Talk of the Neighborhood highlights Central Texans’ achievements.

* Applause *

* Shirley Crockett, McLennan Community College adult education program drector, was chosen Adult Educator of the Year by the Texas Association for Literacy and Adult Education. She received her award at the Annual TALAE Conference in Dallas in February.

Crockett has been in the adult education field for 34 years. She has worked as a teacher, a literacy volunteer coordinator, assistant program director, and now director. The MCC adult ed program has earned a number of awards since she became director, including the United States Department of Education Award for Outstanding Adult Education and Literacy Programs.

* Class Acts *

* Nine Midway High School students placed either first or second at Business Professionals of America regional competition in Temple and advanced to state competition. They are:

Zak Bolin, first in digital media production; Katherine Goodnight, first in desktop publishing promotion; Zak Baker, first in advanced accounting; Steven Massey, first in economic research project, the team of Jonathan Diep and Jake Fidler, first in web design; Sebastian Ante, second in graphic design; Lika Lataria, second in fundamental accounting; the team of Sebastian Ante, Samantha Baker and Zak Bolin, second in video production.

* Morgan Wallace, a sophomore in the Clifton High School Band, was selected as a member of the Association of Texas Small School Bands All-State Band.

She is a student of Bryan Bronstad and plays percussion at school under the direction of Keith Zuehlke, both members of the Association. This is her second time to be selected to the ATSSB All-State Band. She is the daughter of Matt and Miriam Wallace.

* McLennan Community College students selected to the Texas Community College Band Directors All-State Symphonic Band were saxophone player Anthony Suter, a sophomore from Waco, and horn player Michael Golden, also a sophomore from Waco.

They performed during the annual Texas Music Educators Association convention in February.

* Michael Hunter Cadell, a 2009 graduate of Axtell High School, made the dean’s list at the University of Texas at Austin with a 4.0. The Waco Texas Exes Scholarship winner is a biology/pre-medicine major. He is the son of Mike and Emily Cadell of Woodway.

* Jodi Walker, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Walker of Waco, was named to the dean’s list for the fall semester at Furman University in Greenville, S.C.

* Elaine Hobbs of Lorena and Jose Luna of Waco were named to the honor roll for the fall semester at Howard Payne University in Brownwood.

* Erin Frisch and Alexandra Jones, both of Waco, were named to the dean’s list for the fall semester at Trinity University in San Antonio.

* In the Military *

* Army Pvt. James A. Crawford Jr., a 2003 graduate of Riesel High School, has graduated from the Basic Field Artillery Cannon Crewmember Advanced Individual Training Course at Fort Sill in Lawton, Okla. He is the son of James and Lisa Crawford of Hallsburg.

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