MILESTONES

SCOUTS

Razo receives Eagle rank

Eric William Razo was recently honored at an Eagle Scout court-of-honor ceremony at Greenford Lutheran Church by Boy Scout Troop 116 of Greenford, which is sponsored by the Greenford Ruritan Club. Scoutmaster James Kirk presided over the ceremony.

Eric was 6 when he joined Scouting as a Tiger Cub with Pack 116, also in Greenford. He earned the Cub Scout Arrow of Light Award and joined Troop 116 when he was in fifth grade.

He has earned 21 merit badges and has served in numerous leadership positions such as patrol leader and senior patrol leader.

His Eagle Scout service project involved the planning and organization of some landscaping around a flagpole at St. Anne’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Austintown. He worked in cooperation with the church’s pastor at the time, the Rev. Joseph Tamburro.

Eric is a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church of Salem. He is a senior at South Range Local School in North Lima, where he is active in marching and jazz bands. He plays the alto saxophone and is in the wind ensemble, participates on the Academic Challenge Team and is involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He played on the school’s baseball team his sophomore and junior years. He will attend Youngstown State University this fall where he will be majoring in secondary education.

He is the son of Eli and Carol Razo of Greenford, and his grandparents are Steve and Eleanor Razo of New Middletown and Dr. William Moskalik of Canfield. Eric has three sisters, Anna, Maria and Emily Razo.

Beeson attains high honor

Ricky Beeson received his Eagle Scout award at a ceremony at St. Paul School in Salem. He is a member of St. Paul Troop 6 and is the son of Donn and Mary Lou Beeson of Leetonia.

His troop leadership positions were scribe, quartermaster, instructor, assistant patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, senior patrol leader and junior assistant scoutmaster.

For his Eagle Scout service project he worked with the Susan G. Komen Foundation to create a memorial garden in Waterworth Memorial Park, which was dedicated last October.

He receive the Arrow of Light, three-year Polar Bear, fifth-year Pipestone, Junior Leadership Training and Order of the Arrow. He also earned 28 merit badges.

He attended the 2005 National Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia and participated in treks at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, N.M., in 2006 and 2007.

Ricky is a 2009 graduate of Leetonia High School, where he participated in marching and concert band, track and cross country. He is a member of Greenford Christian Church, where he helps as a youth leader of junior-high youth. He also is a member of the Winona Fire Department.

DOCTORATE

Music degree awarded

Michael S. Yonchak of Masury has received his doctor of musical arts degree from the University of Kentucky’s Graduate College of Fine Arts.

His dissertation was called “Rehearsal Strategies and Stylistic Interpretations to Three Works for Wind Ensemble by Frank Zappa,” and was paired with a performance of the composer’s music at the University of Kentucky in March 2007.

A 1996 graduate of Brookfield High School, he received his bachelor of music in education degree in 2000 and his master of music in 2003 in instrumental conducting from the Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University.

Yonchak lives in Westerville with his wife, Jill, and has a position at Otterbein College as the visiting assistant professor of instrumental music education and director of athletic bands.

He is the son of Gary and Katherine Yonchak of Masury and the grandson of the late Stephen and Toni Yonchak of Louisville, Ga., and Mr. and Mrs. George Varsho of Hermitage, Pa.

Degree in education

Lois J. Cavucci has received her doctor of education degree in educational leadership from Youngstown State University.

She is the director of certificated personnel for the office of Catholic schools within the Diocese of Youngstown, and serves as an adjunct professor at Walsh University, North Canton. She had both positions while completing her doctoral coursework. She also enrolled as a student at Walsh University in the theology department.

Cavucci is a graduate of Chaney High School and received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the education department, with her teaching, principal and superintendent licenses from Youngstown State University. She also serves on the Ohio Residency Transition Program Committee for the Ohio Department of Education.

She lives in Youngstown with her husband, David. Their two children, Lena and Rachel, are enrolled at YSU’s Williamson College of Business.

XMilestones is a regular Sunday feature in The Vindicator. Articles must be submitted within 30 days of the Milestone event. Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope if you want a picture returned. Pictures also may be picked up at the paper’s Front Street facility at the security guard station. Send items to: Milestones, c/o The Vindicator, P.O. Box 780, Youngstown 44501.