NAMES IN THE NEWS

GRAMMY WINNERS
>> John Ontiveros and Gracie Acosta of Big Spring won a 2008 Grammy while performing with three time Grammy Award winner Tejano artist and band, Little Joe y La Familia.
Ontiveros's first recording experience on the band's newest album "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" landed him the award. He played lead trumpet and arranged all the horn work on this album.
Acosta is currently the second trumpet player for the Tejano band.
Ontiveros graduated from Big Spring High School in 2003, Howard College in 2004 and Angelo State University in 2007 with a music major. Acosta graduated from Big Spring High School in 2004 and Howard College in 2006.
Other groups and musicians they have played with include: Los Lonely Boys, War, Los Lobos, Ruben Ramos and the Mexican Revolution, Neil Sharp (formally of the Drifters) and many others.
The Big Spring Mayor Russ McEwen will present Ontiveros and Acosta with a proclamation at the city council meeting Tuesday.
The Big Spring Area Chamber of Commerce and Howard College has scheduled a reception in honor of the two at 6:30 p.m. at the Hall Center for the Arts.
The public and surrounding areas are welcomed.

GRADUATEs
>> Tonya Ellis, a 2004 graduate of Odessa High School, recently graduated magna cum laude from Baylor University with her bachelor's degree in music education.
While at Baylor, Ellis was in several auditioned ensembles. For three years she was in Acapella Choir, the top mixed ensemble at Baylor, and Baylor Chamber Singers, a specialty ensemble that focuses on Early Renaissance music.
She was also involved with the musical theater ensemble Baylor ShowTime.
This is a touring ensemble that has been around the world. The past three years ShowTime has toured Europe, Hawaii and most recently Washington D.C.
Ellis is also a member of the Phi Xi chapter of the National Music Fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon.
While at Baylor, she participated in several competitions for the National Association of Teachers Singing organization where she brought back fifth, second, and first place awards. She competed with students from universities all across Texas and Oklahoma.
Last summer Ellis was asked to be a student conductor at the Texas Choral Directors Association convention in San Antonio. She also received the Bennett Music Education award at Baylor, which is given to the student who shows the most potential in the field of music education. Most recently, she was awarded with the Texas Choral Directors Association's National Student Award, which is given to an outstanding choral student.
Ellis is now living in Temple, where starting in the fall, she will be the assistant choral director at Temple High School.
This AAAAA High School is well known for its tradition of excellence in music. One of Ellis's professors was quoted saying "Ellis is an outstanding music educator and will be an asset to our profession as well as a teacher that your kids will always remember."
>> ALPINE Jeffrey Nicholas Gilman recently graduated with a bachelor of business administration degree in management from Sul Ross State University during the spring semester.

HONORS
>> Jasmine Cannon of Odessa was recently recognized by the United States Achievement Academy as a student of excellence in mathematics.
Cannon attends Ector Junior High and was nominated by her teacher Melody Dumas.
The academy recognizes these students upon exclusive recommendation of teachers, coaches, counselors and other qualified sponsors and upon the Standards for Selection set forth by the Academy.
The Standards for Selection includes academic performance, interest and aptitude, leadership qualities, responsibility, enthusiasm, motivation to learn and improve, attitude and cooperative spirit, dependability and recommendation from a qualified sponsor.
Jasmine is the daughter of Ebbie and Holly Cannon of Odessa.
>> Wryan Christopher Webb of Odessa has been recognized for superior academic achievement an appointment to attend the Coast Guard Academy at New London, Conn., and will be sworn-in as a member of the Class of 2012 on June 30.
Webb is the son of Wayland and Janet Webb and grandson of Ellie Hicks of Dallas and Jimmie and Linda Webb of Morton and of the late James D. Hicks.

SCHOLARSHIPS
>> The Odessa College art program awarded $22,500 in scholarships to students from Odessa High School and Permian High School for the 2008 fall and spring semesters.
The scholarships in the amount of $2,500 each pay for all tuition, fees, books and art supplies.
OHS recipients are: Esteban Lopez, Jennifer Luna, Edlin Roman and Brittni Vickrey.
PHS recipients are: Kenneth Chambers, Erica Eaton, Nico Garcia, Branson Johnson and Lindsey Laroque.

PUBLICATION
>> ALPINE A new book published by the University of California Press features illustrations by Sul Ross State University adjunct professor Avram Dumitrescu.
"M.F.K. Fisher among the Pots and Pans," written by Joan Reardon, includes watercolors by Dumitrescu, who is also the scientific illustrator for the Center for Big Bend Studies. The book is a retrospective of noted cook Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher, interspersed with recipes and illustrated with Dumitrescu's original watercolors.
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