Intern receives top law award for professional standards

• Jose G. Mancera of Hanover Park received the Sixty Plus Elderlaw Board of Directors Award from the Sixty Plus, Inc., Elderlaw Clinic at Western Michigan University-Thomas M. Cooley Law School. The live-client clinic serves Lansing, Michigan, area seniors ages 60 and older.

The award, is given annually to a deserving student intern who, in the view of the board, has exemplified the highest professional standards of lawyering and has demonstrated those attributes during his/her internship with the Sixty Plus, Inc., Elderlaw Clinic.

Mancera served as a legal intern with the clinic September-December, 2017, and then continued as a volunteer through the following term.

"Jose has been very conscientious and attentive to his clients' every need and continued as a volunteer so that he could continue to help that elderly population," said Gary Bauer, Wester Michigan University -Cooley professor and clinical faculty member.

"He has demonstrated tremendous intellect, but even more, he continuously displayed compassion and understanding of his clients' needs and does everything he can to meet those needs. I can't think of anyone more deserving of this award."

• Pianist Yerin Yang, 15, of Mount Prospect was the winner of the 2018 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition. Four finalists played on stage in Orchestra Hall on Saturday, March 3, accompanied by the Civic Orchestra of Chicago and directed by Sir Georg Solti Apprentice Erina Yashima.

Yerin, who will be featured in a Chicago Symphony Orchestra School Concert during the 2018-19 season, previously won first prize in the Los Angeles Young Musician International Competition, the Sejong Music Competition and the Chinese Fine Arts Society Competition in Honor of Confucius for three consecutive years. She is a student of Winston Choi and Alan Chow.

• Brennan Kapcheck of Mount Prospect, a freshman defenseman for the American International College, Springfield, Massachusetts, ice hockey team, was named the 2017-18 Atlantic Hockey Conference Rookie of the Year. Kapcheck is the first Atlantic Hockey Conference athlete to win an individual major conference award from Atlantic Hockey in the program's history.

During the 2017-18 regular season, Kapcheck led the Atlantic Hockey Conference in scoring with 22 points - six goals, 16 assists - after appearing in all 34 conference contests. He ranked fifth in points among the conference's defensemen and third in points among conference rookies. He also ranked first among the conference's rookies in assists.

• Barrington High School senior Markus Hartman was recognized by the District 220 board of education at its March 20 meeting for capturing the Class 3A, 152-pound wrestling state championship in February. Hartman, who has been wrestling since age 6, is Barrington High School's first state wrestling champion since 1991.

This was Hartman's fourth year on the Barrington High School wrestling team. In addition to being a state champion, he is also a three-time conference and Moore-Prettyman Tournament Champion. His career record is 161-13. He plans to continue wrestling at West Point in the fall.

• Submit your 'Neighbors in the News' items to Norrine Twohey at ntwohey@dailyherald.com.