The Indian Wells Rotary Club presented two Indio students and their respective school officials oversized checks for their successful participation in the first Indian Wells Rotary Club Literacy Drive, which challenged students to read for as many minutes as they could during a weeklong period in October.

The Indio students were Ashton Shoemaker of Thomas Jefferson Middle School, who placed second, and Tito Ayon of Indio Middle School, who came in third in the competition.

The first-place winner was Brenda Barriga of La Quinta Middle School.

The students were presented with $800, $500 and $200, respectively, for their schools.

They also received gift certificates to Barnes & Noble, courtesy of the Palm Desert store, said David V. Humphrey Jr., the club's vocational service chairman.