7 Newport Mesa USD Seniors Honored For Excellence

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — Newport Mesa Unified School District recently announced seven high school seniors for their exceptional character leadership traits.

Superintendent Russell Lee-Sung described the character leadership traits awards, in operation since 2012.

The Superintendent Character Trait Awards Program recognizes one graduating senior from each high school who exemplifies a pillar of character: caring, citizenship, courage, fairness, respect, responsibility, and trustworthiness, a spokesperson for the district explains.

"Each high school is asked to submit the name of the senior they believe exemplifies the designated pillar. In April, each student received a surprise visit at their school (or virtually) from Superintendent Russell Lee-Sung and was presented a letter of recognition and an invitation to be recognized by the Board of Education at the May 18, 2021 meeting," they said.

As part of the awards program, each student also has a banner with their name, photo, school, and character trait displayed in the District office the following school year, as a reminder to all who enter to have good character.

In 2021, the Character Trait Award Winners are:

* Caring: Maddiline McNamer, Back Bay/Monte Vista High School

“Maddy has a daily positive attitude that is seen in her interactions with teachers and her classmates,” said Back Bay/Monte Vista High School Principal Mike Wagner. “Her caring nature serves as a model to others on our campus."

* Citizenship: Hanna Mofid, Corona del Mar High School

“Hanna approaches challenging situations with confidence and trust, and her tenacity and determination will help her overcome any obstacle,” said Corona del Mar High School Principal Josh Hill.

* Courage: Chris Lopez De Los Angeles, Costa Mesa High School

“Chris’s journey is truly inspiring of how you can be positive, responsible and achieve your goals, regardless of what life presents you with,” said Costa Mesa High School Principal Dr. Jake Haley.

* Fairness: Valeria Zecua, Estancia High School

“Valeria goes above and beyond to ensure everyone on campus feels welcomed,” said Estancia High School Principal Mike Halt. “Her commitment to promoting kindness and inclusivity is to be celebrated.”

* Respect: Ruby Hammond, Newport Harbor High School

“Ruby is an incredibly gracious leader,” said Newport-Harbor High School Principal Dr. Sean Boulton. “She is an active voice for her student body and strives to ensure that all students respect one another and their community,” he said.

* Responsibility: Elisabeth Leiby, Cloud Campus

“Elisabeth’s resilience and positivity have been instrumental in building a school community and an inclusive environment at our school,” said Cloud Campus Principal Dr. Mike Sciacca. “Her work ethic and responsibility are truly motivating."

* Trustworthiness: Bridget Pineda, Early College High School

“Briget’s trustworthiness and empathetic nature have allowed for her to connect with her peers on a deeper level to support them,” said Early College High School Principal Dr. Dave Martinez. “Even throughout the pandemic, she has continued to advocate for herself and the student body to ensure that the best outcomes are achieved."

Congratulations to the 2021 Character Trait Award winners!

Lee-Sung further discussed the students saying these are seven, but many other seniors have reached amazing heights in their time at Newport Mesa.

“There are many remarkable students throughout our schools," Lee-Sung said. "I love this program for recognizing students for exemplifying good character, especially during this unique school year."