Community news
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Air Force appointment
Mitch Metzler, grandson of Helen Richard of Olpe and the late Paul Richard, Jr., has been appointed to the Class of 2012 at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Mitch, a 2007 graduate of Hayden High School in Topeka, received the school’s “Hayden Award” in recognition of citizenship, academics, and athletics, and was named “Distinguished Male Athlete” his senior year. A four-year starting varsity catcher for the Hayden Wildcats baseball team, Metzler earned Class 4A first-team All-State, All-Centennial League, and All-City honors. Metzler was also known in Topeka among youth bowlers where his credits include two perfect 300 games and an 847 series.
A member of the National Honor Society, Mitch is the son of Brad and Mary (Richard) Metzler of Topeka. He was nominated to the Air Force Academy by U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda.
He is the nephew of ESU basketball hall of famer Carolyn Richard Davis of Olpe and ESU professor Nancy Albrecht. Paternal grandparents are Carl and Joyce Metzler of Topeka.
Completes astronaut program
James Olsson, son of Ron and Jenny Olsson, graduated July 4 from Level 1 of the Future Astronaut Training Program at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson.
The week-long introductory astronaut camp is for students entering grades 7 through 10 and emphasizes teamwork, leadership and problem solving.
Throughout the week, campers train in space simulators — the centrifuge, multi-axis trainer, space shuttle simulator (“Falcon III”) and stress simulator — and practice spacewalk rescues, launch homemade rockets, direct a robotic mission and learn night sky observation techniques.
For more information about FATP, contact Laurie Givan at (800) 397-0330, Ext. 323 or visit the Cosmosphere Web site at http://www.cosmo.org.