GRANTS FOR TEACHERS

Grants for teachers
SALEM -- The Salem Community Foundation is offering grants for teachers of all grades in Salem for projects, programs and events during the 2006-07 school year. The maximum grant is $500 per project. A total of $10,000 is available. A completed and signed application should be submitted to the foundation by 5 p.m. July 1.
Engineering camp
LISBON -- The Columbiana County Career & amp; Technical Center is offering a free three-day Engineering Technology Camp from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday for sophomores, juniors and seniors in Columbiana County. Participants will build, launch and recover one- and two-stage rockets, build and fly electric motor model aircraft, and design, test and measure Co2-powered rocket sleds. Participants will also be eligible for prizes, including MP3 player and stereo base, PlayStation 2, hoodies and Best Buy gift certificates. More than $1,000 in awards will be distributed to participants. Call (330) 424-9561, Ext. 110, for more information.
Large number of grads
YOUNGSTOWN -- The graduating class of 2005-06 at Youngstown State University is the largest in 20 years. YSU reports that 2,132 students received diplomas during summer, fall and spring commencements, the most since 2,217 graduated in 1985-86. Since 2000-01, the number of graduates has grown by 310 students, or 17 percent. University officials say the increase is due in large part to a surge in enrollment between 2000 and 2004.
Steel bridge builders
YOUNGSTOWN -- A team of eight Youngstown State University civil engineering students made it to the 15th Annual National Student Steel Bridge Competition last weekend at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. The team qualified for the event by placing second in the Ohio Valley Regional Steel Bridge Competition in April at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. Ohio State University placed first.
About 50 teams are competing in the national event competition. Students design, fabricate and construct a steel bridge that is about 22 feet long, 4 feet wide and 6 feet high. At the competition, the teams race to construct the bridges, which are then load-tested with 2,500 pounds. Each bridge is judged on aesthetics, construction speed, lightness and deflection.
Members of the YSU team are Ryan Murphy of New Brighton, Pa.; William Pitoscia of Hubbard; Steven Cox of Columbus; Adam DePizzo of Austintown; Tyler Drombosky of Boardman; Mike Lyda of North Lima; Kevin Lynch of Shelby, Ohio; and Kevin Shifflet of Mecca.
Church scholarship
YOUNGSTOWN -- Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church Festival Committee will award two $1,000 scholarships at its annual festival July 20. June 17 is the application deadline. To be eligible, applicants must be a parishioner of the church or have an immediate relative (parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle) who is a parishioner, be attending Youngstown State University full time next fall, have already completed one year of full-time enrollment at YSU and have an unmet financial need. Applications are available in the church vestibule or at the church Web site at www.ourladyofmtcarmel.net.