Mitchell Morris, a junior at Purcell Marian High School, had a chance to give something back to Springer School where he was a student before going to Purcell.

Morris spoke to about 500 people during a fund-raiser for his alma mater at Great American Ball Park, following a Reds-Cubs game.

He has successfully made the transition from Springer School, which specializes in helping children with learning disabilities, to Purcell, where he competes on the school's wrestling team, and participates in community outreach programs as a tutor for children at Kilgour Elementary School.

"My dad always told me that life is a stepping stone, and you have to take it one step at a time. You can't skip any because you might fall," Morris said. "Springer and Purcell Marian are stepping stones in my life that prepare me for college and life after."

School officials said the fund-raiser was extremely successful.

"He (Morris) serves as a positive example of Purcell Marian's mission to educate young men and women in the Christian tradition with a holistic curriculum designed to meet the needs of students from diverse backgrounds," said Bridget Kelley, director of marketing and recruiting at Purcell.

Nine people will receive the Faith in Action Award at 7 p.m. Tuesday during the 89th annual Dinner Meeting and Delegates Assembly of the Council of Christian Communions.

They are: Ethel Buckner, a volunteer for Hospice Cincinnati; Annie P. Hicks, a volunteer at Peace Baptist Church and South Avondale School; Rev. Wendell Mettey, founder of Matthew 25 Ministries, which gives humanitarian aid to depressed foreign countries; Mary Moyer, who volunteers to take food to the sick and shut-in in West Chester;

Polly and Roland Sedziol, who maintain a youth book repository at Montgomery Baptist Church; Rick A. Segal, CEO of HSR Business To Business, who volunteers to do public relations for the Rev. Billy Graham Mission; R.J. Spiess, a volunteer at Holy Family Catholic Church and Michael Walpole, a volunteer for WestFED Habitat For Humanity.

The event will be in the Banquet Hall at Jordan Crossing, formerly Swifton Mall, 7030 Reading Road, Bond Hill.

The public is invited.

Three hundred volunteers worked along a hillside on Eastern Avenue to complete two homes for Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity.

At 2 p.m. Sunday, the homes were dedicated to the Terry Adams family of four and the Marcia Ragland family of four.

The homes are located at 4359 and 4361 Eastern Ave., Columbia Tusculum.

Allen Howard's "Some Good News" column runs Sunday-Friday. If you have suggestions about outstanding achievements, or people who are uplifting to the Tristate, let him know at 768-8362, at ahoward@enquirer.com or by fax at 768-8340.