April 10, 2003
DaimlerChrysler Corp. honors youth award winners
SUMMIT COUNTY -- DaimlerChrysler Corp. and its Twinsburg Stamping Plant continued a 41-year tradition by honoring 57 Summit County high school seniors as outstanding young citizens April 9. Education, police and government officials of Summit County joined DaimlerChrysler Corp. in honoring this group.
The honored students, representing 29 public and parochial high schools in Summit County, were selected to receive the Citizenship Youth Awards by fellow students and faculty members on the basis of character, loyalty, leadership, activities, reliability and scholarship.
Individual plaques, engraved bronze name plates and proclamations by U.S. Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) and U.S. Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-14) were presented to each of the students. The name plates will be affixed to the specially designed Youth Award plaques, which were donated to each of the participating schools by DaimlerChrysler at the inception of the program in 1962. The plaques are on permanent display at the schools.
The following is a list of those honored from the West Side Leader coverage area:
Archbishop Hoban
High School
* Sherry Bullock -- Sherry is a National Merit Commended Student and senior class vice president. She is a Campus Ministry Leader, a cheerleading captain and was a delegate to the 2002 American Legion Auxiliary Buckeye Girls State. She has volunteered at a hospital, a nursing home and has been on a missionary trip to West Virginia.
* Jonathan Lloyd -- Jonathan is a National Merit Commended Student. He is a senior co-captain of the football team and was named 1st Team All Ohio for football. He participated in the Catholic Youth Organization JAM, doing construction work at Gennesaret. He enjoys playing the piano, drums and guitar.
Buchtel High School
* Danielle Smith -- Danielle is a member of the National Honor Society, the Drama Club, Student Council and the cheerleading squad. She is active in the Arlington Church of God and volunteers with Delta Sigma Theta and its Cotillion Ball.
* Ronnie Walker -- Ronnie was inducted into the National Honor Society as a junior and is currently its vice president. He has been on the honor/merit roll for all four years at Buchtel. He is a varsity football player, a three-year letter award winner and won the scholar athlete award for 2002. He has participated in various community activities and is involved with the NFF/NFL Play It Smart Program.
Copley High School
* Sarah Brandt -- Sarah is a secretary of the National Honor Society, vice president of her youth group, Band Council historian and a member of Key Club. As co-captain of the swim team, she is a four-time varsity letterman, a two-time state qualifier and holds three school records at Copley. She volunteers at Children's Hospital Medical Center of Akron, teaches a children's choir at her church and has been on four mission trips.
* Daniel Shai -- Danny has received various awards for science and mathematics. He has been an active member in the school's Key Club and has participated in a variety of the school bands. Outside of school, he enjoys playing the guitar in a band with friends. Last summer, he participated in a full-time internship at The University of Akron.
Cuyahoga Valley
Christian Academy
* Katherine O'Brien -- Katie is president of the National Honor Society as well as the student director of concert choir. She has competed in the State Forensics Tournament for Original Oratory three times and recently played the title role in the musical "Annie Get Your Gun." At church, she participates in youth group and small-group Bible study.
* Christopher Hutchings -- Chris has accumulated numerous scholarship awards in the fields of social studies and biblical history. He is a chaplain on Student Council and a student leader at Fairlawn Lutheran Church. He enjoys skiing, baseball and playing golf.
Firestone High School
* Renee Charek -- Renee is the senior class secretary and a member of the National Honor Society. She participates in Student Council, the French Club and Falcon Friends, a mentoring group. She has performed in various musicals and school plays as well as being a member of Choir and Madrigals. She was co-captain for Colorguard and performs with a community show choir, in addition to volunteering at Stan Hywet Hall.
* Gregory Snowden -- Greg has participated in numerous activities while maintaining a 3.9 cumulative grade point average. He is a member of four choirs and was a three-year starter on the varsity soccer team, where he was honored with an All-Ohio Academic award. He has performed in the spring musical each year of high school.
Norton High School
* Amanda Perkins -- Amanda is a National Merit finalist and has been president of the Latin Club for the past two years. She is co-captain of the Mock Trial team, vice president of the Forensics Team and advanced to the State Forensics competition. She also participates in drama, Key Club, marching band and the Honor Society. She received the Akron Council for Scientific and Engineering Studies Outstanding Student Award and the University of Rochester Humanities and Social Service Award.
* Paul Sell -- Paul is a member of the National Honor Society and vice president of the Spanish Club. He participated in Academic Challenge, Forensics and Key Club and played on the soccer team for four years. He is a four-year member of the marching and symphonic bands, where he has been section leader for two years. He also has received consistent superior ratings at Solo and Ensemble Competition for four years and is principal chair of the trombone section in the Akron Youth Symphony.
Our Lady of the Elms
High School
* Jacqueline Dela Doamekpor -- Jacqueline is student body secretary and an active member of the Speech Team. She combats discrimination as a teen board member with the Coming Together Project. Her dream is to become a doctor for the disadvantaged, and she has volunteered more than 300 hours at hospitals, homeless shelters and other locations. She has received a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from former congressman Tom Sawyer and the City of Akron Academic Achievement Award.
Revere High School
* Emily Blum -- Emily is vice president of her class and serves on the boards of the National Honor Society and the Drama Club. She is involved with the National Art Honor Society and a Spanish Conversation Club she started. She received the Ohio Certificate of Superior Achievement in Mathematics and the AP Scholar Award. She tutors and volunteers through Caring Community. She takes piano, dance and vocal lessons, works at a dentist's office and ghost-writes a nationally syndicated newspaper column.
* Daniel Richards -- Dan maintains a 3.9 grade point average and is president of the National Honor Society. He is a member of Class Council, the Ohio Math League and Junior Statesmen of America. As captain of the soccer team, he was selected as 1st Team All-Suburban League and helped lead his team to a No. 1 ranking in the state. He volunteers at Victory Gallop, and he skis and mountain bikes.
St. Vincent-St. Mary
High School
* Hilary Fann -- Hilary was home-schooled for eight years before high school. She is a National Merit Finalist and a member of the National Honor Society, the Math Team, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honorary and band. She is an officer of the French Club and received the French Club scholarship. She also was named Outstanding Junior in English. She belongs to Church of Our Saviour-Episcopal and serves as an acolyte and chalice bearer.
* Robert Brownfield III -- Robert is a National Merit Finalist and a member of the National Honor Society, SADD, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honorary, Peer Ministry and Junior Statesmen of America. He has received a State Science Day superior rating, Cleveland Technical Societies Outstanding Junior in Science and Mathematics Award and St. Michael's College Book Award for Scholarship and Service. He has been active in the International Thespians Society and has volunteered as a tutor, teacher's aide and Ski Club assistant.
Walsh Jesuit High School
* Abby Rardin -- Abby is an officer of the National Honor Society and participated in the Stow Youth Leadership Program. In her junior year, she was awarded the Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award. She is captain of the varsity cheerleading squad and has danced for 12 years. She participated in competitive gymnastics for six years and has completed the study of four grades of Cecchetti Ballet. She is now employed as a dance teacher.
* Joseph Thomas Rich -- Joseph is a 4.2 student and a member of the National Honor Society, the Math Club and the Mock Trial team. He is the student government treasurer and a Eucharistic Minister. He is a four-year letterman in track and a member of the 2002 Walsh State Championship cross-country team. He has been an intern at the NASA Glenn Research Center for the past two summers, where he was named Intern of the Year for 2002.
Woodridge High School
* Stephanie Durr -- Stephanie has been president of Tri-M for two years, is the president of the marching and concert band, secretary of the National Honor Society and an officer of SADD. She is involved in Drama Club, the Interact/Rotary Club and the dance team. She received a superior rating at solo and ensemble competition last year and has participated in the Honors Band for The University of Akron. She volunteers at a local soup kitchen and enjoys dancing, gymnastics, swimming and writing.
* Michael Dark -- Mike is attending The University of Akron as a post-secondary student. He is treasurer of the National Honor Society, a member of Interact Club and French Club and has earned varsity letters in soccer and wrestling. He serves on the Wrestling Advisory Committee.
