Valley-Area Students and Teachers are Recognized for Excellence at Awards Ceremony
(Van Nuys, California – March 20, 2014) The annual Teacher Mini-Grant and Young Achievers awards ceremony, sponsored by Van Nuys Airport (VNY) and the Rotary Club of Greater Van Nuys, awarded three educational mini-grants to middle school teachers in the San Fernando Valley, and $100 each to four deserving valley middle school young achievers.
Mandana Saidi from Van Nuys Middle School in received a $500 mini-grant for utilizing aviation in community service in her teaching by using air traffic reports to measure the rate X distance x time of each airplane. The $300 mini-grant went to Dr. Roxsana Jaber-Ansari of Hale Charter Academy by teaching "Youth Law" including courses on laws relating to minors and aviation as well as community service. Stephanie Hubbard of Valley Alternative Magnet School received a $200 mini-grant for her program "Fit Explorer Program"
The Young Achievers program honored 34 exceptional valley middle school students from 13 schools who excel in academics, athletics, the arts and community service/ leadership. Teachers and counselors nominated the students, and the top student in each category received $100 funded by the Rotary Club.
• Academics: Thania Rahman, Madison Middle School
• Athletics: Julietta Lam Zamora, Mulholland Junior Police Academy Magnet
• Arts: Christian Francia, Valley Alternative Magnet School
• Community Service/Leadership: Min Kim, Nobel Charter Middle School
When asked what the award meant to her, Thania Rahman said "Education is extremely important. With an education we can change the world. Education is literally everything and without an education, pursing my dreams of becoming a doctor wouldn’t be possible. I am ecstatic that I was even nominated for this award and winning is an extra bonus."
2—Valley Teachers, Student Recognized
Rotary is an organization of business and professional leaders worldwide, who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
About Van Nuys Airport:
VNY is one of three airports owned and operated by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), a self- supporting branch of the City of Los Angeles, governed by a seven-member Board of Airport Commissioners who are appointed by the mayor and approved by the Los Angeles City Council.
One of the world's busiest general aviation airports, VNY serves as a valued San Fernando Valley resource, providing ongoing leadership in general aviation, business and community service. Dedicated to noncommercial air travel, VNY had over 270,000 operations in 2013. More than 100 businesses are located on the 730-acre airport, including five major fixed-base operators and numerous aviation service companies.
Annually, the airport contributes approximately $1.3 billion to the Southern California economy and supports over 12,000 jobs. In addition, VNY provides programs to benefit local residents, along with educational initiatives and aviation-related career and training opportunities. For more information, visit
As a covered entity under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability and, upon request, will provide reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access to its programs, services, and activities. Alternative formats in large print, braille, audio, and other forms (if possible) will be provided upon request.
