These pupils at Our Lady of Grace School in Scott have had their essays accepted by Creative Communications Inc. for possible publication: Rose Amrhein, Luke DeCello, Erin Ferrie, Sam Graeb, Ryan Henry, Emma Hudson, Jacob Kusajtys, Katherine Manolios, Lizzie Musial, Chad Neary, Rebecca Vanek, Cameron Walker, Kyle Westover, Morgan Wangler and Dallas Zuk.

• The Kiwanis Club of Sheraden named Andrew Karas the winner of its $1,000 Rudy Schrei Memorial Scholarship and James Joseph as the recipient of the $1,000 Sheraden Women's Club Scholarship.

Both are seniors at Langley High School. Andrew plans to attend the University of Akron, and James has been accepted at Slippery Rock University.

They wrote essays describing their community service and explaining how it has benefited others. They also were selected on their high academic standing, exemplary citizenship, recommendations and acceptance into a college, trade, business or technical school.

• Carlynton High School senior Tyler Bowman, who also attends Parkway West Career and Technology Center each morning, has been identified for the Best of the Best student recognition program by the state Department of Education Bureau of Career and Technical Education. Tyler is in the auto body technology program at Parkway West. He also is a member of the National Vocational-Technical Honor Society.

• Cornell High School students Hali Ivory, Abbie Minton, Sara White, Derek Jackson, Matthew Bosetti, Andrew Logan and Alec Broniszewski have received awards as part of the Character Education Program, which recognizes students for character.

• Luke Rattay, grade 3; Katrina Zientarski, grade 5; Laura Klimek, grade 6; and Kathleen Lageman, grade 7; of St. Philip Catholic School in Crafton were winners in their grade levels at the regional Invention Convention April 25 at Bishop Canevin High School.

Ana Petrak, grade 2; and Rachel Rattay, grade 7; received second-place awards, Miranda Thompson, grade 3; finished third and Julie Mozelewski and Colleen Donohue, both grade 6; received honorable mention.

• Elaina Huntley, Kellie OToole, Megan Mauer and Crystal Miller -- third graders at Burkett Elementary School in Robinson were winners in the celebration of Earth Day. They decorated paper grocery bags donated by Giant Eagle and were chosen class winners.

• Cornell High School senior Rebecca Linner has been selected as the recipient of the Comcast Leaders and Achievers $1,000 scholarship. The award, funded through The Comcast Foundation, recognizes high school seniors from Comcast communities for commitment to community service, academics, and leadership.

• Carlynton High School junior Zachary Kapeluck has been selected for a summer dance workshop July 20-Aug. 8 for ballet and modern dance at the Juilliard School in New York City. Zachary traveled to New York last fall to audition. He was one of 44 students selected from more than 3,000 applications across the U.S.

Zachary has studied dance for nearly 13 years with the Southwest Ballet and last summer attended a summer program through the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater. He was named April Student of the Month and portrayed "Curly," the lead male role in the school musical, Oklahoma!

• Christina Giusti, a sophomore at Sewickley Academy, won the 2008 Congressional Arts Competition for Pennsylvania's Fourth Congressional District. Twenty-six high school students from across Rep. Jason Altmire's district submitted entries in the competition which is held every year in all 435 congressional districts. Her drawing, "Portrait of Renata -- After J. S. Sargent," was selected by a panel of four local artists.

She won a $20,000 scholarship to the Savannah (Ga.) School of Art and Design. Her drawing, Portrait of Renata -- After J. S. Sargent, will be displayed for one year in the U. S. Capitol in Washington D.C.

The second-place winner was Jack Opal, a junior at Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School in Midland, who submitted a photograph, Rembrandt, which will be hung in Congressman Altmire's Washington, D.C. office for one year.

Third-place winner was Brittani Hall, a senior at Ambridge Area High School, whose painting, Artistic Interpretation of Square, which will be displayed Congressman Altmire's Aliquippa district office for one year.

• Sierra Welsh and Jessica LaBuda, both of St. Philip Catholic School in Crafton, have received Youthtowne Scholars awards, which include a full-tuition scholarship to Our Lady of the Sacred Heart High School in Moon.

• West Allegheny High School senior Jennifer Kampetis was awarded a Scholastics Gold Key Award at the regional level for her Self Portrait painting. Her artwork has been forwarded on to the national level.

• A pencil and ink drawing by Crafton Elementary sixth grader Kevin Schuster of Sidney Crosby scoring a winning goal is featured this month in Sports Illustrated for Kids.

The drawing can be found on page 57 in the End Zone Gallery of Artwork. Kevin, 12, submitted the drawing of his hockey hero after reading the magazine.

• Cortney Bucci, Vinnie Smith and Tracy Knittel, students at Holy Trinity Catholic School in Robinson, received first-place medals in the recent Diocesan forensics final.