Optimist Club Celebrates Outstanding South Gate Youth

The South Gate Optimist Club honored over 30 South Gate students from nearly a dozen different schools, as well as the South Gate Explorers Program, for their excellence in education and citizenship.

On Monday evening, the club held its youth appreciation night and dinner at the . The awards ceremony is one of the activities of the 47th Annual that runs through Sunday.

Speakers at the awards ceremony lauded the students.

“Thank you for being you,” said Terry McWeeny, retired detective from the , who helped lead the event. “You kids are great.”

South Gate Mayor Maria Davila and Police Chief were also among those who attended the awards ceremony to show their support for the honored students.

Linda McWeeney, Optimist governor-elect, read the biographies of each student who was recognized for their achievements.

Her husband, Terry, handed each awardee a trophy and certificate. 

The Optimist Club has been celebrating and supporting local youth for 66 years. The honored students, from elementary to high schools, were first nominated by their schools before they were selected for the awards.

“We ask all the schools in South Gate to nominate students that have done well academically and provided volunteer services to their community,” said Marcos Vega, president of the Optimist Club. “It's up to them to select kids that are deserving of this award for the work that they do.”

Academics and community work are treated with equal importance.

 “We do not just choose from one item,” said Vega. ”It can be anything from academics to [making time to] tutor other students.”

Friends, family and school principals of the students enjoyed a dinner provided by the Optimist Club as they proudly took pictures of the recipients.

Here are the names of the honored students and their schools:  

Aspire Firestone Academy (K-5)

Alondra Gonzalez-Garcia, Morenita Macedo and Deanna Renteria

San Miguel Avenue Elementary School (K-5)

 Ashley Berciano, Jose Renteria and Stuart Ruiz

Aspire Gateway Academy (K-5)

Jared Bonilla, Bethany Gomez and Alexis Sanchez

State Street Elementary School

(PK-5) Aaron Hines and Nelly Perez

Independence Elementary School (K-5)

Silverio Escobedo, Jonathan Lemus and Christian Reyes

South Gate Middle School (6-8)

Ashley Aragonez, Kevin Coronado Froylan Cota, and Chelsea Gonzalez

International Studies Learning Center (6-12)

Alejandra Gonzalez, Monica Guardado and Wuilver Hernandez

South Gate Police Explorers

Danielle Rodriguez and Leslie Vasquez

Madison Elementary School (K-6)

Richard Ayala, Larissa Sanchez and Yoemelin Urizar

Tweedy Elementary School (K-5)

Angelina Ascencio, Yesenia Bazan and Neysa Moncada

Montera Avenue Elementary School (K-6)

Jazzany Discua, Ashley Estevez and Juan Parra

Victoria Avenue Elementary School (K-6)

Yuritzi Ayala, Yazmin Cruz and Esteban Flores

 

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Alejandro Lopez de Haro, editor of South Gate Patch Latino, contributed reporting to this article.