Tracy resident Lori Martin was honored by California Highway Patrol with the Commander’s Award on Friday morning for her efforts in warning others about the dangers of drunken driving. Martin, who survived a head-on crash with a drunken driver, is active in the Every 15 Minutes program, which goes to high schools and re-enacts a crash scene.

“She gets out the message, and we’re trying to do the same thing, so she helps us out a lot,” CHP spokesman Robert Rickman said. “She does make a good impact.”

The Commander’s Award is given out sparingly, Rickman said, to people who go above and beyond what is called of them.

Rotary scholarships

Tracy Sunrise Rotary Club presented its annual scholarship awards at its regular meeting on May 27 at Four Corners Restaurant. The club’s foundation provides five $1,000 scholarships every year, and this year Tracy Sunrise added another $500 scholarship supported by member donations. The winners are as follows:

• Chelsea Childers, Stein High School, George P. Stein Vocational Scholarship, $1,000. Chelsea carries a 3.67 grade-point average and will graduate a year early to pursue college. She will attend San Joaquin Delta College next year and will major in business and art.

• Alison Emery, Tracy High School, George P. Stein Vocational Scholarship, $1,000. Alison carries a 4.14 GPA and is ranked 20th in her class. She plans to attend the University of California, Davis, where she will major in environmental sciences and policy.

• Austin Jones, Tracy High School, Wanda Sillivan Community Services Scholarship, $500. Austin has a 3.16 GPA and plans to attend San Jose State University, where he will major in business administration and also plans to join the Spartans basketball team.

• Tamar Schaap, West High School, Wanda Sillivan Community Services Scholarship, $1,000. Tamar is ranked 13th in her class at West High and has a GPA of 4.2. She plans to attend the University of California, Los Angeles, where she will major in psychology.

• Lindsay Kinakin, Tracy High School, Jack Sjolin Health Professions Scholarship, $1,000. Lindsay carries a 4.17 GPA and is the daughter of two teachers. She plans to attend University of California, Davis, and major in biology and clinical nutrition.

• Nikolas Van Wonterghem, Tracy High School, Jack Sjolin Health Professions Scholarship, $1,000. Nikolas carries a GPA of 4.54 and is ranked sixth in his class. He plans to attend the University of California, Los Angeles, where he will study bioengineering.

Kelly student wins blue ribbon

At the San Joaquin County Fair in Stockton, Joel Mejia, 11, won first place in his division (fifth-graders) for his painting of a hummingbird and a flower. The Kelly Elementary School student received a check for $31.

THS grad makes dean’s list

Jordan Poppoff, a 2008 Tracy High School graduate, made the dean’s honor list all three quarters this year at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Her major is liberal studies, and she plans to teach elementary school when she graduates.

Tracy resident earns master’s

Kyle R. Vital of Tracy completed his master’s degree in public administration from California State University, Stanislaus, on Feb. 19 and graduated June 6. He completed all degree requirements, including passing his comprehensive exams. Previously, he graduated with a business administration bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Stanislaus State in 2003. He now works for the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

Mountain House student makes the grade

Nikolas Vaselopulos of Mountain House, a senior political science major at Southern Utah University, made the dean’s list by earning a 4.0 grade-point average this spring semester. He maintains an overall 3.831 GPA.

Tracy kid cares

Kirsten Smith, a 12-year-old from Tracy, was one of 177 kids from California who earned a $50 gift card to Kohl’s as part of the company’s “Kids Who Care” scholarship program. Kirsten is in the running to win a $1,000 regional scholarship or a $5,000 national scholarship. Recipients were decided based on their volunteer work.

THS grad is Comcastic

Kristina Rodriguez from Tracy High School earned $10,000 from Comcast as part of the company’s California’s 2009 Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship.

Scientific achievement

Anthony Paloma from the West High School Class of 2005 obtained his bachelor’s degree in computer science June 12 from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Paloma will move to Washington to start a career as a Microsoft software design engineer. During the summer of 2007, Anthony was recruited to work as an intern for Microsoft and then received a job offer contingent upon his graduation.

• Accolades runs in Our Town whenever we hear about someone who has done something extraordinary and deserves kudos for it. If you have some news for Accolades, send it to jlafferty@tracypress.com, or drop off a note at the Tracy Press. Feel free to include a mug of the person.