Grads

The eighth-graders of the Washington County Junior Football League got one more chance to show off their skills in Sunday's Grad Games, held at Martin L. “Marty” Snook Memorial Park. City rallied to edge Williamsport 15-13 in the first game, while the East scored early and held on for an 8-6 defeat of the West in the second game. Williamsport scored first in the opener as Bryce Ruppenthal of the Williamsport Bears ran around right end for a 51-yard quarterback keeper in the first quarter.

As the shakeup at Penn State University continues in the wake of a child sex scandal, alumni living in the Waynesboro area are questioning who knew what and how the story will continue to unfold. Some say the alleged victims of former Assistant Coach Jerry Sandusky are getting lost as the media focuses on top university officials as well as Wednesday's announcement of head football Coach Joe Paterno's dismissal. “This isn't just about football. This is bigger than football; we're talking about the welfare of children, which should be the most important thing and not just at Penn State, but any institution,” said Steve Minnich of Waynesboro.

Colby Robinson, a graduate of South Hagerstown High School and son of Jay and Christy Robinson of Hagerstown, earned scholarships and awards from two organizations. He was named the recipient of a four-year Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps scholarship. The scholarship process required Colby to complete an application with essays and conduct a one-on-one interview with a Naval commander. The scholarship process was  competitive, with several thousand students applying for only a couple thousand scholarships available nationwide.

Lindsay Conrad, formerly of Waynesboro, Pa., recently donated 10 inches of her hair to the Locks of Love program. She decided after four years of growing her hair out, it was finally time to donate it to Locks of Love. For her, the only place to do this was at Snips Hair Studio in her hometown, where she has been getting her hair cut since she was 8 years old. When asked if she will miss her long hair, Conrad said, “Yes, it took me all of college to grow it, and I loved my long hair, but it will grow back and now a child will be blessed.” Locks of Love accepts hair donations and provides wigs for children who have lost their hair due to illness.

The Sharpsburg District Historical Society awarded the Kirk T. and Page T. Otto Memorial Grant to Justin N. Pleasant. Justin is a 2011 graduate of Boonsboro High School. He will attend Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W.Va., where he will major in environmental sustainability. Justin has worked with Antietam National Battlefield's Youth Conservation Program for two years and is pursuing a career with the Department of Natural Resources. He lives in Boonsboro with his mother, Joanna Smith.

Decades from now when Jeremy Harbaugh reflects on his life journey, he will probably remember one day in particular that set him on the right path. It was the day he decided to attend the U.S. Naval Academy. Harbaugh was a sophomore at Smithsburg High School when he developed an interest in becoming a midshipman, he said. His parents, Steve and Carmen Harbaugh, had visited the military college as chaperones on a field trip with his younger brother and sister. "They returned home excited and told me I needed to take a trip to Annapolis," he said.

Laurin Smith, a 3rd Class Cadet at the United States Coast Guard Academy, set sail in May aboard America's Tall Ship, Barque Eagle.   This year marks the 75th birthday for Eagle, which was appropriated by the U.S. from Hitler's Germany at the end of World War II.   Eagle visited Waterford, Ireland, en route to Hamburg, Germany, to celebrate with other ships from the era built in the shipyard there.   The ship then traveled to London, where the cadets aboard disembarked and returned to the United States for other assignments.

When Matthew Blair was a senior at Clear Spring High School, he participated in various volunteer efforts as the Student Government Association president. However, he said, he was best able to share his abilities through peer tutoring. At the beginning of his senior year, Blair was asked by his teacher to be a peer tutor. He agreed. "I'm strong in math, and I can help people understand it,"said Blair, who is the son of Patti Blair of Clear Spring. However, peer tutoring conflicted with the world history class Blair needed to take in order to graduate.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011 GOLF UPPER MARLBORO, Md. - North Hagerstown High School graduate Becky Gossard reached the final in the 3rd Flight of the 90th annual Maryland Women's Amateur at Lake Presidential Golf Club. Beginning Thursday morning at 8:10, Gossard will meet Stefanie Herndon of Argyle Country Club in match play for the championship. Gossard pulled off a 3 & 2 semifinal victory on Wednesday over 51-year-old Deborah Klein of Norbeck Country Club.

Veronica Morris has dreamed of being a teacher since her first-grade teacher told her she had a teacher's handwriting. Morris' dream became one step closer when she won a silver medal in the Preschool Teaching Assistant category at the SkillsUSA Championships. SkillsUSA is a national organization for students in various occupational education programs. The contests assess skills necessary for an entry-level career in specific fields. Morris, 18, is a 2011 graduate of Washington County Technical High School's Early Childhood Professions program.