Latest news with #NationalHonorSociety
Dominion Post
2 days ago
- Business
- Dominion Post
Brandon Harwood Nicholas
Brandon Harwood Nicholas, 30, a resident of Atlanta, Ga., passed away peacefully Monday, June 2, 2025, with his family and friends by his side. Brandon was born April 9, 1995, in Morgantown, and is survived by his parents, Kathy Clingerman (Steve), and Keith Nicholas (Susanna); sister, Paige Harman (Charlie); and nephews, Porter and Quinn. Also surviving is Brandon's partner, Dan Heagney, and their fur-children, Renny, Siegfried and Leopold. Brandon was a 2013 graduate of Morgantown High School, where he was an excellent student and athlete. Brandon was a member of the National Honor Society and Cross Country Team. Brandon earned several scholarships upon graduation and continued his education at West Virginia University, earning a Bachelor's degree in Accounting and a Master of Science in Professional Accountancy (2017), both from WVU. Brandon was part of a pilot program partnering with WVU and the state auditor's office, which benefited both students and municipalities, and was a member of Beta Alpha Psi, a national honor society for students majoring in accounting. Brandon was a very hard worker who earned his degrees while working full time at the Exotic Jungle and as a student worker for the Mountainlair, WVU's student union. He was on the Dean's list several times. Brandon passed all four parts of the certification exam to become a CPA on his first attempt. Brandon began his accounting career at Dixon Hughes Goodman in Morgantown and then transferred to its office in Atlanta, which later merged with Forvis Mazars. He was one of the youngest accountants to be promoted to assurance senior manager. Brandon enjoyed being physically fit and worked out hard every day. He enjoyed pickleball, traveling, and spending time with his family and his wide circle of friends. People's lives were forever changed by knowing Brandon and he will be missed by many. He was a beautiful man inside and out, with a smile that would light up the room. Brandon was thoughtful and considerate of his friends; he always took care of his friends and family, checking in on them often. Brandon was a great listener and sincerely cared about people and was protective of those he loved. His fur-babies were an important and special part of his life. Brandon loved music, always lit up the dance floor and was so much fun to be around. He was an encourager and knowing Brandon made you want to be a better person. Visitation will be from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, June 14, in the WVU Mountainlair Student Union, Blue Ballroom followed by funeral services at 3:30, with Mike Ellington officiating. Following the service, there will be a continued Celebration of Life at Tropics, 2500 Cranberry Square, Cheat Lake. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Jacob's Ladder, a long-term residential treatment center for men at Caring services are being provided by Dering-Henson Funeral Home. Condolences may be offered at
Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin News Digest: Elgin students attending Central High earn perfect ACT scores; census data shows Elgin still No. 6 in population in Illinois
Caleb Goldenstein and Sanay Gulati, Elgin residents who attend Central High School in Burlington, have earned perfect composite scores of 36 on the ACT test. Just 0.2% of students nationwide annually achieve a perfect score, according to a Central High School news release. 'I was in utter disbelief staring at the 36,' Gulati said in the release. 'I even had to check a couple of times to make sure I was reading it right. It was an incredible moment I'll never forget.' Gulati is the school's student council president, National Honor Society president and Key Club vice president. He's earned national recognition through SkillsUSA, math team and NIU Business Olympics, and co-founded the school's coding and debate clubs. In the release, Goldenstein said he spent so much time taking PSATs and preparing for the SAT that he didn't take the ACT too seriously. 'I was on college visits and working on my 'promposal' instead of studying,' he said. 'It was a complete shock when I opened up the score report.' Goldenstein has been a member of the school's soccer and lacrosse teams, belongs to the National Honor Society and German Honor Society, and is a state champion with Central's SkillsUSA team. He participates in Academic Bowl and the debate, German, service and investment clubs. Elgin remains the sixth most populous city in Illinois, according to recently released numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau. The city's population has increased from 113,922 in July 2023 to 114,710 in July 2024, census data shows. Despite the increase, Elgin remains at the sixth spot for total population outside of Chicago. Aurora is no. 2 with 180,710 residents, followed by Naperville,153,124; Joliet, 151,837; and Rockford, 147,486. Following Elgin is Springfield, Peoria, Champaign and Waukegan. Naperville's growth over the period was enough to move it from fourth most-populous state to third, surpassing Joliet. For more information, go to The Fox Valley Theatre Company will present the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical 'Green Day's American Idiot' this weekend and next at Elgin Community College's Blizzard Theater. Featuring songs from Green Day's 2024 'American Idiot' album and its 2009 release '21st Century Breakdown,' the show will be staged June 13-15 and June 20-22. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $18 for adults, $12 for students and seniors. According to the ECC Arts Center website, the production is not recommended for anyone under age 16 because of strong language, adult themes, sexual situations and simulated drug use. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to The 2025 Tuna Kahuna Fishing Derby will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 14, at the pond in Blackhawk Park, 35W003 Route 31, South Elgin. Free and open to children ages 15 and younger, the event offers prizes for the largest and smallest fish caught, according to the village's summer programming guide. Bait can be purchased, and concessions will be sold. Register at or onsite on the day of the derby starting at 8 a.m.
CBS News
29-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Anne Arundel graduates can wear achievement stoles, cords despite initially being disapproved
Anne Arundel County graduates can now wear stoles and cords, superintendent says Anne Arundel County graduates can now wear stoles and cords, superintendent says Anne Arundel County graduates can now wear stoles and cords, superintendent says Anne Arundel County high school graduates are allowed to wear special stoles, cords, and medallions for their academic and extracurricular achievements, despite initially being told it wasn't permitted. Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell said he directed principals to let seniors wear stoles and cords provided by the district, as well as honor society regalia and state championship medals. The superintendent's decision came as a relief to parents and students. "I just heard that people couldn't wear cords and stoles, which I didn't understand because I don't think it's very fair to the people who worked so hard to earn those," said Marley Shaw, a rising senior at Southern High School. Shaw, who has many academic accomplishments, was concerned that she couldn't show off her accolades during graduation. "Art Honor Society, National Honor Society, Ro Kappa, and Math Honor Society," Shaw said. "I would have just been disappointed." Syndy Kucner said she was also concerned when her daughter, a senior at South River High School, said she couldn't wear her National Honor Society stole or pin to graduation. "The whole purpose of graduation is to recognize all of the things that have contributed to their success in high school," Kucner said. Parents called for a change in the graduation policy Kucner filed an appeal, taking the issue up the district's chain of command. Superintendent Bedell said in a statement that the regulation was vague and its implementation was inconsistent. "As the leader of this school district, I will own that and work to rectify it," Bedell said. "Our graduation ceremonies should be places where students can be celebrated for the breadth of their accomplishments." Kucner said she hopes the district will take a closer look at other policies like the board's 2019 decision to stop calculating class rank for high school students. "We all need to be involved in a larger discussion about what is the appropriate place for class rank, for valedictorian, for these other kinds of recognition that our kids deserve," Kucner said.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Saint John's Catholic Prep graduates strengthened faith, eager for the future
For Marshall Workman, the valedictorian of the class of 2025 of Saint John's Catholic Prep, graduating from high school is strange but exciting. Workman has been involved in several activities at the school, including the National Honor Society and the campus ministry. He was the president of both organizations during his senior year. He plans to major in finance or mathematics at Wilson College in Pennsylvania after graduation, and he can't wait to start playing collegiate baseball for Wilson this fall. Workman said transitioning to college from Saint John's will be a big change. He's used to not only taking all of his classes at this school, but also staying at the building afterward for extracurricular activities. During his speech to his fellow graduates Thursday morning, Workman asked everyone to recall the theme for the 2024-25 academic year: 'To the heights.' The theme encouraged students to strive for greatness in everything, including academics, athletics and religious pursuits. Together, Workman said, the class of 2025 climbed the mountain of their senior year with the help of family, friends, faculty and God. 'The diplomas we receive will not just signify the celebratory climax of our high school careers,' he said. 'They're invitations to greater heights, promises that we will continue to climb tomorrow.' The Saint John's class of 2025 consisted of 68 students, according to a commencement program. They hailed from around Maryland and the world, as some students were from outside the U.S. Two students — Workman and Katherine Russell of Frederick, who will attend the University of Tennessee — were given the Father John McElroy Award during the ceremony. This award honors the school's founder and recognizes graduating seniors who embody the Saint John's mission. Will Knotek, the head of school, congratulated the class of 2025 and recounted memories of the students and some of their antics, like when seniors skipped class and held a wedding in the great hall. The seniors made themselves at home at the school. Knotek advised the students to push themselves past their comfort zones as they embark on their futures, away from what's familiar, in order to grow. 'It will be hard at times. Life outside of your comfort zone isn't always easy, but when those challenging times come — they certainly will — I hope you remember that you always have a foundation here at Saint John's, a community that believes in you, a place where your story begins,' he said. Many graduates praised their teachers and said that going to Saint John's strengthened their faith and gave them a community. Christy Gregorian, who is from Rocky Ridge, said she was able to see how God's work played out during her four years of high school. Gregorian was part of a dual enrollment program with Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg for her senior year. She took classes at the university as if she were a college student — and she enjoyed it so much that she plans to continue attending there to pursue a degree in entrepreneurship and minor in communications. At Saint John's, Gregorian was part of the National Honor Society, the National Spanish Honor Society and the garden club. She said high school taught her that if people are focused on their work and have a good work ethic, no matter what challenges arise, they will succeed. 'It feels like I kind of already graduated since I was there at the Mount for a whole year,' Gregorian said. 'It feels nice closing this chapter and fully moving to the Mount and knowing that the time I had here at Saint John's was a great time.' Louis Maciulla, who is from Hagerstown, transferred to Saint John's for his senior year after the school he was attending, St. Maria Goretti Catholic School in Washington County, shut down after the 2023-2024 academic year. Maciulla will attend Vanderbilt University in Tennessee and plans to major in civil engineering. He said that transferring to a new school after spending three years at one place caused anxiety — but he's been able to make lasting friendship and create an imapct on the school. Maciulla said he created a position in the Student Government Association to represent transfer students. He also was part of the school's golf team that won the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association C Conference Championship this year. He said that's never happened before in Saint John's history. Maciulla said that even though he's graduating high school, he still feels like he's at the beginning of his life's journey. 'It's gonna be a fun experience. I feel like I was well-prepared here in my high school career to kind of go to the next level,' he said. 'It's still getting started.'
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Zachary Kovaleski, Holy Cross High School
Over the next few weeks, The Times-Tribune is honored to present the profiles of each member of the Scholastic Superstars Class of 2025. These outstanding students were nominated by their schools and chosen by a panel of local officials. * Zachary Kovaleski (Zachary Kovaleski) * Zachary Kovaleski, Holy Cross High School(Zachary Kovaleski) Show Caption 1 of 2 Zachary Kovaleski (Zachary Kovaleski) Expand Zachary Kovaleski, Holy Cross High School Q: What accomplishments are you most proud of and why? A: I am most proud of being able to maintain my grades and balance my time between school, extracurriculars, work, service projects, and my hobbies. Q: What were your most rewarding school or community activities? A: At school, the student council has allowed me to help students find enjoyment in school, and in the community, assisting in my parish has demonstrated the impact of bringing people together for good. Q: What is something you do to relax? A: In my spare time, I like to write short stories, spend time with friends, take long drives, golf, and listen to music to relax. Q: Plans after high school graduation? A: College, major in civil engineering to ultimately become a practicing engineer and entrepreneur. Q: Who do you most admire and why? A: I admire my father, Jeff Kovaleski, more than anyone, for how he has been able to balance being a principal, borough council president, and committee head while also spending time taking care of his family and putting his moral values first. Q: What advice do you have for younger students? A: Always keep working, never give up, and be there for each other, because you never know what someone is going through or how much reaching out to them can mean. Show others that you appreciate them. A little about Zachary Kovaleski Hometown: Dickson City Parents: Brenda and Jeffrey Kovaleski Some of his honors: Valedictorian, National Honor Society, honorable mention Cum Laude on the National Spanish Exam, Voice of Democracy Audio Essay district winner. Some of his activities: History club, chess club, Mock Trial, student council. Some of his athletics: Baseball, golf. Some of his community service: Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership program, Leadership Northeast's Tomorrow's Leaders Today program, Little League volunteer, church volunteer. What his nominator said: 'He is a joy to know and an outstanding member of his own local community.'
