DATE: Friday, May 2, 1997                   TAG: 9705020609

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:  103 lines

MILESTONES

NORFOLK

Pamela Hoffler-Riddick, principal of Ruffner Middle School, has received the 1997 Public Service Award from the Norfolk Civitan Club. The award honors excellence in public service and recognizes employees who strive to improve their work environment, their community and themselves. John F. Smith Jr., executive director of Local School Governance for Norfolk Public Schools, recommended Hoffler-Riddick for the award.

She displays excellent leadership ability, professional courtesy and enthusiasm, is active in civic activities, and serves the community on advisory and executive boards, Smith said in his recommendation.

Hoffler-Riddick has worked in Norfolk Public Schools for 12 years.

SUFFOLK

Wendell M. Waller, a lawyer and minister, was named the Suffolk Jaycees' 1997 Outstanding Young Man.

Waller, 39, is Suffolk's senior assistant city attorney and pastor of Christian Home Baptist Church in Isle of Wight County. In receiving the honor from the Jaycees, ``He gave a very touching speech,'' said Randy Raines, nominating committee chairman. ``He's a gracious, worthy recipient.''

Waller's philosophy: the Golden Rule. He emphasizes God's grace, noting, ``Every sermon should always have that good news. A sermon should never cut deeper than it can heal. . . .''

Waller is vice president of the Suffolk Bar Association, a board member of the Suffolk YMCA, a member of the National School Board Association of School Attorneys, and a board member of the Genieve Shelter and the Community for the Disabled.

VIRGINIA BEACH

Former Miss Virginia Amber Medlin, 25, will reign as queen of the 70th annual Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival this weekend in Winchester.

Medlin, the daughter of Larry and Linda Medlin of Church Point and a 1990 graduate of Cox High School, won the Miss Virginia Beach title, was crowned Miss Virginia and was a contestant in the Miss America pageant in 1995. During her years in pageantry, she earned $14,000 in scholarships.

Medlin, who received a bachelor's degree in speech communication from Radford University, is working on her master's at Regent University, majoring in journalism. She will graduate in May 1998.

Chuck Harris, president and CEO of the YMCA of South Hampton Roads, was a member of the Virginia Beach delegation to the Presidents' Summit for America's Future, in Philadelphia this week.

Harris represented the youth service agencies and organizations in Virginia Beach. At the summit were President Clinton and his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as former Presidents Bush, Carter and Ford, and Nancy Reagan and Lady Bird Johnson.

The YMCA, which serves about 1,200 children each day - the area's largest provider of day care and youth services - has a plan for the future that includes:

Development and implementation of a new community outreach division designed to address the needs of troubled teens and inner-city children;

Implementation of a juvenile justice intervention program;

Establishment of a permanent regional outdoor camp for children and families;

Development of a family involvement program to help family problems and needs.

PORTSMOUTH

Emery L. Fears and the I.C. Norcom High School band have been selected for the John Philip Sousa Foundation's ``Historic Roll of Honor of High School Concert Bands'' for 1960 to 1972, the era in which Fears conducted the I.C. Norcom band.

A total of 63 high school bands across the country were selected by the Sousa Foundation, which recently completed a seven-year project to identify high school concert bands that ``were of a particularly high standard of excellence at the national level'' and that were ``of considerable historic importance and influence in the high school concert band area.''

Fears also has served as band director at Manor High School and Norfolk State University, where he is professor emeritus of music.

Recently, Fears was awarded the Diploma of the Sudler Order of Merit by the Sousa Foundation ``in recognition of many special contributions to the excellence of bands and band music.''

In addition, Fears was elected to a two-year term on the board of directors of the American Bandmasters Association during its 63rd annual convention in March in San Diego.

Fears holds a bachelor's degree from Howard University and a master's from the University of Michigan.

CHESAPEAKE

Chesapeake school teams and individual students turned in top showings in the Super National Scholastic Chess Championships April 27 in Knoxville, Tenn.

Great Bridge High School's chess team won first place in the nation in its category - high school teams with skill ratings under 1,000, said coach Robert Ellyson. Skill ratings can range as high as 2,800 for the world's best players.

Great Bridge beat out 72 other schools for the honor. Great Bridge sophomore Matt Raum placed first in the individual competition, and Great Bridge sophomore David Cavitt placed second.

Great Bridge Middle School student John Morrisette, 14, placed second in the middle school division. Nine-year-old Nelson Lopez, a Great Bridge student who is schooled at home, placed third in the kindergarten through third grade, non-rated division. ILLUSTRATION: Photos

Pamela Hoffler-Riddick

Wendell M. Waller

Amber Medlin

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