Lovina Wildermuth-Reyes of Nature Academy (San Lorenzo Valley Charter School) claimed first place in the 2025 Santa Cruz County Spelling Bee’s Junior Division.
Aria Menon of Pacific Collegiate School earned second place, while Samarth Singh of Scotts Valley Middle School finished in third.
In the Elementary Division, Emerson Brunner of Scotts Valley Middle School took first place, followed by Horace Dong of Scotts Valley Middle School, in second place. Cooper Slavich of Boulder Creek Elementary School secured third place.
First- and second-place finishers in both divisions advance to the California State Spelling Championship, scheduled for April 26 at the Great Wolf Lodge in Manteca.
“Congratulations to this year’s winners and to all the incredible students from across Santa Cruz County who took on the challenge of the Spelling Bee!” said Barbara Huebner, multilingual achievement coordinator at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, in a statement. “Competing in the Spelling Bee takes hard work and confidence, and we are proud of every student who participated and showcased their passion for language and learning.”
Bay Federal Promotes Atkinson to assistant VP
Bay Federal Credit Union recently announced the promotion of Michael Atkinson to Assistant Vice President of Marketing. In this role, Atkinson will lead initiatives to attract new members, strengthen existing relationships and expand product offerings, while ensuring the Credit Union’s marketing strategies align with its mission and goals.
With over 20 years of experience in the financial industry, Atkinson is known for implementing innovative, data-driven marketing strategies that achieve measurable results. His expertise encompasses campaign development, graphic design, copywriting, email marketing, social media, online and mobile banking, website content and search engine optimization (SEO), digital signage and paid media campaigns.
“I’m thrilled to step into the role of Assistant Vice President of Marketing at Bay Federal Credit Union, an organization I’ve been proud to serve for nearly half my life,” Atkinson said in a statement. “I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of a member-owned cooperative and grateful for the opportunity to deepen our connection with the community while supporting our members alongside an exceptional team.”
The History Forum announces Annual History Awards
The History Forum, a partner of the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, hosted a celebration recently to honor individuals making significant contributions to Santa Cruz County history.
This year’s grant recipients are:
• Isaac Weintrab, a local golf professional, for creating the website PogonipParkProject.com.
• Sophie Cornish, an Aptos High School senior, for expanding the 2025 Ching-Ming Festival at Evergreen Cemetery.
• Deborah Osterberg, for her research on Civilian Conservation Corps projects throughout the county in the 1930s.
History Forum President Traci Bliss presented a bronze plaque to the MAH, commemorating the McPherson family’s vision and generosity, which made the MAH building a reality in the 1990s.
A first-of-its-kind award was given to Laurence Bedford for his exceptional preservation of historic elements of the Rio Theatre, which he has owned since 2020.
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