LOS ALAMITOS Calif., – Imagine a night where the stars didn’t just shine overhead— they stood among us, lighting the room with their brilliance. This year’s A Night Among the Stars took place at On The Greens in Cypress, Calif. The Youth Center and the Rotary Club put on an incredible night to honor 22 spectacular students who have given their time and talents to help the community.
22 nominees were awarded for their volunteerism, community service and philanthropy dedication. Five specific nominees received a Stellar Volunteer scholarship of $500. During the ceremony, each nominee was introduced by the member or organization that nominated them, and they spoke about the student’s volunteer work, commitments, and achievements. All nominated students received certificates of recognition from the U.S. Senate, the city of Los Alamitos and the Los Alamitos Chamber of Commerce. Later, the five scholarship awards were announced, with each recipient getting a $500 scholarship and a trophy.
During the event, guests enjoyed live music from five Los Alamitos High School students — Sebastain Cruz, Chiara De Lorenzo, John Sabino, Natalie Mendez, and Nic Pallone — who volunteered their talents for the night. The band students were given a special recognition, the Music Philanthropy Award, presented by Chris Forehan and Annette Wissuchek.
Event nominees and organizations that nominated them
Abigail Messerschmidt – Casa Youth Shelter
Addison Butler – American Red Cross Club at Los Alamitos High School
Allison Han – The Youth Center, The Youth Center Leadership Council, Emerging Leaders
Avery Yew – LAHS Teens for Climate
Cate Christsen – Summer Harvest
Ethan Lakin – City of Los Alamitos, Los Alamitos Volunteer Program
Gabriela Montgomery – Transitions in Motherhood
Hannah Vosskuhler – National Charity League
Jayen Shah – Cypress School District, Rotary Club of LACSB
Josephine Velez – VBA Leo Club under Seal Beach Lions
Kailyn Bober – Los Alamitos Ballet School
Kassidy Lee – Girl Scouts Orange County
Katie Arnoult – The Youth Center
Kendyl Jeang – Rossmoor Homeowners Association
Kristen Chan – LAHS Growing Up STEM
Mairi Payne – Los Alamitos Education Foundation
Mylan Mauge – The Youth Center Leadership Council, The Youth Center
Sydney Mastick – LAHS Growing Up STEM
Yara Saadeh – Girl Scouts, The Youth Center
Era Berani – Rotary Club of Los Alamitos, Cypress and Seal Beach
Adrian Lopez – Rotary Club of Los Alamitos, Cypress and Seal Beach
Mary Michael – Rotary Club of Los Alamitos, Cypress and Seal Beach
Scholarship recipients
- Adrian Lopez – Rotary Club Scholarship
- Kristen Chan – Rossmoor Women’s Club Scholarship
- Yara Saadeh – Rossmoor Women’s Club Scholarship
- Josephine Velez – Seal Beach Lions S.E.T.H. Award
- Era Berani – Rossmoor Homeowners Association Scholarship
Adrian Lopez – Rotary Club Scholarship
The first scholarship of the night was awarded to Los Alamitos student Adrian Lopez. He was nominated by the Rotary Club of Los Alamitos, Cypress and Seal Beach. He has earned honorable recognition for fall 2023, spring 2024, fall 2024, and attended ASB camp in 2024. In eighth grade, Lopez received the Spanish honors, perfect attendance and outstanding citizenship awards. Not only is he a distinguished student, but he is also a member of ASB, president of the sophomore class council and the president of The Heart Club from the American chapter. Additionally, Lopez is a member of the Interact Rotary Club of Los Alamitos High School and is the upcoming president of The Youth Center’s leadership council.
“When I was younger, I didn’t have a lead to follow, and I’m really glad that I’m now part of the group that will be leading our future to success. I am really passionate about that,” Lopez said.
One project Lopez has done to give back to the community is send cards to healthcare workers. With his club, the Heart Club, they have raised over 150 cards. He has also been part of volunteer projects supporting schools in Africa and ambassador workshops with the leadership council. Through these activities, Lopez has been able to continue his passion and give back to the community.
Congratulations, Adrian Lopez, on achieving the Stellar Rotary Award!
Kristen Chan – Rossmoor Women’s Club Scholarship
The second award was given to Kristen Chan, a senior at Los Alamitos High School. She is a passionate leader dedicated to science and service.
As the president of the Growing Up In Stem club at LAHS, she has made it her mission to inspire younger students to discover and pursue STEM. Under her leadership, the club has brought many hands-on and exciting science experiences to elementary schools in the Los Alamitos Unified School District. The club’s STEM Sunday events begin with a magic show and continue with interactive classroom activities for students to explore chemical concepts like pH levels, polarity, and chemical reactions.
In this past year alone, Chan has helped organize and lead three major events for her club, reaching over 500 elementary school students. From purchasing materials to designing experiments, Chan does it all. Her dedication and belief in the power of early exposure to STEM have sparked curiosity in young minds.
“It’s my hope that sharing my passion for science at these events will only inspire the next generation to one day lead and continue to find ways to give back to the community that they were once supported in,” Chan said.
Congratulations, Kristen Chan, on achieving the Stellar R.W.C. Award!
Yara Saadeh – Rossmoor Women’s Club Scholarship
The third scholarship was given to Yara Saadeh, a dedicated leader who has been involved in Girl Scouts since kindergarten, where she was first recognized for her communication skills at such a young age. Through Girl Scouts, Saadeh was able to grow to become a confident and articulate individual. Saadeh shared that one standout moment for her was her promotion speech in fifth grade. Over the years, she has achieved her Bronze and Silver awards for Girl Scouts and has finally achieved the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, Saadeh identified a major problem: there was a decline in public speaking and social communication skills in kids and youth. In response, she developed the Youth Center program, Level Up, for her Girl Scout Gold Award. The program was designed to help students gain confidence in public speaking. To ensure the program would run smoothly, she established a Level Up club at LAHS to help lead and grow the program even after she graduates.
“The Youth Center has given me a place to build and form my desired change in this world. They have not only nurtured my love for public speaking, but additionally allowed me to instill it within so many kids,” Saadeh said.
Congratulations, Yara Saadeh, on achieving the Stellar R.H.A. Award!
Josephine Velez – Seal Beach Lions S.E.T.H. Award
The fourth award was given to Josephine Velez, who has been a dedicated Seal Beach Lions Club member for the past seven years and has volunteered more than 2,500 hours during that time.
Currently, for Lions Club, she is the vice president for the district and has served as president twice and vice president once. Through this, she has led many impactful initiatives, such as a food drive for children facing food insecurities. She has also visited nursing homes, offering musical performances that bring smiles to the elderly’s faces. Not only does she help the elderly, she also provides tutoring and academic support for at-risk, low-income students in Santa Ana.
In addition to her community service, Velez is an accomplished and talented cellist. Her passion for music has taken her far as a prestigious Carnegie Hall National Youth Orchestra member. This has allowed her to travel intentionally, including performing in the Dominican Republic.
“These experiences have taught me that no matter what passion or skills you have, you can use them to uplift others in your community. Service, for me is a universal language that we can help others no matter what situation you’re in or what language you speak, and I’m extremely grateful for all the opportunities I’ve been able to have and been able to work with others to create a bigger and brighter future for all,” Velez said.
Congratulations, Josephine Velez, on achieving the Stellar S.E.T.H. Award!
Era Berani – Rossmoor Homeowners Association Scholarship
The fifth and final scholarship was given to Era Berani, an LAHS sophomore who is the founder and president of Bright Hearts Club, as well as the founder and leader of the Junior Model United Nations Club at Oak Middle School. As a committed Girl Scout, she has earned the Silver Award after leasing and collecting over 300 toys for CHOC Hospital. She is also an active member of the LAHS Interact Club and has spent a lot of her time volunteering, including spending her summer in Europe to assist in a clinic where she organized supplies, helped patients, and carried out daily tasks.
Berani’s dedication does not stop at individual projects– it is a family project. As a family, the Beranis host an annual free Thanksgiving meal and dessert at the Griffin Grill. Era has also participated in and organized large-scale drives, such as the Hope For LA drive, where she has helped to collect over three truckloads of donations. For Christian Outreach in Action, she has led her own breakfast initiative, preparing and serving over 150 meals for those in need. This summer, she plans to launch a nonprofit to provide communities in Europe with school supplies.
“Volunteering means so much to me, not just because of the difference it makes for others, but because of the way it brings people together to create something meaningful,” Berani said.
Congratulations, Era Berani, for achieving the Stellar R.H.A. Award!
The A Night Among the Stars evening concluded with final words of gratitude, a raffle, and a group photo capturing the stars of the evening — our local youth leaders. Special thanks were extended to sponsors Golden State Water, The Port of Long Beach, Forest Lawn, Butter+Cream Bakery, photographer Tim De Shazer, and the many volunteers and supporters who brought the event to life.
For more information about The Youth Center or A.N.A.T.S., please visit theyouthcenter.org.
This article was originally written for the Los Alamitos Youth Center. Brooklynn De Shazer is a marketing intern for The Youth Center.
