Semifinalists

Following are the 20 semifinalists from auditions held Wednesday and Thursday in the Washington County Teen Idol contest, according to information provided Friday by the Washington County Free Library. They advance to competition at The Maryland Theatre on March 24. More than 60 performers between the ages of 15 and 19 auditioned either Wednesday at Port City Java in Long Meadow Shopping Center or Thursday at Valley Mall in Halfway. The winner of the competition on March 24 will receive $1,000 and the runner-up will receive $500.

Two area youths have been named semifinalists in the 2012 search for Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes. Cavan McIntyre-Brewer, 10, of Jefferson, Md., and Evan Frank, 11, of Harpers Ferry, W.Va., were recognized in the national community service recognition program. Cavan and Evan are among 80 youths being recognized for helping make their community a better place. Cavan founded Socks for Vets, an organization working to provide supplies, appreciation and advocacy for veterans and wounded warriors.

The Washington County Board of Education has postponed its April 5 meeting by a week so board members can determine semifinalists for the superintendent position, officials said Thursday. School board members have interviewed eight candidates for the job, board President Wayne Ridenour said. Twelve people applied, and 10 of them met state certification requirements, lead search consultant William Middleton said. The meeting that would have been held April 5 has been moved to April 12 at 1 p.m. at the school system's central office off Commonwealth Avenue, school system spokesman Richard Wright said.

Public schools in West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle are home to 10 semifinalists for a National Merit Scholarship, according to schools officials. They are: Eli Perrone, 16, of Bunker Hill. He is the son of Albert and Dina Perrone and attends Musselman High School. Danielle Vreeland, 16, of Bunker Hill. She is the daughter of Jacob and Natalie Vreeland and attends Musselman High School. Tara McCain, 17, of Inwood. She is the daughter of Charlotte Norris, the stepdaughter of William Norris and attends Musselman High School.

By BRUCE HAMILTON / Staff Writer photos: JOE CROCETTA / staff photographer A future doctor and a computer guru emerged as two of this year's top high school seniors when they qualified recently as semifinalists for Merit Scholarship awards. [cont. from front page ] Mohammed M. Ali and Shawn Horine scored in the upper half of the nation's top 1 percent of high school juniors when they took the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test last year.

Two seniors from Washington County Public Schools have been named 2009 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists. Margaret Margrabe of Boonsboro High School and Christopher Bradford of North Hagerstown High School are among approximately 16,000 students nationwide who have earned standing as National Merit semifinalists. They will compete for more than $35 million in scholarship awards next spring. Margrabe is the daughter of William and Elizabeth Margrabe. She considers mathematics her favorite subject and scored a 5 on the Advanced Placement Calculus BC exam.

Miss Allegany County Louise Schlegel was crowned Miss Maryland 2008 at The Maryland Theatre in Hagerstown Saturday. A pair of Hagerstown residents - Whitney Columbo, Miss Cumberland, and Gretchen Schoeck, Miss Black Eyed Susan - were among the 10 semifinalists named the beginning of Saturday night's competition. Miss Washington County, Christie Ganoe of Cumberland, Md., was not among the top 10 semifinalists.

On Nov. 9, Adam Taylor, Michelle Birky, Kristen Brennan and Renee Ryberg of Boonsboro High School were awarded the Golden Apple Award by the Washington County Board of Education, in recognition of their achievement as Maryland Distinguished Scholar Finalists or Semifinalists. The Maryland Distinguished Scholar Award honors Maryland high school students for superior academic achievement based on their GPA in academic courses in their junior year, combined with their SAT (PSAT/ACT)

Washington County Public Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Morgan recognized about a dozen students Thursday for their academic achievement. Adam Taylor and Michelle Birky, both of Boonsboro High School, were Maryland Distinguished Scholars finalists. More than 100 Washington County Public Schools students applied for the Maryland Distinguished Scholar Program, and eight were recognized as finalists or semifinalists. Kristin Brennan and Renee Ryberg, both of Boonsboro High School; Justin Furnia, Lauren Hill and Amber Henry, all of North Hagerstown High School; and Amanda Gower of Williamsport High School were named Maryland Distinguished Scholars semifinalists.

HAGERSTOWN -- Miss Universal City Brooke Poklemba was crowned the new Miss Maryland on Saturday at the 2009 Miss Maryland Scholarship Pageant at The Maryland Theatre. Miss Outstanding Teen Greater Baltimore Stephanie Meadowcroft of Bel Air was named Miss Maryland Outstanding Teen. As the new Miss Maryland, Poklemba, of Westminster, will receive a $10,000 scholarship and other gifts. She also will represent the state at the upcoming Miss America pageant. Poklemba's platform was "Autism Awareness: The Importance of Early Intervention.

Two area youths have been named semifinalists in the 2012 search for Build-A-Bear Workshop Huggable Heroes. Cavan McIntyre-Brewer, 10, of Jefferson, Md., and Evan Frank, 11, of Harpers Ferry, W.Va., were recognized in the national community service recognition program. Cavan and Evan are among 80 youths being recognized for helping make their community a better place. Cavan founded Socks for Vets, an organization working to provide supplies, appreciation and advocacy for veterans and wounded warriors.

Following are the 20 semifinalists from auditions held Wednesday and Thursday in the Washington County Teen Idol contest, according to information provided Friday by the Washington County Free Library. They advance to competition at The Maryland Theatre on March 24. More than 60 performers between the ages of 15 and 19 auditioned either Wednesday at Port City Java in Long Meadow Shopping Center or Thursday at Valley Mall in Halfway. The winner of the competition on March 24 will receive $1,000 and the runner-up will receive $500.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Amber Keck, a junior at Penn State University, was inducted into the National Society of Collegiate Scholars in a ceremony Sept. 18. She is majoring in statistics. She is carrying a 3.75 grade-point average. She is a 2009 graduate of Clear Spring High School, where she was co-valedictorian and a member of the National Honor Society with a 4.39 GPA. Amber is the daughter of Julie Taylor of Clear Spring, and the granddaughter of Artie and Sondie Barnhart of St. Thomas, Pa. ST. JAMES - Senior David Suh of Korea, a student at Saint James School, is one of 16,000 semifinalists in the 57th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

The following students from schools in Washington County were named semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship program: Alexandria M. Pantos of Boonsboro High School Ethan C. Robison of North Hagerstown High School Abdul R. Latif of Smithsburg High School David Y. Suh of Saint James School The following area students were named semifinalists in Pennsylvania: Joseph P. Wentz of Greencastle-Antrim High School ...

Jessica Owens of Fayetteville, Pa., outsang more than 6,000 people in the Avon Voices Singing Talent Search to earn one of the top spots in the global competition. The 26-year-old has moved past the competition in rounds one and two to become one of 16 semifinalists in her division who are ultimately vying for a recording contract with a major label. She is competing for online votes at www.avonvoices.com through Aug. 26 to become a finalist in her division, which is for the general public.

Geraldine Barnes, a parent volunteer at Rockland Woods Elementary School, has been named a semifinalist for the 2011 Comcast Parent Involvement Matters Awards. A collaboration between Comcast and the Maryland State Department of Education, the award is the nation’s first statewide initiative of its kind, recognizing parents and legal guardians for their support of public education. Parents are nominated for making a significant, positive impact in their educational communities. The award will be presented during an evening celebration Friday, May 20. Five finalists and a statewide winner, selected from the 24 semifinalists named, will be announced at the awards ceremony.

The Washington County Board of Education has postponed its April 5 meeting by a week so board members can determine semifinalists for the superintendent position, officials said Thursday. School board members have interviewed eight candidates for the job, board President Wayne Ridenour said. Twelve people applied, and 10 of them met state certification requirements, lead search consultant William Middleton said. The meeting that would have been held April 5 has been moved to April 12 at 1 p.m. at the school system's central office off Commonwealth Avenue, school system spokesman Richard Wright said.

HAGERSTOWN -- Miss Universal City Brooke Poklemba was crowned the new Miss Maryland on Saturday at the 2009 Miss Maryland Scholarship Pageant at The Maryland Theatre. Miss Outstanding Teen Greater Baltimore Stephanie Meadowcroft of Bel Air was named Miss Maryland Outstanding Teen. As the new Miss Maryland, Poklemba, of Westminster, will receive a $10,000 scholarship and other gifts. She also will represent the state at the upcoming Miss America pageant. Poklemba's platform was "Autism Awareness: The Importance of Early Intervention.

BOONSBORO -- Boonsboro High School senior Margaret "Meggie" Margrabe has been named a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist, making her eligible for a share of more than $35 million in scholarships. Another Washington County Public Schools student, Christopher Bradford, of North Hagerstown High, also received that distinction. Margaret, 17, said she was one of about 16,000 students nationwide who were recognized as National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists -- an honor determined by 11th-grade pre-SAT scores.