Smithsburg High School

Mitchell Ronald Akers, 18, of 109 Rachel's Court, Smithsburg, Md., passed away Wednesday, April 11, 2012, at the Washington Hospital Center. Born Tuesday, March 8, 1994, in Hagerstown, he was the son of Richard Phillip Akers and Anne Ungvarsky Akers. He was a senior at Smithsburg High School, Class of 2012, where he was a member of the Link Crew, Student Government Association and Latin Club, and also truly loved being on the football, lacrosse, track, wrestling and bocce teams.

Roger Lee Brown, 58, of Bradbury Ave., Smithsburg, Md., passed away Thursday, May 17, 2012, at Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C. Born May 23, 1953, in Hagerstown, Md., he was the son of Lester Brown Jr. of Smithsburg and the late Alice Marie (Lewis) Brown. He was a graduate of Smithsburg High School, Class of 1971. He was employed by Shearer's Custom Speed & Accessories in McConnellsburg, Pa. He was a member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Smithsburg.

An 18-year-old Smithsburg High School senior has succumbed to injuries he suffered in an accident while working for the Hagerstown Suns at Municipal Stadium on Tuesday. Mitchell Ronald Akers, of 109 Rachels Court in Smithsburg, died Wednesday night, according to Smithsburg High and Suns officials. Smithsburg High Athletic Director Teresa Bachtell said school officials read a statement to students Thursday morning informing them that Akers had died Wednesday night. She said grief counselors were called to the school to help students deal with the tragedy.

Most of the summer maintenance projects for Washington County Public Schools are complete, but work remains to be done on a few of them, according to Mark Mills, director of maintenance and operations. Among the projects still to be completed, with work going on after school hours, are replacing auditorium lighting at Clear Spring High School and upgrading lighting in Smithsburg High School's cafeteria, Mills told the school board's facilities committee on Aug. 28. For the Clear Spring project, the lighting came in late and wrong, Mills said.

Cheyenne Harris-McIntyre, 13, an incoming student at Smithsburg High School, will compete in the National American Miss Maryland Junior Teen Pageant to be held Saturday, Sunday and Monday, July 3, 4 and 5, in Hunt Valley, Md. The pageant is for girls ages 13 through 15. The winner of the pageant will receive a $1,000 cash award, a crown and banner, bouquet of roses and air transportation to compete in the national pageant in California....

Smithsburg Mayor Mildred "Mickey" Myers presented the following certificates of appreciation to four people during a town council meeting Tuesday night:     Donald "Chris" Murray honored for his consistent help with the town's annual spring cleanup day. Don Bradburn for faithfully raising an American flag every day for many years at the town's former library at 20 E. Water St. The building now houses the Smithsburg Historical Society....

Hilary Leas, daughter of Doug and Terri Leas of Smithsburg, received the Penelope Jarman Memorial Scholarship at the 2011 Honors Convocation at Salisbury University. The scholarship is given in memory of Penelope Jarman for her interest and love of early childhood education to an elementary major seeking early childhood certification, and who has demonstrated commitment to working with young children through scholarship and involvement in related activities. Leas is a senior majoring in early childhood and elementary education.

Katie Lushbaugh, 16, of Smithsburg, recently donated two of her braids of hair to the Locks of Love program. The program uses donated hair to make wigs for children who have lost their hair due to illness. Katie also made a donation of hair less than two years ago. She is planning to let her hair grow again in hopes that she can donate a third time. Katie said she appreciated the ability to help children less fortunate than herself. She is the daughter of David and Cathy Lushbaugh of Smithsburg, and the granddaughter of Nancy Scott of Waynesboro, Pa. Katie is a sophomore at Smithsburg High School.

When Tim Martin and Morgan Smith arrived at Smithsburg High School's prom on Saturday, March 29, they were chauffered by Jay Brechbill in a Kenworth semi-tractor cab provided by Truck Enterprises Hagerstown Inc. Smithsburg's early prom was held at Hagerstown Community College about a month earlier than usual so students could decorate the Athletic, Recreation and Community Center with decorations left over from the previous weekend's flower and garden...

Sue Ellen Foltz, 45, of Crystal Falls Drive in Hagerstown, Md., passed away Tuesday, May 8, 2012, at Meritus Medical Center. Born June 29, 1966, in Baltimore, Md., she was the daughter of Donald L. and Jo Ellen (Emery) Pryor of Smithsburg, Md. She was a graduate of Smithsburg High School. She was a homemaker. In addition to her parents, she is survived by her husband of 28 years, John A. Foltz Sr., whom she married June 29, 1983; son, John A. Foltz Jr. of Hagerstown; daughter, Trisha Foltz of Hagerstown; grandmother, Lillian Pryor of Smithsburg; and brothers, Doc Pryor and wife, Qwen, Troy Pryor and wife, Geri, and Douglas Pryor, all of Smithsburg.