Great Expectations

This weekend is shaping up to be a whopper. On Saturday, I have the pleasure of attending the annual scholarship disbursement breakfast hosted by the Community Foundation of the Verdugos. I sit on a board that decides the distribution of funds accrued over the previous year through interest paid on a scholarship fund overseen by the CFV. The amount of money we can give away is dependent on how well our investments have done. This year we will be giving over $20,000 to deserving high school graduates and college students.

It’s very exciting to have the opportunity to contribute to the further education of local students. It’s also very tough deciding who will be getting awards and how much. Reading the applicants’ submissions makes you realize how hard these young people work and how we, the Crescenta Valley community, gain from their efforts.

I also sit on the board of the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce and it, too, distributes scholarships. At Wednesday’s board meeting, the scholarship committee chair also mentioned how incredible the students are who applied. Thankfully, the CV Chamber is not the only local organization that gives out scholarship money. Off the top of my head, I know that the Glendale Latino Organization, Prom Plus, the CV Town Council, Kiwanis and Lions also make sure to set aside funds for scholarship distribution. These scholarships are typically funded through fundraisers the organizations have throughout the year, so when you go to a pancake breakfast, mixer or bingo night, there is a good chance that some of your dollars will be dedicated to our local students. In many ways, this is an investment in the future – not only in furthering the education of these students but also reminding them that being part of something bigger, like a service club or civic organization, is beneficial.

After the scholarship breakfast on Saturday morning, gears shift into high as Prom Plus volunteers get ready for the big event Saturday night at the Crescenta-Cañada YMCA.

Work begins in mid-afternoon when decorations are put up reflecting the Prom Plus theme. The theme is chosen by Prom Plus Club members and this year it’s Jurassic Park. Under the direction of Mary O’Keefe, the Y will be transported 201.3 million years ago when dinosaurs ruled the earth. (Note to the Y: We promise to transport everything back to May 21, 2017 on Sunday morning.) At midnight, as guests arrive, they will be greeted by a full casino, a mechanical shark (keeping with the theme, we opted for the mechanical shark rather than the mechanical bull), a zip line, laser tag plus more. To keep attendees fortified, there will be food from midnight to 5 a.m.

To further ease the minds of parents whose children are attending Prom Plus, we can call them if their child decides to leave the event prior to the end of the event at 5 a.m. Visit the CVHS bulletin or go online to www.cvweekly.com/NEWS and check out the FAQ sheet which includes a tear-off for parents.

It’s going to be a long day – and night – on Saturday but, as publisher of this paper, I don’t want to ever print a headline that we lost a student because they had nowhere to go after prom.

  robin goldsworthy