Talk of the Neighborhood highlights Central Texans’ achievements.

* Applause *

* McGregor High School counselor Dr. Holly Kunert was recently named High School Counselor of the Year for the Central Texas by Texas State Technical College. She was honored at a reception at TSTC.

* BaylorVision, Baylor University’s in-house video-production division, was recognized for superior achievement by the leading professional organization in the game operations industry with the 2009 Golden Matrix Award for “Best Overall Video — Universities.”

The Information Display and Entertainment Association presented BaylorVision with the award during the 27th annual IDEA Conference, Jan. 22-25, in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Bryan A. Bray, video production manager for BaylorVision, received the award. Other personnel honored by the award were Terry Daily, assistant director, and Jeromy Otter, video production assistant.

* Class Acts *

* Three students in the theater program at McLennan Community College recently received acting insight from Jason Alexander, best known for his portrayal of George Costanza on TV’s "Seinfeld."

Sophomores Christy Peterson of Austin and Eric Poff and Myra Ybanez, both of Waxahachie, were among fewer than 20 college students who attended an exclusive workshop with Alexander. The workshop took place at TheatreFest, a convention hosted by the Texas Educational Theatre Association Inc. in January, and was offered to finalists for TETA’s Founders’ Award Scholarship for Acting.

MCC students won both Founders’ Award Scholarships. MCC sophomore Whitney Coulter of Waco won the scholarship for design, while Poff received the acting scholarship. They will receive $2,000 toward tuition at any four-year Texas school.

* Kailyn Gwin, a Waco High School graduate, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Harding University in Searcy Ark. She is the daughter of Bob and Sandy Gwin of Waco.

* Local residents named to the dean’s list at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth for the fall semester are Melissa Wolske of Hewitt; Austin Morriss of McGregor; and Stanton Brown, Carolyn Crouch, Audrey DeWitt, Nicholas Fung and Kristen Malone, all of Waco.

* In the Military *

* Pfc. Kyle B. Douthit, the son of Charlie and Kathy Douthit of Woodway, graduated from boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego on Dec. 19.

While attending recruit training, he received the Marine Rifle Expert Badge and trained under Gulf Company, Training Platoon 2143.

He completed training at Camp Pendleton in California and is receiving further training at a camp in North Carolina.

* Army Pvt. Samuel L. Shepherd, a 2007 graduate of La Vega High School, has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. He is the son of Helena Shepherd of Waco.

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