SPOTLIGHT ON PUPILS

SPOTLIGHT ON PUPILS
Appointed to academy
COLUMBIANA -- Jordan A. Brye, a United Local High School senior, has received appointment to the United States Military Academy, Annapolis, Md. He reports July 1 as a member of the Class of 2007 and will train toward a bachelor of science degree and commission as a naval or marine officer.
The son of Courtney and Elaine Brye of Winona, he received nominations from U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, and U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland of Lisbon, D-6th. He joins his brother, Midshipman 3rd Class Eric C. Brye, at the academy.
Two win awards
Two local students are among the less than 10 percent of high-school students to be named national award winners by the United States Achievement Academy.
Kenny Ferenchak, an Austintown Fitch High School senior, won an English award. Kenny is the son of Cathy and Steve Ferenchak of Austintown. He was nominated by teacher Joe Marino, and his name will appear in an academy yearbook.
D.J. DePanicis, an Edison Junior High student, won a science award. D.J. is the son of Leonard and Rebecca DePanicis of Niles. He was nominated by teacher Lynn Muccio.
Criteria for selection include academics, interest and aptitude, leadership, responsibility, motivation to learn and improve, citizenship, dependability and attitude.
Receives scholarship
COLUMBIANA -- Columbiana High School senior Drew Bland recently participated in the 58th annual Citizenship Education Conference sponsored by the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.
Bland, who will enroll in Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications this fall, received a fourth-place, four-year $8,000 scholarship. The son of Kimberly and Jay L. Bland, he plans to major in broadcast journalism and political science.
The conference invites the country's top high-school seniors to write papers on a range of public policy issues. They are awarded scholarships based on scores the papers receive.
Musicianship award
YOUNGSTOWN -- Edgardo Cortes, a senior at Wilson High School, has received the Dorian Award for the best musician in the city schools. A trumpet player, he is the son of Carmen Cortes.
Cortes is in Wilson's Marching and Concert Band and the Choir and Vocal Ensemble and has been a member of the district's honor band for six years, receiving 12 superior ratings at Ohio Musical Education Association competitions. He is also a member of the Youngstown Connection, a local Latin Band and the Latin Dancers of the Organizacion Civica y Cultural Hispana Americana.
He is president of the district's Young Scholars Program and ranks third in his class with a 4.2 grade point average.
K-12 NEWS
Wetlands education
COLUMBUS -- The Ohio EPA recently awarded $4,954 to MRB Hydrologic Environment Research Inc. for its Regional Wetlands Education CD-ROM. The CD-ROM will contain photographs and materials specific to 15 sub-watersheds of the Mahoning River so that schools can study seasonal changes. CD-ROMs will be distributed at teacher workshops conducted by the Mahoning Soil and Water Conservation District and local environmental education organizations.
Schools' partners
YOUNGSTOWN -- Sixteen partner agencies have been selected to serve the county's 14 public school districts through a five-year 21st Century Community Learning Center grant. The grant was awarded to the Mahoning County Family and Children First Council to help children in grades five through nine using activities such as academic enrichment, recreational programs, child care, family-literacy events, life-skills work, meals and transportation. It should reach 100 students and their families each year.
The Mahoning County Commissioners' Special Projects Office coordinated the project proposal with the council. Besides the council, partners are the Public Library of Youngstown & amp; Mahoning County, Camp Fire USA, Youngstown Community Development Agency, Easter Seals, Mahoning County Educational Service Center, Mahoning Valley Vision for Education, Neil Kennedy Recovery Clinic/Prevention Partners Plus, United Methodist Community Center, Youngstown City Schools, YMCA, Youngstown YWCA Central Branch, D & amp;E Counseling Center, Youngstown State University College of Education/Counseling, YSU SMARTS program and YSU Mahoning River Education Project.
COLLEGE HAPPENINGS
OACHE gets grant
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- The Institute for Government Innovation at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government has awarded a $100,000 grant to the Ohio Appalachian Center for Higher Education. OACHE is a consortium of 10 colleges and universities that seeks to increase higher education among underprivileged Appalachian residents. The grant, an Innovations in American Government Award, will help the center replicate its creative efforts. The program is administered by the Harvard government school and the Council for Excellence in Government in Washington, D.C.
EDUCATOR NEWS
Adviser of the Year
CANFIELD -- The Ohio SkillsUSA-VICA Board of Directors has named William Flora of Lowellville the Northeast Ohio Adviser of the Year. The award is presented to secondary educators who are involved in trade, industrial, technical and health-related training and whose students are successful in competition.
Flora has been the criminal justice teacher at the Mahoning County Career & amp; Technical Center since 1995. He is a former Lowellville police chief and current president pro tem of village council.
To serve on board
COLUMBUS -- Mark E. Lyden, vice president of True North Management in Youngstown, has been elected to serve on the board of trustees of the Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges, a corporate and foundation solicitation organization for 35 independent Ohio colleges and universities.
Physics for teachers
SALEM -- Kent State University Salem offers "Operation Physics," a free, five-credit graduate science course for fourth- through ninth-grade teachers. Sessions begin June 23 on campus. Registration deadline is May 30. Call (330) 672-1487 or e-mail dsimonis@kent.edu.
Workshops for teachers
NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. -- The Westminster College Science in Motion Program offers five workshops for area teachers this summer.
They are: an elementary teacher "Light, Color and Spectro-scopy for Kids" workshop, June 9-11; an elementary and junior-high teacher Monarch investigations workshop, June 17; a biology teacher workshop, June 11-13; a chemistry teacher workshop, June 16-18; and a physics teacher workshop, June 18-20.
All workshops are free for Act 48 credit. Graduate credits are also available. Registration deadline is May 30. Visit www.westminster.edu/sim or call (724) 946-6295 or e-mail shaffeka@westminster.edu.