The Laguna Beach High School Scholarship Foundation, which oversees hundreds of scholarship funds that benefit graduates, recently inducted the organization’s first three presidents into a newly-formed Emeritus Society.
Past presidents Hiroko Falkenstein (1988-1990), Patty Collisson (1990-1992) and Jayne Berberian (1992-1994) were honored for their work and dedication to LBHS students.
Falkenstein, also a former District PTA president, joined the then grassroots foundation after her children had graduated. An immigrant, she said she found, “volunteering to be the quickest way to learn American culture.”
The UC Irvine graduate and former LBHS teacher is the author of books written in both Japanese and English.
Collisson served as the second president and worked closely with the organization’s first treasurer, Morgan O’Dell, to establish financial management controls.
Berberian knew when asked that her time had come to, “shoulder the responsibility” of the organization and added she always wanted to be, “where her sons were.”
Also recognized during the event was interim LBHSSF treasurer, Robin Hall, a 16-year member, who keeps the foundation’s financial records.
