Births
Dante Granados Lozano
Dante Granados Lozano was born to Isabel Lozano and Joel Granados at Hazel Hawkins Hospital in Hollister. He weighed 8 pounds, 3 ounces.
Jacob Anthony Ayala
Jacob Anthony Ayala was born June 25 to Kellie M. and Luis A. Ayala of Morgan Hill.
Angela Mae Gerberding
Angela Mae Gerberding was born June 23 to Magdalena Villegas and Thomas Gerberding at Hazel Hawkins Hospital in Hollister. She weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces.
Yahir Emmanuel Prado
Yahir Emmanuel Prado was born June 23 to Maria and Javier Prado at Hazel Hawkins Hospital in Hollister. He weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces.
Lucas Robert Turner
Lucas Robert Turner was born June 29 to Rochelle Casarez and Robert Turner at Hazel Hawkins Hospital in Hollister. He weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces.
Alexis Jean Montoya
Alexis Jean Montoya was born June 23 to Amanda and Michael Montoya at Hazel Hawkins Hospital in Hollister. She weighed 6 pounds, 4 ounces.
Joshua Alfredo Velarde
Joshua Alfredo Velarde was born June 22 to Noemi and Alfredo Velarde at Hazel Hawkins Hospital in Hollister. He weighed 7 pounds.
Breyon Chavez
Breyon Chavez was born May 23 to Tamara and Manny Chavez at Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital in Hollister. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces.
Engagements
Gamm-Upchurch
Talia Alise Gamm, daughter of Sue and Curt Gamm, and Eric Eugene Upchurch, son of Pam Watts and Brent Upchurch, were engaged in November, and plan to marry July 31 in Ventura, Calif. Gamm attended Gilroy schools, and is a graduate of Gilroy High School. She graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara in biopsychology, and is currently the sports director of the Santa Barbara YMCA. Upchurch, raised in Iowa, also graduated from UCSB, with a degree in geography. He attended the California Culinary Academy and is now in officer training in the Army. The couple will live in Charleston, S.C.
Weddings
Westoby-Dickeson
Celeste Carolyn Westoby, daughter of Thomas and Linda Westoby of Prunedale, Calif. married Joseph Adam Dickeson of Austin, Texas on June 18 in Tres Pinos. Amanda Westoby of Prunedale was the maid of honor and Terry Dahl, of Fayetteville, N.C., was the best man. The usher was Alex Wilkins of Seaside, Calif. and bridesmaids were Alie Norman of Rio Del Mar, Calif., Stephanie Nunes of Watsonville, Calif., and Karyn Mondo of Salinas, Calif. Groomsmen were Dante Westoby of Prunedale, Justin Tidwell of Marina, Calif., and Seth Lindbloom of Fort Ord, Calif. Junior groomsman was Steven Dickeson of Buda, Texas, and flower girls were Samantha Dickeson of Buda, Ashlee Bracken of Prunedale and Kayla Campbell of Seaside. Special attendant was Robyn Nooney of Baltimore. The minister was Eric Petty of Salinas. The couple will reside in Brenham, Texas.
Coffman-Gularte
Melanie Anne Coffman and Joseph Scott Gularte were married on May 7 in Santa Cruz. Pastor Ron Koch officiated the intimate garden ceremony. Daniel and Amber Daley served as best man and matron of honor. Melanie is the daughter of Michael and Eugenia Coffman of Gilroy. Joe is the son of Michael and Donna Gularte of Salinas.
The bride wore a diamond white satin couture gown embroidered with Swarovski crystals, glass beads, seed pearls and sequins. The gown featured a lace-up back and chapel train. She carried a bouquet of white calla lilies and burgundy roses.
Melanie was born in Gilroy, attended local schools and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She is employed as an assistant manager in the financial banking industry. Joe was born in Salinas where he attended school. He is employed in the motor sport industry.
After a honeymoon to the Grand Canyon and the Southwest, the couple returned to their home in Gilroy.
Honors
Calaveras School Principal’s Award/Honor Roll
Fifth Grade: Kaitlyn Fontaine, Allysa Guardino, Anissa Stanton, Alejandro Alvarez, Ronald Egbert, Jesus Hernandez, Yvette Orellana, Ricardo Vasquez.
Fourth Grade: Corey King, E.J. Herrera, Serena Ji, Cesar Cortes, Cindy Togliatti.
Fifth Grade Honor Roll: Victoria Bustamante, Alexander Hernandez, Martin Navarro, Aymee Pastrana, Elizabeth Quezada, Edgar Ceja, Margarita Hernandez, Jessa Horder, Kathy Meza, Gabriel Aguilar, Adan Avila, Jonathan Casaca, Melissa Casarez, Javier Cortez, Laoua Cortez, Leslie Frutis-Salazar, Said Hernandez, Dora Juarez-Macias, Esequiel Quintero, Santiago Rodriguez, Paula Sanchez-Carmona, Jannette Saucedo, Ximena Torres, Jose Vaca.
Fourth Grade Honor Roll: Juan Guerrero, Juan Espinoza, Flaviano Guevara, Nicole Beltran, Aaron Hill, Amanda Hill, Emily Rianda, Vicente Bustamante, Sam Morcate, Emily Solano, Jezza May Lopez, Laura Medina.
Palma Honor Roll
First honors are awarded to students with a GPA of 3.5 to 4.0 and second honors are awarded to students with a GPA of 3.0 to 3.49.
Seniors First Honors: Nathan Ayala and Joseph Newman
Senior Second Honors: Anthony Codiga, Jonathan McRae and Anthony Sargenti
Junior First Honors: Elliot Zanger
Junior Second Honors: James Morales
Sophomores First Honors: Kyle Harrigan, Jay Lazarus and Manuel Silva
Sophomores Second Honors: Bradley Beetz, Michael Eriksson and Nicholas Huston
Ninth Grade First Honors: Martin Medriano
Ninth Grade Second Honors: Connor Farotte
Eighth Grade Second Honors: Alexander Bassi
Seventh Grade Second Honors: Mark Starritt
University of California, Santa Barbara Dean’s List
Students on the Dean’s List at UCSB have attained a grade point average 3.75 in the College of Arts and Sciences or a 3.0 in the College of Engineering. The following local students have made the Dean’s List: Lourella De Leon Palao of Gilroy; Andrea Rejane Tuz of Gilroy; Thomas John FLowers of Morgan Hill; Katrina Leslie Sparacino of Morgan Hill; Amanda Elizabeth Tewes of Morgan Hill; Colin James Williamson of Morgan Hill; Scott R. Strickland of San Martin.
Oregon State University Graduates
The following local students graduated from Oregon State University June 12: Jill Trekell, of Gilroy, with a bachelor of science in business administration; Suzanne M. Flores, of Hollister, with a bachelor of science in liberal studies; Laura Shoemaker, of Morgan Hill, with a bachelor of science in human development and family sciences.
Emily Tomiko Burton
Emily Tomiko Burton graduated from the Stanford Teaching Program June 12. Burton, a 2001 graduate of Gilroy High and a 2004 graduate of University of California, Los Angeles, received both her Masters Degree in Education and her teaching Credential from Stanford. Burton will return to Gilroy High to teach in the fall.
Dayan Wang
Dayan Wang, a student at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., has been named to the Dean’s Honor Roll. To be eligible for the Dean’s Honor Roll, full-time students must earn a 3.5 grade point average.
Anthony Vitto
Anthony Vitto, M.D., Ph.D., FAAN, a practicing neurologist from Gilroy was recently elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology – the highest level of membership in the Academy. It is awarded to neurologists who have demonstrated achievements in both academic and community practice.
Samuel Offenberg
Samuel Offenberg, son of Rebecca Scheel of Gilroy and Garry Offenberg of Fremont, graduated with honors May 28 from Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose. Samuel was awarded the Gold level of the President’s Volunteer Service Award for his volunteerism in the Amigos de las Americas program and with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Santa Clara County. Samuel also received the President’s Award for Educational Excellence and the Senior Service Award for hard work and dedication to Bellarmine. He will be attending the University of California, Santa Cruz in the fall.
Military
Casey S. Bronzovic
Marine Corps Pvt. Casey S. Bronzovic, son of Cheryl Ney of Beloit, Ohio and Greg Bronzovic of Morgan Hill, recently completed 12 weeks of basic training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. In addition to a physical conditioning program, Bronzovic learned first aid, uniform regulations, combat water survival, marksmanship, hand-to-hand combat and assorted weapons training. Bronzovic and other recruits also received instruction on the Marine Corps’ core values of honor, courage and commitment, and what the core values mean in guiding personal and professional conduct.
Charles Neal
Charles Neal of Morgan Hill was nominated by Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and accepted into the Air Force Academy. A Live Oak Graduate, Neal was one of 13 students nominated by Lofgren, and one of 7 accepted at the academy.
Johnathan A. Flood
Johnathan A. Flood, son of Paul and Pam Flood of Morgan Hill, graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. Flood, a 2002 graduate of Monte Vista Christian School in Watsonville, studied the Air Force mission, organization and military customs in his six weeks of training. He also received physical training, rifle marksmanship and human relations training.
Travis B. Antoniono
Travis B. Antoniono has received an Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps college scholarship offer to attend an elected college or university. The cadet was selected to receive the scholarship certificate on the basis of comprehensive tests, high school scholastic achievement and extra-curricular activities. The estimated value of the scholarship depends on the student’s choice of school and type of scholarship offered. Upon graduation from college and completion of the ROTC program, the cadet will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force. Antoniono is the son of Mark M. and Catrina D. Antoniono of Hollister and a 2005 graduate of San Benito High School.
Micah J. Bahr
Micah J. Bahr, son of A. Lee and Carol Ann Bahr of Utah, husband of Julie Bahr and son-in-law of Frank Norris of Morgan Hill and Virginia Swensen of San Jose, graduated from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Md. Bahr, a 2000 graduate of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, received a medical degree and was commissioned to the rank of captain with a minimum seven-year service commitment.
Virgil A. Bradford
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Virgil A. Bradford, nephew of Rodger and Marie Bradford of Morgan Hill, recently completed the Basic Aviation Machinist’s Mate Jet Engine Course. During the course with Marine Aviation Training Support Group 21, Naval Air Training Command in Pensacola, Fla., students received introductory instructions on the characteristics and operating principles of jet engines. Studies include engine lubrication, ignition and fuel systems, procedures for refueling and defueling aircraft for removal and installation of aircraft engines and the operation of aircraft ground handling equipment. Bradford joined the Marine Corps in December 2003.
