Valley Sun All-star Holly Stevens:

Crescenta Valley High School senior Holly Stevens has a passion for plants and people. The youth loves to garden and encourage the planting of drought tolerant plant, as well as work with young people at area middle schools through Builder’s Club, a younger version of Kiwanis’ Key Clubs.

Stevens — who was recently honored for her community service efforts with the Senior of the Year award from the Crescenta Valley Chamber of Commerce — is this week’s CV Sun All Star.

“Holly is obviously an extraordinary young woman,” said Crescenta Valley High School Principal Linda Evans.

“She has done so much for the school and the community,” Evans said, adding, “She’s a wonderful young lady.”

Stevens was born in Pasadena, the oldest daughter of Ada and Charlie Stevens. She has a sister, Lisa, 15, a sophomore at Crescenta Valley High School.

The family moved to La Crescenta when Holly was in the fifth grade. Prior to that, she attended Don Benito Elementary School in Pasadena. She later attended Monte Vista Elementary School and Rosemont Middle School.

Stevens credits her love of gardening to her childhood in Pasadena, where “everyone had these perfect yards,” she said. By second grade she was reading gardening magazines and helping her neighbors with their yard work. That passion has sprouted and mingled with her love of working with children, and she has taught many younger kids about plants, helped start gardens, plant specific plants and maintain existing plants on school campuses.

Stevens also enjoys music and began playing the clarinet while in the third grade. It’s one of the interests she shares with her sister, who plays the flute. Both girls play in the woodwind section of the CV High band.

Stevens also is involved with literary pursuits at the school and serves as the editor of the Literary Magazine, which publishes poems, short stories and photography by students at the school. She has been involved with the magazine for the past four years.