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On a warm spring evening, more than 150 guests gathered for A Night Among the Stars, a heartfelt celebration of youth leadership, community service, and philanthropy, hosted by The Youth Center in partnership with the Rotary Club of Los Alamitos, Cypress & Seal Beach.
Held on April 11, the evening kicked off at 5:30 p.m. with fellowship, photos, and a community dinner. Hosts Alisha Donahue and Mike McCrary welcomed attendees, setting the stage for an inspiring program that honored outstanding young individuals making a difference in their communities.
One of the evening’s highlights was the Music Philanthropy Awards, presented by Chris Forehan and Annette Wissuchek, recognizing young musicians Sebastain Cruz, Chiara De Lorenzo, John Sabino, Natalie Mendez, John Lin, and Nic Pallone for volunteering their talents.
At 6:30 p.m., the room filled with pride as 22 remarkable youth nominees were honored for their dedication to service, leadership, and positive community impact. Nominated by schools, nonprofit leaders, and civic organizations, each nominee took the stage alongside a presenter who shared their story of volunteerism and commitment.
The youth honored this year included:
1. Katie Arnoult – Los Alamitos
2. Allison Han – Garden Grove
3. Mylan Mauge – Los Alamitos
4. Era Berani – Long Beach
5. Adrian Lopez – Monrovia
6. Mary Michael – Seal Beach
7. Jayen Shah – Seal Beach
8. Kassidy Lee – Long Beach
9. Yara Saadeh – Seal Beach
10. Ethan Lakin – Los Alamitos
11. Kailyn Bober – Seal Beach
12. Josephine Velez – Yorba Linda
13. Kendyl Jeang – Anaheim
14. Gabriela Montgomery – Los Alamitos
15. Kristen Chan – Seal Beach
16. Sydney Mastick – Rossmoor
17. Addison Butler – Rossmoor
18. Avery Yew – Seal Beach
19. Hannah Vosskuhler – Seal Beach
20. Cate Christsen – Seal Beach
21. Mairi Payne – Seal Beach
22. Josie Alvarez – Seal Beach
Scholarships were also awarded, thanks to the generous support of local community organizations. The recipients included:
• Adrian Lopez – Rotary Club Scholarship
• Kristen Chan – Rossmoor Women’s Club Scholarship
• Yara Saadeh – Rossmoor Women’s Club Scholarship
• Josephine Velez – Seal Beach Lions S.E.T.H. Award
• Era Berani – Rossmoor Homeowners Association Scholarship
The evening concluded with final words of gratitude, a raffle, and a group photo capturing the stars of the evening—our youth leaders. Special thanks were extended to sponsors Golden State Water, The Port of Long Beach, Forest Lawn, Butter+Cream Bakery, photographer Tim DeShazer, and the many volunteers and supporters who brought the event to life.
“Our youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow—they’re creating change today,” said Lina Lumme, Executive Director of The Youth Center. “Tonight was a beautiful reminder of the power of compassion, dedication, and community.”
For more information about The Youth Center and how to get involved, visit www.TheYouthCenter.org.
