Tewksbury Memorial High School junior Stephanie Tam has been awarded first place in the statewide VFW Massachusetts Voice of Democracy Scholarship Program. Sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8164 in Tewksbury, she will now travel to Washington, D.C., and be one of 54 finalists vying for the $30,000 scholarship the national winner will receive on Feb. 26. About 40,000 entrants wrote and recorded a three- to five-minute essay on the theme “My Responsibility to America.’’

Element Care, a nonprofit health care group, has named Karen Turnquist as center manager of its Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly in Methuen. Turnquist has worked with senior populations for 25 years in various care centers. She holds a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of New Hampshire and a master’s degree in health care administration from Framingham State College. “Karen brings a wide array of skills and experiences at leading institutions and facilities to our program.’’ said Liz Agnes, director of center operations at Element Care. “With her passion for caring for the elderly and direct experience in home care and skilled nursing facilities, she will be an invaluable asset to our team and our participants.’’

Stephen J. Feron will serve as chairman for the 25th annual Walk for HAWC, which raises funds and awareness for the Salem-based domestic violence prevention program, Healing Abuse Working For Change. The walk will be held April 30 at the Salem Common. HAWC served more than 2,700 people last year, and more than 1,000 people participated in last year’s walk. Feron, a Hamilton resident, is a former board president and current managing partner of Johnson O’Connor Feron & Carrucci LLP, an accounting firm.

Todd Higgins has been named director of the Gallaudet University Regional Center at Northern Essex Community College. The partnership with Washington, D.C.-based Gallaudet is designed to provide NECC students with the opportunity to enroll in undergraduate and graduate programs that focus on the educational and professional needs of the deaf and hard of hearing. Higgins has served as a deaf community adviser at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and as a specialist at San Francisco State University.

The Marblehead Art Association is searching for talent to fill its galleries in the 2018 calendar year. Proposals for a solo gallery exhibit are due at 4 p.m. April 7. In order to be considered, artists must be juried members of the MAA, which reviews all new member applications on April 11. For more information, look under the Exhibitor Information tab at marbleheadarts.org.

Haverhill High School has 28 seniors with enough class credits for early graduation. Though they won’t receive their diplomas until May, the students were honored at an Early College Recognition Ceremony on Feb. 8.The program, a partnership between Haverhill High School and Northern Essex Community College, allows students to earn both high school and college credits for certain classes.

Samson Amore can be reached at samson.amore@globe.com.