Talk of the Neighborhood highlights Central Texans’ achievements.

* Class Acts *

* Three McGregor High School art students received awards at the 29th Annual Central Texas High School Art Competition and Exhibition at Temple College.

Gabi Pantoja received a $100 Award of Excellence for her artwork “Hanging from a Limb.”

Samantha Hueske and Maria Torres each received $50 Awards of Merit for “Jenna” and “Beyond the Window,” respectively.

McGregor entered 63 works of art in the contest. Twenty of those pieces made the show, more than any other school.

The high school’s art teacher is Lisa Carpenter.

* High school students Brian Triller of A.J. Moore Academy, Kyle Berger of Rapoport Academy and Dakota McDurham of Waco High School won The Big Read and One Book, One Waco Essay contest held in conjunction with the fall book selection of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.

The contest received 105 student essays. The three winners received gift certificates to Barnes & Noble Booksellers and will have their essays published in an upcoming issue of Waco Today.

* Local students who graduated from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in December were Kylee Dawn Corbett of Elm Mott, College of Education, Bachelor of Science; and Holly Ann Kellogg of Oglesby, College of Education, Bachelor of Science.

* Local students who graduated from Tarleton State University-Central Texas in August were Bradley Pierce of Axtell; Whitney Carothers, Natalie Cilek and Anna Ortega, all of Gatesville, James Edgerley of Groesbeck; and Edward Lyon Jr. and Mary Kathryn Neugent, both of Waco.

* Applause *

* Farmers Insurance Group agents Pat Richardson of McGregor and Chris Gutierrez of West completed the Insurance Agent Career Accelerator Course at the University of Farmers in California.

* SleepMed of Waco received a five-year program accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

SleepMed, 2060 N. Valley Mills Drive, is directed by Dr. Robert R. Springer.

* In the Military *

* Pfc. Billy Don Chadwick and his brother, Pfc. Paul Chadwick, graduated together from boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego on Jan. 9.

They are the sons of Shelia Chadwick of Mart and the late Don Chadwick, and the grandsons of Linda and Danny Schonerstedt of Bellmead.

Billy is a 2003 graduate of Mart High School. Paul is a 2008 graduate of Mart High.

They are home on leave until reporting back to California for additional training.

* Pfc. Austin Peper, a 2006 graduate of Midway High School, graduated from boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego on Jan. 9.

While in Training Platoon 3225, the 20-year-old earned the Marine Rifle Expert Badge. After home leave he will report to the School of Infantry at Camp Pendleton.

He is the son of Alice Peper of Waco and William Peper of Crawford.

* Army Pvt. Qualin E. Brown, a 2008 graduate of McGregor High School, has graduated from basic infantry training at Fort Benning in Columbus, Ga. He is the son of Patricia Brown and the grandson of Lonnie and Loretta Brown, all of McGregor.

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