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Carmell Clark of Clarkston, Washington, has received an award in mathematics; Rylan R. Futch of West Monroe, Louisiana, received an award in science; and David S. Benson of Manassas, Virginia, received an award in foreign language from the United States Achievement Academy.

Carmell attends Lincoln Middle School, where she enjoys choir and band. She is Beehive President of her class in the Clarkston Ward, Lewiston Idaho Stake.

Rylan, 15, is active in sports on his school and church teams. He plays the piano for priesthood meeting in the Monroe Louisiana Branch, Mobile Alabama Stake.

David enjoys his Scouting activities. He likes camping and canoeing. He is in the teachers quorum in the Manassas Second Ward, Fairfax Virginia Stake.

It was her first day on the job as a dietary aid for a nursing home. Dawn Dyrhaug, 15, of Arlington Heights, Illinois, could have hesitated when she heard the sound of someone choking. What if she did something wrong? She could have held back, but she didn’t.

Dawn went into action. She knew she had only about four minutes to dislodge the food that prevented Clara Lieptz from breathing. Help might not arrive in time. Besides she had been trained to help.

She clasped her hands below the elderly lady’s rib cage in the Heimlich Maneuver. Dawn had learned that in many cases it would be necessary to repeat the procedure. To her relief, however, repeated attempts were not necessary.

In the days following the incident, Clara introduced Dawn as the girl who saved her life. Dawn felt good. For four years during YW girls’ camp with her stake, she had learned lifesaving techniques and first aid.

For having the know-how and exhibiting the courage to use it, Dawn will receive the American Red Cross Certificate of Merit signed by President Reagan and Illinois Governor Thompson.

Dawn is a member of the Northwest Second Ward, Schaumburg Illinois Stake.

Jason Hardman, 13, who started a library in his hometown of Elsinore, Utah (see New Era, May 1983) traveled to Washington, D.C. at the invitation of President Ronald Reagan. Jason received a special award through the United States Library Commission because of his work in promoting libraries. He also issued the first library card from the Elsinore Library to President Reagan.

Shae Barnes of the Alvin Ward, Friendship Texas Stake, was named valedictorian of her graduating class. She was one of three members of the Church in her high school.

Shae is also a talented musician and achieved first-division recognition for piano and vocal solos in regional and state competitions. She served as music director in her ward.

For Alycia Martinez, involvement isn’t just a word, it’s a way of life. She is busy in school, with her music, and in her ward.

Alycia is the student-body president of her high school in West Jordan, Utah. She has also served in previous class presidencies as well as on the seminary council. She is on the school track team. Alycia enjoys music and is proficient on the piano, violin, and guitar. She teaches guitar lessons and served as her school’s orchestra president. For recreation she enjoys dancing and jogging and playing on her ward’s YW volleyball and basketball teams.

Alycia attends the 23rd Ward of the West Jordan Utah East Stake.

by Karen Blaisdell

In the rugged terrain of the coal fields of southern West Virginia, a small branch of the Church rests snugly against the side of a mountain. The Welch Branch of the Bluefield Virginia Stake has set standards of excellence in several areas. One in particular is the writing, producing, and performing of winning road shows.

Branch President Albert Chappell said, “That first year we lost miserably because we didn’t know what a road show was. However, we learned quickly and we came home and went to work. There was so much love and excitement you could feel it. The members wanted to do their best and have fun trying. Everyone did his part, from children to parents to the elderly, all working toward a common goal of excellence.”

If not acting or working backstage, members helped by making costumes or working with scenery. We have developed our talents in this area and have been tremendously blessed from our experience. Our shows serve as an excellent missionary tool and fill a great need for fellowship among our branch members. This year makes the fourth consecutive year the Welch Branch has won the Bluefield Virginia Stake road show competition.

Kevin Olson won the national first-place award in the Parent-Teacher Association Reflections contest. His entry was a six-minute piano solo he composed called, “An American Train Ride.”

Kevin was invited to perform his piece in Albuquerque at the organization’s national convention. He not only took first place in his age division; he was selected as the overall winner.

Kevin is a deacon in the 35th Ward, West Jordan Utah Oquirrh Stake.

David J. Zirker, 15, was named the Arizona state champion in his age group at the United States Gymnastics Federation meet held in Tucson. He came in first in floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, and vaults.

For David, the championship has been the highlight of more than a year of hard work. David has been persistent in learning the skills he needed to be a gymnast. At the same time his grades in school have improved, and he has completed the requirements for his Eagle badge.

In addition to gymnastics, David plays in the school orchestra and plays the piano for seminary and priesthood meetings. He does not participate in Sunday meets and does not work out on Sundays.

For the second consecutive year, the Young Men and Young Women of the Bozeman Montana Stake were treated to a special activity.

Personal invitations including RSVP were sent out inviting all the youth of the ward to a formal dinner. The night opened with a workshop on etiquette. Proper table manners and conversation were discussed. After the workshop, the host and hostess (the assistant to the priests quorum president and the Laurel class president) led the way to the room where everyone would be served a seven-course meal.

Each table was decorated in its own pastel color scheme with goblets, place cards, corsages and boutonnieres, and center pieces.

One of the highlights of the evening for the youth was being served by members of the bishopric and other ward leaders.

Two LDS youth were selected as Presidential Scholars and another was nominated as a finalist. There were only 141 such young American students honored from among nearly 2.8 million graduating high school seniors. The two Presidential Scholars were Mark A. Larson from Provo, Utah, and Jenne R. Trimnal of Rockhill, South Carolina. One of the thousand finalists was Laura Black, of Portland, Connecticut.

Mark Larson is interested in computer design and programming. He wrote a grading program used at his high school. He also won first place in the Utah State Mathematics Competition. He was a winner of the Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award and was a teaching assistant in advanced-placement chemistry and mathematics.

Jenne Trimnal was selected as her high school’s valedictorian. She played flute and piccolo in her school’s marching band. She was a member of the Academe Team and the Math Team. She has plans of becoming a lawyer.

Laura Black was active in her high school and attends the Middletown Ward of the Hartford Connecticut Stake.

Rachel Bourne of Nottingham, England, became the first young woman in her stake to complete the Camp-crafter certification. She discovered that camping in England can be unpredictable. During a three-day Adventurer expedition to the Thetford Forest in Suffolk, Rachel and her companions shivered through snow, hail, thunder and lightning, and torrential rain. But the sun finally came out, rewarding the campers for their efforts.

Rachel began the Campcrafter program while her family was living in the Norwich England Stake, but after they moved to the Nottingham Stake she returned to finish her certifications with the Norwich Stake. Rachel is active in the Nottingham Ward and in her school, where she has won awards for her athletic abilities.

Boy Scouts from the Elk Grove First and Third wards of the Sacramento California South Stake organized an ice cave freeze-out, an event they hope to hold annually. The winter camp was held at the 7,000-foot level on Echo Summit between Sacramento and South Lake Tahoe.

The group backpacked two miles on snowshoes to the main campsite. There they were taught basic snow survival techniques and how to build several kinds of snow shelters by experienced leaders. These shelters served as sleeping places for the Scouts during the nights when temperatures dropped to 15°F.

The Scouts were surprised to find very little spare time for fun or horseplay as nearly every available minute was spent in preparing and serving food, building snow shelters, learning survival techniques, or just staying warm by the fire. The Scouts found that the Boy Scout motto, “Be Prepared,” is more than just a motto. They found that extensive planning and preparation were essential for a comfortable snow camping experience.