MERIT MEDAL
MiraCosta College awarded five students its Medal of Academic Merit, with each receiving a $1,750 scholarship for demonstrating academic excellence and intellectual rigor: Brandon Quandt, Charlotte Crewse, Juan Tapia Lopez, Myshell Thomas and Quynh Dang.
GRADUATE
Michael Bell Jr. of Oceanside graduated from the University of Texas at Tyler with a Master of Business Administration.
DEAN’S LIST
Brian Gilliam of San Diego was named to the dean’s list at Knox College in Illinois.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Dylan Murphy of Carlsbad participated in McKendree University’s 12th annual Academic Excellence Celebration on April 24. The event featured presentations, poster presentations, an art exhibit, a band concert and more. Dylan co-presented a poster called “African American Entrepreneurs.”
BOOKMARK CONTEST
The Friends of the Solana Beach Library named three winners of its annual Bookmark Contest: Paige Middleton, Elyse Do and Elena Estrada, all seventh graders at Earl Warren Middle School. The contest tasks art students with creating bookmarks after books they have read.
‘PRIDE AND PREJUDICE’
In honor of Jane Austen’s 250th anniversary of birth, the high school theatre arts department at The Grauer School, an independent school in Encinitas, presented the Austen classic, “Pride & Prejudice” as a “theatre in the round” production where the audience was seated around the center stage area.
CLASSIFIED EMPLOYEE
Maria “Lisa” Lopez, the school community advisor at César Chávez Middle School in Oceanside, was named the California Classified School Employee of the Year in the Clerical and Administrative Services category.
PURSE BINGO
The Encinitas Coastal Rotary Club’s annual Purse Bingo fundraiser in January raised over $20,000 to support three local charities: Alabaster Jar Project, Carol’s House of Community Resource Center, and Shades of Pink California.
HOST FAMILIES
EF Exchange Year is seeking host families for international high school students arriving this fall. Students come from more than 13 countries and bring their own traditions, talents and enthusiasm to share. Families can host for a semester or a full academic year. Support and resources are provided. To learn more about becoming a host family, visit EFExchangeYear.org.
SAFE PARKING
The City of Oceanside held a ribbon cutting ceremony April 29 celebrating the opening of its safe parking lot program, which began operations in February. The safe parking lot program provides a safe space for unhoused people living in their cars to park their vehicle overnight to rest.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad has welcomed three community leaders to its Board of Directors this year: Alena Brooks Blasio, Vanoli Chander and Rick Bergamaschi.
LIBRARY HOURS
Beginning May 18, the Carlsbad City Library on Dove Lane and the Georgina Cole Library will resume offering Sunday hours from 1 to 5 p.m.
BABY GIRAFFE
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido has welcomed a Masai giraffe calf. The male, who has yet to be named, was born to mother (dam) Mara and father (sire) Gowon on April 23. The calf’s arrival helps support the genetic diversity of Masai giraffes and ensures their global population remains strong and healthy.
