May 1 marks the beginning of Youth Services Month.  What better way to kick off this theme than to announce that the Rotary Club of El Camino and the Carlsbad Rotary Foundation along with Union Bank recently made it possible for MiraCosta Collage and the Mira Costa College Foundation to award the 2022 Academic Medal of Merit to five outstanding students. 
 
The Medal of Academic Merit is considered the college’s highest academic award and is bestowed annually to students nominated by the teaching faculty and who earned a minimum GPA of 3.75 in degree-applicable courses. Each recipient receives a $1,500 scholarship provided by community members, businesses and service organizations.
 
Winners are: Negar Farahbakhsh, Armando Gabriel Leon, Hayat Sherif, Gilbert "Gib" Barbo IV and Rocio "Rosey" Gutierrez.