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<lst>Three Arlingtonians were recently named to Virginia boards or commissions by Governor Mark Warner. The appointees are: Vanessa Cardenas, policy and communications associate with the National Immigration Forum, to the Virginia Commission on Youth; Alan Schlank, former access technology specialist for Services for the Visually Impaired and past president of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, to the State Rehabilitation Advisory Council; and Cherie Rei Takemoto, executive director of Parent Educational Advocacy and Training Center, to the State Rehabilitation Advisory Council
Rebeccah R. Niesen has graduated from the Army ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) Leader Development and Assessment Course, also known as "Operation Warrior Forge," at Fort Lewis, Tacoma, Wash. She is the daughter of Bradley J. and Jane T. Niesen of Arlington, and a 2001 graduate of Yorktown High School, Arlington.
Two Arlington residents have joined the Alexandria-Washington chapter of DeMolay International, a fraternity for men aged 12-21. the new members are Drew Dallas-Baxter, son of Kim Baxter, and Laurence Davis, son of Marcel and Clarisse Davis. The chapter is sponsored by Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22 of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. For more information on DeMolay, call 816-891-8333.
Arlington native Rachel Nevares performed in an ice show along with a team of Puerto Rican figure skaters in Aguadillo, Puerto Rico. Nevares is a member of the Puerto Rican Figure Skating Federation. Nevares is the 2004 Puerto Rican Junior Silver Medallist and the 2003 Novice Gold Medallist.
Keith Smith of Arlington was honored by Syracuse University with the Outstanding Alumni Award. Smith was among 6 alumni honored during Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 8 through 10. Smith graduated from the School of Management with a dual major in Management Information Systems and Finance in 1983. He has been active in and held several positions in the SU Alumni Club of Washington, D.C., during the past 20 years. In that time, he has built and maintained an e-mail service and Web site for the area’s alumni. Smith has coordinated and assisted with many alumni gatherings at SU sports events in the region, as well as student sendoffs and holiday parties. His wife Mary Ann Smith’s online business, Pro-Am Sports, has provided hole sponsorship and scholarship donations for the annual SU Greenberg House golf tournament.