Meet the SAMMI Nominees for the Trevor Price Youth Award

The SAMMI Awards will be held on March 18 and event organizers are inviting the community to attend the annual event to honor people who have contributed to life on the Sammamish Plateau.

To honor the nominees and give the public a brief introduction to them, Sammamish Patch will be running profiles of each person until the event doors open.

The written introductions and photographs were supplied by the SAMMI Awards. Sammamish Patch and other sponsors have contributed to the annual event.

"The people we honor have made unselfish contributions to the quality of life in our city, and in doing so they inspire all of us (to) give back," SAMMI Awards Executive Director Cary Young wrote in a letter to the community.

"This type of award ceremony is truly unique to Sammamish, and reflects the values that make our city one of the best small cities in America."

The awards ceremony will be held at 7 pm at Eastridge Church at 24205 SE Issaquah-Fall City Rd. in Issaquah. The doors open at 5:30 pm. The event is open to the public. But organizers would appreciate a $5 per person donation.

On average, about 400 people attend the annual event.

Here are the nominees for the 2011 Trevor Price youth award:

Jovahn Cruz

• Jovahn Cruz is an exceptionally giving and kind 6th grader from . He is the welcoming committee to new families at the apartment complex where his family lives. He invites new kids to play and shares whatever food is in the Cruz kitchen. He once even talked his Mom into giving their Thanksgiving turkey to another family. Jovahn volunteers many hours at church and is willing to do any jobs like mopping, folding bulletins and organizing mailings. When asked why he does so much for others, Jovahn says that he wants all people to feel welcome and that it’s fun. With a big smile and a twinkle in his eye he reminds us that one does not need a lot to give a lot.

Guiomar Vasualdo

• Guiomar moved to Sammamish from Buenos Aires when she was 9 years old. She remembered seeing poverty in Buenos Aires and looked for ways to give back to her community. She organized a group of friends to form “Helping Hands United Girls Society” or HHUGS.  Fifteen to 20 Members meet regularly to identify and work on projects. They have made blankets for Tent City, collected toys for Children’s Hospital, held a face painting booth on the 4th of July in support of Operation Bald Eagle and made gifts for Sophia’s Way. Guiomar says “small acts make a big impact if you put your heart and soul into it.” This extremely poised sixth grader from quietly demonstrates tremendous leadership and kindness through her actions.

Tarushi Verma

• Taurshi Verma is an impressive and kind 5th grader at . Tarushi is an advanced brown-belt in Tae Kwon Do and assists her instructor twice per week in teaching younger children. She likes being a role model to the younger kids and inspiring them to try more advanced moves. She believes the sport helps kids grow mentally and physically. Tarushi also is involved in her student council because she wants to make her school a better place. She studies classical Indian dance and participated in a dancing event that raised money for CRY, an organization dedicated to helping widows and orphans in India. Tarushi would someday like to attain her black belt in Tae Kwon Do and wants to continue helping and inspiring younger kids.