Outstanding philanthropic youth were celebrated at the Youth Center’s A Night Among the Stars awards on Jan. 27 at the Youth Center in Los Alamitos. Out of 16 nominees, four young volunteers were awarded $500 scholarships, with a “Courage in Volunteering Award” given by the Rotary Club of Los Alamitos/Seal Beach to one outstanding nominee who overcame personal challenges to give back to the community.
Outstanding philanthropic youth were celebrated at the Youth Center’s A Night Among the Stars awards on Jan. 27 at the Youth Center in Los Alamitos. Out of 16 nominees, four young volunteers were awarded $500 scholarships, with a “Courage in Volunteering Award” given by the Rotary Club of Los Alamitos/Seal Beach to one outstanding nominee who overcame personal challenges to give back to the community.
Award-winner Tanner Webb, 17, of Cypress, and a Los Alamitos High School (LAHS) senior, was nominated for his “compassion and kind heart,” by Summer Harvest/Food 4 Kids of Seal Beach. He joined the organization a year ago working with food distributions and leading packing teams in their Cypress and Fountain Valley locations, sometimes serving the Los Alamitos location. He was ever sensitive, discrete and professional with local families in need.
“He treated all families with a comfortable respect, never revealing if he knew them or not, and kept them at ease with his easy manner and engaging conversation,” according to Summer Harvest, Food 4 Kids, Inc., Board Member Rosalina Mattern’s nominating letter. “This is a service and leadership quality that is difficult to teach volunteers. Tanner already has it in spades.”
Webb not only volunteered for Summer Harvest, but has donated more than 400 hours of service to other community organizations including The Youth Center, Weaver Elementary School, the Orange County Library, Cub Scouts Day Camps, the Los Alamitos Museum and Boys Scouts of America. He earned his rank of Eagle Scout this past summer. He’s also talented academically carrying a cumulative 4.2 GPA while taking Honors and AP courses in Chemistry, Computer Science, Spanish, Calculus and more. He is a member of the California Scholarship Federation and other on campus organizations, as well as a junior varsity tennis champion and a Certified Level 1 archery coach. He also was president of the Los Alamitos High School recycling club.
Also from Los Alamitos High School is award winner 17-year-old Lindsey Torgerson of Seal Beach who has served the local community extensively with more than 600 hours of service with the Seal Beach Lions Leo program. Her involvement with them included Eyes Across California – Sight Rally, the Seal Beach Fish Fry, Braille Beepball Tournament, the Seal Beach Christmas Parade and Seal Beach Health Faire, to name a few. She did this all while maintaining a 4.0 GPA and having competed on the LAHS Water Polo and Swim teams. She participated in the Youth Center’s “Every 15 Minutes” drunk driving determent event and has served as a lifeguard for the City of Seal Beach.
“Lindsey has tirelessly given back to people of all ages in our community,” said LAHS Principal Brandon Martinez, in a letter of recommendation. “[She] possesses a strong work ethic and sees other’s needs before her own.”
Another outstanding award winner is 15-year-old Daniel Hayase of Yorba Linda who was nominated by the Village Bible Academy Leo Club, which is affiliated with the Seal Beach Lions. Hayase has already served more than 1,600 hours as the Vice President of the club and their Vice President of Technology.
Especially gifted in technology and using his skills to help others, he’s used his passion in his work with the CyberPatriot Project, where he was trained in cyber-security, by the Air Force Association. He’s also involved with mentoring youth robotics teams, and he served as technology lead for the VBA Leo Club with the TEDxYouth Event, spending nearly 300 hours on the project to produce professional TED videos on their website and YouTube.
“We could have never accomplished TEDxYouth Event endeavor without Daniel’s willingness to go beyond what was expected of him,” said Village Bible Academy Leo Club Advisor Chardy Lang in her letter of recommendation.
Hayase, who is very involved with the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) as a Cadet 1st Lieutenant, Honor Guard Deputy Commander, and Charlie Flight Commander where he mentors, supervises and trains flight sergeants besides teaching various classes. He is currently applying for the Air Force Academy and to a prestigious training camp for this summer.
Winner of the Rotary Club’s “Courage in Volunteering Award” is 14-year-old Cody Tanner of Seal Beach, who overcame personal adversity while still serving the community. The Los Alamitos High School freshman’s father passed away suddenly a year ago.
“Cody rallied his friends and Leos to help with his Dad’s funeral, and never missed a beat with his community service,” said Seal Beach Leo Club Advisor and Director Scott Newton in a memo.
Tanner completed more than 270 volunteer hours, serves as an active member of the Seal Beach Leo Club for the last three years and is currently on their board of directors. He has volunteered for the Miss Seal Beach organization for several years and has spent time volunteering for other projects including the Ronald McDonald House and Band on the Sand. He was awarded the Leo Spirit Award and President’s Volunteer Service Gold Award. He also volunteers with the Seal Beach Police Department’s VIP Program, Neighbor-for-Neighbor Program, and is currently part of their Explorer Program.
“Wherever there is a need in Seal Beach, there is Cody,” said Newton in his nominating letter. “He is one of those kids who always seems to be helping. He is typically the first one to arrive for a project and is always there at the end. He gives from the heart and enjoys improving the community and helping the less fortunate, and he always serves with an ear-to-ear smile.”
The community is honored to have such committed youth who have contributed significantly to the benefit of others, said Youth Center Executive Director Lina Lumme. “These scholarship winners are exemplary and give us all hope for the future. It’s with much pleasure we recognize them as stellar youth who selflessly give for the betterment of us all.”
