Kiwanis Awards High School Graduates

Some local high school graduates are heading to universities and colleges this fall with support from the .

The group has presented more than $12,000 in scholarships to 26 students graduating from Mira Costa and Redondo Union high schools this year, and $4,000 was awarded to graduates of El Camino College.

"Giving scholarships to these kids is in keeping with our Kiwanis mission as a service organization dedicated to help change the world one child and one community at a time," said Hermosa Kiwanis Club President Adrienne Slaughter in a statement Tuesday.

She presented some of the scholarship awards to the Mira Costa High School students during a senior recognition ceremony June 20. Another ceremony was held at Redondo Union High School.

Students were selected based on their academic achievements, financial needs and community service work, the statement said. Hermosa Beach School Board President Cathy McCurdy helped choose some of the scholarship recipients. She has previously served as president of the Hermosa Kiwanis Club.

"This is the highlight of my year's work as a Kiwanian, to be a part of the selection," McCurdy said. "It's always fun to see the students who have gone through Hermosa schools grow up and move on to college."