Briefs for May 17, 2012

Hammond again wins clean city title

Hammond has won the state’s Cleanest City contest title for the sixth consecutive year, Mayor Mayson Foster said Monday.

Foster credits local garden clubs, TEAM Hammond and volunteers, including Keep Hammond Beautiful.

An award ceremony will be scheduled next month, Foster said.

Walker teacher finalist in contest

Walker High School English teacher Margaret Westmoreland is a finalist for the state High School Teacher of the Year award.

Westmoreland is one of eight high school teachers to advance to the final round of competition. All finalists will be honored at the Sixth annual Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Symposium and Celebration in July.

Westmoreland teaches English to juniors and seniors, officials said. She is responsible for the English III, English IV and English IV honors classes, as well as two college courses: English 101 and the introduction to education class known as STAR, school officials said.

She is the school’s Leadership Council sponsor, working with the school’s upperclassmen to become better campus and community leaders.

Westmoreland has a master’s of education degree in educational administration and a Plus-30 certification and a bachelor’s degree in English education.

Each year the state honors the top elementary, middle and high school teachers of the year. Additionally, Louisiana’s Teacher of the Year winners will advance to the National Teacher of the Year competition.

SLU students win journalism honors

Several Southeastern Louisiana University students were honored by the Louisiana Press Association for their work on the student newspaper, The Lion’s Roar.

The awards were presented at the LPA’s 132nd annual convention, held recently in Marksville. The SLU students competed in the “Better Student Newspaper” division.

Nick BeJeaux, of Denham Springs, editor in chief of The Lion’s Roar, won first place in the Best News Photo category for his pictures of a fire that damaged a local nightclub. Christopher Martin, of Albany, won second place for Most Effective Use of Graphic Design on a Single Page for designs in The Lion’s Roar.

The Lion’s Roar placed second in the General Excellence portion of the competition, SLU officials said.

Naval sea cadets to dedicate camp

The public dedication of Camp Spehar for the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday.

The camp is being named after Nicholas Spehar, a Navy SEAL who was killed in Afghanistan in August.

The camp will be used to drill teenage sea cadets interested in the possibility of a military career, said Norman Soren, the camp commander.

The public is invited to Sunday’s ceremony at the site along the Tickfaw River southwest of U.S. 190.

The camp is located on Camp Singing Waters Road, a dirt road located just west of the bridge.

Call Soren at [phone].