St. Nicholas listened to good and bad things about children last Friday during the annual St. Nicholas Feast Day play in the St. Bernard home of Jane Sansalone, a creative writer and mother of eight children.

Caroline and Lucy Kull of Pleasant Ridge spoke for the children, with Caroline playing the part of an angel extolling the virtues of the good children.

Lucy had the role of the devil, pointing out the bad things children do.

Sansalone wrote the play based on a Ukranian play about the visits of St. Nicholas, a fourth-century bishop who gave money and food to the poor.

St. Nicholas was played by Franciscan Father Carl Langenderfer, superior of St. Clement Friar.

In the end, good won over evil, because St. Nicholas gave the children candy coins.

'Secret angels' spread cheer

More than 360 families will have a Christmas that might not have been possible without the help of strangers.

Through the Churches Active in Northside ministry, these families who have asked for help will be matched with "secret angels" to provide them with food, clothing, toys and household items for Christmas.

"These are people who want to provide Christmas for their kids, but times are tight for them," said Mimi Chamberlin, executive director of CAIN, a collaborative ministry of eight churches in the Northside area. "One parent wrote on her registration that they needed help because their kids still believed in Santa. It brought us to tears."

CAIN, which provides food, clothing, emergency assistance and referral services to 250 Northside families each month, is looking to match 22 families with two or more children, 17 families with one child and several single adults.

To make a donation or to become a Secret Angel, call CAIN at 591-2246, ext. 2 by Sunday.

Programs help, instruct

A partnership between nonprofit service agencies and high schools is teaching students about philanthropy.

The Greater Cincinnati Youth Grantmaking Council in partnership with the Manuel D. and Rhoda Mayerson Foundation and Xavier University have awarded $10,209 in grants to four organizations.

Recipients are Women Helping Women, $3,685 for a peer education program; Ursuline Academy and Babies' Milk Fund, $4,049 for a joint project focusing on Hispanic outreach; Peaslee Neighborhood Center Inc. and Hughes Center for Teaching & Technology, $2,000 for a joint project dealing with community literacy; and the Drop-Inn Center and Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, $475 for a joint project, bridging poetry between students and the homeless.

Academic All-Stars: Scholarship winner

Stephen Renzi, a 2003 graduate of Mason High School, is this year's recipient of the Mason Academic Fund's scholarship award. He was class valedictorian, treasurer of the National Honor Society, and a member of the symphonic band and the academic team.

The son of Deborah and Anthony Renzi of Mason is studying mechanical engineering at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind.

Athletic achievement

Brigid Eagan was awarded the Johnny Bench Scholarship based on athletic achievement at the collegiate level. A member of the College of Mount St. Joseph golf team, she was named Academic All-Conference. She is a member of Alpha Chi National Honor Society and Kappa Gamma Pi Business Honor Society.

The daughter of Carole and Tim Eagan of Delhi Township will graduate in May with a double major in marketing and management.

Academic Excellence Award

Amy Elizabeth Hackett of Anderson Township was awarded the Academic Excellence Award in Marketing from Ohio University. She was recognized as the top-ranking graduating senior in her chosen field of study.

She is a member of Phi Gamma Nu Professional Business Fraternity and the Ohio Business Fellows. She was the recipient of a Dean's Scholarship, was a Copeland Scholar and is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma National Honor Society.

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