$145K in Rotary Club scholarships

The Rotary Club of Menlo Park announced the winners of its annual scholarships and scholastic achievement awards on May 23. Scholarships total $145,000 this year and over 120 students were recognized. Fifteen who demonstrated academic excellence, financial need and a commitment to community service were awarded scholarships to attend four-year colleges.

Jocelyn Arias, Menlo-Atherton (M-A) High School, who is headed to University of California at Davis, won the John D. Russell Scholarship.

Crittenden Family Scholarship winners are: Ricardo Silva Rios, East Palo Alto Academy, UCLA; and Mary Ann Somerville Scholarship: Aby Zarza, Eastside College Preparatory, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Wilcox & Sandra Patterson Scholarship: Brianna Aguayo Villalon, M-A, U.C. Berkeley.

Robert G. Paroli Family Scholarship: Geovany Castro, M-A, U.C. Berkeley.

Orm and Doris Rector Scholarship: Mariana Palafox, M-A, U.C. Berkeley.

Barbara and Tom Borden Scholarship: Esteban Garcia Mancia, East Palo Alto Academy, U.C. San Diego.

Meta Scholarship: Christian Sbragia, East Palo Alto Academy, California State University, East Bay.

Sponsor-A-Scholar Scholarships: Christopher Guerrero Beltran, Eastside College Preparatory, Swarthmore University; Esmeralda Pacheco Alvarez, East Palo Alto Academy, UCLA; Samantha Sandoval, Eastside College Preparatory, U.C. Santa Cruz

Tarlton Foundation Scholarships: Luis Mendoza, Sacred Heart Preparatory, Loyola Marymount University; Victor Navarrete, East Palo Alto Academy, U.C. Merced.

Tsui/Tsiang Family Math & Science Scholarship: Paulina Gutierrez, M-A, U.C. Davis.

Peninsula College Fund/Rotary Club of Menlo Park Scholarship: Paulina Gutierrez, M-A, U.C. Davis.

Alice Kleeman Community College Awards for M-A students: Jehilen Ayala Caballero; Isaac Cardenas; Jorge Cuevas Sanchez; Claudia Pena Martinez; and Osvaldo Jimenez Tellez.

The annual Tour de Menlo Bike Ride raises money for the club's scholarships.

The new Sponsor-A-Scholar program allows people to give at least $2,000 a year for four years in college scholarships to local high school seniors. For more information, or to become a sponsor, go here or email sponsorascholar@menloparkrotary.org.

Menlo Park summer reading challenge

The city of Menlo Park is hosting a summer reading challenge. People can track their reading and become eligible to win prizes. It is open to all ages and runs from June 1 to Aug. 31.

For more information, go here.

Virtual tours of award-winning electric homes

At noon on Thursday, June 2, Peninsula residents will give virtual tours of their homes and talk about why they chose to electrify instead of using natural gas. Each home has won Peninsula Clean Energy 2022 All-Electric Leader awards.

During Wired and Inspired: "Virtual Tours of Award-Winning Electric Homes," homeowners will share their challenges and tips for going electric. Experts will be present and there will be a Q&A session. Reilly Loveland, senior project manager at the New Buildings Institute, will moderate the panel.

Register here.