Like many of its recipients, the Brentwood Youth Citizenship Award is a 16-year-old tradition that pays tribute to those who help the community. The Brentwood Community Council Dec. 1 recognized the following four high school students who exemplify leadership, personal initiative, and a commitment to serving their school, neighborhood, and city. The award came with four certificates from Councilmember Mike Bonin, Assemblymember Richard Bloom, and Mayor Eric Garcetti, and Senator Ben Allen.
Amir Ebtehadj, Palisades Charter High School
Amir’s passion for activism and community involvement started at Paul Revere Charter Middle School, where he assisted in a project that would ultimately benefit the entire Paul Revere community: Roads To Your Future. It’s a career program targeted to spark curiosity, encouragement, and knowledge about the career and educational paths students can pursue.
He’s continued his program at Pali and was recently awarded a $1,000 grant from the Palisades Optimist Club to support the mission and vision in student enrichment in the field of career and education planning.
Amir was part of Paul Revere Student Council Leadership, first as a historian then as an eighth grade representative. At Pali, he was elected and served as freshmen class president, where he assisted in organzing orientation and activities for 700 freshmen.
He’s an active member at Pali on the Long-Term Strategic Planning Committee, the Technology Committee, and the Fundraising and Financing Committee.
Amir feels Pali is special because any student regardless of background, race, or gender can truly make a difference and express their voice. Amir often attends Board of Trustees meetings at Pali and also attends the Board Committee meetings to stay involved in local leadership of the school.
Mari Goldberg, The Archer School for Girls
While in seventh grade, Mari started a nonprofit organization that sent letters of encouragement to elementary school students in the wake of the 2011 Tohuku, Japan earthquake. She travels to the school and visits the children every summer.
She recently spent more than 30 hours over the course of one week during Project Angel Food, an organization that provides more than 10,000 meals every week to people who are suffering from cancer, organ failer, HIV/AIDS, stroke, and other serious illnesses. Mari also gives up her time every other weekend to serve the Special Olympics and volunteers at the Osaka International School, UCLA IT program, Letters To Nepal, and the Riviera Foundation.
At Archer, she serves on the Community Service Leadership board, all while balancing commitments to the varsity tennis team and a rigorous academic load.
Hyejin Hong, University High School
Hyejin takes the meaning of community service to the deepest level. She defines community service as an opportunity to give back to community and experience the diversity of Los Angeles that helps her define herself. She’s been serving her community since middle school, mainly through sharing her passion for music. Hyejin has dedicated more than 600 hours of her time to youth music groups. But the work she is most proud of is the organization, Love And Music, founded by a Korean music teacher that heals the racial divide between African-Americans and Korean-Americans. Through this organization, she is able to share her gift of music by teaching African-American children who might not otherwise have an opportunity to learn an instrument.
At her annual concerts, she’s often reminded how much she can contribute to the world and how much of an impact she’s made.
Joshua Wagner, Brentwood School
An avid supporter of No Limits For Deaf Children, Joshua volunteered more than 100 hours with No Limits the summer after tenth grade. Sharing a passion for the theatre himself, Joshua embraced No Limit’s use of drama and actin to engage and improve their students’ language skills. Upon the new school year, Joshua established a No Limits service club, which sought to encourage others in the school community to not only volunteer but raise money and awareness about the needs of No Limits children. This included a 24-hour musical to benefit the organization.
An extraordinary young man of intelligence, compassion, and dedication, Joshua continues to lead the club with enthusiastic commitment, finding new ways to assist the children of No Limits, including a second musical benefit and the start of a No Limits bracelet line to raise additional funds. Councilman Mike Bonin recently honored Joshua for his dedication to service.
