Palisades High seniors Mason Moreno and Jessica Bierschenk, with their parents and Rotary Scholarship Chair David Card (far right), after accepting their scholarship awards.
To PaliHi Seniors and to Top Revere Students
The Pacific Palisades Rotary Club donated about $5,000 in scholarships to Palisades High students this month. Most of the recipients attended a Thursday morning breakfast meeting held at Aldersgate Lodge to receive their checks.
The categories in which the scholarships are based include: 1) Community Service Student of the Year; 2) Scholar of the Year; 3) Male Leadership in Sports; 4) Female Leadership in Sports; and 5) three scholarships based on need.
Students receiving checks included Jasmin Flores, Nicholas Kerkorian, Jessica Bierschenk, Michael Carroll, Mason Moreno and Ariella Chacon.
In addition to handing out scholarships, the club holds annual poetry and fiction writing contests. This year, Mason Moreno received the $500 award for poetry writing and Chloe Goodman received $500 for fiction writing.
At the July 11 meeting, Moreno read his winning poem “Dreamer.” He will attend George Washington University. This summer he is interning at Northrup Grumman.
Also accepting an award for female leadership in sports was runner Jessica Bierschenk, who will attend Duke University and is considering a major in economics or statistics.
Meanwhile, two Paul Revere Middle School students–Ian Ishak and Talia Darwood–received $500 checks for being selected as Students of the Year.
Rotary meets weekly for fellowship, to hear speakers and have the opportunity to perform community service.
Money is raised annually to support scholarships, and last year additional funds were raised to support Weigand Elementary’s school library. The LAUSD school, located near Watts Towers, not only needed books, but had a library that needed rehabilitating.
Through Access Books, a nonprofit that works with inner-city school libraries, Rotarians raised $24,000 to add books and help with the library makeover.
For more information about joining Rotary, contact membership chair Trish Bowe: trish.bowe.b8cy@statefarm.com.