Talk of the Neighborhood highlights Central Texans’ achievements.

* Applause *

* Brad Toben, dean of Baylor Law School, was named among the 63 newly elected members of the American Law Institute.

The institute’s membership consists primarily of judges, law professors, law school deans and lawyers who are selected on the basis of professional standing, high ability and significant contributions to the legal profession.

* Blair Martin, a 1999 Waco Christian High School graduate and 2002 Baylor journalism graduate, was named the first-place winner in the 2008 Navy Thomas Jefferson Award for Best Contribution by a Stringer.

Martin’s entry “Pearl Harbor Survivor Returns to Sea” also won first place in the 2008 Chief of Merit Awards and represented the Navy in the annual Thomas Jefferson Awards, sponsored by the Department of Defense.

Martin lives in Honolulu with her husband, Air Force Master Sgt. Chris Gradel, formerly of Waco. She is a contributing writer for the Honolulu Advertiser and the Hawai’i Navy News at Pearl Harbor.

* Class Acts *

* Jason Ballmann, a 2007 Midway High School graduate, was inducted into the 2009-10 Mortar Board at Southern Methodist University. The national organization is dedicated to leadership, service and academic excellence.

The sophomore is studying music composition and piano. He will study abroad in Paris for the fall semester.

He is the son of Wendy Morrow of Waco, and Philip and Tamara Ballmann of Riesel. He is the grandson of Dianne Winter of Waco, and John and Judy Morrow of Marlin.

* Three Midway High School students won awards at the 2009 Edith Fox King High School Journalism Contest, sponsored by the Press Women of Texas.

Zach Doty had the second- and third-place entries in sports photo.

Jonathan Taylor placed second in the graphics category.

Ashley Thomas was honorable mention in reviews.

* Rougima Coumanova of Waco graduated with a master’s degree in physical therapy at The University of Findlay’s spring commencement in Findlay, Ohio. She is the daughter of Maria Filipova of Waco.

* Ashley Tanner, a senior at Waco High School, received a Ouachita Collegiate Award from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark. The National Honor Society member is the daughter of Kevin and Tonya Sydow.

* In the Military *

* Army Pfc. Kayleigh K. Ojeda, the daughter of Teresa K. Conn of Waco, has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C. The private is a 2004 graduate of Temple High School.

* Pitching In *

* The Baylor School of Law presented Carter BloodCare with a $1,805 donation in March. Earlier that month the Student Bar Association collected 62 units in a blood drive. Students also could give monetary donations.

The annual blood drive is in memory of three students: John Edwards (1981), Cris Quinn (’80), and Brian Smith (’98).

Heather Creed, assistant dean of professional development and student relations; Berkley Scroggins, president of the Student Bar Association; and Trisha Dixon, vice president of the Student Bar Association, presented the check at Carter BloodCare’s Donor Center.