The Lakers are proud to announce November’s Student of the Month winners, Brenda Piña, Jenesis Lopez and Nicholas Nikoian and Teacher of the Month winners, Winnie Petersen, Martin Bray and Glen Kamida. This month’s winners demonstrate an outstanding commitment to academia, athletics, and community outreach.

Brenda Piña, a 12th grader at South El Monte High School is president of the ASB, captain of the girl’s cross-country team, and a member of the soccer and track teams. Brenda recently spearheaded several community service programs, including a toy-drive, food-drive and a water conservation awareness campaign.

Jenesis Lopez, an 11th grader at William and Carol Ouchi High School has maintained a stellar GPA in her Honors classes, while staying very involved with extracurricular activities. She is the Varsity Cheerleading Captain, as well as a member of: the peer mediation program, the Math-letes, and the Student Senate.

Nicholas Nikoian, a 6th grader at Roosevelt Elementary School participates in the Gifted and Talented Education program at school. He is the recipient of the Presidential Award for Educational Excellence and an Elks Lodge Essay Contest winner. Outside of school, Nicholas plays in a basketball league and attends music school and Armenian school on Saturdays.

Winnie Peterson, a 2nd grade teacher at the Center For Advanced Learning provides exceptional instruction in the classroom. In addition, she is responsible for gathering and analyzing assessment results for her school’s score improvement effort. Winnie is also a member of the new teacher recruitment panel, and a faculty representative on the Parent Advisory Council.

Martin Bray, a Pre-Kindergarten teacher at Edison Elementary School has received many awards in his 33 years of teaching, including the Golden Apple Award and the Golden Oak Service Award. Mr. Bray’s method of pre-Kindergarten teaching has served as a model for teachers in his district and beyond.

Glen Kamida, has been teaching music at both public and private schools for the last 20 years and is a 6-time PTA Honorary Service Award winner. He has founded several unique organizations to help his students pursue their dreams in music, including the North Torrance String Program, and North Torrance Youth Symphony.

The Students and Teachers of the Month were invited to the home game on November 14th against the Detroit Pistons. They were honored during a halftime presentation where they received a plaque and a $50 gift certificate to Staples. The nominations for the November Student and Teacher of the Month were submitted by principals and teachers of each school based on exemplary teaching efforts, academic achievement or extracurricular activities.