Sunday, December 25, 2016
MILESTONES
HONORS
2017 Counselor of Year is from Austintown
A school counselor at Austintown Elementary has been invited to visit the White House next month after being selected as Ohio’s 2017 Counselor of the Year.
Kelley Mills will travel to Washington, D.C., Jan. 4-6. There, she and the other 49 counselors of the year from around the country will meet with first lady Michelle Obama, tour the White House and be recognized at a formal gala at Union Station.
Mills also will meet individually with the leader of an initiative that encourages kids to go to college, according to a school district news release.
YSU students fare well at Moot Court tourney
Youngstown State University students Andrik Massaro of Canfield and Jacob Shriner-Briggs of Liberty placed first out of 38 teams in the Great Lakes Regional Moot Court Tournament.
Another YSU team of Samantha Fritz of Canfield and Jacob Tomory of Canfield placed third at the competition at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan.
The two teams, along with the YSU teams of Jillian Smith of Canfield and Michael Marshall of Boardman, and Brian Duricy of Howland and Erik Glasgow of Warren, will travel to Stetson University College of Law in Florida Jan. 6-7 to compete in the American Moot Court Association’s national tournament.
SCOUTS
Puhalla reaches Eagle Scout rank
Leo J. Puhalla of Austintown was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout at his court-of-honor ceremony at St. Joseph Church earlier this month.
Leo, the son of Atty. Leo and Nikki Puhalla, is a member of Boy Scout Troop 184 chartered to St. Joseph Church. He was a member of Cub Scout Pack 184 before becoming a Boy Scout. He earned 34 merit badges, the Order of the Arrow, three religious medals, which include Light of Christ, Parvuli Dei and Ad Altare Dei and has served as his troop’s patrol leader, chaplain’s aide, quartermaster and librarian.
For his Eagle Scout service project, Leo collected and reconditioned used soccer equipment for youth soccer players which he distributed both locally and to organizations affiliated with the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Passback program.
A sophomore at Ursuline High School, Leo is a member of the soccer team, Spanish Club and SOS. He is a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Austintown.
A second-generation Eagle Scout, Leo’s father, uncles Mark, Craig and Glenn Puhalla, and his cousin Stephen Puhalla are all Eagle Scouts.
Milestones 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.