JACOB MAI of Lake Intermediate School in Garden Grove won the 34th annual GGUSD Intermediate School Spelling Bee (GGUSD photo).
Lake Intermediate School eighth-grader Jacob Mai outlasted Fitz Intermediate Computer Science Academy eighth-grader Jacqueline Garcia to win GGUSD’s 34thAnnual Intermediate School Spelling Bee Championship. The event was held January 12 at the Edgar District Meeting Center after being cancelled in 2021 due to the pandemic.
Jacob and Jacqueline had an exciting back and forth battle before Jacob was able to secure first place. Both were followed by Jessica Truong of McGarvin Intermediate School, third place; and Alan Nguyen of Alamitos Intermediate School, fourth place. Other honored participants included Ivy Trinh of Ralston Intermediate School, fifth place; David Nguyen of Ralston Intermediate School, sixth place; Genevie Nguyen of Walton Intermediate School, seventh place; Angelica Cao of Fitz Intermediate Computer Science Academy, eighth place; Chelsea Kee of Bell Intermediate School, ninth place; and Fatima Qasqas of Irvine Intermediate School, 10th place.
Teaming up on MLK Jr. Day
KINECTA VOLUNTEERS painted an apartment at Thomas House Shelter.
Thomas House Family Shelter in Garden Grove partnered recently with Kinecta Federal Credit Union in Orange County to honor Dr. Martin Luther King’s.
Members of the Kinecta Volunteer Corps painted a two-bedroom apartment for a family experiencing homelessness. They also helped organize the food pantry.
Over the past 35 years, Thomas House Family Shelter has supported over 1,500 unsheltered families with children to stay together and learn to become independent and self-sufficient.
For more about Thomas House, go to www.thomashouseshelter.org .
Local students honored by colleges
Many local students from Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Stanton and Westminster have been recognized for earning their degrees or winning academic honors. Here are some:
Georgia Tech
- Tuan Huynh of Garden Grove earned a bachelor of science degree in computer science.
Southern New Hampshire University
- Brenda Zambrano of Garden Grove and Andrew Nguyen of Western have been named to the fall 2021 dean’s list.
University of Iowa
- Nicholas Kennedy of Huntington Beach has been named to the dean’s list for the 2021 fall semester.
Siena College
- Dani Ghanem of Huntington Beach has been named to the president’s list for fall 2021.
- Kaitlyn Govea of Garden Grove has been named to the dean’s list for fall 2021
Abilene Christian University
- Valerie Rudd of Huntington Beach has been named to the dean’s honor roll for fall 2021.
Missouri State University
- Paige Dispalatro of Huntington Beach has been named to the dean’s list for fall 2021.
University of Alabama (all from Huntington Beach)
- Lindsay Bautzer has been named to the president’s list for fall 2021
- Bailey Hansen has been named to the dean’s list for fall 2021
- Amy Berbiglia (president’s list)
- Riley Burke (dean’s list)
- Madyson Esparza (dean’s list)
- Cade Ortiz (dean’s list)
- Tani Song (president’s list)
- Ella Thomas (dean’s list)
- Anysa Wilson (dean’s list).
Emerson College
- Kelsey West of Huntington Beach has been named to the dean’s honor roll for fall 2021.
Iowa State University
- Alexis Poor of Garden Grove has been named to the dean’s honor roll for fall 2021.
Submit items of interest (and photos, too) for Our Towns to orangecountytribune@gmail.com .
