Annual senior recognition ceremony awards scholarships to Mira Costa seniors

By Sophia Arnao
Staff Writer

The annual senior recognition ceremony, in which local organizations and businesses present scholarships to selected seniors, will be taking place this year on June 15 in the Mira Costa High School auditorium.

Costa’s scholarship notebook program, managed by the College and Career Center, allows seniors the opportunity to put together a personal profile that is reviewed and considered by local scholarship donor committees. At the ceremony, which is also organized by the CCC, selected students will be recognized and awarded the scholarships.

“The purpose of the event is to celebrate students who have been selected as a recipient for a scholarship through the scholarship notebook program,” College and Career counselor Judy Park said.

Park estimates that 140 to 160 students will be recognized at the event out of over 200 seniors who applied to be in the program. Criteria such as each student’s financial need, academic proficiency, and school involvement influence the donors’ decisions.

“All seniors can put together a scholarship notebook in order to be considered,” Costa principal Dr. Ben Dale said.

The CCC informs students who are interested in the program in the fall of each school year. Students can later apply for their desired scholarships, which are offered by community businesses and organizations that have close connections to the school.

“They’re local donors, like the booster clubs, alumni organizations, local businesses, and memorial scholarships,” Park said. “I think they’re a culmination or celebration of all the partnerships that have been long-standing for Costa.”

Some of the specific donors include the Manhattan Beach Rotary, Hermosa Beach Kiwanis Club, and Chevron. The amount of money in each scholarship varies between donors, but according to Park, it is a great achievement to be recognized regardless.

“I would definitely say that it’s a pretty high honor to be recognized,” Park said. “It’s always an honor when someone in the community recognizes your efforts and your hard work and wants to reward you as well as invest in your journey for the next step after Costa.”