The Mountain View Garden Club recently presented scholarships to two deserving graduates from the area who have shown an interest in the environment, Audrey Shay from Mountain View High School and Allison Lipko from Forest City High School.

Audrey Shay with Mountain View Garden Club chairperson Matilda Gavalis

Audrey is enrolled at Penn State, Harrisburg with a proposed major in Civil Engineering. Her parents are William and Aileen Shay from Thompson.

Allison Lipko with Mountain View Garden Club chairperson Matilda Gavalis

Allison, the daughter of Browndale residents Jim and Michelle Lipko, plans to attend DeSales University to pursue a degree in Nursing.

Jacob Baranski, of Nicholson, Pa., currently attending Wilkes University, spent the summer on two research projects with Linda Gutierrez, assistant professor of biology at Wilkes.

The first project examines the role of fibroblasts and Thrombospondin 1 in cancer. The students analyzed how fibroblasts reacted when particular matricellular proteins are absent within a tumor microenviroment.

The other research was done in collaboration with Darina Lazarova, director of the master of biomedical sciences program and an associate professor of molecular biology at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. The students looked at the role of adipocytes in cancer and inflammation. They studied the effects of several diets in the fat cells of mice that develop in intestinal polyps. This research can be used to analyze how certain diets affect cancer and obesity.

Sigma Alpha Lambda is proud to announce that Sarah Serfilippi, of Thompson, PA, has recently been chosen to serve as the VP of Community Service of the University of Pittsburgh Chapter. Sigma Alpha Lambda is a national leadership and honors organization dedicated to promoting and rewarding academic achievement and providing members with opportunities for community service, personal development, and lifelong professional fulfillment.