Graduates of BJ staffers honored

These graduates of newsroom staffers were among two dozen features on page 4 of Sunday's Beacon Journal. Sorry we could not post all of them

Caroline "Carrie" Dyer
Copley High School
Daughter of Becky and Bob Dyer newsroom
State honors diploma. Recipient of Matthies Scholarship from Wittenberg University. Offered academic awards from Denison University in Granville, OH, Miami in Oxford, OH, and Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn. Varsity athletic letters in basketball (4), soccer (4) and track (4). Basketball first team All-Suburban League, fiist team All- Northeast Ohio Inland District, second team All-Ohio and Beacon Journal 2006 Summit County Player of the Year. Named to all-tournament basketball team at state finals in Columbus. All-conference in both soccer and track. Captain of basketball team, junior and senior years. Will attend Wittenberg University to pursue her interest in psychology.

Naprie Kimbrough
Our Lady of the Elms High School
Daugbter of John Kmbrough and Yuvonne Bruce Webb newsroom
Akron Mayor's Service Award. Lettered in bowling. Participated in Spanish Club, French Club, Ambassadors Club, liturgical ministry, Dominican preaching, conference team, social action. Volunteers for Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens Vintage Explorer program, Mobile Meals, Helping Hands CYO Search, Amigos de las Americas, S including eight weeks in Panama. Plans to attend the University of Akron to study fashion merchandising and psychology.

Kathereine Elizabeth Kochanski
Cuyahoga Falls High School
Daughter of Rohert and Kathleen Kodanski, marketing communications
Studied horticulture and urban forestry at Kent Roosevelt High School through the Six District Compact Works at Pat Catan's Craft Center. Has traveled to Ireland and Colombia and will be attending her brother's wedding in England this summer. Plans to work full time, eventually pursuing a career as a flight attendant or in the field of child development
Matthew John Mezger
St. Vincent-St. Mary High School
Son of Roger and Ann Sheldon Mezger, newsroom
Gateway Scholarship Program, Ohio University. Congressional Service Award. Semper Fidelis Award for Musical Excellence. Member of march-ing band, jazz band, pep band, show choir, theater, International Thespian Society. Peer Ministry, board member senior year. Band student board mem-ber, junior and senior years. Volunteer activities: Church youth choir, Road . Runner Marathon, pianist for school liturgical choir. Worked summers at Acme. Plays piano, saxophone, tuba. Produced and sold CDs of school plays. Will study civil engineering at Ohio University in Athens.

Celeste Marie Wagner
Kent State University Master's degree in educational ministration
Daughter of Lany Pantages, newsroom and stepdaughter of his wife Carvel Pantages, advrertising.
Grades K-12 Leadership. Completed master's degree in two years while beaching at Barberton High School. Has bachelor's degree in music education from the University of Cincinnati, Conservatory of Music. Met High School graduate.

Blogger's Note: Please excuse the quality of the photos that had to be scanned from newsprint. Remember the old employee publications on glossy paper which used to publish graduates? Many of those old publications are probably still kept as mementos. I am especially proud of Naprie who you will remember was one of a trio of youngsters who used to visit me at my BJ desk. I wrote about the trio in a blog post on Jan 4, 2005 titled 3 Young Visitors 'All Gowed Up'