Three local students will head for Dallas April 16-18 to compete in the National High School Chess Championship.

They are Stacey Stahl, 17, of Anderson High School, the Cincinnati women's chess champion; Philip Green, 16, of Batavia, who is home-schooled; and Phillip Seitzer, 18, of St. Xavier High School .

Stacey Stahl (left) of Anderson High School and Philip Green of Batavia will compete in the National High School Chess Championship. Not pictured is Phillip Seitzer, who will also compete. The Cincinnati Enquirer/JOSEPH FUQUA II

"This will be my second time competing in the High School National Chess Championship," Stacey said. "We will compete for a chance to win a four-year scholarship to the University of Texas."

The winner of the event earns a four-year full tuition and fees scholarship to the University of Texas at Dallas, plus a housing stipend of $1,000 a year.

Stacey has won the Tristate regional chess championship for women in all age groups and will compete in the High School State Championship meet in Columbus this weekend.

Philip Green will compete in the Midwest Ohio Team Chess Festival in Highland, Ohio, this weekend.

Volunteer cited

Jeff Fliegel, who has led Lebanon-area United Way campaigns for 10 years, received the Volunteer of the Year award last week.

Fliegel has served six years on the United Way's board of directors.

He is director of sales at Amtex, where he has worked for 19 years.

Fliegel, his wife, Janet, and two children live in Deerfield Township.

Also honored were Boniti Sergent, a 25-year volunteer for with United Way, for campaign volunteer of the year; andRae Lynn Kruthaup, Morrow, for building a Girl Scout program in the Little Miami School District.

Jon Bartos, of Mason, received the CEO Leadership Award and was praised for heading the United Way Allocation Committee, working on the United Way board's executive committee and exploring ways to make government funding available to local residents.

American Bikers Aimed Towards Education and Pioneer Industrial Components also won awards.

Essay and speech contest

Entries are being accepted for the Mary E. Finley Memorial Essay and Speech Contest, which is for students in grades 6-8 who go to school or live in the West End.

Submissions are due by April 3 at the West End Branch Library, 805 Ezzard Charles Drive.

Wetherington yard sale

Taffy and Bob Kramer of Wetherington have organized a second annual yard sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 3 at Wetherington Lodge, West Chester. Volunteers from Lakota East High School will help at the sale.

Proceeds will go to the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association.

Beyond the badge

SPRINGDALE - The Springdale Police Department and the Springdale Community Center are holding a safety fair Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will be at the Community Center at 11999 Lawnview Ave.

Representatives from Bethesda North Trauma Service and Springdale police officers will be speaking on several topics, including first aid, family safety, injury prevention, teen driving, Internet safety, homeland security and identity theft.

Displays from public safety and health agencies will also be exhibited.

Saluting Our Soldiers

Graduates of basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas:

Colleen Ormond, McNicholas High School graduate and daughter of Susan and Dennis Ormond, Anderson Township; Robert Nieman, Elder High School graduate and son of Daniel Nieman, Miami Township, Hamilton County; Ronnie Jackson II, Purcell Marian High School graduate and son of Annie Jackson, Silverton; Denise Marcus, Princeton High School graduate and daughter of Annette Marcus, Sharonville; David Harris, son of Marcie Battle, Fairmount; Ashlea Plummer, Oak Hills High School graduate and daughter of Brenda Plummer, Price Hill and Byron Plummer, Portsmouth, Ohio; and Erin Qualters, Purcell Marian High School graduate and daughter of Diana and Kenneth Qualters of Mount Lookout.