Sister Clarita Anneken was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award in Louisville on Sept. 25 by the Kentucky World Language Association.

Sister Clarita taught French and Latin at Villa Madonna in Villa Hills.

"I was both surprised and honored to get the award,'' she said. "In my earlier years of teaching, I also taught math, which was my favorite subject.''

She received her bachelor's degree at Villa Madonna College, now Thomas More, and a master's degree in education at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Jacque Van Houten, a former Villa Madonna teacher, presented the award to Sister Clarita. Houten was recruited by Sister Clarita to teach French at the school.

Accepted to PhD program

Dan Sheffield has been accepted into the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Doctor of Philosophy program at Harvard University. Acceptance included a fellowship and research grant this summer when he worked on a book with a professor from Harvard and another from the University of Chicago.

Sheffield graduated from Harvard in June, receiving a master's and bachelor's degree with a dual major of archaeology and Near Eastern languages and civilizations.

The 2000 Highlands High School graduate is the son of Linda and Bill Sheffield of Fort Thomas.

Fellowship awarded

Patricia Fox, an English teacher at Scott High School, received a Kentucky Department of Education fellowship to attend the Bread Loaf School of English, a summer graduate program of Middlebury College.

"The program is one of a kind. It builds a community of teachers and learners in small class sizes with outstanding professors from around the country in picturesque settings," Fox said. "I am bringing this learning experience to my students."

Fox also is participating in the Bread Loaf Teacher Network, an electronic exchange program that allows teachers to communicate through the network in seminars and student class assignments. The exchange also offers students the chance to interact with other students around the country.

Fox would like to create a writing center at Scott with software to track all student writing, allowing students to judge their writing through their four years in high school.

Donation funds printers

A $1,000 donation from the Sam's Club of Florence to the Newport Aquarium's Wave Foundation on Sept. 24 will be used to buy new printers.

The money will help volunteers print information about the Newport Aquarium.

The Wave Foundation is the non-profit arm of the aquarium set up to educate communities and students about marine life and the conservation of natural resources and habitats.

Top debater

Be careful about starting an argument with Sara Straub. The Florence resident has been recognized as the top overall debater at Cumberland College in Williamsburg, Ky.

The 19-year-old sophomore's debate successes include winning a tournament at Middle Tennessee State University andfinishing first, along with teammate Catlin Bogard, in the novice division of parliamentary debate at Purdue University.

Straub also reached the semifinals at the King College National Constitutional Debate tournament in Bristol, Tenn., and the National Honorary Forensics tournament at Middle Tennessee. She was also a quarterfinalist at the National Parliamentary Debate tournament at Ball State University.

Straub has been honored by the Kentucky Senate and has received a scholarship to Cumberland College. She also played varsity volleyball at Cumberland as a freshman.

She is a 2002 graduate of Boone County High School and is the daughter of Bill and Kathy Straub.

Scholarships awarded

Tracy Brooke Landwehr, a graduate of Beechwood High School in Fort Mitchell, has received the Better Chance Scholarship presented by the Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America and a second-year scholarship from the group's Chapter 10 in Reading, Ohio.

She is a student at Georgetown College, which has renewed the Trustee Scholarship, an academic award she received last year.

Landwehr also received the Pastor's Leadership Scholarship based on leadership values.

She is the daughter of Dennis and Betty Landwehr, Lakeside Park.