While many high schoolers feel called to occasional community service, few go the extra mile like Malibu High School senior and this year’s Youth Dolphin Award Winner Hillary Sturgeon who, on top of working with Malibu Community Labor Exchange (MCLE) extensively, also finds time to be involved with social justice and charitable organizations both here in Malibu and internationally.
Sturgeon was nominated for her Dolphin Award by MHS Service Learning Coordinator Nena Lauerman, along with staffers like Principal Dave Jackson, Amnesty International Student Club Advisor Sarah Ryan and Counselor Katie Dahm.
“Hillary is a senior at Malibu High School and an exemplary student. But what she does inside of the classroom is nothing compared to what she does for our community,” the staffers write in a letter sent to nominate Sturgeon for the award.
The letter outlines the many ways in which Sturgeon has volunteered, both in Malibu and throughout the world, including work with the MCLE, service trips abroad to Kenya and sitting as co-president of the Amnesty International Club at MHS.
“We are so lucky to have Hillary at Malibu High,” the educators write.
Sturgeon says her work with MCLE began because her dad is a Pepperdine dean, and there is an existing program to bring lunch to day laborers every Saturday.
“The [Pepperdine] Law School usually does sack lunches once a week and brings them down on Saturdays,” Sturgeon says, “I just love the community down there. It’s a very diverse, interesting group of people that all have so many great stories and genuine life skills to teach other people.”
Sturgeon said that despite her own contributions to the MCLE, including a three-week unpaid internship with director (and fellow Dolphin Award recipient) Oscar Mondragon, there is always more work to be done.
“I’d love to see more Malibu High kids going down there and getting to meet the people down there, who do a lot of work around here and are a big part of our community,” Sturgeon says.
Sturgeon’s focus on service is far from over. The 12th-grader says her experiences, including working with nonprofit Made in the Streets in Nairobi, Kenya, have only given her a broader perspective on service. “That just really helped influence [me],” Sturgeon says, “I want to serve around the world. That kind of set my sights about on international stuff.”
For now, Sturgeon says she’s going to college in the fall — most likely Seattle University — and will eventually get a degree in international studies.
What comes next?
“I’d like to hopefully join the Peace Corps,” Sturgeon says.