Twenty eighth-graders have been selected to form the initial class for the PIECE Project, a Lawrence Chamber of Commerce program designed to provide lifelong leadership development and community service skills for high school students. The program is sponsored by the chamber and Sunflower Bank.

Members of the inaugural class for PIECE – that’s for Peer Involvement Enhancing Community Effort – will be honored as part of the chamber’s annual Leadership Lawrence graduation, set for 7:30 a.m. Friday in the ballroom at the Kansas Union.

Members of the class are Morgan Banning, Owen Blackwood, Cole Carter, Elisa Coffey, Delany Dieker, Briana Edmo, Reed Grabill, Kirstyn Heine, Rachael Hodison, Erin Ice, Sara King, Stefan Kuczera, Trevor Leslie, Kaitlin McKinney, Grace Miller, Kara Mishler, Reilly Moore, Phebe Myers, Kylie Puckett and Lucas Smith.

In September, as ninth-graders, the students will begin participating in sessions devised to encourage a better understanding of their community, development of leadership skills, the desire to get involved with community efforts, and an improved sense of self.