The Stanislaus Literacy Center and ReadingWorks honored general education development graduates and program volunteers during an event this past week at CrossPoint Community Church.
Awards went to Judith Ranheim for volunteer literacy tutor of the year; Sandy King for volunteer GED tutor of the year; Teresa Barron for best effort in literacy; Alfredo Perez for best effort in GED; Esther Hernandez for most improved in literacy; and Raymond Arias for most improved in GED.
Olesia Tikhonova was honored for greatest achievement in literacy; Jose Ramon Hernandez-Callejas, for greatest achievement in GED; and Ashley Graves was the valedictorian based upon having the highest average score among the GED students.
The event drew roughly 600 people, and 45 of the 134 GED graduates from 2011-12 participated wearing caps and gowns.
Among them was Katelyn Holson, who was injured in an auto accident and spent several days in the intensive care unit of a local hospital only a week before the ceremony. Yet she was able to attend and give her speech.
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Modesto City Schools honored three district employees as its heroes for October: Olivia Burton, principal's secretary at Fairview Elementary, who also assists the student council with its activities; Martone Elementary School teacher Jana Lee, who also helps coordinate Red Ribbon Week, a book fair and canned food drive; and Modesto High Principal Jason Manning, for his leadership skills.
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Sutter Gould Medical Foundation, Memorial Medical Center, Sutter Tracy Community Hospital and Memorial Hospital Los Banos, all part of Sutter Health, combined to donate $50,000 to local food banks. The contributions mark the fourth year of such donations by the not-for-profit network and comprise a portion of Sutter Health's $255,000 total donation benefiting 29 food banks throughout Northern California this year.
They gave $15,000 to the Emergency Food Bank of San Joaquin, serving Stockton, Lodi and San Joaquin County; $20,000 to The Salvation Army's Modesto Citadel; $10,000 to Tracy Interfaith Ministries; and $2,500 each to The Salvation Army and Manna Ministries, both in Los Banos.
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Gov. Jerry Brown recently appointed four Mariposa residents to the 35th District Agricultural Association, Mariposa County Fair and Homecoming Board. The positions are unpaid.
• Lynda Appling, 63, has been a hearing officer at the Tort Claims Appeals Board of the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians since 2005 and a private practice home health aide from 1992 to 2005. She is a Republican.
• Carol Johnson, 70, was a senior engineer at IBM Corp. from 1962 to 2002. She is a Democrat.
• Pelk Richards, 64, has held multiple positions at the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office from 1972 to 2003, including sheriff from 1999 to 2003. Richards is a Republican.
• John Stewart, 56, has held multiple positions with the Mariposa County Unified School District since 1991, including purchasing director, warehouse worker and custodian. Stewart is a Democrat.
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