DIFFERENCE MAKERS: HONORED MOURNED IN DEATH, LOCAL ATHLETE'S DEVOTION TO LIFE SETS EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS.Byline: Compiled by Ross Siler Staff Writer NICOLE NICOLE Nearly Intelligent Computer Operated Language Examiner (chatterbot) JOHNSON Westlake, Senior A first-place sprinter and former varsity soccer player. A peer minister at her local church. An aspiring as·pire intr.v. as·pired, as·pir·ing, as·pires 1. To have a great ambition or ultimate goal; desire strongly: aspired to stardom. 2. actress and member of the student government. A devoted friend with a shining smile. Westlake High senior Nicole Johnson was remembered as all those things after her May 4 death from head injuries suffered when her car was rear-ended at a stoplight outside of school. ``She guided us in the right direction and that's where she left off,'' teammate Lauri Schakett said in Johnson's eulogy. ``Now we have to finish the way she would have wanted.'' For the example she set in life, Johnson also has been selected as the Daily News' Difference Maker of the Year for the high school sports season, joining 11 other student-athletes from across the area. The Daily News has long honored the region's best high school athletes on its All-Area teams. For the second consecutive year, however, the paper also is recognizing students whose athletic achievements are surpassed by their contributions to our community. As a group, the Difference Maker athletes volunteered at shelters, schools and fire stations, finding time for sports in between. Two graduated from high school in three years, five had GPAs of 4.0 or better and one is on her way to work in a Costa Rican village later this month. Athletic directors Athletic director (commonly, "athletics director") is a position at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, which oversees the work of the coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic and principals at each of the 104 schools in the Daily News' coverage area were invited to submit nominees. The complete 2002-2003 ``Difference Makers'' team appears on Pages 4-5. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) NICOLE JOHNSON Photos taken by: Tom Mendoza Tom Mendoza joined Network Appliance, Inc. in 1994 and has served as its President since 2000. Mr. Mendoza has more than 31 years as a high technology executive and has served in an advisory capacity on the board of directors of Netscreen (acquired by Juniper), Rhapsody (acquired by , Michael Owen
John LaZar (born May 22, 1946) is a classically trained American actor of both stage and screen. , Andy Holzman and Evan Yee. |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion