HONORS

HONORS

State homecoming winner

Brooke Slemons, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Howard Slemons of West Middlesex, Pa., won the title of Ohio’s homecoming queen at the America’s Homecoming Queen State Pageant held last month in Columbus.

Homecoming queens from throughout the state competed for the title. Slemons, representing Hubbard High School, was among the 36 state finalists chosen to compete in Columbus.

In winning the title, she received a state crown, banner and scholarship money. She also received an all-expense paid trip to Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., to compete for the national title of America’s Homecoming Queen in July.

This fall Brooke will attend the University of Pittsburgh, pursuing a doctorate in pharmacy. She will graduate from Hubbard High School on May 27. She also will be making a video with the school department or local TV about the Mahoning Valley to take to California.

SCOUTS

Earns Eagle award

Evan D. Coombs, a member of Troop 42, Liberty Township, was presented the Eagle Scout award at a Court of Honor at Church Hill United Methodist Church on Saturday. He is the son of Atty Frederick and Janice Coombs of Liberty Township.

Evan joined Cub Scout Pack 42 in 1996 where he earned the World Conservation Award, God and Family Award and the Arrow of Light, Cub scouting’s highest award.

He joined Troop 42 in 2001, where he served as chaplain aide, patrol leader, senior patrol leader and troop guide. He currently serves as junior assistant scoutmaster.

He is a member of the Order of the Arrow, and has earned all five years of the Good Camper Award at Camp Manatoc, the Gettysburg Historic Trail Award and the Philmont Arrowhead. He has earned 28 merit badges and has completed National Youth Leader Training. His scoutmaster is Bill Rauschenbach.

His Eagle Scout service project was the design, planning, supervision and construction of a 1,900-foot extension of the Liberty High School cross-country course, including a 16-foot bridge.

Evan is a junior at Liberty High School, where he is a member of the National Honor Society and a three-year letterman on the cross-country team. He plays sousaphone in the marching band, baritone in the symphonic band and bass trombone in the jazz band. He has been active in the drama club and is co-president of Church Hill United Methodist Youth.

DOCTORS

Receives doctor’s degree

Melissa A. Mihalko was granted a doctorate of pharmacy last month during the 2007 commencement convocation at the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Mihalko is the daughter of Dr. Ronald and Mrs. Sandra Mihalko, who reside on Spring Garden Drive, Boardman. She is a 2001 graduate and valedictorian of Boardman High School.

She graduated summa cum laude from Pitt’s school of pharmacy and was a member of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the American Pharmacists Association, Lambda Kappa Sigma International Professional Pharmacy Fraternity and the Rho Chi Society.

She will be moving to Greenville, N.C., in June, where she will complete a pharmacy practice residency at Pitt County Memorial Hospital, a tertiary referral center and one of four academic medical centers in North Carolina.

It is the flagship hospital for University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina and serves as the teaching hospital for the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University.

LAWYERS

Graduates from law school

Holly Elizabeth LeClair of Canfield graduated cum laude May 5 from the University of Toledo College of Law. She also received honors recognition for highest ranked student in patent law, dean’s list, Fornoff Competition finalist and a certificate in Homeland Security Law.

She was a 2000 graduate of Canfield High School and a 2004 graduate of Ohio University.

LeClair is the daughter of Thomas and Janet Opalick-LeClair of Canfield. She has accepted a position at the Ohio attorney general’s office in Columbus.

Passes Florida bar exam

Eric Thompson, formerly of Austintown, son of Sandra and John Russo, of Sarasota, Fla., and Carol and Lloyd Thompson, of Austintown, has passed the Florida bar exam.

Thompson, who lives in Tampa, Fla., graduated from Austintown Fitch High School in 1995 and Youngstown State University in 2001, and received his juris doctor degree from Barry University in Orlando, Fla., in January. He will be working at the 13th Judicial Circuit Court in Tampa for the public defender of Hillsborough County.

Sworn in by high court

Theo Kafantaris has been sworn in by the Ohio Supreme Court after passing the Ohio State Bar Examination.

He received his juris doctor degree this year from Capital University Law School and his bachelor’s degree in engineering in 2005 from Ohio State University.

Kafantaris graduated from Warren G. Harding High School, where he played football and was enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Program. He will be working in Columbus with his brother, Mark.

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