Robert Bruesch

In 1974, Robert organized KIDPOWER (Kids Interested in Diligently Preserving Our World’s Environmental Resources), an outdoor education program which culminated in a free four-day campout for sixth graders and which earned the State Environmental Merit Award three times. In response to the Los Angeles riots, Bruesch wrote The Shape of Things to Come, an anti-gang and graffiti musical that also promoted student community service. Bruesch organized the Rosemead Boys and Girls Club out of his garage until the school district offered a room in 1981. He raises $5,000 annually for the club, has served as its president for 10 years, and personally took almost 500 boys and girls to summer camp in the High Sierras free of charge. And Bruesch established the Rosemead Organization in Support of Youth (ROSY) which buys computers students whose families cannot afford them and which awards grants to teachers to start community service programs with students.