Recently, in the Fireside Room of Pepperdine University, the Malibu Optimist Club awarded 12, $1,000 college scholarships to outstanding graduating seniors, whose impressive academic achievements and local community service activities were recognized and applauded by Optimists, counselors, families and a grateful community.
Adam Androlia, a nationally ranked archer and potential Olympian in the 2004 Olympics, who plays a mean trumpet, has earned 60 honors level units and accumulated more than 200 hours of community service. Adam has also taught archery to young children. He plans on attending Occidental College.
Nicole Baltrushes, a 4.0 student, plays water polo, is a violinist, makes jewelry, is a National Merit Scholar, a Harvard Book Award recipient, has been involved with Operation Smile and plans to be a doctor after attending UC Berkeley.
Luke Beck, an excellent baseball player who holds the school homerun record, is a four-year Community Service awardee, has strong leadership abilities, plans to attend Brigham Young University and will undoubtedly be a Major League prospect.
Perrie Briskin excels in track and cross-country, has 90 advanced placement honors units, is editor-in-chief of the school paper, interned for The Malibu Times, has been involved with Operation Smile, and plans on attending Barnard College.
Liz Cole, who also plays a mean trumpet, has earned 90 honors levels units, and plans to become a medical doctor after attending Occidental College.
Emily Ochmanek rows, swims and plays water polo, is president of Operation Smile, is very interested in history and plans to attend UC Berkeley.
Jaime Payne, an all-round athlete, was student body president, helped Habitat for Humanity in Tijuana, has many advanced placement units, is a member of CSF (California Scholarship Federation) and will attend UC Santa Barbara.
Tami Rollins swims and plays water polo, is a member of CSF, participated in the Malibu Optimist Tile Project and will study nutritional sciences at UC Berkeley.
Jenna Shepcaro, track and cross-country athlete, has volunteered at St. John’s Hospital, at the Upward Bound Homeless Shelter and for Juan Cabrillo Special Education classes. She plans to attend Brown University to study neonatology.
Evan Shoop is an outstanding athlete specializing in volleyball, is a member of CSF and has earned many advanced placement units at Marymount. He plans to attend Duke University on a volleyball scholarship.
Doug Stewart, No. 1 ranked tennis player in USA in his age group, has earned a 4.0 grade average and a Rensselaer Math/Science Award, and plans to attend the University of Virginia on a tennis scholarship.
Dougley Stewart is the only Big Brother mentor in the USA under 18, is a jazz saxophonist, an excellent athlete and plans on attending the University of Pennsylvania to study international relations.
When the Malibu Optimist Club was formed in 1960 as a “Friend of Youth,” the organization quickly established the Optimist Scholarship Fund, which awarded cash awards to local graduating high school seniors. In those early years, the club contacted the head counselors at both Samohi and Polyhi (Malibu did not have a high school at that time) who gave them the names of Malibu seniors with high academic levels, a far cry from the in-depth investigations the present Optimist Club Scholarship Committee members go through each year in choosing awardees from the many applications received. The only proviso the club requires is proof that the awardees have been accepted at the college or university of their choice.
Local attorney Bill Sampson is chairman of the scholarship committee, assisted by Frank Brady, human resources director at HRL; Anne Payne, teacher at Point Dume Marine Sciences Elementary School; Tom Lubisich, president of WASTEC; and Hayden Gallagher, retired physicist formerly with HRL.
Monies for the scholarships were derived from three main sources: the annual Optimist Pancake Breakfast that takes place the last weekend in July, the annual Optimist Jazz Festival held every December and from bequests to the club from former members.