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NDTA awards $25,000 in scholarships
NDTA-scholarships
Lt. Gen. Kenneth R. Wykle, (U.S. Army ret.) stands with 24 scholarship recipients at last weeks presentations at the Chez Shari dining room at the Manteca Golf Course. The scholarship dinner was hosted by the National Defense Transportation Association. Those pictured in the front row with General Wykle and holding their awards are from left Clayton Keener, Jessica Teresi, Elizabeth Berry, Megan Jessen, Aspen Alves, Edgar Campos and Jarvel Rayford. - photo by Photo Contributed

Graduating seniors from Manteca, Escalon, Tracy and Ripon were included in the more than $25,000 in scholarships handed out last Thursday night by the San Joaquin Valley Chapter of the National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA) during ceremonies. 

The scholarships were presented before an audience of parents and friends at the Chez Shari dining room above the Manteca Golf Course by Lt. Gen. Kenneth W. Wykle, U.S. Army, retired.

The local recipients included Poonam Dehal, Manteca High School; Nathan Hong, and Jasmeet Sandhu both of Sierra High School; Troy Norvell, ITT Tech; Morgan Carrico, Ripon High; Clayton Keener, Escalon High; Carmen Alfaro, Aspen Alves and Megan Jessen all of Tracy High and Eric Simmonds of John Kimball High School in Tracy. 

Promoting careers in business, transportation, logistics and distribution is the purpose behind the NDTA program with preference given to students pursuing those key areas of study. The scholarships are open to San Joaquin Valley residents who are graduating high school, enrolled college students, vocational students, accredited online institution students, adults continuing their under or upper graduate studies, military personnel and/or dependent students of parents residing in the San Joaquin Valley.

The San Joaquin Valley Chapter of NDTA hosts two golf tournaments, a crab feed and an open house barbecue and dance event each year to provide scholarship funds. The San Joaquin Valley Chapter is credited as being the most successful NDTA branch worldwide having awarded some $20,000 annually in scholarships for the last eight years.

The San Joaquin Valley Chapter is a representation of military and civilian members who are involved in the transportation and logistics arenas from the Defense Distribution Depot, San Joaquin in Tracy, GSA and AFFES in Lathrop along with along with associated defense related facilities in the area. 

Regional trucking companies, small package carriers as well as government representatives, CEOs and CFOs, company presidents and senior account representatives are all among its membership.