Education
Ethna R. Reid, a Relief Society teacher in the Mt. Olympus 2nd Ward, Salt Lake Mt. Olympus Stake, has been awarded the "Distinguished Professional Award for 1993" by the National Diffusion Network, a division of the U.S. Department of Education. The network disseminates educational programs. Sister Reid was selected for the award because of the integrity of her work and the excellence of the programs she shares with educators throughout the United States. She has been extensively involved in reading programs and is founder and director of the Exemplary Center for Reading Instruction in Salt Lake City.
Athletics
Gary Hatch has been inducted into the Washington State Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame. He has been the head coach at Sehome High School for 13 years and prior to that was an assistant for seven years. Before he began coaching, he played baseball for Sehome High and BYU. Brother Hatch, second counselor in the bishopric of the Bellingham 2nd Ward, Bellingham Washington Stake, coached his son Dane, who was an all-state first baseman as a senior last season.
Melanie Bemis, 15, became the first girl at Canby Union (Ore.) High School since 1973 to capture a state track and field title when she won the long jump in Eugene, Ore., recently. After scratching on her first try at the state meet, the freshman soared 17 feet, 23/4 inches on her second jump and the distance stood up against the competition. Melanie, a member of the Canby 2nd Ward, Oregon City Stake, also compiled a 4.0 GPA.
Music
Joanna Lynn Oshida of the Dry Creek Ward, San Jose California Stake, won the seventh annual Young Pianists' Beethoven Competition at San Jose State University in June. Her rendition of Beethoven's "Pastoral" Sonata, Op. 28, lifted her past a field of six finalists, mostly from Southern California. Joanna, 18, then finished second in the Clara Wells National Piano Competition in Orlando, Fla, on June 23.
Contest Winners
Erin Smith, 11, of the Alma 3rd Ward, Mesa Arizona West Stake, won first place in the Arizona State Elementary School Poetry Contest. She entered her poem, "Up On a Hill," as a fifth grader at Adams School in Mesa, Ariz.
Sarah Lynn Hill, 10, is one of two grand prize winners in the national McCall's 1993 Sew 'N Show Contest 12-and-under category. She was 9 years old when she sewed her winning outfit consisting of spandex stirrup pants, long sleeve shirt, vest, necktie, hat and knee-length "jams." She is a member of the Port Orchard 3rd Ward, Bremerton Washington Stake.
Ruth Hosford, 14, won the South Carolina Safety Poster Contest held recently. Her winning poster will be entered in the national contest to be judged later this year. Ruth will enter Spring Valley High School this fall and is a member of the Windsor Lake Ward, Columbia South Carolina Stake. She is also the chorister for a Sunday School in the ward held for people with disabilities.
Military
Leo D. Leonard, a counselor in the bishopric of the Eagle Gate 7th Ward, Salt Lake Eagle Gate Stake, recently received the Meritorious Service Medal from the President of the United States for his work as a reserve officer at Marine Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C. Among other things, Chief Warrant Officer Leonard was cited for his work with recruiting and education. He recently retired as dean of the School of Education and Human Development at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Brother Leonard is an ordinance worker at the Salt Lake Temple.
Thomas Kehoe of the McComb Branch, Denham Springs Louisiana Stake, has received the Russian Bronze Medal for a deed of heroism 50 years ago. A letter from Vladimir P. Lukin of the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., accompanied the medal. As a member of the merchant marines in World War II, Brother Kehoe was on the crew of a crippled Russian ship. He dove into an oil tank on the ship to remove rags that were clogging fuel lines. The ship was then able to escape waters known to be patrolled by a Nazi German submarine.
Centenarians
Hilda Mary Webb Nelson of the Santaquin 2nd Ward, Santaquin Utah Stake, commemorated her 100th birthday on July 27. She was born in Allostock, Cheshire, England, and came to the United States in 1926. She married Alof Nelson in 1927 and is the mother of a son and three daughters. She has 30 grandchildren, 77 great grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren.
Fred von Brethorst of the Glenmoor Ward, Fremont California Stake, commemorated his 100th birthday on June 21. He was born in Guthrie, Ill., and was baptized into the Church on his 82nd birthday. He married Margaret Johnson in 1967.
Leadership
Veronica Alvarez, 16, was recently named one of two ambassadors to represent Mexico at the Hugh O'Brien Youth Foundation World Leadership Congress at Ohio State University. Veronica, a Laurel in the Cuauhtemoc Ward, Tampico Mexico Stake, was chosen for the honor from among 160 delegates at a national student leadership conference. In addition to her involvement in student government, Veronica is an accomplished modern dance performer.
Professional
Elisa Eleonora Greco Novello is a member of a group of 13 who graduated from training to become the first women fire fighters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She and the other women joined the city's fire department earlier this year. Her rank is first lieutenant. Sister Novello is married to Bishop Marco Novello of the Encantado Ward, Rio de Janeiro Brazil Stake.
Scouting
Daniel Fagergren, a priest in the Nogales 1st Ward, Tucson Arizona Rincon Stake, won the $5,000 Eagle Scout Cash Scholarship Award for 1992-93. The award is sponsored by the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. He qualified for the national award by taking first place in the Arizona competition among 800 entries who earned their Eagle Scout awards in 1992. His winning patriotic essay was "One Nation Under God." Among other achievements that were part of the judging, he has six Eagle palms and was sophomore class president and president of the National Honor Society at Patagonia Union High School.
Academics
Tracy Lynne Sargeant, 12, won the European championship in March and went on to the 1993 Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee. Tracy lives in Augsburg, Germany, where her father is stationed in the military. She is a member of the Augsburg Servicemen Ward, Nuremberg Germany Servicemen Stake. Tracy lasted through six rounds in the national competition against champions from 49 states, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Jeff Peterson, 15, recently placed eighth in the National History Day competition held at the University of Maryland after taking first in region and state competition at BYU. The subject of the competition was "Communication." Jeff, a member of the Alpine 2nd Ward, Alpine Utah Stake, titled his entry - a media presentation - "Communication Through Logos."
Government
Mark Killian, Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, has been honored as a Republican state legislator of the year by the National Republican Legislators Association. Brother Killian of the Sunny Mesa Ward and a high councilor in the Mesa Arizona Kimball East Stake, was one of 12 legislators honored nationwide from a group of 3,000 state lawmakers. He received the award during the annual meeting of the National Conference of State Legislators at San Diego in July. He was elected speaker of the Arizona house in January.
Service
Brian Rich of the Princeton 2nd Ward, East Brunswick New Jersey Stake, was presented a "Young Citizens Award" by The New York Times recently. He joined other honorees at a dinner where they were recognized for their dedication to community service.
