Banquet honors educators, students in special education

Staff report

NILES

Valley Counseling Services and its Valley Community Mental Health Foundation had their 5th Annual Hall of Fame Banquet on Wednesday to honor educators and students in special education.

The four students honored were Kieran Hernon and Ashley Parkhurst of Warren G. Harding High School, Trint Cellars of Howland High School and Jason Kirksey of Fairhaven School.

They were recognized for overcoming barriers and excelling in the classroom and the community.

Teachers honored are Stephany Chronister of Champion Elementary School as special-education rookie teacher of the year, and Robert Greene of Fairhaven as special-education assistant of the year.

Two teachers were chosen as special-education teacher of the year — Shari Munno of Warren City Schools and Renee Hardy of Hubbard Elementary School. June Bagby and Mary Ellen Vencel of the Lincoln K-8 School in Warren were honored with special-educator team awards.

Richard Montagnese, a school psychologist with the Trumbull County Education Service Center, was honored for his career achievement, as was Margie Alexander from the Family and Children First Council.

Valley Counseling Services is a nonprofit community mental-health center offering outpatient mental-health services for residents of Trumbull County and surrounding areas.