Newsmakers, Jan. 22-28, 2015

Air Force Airman Brittaney N. Ponce graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, San Antonio. Ponce is the daughter of Jose N. Ponce of Perris, Calif., and Rebecca Burns of Las Vegas and the stepdaughter of Kelly Burns of Las Vegas.

Beau Fairless, a sophomore at Foothill High School, does community service at St. Rose Dominican Hospital – Rose de Lima Campus and is a member of the United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps. Fairless and his fellow cadets placed Christmas wreaths on the graves of the fallen veterans at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery and delivered gifts to the veterans at the Nevada State Veterans Home during Christmas. Fairless also worked with the nonprofit veteran support group Blue Star Mothers of Nevada, putting together Christmas stockings for overseas military members. Fairless was recently honored with the 8 News Now Acts of Kindness Award.

Taylor Cummings, 22, graduated from UNLV Dec. 16 with a dual Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and Political Science. Cummings is the daughter of Rose Cummings of Las Vegas.

Tufts University in Boston named Kristen Hsu of Henderson to the spring 2014 dean’s list.

Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, Ark., named Kobe Armstrong-Smith of Las Vegas to the fall 2014 dean’s list.

Headliner Carrot Top donated a $5,000 check to Ronald McDonald Charities of Greater Las Vegas on Dec. 22.

Jordan Hodges and Taylor Stueve, both of Las Vegas, received several scholarships to attend Emporia State University in Emporia, Kan.

The Fremont Street Experience donated 100 percent of SlotZilla revenue to Opportunity Village for everyone who flew on the lower Zipline or upper Zoomline on Dec. 6 in honor of Opportunity Village’s 10th annual Las Vegas Great Santa Run. President of Fremont Street Experience Jeff Victor and director of marketing Tom Bruny presented Marty Wood, director of marketing of Opportunity Village, a check for $15,068 on Dec. 23.

Clark Waggoner of Las Vegas qualified for the fall 2014 dean’s list at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn.

Stephanie Herman of Las Vegas qualified for the fall 2014 semester president’s list at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa.

Army Pvt. Anthony E. Durden graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. Durden is the son of Antoinette E. Durden of Orlando, Fla., and Bryant E. Johnson of Henderson. He is a 2014 graduate of Green Valley High School.

Elizabeth Harper of Las Vegas qualified for the fall 2014 dean’s list at Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio.

Christopher Antoku and Jerremy Antoku, both of Las Vegas, qualified for the dean’s list at Dickinson State University in Dickinson, N.D.

The following students qualified for the fall 2014 dean’s list at Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz.: Candice Bain, Heather Brown, Kenneth Brown, Teyla Buys, Cristina Camasso, Taylor Candley, Andrew Cardenas, Alex Caron, Andrew Caron, Erika Carrera, James Childrey, Ammie Chinchilla, Francis Comstock, Rebecca Cooper, Kelsie Crawford, Erin Delaney, Michelle Di Palma, Chloe Diamond, Logan Drda, Maribel Escobar, Tiana Ethridge, Hailey Farr, John Fay, Erin Fitzpatrick, Jaylin Gaston, Tanner Gehring, Aleasa Guerra, Sarah Haller, Samantha Hamilton, Andrew Haug, Tyler Hilt, David Huynh, Derek Jackson, Carla Jefferson, Mikayla Jones, Romario Kajue, Jacob Kelley, Kelsi Koch, John Ling, Jillian Lopez, Andy Lu, Chauntee Manley, Benjamin Marx, Austin Maul, Matthew Mausbach, Isabella Miller, Alireza Momeni, Khira Momodu, Wesley Nee, Alexandria Nelson, Brandon Nydam, Madeline Quinn, Jordan Ramil, Jessica Rearich, Brandon Rinker, Andrew Ryan, Alexandro Salaices, Aleez Sandoval, Courtney Schalk, Christopher Schaudt, Maximilian Schweitzer, Julian Sihas, Curtis Spence, Kyle Stephenson, Kyle Stokely, Sara Story, Bailey Stringer, Sheridan Sturm, Christian Tidwell, Daniella Variale, Mikayla Walzog, Roland Watson, Andrew Weston, Alexis White, Justin Wofford, Dana Wright, and Lauren Wright, all of Las Vegas; Kahla Vitz, Alexandra Reifenrath, Mitchell Mcleod, Kaitlyn Keating, Daniel Lay, Selinda Johnson, Austin Collins, Nicole Cuce, Emily Antuna, and Erik Ayala, all of Henderson; and Todd Grant, Brenda Carrillo, Annamarie Astorga, Kelsey Tardio, Vanessa Solorzano, Ja’Lon Sisson, David Sanchez, Michelle Sanders, Chad Palmer, Robert Leader, and Ayana Harris, all of North Las Vegas.