Paola Ortiz Paola Ortiz joined Sequoia Boys & Girls Club two years ago as a shy sixth-grader, but she’s made tremendous strides since then, thanks to the skills she’s learned in various club programs and activities. It’s even affected her performance at school: “I raise my hand more in class now.” Paola commenced with “Smart Girls,” a Club life-skills program, and “Torch Club,” a leadership vehicle. Then it was on to volleyball, gymnastics (“I’ve done about a thousand cartwheels”), a hip-hop dance class that culminated in a performance before the entire Boys & Girls Summer Camp, and cameos as a twoheaded girl and a dinosaur in movies that premiered at the Club Film Festival.

Youths of the Month at the Los Cerritos and Colina Clubs are, respectively, Alex Hancock and Patrick Jewett.

For more information about BGC, please call (818) 706-0905.