Published: June 09, 2009 10:47 pm         

Goals, Pride & Achievements: June 10, 2009

Nathaniel Norris of Clinton has been awarded a $2,500 tuition scholarship from Universal Technical Institute.

Norris participated recently in the National UTI Scholarship Competition. Several thousand students from all 50 states were testing for the opportunity to receive a scholarship. The total value of tuition scholarships was approximately $500,000.

Norris will be graduating from South Vermillion High School and then attending the UTI Diesel Technology program in Glendale Heights, Ill. Norris also attended the Automotive Services Technology program at Rockville High School.

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Adam Joseph Darnell graduated from the Indiana University School of Medicine on May 9. He and his wife Janelle and son Remy live in Brownsburg. Darnell will be doing his residency in pathology at Indiana University Hospital. He is the son of Don and Mary K. Darnell of Newport.

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Thomas Hardesty, a 2008 graduate of Riverton Parke High School, has been named a Hazel Tesh Pfennig English Scholar for next year by Indiana State University’s Department of English. Hardesty, the son of Mike and Donna Hardesty of Rosedale, will be awarded $2,000 for the 2009-2010 school year. He is an English major at ISU.

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Kate Finley graduated from Purdue University in December with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a reading concentration. Finley was recognized for academic honors. She is a 2004 graduate of Terre Haute South Vigo High School and is the daughter of Gene and Bonnie Finley of Terre Haute.

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Wyatt Keith Sons, son of Michael and Deberah Sons was selected as one of Sarah Scott Middle School’s outstanding students. He was nominated in honor of his continuing effort, dedication and perseverance.

A certificate was presented to the student on May 6 at Terre Haute South Vigo High School’s Auditorium for the Career-Technical Achievement Awards.

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The United States Achievement Academy announced today that Morgan Cook of Terre Haute has been named an All American Scholar.

The USAA has established the All-American Scholar Award Program to offer deserved recognition to superior students who excel in the academic disciplines. The All-American Scholars must earn a 3.3 or higher grade-point average. Only scholars selected by a school instructor, counselor, or other qualified sponsors are accepted.

Cook, who attends Otter Creek Middle School, was nominated for this honor by Belinda K. McDonald. Cook will appear in the All-American Scholar Yearbook, which is published nationally.

“Recognizing and supporting our youth is more important than ever before in America’s history. Certainly, students recognize as All-American Scholars should be congratulated and appreciated for their dedication to excellence and achievement,” said Dr. George Stevens, founder of the United States Achievement Academy.

The Academy selects All-American Scholars upon the exclusive recommendation of teachers, coaches, counselors and other qualified sponsors.

Cook is the daughter of Ed and Jill Cook of Terre Haute. Grandparents are Bob and Edna Cook of Terre Haute and Jean Fugate of Terre Haute.

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Jalie Herman of Terre Haute has been selected for membership in the following honor societies at Anderson University: Phi Alpha Theta; Kappa Delta Pi Mu Tau Chapter.

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Michael L. Shepherd of Clayton, N.C. and formerly of West Terre Haute, graduated summa cum laude from North Carolina Central University School of Law on May 16. He is the son of Bob and Judy Shepherd of Clayton, N.C.

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Paige Cook, a student at Terre Haute North Vigo, has been named a United States National Leadership and Service Award Winner. Her name will appear in the United States Achievement Academy’s Official Yearbook, which is published nationally.

She is the daughter of Ed and Jill Cook of Terre Haute. Her grandparents are Bob and Edna Cook and Jean Fugate, all of Terre Haute.

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Samantha Friedman, a 2009 graduate of St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, was named the 2008-09 recipient of the Excellence in Paralegal Studies Award. The award was given by the Paralegal Studies Advisory Board at its semiannual meeting on April 20.

In giving this award, committee chairwoman Cathy Canny, senior paralegal for Dann, Pecar, Newman & Kleiman, P.C., in Indianapolis said, “This recipient has flourished in her studies at The Woods. She was a finalist in the Indiana INTERNnet awards, competed and won a position as a legislative intern in the 2008 Indiana General Assembly, completed an internship that resulted in employment, and still maintained high honors in her academic pursuits.”

Friedman, a native of Jasper, was recognized by Indiana INTERNnet, the statewide resource for internship opportunities from the Indiana Chamber, as one of the top interns for 2008. She served as a Senate Democrat intern during the 2008 session of the 115th Indiana General Assembly, working with state Sen. John Broden (D-South Bend) and the Minority Attorney’s Office.

In addition to winning a coveted spot as a legislative intern, Friedman received an award for legal research and was employed part-time in a law office, where she completed a second internship. She was also involved in Indiana Legal Assistants at The Woods, serving as president during her senior year; she served on the Paralegal Advisory Board; and she helped organize the College’s annual Law Day.

“In our paralegal program, we place an emphasis on teaching practical skills and on making the students market-ready upon their graduation,” said Kathryn L. Myers, associate professor and coordinator of paralegal studies at SMWC. “Employers know that our students can do the job of a paralegal and that their foundation of education is broad-based and rigorous. Samantha’s winning of this award is evidence of her readiness for the marketplace.”

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ISU Credit Union is proud to announce its scholarship winners. This year’s recipients are Ashley Nichols from Sullivan High School and Brandon Query from Terre Haute North. Each winner will receive an $8,000 scholarship. Nichols and Query will both be attending Indiana State University this fall as elementary education majors.

These scholarships are offered to graduating high school seniors who are enrolled or intend to enroll full-time in an undergraduate degree program at either Indiana State University or St. Mary-of-the-Woods College. This is the second year for the ISU Credit Union Scholarship Program.