Lake Elsinore seniors receive Student of the Year honors

Diane A. Rhodes Special to Valley News

The Lake Elsinore Valley Chamber of Commerce Student of the Month program held its recognition luncheons from September through April. Each school’s honoree was eligible to be chosen as Student of the Year for their site. One recipient is chosen among the district’s alternative schools that are rotated throughout the school year.

The Student of the Year Scholarship and Recognition Dinner was held May 2 at 5:30 p.m. at the Lakeside High School Lancer Café. Seven Student of the Month recipients from throughout the area were selected to represent their schools as LEVCC Students of the Year. These students were chosen for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions to their schools and communities, based on the highly competitive scholarship application they were required to complete.

“Since the first Student of the Month program was founded 31 years ago, we have honored more than 9,000 students between all four of our programs,” Sally Myers, who founded the nonprofit, said as she welcomed everyone to the event. “Money raised for our Student of the Year scholarships in each community stays there.”

The local high school recognition program acknowledges and honors college or trade school bound seniors for their character, their 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.

Each Student of the Year received a $1,664 scholarship, as well as a gift basket and medallion to commemorate their achievement. They were introduced by their principals and asked to speak about their passions and their legacies to a room with many supporters that included teachers, peers, family members and community and school district dignitaries.

Student of the Year honors

Elsinore High School’s Isabel Vega and Charles Wales, Keith McCarthy Academy’s Faith McCloskey, Lakeside High School’s Connor McEvilly and Eisha Singh, and Temescal Canyon High School’s Savannah Abdul and Harrison Rowe.

Elsinore High School Isabel Vega was introduced by Principal Robbin Hamilton as a student in the top 10 of her class who has contributed to the girls’ soccer and cross-country teams as well as being known as the “best photographer at our school.” Chosen as her school’s Student of the Month in January, she is headed to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the fall for her first choice major of mechanical engineering. “As a little kid, the intricacies of how everything worked and moved together always fascinated me and I needed to know how a simple collection of parts could create something as powerful as a car or as commonplace as a stapler. The same could be said about my fascination of every single one of the beautiful and perfectly unique people I have had the pleasure to meet over my high school career. I have loved every second spent trying to figure out each of the wonderful collection of souls that make up my friend group, my cross country and soccer teams and my loving and supportive family.”

Charles Wales was described by Principal Hamilton as an amazing student from a “legacy” family, meaning other members have been involved with Elsinore High School in the past. Chosen as Student of the Month in November, Charles served as water polo team captain, ASB Senior Class President and other leadership roles, where he leads with humility. He coaches youth water polo and was proud to take his team to the Junior Olympics which he said was an honor and great experience for him as well as the young athletes. Charles will be attending UC, Santa Barbara to major in computer engineering to work in cybersecurity or software development in the future.

Hamilton said, “At Elsinore High School we have a saying and that is ‘tradition never graduates’ so these students will be remembered at our school site forever.”

Keith McCarthy Academy Faith McCloskey was described by Principal Peter Hopping as someone who exemplifies not only what Keith McCarthy Academy independent learning students can achieve when they set their minds to it, but she represents what all 21st-century learners should strive for. Faith was chosen as October Student of the Month at her school. After transferring to KMAl at the start of her junior year, she set herself a goal of earning an associate degree from Mt. San Jacinto College at the same time she earned her high school diploma. She will be attending Arizona State University to pursue a degree in criminology and criminal justice. “My passion is to make a difference within the criminal justice system,” Faith said. As a criminal justice attorney, she wants to be the voice for the people that are unable to share their stories. “I want to be part of the reason why victims will be able to sleep at night,” Faith said. “I want to lead by example and to continue volunteering for several different charities. I want my legacy to be the change I contributed to a charity or even a person’s life.”

Lakeside High School

Connor McEvilly was chosen as November’s Student of the Month and Principal Henry Romero said he has continued to excel in his academics and extracurriculars since that time. He has been named valedictorian for his graduating class and was recently honored by the Riverside County Office of Education for his academic excellence. Connor was captain of his water polo and swim teams and helped build a strong aquatics program on campus. He coaches youth sports at the Elsinore Aquatics Club. He will be attending UCLA to major in civil or architectural engineering and Romero said the young man represents Lakeside with dignity and class. “I’ve developed a deep passion for math and engineering,” Connor said. “I could not have had a better upbringing here in the city of Lake Elsinore and at the amazing school that is Lakeside.”

Eisha Singh was named Student of the Month for March and Principal Romero said she is a Lancer to watch if all her achievements at Lakeside are any indication of what to expect from her in the future. Along with being in the AVID program all four years, Eisha is founder and president of the Future of Success Club, president of the Medic World club, and serves as president of AVID Club, Asian Student Union, Spanish Honor Society and Black Student Union. She is a member of the National Honor Society and has been on the girls’ volleyball team for the past two years. She will attend UC, San Diego as a biological anthropology major and then plans to attend medical school to become an anesthesiologist. “Everything I do is for my parents,” Eisha said. When she was young, she struggled in school and said her third-grade teacher told her mother that “Eisha is like