The Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber of Commerce Student of the Month program, honoring students who make a difference in their schools and communities, held its most recent luncheon celebration at the Lakeside High School Lancer Round Table Café on March 4. Lunch was prepared and served by members of the Lakeside Culinary Academy.
Emcee Kim Joseph Cousins, President and CEO of the Chamber, welcomed guests to the event. Founded by Sally Myers, the nonprofit program acknowledges and honors college or trade school bound seniors for their character, love of learning and commitment to academics, in addition to participation in athletics, school activities and community service. It also commends those who have persevered through challenging life circumstances, all in a setting that honors God, country, family, community and free enterprise.
Large tote bags filled with gifts, certificates of recognition and much more donated by the program’s sponsors were given to the award recipients. Each student received a commemorative medallion and was invited to the podium to share their personal story, past challenges and future goals with a room full of supporters that included principals, teachers, peers and family members, as well as community and school district dignitaries.
March’s students of the month are Elsinore High School’s Ryan Sanzotera and Cheyenne Schachter, Keith McCarthy Academy’s Jennavy Martinez, Lakeside High School’s Edmyliah “Mya” English and Erik Quintero, Ortega High School’s Bianca Guillen, and Temescal Canyon High School’s Ryan Smith and Brooke Vansuch.
Elsinore High School
Ryan Sanzotera was introduced by Assistant Principal Greg Stanley as an outstanding athlete and scholar, all CIF football player and outstanding thrower on the track team. Throughout high school, Ryan has also played baseball and volleyball. He plans to play football and earn a degree in business or mechanical engineering at college. “The biggest life lesson I’ve learned is to do everything I can to the best of my ability,” Ryan said. His football coach Randall Kirschman said, “He is everything we want our Elsinore Tigers to be – he’s one of the best to wear the red, white and black in our 98-year history. What stands out about Ryan is that he is extremely consistent and one of the most reliable players I’ve ever coached.”
Cheyenne Schachter was introduced by Assistant Principal Stanley, who has known her since he served as principal at Elsinore Middle School when she was in sixth grade. She has already been accepted to some of her top college choices. “I want to study psychology because understanding the human mind is something that is new but exciting and I’m absolutely enthralled by it,” Cheyenne said. She struggled with mental health issues at the beginning of high school, and it affected her grades. “I lost my spark for school and life,” she said. Thankfully, she was able to become involved with a lot of programs at Elsinore High and joined the volleyball and track and field teams. “Doing peer counseling in my junior year absolutely changed the trajectory of my life,” Cheyenne said.
Keith McCarthy Academy singled out Jennavy Martinez as March’s honoree. Principal Peter Hopping shared that Jennavy is pursuing a career in forensic pathology. She thanked her mother, grandmother and counselor Frank Fravel for being her guiding light throughout high school. “I initially chose independent study to have more flexibility in caring for my youngest brother,” Jennavy said. “I soon realized this educational path offered more than just flexibility; it provided opportunities I never imagined possible.” She said she was able to learn essential skills such as time management, self-sufficiency, perseverance and adaptability, all of which will serve her well beyond high school. “I learned that strength is not just about standing alone but also about knowing when to lean on others,” Jennavy said.
Lakeside High School
Edmyliah “Mya” English was introduced by Principal Jason Eldridge as an outstanding senior who plans to attend Manhattan University as a biology major so she can become a cardiologist. “Balancing academics and personal struggles isn’t easy,” Mya said. “I don’t have a strong support system due to bad relationships and family members dealing with mental health issues. Growing up, my mother struggled with schizophrenia, and I had to step up and take care of my younger siblings and I didn’t get to bond with my older siblings, so I missed out on having a regular childhood.” School Social Worker Brenda Perez said Mya is the perfect example of the quote, “It’s not what happens to you but how you react to it that matters.”
Erik Quintero was selected as Lakeside’s March Student of the Month. Principal Eldridge shared that Erik just concluded his senior season as a wrestler who is very tactical and calculated on the wrestling mat. He plans to major in biochemistry to pursue a career as an anesthesiologist. “Since the start of my junior year I have been part of ASB, the Renaissance Program and BSU, along with being captain of the wrestling team,” Erik said. “This year, our team became CIF champions, and I became a CIF champion individually. Our team’s successful season came after many years of dedication and discipline.” Looking back at significant moments in his life, Erik said he realized that the times when worry was out of the picture, he found success in what he did.
Ortega High School chose to recognize Bianca Guillen this month. Principal Greg Cleave said students sometimes get involved with Leadership class or Yearbook class, but rarely both, like Bianca has done. She plans to attend Mt. San Jacinto College to study real estate. “My greatest contribution to my community is my involvement in mentorship programs, supporting my peers,” Bianca said. “The biggest life lesson I’ve learned is the importance of empathy and understanding others’ perspectives. To give back, I plan to stay included in volunteering, mentoring and contributing to initiatives that improve the community.” Her math teacher Camille Michaluk said a quote that matches Bianca’s conduct as a student leader at Ortega is, “Good deeds may seem invisible to you, yet they leave a trail that’s imprinted on the hearts of others.”
Temescal Canyon High School
Ryan Smith was introduced by Temescal Canyon Principal Josh Hill as a member of the band program, playing trumpet. “He has played in our marching band, where he served as the brass section captain, our wind ensemble and our jazz band,” Hill said. He added that Ryan was selected by his classmates as “most likely to become president.” Ryan said he sees his values as being shaped by everyone and everything that he interacted with each day as opposed to big profound moments. “The biggest life lesson that I have learned is that real learning comes from living,” Ryan said. His English teacher Christina Lofquist said she knows Ryan, who is pursuing a career in public policy, has his eyes set on the political arena. “Ryan is optimistic; he is a very practical thinker, and he listens to others,” she said.
Brooke Vansuch was also chosen by her classmates as someone likely to become president, but Principal Hill said the selection committee had no idea of that fact when this month’s students were chosen. Brooke is a member of the Health and Medical Careers Academy where she serves as president, and ASB where she is director of communications for the Titan Pride program. She is also president of the Science Club and Interact Club, a member of NHS, CSF and a four-year member of the school’s four-time CIF championship competitive cheer team. She has also been an integral part of the HOSA program, excelling at competitions. Brooke became the first female in the Lake Elsinore Unified School District to present research at the International Science and Engineering Fair. She plans to major in molecular and cellular biology while cheering at the college level. “After attending medical school, I’ll become a medical geneticist,” she said. “It is my biggest goal in life to research gene therapies to develop cures for genetic disorders to win a Nobel Prize for saving lives.”
For more information on the program, please contact Kim Joseph Cousins at 951-245-8848 or Donna Romo at Donnajromo@aol.com.
