Anika was nominated for her philanthropy. Since 2nd grade, she has continually created philanthropic opportunities after seeing the difficult living situations for some people in India when she visited family there. She helped raise money for a hospital in rural Gujarat for the underserved population by making and selling paper quilling cards with the help of her grandmother. Since then she has been volunteering at SRLC LA to aid the homeless population and for various COVID relief efforts.

Apple was nominated because she is a competitive ice skater. She is pursuing her dreams of being a competitive ice skater and using the homeschool environment to help her practice multiple hours a day to improve at her sport.

Brixton was nominated because of his loves for animals. He has been fostering animals with his family for many years now. He is passionate about animals and shares endless facts about them. Brixton is involved with "Pups and Pals" humane society.  He is also a great influence in the classroom.

Daniel was nominated because at one point, Daniel created his own company "Saturnium Co." as a "thing to do". While he jokes that he used it for exclusivity reasons, he used to make things such as t-shirts for teachers as part of his company. He also made games and comic books, but has since graduated to writing novels for fun. Now he is making music and posting it to Sound Cloud. Daniel would like to create an FL Studio clone to help others create music in an easier and streamlined fashion.

Elizabeth was nominated because "not only is Elizabeth our ASB President at Commonwealth this school year, she is also the only girl on a flag football team and (we believe) the only girl on any football team for the league." As ASB President, she wants to make a positive impact at our school by helping to get school lunch that will be eaten and thus, making less waste. She ran for office because her parents always encouraged her to have confidence in herself. When her parents were young, they didn't have so much confidence. They wanted her to feel encouraged and know that she could accomplish anything she set her mind to. She and her dad share a love of football, they watch videos of Drew Brees together. Her dad also plays catch with her and shows her how to hold the football so that it spins correctly. Her confidence has grown on her team as the boys have learned to include her in as just another teammate. Her greatest triumph so far was catching the football in a game and running down the length of the field to score a touchdown.

Enzo was nominated because he is an outstanding student that is always thinking of others before himself.  He has been proactive in bringing awareness to epilepsy as it affects many students and children all around the world.  We are proud of all the work that Enzo continues to do with CHOC and the Epilepsy Foundation of Orange County.  There is a Kid's club that he is part of in the Epilepsy Foundation.  He goes to classrooms to share about Epilepsy and teach other students about seizures and how others can help.   Enzo also participates in the Epilepsy Walk to bring more awareness and raise money for Epilepsy.  Enzo is always thinking of others and donates money to CHOC in order to help other students.

Giselle is a trained concert pianist. She started piano at age 3 and has traveled the world to share her mastery. She has gone to Vienna and the Czech Republic to play. Giselle is an amazing role model with her work ethic, as well as discipline in mastering her craft as a pianist. 

Holly is very passionate about Ori (Tahitian Dancing). She has been dancing since she was 5 years old. She has participated in every student talent show and is very experienced in this kind of dancing. She has also performed at our Cultural Night event and according to her, this is her dream career. Holly volunteers at a dance studio to teach 5-30 year olds Ori (Tahitian dancing). She loves to teach her craft to others and relishes in their success as well as spreads her love for the art of Ori.

Kyle is a triple threat student - he takes Musical Theater, Choir, and Dance at LV.  Kyle also studies extensively outside of school.  He takes 6 dances classes a week and performs locally with Stage Light Theater.  Kyle shines on stage - he is a model singer, dancer and actor and with his talent and hard work he is sure to keep shining brightly in all he does! Kyle sets an example for other students at school. Even as a 7th grader he models a work ethic that is inspiring.  He balances rigorous after school activities, performs with his dance studio and a local community theater.  Through it all he maintains excellent grades AND is kind to others.

Max was nominated for his entrepreneurial spirit.  Max seeks out rare sports trading cards and resells them on his eBay store.  During Covid, Max used the extra time on his hands to start his own business. Max is a great example of how thinking outside the box can provide fun and profit.  He is also showing us how we can use math in "real life". 

Reylinda was nominated "because she has given back to her community by promoting and bringing awareness about Hispanic Heritage Month. She performed in front of the entire Raymond school, a cultural Mexican dance, baile folklorico for her peers." Reylinda is celebrating her culture and empowering others to be proud of who they are. Students are able to see themselves and feel validated in their traditions, culture, and dances that may be similar to their own. Reylinda wears a hearing aid to help her hear and can be seen as a role model for others to give back in spite of what may be perceived as a limitation. She gives back gives back to her community and wants to share the joy of dancing with others through her performances.

Ryan is extremely passionate about writing and filmmaking, and even tying them together. Ryan is an incredible writer using a wide variety of clever writing strategies. He has unbelievable craft moves. Not only does Ryan excel during Writing Workshop, but he goes the extra mile to create animation videos or iMovie trailers to go with his writing. Not only does Ryan develop high quality writing pieces in class, but he also writes outside of school. On a weekend you can find Ryan writing his own books. He is a truly talented and passionate writer.