Jason and Kara Spurling, Olathe, announce the birth of a daughter, Maryn Mackenzie Spurling, born March 19, 2004, at Providence Medical Center in Kansas City, Kan. She has a sister, Rachel, 1. Maternal grandparents are Janice Richardson and Mike Richardson, both of Lawrence. Paternal grandparents are Merl and Karla Spurling, Grantville. Great-grandmother is Alice Richardson, Shawnee.

• Oskaloosa High School announces its “Students of the Month” for March. They are Matt Grigsby and Julia Gaeckler, seniors; Megan Crawford, junior; and Carol Allen, freshman. They were recognized for their positive contributions in the school and community. They were treated to lunch at a Lawrence restaurant.
• Kathryn Risk will celebrate her 90th birthday with an open house from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. April 24 at First Christian Church, 1000 Ky. Risk is the former owner of Risk Laundry and a 20-year employee of Kansas University. Her children, Peggy Hulteen, Janiece Scribner and Tom Risk, invite friends and family to help her celebrate. She requests no gifts.
• The Lawrence Accredited Music Teachers Assn. will present two recitals on Thursday at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H.

Students who will perform at 7 p.m. are Brittany Limones, Ian Zylstra, Mariam Ali, Alita Joseph, Alexis Junge, Willie Johnson, Maria Harrison, Patrick Keizer, Maryanne Smith, Bryson Hewins, Katie Smith, Jackie Hewins, Emily Keizer, Dravid Joseph, Jake Hash and Luke Rhodes.

Students who will perform at 7:50 p.m. are Caroline Dong, Lindsey Pratte, Karen McCain, Cameron Pratte, Madeleine Hale, Sarah Hirschey, Danni Wang, Hannah Lusk, Angelica Wade, Maddelyn Bailey, Michael Penny, Hsin-Yi Pan, Maxwell Gregoire, Addison Frei and Baoqing Zhou.

The students represent the studios of Eleanor Allen, Jennifer Barker, Eleanor Basgall, Carol Cook, Elaine de SanMiguel, Jean Drumm, Sue Evans, Sylvia Frank, Sarah Higgins, Sue Kwak and Virginia Penny.

• The Midwest Parent Educators Assn. is meeting this weekend at the Overland Park Convention Center. Jeanne Luedke, musician and master Suzuki piano educator, will be the keynote speaker. Her topics will include, “Give Your Child More Of What They Need and Less Of What They Want,” and “The Importance Of Convictions, Which Give Your Parenting Confidence.” Julia Munson and Ben Munson, Lawrence pianists, will perform during the event. A follow-up session will be offered to the public at 7 p.m. May 2 at Westside Presbyterian Church in Lawrence. For more information, call 841-1571.
• Mark Larson, a member of the Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence, will be receiving the Social Justice Award from the Prairie Star District of the Unitarian Universalist Assn. Larson is being honored for his many years of advocacy for the disenfranchised, hungry and homeless. He will receive the award at the annual conference of the Prairie Star District on April 24 in Kansas City, Mo.
• Barbara Padget, Lawrence, has received the Jackie Engel Award for 2004. Padget teaches journalism, newspaper, yearbook and AP language/composition at Topeka High School. Her students nominated her for the award.
• Free State High School students Joel Angelone, Emilie Humbarger and Amy Jones have received renewable scholarships from the University of Missouri-Rolla for the 2004-2005 school year.
• A retirement reception for Terry Tuckwin, Woodlawn kindergarten teacher and a Lawrence Teacher of the Year, and Leona Campbell, a longtime school volunteer, will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. April 29 in the multi-purpose room at Woodlawn School, 508 Elm St.