Community
Bob Ray of Akron received the Doing the Most Good Award from the Akron-area Salvation Army. Others who have been honored are: Volunteer of the Year Award (Barberton Corps) Sharon Ray of Barberton; Volunteer of the Year Award (Akron Corps), J.B. Barker of Akron; Distinguished Volunteer Award, Doug Combs of Akron; Distinguished Volunteer Award, Ray Pfeister of Barberton; Distinguished Volunteer Award, Total to Care of Barberton;
Volunteer Bell Ringer of the Year, Caitlyn Jarvis of Akron; Friends of the Army Award, Don Sitts Auto Sales, Cuyahoga Falls; and Youth Volunteer of the Year Award, Logan Stack of Barberton.
Also, Group Service Awards, Norton High and Barberton High Key Clubs and Rotary Club of Akron; the
Day of Service Award, Hudson Presbyterian Church; and the Helping Hands Awards, Barbara Hunsicker of Akron, Jean Hamed of Cuyahoga Falls, Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer, Lesley Katzenmeyer of Akron and John Steiner of Cuyahoga Falls. .
Education
Deborah Calus-Casey of Stow, an instructor of management and marketing, received the distinguished Teaching Award at Stark State College in North Canton. Cherokee Russo of Canton, an adjunct instructor in biology, received the Excellence in Teaching Award; and Edie Richeson of Canton, an administrative assistant in the liberal arts division, the Staff Excellence Award.
Akron-area students who received the $2,500 National Merit Scholarships for academic excellence are: Patrick Zhang of Revere High, who plans to study medicine; Daniel Chen of Aurora, electrical engineering; Nicholas Sovich of Aurora, electrical engineering; Gurbani Kaur of Copley, medicine; Ivy Green of Hiram, political science; Karthick Bolisetty of Hudson, biology; Madeline Kowalski of Hudson, chemistry; Matthew Onders of Hudson (Archbishop Hoban), biomedical engineering; Grace Yi of Hudson, medicine; Ekaterina Knyazkova of Medina, chemical engineering; Benjamin Moran of Minerva, marine biology; and Andrew Lifleyandchick of Twinsburg, biology.
The University of Mount Union named Alliance resident Robert Ekey, chairman of the physics department, as 2013’s Great Teacher. The Great Teacher Award is sponsored by the Alumni Association.
The Omnova Solutions Foundations has awarded 16 new, four-year scholarships of $2,000 per year. The winners, all from Akron schools, are: Mary Hankton and Ashaunte Dent, both of Buchtel High; LaTasha Head and DeGrafth Palmore, Akron Early College; Juleeah Vang and Andrew Tennant, East High; Kristina McKinnie and Cassidy Jenney, Ellet High; Imokhai Okolo and Brittany Long, Firestone High; Alain Vue and RayShaun Nevins, Garfield High; Nolan Shropshire and Jaremy Hatler, Kenmore High; and Janesse Ridenour and Meisha Brooks, North High.
Military
Navy Seaman Christopher Hickman Jr., son of Connie Warnick and Christopher Hickman Sr., both of Akron, completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill. Christopher is a 2010 graduate of Akron’s Ellet High School.
U.S. Coast Guard Fireman Chad M. Vacco, a 2002 graduate of Stow-Monroe Falls High School was selected as the Enlisted Person of the Year at the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Ketchikan, Alaska. He is the son of Theresa Vacco of Akron and Howard Vacco of Kent.
Marine Corps Pvt. Cody A. Robertson, son of Amy M. Stutler of Clinton and Doug E. Robertson of Doylestown, graduated from recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C.
He is a 2012 graduate of Manchester High School in Akron.
Marine Corps Pvt. Chance C. Kalis, a 2011 graduate of Cuyahoga Falls High School, graduated from recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C.
Marine Corps Pvt. Steven S. Predico, son of Enrico O. Predico of Akron, graduated from recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, S.C. He is a 2012 graduate of Woodridge High School in Peninsula.
Send notices of school, community and military achievement to Carol Biliczky at cbiliczky@thebeaconjournal.com or fax them to 330-996-3033.