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Editor's Blog

Shining Students Compiling our annual list is exhilarating, humbling and always enlightening. By Susan BelknappPublished: June, 2010

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I hope everyone takes a moment to read our annual Shining Students issue, which hit the stands last Thursday and is now in all its digital glory in the upper-right-hand corner of this page. This issue is our largest every year and it is probably the most difficult to compile. We begin soliciting nominations in late February or early March, appealing to school officials, educators, parents and the community to tell us about the amazing students they know in Orange County and the Inland Empire. Every year we employ new technology to make our search a little easier. And, like most technology, it does make it easier – until it makes it harder. We had some glitches along the way, but overall, the database we employed was convenient and functional. Next comes monumental task of narrowing down the list of phenomenal entries. You read some incredible stories in these pages, of kids as young as 6 taking risks, being creative and mostly, conducting themselves as exemplary human beings. When I was writing for our sister publication OC METRO full time, I always thought our annual 40 Under 40 list was humbling, but the Shining Students issue is even more so. We read about our nominees and how they have climbed mountains, won championships, shook hands with the president, and performed internationally – all things I have never done. (Hmm, I won a championship or two in middle school cheerleading and drill team, but other than that …). The achievement, citizenship, excellence and dedication of these kids is awe-inspiring. Next time you feel like you just don’t have the experience, connections or financing to go after your dreams, reread those pages and see what might just be possible when you lead with your heart and refuse to let anything stand in the way of your goals. Contact me at: sbelknapp@churmmedia.com Follow me: @susebelk Previous posts: 5-24-10 Camp Fire centennial 5-17-10 What do you want to be? 5-10-10 Happy Mother's Day 4-30-10 Brazilian Blowout 4-21-10 A thing of beauty 4-8-10 All-Star Fan Fest 3-24-10 Power of story 3-17-10 Baby beat 3-2-10 O.C. Camp Fair 2-25-10 Prevailing value of EVERY mom 2-19-10 I interrupt this blog ... 2-15-10 Shining Students nominations 2-10-10 Anaheim Ducks take flight 2-5-10 'It Takes a Village' Redux 2-1-10 A new day

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