MOUNT CARMEL - The Mount Carmel Area High School Board Merit Award winners for the month of April have been announced.
At the high school level is junior Caitlyn Curran who resides with her grandparents, Robert and Bonnie Smith, in Mount Carmel.
Curran is a member of the Tech Ed, Latin and chemistry clubs. She is also active in the WKMCTV Studio, a member of the National Honor Society, color guard and Odyssey of the Mind. She is secretary of the Big Red Marching Band.
Curran achieved distinguished honors, was Elks Junior Student of the Month and a former Junior High Pride Award winner.
Curran was nominated by her Tech Ed teacher, Keith Fourspring, who said, "Knowing Caitlyn since she was in eighth grade, she has shown that she is a hard worker, a positive role model, strives to do her best and is simply a pleasure to have in this school and my class. She always has a smile on her face and goes out of her way to say hello every time I see her, or whenever she passes another faculty member."
In her free time, Curran enjoys spending time with family and friends, fishing, woodworking and photography. After high school she plans on attending a two-year undergraduate program in pre-pharmacy and continue onto a four year pharmacy M.D. program.
The elementary school Merit Award recipient is sixth-grade student Michael Balichik, a son of Michael and Kathy Balichik, of Mount Carmel. Balichik was nominated by his language arts teacher, Ms. Reichwein, who said, "Michael is a very well-rounded student and excels in everything he does. He is a role model for all students and can always be counted on to take a leadership role."
Balichik is a sixth-grade class representative and an altar server at Divine Redeemer Parish.
Outside of school, Michael plays baseball for the Mount Carmel VFW, the Schuylkill County Black Diamond Travel Baseball Team and the Mount Carmel Fall Baseball League.
He also participates in Mount Carmel CYO basketball and the Girardville Basketball League.