SHIPS FOR FRIENDSHIP: Friendship Circle members attend an awards ceremony on May 3 at the United States Ship Iowa Museum in San Pedro, where five Costa students received appreciation awards.
By Ana Real
Staff Writer
The South Bay Friendship Circle awarded five Costa volunteers appreciation awards on May 3 at the Battleship United States Ship Iowa Museum in San Pedro.
The Friendship Circle South Bay recognized Costa seniors Nicole Foster, Adam Fox, Alex Graves, Michael Holliday and Mai Nojima based on their hours of volunteer work and leadership skills.
“It is a very fun and enjoyable event,” Holliday said. “You get to see your friends from different schools who volunteer for the Friendship Circle as well as the special needs kids.”
The night included an awards ceremony to celebrate the volunteers’ work throughout the year and involved Friendship Circle clubs from other public high schools, middle schools and elementary schools throughout the county.
Holliday and Fox received the bronze award for 50 hours, Graves received the silver award for 100 hours, and Foster received the gold award for 150 hours.
Nojima and Holliday gained special student recognition for helping the special needs students in original ways. Nojima organized a program in which members of the Friendship Circle could play tennis with members of the Costa tennis team, and Holliday built a patio area for Friendship Circle near the Costa history building.
“Friendship Circle South Bay is a great organization and has given me so much more than volunteer hours,” Holliday said. “It is a true honor to help change these special needs kids’ lives one friendship at a time.”
Lawndale High School, El Segundo Middle School, and Lincoln Elementary School all earned the Outstanding School Club award, an award that honors schools that helped Friendship Circle raise the most awareness and donations.
The Friendship Circle Volunteer of the Year went to both junior Daniel McKeown and Vaidehi Gandhi from Redondo Union High School for involving the community and their school through awareness and volunteer work.
“It was a fun night for all the volunteers from all the schools in the area,” Fox said. “Friendship Circle has taught me so much in the time I have been with them. I have matured so much as a person and learned the lesson of patience.”
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