By Keith Grant
Their project, Kids Helping Kids, earned the $15,000 top prize, which is going to be used to build a new sound-proof recording studio at the high school for the exclusive use of the Kids Helping Kids project.
The student volunteers created audio tapes for the seriously ill, hospitalized and homebound kids through a partnership with the Stephanie Joyce Kahn Foundation. Kahn, a Long Beach native whose work in this area has gone nationwide, was on hand for the ceremony Tuesday morning, March 26, along with former Olympic gold medal gymnast Dominique Dawes. Dawes, a three-time Olympian and member of the 1996 gold medal winning U.S. team, spoke to the students about the importance of determination, dedication and volunteer work.
You all have a voice, and you need to go out there and use it, Dawes said.
For Kids Helping Kids, Long Beach students write original works for children and teens. Those works are then recorded on audio tapes by the author or other students
