Valley people

Becker named to Dean’s List
Miryam Becker of Ben Lomond, a sophomore majoring in environmental engineering, was named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence for the Spring 2014 semester at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
“WPI’s academic programs are remarkably rigorous, so being named to the Dean’s List is a testament to hard work, a sharp mind, and a commitment to excellence,” said Provost Eric Overstrom.
Founded in 1865 in Worcester, Mass., WPI is one of the nation’s first engineering and technology universities.
Soma sworn into Calif. BAR Assoc.
Vanessa M. Soma was sworn into the California BAR Association at a ceremony in Pasadena June 4. Vanessa passed the BAR after completing the Masters programs at UCLA in both Law and Policy. She graduated from Scotts Valley High School class of 2005 as a full IB student and enjoyed mock trial under the leadership of Mark Stone. The ceremony was attended by proud parents Winona Heyer-Soma and Glenn E. Soma and her brother Kyle Soma (SVHS class of 2010).
Trader Sisters Both Receive Degrees
Karissa Trader is graduating from UCSC with a degree in English and has already been hired as an assistant editor for a company in San Rafael. Her sister Andrea Trader received her Masters degree in Kinesiology from San Jose State.
Hendricks, Bumbaca-Kuehl win essay contest
Sebastian Hendricks and Tianna Bumbaca-Kuehl, students in Ms. Claire Hackett’s 6th grade class at SLV Middle School were this year’s winners of the the San Lorenzo Valley Museum’s Oral History Essay Contest.
Students were asked to identify someone who has worked or had a business in the San Lorenzo Valley and ask them to share a story about their work experience. Sebastian wrote about a site director who has worked 30 years for a local wedding center. Tianna wrote about Ben Lomond Fire District Stacie Brownlee. This annual Oral History Essay Contest is open to grades fourth through eighth and held each spring.
The San Lorenzo Valley Museum has reinstituted its oral history essay contest to encourage the gathering and preserving of our local oral histories. This year’s theme was connected to our Smithsonian exhibit, ‘The Way We Worked’, on display this spring.