Mentor School Board Congratulates Academics, Athletes At Meeting

The Mentor Schools Board of Education recognized several of their students during their meeting Tuesday night at .

The students who were honored include:

• Justin Fritts who , an honor that no Mentor High student has previously received.

"I've had the pleasure of watching this young man play basketball for the last four years," Superintendent Jacqueline Hoynes said, "and I'm proud of him as a basketball player and as a person."

Fritts averaged 28.1 points, eight rebounds, 3.7 steals and 2.9 assists per game and was the leader of a Cardinals team that went 22-3 and advanced to the Div. 1 regional tournament.

He ends his Cardinal career with 1,692 points -- second most in the school's history.

Fritts is an excellent 2-sport athlete and at Wheeling Jesuit University.

• career-tech welding program students were recognized for their charity work.

Eight Mentor High students who study at Willoughby Tech helped repair the Painesville Salvation Army's emergency cantina van, which is used to serve the homeless and help respond to national emergencies as it did after Hurricane Katrina.

For their work, they will receive the President's Service Award June 25 in Kansas City.

• the Mentor High, Memorial and Shore Middle School Science Olympiad teams, .

Thomas Ramsey, the Mentor teacher who oversees the Olympiad for the high school, complimented his young charges.

"I am in the presence of greatness with these young pups," he said. "They're excited about science while still making time for their sports, arts and everything else."

• the students who graduated from the program.

Also at the Board meeting, .