Students Score Honors with MB Coordinating Council

Ryan Parks, Elisse Friedman and Margaret Robak were honored as Students of the Month by the Manhattan Beach Coordinating Council at its March 21 luncheon at Verandas.

Ryan, a student at American Martyrs, is known for the respect he shows elders and younger children. He sets a good example for other students through his compassion for all people. As student body president, he is in charge of leading the morning pledges, which his teacher, Jeff Lee, said he does with gusto.

Elisse’s Manhattan Beach Middle School teacher, Denise Haslop, enumerated Elisse’s activities, which include belonging to the National Charity League, playing the flute, volunteering at a library and writing letters to people serving in the armed forces. She also dances ballet, tap, jazz and hip hop. She goes out of her way to help others, including her teachers.

Margaret (Maggie) is the copy editor for the Mira Costa High School newspaper, La Vista. The newspaper advisor, Mike McAvin, mentioned how pleasant it has been to watch Maggie grow during the four years she has worked on the paper. She works tirelessly in an unsung position but one that is essential to keeping the paper on track. She has also been on the cross country team.

The speaker for the luncheon was Ken Flood of the School Attendance Review Board that serves the local school districts. SARB is the intermediary between the school systems and the justice system and was recently named the number one SARB in the state of California.

Students Will Campbell of American Martyrs, Talia Horrow of MBMS and Ryan Patel of MCHS gave updates of what is happening at each of their schools.