COLUMBIANA CORNER Pupils from Sebring have a capital time

A group of pupils from Sebring schools' F.A. Cares program were among more than 800 people participating in the annual Youth for Justice summit this month at Riffe Center for Government and the Arts in Columbus.
The event is part of a nationwide effort to teach youths about combating violence in their schools and community.
The F.A. Sebring team included fifth- and sixth-grade pupils Brittany Kisner, Sean Nolan, Kara McNeal, Rosie Street, Rachael Stuckey, Bianca Montegue, Heather Markley, Justin Wareham, Katie Wilson and Alex Spinks.
Awards presented: The team presented the school's Student Choice Awards in a competition against 20 teams from other schools, said Joan Gibson, group adviser and elementary guidance counselor.
The awards were established after a pupil survey revealed name-calling and fighting as the top two problems pupils encounter at school.
The F.A. Cares Student Choice Awards, which will have to be renamed because F.A. Sebring students have moved to B.L. Miller this month, are awarded weekly to individuals who care about others.
Whether it is for helping someone pick up their dropped books or saving a life, the top "carer" each week receives a small trophy. An overall winner is recognized every nine weeks with an engraved medal.
Drug education: In addition to the competition, teams heard an anti-drug presentation by Olympic weightlifter Ari Sherwin and were recognized by Attorney General Betty Montgomery.
The annual summit is sponsored by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education with additional funding provided by grants from the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services, the Ohio State Bar Foundation and the Constitutional Rights Foundation.
Museum hours: With the arrival of spring, the Burchfield Homestead Museum is resuming its regular weekend visiting hours.
The facility, which honors renowned Salem artist Charles Burchfield, will be open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through November. Admission is free.
The museum is located at 867 E. Fourth St., in Burchfield's boyhood home.
This year, visitors can expect to see in full bloom a replica of a flower garden Burchfield and his family planted, Richard Wootten, society president, said recently.
The garden was an inspiration for the young artist's work.
Spring Fling: The fourth annual Spring Fling at Joshua Dixon Elementary, Columbiana, will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday. Among the activities will be pony cart rides, a variety of carnival games, a dunk tank, face and hair painting, raffles and refreshments. Proceeds benefit maintenance and improvements to the school playground, and the cost of printing yearbooks.
Garage sale: Lisbon Kiwanis Club garage sale will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at 6247 state Route 45, three miles north of Lisbon. Rain date is May 19. Proceeds benefit Kiwanis community projects.
XCONTRIBUTORS: Norman Leigh and Nancy Tullis, Vindicator Salem Bureau, Stephanie Ujhelyi, correspondent