Talk of the Neighborhood highlights Central Texans’ achievements.

* Class Acts *

* Chelsey Carrigan, a 2007 graduate of Robinson High School, was honored at the University of North Texas for having the highest academic average on the women’s track team in 2008. She also received the Presidents Award for the spring and fall semesters of 2008 for having a 4.0 grade-point average.

She is a junior majoring in radio, television and film.

* Brian Kabat of Woodway has received the Ralph Whitmore Award in Mathematics, which is given annually to the outstanding senior in mathematics at Southwestern University in Georgetown.

He will be inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society on May 8. Upon graduation in May, Brian will join Watson Wyatt in Dallas as an actuary. The 2005 Midway High School graduate is the son of Vicki and Bruce Kabat.

* Emily Hills, a Midway High School graduate from Hewitt, was named to the dean’s list for the fall semester at Washington University in St. Louis. She is enrolled in the university’s College of Arts & Sciences.

* Kayla L. Brown, a 2005 Riesel High School graduate, was named to the dean’s list for the fall semester at Texas State University in San Marcos. Brown, a senior, will graduate in May 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education.

She is the daughter of Windell and Terri Clark of Hallsburg, and David and Debbie Brown of Gatesville.

* Several dozen Midway High School students participated in the Regional Solo and Ensemble Competition for orchestra at Waco High School in February, and many received top ratings.

Students who received a 1 rating and were certified for state competition in Austin on May 30 are Janna Martindale, Hannah Barber, Priscilla Powell, Foster Baird, Adrienne Steely, Garrett Jaynes and Erin Rich. Groups that qualified for state were the violin trio of Meg Burleson, Michaela Dotson and Kara McMurray; the string trio of Hannah Barber, Janna Martindale and Adrienne Steely; and the bass trio of Garrett Jaynes, Erin Rich and Collin Norkiewicz.

Students receiving a 1 rating as individuals were Michaela Dotson, Kara McMurray, Laura Miller, Kelly Williams, Kim Wu, Olivia Church and Ali Blackwell. 

Students who received II ratings for solos and ensembles were Michaela McCord, David Norkiewicz and Jennifer Wallace, and the violin quartet of Alex Gilbert, Tracey Jones, Debbie Rocha and Lara Santos; the freshman quartet of Foster Baird, Hannah Carroll, Olivia Church and Kenzie Cocke; and the string quartet of Meg Burleson, Thomas Grabow, Priscilla Powell and Kelly Williams.

The orchestra director is Blair Williams.

* Applause *

*Robinson High School senior Johnny Haug has been invited as one of 16 players for a USA Athletes International baseball team playing in Rome, Italy, this summer.

He is the son of Robert and Karen Haug.

Fundraisers are being planned to help with the cost of the trip. A spaghetti dinner will be held at the Robinson Chamber of Commerce at 5 p.m. on May 1. Raffle tickets will be sold for gift cards and certificates donated by area businesses. A bake sale is scheduled for May 2 at the Brookshire’s in Robinson, and a garage sale is planned for June.

More information is available at www.johnny-send johnnytoitaly.blogspot.com or to ask questions via e-mail at khaug4@gmail.com.

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