reception meeting June 22. Incoming President, Julie Jordan made it fun with an Olympics theme. Each board member got a medal related to her position.
Locals receive Eagle Scout honor
Forrest Wissuchek, Haddee Hammoud, and Jacob Gregg recently completed requirements that grants them the highest rank in Boy Scouting: the Rank of Eagle Scout.
As one of the culminating requirements to reach this high rank, each scout had to find a beneficiary (a non-profit organization) that had a need for something that could be designed and built by a group of boy scouts and their leaders.
Universal Studios debuts attractions
Universal Studios Hollywood unlocked the iconic “Don’t’ Open, Dead Inside” doors to usher in its all-new “The Walking Dead” permanent daytime attraction, based on AMC’s top-rated television series and the most watched show in cable television history, which officially opened to the public on Monday, July 4.
Local church gearing up for summer activities
Looking for something active and engaging for your kids to do this summer?
Los Altos United Methodist Church in Long Beach welcomes children entering 1st -5th grade to Groundlings Summer Day Camp.
Week 2: July 25-29: Space Camp
God created such a beautiful universe. This week, we get to learn more about it. It’s going to be “out of this world!.
Week 3: August 1-5: Under the Sea
This week, we get to splash around in the water, just like fish. Don’t forget your towel.
Week 4: August 8-12: Olympics
Frieda’s executive receives honor
Jackie Caplan Wiggins, along with nine others from the greater Long Beach area were honored during The Long Beach Cancer League’s 41st annual gala on June 4.
Recognized for their contributions to furthering the work of the American Cancer Society, the “Stars” of the 2016 gala included:
· Judy McNulty Black and Don Black
· Rick and Bree Bryson
· Brooke Caldwell, MD
· Janet Foley
· Ned Gaylord
· Lena Gonzalez, City Councilwoman, 1st District, Long Beach
Oak students receive top honors in academic challenge?
Under the guidance of engineering teacher Seann Schiele, Oak middle school students competed in the third annual ocMaker Challenge in May sponsored in part by the Orange County Department of Education, Airwolf 3D, and MatterHackers.
Teams across Orange County were given the prompt: “design and build, or significantly repurpose, a product that will solve a problem, need, or want.”
Fastest wiener in the West race comes to Los Al Race Course
From a field of more than 90 dogs, the fastest dog in the West will be crowned once again at the 2016 Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals at Los Alamitos Race Course.
The 21st annual event will be held on Saturday, July 16, benefiting the Seal Beach Animal Care Center.
$900 will be awarded to the first place winner.
Over the past 20 years, the event has raised more than $240,000 for this non-profit group dedicated to finding homes for stray animals in the Orange County area.
Los Al serves up Summer programs
Registration is still going on for Learn to Swim Lessons with the City of Los Alamitos. All swimming lessons are taught using the American Red Cross guidelines and teaching techniques. We hire only American Red Cross certified and trained Water Safety Instructors. We offer low class ratios and high quality instructors at reasonable rates in order to provide a safe and nurturing environment where each child can learn to be safe in the water.
Youth Center to tee up for tourney
Score a hole in one by teeing off for a worthy cause at the Youth Center’s Second Annual Golf Tournament on Thursday, July 14 at Recreation Park in Long Beach. Sponsored by the Garden’s Casino in Hawaiian Gardens, the event promises to be a lot of fun and better than ever.
Veterans Voices: 65 years ago
On Friday morning, May 11, 1951, I drove to the “Tux Shoppe” in Durham, North Carolina for a final fitting of my white coat tuxedo. It fit perfectly. I took it with me to the hotel. At the desk, I asked for someone to ring the phone in my room at five o’clock. I hung the tux in the closet, and stretched out on the bed for a short nap.
Screen time this summer
I spent this last weekend on a soccer field for my daughter’s last tournament of the season. Because the tournament was in Mission Viejo, the families opted to stay near the fields for the four hours between games on both Saturday and Sunday, rather than drive all the way home and then have to turn right back around to return to the field. In the end, I calculated that between the games and the waiting, we had over 20 hours to bond.
Special Olympics invades Long Beach State
The Special Olympics Summer Games were in town over the June 11 weekend at Long Beach State. Competitors from all over Orange County came together to be crowned the best in their respective sport.
Photos by Dave Smithson
Former Los Al Lacrosse Coach headed to Bosco
Casey Yeazel, Principal of St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, recently announced that veteran lacrosse coach Christopher Jewett, 39, will be assuming the position of head lacrosse coach at the school effective July 1. Coach Jewett most recently was the head lacrosse coach at Los Alamitos High School, where he led the Griffins to the 2014 Sunset League Championship, and was named the 2014 Sunset League Coach of the Year.