2 Carroll seniors named scholarship finalists
Both Carroll High School seniors who were named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists in September 2020 have earned the distinction of National Merit Scholarship finalist for the Class of 2021. The College Board selected Cameron Neidhard (Riverside resident, St. Helen School alumnus) and Josephine Rose (Xenia resident, St. Luke School alumna) based on their outstanding scores on the 2019 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualification Test.
According to the College Board, approximately 1.5 million students take the PSAT in their junior year of high school. Of these juniors, about 16,000 students (approximately 1%) qualify as Semifinalists. This group is narrowed down to 15,000 who become Finalists. Of this group, about 8,000 are awarded scholarships.
“We are so proud that our two previously announced
Semifinalists Cameron Neidhard and Josie Rose have now been named Finalists for the National Merit Scholarship award,” Carroll Dean of Academics Jill Kilby said. “To have two students place in the top 1% in a single year is a great accomplishment. Their achievement is a testament
to their hard work, supportive families, and excellent preparation from teachers not only in high school, but in grade school as well!”
Dating back to the Class of 2011, 24 Carroll High School students have earned the distinction of National Merit Scholarship Finalist.
Art teacher honored
A Centerville art teacher who works to engage students with the outdoors has earned an OUTstanding Teacher Award from Five Rivers MetroParks.
The OUTstanding Teacher Awards honor area educators who have gone above and beyond in developing engaging environmental experiences that inspire their students. Suzanne Mitolo, the art teacher at Primary Village South (PVS), received the Leader Award.
Mitolo was nominated by Laura Peterson, who coordinates the nature program at PVS.
“With her energetic spirit and creativity, Suzanne strongly supports the PVS nature program and has long believed in the value of outdoor experiences for students,” Peterson said. “She successfully incorporates the natural world into her art classroom as well developing and maintaining outdoor spaces in the PVS courtyard.”
To support environmental education experiences at PVS, Mitolo will receive an award package from Five Rivers MetroParks, funded through a grant from the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation. The package includes a plant kit for the school, a membership to the Environmental Education Council of Ohio and professional conference registration, Cox Arboretum Foundation membership for a year, student field trips including transportation to Cox Arboretum, and $500 worth of environmental education tools.
“I have always been a nature lover and think there is a wonderful connection between art and nature,” said Mitolo, who has been teaching for 25 years after serving for 20 years in arts administration. “I have also been influenced by the early childhood teaching approach developed in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The natural environment is a strong element of their program as well. When we planned PVS, we thought a lot about the natural environment and are fortunate to have such a beautiful place for both children and adults.”
The purpose of Five Rivers MetroParks is to protect natural areas and parks and river corridors and to promote the conservation and use of these lands and waterways for the ongoing benefit of the people in the region. Visit www.metroparks.org to learn more about Five Rivers MetroParks.
MIAMI TWP.
St. Patrick’s Day Blitz
The Miami Township Police Department is partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to keep drivers safe on area roadways this St. Patrick’s Day. The MTPD will participate in the St. Patrick’s Day Blitz, March 12-18, 2021. Extra law enforcement officers will be on patrol and will show zero tolerance for impaired driving.
The St. Patrick’s Day Blitz is funded through the Ohio Safety Grant awarded to the Miami Township Police Department in 2020 by the NHTSA. It allows officers to focus more attention on reducing traffic crashes, increasing OVI patrols and participating in national safety campaigns. Most recently, grant funds were used for the Super Bowl Blitz, Click or Ticket and Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over campaigns.
“We are putting this grant money to good use. Anytime you take an impaired driver off the road, you are preventing a potentially deadly incident,” Det. Sgt. Jay Phares, Miami Township Police Department, said. “Driving while impaired is deadly and illegal and we’ll do whatever it takes to keep the community safe.”
The best defense against driving under the influence is to designate a sober driver. The NHTSA and MTPD offer this advice:
■ Plan for a safe ride home before you start the party.
■ Choose a non-drinking friend as a designated driver.
■ If someone you know has been drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel. Take their keys and help them arrange a sober ride home.
■ If you drink, do not drive for any reason. Call a taxi, a ride service or a sober friend.
■ If you are hosting a party where alcohol will be served, make sure all guests leave with a sober driver.
■ Always wear your seat belt. It is the best protection against impaired drivers.
Officers made two DUI arrests in the township during the Super Bowl Blitz in February. In 2019, Miami Township investigated 824 crashes and made 101 suspected OVI arrests. Nationwide in 2018, there were 10,511 fatal alcohol-related crashes, averaging one DUI fatality every 50 minutes.