Student's efforts helping others garners award

• Chelsea M. Steck, a senior at West Chicago's Community High School, received first place in the Union League Club of Chicago's annual Democracy in Action Award with a $1,750 prize. She was nominated by faculty members at her school because of the advocacy initiatives she's involved with and for her three volunteer trips to New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina relief work. Her local activities include volunteering as an election judge, mentoring political refugee children through World Relief and volunteering at the People's Resource Center to help the homeless.

• John Caputo, Glenbard East High School physical education teacher in Lombard, was recognized with an Excellence in Teaching Award from the West Suburban Physical Education Department Chair Association. He received the award for developing the Peer Tutor Program for the assisted physical education classes at Glenbard East.

• Cadet Mark Miller, an 11th-grader at Howe Military School in Indiana, was included on the Headmaster's List for the fourth six-week grading period of the 2007-08 year. He maintained at least a 3.0 average and is the son of Wanda and Alan Miller of Bensenville.

• Jozef Pavnica and Kevin Lam, both of Carol Stream, received scholarships to the 2008 Honeywell Scholars @Presidential Classroom in Washington, D.C. They joined 428 other students from across the nation and 31 countries internationally.

The program focuses on the connection of science, technology and public policy with visits to the U.S. Supreme Court, State Department and Walter Reed Institute of Research.