People

Cosumnes River College professor John Ellis received the 2008 Award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Technology from the International Conference on College Teaching and Learning and the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning. The awards ceremony, held April 16 in Jacksonville, Fla., honored 40 faculty members from around the world for their contributions to higher education. Ellis teaches architecture and has been with Cosumnes River College since 1983. A complete list of this year's award recipients can be found at the conference Web site at www.teachlearn.org.

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Valley High School's Air Force Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps is one of 328 units to receive the 2007-08 Air Force Junior ROTC Distinguished Unit Award. For more information on the Air Force Junior ROTC program at Valley High School, go to www.egusd.net/valley/ jrotc.htm.

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Laguna Creek High School senior Junyao Peng has been selected one of 138 Presidential Scholars by the U.S. Department of Education. Presidential Scholars have demonstrated exceptional academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship and service at school and in their communities. Selected by a 29-member presidential commission, this year's scholars will be honored June 21-24 in Washington, D.C. Peng, named a Presidential Scholar in the Arts, is a gifted pianist. She is enrolled in the California State University accelerated college entrance program and tutors peers and volunteers at a senior center. She hopes to attend Harvard University and the New England Conservatory of Music.

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Army Pvt. Michael A. Hurd has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Sill in Lawton, Okla.

Hurd is the son of Karen Johnson of North Laguna Creek.

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Army Reserve Pvt. Agustin Romero, a 1998 graduate of Galt High School, has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, S.C.

He is the son of Martha Serrano Romero of Galt and brother of Omar Conger of Folsom.

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The Elk Grove Brewery and Restaurant was awarded a gold medal in the Brewers Association World Beer Cup 2008 competition April 19 in San Diego. An international panel of 129 beer judges evaluated 2,864 entries from around the world.

The Elk Grove Brewery and Restaurant received the gold medal in the Traditional German-Style Bock beer category for it Bock Lager.

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Chicks in Crisis has been awarded an eWomenNetwork Foundation Grant for 2008.

The grant package includes a $6,000 cash award, a one-year eWomenNetwork membership, airfare and hotel accommodation for a member of the Chicks in Crisis management team or its board to attend the International Femtor Awards Gala and eWomenNetwork International Conference and Business Expo in July in Dallas and an additional gift to be announced during the gala.

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Franklin and Sheldon high school students recently competed and won awards at the 12th annual Teen Digital Reel Showcase & Awards on May 3 at the Crest Theatre in Sacramento.

Students were invited to produce computer-enhanced movies that address topics within nine pre-selected categories.

The overall grand prize winners were Megan Stacey and Stephanie Duron of Franklin High School. They earned an $8,000 multicamera video switcher – a NewTek TriCaster PRO – and a collection of video software for the school.

Other winners were:

Stephany Muratalla and Amarachi Okemiri, "Biodiesel," of Franklin High School earned an award of excellence in the "Perspectives on the Environment" category. Kayla Kawamoto and Breanna Lopez, "Wind Turbine," of Franklin High School won an award of excellence in the "Art of Partnership" category. Alexa Haynes and Mathew McCleary, "Pregnancy PSA," of Franklin High won an award of excellence in the public service announcement category. Michael Pack and Lawrence Pickford, "Fitness Together Natomas," of Franklin High won best of category in the commercial category. Tarig Elsiddig and Megan Roby, "The 'N' Word," of Franklin High School won best of category for a documen-tary. Megan Stacey and Stephanie Duron, "Food Fight," of Franklin High School won best portfolio and overall grand prize entry, and Gabriel Torneros and Annelisa Moody, "Nothing to Do," of Franklin High School won best of category in the experimental-beauty category. Sheldon High School students Vincent Tang, "Oblitus Tree," won best portfolio; Tyler Winter, "Cooties," won an award of excellence; and Taylor Hodgson-Scott, "Competition for Food," won an award of excellence in the short story-animation category.

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Winterguard bands and percussion sections from four Elk Grove Unified high schools took home awards at the Northern California Band Association Winterguard Championships on April 12 in Oroville. Laguna Creek High School took first place in the Winterguard, intermediate division. Franklin High School took first place in the winter percussion, novice division and eighth place in the Winterguard, intermediate division. Pleasant Grove High School earned fifth place in the winter percussion, novice division. Elk Grove High School garnered first place for L-pattern parade, intermediate division; second place for drum major, majors division; sixth place for the Winterguard, intermediate division; and sixth place, winter percussion, scholastic division.

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