The Ceres Rotary Foundation honored students from kindergarten to high school through a program access award and high school senior scholarships in May.

For community outreach, the Foundation awarded $1,000 to the Salvation Army Red Shield Community Center, a safe haven for youth in South Modesto. The center provides daily afterschool tutoring and recreational activities and during the summer it offers an alternative to nearby canals by providing access to a swimming pool and a host of healthy recreational and educational activities. The $1,000 donation will insure that a child is not turned away because they can’t afford a membership or day use fees.

In support of Rotary’s literacy goals, nearly 45 early to advance reading books were signed by our club program speakers and donated to the Red Shield youth library this past year.  As older books cycle through the center library, children are gifted books to keep. 

Honoring four outstanding seniors, Ceres Rotary Foundation awarded $8,400 in academic achievement scholarships to support a student’s college or vocational training aspirations. Each scholarship is a two year award, at $1,050 per year.

From Ceres High School, Gary Condit was awarded the Howie Stevenson Law Enforcement Scholarship and Makayla Anderson was awarded the General Education, Psychology, or Social Services Scholarship. 

From Central Valley High School, Iris Arellano was awarded the General Science/Technology Scholarship and Supreet Turna was awarded the Gus Pallios Vocational, Trade, or Business Scholarship.