Photo of the Day: Giving Back!

Most 17-year-olds would take $50 dollars and use it for entertainment, clothes or even gas.

But when Kyle Liu, a student at who has taken bassoon lessons at the (CSMA), won second place this year at the Santa Cruz Baroque Festival in March, he did the unexpected—he gave the money away to CSMA.

"I wanted to give back to the school," Liu said, as he adjusted his bassoon for his private lesson with instructor Mihail Iliev on Friday, Mar. 30. "We won last year and last year the singer donated her money, $100, to the school and I didn't want to seem selfish."

According to Liu, who will attend Washington University in St. Louis, MO this fall, the $50 he won with his quartet for second place wouldn't necessarily be missed.

"I am not really paying for things yet," said the well-mannered teen who is also the principal bassoonist in El Camino Youth Symphony. "But it would have gone to savings."

His teacher for five years, Iliev, didn't seem surprised at the news of Liu's generosity.

"Kyle is very responsible and the world would be much better if there were more kids like him," said Iliev.