Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, May 22, 2021

EDUCATION AND YOUTH8 Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 22, 2021 EDUCATION AND YOUTH8 Mountain Views-News Saturday, May 22, 2021 
SIERRA MADRE CIVIC CLUB 
EDUCATIONAL AWARD WINNERS MAY 2021 


Celia Plaut 

 
Ian Carson 

Riley Vandevelde Milo Sariol Danica Shair 

The Sierra Madre Civ-ic Club invited graduating 
high school seniors who either live in, attend school in, or are 
employed in Sierra Madre to apply for an Educational Award. All 
applicants were found to be exceptional young adults who believe 
strongly in supporting our community through volunteerism and 
giving back. These are the five Award recipients who were honored 
at the May 13 Civic Club meeting: 

Riley Vandevelde attends Pasadena High School. You may recog


nize her from the Village Pizzeria in town where she works or from 

her volunteer activities with Club - making and selling confetti eggs 

and assisting with the Halloween Window Painting. Riley wrote 

that the most influential event in her life has been the Mt. Wilson Trail 
Race, having been inspired by her mother’s experiences. Despite medical challenges Riley 
was determined to finish the race – and she did. She said “The Mount Wilson Trail Race 
taught me the power of determination. From the mountains to the classroom, my ability 
to persevere when the going gets tough has helped me succeed. No matter how grueling of 
a challenge, with grit and determination, I can cross any finish line.” Riley will be attending 
the University of Notre Dame, majoring in Biology. 

Milo Sariol is a senior at Lasalle College Prep. He loves animals and has been around them 
all of his life. First his family raised chickens, ducks, bunnies, birds, snakes and more. 
Now he volunteers at a goat ranch and creamery where he works with goats, horses, and 
pigs. He has delivered farm babies and performed basic medical procedures as needed 
there. He has also built furniture and stables, repaired farm equipment and used the farm 
products in cooking goat caramel, cheese, and yogurt. Milo believes strongly in community 
service and giving back through volunteerism. 

Danica Shair attends Pasadena High School, and also works at the Village Pizzeria. With 
her Mom (Chandy Shair), Danica has helped stuff and sell confetti eggs, distributed paint 
for Halloween Window Painting, helped organize items for the annual City Yard Sale, and 
helps recycle cans and bottles for Club. Danica has also volunteered with several other 
community groups and at events in town. She enjoys exercise (hiking, running, AYSO), 
art (painting, sketching) and music (listening to many genres of music, singing, and playing 
piano). Danica plans to attend San Diego State University in the fall, majoring in 
Kinesiology. 

Celia Plaut is graduating from Pasadena High School and is President of the Green Club 
there. You may know Celia from her many volunteer activities with Club, including serving 
food at our luncheons, distributing Halloween window paint, and assisting her Mom 
(Ellen O’Leary) with selling items for Club profit. She enjoys trying new things, and her 
parents have often said “If she can do it, let her.” An international volunteer trip to Tanzania 
after her sophomore year gave Celia the opportunity to see the sometimes temporary 
effects of volunteerism and how important it is to create sustainable solutions that benefit 
small communities across the world. Celia will major in an area of Biology at UCLA. 

Ian Carson is a senior at Pasadena High School. Ian has used online tutorials to learn 
to play the guitar and to build a forge for blacksmithing, and he enjoys outdoors activities 
such as riding dirt bikes, skiing, flying remote-control planes and kites. He has been 
very active in the community while becoming an Eagle Scout, with his project of the past 
two years being the installation of an Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network with the 
collaboration and support of the Sierra Madre Community Emergency Response Team 
and Sierra Madre Search and Rescue. This network will allow people with a Ham radio 
licenses and emergency response teams to communicate during a major emergency when 
phone lines are not operating. Somehow, he also finds the time to work at a warehouse 
one day a week. 

ARCADIA USD SUPERINTENDENT TO DELIVER 
THE STATE OF SCHOOLS ADDRESS 


The pandemic has impacted everyone, especially 
school aged children. Dr. David Vannasdall will 
share the state of Arcadia Unified at the Arcadia 
Community Coordinating Council meeting on June 
7, 2021. Tune in to find out how the district has handled 
the schooling of the youth. 

Dr. David Vannasdall has been Superintendent of 
the Arcadia Unified School District since July of 
2014. He has proudly served the Arcadia community 
for more than a decade. Dr. Vannasdall first came 
to Arcadia in 2005 when he was named the Principal 
of Arcadia High School. Succeeding his seven 
years at the helm of the Apaches, he was promoted 
to Deputy Superintendent, Education Programs 
and Services in 2012. 

Dr. Vannasdall is one of the foremost innovative Superintendents 
in the country, and has helped trans


form the Arcadia Unified School District into one of 
the most forward-thinking and successful school districts in the United States. The graduation 
rate for Arcadia High School is typically 99% or higher, with students matriculating 
to the most prestigious universities each year, including Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, 
MIT, and USC to name a few. Dr. Vannasdall was critical in helping pass a $216 million 
facilities improvement bond, and a $77 million parcel tax for AUSD. He led a successful 

1:1 technology device rollout program for the district’s nearly 10,000 students who attend 
its eleven schools. Dr. Vannasdall also helped launch AUSD’s annual Arcadia Innovation 
Summit, which has become one of the leading professional development conferences for 
educators in California. 
To learn more about Arcadia Unified, join the Arcadia Community Coordinating Council 
on June 7, 2021 


SCHOOL DIRECTORY 


Alverno Heights Academy High Point Academy 

200 N. Michillinda Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 1720 Kinneloa Canyon Road 

(626) 355-3463 Head of School: Julia V. Fanara Pasadena, Ca. 91107 
E-mail address: jfanara@alvernoheights.org Head of School: Gary Stern 626-798-8989 
website: www.highpointacademy.org 

Arcadia Christian School 
1900 S. Santa Anita Avenue Arcadia, CA 91006 La Salle College Preparatory 
Preschool - and TK - 8th Grade 

3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca. 
626-574-8229/626-574-0805 

(626) 351-8951 website: www.lasallehs.org 
Email: inquiry@acslions.com Principal Mrs. Courtney Kassakhian 
Principal: Cindy Harmon Monrovia High School 
website: www.acslions.com 325 East Huntington Drive, Monrovia, CA 91016

(626) 471-2800 Principal Darvin Jackson 
Arcadia High School 

Email: schools@monrovia.k12.ca.us 

180 Campus Drive Arcadia, CA 91007Phone: (626) 821-8370, Principal: Brent Forsee Odyssey Charter School 
bforsee@ausd.net 725 W. Altadena Dr. Altadena, Ca. 91001

(626) 229-0993 Head of School: Lauren O’Neill 
Arroyo Pacific Academy 

website: www.odysseycharterschool.org 

41 W. Santa Clara St. Arcadia, Ca,

(626) 294-0661 Principal: Phil Clarke Pasadena High School 
E-mail address: pclarke@arroyopacific.org 2925 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, Ca.
(626) 396-5880 Principal: Roberto Hernandez 
Barnhart School 

website: http://phs.pusd.us 

240 W. Colorado Blvd Arcadia, Ca. 91007 

(626) 446-5588 St. Rita Catholic School 
Head of School: Tonya Beilstein 322 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 
Kindergarten - 8th grade Principal: Adela Solis (626) 355-6114 
website: www.barnhartschool.org solis@st-ritaschool.org
Website: www.st-ritaschool.org 

Bethany Christian School93 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Sierra Madre Elementary School 

(626) 355-3527 141 W. Highland Ave, Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 
Preschool-TK-8th Grade (626) 355-1428 Principal: Lindsay LUIS 
Principal: Dr. William Walner E-mail address: LUIS.lindsay@pusd.us 
website: www. bcslions.org 
Sierra Madre Middle School 
Clairbourn School 160 N. Canon Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 
8400 Huntington Drive (626) 836-2947 Principal: Garrett Newsom 
San Gabriel, CA 91775 E-mail address: newsom.garrett@pusd.us 
Phone: 626-286-3108 ext. 172 

Walden School 

FAX: 626-286-1528 

74 S San Gabriel Blvd 

E-mail: jhawes@clairbourn.org 

Pasadena, CA 91107 (626) 792-6166Holy Family Catholic School www.waldenschool.net 
1301 Rollin Street South Pasadena Ca 91030 

Weizmann Day School 

(626) 799-4354 • 

1434 N. Altadena Dr. Pasadena, Ca. 91107 

Transitional Kindergarten - 8th Grade 

(626) 797-0204

Principal: Mrs. Darcie Girmus 

Lisa Feldman: Head of School 

Website: www.school.holyfamily.orgEmail: info@holyfamily.org Wilson Middle School 
Facebook & Instagram @HFSKnights 300 S. Madre St. Pasadena, Ca. 91107

(626) 449-7390 Principal: Ruth Esseln 
Foothill Oaks Academy 

E-mail address: resseln@pusd.us 

822 E. Bradbourne Ave., Duarte, CA 91010

(626) 301-9809 Pasadena Unified School District 
Principal: Nancy Lopez 351 S. Hudson Ave., Pasadena, Ca. 91109 
www.foothilloaksacademy.org (626) 396-3600 Website: www.pusd@pusd.us 
office@foothilloaksacademy.org 
Arcadia Unified School District 
Frostig School 234 Campus Dr., Arcadia, Ca. 91007 
971 N. Altadena Drive Pasadena, CA 91107 (626) 821-8300 Website: www.ausd.net 
(626) 791-1255 

Monrovia Unified School District 

Head of School: Jenny Janetzke 

325 E. Huntington Dr., Monrovia, Ca. 91016

Email: jenny@frostig.org 

(626) 471-2000 
The Gooden School Website: www.monroviaschools.net 
192 N. Baldwin Ave. Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 

Duarte Unified School District 

(626) 355-2410 

1620 Huntington Dr., Duarte, Ca. 91010

Head of School, Jo-Anne Woolner 

(626)599-5000

website: www.goodenschool.org 

Website: www.duarte.k12.ca.us 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 
Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com