Lake Tahoe Community College student awarded car

Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) student Marissa Smith was awarded a refurbished Subaru Thursday during a ceremony at the campus in South Lake Tahoe.

Marissa revealed an unparalleled sense of optimism and perseverance over some rather large life obstacles in an essay she submitted to the college. Dozens of other students also submitted essays but Marissa's caught the judge's attention due to the challenges she has had to hurdle.

Marissa was born HIV positive to drug addicted parents. Her mother died of AIDS when she was just seven years old. Since the age of 12, Marissa has dedicated her life to trying to end the stigma of being HIV positive. She has spoken publicly about it for UC San Diego’s Mother, Child and Adolescent program, which led to a national bus tour, and later as a member of International Women Living with HIV. As an advocate, she has accompanied countless youths to doctors’ appointments, and has helped them cope both emotionally and physically with their condition while also coping with her own symptoms. Marissa has had to learn to live with pain and discomfort on a daily basis, but despite this, she has managed to earn a very respectable 3.65 GPA while at LTCC. She is half-way to completing her AA degree in Culinary Arts. In her own words, “I have so much to give, and I feel I could make an impact here, just as I did in San Diego.”

LTCC partnered with State Farm Insurance and Recycled Rides to provide the car for Marissa.

"I wish we had a fleet of these to give away," said LTCC Superintendent/President Jeff DeFranco as he was talking to the crowd of students, staff and faculty during the car presentation. He said all of the applicants were worthy.

Recycled Rides is a unique program in which insurers, collision repairers, paint suppliers, parts vendors and others collaborate to repair and donate vehicles to deserving individuals and service organizations in local communities throughout the country.

At hand during Thursday's ceremony were the other local partners who helped with both the celebration and getting the car ready for Marissa: Welcome's Towing, Starbucks, Aloha Ice Cream, South Shore Custom Detail, Integrity Locksmith, Cork & More, the Ouellette family, Druids Grove 1, LTCC Bookstore and Michael Bennett.

In group photo: LTCC Superintendent/President Jeff DeFranco, Jeff Brennan of Cork & More, Michael Bennett, Casey Black of Starbucks, Alexi Llamas of South Shore Custom Detailing, LTCC Counselor Aaron Barnett and Marissa Smith.