Mars Area High School senior

Dan Klodowski has been named a Commended Student in the 2006 National Merit Scholarship Program.Klodowski placed among the top five percent of more than a million students that entered the 2006 competition by taking the 2004 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.Two Seneca Valley High School graduates and a senior have been named advanced placement scholars by the College Board in recognition of their achievement on the college-level AP Exams.

Michael Druschel of Zelienople, a member of the Class of 2005, qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.

Valerie Boudreaux of Cranberry Township, also a member of the Class of 2005, and

Eric Butler, a Seneca Valley senior, qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Examinations, with grades of three or higher.Two Butler County students were among 41 recognized recently in the

Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board's Annual Alcohol Awareness Poster Contest.Fifth grade students

Jeffrey Hoffman and

Salina Smialek, both of Mars, were among those recognized out of over 1,400 submissions statewide.

Thomas McMeekin, son of Thomas and Karen McMeekin of Butler, has been awarded the Alumni Association Scholarship at Clarion University.A junior communications major, he is a graduate of Butler High School.

Casey Kopac, daughter of Joseph and Laurie Kopac of Butler, has been awarded the Dr. and Mrs. Arthur W. Phillips Scholarship at Clarion University.A freshman environmental science major, she is a graduate of Knoch High School.

Renae Cashmere, daughter of Ed and Jackie Cashmere of Butler, has been awarded the Edwin R. "Jack" Simpson Scholarship at Clarion University.A senior communication services and disorders major at Clarion, she is a graduate of Butler High School.

Michael Ricciardella, son of Michael and Darlene Ricciardella of Butler, has been selected to receive a Dean's Scholarship in the Penn State University School of Information Sciences and Technology.A first-year student, he is a 2005 graduate of Butler High School.

Stephen Ball of Butler, a senior voice major at Slippery Rock University, took top honors Oct. 21 in the Chad Williamson Memorial Scholarship Competition by performing his version of Mozart's "Madamina!" from "Don Giovanni," and Ralph Vaughan William's "The Vagabond."