The Accolade

Senior’s efforts featured on ABC7’s Eyewitness News offers an opportunity for special needs children to ‘Always Dance’

Dance Production [DP] member junior David Burns teaches a Sept. 19 9:30-10 a.m. dance class for special needs children ages 8-12. Burns teaches dance classes for fellow DP member senior Elliana Kim’s brainchild The Always Dancing Project.

Hope Li • December 20, 2020

It’s called the Always Dancing Project. But for the 150 kids with such disabilities as cerebral palsy, down syndrome and autism, they are learning to do much more than that. For two sisters in the...

New Sunny Hills Pep Squad to cheer on Lancers

During a weekly Thursday Zoom meeting on Sept. 17, the Pep Squad meets to enhance team chemistry and start learning basic choreography movements from a distance. Adding new song techniques to the traditional cheer team, the Pep Squad struts a new look.

Grace Johnson • October 30, 2020

When Dance Production adviser Leiana Volen was presented last spring with taking over the cheer team she had an idea. “I was asked to take on the cheer team with [Dance Production assistant coach]...

With live-graduation ceremony postponed until August, Class of 2020 will have YouTube virtual one instead May 28

All wearing face masks as part of state COVID-19-related guidelines, social science teacher and co-ASB adviser David Fenstermaker (left), dance instructor Leiana Volen and yearbook adviser Lindsay Safe greet seniors as their cars come by the Sunny Hills parking lot as part of the May 8 drive-through event to pick up cap and gowns and Class of 2020 graduation yard signs. Fenstermaker handed out the yard signs. Video screen shot taken by Accolade photo editor Megan Shin.

Rida Zar • May 24, 2020

In hopes of providing the Class of 2020 with a proper send off, school officials will host a virtual graduation ceremony for seniors and their family on YouTube May 28. “As with everything we do,...

May 14: Reflecting on how my last spring dance concert went virtual

Senior dance co-captain Lauren Kim (far right) and some of her fellow Dance Production [DP] members put on a costume and create a pose Feb. 20 in the dance room. Kim didn’t expect that she would never be able to perform with her senior DP team at the April 9-11 spring dance concert, which was among the campus events canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Image used with permission from Leiana Volen.

Lauren Kim • May 13, 2020

LIVING UNDER THE CORONAVIRUS CRISIS This is part of a series of columns from The Accolade staff about their various experiences during the school closure because of the coronavirus pandemic. If you...

Despite canceled spring concert because of the COVID-19 pandemic, dance teacher gives the show’s theme, ‘Beyond,’ new meaning by posting video segments on Instagram, YouTube

Members of Dance Production check out photos taken for the spring dance concert program during a Feb. 20 rehearsal in Room 130, the dance room. Though the April 9-11 event was canceled because of COVID-19-related school closure, dance instructor Leiana Volen has posted seven videos on the Dance Department's Instagram and YouTube channels of various video footage of her students rehearsing their routines to showcase their hard work in preparation for the performance. Image posted with permission from Leiana Volen.

Emmaline De Leon • May 5, 2020

When dance teacher Leiana Volen first came up with the “Beyond” theme for the April 9-11 spring dance concert at the Performing Arts Center [PAC], she never thought she would have to take it that literally. Because...

Fox 11’s Good Day LA to broadcast video segment Sept. 19 of only male performer on Sunny Hills’ Dance Production team

Dance Production team member sophomore David Burn (left) sits down for his first professional media interview Sept. 3 with Fox 11's Megan Colarossi, co-host of Good Morning LA. As the only male performer on Sunny Hills' Dance Production, Burn will be featured in Colarossi's

Megan Shin • September 18, 2019

This story was updated Sept. 19 to show the actual air time of the "School Standouts" segment on Fox 11's Good Day LA program. As the only male member of Sunny Hills’ Dance Production [DP] team, sophomore...

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