HONORS

HONORS
Chairwoman appointed
Sue McCleaf Nespeca of Youngstown was appointed as chairwoman of the 2003 Sibert Award Committee, which selects a national book award for informational books for children.
The Sibert Informational Book Award is awarded annually to the author of the most distinguished informational book published during the preceding year and is restricted to authors who are U.S. citizens or residents. It is given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, Chicago.
The 2003 committee will make its decision Jan. 27 in Philadelphia, and Nespeca will present the award to the winning author at the American Library Association Conference to be held in Toronto in June.
Nespeca manages Kid Lit Plus Consulting, designed to support librarians, teachers and early-childhood educators in the areas of children's literature, early literacy, family literacy and library services to youth.
She provides ongoing consulting to NOLA Regional Library System in Warren, and to the Northwest Library District in Bowling Green and is adjunct instructor in the library schools of Kent State University and Syracuse University.
She has spoken on topics related to children's literature at more than 100 workshops in 20 states and has published several books and articles on children's literature and early literacy.
Nespeca earned her master's degree in early-childhood education from KSU and has a master's degree in library science from the University of Pittsburgh.
STATE PATROL
Trooper of the Year
Lawrence Sprockett Jr. of Leavittsburg has been selected 2002 Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper of the Year at the Hiram Post.
The selection of Sprockett, 29, is in recognition of outstanding service during 2002 at the Hiram post. Fellow officers stationed at the Hiram post, chose Sprockett based on leadership abilities, professional ethics, courteous treatment of others, enthusiastic work attitude and cooperation with supervisors, peers and the public.
Sprockett is in contention for the district and state Trooper of the Year Award to be announced at a later date.
He joined the patrol July 25, 1997, and has served at the Hiram Post. A graduate of Lakeview High School in Cortland, Sprockett attends Youngstown State University, where he is majoring in criminal justice and anthropology.
Sprockett and his wife, Danielle, have two children, Kaitlin, 3, and Alexander, 1.
SCOUTS
Receives Eagle award
Colby Grimes, son of Leo and Theresa Grimes of Girard, has received his Eagle Scout award, Boy Scouting's highest honor, and had a court of honor earlier this month at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Girard.
Members of Troop 81 in Vienna presided over the ceremony. His scoutmaster is Greg Booty.
For his Eagle project, Colby made shelves to hold informational pamphlets for use in Girard Free Library.
Colby is a senior at Ursuline High school, where he is a member of the Science and Key clubs, National Honor Society and Students of Stewardship. He is a member of St. Rose Parish, where he has served as a lector.
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