Talk of the Neighborhood highlights Central Texans’ achievements.

* Applause *

* State Sen. Kip Averitt, R-McGregor, was awarded the Champion for Children Award Tuesday from the Texas Coalition of Homes for Children.

Averitt recently pushed for the organization to have a representative on a committee that regulates licensing standards for state schools and homes. The coalition is made up of 40 children’s homes across the state. 

The ceremony was held at the Methodist Children’s Home, where Averitt worked as comptroller for two years, and assisted the students with managing their budgets.

* Marty Crawford, who was inducted into the Baylor Athletic Hall of Fame in November, was named last week as the new superintendent for West ISD.

Crawford was an All-America selection in baseball for the Bears in 1996. Since leaving organized baseball in 1998 he has been in education and was principal at Dallas Hillcrest High School since 2005. He replaces Rob Hart, who left during the summer to become superintendent at Liberty Hill ISD.

Crawford will assume his duties when classes resume Jan. 5, 2009, after the Christmas break. He and his wife, Alanna, have two children who will attend West schools.

* Class Acts *

* Texas Christian Academy senior Zachary Toups has been named a Commended Student in the 2009 National Merit Scholarship Program.

A letter of commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which conducts the program, was presented by principal Jim Stuard to the senior.

* China Spring Middle School eighth-grade band members who earned positions in the Region 8 bands in auditions sponsored by the Texas Music Educators Association in November were:

Jamie Cegelski, horn, concert band; Tyler Cozort, trombone, concert band; Sarah Dearmond, trumpet, concert band; Ashley Dickenson, tuba, concert band; Katie Harrell, horn, symphonic band; Amber Lindorfer, bassoon, symphonic band; Kiley Moran, tenor saxophone, symphonic band; Ryan Oliver, horn, concert band; Trent Peters, tenor saxophone, concert band; Ashlyn Ray, trumpet, concert band; Lyn Shannon, clarinet, concert band; Aubrey Stone, clarinet, concert band; and Andrew White, trumpet, symphonic band.

The band director is Michael E. Loudermilk.

* In the Military *

* Army Reserve Pvt. William G. Griffin, a senior at Connally High School, graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. He is the son of William Griffin of Waco.

* Army Pfc. Tiffany M. Davis, a 2008 graduate of La Vega High School, has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C.

She is the daughter of Richard and Geneva Davis of Waco.

* Army Pfc. Cameron A. Blackburn, a 2008 graduate of McGregor High School, has graduated from basic infantry training at Fort Benning in Columbus, Ga. He is the son of Stacy Luera of McGregor and Randall Blackburn of Fayetteville, N.C.

* Navy Seaman Apprentice Kristopher B. Villaret, a 2007 graduate of Axtell High School, completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill. He is the son of Margi and Albert Dean of Copperas Cove.

E-mail items to NeighborPlus at neighborplus@wacotrib.com. Questions? Call 757-5750.