Cardozo Middle School students Margarita Manriquez and Joaquin Felix Jr. were named winners of the prestigious Laura C.C. Petersen Awards at the school's promotion ceremony on Wednesday evening, May 20.
Petersen was a local educator who left a generous trust fund to reward students who showed not so much the top academic achievement as an aptitude for leadership and a concern for their community, Elizabeth Scott said in introducing the eight nominees and finally the top two to the crowd.
Moved back to the playground behind the school from a proposed Community Gymnasium setting to accommodate all the family and friends who wanted to witness the occasion, the event left many spectators standing but they seemed content and the area fell mainly within the building's shade at the close of a very hot day.
Among other student honors, versatile musician Stephen Hutchins was handed the Spirit of Cardozo Award, Victoria Sandoval and Derek Eang were named joint salutatorians and student body president Mikayla Anderson gave the valedictory address.
"Nothing can replace what we have experienced at Cardozo," she said at the close of her address.
"But nothing will replace what we will experience in the next four years," she added, looking forward to the high school years ahead.
Leadership Class teacher Davina Cipriano and Vice Principal Craig Springer named the presidential Education Awards winners including Elizabeth Alvarez, Katherine Alvernaz, Christina Chavarria, Erika Cisneros, Joaquin Felix, Margarita Manriquez, Sarah Smith, Stephen Hutchins and Daniel Standart.
California Junior Scholarship Federation Awards went to Elizabeth Alvarez, Mikayla Anderson, Joaquin Felix, Jacqueline Hernandez, Stephen Hutchins, Gabriela Macedo, Margarita Manriquez, Sarah Smith, Victoria Sandoval and Luis Solorio.
"The Spirit of Cardozo Award goes to a person who shows exemplary qualities we would like to see in all Cardozo students, a person who shows an eagerness to do their best, a vision for the future and a desire to get there," music teacher David Howard said in introducing Hutchins as the winner of that award.
Hutchins, he added, is learning to write music besides play it and has added the ability to play two or three new instruments to the six he knew before coming to Cardozo. He already plays tuba for the Riverbank High band besides several instruments for the Cardozo group.
In the time-honored ritual, Riverbank Superintendent of Schools Ken Geisick certified the abilities of the class, Cardozo Principal Alice Solis presented the class and Riverbank High Principal Christina Facella accepted it.
"I expect to see you ready to go at Riverbank High on August 10, the first day of school," she said.
Riverbank Unified School District trustees Ron Peterson, Egidio Oliveira, Pamela Floyd and district staff members concluded the event by handing out the promotion certificates to 131 students.
Petersen was a local educator who left a generous trust fund to reward students who showed not so much the top academic achievement as an aptitude for leadership and a concern for their community, Elizabeth Scott said in introducing the eight nominees and finally the top two to the crowd.
Moved back to the playground behind the school from a proposed Community Gymnasium setting to accommodate all the family and friends who wanted to witness the occasion, the event left many spectators standing but they seemed content and the area fell mainly within the building's shade at the close of a very hot day.
Among other student honors, versatile musician Stephen Hutchins was handed the Spirit of Cardozo Award, Victoria Sandoval and Derek Eang were named joint salutatorians and student body president Mikayla Anderson gave the valedictory address.
"Nothing can replace what we have experienced at Cardozo," she said at the close of her address.
"But nothing will replace what we will experience in the next four years," she added, looking forward to the high school years ahead.
Leadership Class teacher Davina Cipriano and Vice Principal Craig Springer named the presidential Education Awards winners including Elizabeth Alvarez, Katherine Alvernaz, Christina Chavarria, Erika Cisneros, Joaquin Felix, Margarita Manriquez, Sarah Smith, Stephen Hutchins and Daniel Standart.
California Junior Scholarship Federation Awards went to Elizabeth Alvarez, Mikayla Anderson, Joaquin Felix, Jacqueline Hernandez, Stephen Hutchins, Gabriela Macedo, Margarita Manriquez, Sarah Smith, Victoria Sandoval and Luis Solorio.
"The Spirit of Cardozo Award goes to a person who shows exemplary qualities we would like to see in all Cardozo students, a person who shows an eagerness to do their best, a vision for the future and a desire to get there," music teacher David Howard said in introducing Hutchins as the winner of that award.
Hutchins, he added, is learning to write music besides play it and has added the ability to play two or three new instruments to the six he knew before coming to Cardozo. He already plays tuba for the Riverbank High band besides several instruments for the Cardozo group.
In the time-honored ritual, Riverbank Superintendent of Schools Ken Geisick certified the abilities of the class, Cardozo Principal Alice Solis presented the class and Riverbank High Principal Christina Facella accepted it.
"I expect to see you ready to go at Riverbank High on August 10, the first day of school," she said.
Riverbank Unified School District trustees Ron Peterson, Egidio Oliveira, Pamela Floyd and district staff members concluded the event by handing out the promotion certificates to 131 students.
