Students soar with Eagle Pride Foundation

Danette Goulet

COSTA MESA -- With their chests puffed out in pride, their faces

sporting sheepish grins, students from six Costa Mesa elementary and

middle schools accepted a newly created award Thursday.

The Eagle Pride Foundation and the Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club together

have developed a student recognition award for children in the Estancia

High School zone. The award is intended to inspire the students to

continue their outstanding academic and personal efforts. The honor is

also meant to give students a positive image of Estancia, where they will

eventually attend high school, said Joe Panarisi, president of the

Kiwanis Club.

“It’s really trying to get kids turned in the direction of Estancia,”

he said. “We’re trying to direct kids at this age to look at Estancia as

a great educational opportunity.”

Each child received a plaque, along with an Eagle Pride lapel pin and

honorary member card.

Two fifth-grade students from each of the five elementary schools, and

two eighth-grade students from TeWinkle Middle School were nominated this

fall by their teachers.

Students were chosen, not just for academic accomplishments, but for

being well-rounded, exemplary students, said George Cote, president of

Eagle Pride, a foundation of parents who live in the Estancia school

zone.

“I helped my teacher every day after school and I set good examples

for others,” said Manuel Velasquez, 10, of Rea Elementary School. “I help

others not by saying the answer, but by telling them how to get it. I

think that’s why I got it.”

Manuel was right.

One thing each of the 12 students have in common is their tendency to

lend a helping hand to fellow students, as well as their teachers.

At Rea, Lourdes “Angie” Garcia helps tutor her 8-year-old sister.

Victoria Elementary School’s Megan Riel gave up a week of her summer

vacation to help the PTA prepare for a fund-raiser. Jordyn Simmons, a

California Elementary School fifth-grader, gives extra attention and help

to a special education student in her class.

At Adams Elementary School, Mikey Morely is teaching others in all the

primary classrooms how to use new Alpha Smart computers. And Juan

Guadarrama is tutoring his fellow classmates at California Elementary to

read and write in English.

These are just a sampling of the award-winning students and their

achievements. And they are only the first batch.

Another round of the awards will be presented in January, and again in

March. A final ceremony in June will honor the year’s top 12 honorees.

The organizers hope to generate more community pride by continuing the

Eagle Pride-Kiwanis student recognition program annually.

“Eagle Pride was created to bring the community together,” Cote said

at the awards luncheon, held Thursday at the Newport Rib Co. in Costa

Mesa. “Just as we are here.”