On Thursday March 16 the Capitola Aptos Rotary hosted the Rotary Santa Cruz area annual speech contest at the Seascape Golf Course. Winner of a very close contest was Grant Meyers, a senior at Delta Charter School with his speech titled “The Happiness of Giving.”
Second place went to Isabella Negrete from Scotts Valley High School. Third place went to Jenna Solomon from San Lorenzo Valley High School. Honorable mention went to Miakoda Crampton from Harbor High School, Annie Nigh from Soquel High School, and Samantha Aruiza from Watsonville High School.
Judges for the contest were Supervisor Zach Friend, Michael Watkins, Superintendent of the Santa Cruz Office of Education, Jim Hart, County Sheriff, Kathleen Howard, retired Superintendent of the Soquel Elementary School District, and Georg Romero, Library Director at Cabrillo College. Grant won the first prize of $200 and will move on to the regional contest in Gilroy April 18.
All who attended were very impressed with all the speakers. Dr. Art Dover of the Capitola Aptos Rotary also donated the new bench at the Polo Grounds.