Rhonda Cundiff of Oakdale Elementary School has been named a Peabody Energy Leader in Education for the 2012-13 school year, and awarded $1,000 for her compassion and commitment to students.

She was presented with the award at a surprise assembly on Monday.  According to Peabody,

As Oakdale’s custodian, Cundiff takes her role in the school above and beyond her call of duty. She leads the school’s rewards system, in which students, including at-risk and disabled children, get the chance to work with her on school grounds and contribute to the school’s daily operations. She developed the School News Bulletin Board that is on display in the cafeteria, and utilizes student reporters to post information on a weekly basis and introduce new students. Rhonda keeps students motivated and teaches them about what it takes to keep a school running.

The Indiana House of Representatives Committee on Employment, Labor and Pensions has unanimously approved a bill inspired by a 13-year-old Newburgh resident.

Senate Bill 153, authored by State Sen. Vaneta Becker (R-Evansville) and sponsored by State Rep. Suzanne Crouch (R-Evansville), would create an exemption in Indiana's child labor laws to allow Hoosiers younger than age 14 to work as youth athletic program referees, umpires or officials. It passed the committee 12-0.

Evansville Holy Rosary Catholic School student Matthew Burkart of Newburgh asked Becker and Crouch to carry the legislation after he was turned away from taking a referee job or even volunteering as an official for a local soccer club. Burkart testified in both the Senate and House committee hearings.

After 19 years of selflessly serving the American Red Cross volunteer, Deannie Hall, is retiring. Hall began volunteering with the Red Cross in 1994. Since that time she has participated in numerous training courses and also has been extremely active in helping with disasters throughout her own community and around the nation.

Hall was an active part of DAT – or Disaster Action Team for numerous years, along with being active on national assignments.  She has traveled to provide assistance in multiple hurricanes, tornadoes, typhoons, wildfires, explosions, and windstorms across the country.