‘Kids who have a passion’

While many high school seniors are spending their final months of school preparing for the future, students, parents, faculty and community members took the time to reflect on strides the students have made over the last four years at the 29th Costa Mesa Les Miller Awards banquet this morning.

“I just think about how much I have changed, my friends have changed,” said 17-year-old Estancia High School student Meagan Kunert.

Kunert was honored as one of the four members from her school to receive a Les Miller Award, complete with a plaque, honors from local legislators, and a $200 stipend. The Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce sponsored the breakfast event, which took place at the Hilton Orange County/Costa Mesa.

In all, 17 students from Costa Mesa High School, Estancia High School, Monte Vista and Back Bay high schools, Orange Coast Middle College High School, OCC and Vanguard University received Les Miller Awards. Representatives from each school presented the awards while giving a list of the students’ accomplishments, which were anything but brief.

“They come from families that are very driven,” said Costa Mesa High School Principal Ed Wong. “These are kids who have a passion, coupled with great teaching to pull it out.”

Five other students were given Outstanding Athletics Awards from OCC and Vanguard, and the academic top 5% of students from both Costa Mesa High and Estancia were also acknowledged at the ceremony.

“It’s hard [to let them go],” said Wong. “You think, ‘Stay — we love you,’ but you have to let them go. The nice thing is these kids are always the ones who come back [to visit].”

Many of the students were also highlighted for their achievements in being accepted to prestigious universities.

Meagan, who will be attending UC Berkeley in the fall, was the winner of the inaugural Twelfth Grade Student Citizenship Award given by Costa Mesa Councilwoman Katrina Foley.

“You are getting these awards, and now you better make sure you do something,” Meagan said.

Wong assured the crowd that each of the students will live up to their potential.

“These kids are all going to be successful,” he said. “You read various forms of the media about how terrible schools are, but the successes are there. America still is a great country to get an education.”

DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at [email protected].