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Of note
Danville Rotary spotlights achievers

The Rotary Club of Danville held its 11th annual Scholarship Day recently and presented four $1,000 Scholastic Excellence awards for scholastic performance coupled with demonstrated participation in other community activities to San Ramon Valley High School students. This year Danville Rotary added a $1,000 Community Service award. Scholastic winners Megan Nelson, Club President Victor Georgiou, Stephani Roberts, Mahlya Fahimuddin, Avinash Gandhi and Community Service winner Lars Holmgren.

Danville Rotary solicits applications from the high school to include a transcript, an autobiographical statement and letters of reference from educators and community leaders. Danville Rotarians select the winners. Its annual Golf Tournament funds the scholarships and other youth activities in the valley. This year's tournament is Thursday, June 22, at Poppy Ridge Golf Course in Livermore. For more information, contact Tony Leonard at 837-3716

Recognition for Monte Vista

Monte Vista High School vocal music instructor Bruce Koliha and his singers were chosen for a first-place trophy at the Golden State Choral Competition under the "small choir" category. This prestigious award marks a lot of hard work and careful song selection by Monte Vista singers and their teacher, said Principal Becky Smith.

Monte Vista also did well in the 2005-2006 Bank of America Achievement Award Regional competition held in May, where 32 students represented Applied Arts, Fine Arts, Liberal Arts, and Science and Mathematics. Monte Vista had two students make it through the initial application screening of more than 10,000 applications: senior William Leiter won first place and $2,000 in the Liberal Arts category; senior Nishant Batsha won first in the Fine Arts category and also took home $2,000.

The Prudential California Realty's Education Foundation recognized Mike Huntsman of Monte Vista High School as an "Outstanding Teacher" at its awards night in May. Huntsman, a computer assisted drafting teacher, was recognized for his teaching and work with students in the Monte Vista community and for his accomplishments both in and out of the classroom.

Local stars were shining

The Walnut Creek Civic Art Education's production of "Classy Review" at the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts on Tuesday featured several local youths: Kate Turley of Danville as Jasmine; Joey Borromeo of Alamo as Aladdin; plus Mallory Cless, Brittany Cureton, and Courtney and Eric Spagner of Danville; and Dallas Morris of Alamo. Composer Nicole Carpentier, 14, a student at Stone Valley Middle School, is also from Alamo. She performed her song "Forever Love" on the piano, accompanied by her brother Bryan Carpentier, 15, a Monte Vista High student on violin, and Jack Gedney, also of Monte Vista, on cello.