Each week ‘‘At Our Best’’ highlights the achievements of those in our community. It includes honors, awards and other recognition that is being earned by local residents.

Please continue to send or deliver such information, along with pictures of those honored, to the newspaper in care of managing editor Mike Schmeltzer, 600 S.W. Jefferson Ave., Corvallis, OR 97333.

CHS choir students picked for all state

Five Corvallis High School choir students were selected to participate in the 2008 Oregon Music Educators Association All-State Honor Choir. The students were selected from hundreds of audition tapes sent from all over Oregon. The singers rehearsed for three days while staying at the Hult Center in Eugene and then performed at the Gala Concert on Sunday, Jan. 27. The performance celebrated the close to the music teachers’ three-day state conference.

Performing in the All-State Choir were: Rachel King, a senior soprano in the CHS Vocal Jazz and Concert Choir; Erika Lundahl, a junior alto in the CHS Concert Choir; Tyler Morse, a senior tenor in the CHS Vocal Jazz and Concert Choir; Tyler Wilson, a junior tenor in the CHS Vocal Jazz and Concert Choir; and Michael Grant, a sophomore bass in the CHS Concert Choir.

OSU students win tax competition

A team of four accounting students from Oregon State University’s College of Business won first prize in the 2008 Berntson Porter/ University of Washington Master of Professional Accounting Tax Competition in Seattle earlier this month.

Rebecca Fouts, Laura Gray, Jaclyn Huehn and Juzi Yu solved complex tax-planning problems and took home a $3,000 grand prize after competing against 11 teams from five universities. In the final round, the OSU students had to create a tax plan for a fictional couple on the verge of divorce and present their solutions to a panel of judges. College of Business faculty members Larry Brown, Roger Graham and Jared Moore advised the team.  Funds for travel to the competition were provided by the generosity of OSU accounting alumni.

Officer to serve

on USS Scranton

Ensign Nicklis E.C. Richardson, son of Bill and Rhonda Stansell of Corvallis, has recently completed his naval officer training and become a qualified “Engineering Officer of the Watch.” This qualification was received after a year of intensive training in South Carolina and New York. He has orders to report to Norfolk, Va., where he will join the crew of the USS Scranton. He will coordinate the actions of the watch team in the engineering spaces of the nuclear-powered submarine. Nick received his officer commission from the Navy and his mechanical engineering degree from Oregon State University, both in June of 2006.

College honor roll

Harding University, Searcy, Ark. — Hannah Johnson of Corvallis was included on the school’s dean’s list for the fall semester. Johnson is a junior majoring in nursing.

Macalaster College, St. Paul, Minn. — Sophia Kast, the daughter of Barry and Carol Kast of Corvallis, has been named to the dean’s list for the fall semester. A graduate of Corvallis High School, Kast was a senior at Macalaster last fall.

Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Va. — Gareth E. da Cunha, a junior from Corvallis, was named to the dean’s list for the fall semester. He is the son of John M. da Cunha. He’s majoring in international studies.

University of Portland — The following students from Corvallis recently were listed on the fall semester dean’s list: Katy Blaustein, junior, drama; Ann Carey, junior, biology; Allison Clark, senior, nursing; Dane Conroy, senior, elementary education; William Crew, senior, sociology; Kelli Cronkrite, senior, elementary education; Francis DeMonte, freshman, business administration; Jessica Ehlers, junior, biology; Sara Elias, freshman, nursing; Charles Hinckle, freshman, undeclared; Kenneth Otley, senior, nursing; Isaac Otto, sophomore, undeclared; Alissa Robertson-Witt, freshman, nursing; Alice-Louise Rossignol, senior, English; Anna Sherman, freshmen, biology; and Laura Sullivan, senior, biology.

Gelser honored for public policy work

The Oregon Health Care Association (OHCA), along with the Oregon Association of Area Agencies on Aging and Disabilities (O4AD), selected Rep. Sara Gelser, a Corvallis Democrat, the recipient of the 2007 Senior Champion Award for excellence in the area of public policy benefiting Oregon’s seniors and people with disabilities.

Gelser, a long-time advocate for people with disabilities, serves on the House human services and women’s wellness subcommittee on services to seniors and people with disabilities.

Before her appointment and subsequent election to the Legislature in 2006, Gelser worked for the Department of Human Services. Her experience has enabled her to provide legislative expertise on a range of human services issues.

Sen. Bill Morrisette, a Springfield Democrat, also received the award. They were honored at a luncheon Jan. 18 at Spring Valley Assisted Living community in Springfield.