Media finalists honored at luncheon

By Andy Samuelson

Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2008 | 2 a.m.

The hard work had been handled two weeks earlier, thus the only thing left for this year’s Sun Youth Forum media finalists to do was sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor — which on Monday’s menu meant Asian chicken followed by chocolate cake.

Twenty-one of the Las Vegas Valley’s brightest high school students celebrated their representative status at the Forum’s annual luncheon held at the Las Vegas Country Club.

“The quality of the Youth Forum participants and the finalists and what they do on television, radio and print, shows the improvement of the event each year,” said Las Vegas Sun President and Editor Brian Greenspun, who addressed the room filled with mostly high school seniors.

“It’s only been 52 years now, so we hope in the next 52 years we get it right.”

Joining the attendees were the handful of moderators, made up of area leaders in business, education, community service and government, who devoted their time to the daylong forum held on Nov. 25 — which featured nearly 1,000 students from 49 Clark County high schools who amassed at the Las Vegas Convention Center to discuss city, national and international issues and how those issues affect their daily lives.

“I think it’s an incredible legacy the Greenspuns have done in honoring and respecting the voices of the youth,” said moderator Dr. Robert McCord, an associate professor in the Department of Educational Administration at UNLV, who has participated in the SYF for 14 years.

“It’s such an honor to listen to that and hear what you have to say. Frankly I go away reaffirmed that this world is going to be a better place,” McCord said.

In addition to a pen set, each participant was awarded signed certificates of recognition from Nevada congressional members Jon Porter and Shelley Berkley, who was a Forum participant in the late 1960s, and U.S. Senators John Ensign and Harry Reid of Nevada.

The idea of the forum was started in 1956 by Sun founder Hank Greenspun, who believed the youth of the community needed a platform to voice their opinions.

On Monday, Brian Greenspun thanked his mother, Barbara, for her instrumental role in the event’s continued success, not only her vision in the formidable years, but also the family’s financial support.

“Thank you mom for that, we’re giving your money away,” said Brian Greenspun, who awarded two $1,000 scholarships to random finalists.

“No, that’s your inheritance,” Barbara fired back, prompting a roaring round of laughter from the room.

Joining the 10 scholarship winners selected at the Forum, were Elizabeth Fildes and Malek Sadri.

“In the big room (at the Forum) I felt less attention on me, but today there were a lot less people. I was really nervous,” said Sadri, a senior at Coronado High School, who plans on going to law school in the future.

“I got up there, my heart was pounding. I was stunned. I’m probably one of the most unlucky people I’ve ever known and today it didn’t feel like that.”

Monday was a pretty special day for Corey Paris too.

The Shadow Ridge senior was one of a very few group of participants who have been chosen to be media representatives two years in a row.

“It’s an honor. When you go in to those rooms, everyone around you is just as capable and just as much your equal. So to be selected as that top person for that topic, and to do it two years in a row, makes me very proud and I know it makes my family proud,” Paris said.

Andy Samuelson is a sports writer/editor for the Las Vegas Sun. He can be reached at [email protected] or 702-948-7837.