AYSO REG. 154 VIP SOCCER AND SPONSOR AWARD $1,000 FOR BUDDY SCHOLARSHIPS Creative Behavior Interventions Offers Four First-Time Scholarships Effort Recognizes Local Students Who Go ‘Above and BEE-yond’ in Supporting Special Needs Players June 17, 2013 --- Cypress, Calif. --- AYSO Region 154’s V.I.P. Soccer program and Creative Behavior Interventions (CBI) announced the granting of four college scholarships totaling $1,000 to local high school seniors who served as ‘buddies’ to special needs soccer players during the fall 2012 season. Called the “Above and BEE-yond” awards, they are named after the agency’s mascot and mission. CBI is a behavior services agency based in Tustin that provides support staff to special needs students and served as a technical advisor and supporter of VIP Soccer in 2012. It is supporting VIP in 2013. The awards were presented on Saturday, June 15 at VIP Soccer Promo Day at Arnold Elementary School in Cypress. The four winners are all graduating seniors who will be attending college next fall. They include: Crystal Albert of Valley Christian High in Cerritos who is attending Cal State San Marcos; Brenda Aguillar of Western High School in Anaheim who will enter Cal State Long Beach; Lawrence Benevente of Oxford Academy in Cypress who is attending Cal State Long Beach; and Cosette Dwyer of Cypress who is attending Scripps College. Each was selected for volunteering time above the 20-hour minimum buddies typically serve awhile demonstrating compassion in helping VIP players learn soccer skills. Some also served helped recruit fellow student volunteers and spoke publicly about their experiences in VIP Soccer. Each received a $250 check for their college expenses and a commemorative “Above & BEE-yond” plaque recognizing their achievement. “We are very pleased to celebrate the four high school student winners who went ‘Above & BEE-yond’ as buddies in AYSO’s Region 154VIP Soccer last fall,” said Denise Eckman, PsyD., director for Creative Behavior Interventions. “CBI believes that for a child to become all they can be they have to surrounded by those who believe whole-heartedly in them. The four winners are to be congratulated for their compassion and commitment to special needs children and making such a difference in their lives.” “Being a VIP buddy was one of the best things I did as a student volunteer during the last four years,” said Lawrence Benavente, a graduate of Oxford Academy in Cypress. “It taught me patience and helped me see that VIP players want to have fun and learn new things like the rest of us. I’m glad I could help them do that as a VIP Soccer buddy. I think we all grew a lot together.” Cypress City Councilman Rob Johnson also attended the ceremony and participated in awarding new VIP players medals for their participation in the Promo Day event. “The spirit of volunteerism that VIP Soccer and AYSO represent is an example of why our city is such a great place to live, work and play. We commend everyone associated with the VIP Buddy program and the four winners today.” “We had a wonderful turn-out for buddy volunteers in 2012,” added Jacqueline Nguyen, coordinator for the VIP Buddy program. “It was inspiring to all of us as parents of special needs children to see more than 80 student volunteers embrace working with our players, sharing their enthusiasm and friendship.” VIP Soccer is made possible through the support of AYSO Region 154 in Cypress, UnitedHealthcare, the Bandai Foundation, Creative Behavior Interventions, Cold Stone Creamery/Seal Beach and other community supporters. For more information on AYSO Region 154 VIP, visit Region154.org.//VIP Division or contact VIP director Ben Singer at [email protected] or (562) 936-1466. ayso154.org/speedweb/site/index.php?site=AYSO154&p=page.php&custom=VIP_Division.php
Posted on: Wed, 19 Jun 2013 02:50:45 +0000