Volunteer receives national honor

For his volunteer service, James Lui, an IT administrator for ARAMARK Uniform Services in Burbank, recently received a Gold Jefferson Award for Public Service — one of the nation’s top honors for community service and volunteerism.

As a board member with the Asian Professionals Exchange, Lui has turned his passion for improvisational theater into an opportunity to impact hundreds of Asian-American children in the Greater Los Angeles area by working to expand creative arts education in his community. He volunteers dozens of hours each month, not only for the Exchange, but for other programs as well.

In the wake of the Japan earthquake and tsunami, Lui helped create a social media campaign that raised more than $1,000 in donations in just three hours. He also worked with his theater group to donate all the proceeds of a show to the Japan America Society Relief Fund.

Videographer given PTA scholarship

Brendan Baker, a John Burroughs High School 2011 graduate, received a JBHS PTA scholarship to help him pursue a bachelor’s degree in art from Cal State Northridge in the fall.

While at Burroughs, Baker was a member of the National Society of High School Scholars, vice-president of the Photo Club and a contributing photographer for the high school yearbook. Over the last four years, Baker has devoted more than 400 community service hours as a photographer and videographer for the Emmy Winning Burbank local Channel 6 television program, “Teens in Action.” The program helps teens handle the many difficult issues that affect teens today. The program has produced documentaries covering topics such as teen bullying, depression and discrimination.

Baker’s photography was also recently displayed at the Youth Art Expo and featured in Burbank’s book titled, “The Verdugo Mountains.” To see more of Brendan’s photography, visit web.me.com/baker.photography.

Graduating from training centers

Coast Guard Seaman Travis J. Claycomb, son of Michele and Brian S. Claycomb of Glendale, recently was graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Recruit Training Center in Cape May, N.J. Claycomb is a 1999 graduate of Palm Springs High School of Palm Springs, Calif.