Ripon Rotary Presents Final Trade School Scholarships to Two Ripon Christian Grads

Joseph de Bruym and Reed Van der Hoek were the featured guests at Ripon Rotary’s noon luncheon last

Rotary president presenting final two scholarships.

week at Spring Creek Country Club receiving scholarships to the trade schools of their choice.

De Bruym and Van der Hoek both spoke on their goals of being a firefighter and attending the Fire Academy at Modesto Junior College while Van der Hoek is focused on becoming an electrician. He will attend either ABC in Livermore or Modesto Junior College.

Both received a $1,000 scholarship from the Rotarians. The boys were both joined at the luncheon by their parents.

Van der Hoek said he grew up on his parents dairy and spent most of his recent after school hours with chores putting cows into the milk barn suffering from a back ailment. The 6-foot-9 senior played basketball for Ripon Christian High School as did Joseph de Bruym. They both also played footballll and baseball.

Rotary President John Mangelos and Rotarian Frances Taylor presented the awards at the noon luncheon following six that were presented las week to Ripon High School graduates to the applause of the Rotarians at the luncheon. .Taylor has been responsible for finding scholarship and speaker candidates. She asked both grads to watch for others who might have an interest in Trade Schools in future years.

Mangelos said the switch from granting college scholarships to Trade Schools was based on the need for tradesmen in the work place for students who would not have to take out huge student loans that they would struggle paying back and all too often unable to find a job after graduation.

It was noted that other Rotary clubs in the district are following Ripon’s lead in focusing on Trade Schools where the scholarships would presumably do more good where salaries are higher for the recent grads.

The scholarships were the outcome of the clubs’s first rubber duck race down the SSJID Irrigation District canal that netted $5,000 and gave nine prizes out to Ripon residents for their donations.