R.K. Wild won first place in the adult category of the Planning Department's photo contest for "Silver Spring Twilight." (Courtesy Of R.k. Wild)

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad honored volunteers at the Montgomery County Fire Rescue Training Academy's recent graduation with the following awards:

· Willa K. Little award: Wilder Leavitt for being the top academic student in his Emergency Medical Technician-Intermediate class, in which volunteers commit 540 hours to learning to treat life-threatening conditions and administer drugs to patients.

· Richard B. Thompson award: Caitlin Baum and Andrew Uza for top academic performance in their respective Emergency Medical Technician-Basic classes, in which volunteers commit more than 120 hours to learning how to assess patients, perform basic life support and use automated external defibrillators.

The National Association of Election Officials recognized the Montgomery County Board of Elections with the 2008 Minute Man Award in August at the association's 24th annual conference in Dallas.

The board received the award for its quick and inexpensive creation of the "closer election judge" position, a part-time pollworker who helps full-time judges turn in election materials at the end of Election Day.

The NAACP's Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics honored Paint Branch High School senior Michael Mekonnen and Gaithersburg High School senior Joshua Sommerville with medals at its 30th annual national competition in Orlando on Aug. 3. The competition awards gold, silver and bronze medals to African American youths who have won a local gold medal in one of 25 academic and artistic categories. Mekonnen won silver for mathematics, and Sommerville won gold for contemporary instrumental music.

Montgomery Blair High School senior Edward Gan was one of four U.S. high school students to win a gold medal at this year's International Physics Olympiad in Hanoi in July. Gan was selected for the competition's U.S. team after a two-phase national contest and a 10-day training camp with coaches chosen by the American Association of Physics Teachers in College Park. A blog of the students' journey is available at http://www.aapt-physicsteam.blogspot.com.

Dan Dionisio, chairman of the Olney Boys and Girls Community Sports Association, was honored with the 2008 Hershey's STRIVE Volunteer of the Year Award by the National Council of Youth Sports last month. Dionisio was selected for his 20 years of work with the association as a coach, board member and chairman, and for his efforts to build the association's 118-acre community park at Freeman Fields. Under his leadership, the association has grown to include nearly 7,000 athletes. Dionisio received a $2,500 donation for the association from the sports council and citations from U.S. Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.), Gov. Martin O'Malley (D), state Sen. Rona E. Kramer (D-Montgomery), Del. Anne R. Kaiser (D-Montgomery), Del. Karen S. Montgomery (D-Montgomery) and Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D).

-- Compiled by SARAH MARSTON