A team of Warsaw Community High School students will represent Indiana next month at an international environmental education competition after earning the school’s fourth straight state championship, a news release said.

“We often hear terms in athletics, such as dynasty, powerhouse and juggernaut when we see dominance from a team,” Principal Troy Akers said in a statement. “The same is being said of the Warsaw Community High School Envirothon team.”

A program of the National Conservation Foundation, Envirothon is an environmental and natural resource conservation problem-solving competition. Aquatic ecology, forestry, soils and land use, wildlife and current environmental issues are among the topics it addresses, according to its website.

Warsaw’s state champs – senior Titiksha Gorhe and juniors Kevin Gough, Sean Smith, Jonah Caughell and Alayna Alexander – advanced to the Envirothon competition at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi, from July 19 to 25, Warsaw Community Schools said in the news release.

Other participating teams are expected from Canada, China and Singapore along with the United States, the release said.

“Envirothon is unique from other competitions because it integrates teamwork and teaches you how to work with others under high-pressure situations,” Gorhe, team captain, said in a statement. “I’m especially proud of our team’s growth in the field work portion of the competition over the last two years.”

Another Warsaw team finished fourth overall at state. Those students were Jocelyn Baldridge, Medha Aluru, Hannah Grossman, Cole Parrott and Diya Patel, the release said.

The all-sophomore team placed first in the oral presentation. Their project focused on installing live stakes of black willow trees in the Peterson Ditch area feeding into Winona Lake to address nonpoint source pollution challenges, the release said.

This type of pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground, picking up natural and human-made pollutants – such as fertilizers, oil, sediment and bacteria – and depositing them into bodies of water, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The Kosciusko Soil and Water Conservation District sponsored the Warsaw teams at the regional and state competitions, the release said.

Gough, one of the state champions, said the community support the students receive makes Envirothon special.

“When building our presentations, community members from organizations such as the Lilly Center, Watershed Foundation and Soil and Water Conservation District help make our project realistic and assist us as practice judges,” Gough said in a statement. “Beyond that, local experts have been so helpful in teaching us practical knowledge such as how to measure a tree, identify tracks and determine soil texture.”

Concordia

The final steel beam was recently installed for Concordia Lutheran High School’s academic addition, marking a milestone in the school’s “A Bold Step” campaign. Students, faculty and staff had the opportunity to sign the beam before it was raised.

Nadia Sargeant received the 2026 Richard W. Moellering Senior Barnabas Award, which is annually presented to a senior who exemplifies Christian encouragement, servant leadership and a commitment to sharing the love of Jesus with others. The award was established 40 years ago as a legacy gift from Concordia’s class of 1986. Sargeant was among 10 nominees: Emma Bledsoe, Isabelle Burns, Caroline Creutz, Lydia Hogue, Isabel Madden, Stase Pietrowski, Ariella Rivera, Lexi Spreen and Stephen Walworth.

Fellows

Fort Wayne natives Aaron Berghoff, Ashley Stephens, Cameron Turpin and Maiah Decatur recently completed the two-year Orr Fellowship, an early career development program. Graduating fellows also included Claire Keirn of South Whitley and Hoyt Stafford of Auburn.

GKB

The Garrett-Keyser-Butler Community School District board last month agreed to hire Kyle George as principal of J.E. Ober Elementary School. Over the last year, he was an administrative intern for Warsaw Community Schools, where he stepped into dean and assistant principal roles across four elementary schools. He also was acting principal at Washington STEM Academy while the principal was on medical leave.

Honeywell

The Media Arts Program, a collaboration between Honeywell Arts & Entertainment and Heartland Career Center, last month showcased original photography, photo editing, graphic design, audio production and video production completed by the 2025-26 class at the Eagles Theatre. The 17-member class included Lucie Bennett of Huntington North High School; Tanner Chapman, Justyne Kirkpatrick and Kennadi Rangel of Southwood Junior-Senior High School; Breanna Wirsing, Mya Metzger and Elizabeth Reyes Mata of Manchester Junior-Senior High School; Caydence Kime, Lilean Meadows, Kylee Schmidt, Kyron Mahan, Aiden Poland and Luis Trejo of Wabash High School; and Trevor Galbraith and Evelyn Hallaway of Northfield Junior-Senior High School. The program prepares high school students for careers in business and/or media-related industries.

Northwest State

Northwest State Community College in Ohio announced the following students were recently inducted to Alpha Delta Nu, a nursing honor society: Jessie Currier of Bryan, Riley Froelich of Ney, Tori Zyjewski of West Unity and Kameron Burkhart, Baeden Hancock and Logan Maassel of Defiance.

Inductees of Phi Theta Kappa, a general academic honor society, included Elise Baldwin of Hicksville, Brian Bowers of Defiance, Ingrid Hoffman of Montpelier, Hayden Johantgen of West Unity, Jared Myers of Bryan and Lane Wenninger of Haviland.

Anna Meraz of Paulding was inducted into Kappa Beta Delta, a business honor society.

Scholarships

Bridge of Grace Ministries awarded $5,000 scholarships to the following students who live in the Mount Vernon Park neighborhood: Ashley Arandia, Janelle Barnett, Ariana Cabrera, Clairanna Council, Keyon Crowe, Roselyn Damian and Laura Wan. Each award is renewable for four years, making the value $20,000 over four years. Funding may be used in the pursuit of certifications, associate degrees or bachelor’s degrees. Bridge of Grace partnered with Questa Education Foundation to administer the scholarship. This year’s recipients make up the first cohort of Mount Vernon Park scholars.

Trine

Trine University named Eric Yoder, who most recently was chief executive officer of the YMCA of Steuben County, as its new vice president for operations beginning this month. Yoder will provide oversight and leadership for campus facilities, infrastructure, auxiliary enterprises and capital construction initiatives. Mike Bock, vice president of special projects, will continue to lead the university’s major construction efforts and will serve as a resource to support Yoder as he transitions into the role.

Trine students filed 122 tax returns for low-income residents through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program this past semester. This reflected a more than 58% increase over last year and saved taxpayers an estimated $30,000 in preparation fees. Participating students included Paige Asleage of Huntertown, Katelyn Joseph of Avilla and Braylin Snyder of Sherwood, Ohio. The program serves those who make $70,000 or less, people with disabilities and limited English-speaking taxpayers who need assistance.

USF

More than 120 people attended last month’s ribbon cutting and grand opening for the University of Saint Francis’ site in Lafayette. The university began educating Lafayette-based students online prior to the building opening, with in-person classes slated to begin this fall.

Leffler Academy at the University of Saint Francis has received approval from the Indiana State Board of Nursing to offer its practical nursing program at the university’s Fort Wayne campus. Saint Francis is accepting applications for the inaugural fall cohort of students entering the 12-month program at the Fort Wayne campus. The program was already available at the university’s site in Gas City. Go to www.sf.edu for information.