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Malibu surfside news | February 15, 2017 | 15
Ford’s Young Engineers Club makes an impact
Malibu Girl Scout to
achieve prestigious
Gold Award
Lauren Coughlin, Editor
Malibu’s Jessica Ford
was initially drawn to Girl
Scouts because it affords
her an opportunity to help
others.
“I like not thinking about
what’s going on in my personal
life and focusing on
helping other people,” said
Ford, a member of Malibu/
Palisades Troop 3025.
For 10 years, she’s continued
her philanthropic efforts,
and now the 15-yearold
Senior Girl Scout is set
to achieve her Gold Award,
which she describes as the
“pinnacle of becoming a
Girl Scout.”
In order to achieve the
prestigious award, one
must complete a project
that solves an issue.
In the fall, Ford, a Malibu
High School sophomore,
created the Young
Engineers Club to do just
that. The club, created
in collaboration with the
Boys and Girls Club of
Malibu (of which Ford is
also a longtime member),
drew together a group of
children ages 10-13 who
wished to learn about science,
technology, engineering
and mathematics
fields.
Ford said the Boys and
Girls Club of Malibu was
an ideal group to work
with on the project.
“I know everyone there,
they’re super nice and welcoming
there,” she said.
Over the course of 12
weekly meetings, the
Young Engineers Club
built two computers and
repaired another computer,
among other educational
Members of the Young Engineers Club gather for a photo. The new club was created
by Malibu Girl Scout Jessica Ford (second from right), who is set to achieve her Gold
Award as a result of her efforts. Photos Submitted
activities. The computers
were then donated to children
in need.
The group also held bake
sales to raise funds for the
computer parts, which totaled
roughly $800, Ford
said.
Ford’s English teacher,
Katy Lapajne, served as a
mentor for the club and encouraged
Ford throughout
the process.
“She realized the lack of
education on [STEM] for
middle school,” said Ford,
who became interested
in STEM fundamentals
through her involvement
in the high school’s robotics
club.
Most meetings drew
roughly 10-20 children,
Ford said, including her
little sister, Madison, who
is 13 and also a Girl Scout.
Her twin brother, Jack,
also helped lead the club.
Ford noted that sustainability
is a key aspect of
the Gold Award project,
and Ford expects to reconvene
the Young Engineers
Club meetings during the
fall of her junior and senior
years. When Ford graduates
from high school, she
Young Engineers Club members work to repair a
computer during a meeting of the new club.
anticipates that Madison
will take the helm at the
Young Engineers Club.
Ford is also involved in
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Malibu High’s mock trials
program and Model United
Nations Club, and she also
does karate.
School
From Page 14
parent Greg Coote. Coote,
who passed away in 2014,
led the Ed Foundation’s
For The Arts endowment
campaign to ensure the
continuity of arts programming
for students in the
Santa Monica-Malibu public
schools.
Harding University
Malibu’s Walling named to
dean’s list
Malibu native Spencer
Walling, an electronic
media production major
at Harding University, is
among more than 1,400
University students included
on the dean’s list
for grades achieved during
the fall 2016 semester.
The dean’s list is published
each semester by
Dr. Marty Spears, University
provost, honoring
those who have achieved
high scholarship. To be
eligible, a student must
be carrying 12 or more
hours with a 3.65 or higher
grade-point average and
no incompletes.
Pepperdine University
Benton elected vice
chairman of NAICU Board
Pepperdine University
President Andrew K. Benton
was elected to serve
a one-year term as vice
chairman of the National
Association of Independent
Colleges and Universities
Board of Directors.
He is in line to assume the
position of chairman in
February 2018.
NAICU board members
set the association’s
agenda on federal higher
education policy; actively
encourage support of association
priorities and
initiatives; and oversee the
organization’s financial
administration.
NAICU serves as the
unified national voice of
private nonprofit higher
education. With more than
1,000 member institutions
and associations nationwide,
NAICU reflects the
diversity of independent
higher education in the
United States. Since 1976,
the association has represented
private nonprofit
colleges and universities
on policy issues with the
federal government, such
as those affecting student
aid, taxation, and government
regulation. Our
member institutions include
major research universities,
church-related
colleges, historically black
colleges, art and design
colleges, traditional liberal
arts and science institutions,
women’s colleges,
two-year colleges, and
schools of law, medicine,
engineering, business, and
other professions.
School News is compiled
by Editor Lauren Coughlin,
lauren@malibusurfsidenews.
com.
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