Murphys – The Angels-Murphys Rotary Club treated high-achieving students from Bret Harte Union High School District to a bar-be-que and award ceremony on Thursday, May 25.  The event, held at Murphys Community Park, celebrated the accomplishments of students who earned a 4.0 or greater GPA during the last semester. Nearly 80 honors students along with a handful of parents and school administrators met with the Angels-Murphys Rotarians to highlight the students’ achievements.

A special focus was placed on six students whose faculty nominated them to receive a special title.  Plutarco Cruz and Giovanni Da Ros, both seniors, were named Bret Harte’s students of the month for May. Active on Bret Harte’s cheer and dance teams, Cruz has shown a commitment to serving others through his interest in pursuing a nursing degree at Sacramento State.

Da Ros, an exchange student from Italy, has made a name for himself on Bret Harte’s soccer and track teams. He has one year left in high school and is applying to both the University of Bologna and UCLA.

“Bret Harte is where I learned to understand the value of friendship,” Da Ros said.

Emily Casey, an 11th grader at Bret Harte, was selected as Bret Harte’s Student of the Semester. Casey is a model independent studies student who thrived when given flexibility and autonomy outside the classroom, according to her teacher Heath Lane.

Molly Sampson was honored as Vallecito Continuation High School’s student of the semester. Sampson was praised for her success as a singer, her acting talent and her strong critical thinking skills.

Avery Middle School’s faculty selected two eighth-graders as their students of the semester. Elliot Hungerford and Linnea Johnson were praised as amazing young students when introduced by their principal Scott Nicotero.

“Behaviorally and academically, she soared above the rest of the Hawks,” Nicotero said of Hungerford. Hungerford, Avery’s valedictorian with a 4.0 GPA, is heavily involved in extracurricular activities.

Linnea Johnson was celebrated for making Avery’s honor roll, and for skillfully tackling a multitude of roles within the school’s drama department.

“It’s important to recognize our community’s students because they’ve done so well and worked so hard,” said Paula Cobbett, president of Angels-Murphys Rotary. “We want to showcase and applaud their achievements and encourage them beyond the present, into their futures.”