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Van Allen Elementary Salutes Student Achievements
VA Attendance
Student achieving perfect attendance for the entire school year, every minute of every day in their seats, at Van Allen Elementary were recognized for that feat at the recent end of the year assembly. They included, from left, Giovanni Jimenez Sanchez, Alejandro Jimenez Sanchez, Kai Elsholz, Taylor Bruns, Samantha Bruns, Ethan Jacobs. Photo Contributed
viking
Several fifth graders at Van Allen Elementary School were presented with the ‘Viking Award’ at the recent year-end assembly, honored for academic achievement, citizenship and effort. Viking honorees were, from left, Brianna Gallo Cruz, Mayra Constantino, Camila Jimenez Garcia, Rylee Peavy, Blanca Padilla Vargas, Aydun Melo, Chloe Green, shown with teachers Mrs. Yanagi and Mrs. Vick. Photo Contributed

The end of the school year brought some awards for Van Allen Elementary School students, presented at a special assembly.

Students were recognized for honor roll selection, perfect attendance and for Van Allen Viking achievements for academics, effort and citizenship.

Also featured was the reading of a letter from Marian Ballance Rogers of the Class of 1946, who donated $700 dollars to Van Allen. Principal Julio Zambrano read the letter at the assembly, written by Rogers on behalf of the Van Allen Reunion Committee, which raised the funds.

“When we attended school here, there were three classrooms, three teachers, about 150 students all in only one building,” Rogers wrote. “There was no kindergarten and grades first through eighth were taught. Graduating students received their diplomas on the front porch of the two-story building. My graduating class had 13 students.”

The money raised and donated will help pay for books and computer supplies for the Van Allen students. The elementary school at the corner of Highway 120 and Van Allen now houses transitional kindergarten through fifth grade classes.

“I did have the honor of presenting the Van Allen Sandy Anderson Memorial scholarship to Sylvia Guevara at the EHS Senior Awards Night,” Principal Zambrano added. “It’s nice to see dedicated Van Allen alumni standing out, and makes me feel very proud of our students and their accomplishments. I also saw many Van Allen students at the Incoming Panthers orientation held at El Portal, and was very happy to see them in positions of leadership, helping incoming fifth (soon to be sixth) graders ‘learn the ropes’ of middle school.”