I can’t say enough about Arcadia High School freshman Emily Zheng, perhaps the most intelligent, mature, multi-talented, sweet, sincere, and self-motivated teenage volunteer I have ever had the pleasure to meet. Carol Libby said it perfectly when she called her a “jewel.”
I first met Emily when she won a writing contest at our first Arcadia’s Best Foundation One Community, One Book program in fall 2010. Soon after, she volunteered to help with our Arcadia Historical Society programs. She then began regularly submitting very thoughtful blogs for my ArcadiasBest.com web site and spent hours assisting at the first Arcadia’s Best Patriotic Festival last summer. She shows up consistently to volunteer at our Arcadia Chamber of Commerce office on days off school when other kids are relaxing or entertaining themselves, all the while maintaining an incredible academic, musical, and extra-curricular schedule.
Thank you Mayor Gary Kovacic for recognizing and giving recognition to Emily at tonight’s City Council meeting, which is shown in the 3 1/2-minute video below, also including photos of Emily’s volunteer work and Emily’s eloquent comments of appreciation to the Mayor.
Get the Flash Player to see this content.
— By Scott Hettrick