Two
Santa Barbara County students received the 2007 Awesome Kids Awards during a
luncheon celebration at the Royal Scandinavian Inn in Solvang on Dec. 7. The
students, Alexy Angeles, a senior at Cuyama Valley High School, and Kyle Simpson, a student at
Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, were presented awards from the Santa Barbara
County Kids Network. The group also honored students at Lompoc Valley Middle
School who participated with that school’s “Where Everybody Belongs” program.
Held
annually, the event honors students who have shown exemplary motivation and
leadership skills. Alexy has spent numerous hours
after school helping to tutor elementary school students while maintaining a
4.0 grade average.
Kyle
has been a volunteer at Alpha Resource Center of Santa Barbara, a non-profit
organization providing services for individuals with developmental
disabilities.
Both
students gave a short presentation about their volunteer work. Alexy accumulated over 60 hours of volunteer time as a
tutor for the students.
Kyle
spent many weeks in 2006 and six weeks in the summer during 2007 assisting as a
volunteer at the Center, acting as a mentor during social and recreational
programs. The Lompoc students individually discussed the WEB program and how it
helps new students coming into the school from sixth grade.
Program
Coordinator Katharina Zulliger said the selection
committee has a very difficult task every year choosing students from the nominations.
“Without exception, the nominees are outstanding youth
with inspiration stories that provide hope for the
future of young people in Santa Barbara County,” she said.