Merced College’s Los Banos Campus hosted the Rotary club’s area-level speech competition on Feb. 24, welcoming student finalists from across the region for an evening centered on unity, leadership and service.
Representing their respective Rotary clubs were Alma Vasquez-Lopez of Madera South High School, Matthew Hernandez of Endeavor Secondary School in Madera, Thomas Price of Pacheco High School in Los Banos, and Alex Jimenez of Chowchilla Union High School. Each competitor reflected on this year’s theme, “Unite for Good,” sharing personal stories that highlighted the power of service and collective action.
Hernandez delivered a heartfelt speech connecting Rotary’s global fight against polio with personal growth and perseverance. He reflected on Rotary’s partnership with the Gates Foundation, which has helped eradicate polio from 99 percent of the world.
“I believe this is what Rotary is about, uniting the world, one person, one deed, one gesture at a time,” Hernandez said.
Madera South High School student, Alma Vasquez-Lopez, sponsored by the Madera Sunrise Rotary Club, delivers her first-place speech Feb. 24 during the Rotary area-level speech competition at Merced College Los Banos Campus.
He spoke about overcoming personal challenges and finding encouragement through mentorship and community support. “Each moment is an opportunity to unite with another and make a difference in this world,” he added, emphasizing how guidance and compassion can shape one’s future.
Price described Rotary as more than an organization, calling it “a movement built on one powerful idea, that when a group of people come together with a shared purpose, good things happen.”
He reminded the audience that “Rotary doesn’t just do good, Rotary unites good,” highlighting service projects ranging from scholarships and disaster relief to clean water initiatives. Price emphasized that service grows stronger when shared, stating, “Alone, one can do good, but together, Rotary multiplies that good.”
Vasquez-Lopez opened her speech with a vivid memory of gathering at 3:30 a.m. in a Home Depot parking lot before traveling to Mexico with Rotarians to restore a playground. “No one looked glamorous. No one looked fully awake. But everyone showed up,” she said. Over two days, students and Rotarians worked side-by-side, mixing cement and passing tools hand-to-hand.
She tied that experience to her upbringing in California’s Central Valley and her advocacy for farmworker families. “Unity isn’t about agreement. It’s about choosing to stand together despite differences,” she said.
She concluded with a powerful message: “When we unite for good, we don’t just rebuild playgrounds. We build leaders, we build communities, and we build a future.”
Jimenez focused on the power of collective effort, sharing lessons from his experience as vice president of his school’s STEM Careers Club. “Real, lasting change doesn’t come from one person’s ambition, but rather when people unite for good,” he said.
He also highlighted Rotary’s global impact in the fight against polio, noting that unity and long-term commitment have helped protect millions of children worldwide.
At the conclusion of the evening, judges announced the final rankings. Fourth place was awarded to Jimenez, UHS. Third place went to Price, PHS. Second place was earned by Hernandez, ESS. First place was awarded to Vasquez-Lopez, SHS. With her victory, Vasquez-Lopez will advance to the district-level competition, representing the area among Rotary clubs across District 5220.
As applause filled the room, the evening served as a reminder that while only one student advanced, each competitor embodied Rotary’s guiding principle of Service Above Self, proving that when people unite with purpose, leadership and lasting impact follow.
