Graduating seniors of National Charity League were presented during the recent Senior Recognition Ball in the Crystal Ballroom of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.
The mother-daughter organization provides a shared experience in philanthropic service to charities throughout Burbank. Many of the young women, referred to as Ticktockers, commit to six years in the program from middle school through high school. The ball is the culminating event to honor the senior class for their accomplishments in such areas as leadership development, cultural activities and philanthropic service.
The Class of 2016 provided more than 10,000 hours of volunteer service to the 30 local agencies the group supports, such as Burbank Temporary Aid Center, CHILD Share, Ahead with Horses, Burbank YMCA, Burbank Public Library Home Borrowers Program and Burbank Coordinating Council’s Holiday Baskets.
Highlights of the evening included a father-daughter waltz and recorded tributes read to their mothers while handing them a pink rose.
Each senior Ticktocker has fond memories of her years in the group.
Lelosa Aimufua, a graduating senior of Marymount High School, is grateful to National Charity League for the numerous volunteer experiences that, she said, have enhanced her compassion for people, leadership skills and most importantly, her passion for social justice. Her favorite philanthropy is the Boys & Girls Club and she remembers meeting a little girl at a Thanksgiving dinner who invited her to play Hide and Seek. She spent the next hour playing with a group of 5-year-olds — and loved it! She will attend Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania.
Gabby Crispi, a graduating senior of Notre Dame High School, has enjoyed giving hours to charities that help homeless families and the elderly, especially with the Burbank Public Library. Every month, she, her mom and sister deliver books to an elderly woman who lives alone and is unable to leave her house. This Ticktocker’s proudest achievement in Charity League is finally getting 25 mother-daughter hours in one year with her mom, which took six years of volunteering. She is still deciding on what college to attend.
Charlotte Duldulao, a graduating senior of Immaculate Heart High School, has learned how service really affects the lives of others, and Charity League has been the perfect vehicle to do something she already loves with her mom and her friends. Her favorite philanthropic experience came a few years ago when she volunteered for the Braille Institute. One day she helped a young boy find his way around the campus and made a new friend in the process. She plans to become a bilingual teacher.
Zoe Kelman, a graduating senior of Burroughs High School, has enjoyed meeting new people in Charity League while giving back to the community. It gave her many bonding moments with her mom and, she said, it has taught her to be very resourceful, work well with others and stick to a goal. She plans to major in biology or marine biology with a minor in cultural studies. After college she would like to study animals and plants in their habitats all over the world.
Kelly Kaufman, a graduating senior of Immaculate Heart High School, credits Charity League for heightening her sense of gratitude, strengthening her relationship with her mom and sharpening her leadership skills. She was recently admitted to Marquette University’s Doctorate of Physical Therapy program where she plans to spend the next six years pursing a bachelor’s degree in religion or economics and a doctoral degree in physical therapy. She wants to either help young athletes heal from their injuries or help hospital patients regain their independence after surgery.
Alyssa Magoon, a graduating senior of Burroughs High School, has learned what an impact Charity League has on people’s lives, whether it is helping a foster child make a cookie, dancing with developmentally challenged adults, or making hygiene bags for the homeless. A favorite experience was organizing a food drive for Burbank Temporary Aid Center at her high school’s homecoming game. She and her mom have coordinated it for three years. She will attend a local university and continue to law school in hopes of becoming a criminal defense attorney.
McKenna Sandoval, a graduating senior of Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, has enjoyed helping families who don’t have food or shelter by holding food drives and making hygiene bags for Burbank Temporary Aid Center as a member of Charity League. She has earned 100 hours of service for BTAC each of her six years in Charity League – that’s 600 hours of service for just one of the group’s philanthropies. She will attend the University of Denver to pursue a career in criminology or forensic psychology.
Natalie Sardarov, a graduating senior of Burbank High School, has learned many of her leadership skills through Charity League, especially when she became class co-president this year. It taught her to organize events, run important meetings and to feel confident in voicing her opinion, she said. She has been the philanthropy commissioner for Burbank High’s Associated Student Body, and earned a medal for more than 100 hours of service. She’s planning to attend a UC school, major in business or marketing and become CEO of a major fashion company.
Aimee Snow, a graduating senior of Burroughs High School, believes that Charity League has helped her become a more caring and compassionate person. She has been an ambassador for the Burbank Animal Shelter and is a student docent for the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Assn. Her favorite Charity League philanthropy has been Ahead With Horses. It allowed her to combine her two passions — horses and caring for disabled children. She will attend the University of Kentucky in Lexington where she will major in equine science and management.
Kate Wilke, a graduating senior of Burroughs High School, said that her experience in Charity League has helped her learn more about herself, in particular that she enjoys helping others and volunteering. Her favorite philanthropy is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and her proudest moment was being awarded the Mother-Daughter Award for completing a notable number of volunteer hours with her mom each year. She plans to attend St. Francis University in Loretto, Penn., where she will major in chemistry and hopes this will lead to study in pharmacology.
