Dr Lewis R First, professor and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, has been named by the UVM Alumni Association as the 2017 recipient of its George V Kidder Outstanding Faculty Award. The Kidder Award honors one full-time University of Vermont faculty member for excellence in teaching and extraordinary contributions to the enrichment of campus life.

Amy Cisz, RN, received Central Vermont Medical Center (CVMC)’s second DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses in a surprise ceremony recently. Cisz earned the honor for her role helping a severely mentally ill patient who arrived in the emergency department with multiple physical, hygiene and emotional care needs. “While it is an expectation that any of us would care for this patient, Amy stepped up and took the case,” said Matthew Choate, CVMC’s chief nursing officer (CNO), who worked with Cisz in CVMC’s emergency department for more than 10 years and presented her with the honor.

The women attorneys of Langrock Sperry & Wool, LLP were predominant among the female Vermont attorneys recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® in its 2017 “Women of Influence” listings. Of the 33 separate types of law listed, Langrock women were named in 14 categories, or more than 42% of the total. And of the 53 individual listings, Langrock women occupied 20 spots, or more than 37% of the total.

WCAX has received an Edward R Murrow regional journalism award from the Radio Television Digital News Association. The annual awards recognize the spirit of excellence that Edward R Murrow made standard for the broadcast news profession. Reporter Jennifer Costa and photographer Robynn Beams received a first place award in the hard news category for their report, “Obit of an Addict”. The story focuses on a family’s decision to acknowledge their son died of an opiate overdose and to share the details of his struggle with addiction in his obituary.

Stone Environmental is pleased to announce that Kevin McCaffery, PE, has joined the company’s Water Resources Management Group. In his new role as Senior Civil Engineer, Kevin will further support the design and implementation of a variety of projects involving stormwater management and hydraulics, as well as provide technical support for Stone’s agricultural stewardship and flow monitoring projects.

HP Hood, the leading dairy brand in New England, announced today it awarded 18 high school seniors with a $5,000 Hood Milk Sportsmanship Scholarship. During a ceremony held at Gillette Stadium, three winners from each of the six New England states—Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont—were honored for their character and sportsmanship on and off the field.

Riley Callen, 14, of Pawlet, Vt, was named one of America's top 10 youth volunteers of 2017 today by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards during the program's 22nd annual national award ceremony at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. Selected from a field of more than 31,000 youth volunteers from across the country, Riley has earned the title of National Honoree, along with a personal award of $5,000, an engraved gold medallion, a crystal trophy for her school, and a $5,000 grant from The Prudential Foundation for a nonprofit charitable organization of her choice.