Names of Note: These schools are ‘distinguished.’ Modesto Peace/Life Center honors MLK
Eight campuses in the Northern San Joaquin Valley received Distinguished School Awards from the California Department of Education.
The winners in Stanislaus County are Sonoma, La Rosa and Hickman schools. San Joaquin County’s are George McParland and Nile Garden schools in Manteca. The Merced County honorees are Elmer Wood and Peggy Heller schools in Atwater and Frank Sparkes in Winton.
They are among 324 elementary schools around the state that were honored Monday, Feb. 10, in Anaheim. They were cited “for closing the achievement gap and for achieving exceptional student performance,” a news release said.
The achievement gap measure recognizes that some students have low incomes, backgrounds in foster care or other issues that can make education a challenge. The contest also factored in performance in math and English language arts, along with low suspension and absentee rates.
“This recognition is an indication of the parent and community involvement, academic achievement, and commitment of teachers and school staff.” said Sara Noguchi, superintendent of Modesto City Schools.
Stanislaus County’ most recent winner was Knights Ferry School in 2016.
Peace/Life Center
The Modesto Peace/Life Center will honor an advocate for homeless people and host a noted speaker on sports and race on Saturday, Feb. 22.
The occasion is the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration, to be held this year about a month after the civil rights leader’s birthday.
Frank Ploof of Modesto will receive the Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award. He is a retired computer scientist deeply involved in efforts to help the homeless, said a profile in Stanislaus Connections, the center’s monthly publication.
Ploof has served on various committees, helped make a documentary called “Homeless in Modesto,” and befriended people living on the streets. He also has promoted solar energy.
Saturday’s speaker is Harry Edwards, sociology professor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley. He is an expert on racial inequality in sports and has consulted for professional baseball, football and basketball leagues. His topic will be “Sports in the Struggle for Freedom and Justice, 1900-2020.”
The free program will be at 7 p.m. in the auditorium on the Modesto Junior College East Campus, 435 College Ave. Young people are invited to meet Edwards at 4 p.m. at the King-Kennedy Memorial Center, 601 S. Martin Luther King Drive. A public reception will follow at 5 p.m. at King-Kennedy.
The Modesto Peace/Life Center puts on the MLK event with numerous cosponsors.
And finally ...
Three agriculture students from the Northern San Joaquin Valley will take part in a leadership summit in Washington, D.C. They are Sadie Keller and Trevor Wingett of California State University, Stanislaus, and Andrew Skidmore of Atwater, who attends Fresno State University.
A total of 30 students will be in the capital from Feb. 17 to 21 for the USDA’s Future Leaders in Agriculture Program. This will include the two-day Agricultural Outlook Forum, the department’s largest annual gathering.
Names of Note recognizes people and organizations for their contribution to their communities. Submit items to jholland@modbee.com.
This story was originally published February 15, 2020 at 3:09 PM.
