HomeCity NewsThursday Club’s Les Fleurette Debs Presented at Bal Blanc de Noel

Thursday Club’s Les Fleurette Debs Presented at Bal Blanc de Noel

First published in the Jan. 5 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.

Photos courtesy Bronson Photography

Les Fleurette Debutantes of the La Cañada Thursday Club recently made their debut to society at the 71st Bal Blanc Noel held at the Hilton Hotel in Glendale on Dec. 30.
Presented at the gala were Kathleen Grace Andersen, Kathryn Elizabeth Brandeau, Lilah Catherine Cervenka, Grace Bernadette Frame, Julia Elizabeth Krider, Shelby Amerae Lawrence, Kayla Catalina Perez, Josephine Hilton Perkins, Cassidy Petra Prunty, Uma Erlij Wittenberg, Gianna Evangeline Sabatella and Makayla Lauryn Wurm.
Wearing white gowns at the formal event, the debutantes were presented by Michael Leininger, retired educator and community leader. Co-chairing the gala were Ani Derhartounian and Alison McQuay with Rachel Fritz. Also on the committee were Jeanie Kay, Jody Platisa and Julie Milbrodt.
“It was my great pleasure to present these 12 lovely young women at this year’s ball,” said club President Sheri Morton.
On behalf of the club, Morton gave each girl the club’s traditional camellia charm on a satin ribbon. After the formal presentation, the girls danced the first dance with their fathers.
The Les Fleurettes Debutante program offers the daughters, nieces and granddaughters of Thursday Club members an opportunity to be a deb. They must complete a 16-month social and community service program sponsored by the La Cañada Thursday Club.

Kathleen Grace Andersen

<sub>Kathleen Grace Andersen<sub>

Kathleen Grace Andersen is the daughter of Dr. Elizabeth Evans and James Andersen. Her escort is her brother, Colin Grant Andersen.
She is a senior at La Cañada High School. She is a member of the California Scholarship Federation and recently earned an All-American Sports Medicine title by placing in the top 25 at the 2022 national competition.
Kathleen is a member of the Varsity Songs Squad. She has been dancing ballet since the age of 8 and it has provided her with amazing opportunities.
As a Girl Scout, she has volunteered with Union Station Homeless Services and worked with Club 21 in Pasadena to put on a Christmas bazaar and a spring walk-a-thon to support the Down’s syndrome community.
Kathleen plans to attend a university where she will study sports medicine and ballet. She hopes to study abroad, perhaps in the Netherlands, and to have a career as an athletic trainer.

Kathryn Elizabeth Brandeau

<sub>Kathryn Elizabeth Brandeau <sub>

Kathryn Elizabeth Brandeau is the daughter of Joan Davis and Greg Brandeau. Her escort is William Douglas Wade.
She is a senior at La Cañada High School. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation and is also an AP scholar with distinction.
Kathryn is very active in student clubs and is a peer tutor. She is the all-squad captain of the LCHS Pep Squad and the captain of the Varsity Songs team. She has been part of the songs team for all four years of high school.
Outside of school, Kathryn has been dancing at Revolution Dance Center in Montrose since she was a toddler. She has also earned her black belt in Kempo karate in 2018.
Kathryn plans to attend a university on the east coast and to major in economics and mathematics.

Lilah Katherine Cervenka

<sub>Lilah Katherine Cervenka <sub>

Lilah Katherine Cervenka is the daughter of Kerry and John Cervenka. Her escort is Trent Leonard Carey.
She is a senior at La Cañada High School. She is a member of the LCHS girls’ basketball team and enjoys her classes in drawing and music. Her favorite class, so far, had been her forensics class, because she loves collecting data to solve mysteries.
Lilah takes pride in volunteering and being of service to others. She has volunteered with both Union Station Homeless Services and Habitat for Humanity.
She enjoys expressing herself in both drawing and music. She can play the ukulele and the guitar and is currently learning to play a keyboard.
Lilah plans to attend a college that’s in California because she loves the weather, and she wants to stay close to her family.

Grace Bernadette Frame

<sub>Grace Bernadette Frame <sub>

Grace Bernadette Frame is the daughter of Gillan and Gregory Frame. Her escort is Trent Leonard Carey.
She is a senior at La Cañada High School and is a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation. She has been an active member of the Crescenta-Cañada YMCA Youth and Government Organization for four years and is now the delegation president. She is a member of ASB and is one of three assembly commissioners who host five all-school assemblies throughout the year for more than 1,000 students.
Grace is a cheerleader at LCHS and is now a four-year Pep Squad senior co-captain. She can be seen cheering on the football team under the stadium lights every Friday night in the fall.
She plans to attend a West Coast University and study marine sciences. She hopes to pursue a career in marine biology and lead the way to a better future for marine ecosystems.

Julia Elizabeth Krider

<sub>Julia Elizabeth Krider<sub>

Julia Elizabeth Krider is the daughter of David and Elizabeth Krider. Her escort is her brother Jonathan David Krider.
Julia is a senior at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy. She is a member of the Film Club, the California Scholarship Federation, Ambassadors, Feminists in Action and Mu Alpha Theta.
For three years, Julia has been involved with the Veritas Shield, Flintridge Sacred Heart’s student-run newspaper. This year, she holds the position of managing editor, and enjoys the leadership opportunities that come with overseeing the operation of the Shield.
Julia’s love for baking inspired her Girl Scout Gold Award project. For her project, she sewed hot pads for immigrant families from Middle Eastern countries. She also created a dessert cookbook for these families to enjoy. Julia has completed her Girl Scout Gold Award and will participate in the award ceremony this upcoming June.
Julia plans to attend a four-year university and study economics.

Shelby Amerae Lawrence

<sub>Shelby Amerae Lawrence <sub>

Shelby Amerae Lawrence is the daughter of Suzy and Tre Lawrence. Her sister Ashley was a 2015 Les Fleurettes Debutante. Her escort is Kyle James Karapetian-McKinney.
Shelby is president of her 2022 Les Fleurettes debutante class. She is a senior at La Cañada High School, where she is a member of the National Honors Society, National Science Honors Society and the Girls Who Hike club.
She has been a member of the LCHS Pep Squad for all four years, on the JV Cheer team her freshman year, Varsity Cheer her sophomore year, a Flaggie her junior year, and now is a senior captain on Varsity Cheer.
For the last six years, Shelby has been a member and advocate of the philanthropic organization, Assisteens, part of the Assistance League of Flintridge. She has served on the governing board as philanthropic chair, vice chair, and is currently its president.
Shelby plans to attend a university on the West Coast and major in psychology. She plans on eventually creating a practice working with adolescents or possibly becoming a psychiatrist.

Kayla Catalina Perez

<sub>Kayla Catalina Perez<sub>

Kayla Catalina Perez is the daughter of Eileen and Leonid Perez. Her escort is Johnathan Alexander Woodruff.
Kayla is a senior at La Cañada High School. She is a member of the California Scholarship Federation and has earned the AP Scholar with Honors Award.
She has a strong passion for music as she has played piano for more than 10 years and has been committed to choir as a mezzo-soprano going from women’s ensemble to vocal ensemble, and lastly to Concert Choir.
Kayla loves to express her creativity and curiosity through anything hands-on. One of her favorite hobbies is baking. Besides expressing her artistry through baking, she adores painting in watercolors, gouache, and acrylic paints. Art is a way for her to express herself through creating her own pieces.
Kayla plans to attend a four-year university and study environmental science and business. She hopes to make a positive impact on our world.

Josephine Hilton Perkins

<sub>Josephine Hilton Perkins<sub>

Josephine Hilton Perkins is the daughter of Mary and Braxton Perkins. Her escort is George Thomas Chumo III.
Josie is a senior at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy. She was elected to the Associated Student Body and plans school events as the activities commissioner. She has also been a proud member of the California Scholarship Federation and Mu Alpha Theta for the past three years.
She is a woman of faith and spent a year on her school’s campus ministry leadership team. She has been on the varsity soccer team since her freshman year, and is a student triathlete, and the captain of the cross-country team.
Josie is passionate about life sciences and biology. She aspires to continue her exploration of this subject in college and post-graduate school. Josie’s dream career is to become a doctor, specifically an anesthesiologist.

Cassidy Petra Prunty

<sub>Cassidy Petra Prunty <sub>

Cassidy Petra Prunty is the daughter of Kapka and Dustin Prunty. Her escort is Roman Cande Romero.
Cassidy is a senior at La Cañada High School. She is on the Varsity Songs Pep Squad team.
When she was younger, she was involved in competitive piano, cheer, choir, art, theater and dance. Cassidy is a competitive dancer and is a part of “The Company” at Revolution Dance Center. She was a finalist for the ACT 1 National Dance Competition in the Dancer of the Year category.
Cassidy has a love for baking and cooking. She is especially interested in the science of baking, since you must learn interactions especially when making substitutions. Family and friends love her baked goods, and her specialty is cookies (vegan cookies to be specific).
Cassidy plans to attend a university and study dance and psychology. She hopes to pursue dance and then later have a career in psychology.

Gianna Evangeline Sabatella

<sub>Gianna Evangeline Sabatella<sub>

Gianna Evangeline Sabatella is the daughter of Carmine Sabatella and Ryan Delair. Her escort is John Paul Joseph Day.
Gianna is a senior at Flintridge Sacred Heart. She is working on mechanical drawing to help her future career as an architect. She is the manager of the water polo team this year but was sidelined by an injury. She also is on the swim team. Last year, she won the Coach’s Award for swimming.
She is extremely passionate about being on the Campus Ministry leadership team. As a sophomore, she had made a personal decision to get baptized, receive her first communion and get confirmed. She enjoys dedicating her time to these activities and spending time with her closest friends and family.
Gianna plans to attend a university in the South, and study architectural and interior design, following in her father’s footsteps.

Uma Erlij Wittenberg

<sup>Uma Erlij Wittenberg<sup>

Uma Erlij Wittenberg is the daughter of Vanesa Wittenberg and the late Mark Wittenberg. Her escort is Chase Ryan Kelly.
Uma is a senior at La Cañada High School. She is a member of the National Honors Society, the California Scholarship Federation and is an AP Scholar. She also joined the Associated Student Body as the senior class treasurer, which allows her to help to plan and coordinate multiple school events such as dances, fundraisers and bonding activities for the senior class.
Uma is honored to be a princess on the 2023 Tournament of Roses Royal Court. This year, she served as a princess on the La Cañada Flintridge Royal Court where she was a liaison between the youth and local businesses in the community.
Uma plans to attend an East Coast university and major in business or economics. She hopes that she will be able to enjoy a semester abroad in Spain, and later work in the fashion industry.

Makayla Lauryn Wurm

<sub>Makayla Lauryn Wurm<sub>

Makayla Lauryn Wurm is the daughter of Teseena and Jamen Wurm. Her escort is Armand David Simonyan.
Makayla is a senior at La Cañada High School. With her interest in music, she has been a first soprano in the music program for all four years, in the women’s ensemble, vocal ensemble and Concert Choir. In addition, she has been on the LCHS Pep Squad, specifically Songs teams.
She has been dancing since she was little. An hourlong class once a week quickly turned into 15. In 5th grade, she got accepted into Revolution Dance’s competition team. This fueled her passion for dance even more — pushing her further were the opportunities and inspiration of other dancers. Although she dances most styles at the studio, she loves jazz dance the most.
Makayla plans on attending a university on the West Coast to study psychology. She hopes to pursue a career as a therapist.

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