On November 7 lifelong Newtown resident and 2000 Newtown High School graduate Elana Bertram, daughter of Virginia Bertram, was sworn in to practice law at the Connecticut Supreme Court in Hartford. Ms Bertram graduated magna cum laude from Quinnipiac University School of Law, Hamden, on May 15, with a concentration in intellectual property law. Ms Bertram also earned her bachelor of arts in biological sciences from Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, Mass, in 2004. Ms Bertram is a registered patent agent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. She is also active with the Economic Development Commission for Newtown and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Conservation Advisory Council. She also founded Hawley Legal Resources, LLC.

Kyle Droniak of Sandy Hook was one of 15 Eastern Connecticut State University students who received awards at the National Association for Campus Activities regional conference in Hartford, between November 17 and 19. Kyle is majoring in business administration at the college.

Local residents were named to the Dean’s List at the Savannah College of Art and Design for fall quarter 2011. Full-time undergraduate students who earn a grade point average of 3.5 or above for the quarter receive recognition on the Dean’s List, according to the college. Newtown residents Paige Olson and Lindsay Rosentrater, and Sandy Hook resident Hannah Eckhardt were named on the list.

Brianna Carey and Elizabeth Obrien of Newtown and Michelle Rahtelli of Sandy Hook participated in the Marist College “Up ‘til Dawn” fundraiser for S. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., in November.

Also at Marist, Newtown residents Kathleen Odell and Brianna Carey and Sandy Hook residents Danielle Villa and Jennifer Smith participated in the college’s annual Run/Walk for Hunger Month.

Brian Miles has earned a master of education degree in psychology from Springfield College, Springfield, Mass, for studies completed in 2011.

Three area residents were recently named to the fall honor roll and high honor roll at the Loomis Chaffee School, Windsor. Shannon Deveney of Newtown, a sophomore, received recognition on the school’s honor roll, while seniors Francis Afriyie and Valerie Szabo, both of Sandy Hook, received recognition on the school’s high honor roll.