good kids

Teen reaches heights
in many areas of life

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY Rich Breault

Chloe Koslo, the daughter of Paul and Allaire Koslo of Lake Hughes, has packed plenty into her 15 years.

A sophomore at Paraclete High School, Chloe was Lake Hughes honorary mayor for a year, hiked to the top of Mount Whitney, twice ran in the Los Angeles Marathon, and won several writing contests. She is also a lifeguard, varsity and club volleyball player, member of the National Honor Society and California Scholarship Federation, and a great kid!

Her parents met at the MET Theater in Hollywood. Both are actors, and Paul Koslo owned the theater. Mom is an environmental activist, and Chloe has grown up “green,” respecting nature and recycling.

“There is no word that can describe my parents. I’d need at least a 100-page essay,” said a smiling Chloe.

“I love them, but I tell them ‘I’m not you.’ I’m Chloe. I believe I got good traits from both of them. From Mom I got community awareness and the passion she has with everything she does. Oh, and a bit of her zaniness. And I’m environmentally conscious.

“From my dad I’ve gotten my focus, my drive, and a strong value system,” Chloe added. “And both of my parents are very social.”

Much of Chloe’s focus is on education and athletics. She’s a honor student with a 4.3 weighted cumulative grade-point average. She’s played for Santa Clarita-based Legacy Volleyball Club for three years, starting out as an outside hitter and is now a middle blocker.

“I played volleyball in middle school (Sacred Heart School), liked it, practiced with Legacy for a year and played for Legacy the past three years,” she said. “I never really liked any other sport. I tried soccer when I was little, but it wasn’t for me.

“Volleyball is a team sport. On each point you never know what’s going to happen. I also ran some cross country, but I’m only running for conditioning for my volleyball.”

At the 2013 Los Angeles Marathon held in March on St. Patrick’s Day, Chloe and her mom each ran a half-marathon, 13.1 miles, to raise money for The Painted Turtle, one of the late Paul Newman’s “SeriousFun Children’s Network” camps located in Lake Hughes and one of more than a dozen campgrounds that provide quality camping experiences for children with serious and chronic illnesses and disabilities. Mother and daughter performed the same feat at the 2012 L.A. Marathon.

“Except this year Mom ran the second half of the marathon, and I ran the first half,” Chloe said.

“That’s because I wanted her to see the neighborhoods she didn’t see last year,” Allaire Koslo said.

“No,” countered Chloe, “You just wanted me to do more hills.”

The banter between mother and daughter is lively.

“Mom is, is, a very energetic person,” Chloe said. “I am too in some ways, just not so energetic as she is.

“I’m more focused when I’m running. I’m thinking about running. She’s looking at the flowers, the sights, not a care in the world.”

Chloe said running in the L.A. Marathon was her mom’s idea. “I wasn’t too keen on it. I’m not a fan of running, but I did it for The Painted Turtle. Mom volunteers there, but I’m not old enough yet to officially volunteer. But I’ve been there with my mom and work there when they have community work or cleanup days.”

“When Chloe was young she did a commercial,” Allaire said. “When we’d go to a Thai restaurant down the block from the theater, the owner would ask ‘How’s your hardworking baby?’

“That’s how I’d describe (Chloe) — she’s a hard worker. She’s super nice. If I could be younger and was in her class, I’d love to be her friend.”

Paul Koslo describes his daughter as “very respectful, sweet, zany, street-wise. She has a wicked sense of humor and is very opinionated.”

Chloe’s close to her mother and dad. Paul Koslo even delivered Chloe at the Pasadena Natural Choice Birth Center.

“It was a great start to our relationship,” Paul said.

And the MET Theater? “She spent the first few weeks of her life there,” Paul continued. “And Chloe’s been there for so many shows.”

And her parents have been at many of her volleyball games. “Chloe’s an intense player, not a flashy player. She’s consistent,” Paul said.

“She’s skilled and can deliver with those skills. She gets the job done. She’s confident and dependable — on and off the court.”

However, Chloe wasn’t very confident in June 2011 when she and her mom first attempted to make it up to the top of Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States at 14,505 feet.

“When we were in Lone Pine (the town east of Mount Whitney), people asked if we were going to hike up to the top of Whitney, then told us to be careful because people get hurt up there and sometimes killed trying to get to the top,” Chloe said. “I was only 13 and just out of eighth grade. I didn’t want to get hurt or killed. I believed what they said.”

Their June ascent was stopped short because of snow-covered switchbacks on the last leg to the summit.

“To get to the summit we would’ve had to climb a shaft instead, and I didn’t want to die. I’m not a mountain climber,” Chloe said. “But I felt bad because I wanted to do it.”

During their August 2011 ascent, the pair ran into only small patches of snow.

“When we got to the summit there was someone up there who was passed out, and emergency personnel were coming to help,” Chloe said. “So I guess it could be a little dangerous after all.”

“In the book at the summit, Chloe signed in as honorary mayor of Lake Hughes,” Allaire said.

Chloe was named honorary mayor in July 2011 and served in that capacity for a year.

“To become honorary mayor you have to raise more money for the (Lake Hughes) community center than anyone else,” Chloe revealed. “You do that by selling 49ers Day raffle tickets.

“I only did it because not many people were selling, and my mom asked me why I wasn’t doing it. So I did.”

Chloe’s mom is a three-time honorary mayor, and she felt her daughter had to drive to raise the most money.

“The title of honorary mayor is what you make of it,” Chloe said. “You get a sash that reads ‘honorary mayor,’ and you ride in the 49ers Day parade.

“Oh, and one prize was my own parking spot at (the now-closed) Crossroads Bar, but I wasn’t old enough to drive, let alone old enough to drink.”

When Chloe’s not studying, playing volleyball, running a race with Mom or visiting Dad at the MET Theater, Chloe sometimes plays her guitar and sings, having sung in school and church choirs as well as with the Antelope Valley Children’s Choir.

“Being in the children’s choir was fun,” Chloe said. “Not only the performances and developing my voice but also getting to meet new people.”

Chloe likes many music genres, from pop to musicals and more. She has an affinity for Bruno Mars.

Although she’s the daughter of actors and learned to walk at a Hollywood theater, Chloe’s not into drama, be it typical high school drama or legitimate acting.

“I’m still not sure what I want to do as a career,” she said. “I’m thinking about environmental law. I also want to study English and writing.”

Whatever Chloe chooses as a career, you can bet she will tackle it with focus, determination, and a bit of zaniness. CaptionChloe Koslo has served as Lake Hughes’ honorary mayor, hiked to the top of Mount Whitney, and twice run in the Los Angeles Marathon.CaptionCaptionParaclete High School sophomore Chloe Koslo maintains a 4.3 weighted cumulative grade-point average and is a varsity and club volleyball player.