Helen and David Strickland, Lawrence, announce the birth of their son, John Caden, born Aug. 8, 2006, at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. His siblings are Caroline Kelton, 6; Steven Strickland, 6; and Blake Strickland, 4.

His maternal grandparents are Francis and Teresa Pondrom, Solomons Island, Md. His paternal grandparents are Carol Strickland and Richard Strickland, both of Lawton, Okla. His great-grandparents are Marie Strickland and Vivian Cooper, both of Lawton.

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Gerry and Kirstin Wiechert Novak, Overland Park, announce the birth of their second daughter, Addison Frances Novak, on Sept. 10, 2006. Addy’s older sister is Ainsley, 18 months. Grandparents include Allen and Sandra Wiechert, Lawrence, and Millie Novak, Madison, Wis. Her great-grandmother is Serena Eastburn, Lawrence.

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The Perry-Lecompton High School Singers will present a gospel concert fundraiser at 3 p.m. Sunday at the theater in the school, 404 Lecompton Road, Perry. The band Damascus Road will perform from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Suggested donation at the door is $2. All proceeds will be used for the singers’ trip to New York City in March.

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Amy Cooper, a teacher at Baldwin Junior High School, attended a workshop at Emporia State University to learn how to improve student achievement as measured by state assessments.

The workshop, called “Red White & Blue Data Analysis,” was organized by the Jones Institute for Educational Excellence and conducted Monday at Emporia State. The one-day workshop drew more than 60 administrators and teachers from across the state. Cooper also attended the workshop “Hitting the Bullseye: Articulating Local Curriculum from the Kansas Standards” on Tuesday at Emporia State.

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Cordley School won the second-place trophy in the K-6 section of the Fort Osage High School chess tournament Oct. 14 in Independence, Mo. Receiving individual medals were Eddie Wilson, fifth grade, sixth; Zach Curran, sixth grade, 12th; Ian Gent, sixth grade, 16th; and Byron McClelland, fifth grade, 20th.

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Casey Davis, a student at Tonganoxie High School, is a candidate for Hiawatha Halloween queen. She is the daughter of Gary and Donna Davis, and she is sponsored by Chet and Doris Davis.

Davis’ activities and honors include National Honor Society, 4-H Council and club president, FFA chapter president, 4-H Beef Herdsmanship Award and KLWN Good Manners Award.

The competition is sponsored by the Hiawatha Chamber of Commerce. The winner will be crowned Oct. 31, and the queen and her court will lead a parade beginning at 7 p.m. Eleven girls are competing for a $500 scholarship, which is sponsored by Rainbow Communications. A $250 scholarship and a $150 scholarship also will be awarded.

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Allegra Fisher, pianist, and Kyle Underhill, alto saxophone player, both of Perry, will perform with the Washburn University Jazz Ensemble I at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in White Concert Hall, Garvey Fine Arts Center, on the Washburn campus. The event is free. Craig Treinen directs the group. For more information, call (785) 670-1511.

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Deputy Jason Grems, of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, received the 2006 Kansas State Grange Policeman of the Year award. The presentation was made at the Kansas State Grange annual awards banquet Sept. 15 in Emporia. Grems was recognized for his commitment and dedication to his work and to the welfare of the residents of Douglas County. Grems also received the New Century Grange Citizen of the Year award in June.

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Matthias Heilke, Lawrence, won a Davis Scholarship to attend the Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific. Heilke is one of 50 U.S. students selected in a national competition to represent the United States at United World College schools this fall. Heilke now attends the college, which is a boarding school for 11th- and 12th-grade students in British Columbia, Canada.

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Jacqueline A. Dubois received the 2006-2007 graduate fellowship from the American Meteorological Society and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. With the fellowship, Dubois will pursue a master’s degree in meteorology at the University of Oklahoma. She is the daughter of Martin and Twyla Dubois, Lawrence, and recently received a bachelor’s degree in meteorology from the University of Oklahoma.