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Boney

Kramer

Novakoski

Airman Ryan Vincent Boney has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. During the six and a half weeks of training, he studied the Air Force mission, core values, military customs and courtesies and had nuclear, biological, chemical and intensive physical training. He achieved the Small Arms Marksmanship Ribbon for superior performance on the rifle range, the Air Force Training Ribbon and the National Defense Service Ribbon. Airman Boney scored in the top 10 on the Defense Language Proficiency Test and will be attending Technical School at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in Monterey California as an Airborne Linguist. He is the son of Bobbie and Bill Boney of Swoyersville and the grandson of Alice Valatka, Kingston, and the late retired Air Force MSgt. Vince V. Valatka, the late John Boney and the late Jane Bachand. He is a 2004 graduate of Wyoming Valley West High School and the Upward Program at Wilkes University. He attended Wilkes University and Luzerne County Community College.

Brandon J. Novakoski, a member of Boy Scout Troop 418 in Nanticoke, has attained the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in scouting. Novakoski began his scouting career in 1996 as a Tiger with Cub Pack 415 of Nanticoke. He earned the following awards: Light of Christ, Parvuli Dei and the Arrow of Light, and became a Boy Scout with Troop 418, American Legion Post 350, Nanticoke, in 2002. He advanced through the ranks of scouting with the help of Mike Nestorick. Novakoski has earned 37 merit badges and served with his troops as quartermaster, assistant patrol leader, patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader and is a member of the Order of the Arrow, Lowwapaneu Lodge 191. He was awarded the Gettysburg Historic Trail Award, James Stewart Good Citizenship Award, U.S. Heritage Award, PA Forest Conservation Award, The Boy Scouts of America World Conservation Award, the PA Wildlife Conservation Award, the Leave No Trace Award, and religious award, Lutheran God and Church. For his Eagle project, Novakoski organized and refurbished certain areas of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Nanticoke. The project consisted of cleaning and waterproofing the wheelchair ramp and deck areas and caulking and spraying the foundation with a water sealant. He enlisted the help of fellow Scouts, family, friends and member of St. John’s to complete the project. Novakoski is a sophomore at Greater Nanticoke Area High School and is a member of the wrestling, volleyball and football teams. He is the son of Ronald and Pamela Novakoski of Nanticoke. He is the grandson of Chester and Arlene Golobek of Nanticoke and Bernard Novakoski of Hanover Township and the late Marjorie Novakoski. He has a younger sister, Nicole. Novakoski will be recognized for his achievement at an upcoming awards dinner at a later date.

Victoria E. Kramer, a senior Girl Scout and daughter of Brian and Beverly Kramer of Mountain Top, has fulfilled the requirements leading to the Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting among girls age 14 to 18 can earn. For her Gold Award project Kramer, a senior at Crestwood High School, refurbished and beautified the courtyard at the Luzerne County SPCA, Plains Township. The project, which began in February 2006 culminated with a formal presentation to the SPCA in November. Over the span of 10 months, Kramer built sizeable benches with attached flower boxes to accommodate potential pet owners as they share time with the shelter’s adoptive pets. The project also included enhancing the area by reseeding grass and placing landscaping stones; building a gravel waste garden within the courtyard; removing layers of rust and freshly painting the courtyard’s gazebo; and installing a safety fence around an existing structure within the courtyard. Kramer’s 11-year Girl Scouting career spans Brownie, Junior, Cadette and Senior levels in both Idaho and Pennsylvania. She is a member of Senior Troop 3362, Mountain Top, under the leadership of Wanda Rupert. Currently ranked first out of 242 students in the Crestwood senior class, Kramer is a member of the National Society of High School Scholars, the National Honor Society and Who’s Who Among America’s High School Students. She is a member of the National Forensic League and is secretary of the school’s Diversity Club. She also participated in National History Day for three years and placed first at regional competition for two consecutive years. As a young scholar, Kramer is presently taking two classes at King’s College, Wilkes-Barre. Kramer has also demonstrated her musical talents in school concert and marching bands, percussion ensemble and jazz band and as a member of the school’s chorus. Kramer has also participated in school plays and musicals, having assumed roles of lead dancer for two large productions. Among her extracurricular activities, Kramer is a ballet and jazz student at Joan Harris School for the Gifted, competed as a member of competition dance teams, and has participated in the Relay for Life Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure fundraiser; road side cleanup, and has performed as a bell choir member and vacation Bible school instructor through her church. Following graduation in June, Kramer plans to attend college and major in civil and environmental engineering. She also has one brother, Brian, Jr., who is serving in the U.S. Navy. Kramer will receive the coveted Gold Award in late April at the annual Gold Award Luncheon sponsored by the Penns Woods Girl Scout Council. This year’s luncheon will be held at Edgewood in the Pines, Drums.