Talk of the Neighborhood highlights Central Texans’ achievements.

* Applause *

* Mitchell Myers, a member of Troop 497, completed his Eagle Scout rank.

The son of William and Vanessa Myers of Woodway, he is a freshman at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.

For his Eagle Scout project, he replanted a garden area at St. Jerome’s Catholic Church.

Mitchell started in Cub Scout Pack 308 where he earned the Arrow of Light. While in Troop 497 under Scoutmaster Eckert Pape, Mitchell went to the Northern Tier, Canada, and Florida Sea Base high adventures camps. He is a member of the Order of The Arrow. He has earned 27 merit badges.

* Ruth Kocurek turned 104 years old Friday and was honored during a celebration at Regent Care Center where she lives.

She was born Oct. 30, 1905, in Mart, but grew up in Waco. At age 19, she moved to Houston and lived there until returning to Waco a few years ago.

Her job experience includes working at a cafe for 45 years. She was married to Paul Kocurek for 40 years. They had no children.

* David A. Ferlet of Lott has earned the certified sous chef designation from the American Culinary Federation Inc. Ferlet is lead cook at The Green Room Grille in Waco and a member of ACF Texas Chefs Association.

* Class Acts *

* Lorena High School senior Brent Berryhill is a semifinalist in the 55th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. He could advance to finalist status.

Students who scored highest on the 2008 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test in each state are accepted as semifinalists. The 16,000 semifinalists represent less than 1 percent of U.S. high school seniors.

Brent is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Bill Berryhill.

* Michelle Diaz, an Axtell High School graduate and an undergraduate intern with Baylor University’s Academy for Leader Development and Civic Engagement, will speak at the 13th annual University of Houston-Clear Lake Student Leadership Conference on Saturday.

Her talk, “Picture This!: An Undergraduate’s Snapshot Into the Student Affairs Profession,” will be about her experience in higher education and her passion for student affairs.

* Woodway Elementary School has been selected to the Texas Business & Education Coalition Honor Roll for 2009. Less than 4 percent of the more than 8,000 Texas public schools receive the honor.

It recognizes schools that have demonstrated three years of consistent, high performance in all subjects compared with other schools serving similar student populations.

Woodway Elementary will be recognized Nov. 9 at an awards reception in San Antonio sponsored by H-E-B and IBM. 

* In the Military *

* Army Pfc. Donald Turner, a 2002 graduate of Waco High, has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. He is the son of Joan Turner and brother of Jonathan Turner, both of Waco.

* Army Pvt. Mason L. Fleming, the brother of Tiffany Fleming of Axtell, has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. He is the stepson of Thomas Barber of Fayetteville, N.C.

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