Talk of the Neighborhood highlights Central Texans’ achievements.

* Class Acts *

* Robert William Bordovsky, a graduate of Axtell High School, has been awarded a scholarship by the Texas Interscholastic League Foundation.

Bordovsky received $1,000, payable for the first year of higher education, from the Houston Endowment Inc. Scholarship. He competed in science at the 2009 UIL Academic State Meet.

He attends Texas A&M University.

* Freshman early childhood education major Rachel Swift of Lorena was featured in the musical, “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” at Harding University in Search, Ark., during the Nov. 5-6 homecoming weekend.

Swift sang alto in the cast of nearly 100 performers, production crew and musicians.

* Brittany Justice of China Spring won third place in a fiction writing contest sponsored by The Texas Book Festival. Justice placed in the ninth/10th-grade category for her essay titled “Finding Faith, Losing Veils.”

* Valerie M. Kemp of Waco received an associate in applied nursing degree from Excelsior College in Albany, N.Y.

* Douglas Glenn Haigood was recently inducted into the Pi Chi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at McLennan Community College. Haigood, a education/teaching major, is married to Denise Haigood of Hewitt.

* Applause *

* Dr. Clinton Stewart (right), a Baylor University graduate and professor who also taught at Valley Mills and Meridian schools, received the 2010 Medal of Service from Howard Payne University during HPU’s homecoming, Oct. 8-9.

A lifelong educator, Stewart has remained committed to Howard Payne University since he retired as dean of the School of Education. He lives in Brownwood and is serving his third term as a member of the HPU board of trustees.

Stewart holds four degrees from Baylor: a bachelor’s degree, two master’s degrees and a Doctor of Education degree. He taught in public education in the Vega, Valley Mills and Meridian school districts before beginning his higher education career at Baylor. He also taught at Texarkana College, HPU and Sul Ross State University.

* In the Military *

* Air Force Airman Nicholas C. Nugent (right), a 2007 graduate of Aquilla High School, graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. He is the son of John Nugent of Eddy and Shawn Nugent of Aquilla.

* Navy Seaman Recruit Todd M. Lamey, a 2010 graduate of Bruceville-Eddy High School, recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill.

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