Nissan of Valencia donated $1,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley Foundation to fund the SCV Youth Performing Arts Stagecraft Program at the Sierra Vista Branch of the club.

Students and staff of the Boys & Girls Club Canyon Country branch display check presented to the club by Nissan of Valencia. Photo by Michele E. Buttelman.

“We are thrilled this program can continue at the club because of the generosity of Nissan of Valencia,” said Ronda Chobanian, director of the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita Valley Foundation. “We are so lucky to have such wonderful community partners who step up when needed.”

Daniel Sterkel, executive manger of Nissan of Valencia, said he was pleased to be able to help.

“We believe in giving back to the community,” Sterkel said.

Because of his volunteer activities with SCV nonprofits Sterkel has been nominated for the honor of Santa Clarita Valley Man of the Year.

Nissan of Valencia donated $1,000 to fund the spring session of Stagecraft at the Boys & Girls Club of SCV, Canyon Country Branch.

The SCV Youth Performing Arts Program, founded by Dennis Poore, provides students at the club a chance to learn performing skills that help children with self esteem, public speaking and teamwork.

“This isn’t just an ‘acting’ program,” Poore said. “This is about developing listening skills, being able to present yourself well, think on your feet and being confident.”

Poore said the skills learned in the program will benefit the students throughout their life.

“When you can speak confidently, and present yourself well, it helps you in job interviews and in the workplace,” he said.

The class, which meets 3:30 to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Sierra Vista clubhouse of the Boys & Girls Club of SCV, offers experiences in improvisation, scene work, music, monologues and theater games.

Nissan of Valencia donates thousands of dollars annually to nonprofits in the Santa Clarita Valley.

The company’s signature program in the SCV is the annual new car giveaway to a student in the William S. Hart Union School District.

Nissan of Valencia is donating a 2015 Nissan Versa to a junior or senior drawn from a pool of students with a 97 percent attendance average or higher and a GPA of 2.0 and higher. The drawing will be held the evening of Tuesday, April 21 at the College of the Canyons Football Stadium.

In addition to the car, there will be drawings for thousands of dollars in other prizes for students attending the event.

Nissan of Valencia also sponsors youth sports teams and donates to other educational programs in the SCV, as well as other nonprofits.

For more information about community giving of Nissan of Valencia visit www.nissanofvalencia.com/community.