Daniel Olarte, a student at Seekonk High School, was one of the 145 artistic high school juniors in Massachusetts chosen to participate in the 22nd-annual Art All State at the Worcester Art Museum.

The first inductees in the Ocean Tides Hall of Fame are former Governor J. Joseph Garrahy and his wife, Margherite, who were chosen for their service and commitment to the residential educational program for at-risk youth.

Honored at a recent dinner at the Dunes Club, the Garrahys were cited for being strong supporters of Ocean Tides since the school’s inception in 1975.

Four classroom teachers were honored recently at the Susan B. Wilson Civic Education Merit Award reception at the State House for their efforts to develop their students’ understanding of civic rights and responsibilities.

Lawrence Verria, a history/social studies teacher at North Kingstown High School, received the grand prize of $800 for guiding students as they planned a candidates’ forum. Colleen Chappell, a social studies teacher at South Kingstown’s Curtis Corner Middle School, received the jury prize of $500 for her creative ways of fostering a greater understanding of the U.S. Constitution. Michael Calenda and Jonathan Rollins, eighth-grade social studies teachers at Ponagansett Middle School, received the Honorable Mention Award and $200 for their participation in Mock Trial and National Law Day, the National Current Events League and the Wreaths Across America Program.

The competition for Susan B. Wilson Civic Education Merit Awards is sponsored by the Rhode Island League of Women Voters.

Barrington resident Richard E. Gamache, vice president and administrator of Elmhurst Extended Care, has received a distinguished administrator award from the American College of Health Care Administrators. He has been involved in elder care for more than 25 years.

Elmhurst Extended Care is part of the elder continuum of care at Roger Williams Medical Center and the only nursing home in the state that incorporates the Eden Alternative, a philosophy of elder care that restores individual choice and meaningful experiences into the lives of elders.

The students who wrote the best letters to their favorite authors in a statewide competition were presented awards recently by Lt. Governor Elizabeth Roberts. The youngsters were asked to describe how the author’s work influenced their view of the world or of themselves.

Jazz Sussman Moss, of East Greenwich, took top honors for Level 1 (grades 4-6). Reilly Hayes of Hope and Rebecca Burgess of Providence were the top honorees for Levels 2 (grades 7 & 8) and Level 3 (grades 9-12).

Honorable Mention awards were given to Grace and Andrew Miner of East Greenwich, Samantha Amore of North Kingstown, Danielle Trombley of Newport, Carolyn Haddad of East Providence, Pedro Maldonado of Pawtucket and Colin-James McConnell Whitney of Providence.

To read the winning letters and many of the 100 semifinalist letters, visit the RI Center for the Book’s Web site at www.ribook.org.

The three new board members for the State Council on the Arts are Dana Neugent of Ashaway, Jean Rondeau of Woonsocket and David M. Wax of Providence.

Neugent is the media supervisor at the Providence campus of the University of Rhode Island URI/Feinstein Providence Campus and an adjunct assistant professor in the URI Film Media Studies Program. Rondeau is president of Atlantic Bar Code Systems Inc. Wax was executive director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic from 2001 to 2008.

Three years ago, working with high school mentors, sixth-grader Casey O’Connor of Scituate built a solar-powered car in only a few weeks. In seventh-grade participation in the National Energy Education Development program, Casey built a model wind turbine and another award-winning solar car. This year, as an eighth-grader at Scituate Middle School, Casey teamed up with high school students to spread the word about energy efficiency and renewable energy.

As a result, Casey will be honored at the National Youth Awards for Energy Achievement on June 29 in Washington, D.C.

— Compiled by Janet Butler