Merced area speech winners get awards

The Merced County Office of Education announced the winners of the Merced County Speech Festival at an awards ceremony Wednesday.

Almost 200 fourth- through eighth-grade students from 23 schools in Merced County competed in the event last week. Awards for the top three students in each grade were presented at the Clark and Newbold rooms at the Merced County Office of Education.

Students could give speeches about any subject. First-place winners were invited to give their award-winning speeches at the awards reception.

▪ Fourth-grade awards: first place, Isabelle Perry of Ballico Elementary; second place, Kaydyn Grisham of Ada Givens Elementary; third place, Leah Chapman of McSwain Elementary.

▪ Fifth-grade awards: first place, Harmony Tinley of Elim Elementary; second place, Chloe Grossman of Ballico Elementary; third place, Thomas Garner of Peggy Heller Elementary.

▪ Sixth-grade awards: first place, David Vidauri of Our Lady of Mercy; second place, Zachary Pickle of Peggy Heller Elementary; third place, Joseph Rivero of Peggy Heller Elementary.

▪ Seventh-grade awards: first place, Emily Featherston of Our Lady of Mercy, second place, Alexis Parra of Los Banos Junior High; third place, Noemi Lara of Los Banos Junior High.

▪ Eighth-grade awards: first place, Lucca Lorenzi of Our Lady of Mercy; second place, Casandra Macalincag of Our Lady of Mercy; third place, Julianna Butler of Our Lady of Mercy.

This story was originally published January 29, 2015 at 2:19 PM with the headline "Merced area speech winners get awards."