Thirty-six students from Contra Costa and Alameda county schools will be honored Wednesday for outstanding achievement in Regional Occupational Program classes that give them hands-on experience in fields such as computer graphics, culinary arts and journalism (my personal favorite).

The Contra Costa County Office of Education administers the 361 state-of-the-art classes, which serve 11,000 students in 33 high schools Contra Costa and Alameda county high schools. ies that .

The teens will receive their “Students of Excellence” awards for outstanding achievement in ROP classes from 4-5 p.m. at the Lafayette Veterans Memorial Building, 3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd. in Lafayette.

Each student will each receive a certificate of merit and a $200 scholarship.

Congrats to the winners! (List is alphabetical by city)

ALBANY
Albany High School
Albert Chang, Computer Graphics, Instructor Jeff Castle
Cristina Spampinato, Culinary Arts, Instructor Leone Avery

ANTIOCH
Antioch High School
Garrick Ridolfi, Advanced Automotive Technology, Instructor Bobby Sturgeon

Deer Valley High School
Jazmine White, Journalism Productions, Instructor Charleen Earley

BERKELEY
Berkeley High School
Madeline Angell, Sports Medicine, Instructor Jamie Faison
Camilla Dayrit, Advanced Photography, Instructor Lucinda Daly

BRENTWOOD
Heritage High School
Sophia Ackelbein, Publications/Yearbook, Instructor Ken Silman
Kathryne Barsanti, Architectural Design, Instructor Barbara Worden
Patrick Berhan, Law Enforcement Careers, Instructor Matt Carr

Liberty High School
Jessica Caraballo, Desktop Publishing, Instructor Sharon Johnson
Starkisha Haskell, Medical Front Office, Instructor Cindy Powell

CONCORD
Concord High School
Christian Salazar, Accounting, Instructor Laurie Harris

DANVILLE
San Ramon Valley High School
Jackie Lang, AP Environmental Science, Instructor Cindy Egan

Monte Vista High School
Alexander DeBoni, AP Computer Science, Instructor Bhupinder Anwar

HERCULES
Hercules High School
Chloe Lew, Journalism Productions, Instructor Natalie Wojinski
Richie Phelps, Careers in Teaching, Instructor Janet Headington

LAFAYETTE
Acalanes High School
Blake Marggraff, Accelerated Biotechnology and Research, Instructor Jay Chugh

MARTINEZ
Alhambra High School
Erin McCauley, Advanced Sports Medicine, Instructor Scott Pygeorge
Mike Railton, Cabinetmaking, Instructor Jay Heeb

MORAGA
Campolindo High School
Jarrett Milner, AP Computer Science, Instructor Carol Paymer

OAKLEY
Freedom High School
Eric Stone, Fire Science, Instructor Ben Whitener
Shannon Nuku, ROP Careers with Children, Instructor Elizabeth Rodriguez

PIEDMONT
Piedmont High School
Katherine Lim, Sports Medicine, Instructor Stan Nakahara

PINOLE
Pinole Valley High School
Devon Powell, Sports Medicine, Instructor Dan O’Shea

PITTSBURG
Pittsburg High School
Jasmine Juarez, Accounting, Instructor Phil Lucido
Ajay Kumar, Architectural Design, Instructor Andreas Kaiser

RICHMOND
Richmond High School
Maria Martinez-Resendiz, Advanced Photography, Instructor John Ohlmann

Kennedy High School
Brian Phan, Digital Photography, Instructor, Steve Pinto
German Rodriguez, Advanced Web Design, Instructor Lane Good
JeremyWard, Computer Systems Maintenance, Instructor Alex Pakter

SAN RAMON
California High School
Talaivosa Hingano, Advanced Sports Medicine, Instructor Shane Borchert
Steven Lau, Journalism Productions, Instructor Brian Barr
Sydney Venierakis, Careers in Teaching, Instructor Cindy Bonagura

Dougherty Valley High School
Jason Jirjis, Advanced Sports Medicine, Instructor Juli Westcott
PamelaSendee, Careers in Teaching, Instructor Tom Ladouceur

WALNUT CREEK
Las Lomas High School
Masha Ksendzova, Analytic Forensic Science, Instructor Peat Sutherland

More information about the program is available by visiting www.cocoschools.org. Click on “ROP Students of Excellence Awards Ceremony.”

Do you think ROP classes are valuable?