Kori and Daren DeLeon will be the next Seal Beach Citizens of the Year. Seal Beach Lion Scott Newton made the announcement at the Wednesday, Sept. 28, meet-and-greet event for council candidates.
The DeLeons will be honored at the 48th Annual Cypress College Americana Awards on March 1, 2023, at the Disneyland Hotel, Ballroom according an email from Newton.
Kori DeLeon, treasurer and past president (2019-2020) of the Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce, was hosting the candidate event when the announcement was made. She said she and her husband were “shocked and awed” to receive the honor.
The DeLeons were named 2021 “Heroes of the Heart” of Los Alamitos High School. The DeLeons were also the grand marshals of the Seal Beach Christmas Parade.
Newton, a member of the committee that selects the Citizen of the Year, described the selection process. “There is a 7-person selection committee made up of 5 previous recipients, the Mayor, and one long time community ‘influencer,’” Newton wrote.
“Nominations come from non-profit organizations, city officials, the Chamber, previous recipients, churches and citizens,” Newton wrote.
“The committee reviews nominations and selects the individual or individuals who they feel have earned recognition as Citizen(s) of the Year,” Newton wrote.
