Cole Cottin, Lawrence, has joined the Peace Corps. She planned to leave July 16 for South Africa and will serve as a primary school teacher trainer and community resource volunteer.

Her training will be in a town just west of Zeerust, in the Northwest Province of South Africa.

Cottin then expects to be assigned to a rural village in either Northwest Province, Limpopo, Mpumalenga or Northern Cape, where she will work for the next two years.

Cottin will have a blog, where she’ll write about her experiences and where people can find additional information about the Peace Corps.

Her blog address is www .colejive.blogspot.com.

She is the daughter of Tom and Linda Cottin.

¢Patrick and Stacy Harper, Lawrence, announce the birth of their daughter, Kyra Delaney Harper, born July 9, 2007, at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Mo.

Her maternal grandparents are Pam Hedlund, Overland Park, and Larry and Vicki Hedlund, Leawood. Paternal grandparents are Bob and Susan Harper, Lawrence.

¢Jose and Alyson Romero, Overland Park, announce the birth of their son, Landon Jose Romero, born May 4, 2007, at Overland Park Regional Medical Center.

His maternal grandparents are Robert and Tam Smith, Overland Park. His paternal grandmother is Susan Romero, Lawrence. His great-grandmother is Joy Crouch, Liberty.

¢Erin Huntzinger, Mission, received a master’s degree in elementary education from Emporia State University in May.

She also completed her third year as a second-grade teacher in Olathe. Her parents, Tom and Pat Huntzinger, Lawrence, and her sister, Amber, Mission, attended the graduation ceremonies.

¢Heather Hinshaw, Law-rence, graduated magna cum laude from Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia on May 14. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in fashion design.

Hinshaw also received the Frank Agostino Critic Award at the college’s 2007 fashion show. During her time at Moore, Hinshaw received the Emerging Leader in the Arts Scholarship and a Board of Trustees Scholarship.

¢John Hudnall, director of the Kansas Scholastic Press Association and lecturer in journalism in the School of Journalism at Kansas University, will receive the Educator of the Year award from the Scholastic Journalism Division of the Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication.

The award is scheduled to be presented Aug. 10 during the association’s convention in Washington, D.C.

¢Knights of Columbus Council No. 1372, associated with St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, announces the election of officers for the year beginning July 1. Officers include Brian Walter, grand knight; Paul Clark, deputy grand knight; Daniel St. John, chancellor; Benedict Habiger, recorder; Gerald Denning, treasurer; Donald Nieto, advocate; Joseph Laframboise, warden; Michael Sheridan, inside guard; Valentin Romero, outside guard; Mark Klug, John Callewaert and Russell Bailey, trustees; Dorian Witte, financial secretary; and the Rev. John Schmeidler, chaplain.

¢Knights of Columbus Council No. 12960, associated with Corpus Christi Catholic Church, announces the election of officers for the year beginning July 1. Officers include T. A. Mindrup, grand knight; Mark Wertin, deputy grand knight; Ken Baldwin, chancellor; Don Boucher, recorder; Robert Gilfole, treasurer; Pete Schneider, advocate; John Anderson, warden; Bernard Judge, inside guard; Jim Lock, outside guard; Bernie Antes, Steve Rockers and Lee Rymer, trustees; Rick Anderson, financial secretary; and the Rev. Michael Mulvany, chaplain.

¢Alessandra K. McCoy, Law-rence, received a Bachelor of Arts in international relations at Boston University in May.

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Four troupes from Dance Gallery in Lawrence brought home national championships at the Odyssey national dance competition June 24 in Oklahoma City.

Top performers were Fire, teen small group; Wild Wild West, junior small group; Insanity, junior large group; and Twilight, teen duos and trios.

Eleven troupes won a platinum award, the highest designation. One group won a high gold, the next highest award.

Soloists won 16 platinum awards, one high gold and one gold award, with several earning national championships in their age groups. Soloists included Jared Klug, Chelsea Reichert, Amanda Reichert, Jessica Prather, McKenzie Kula, Erica Langwell, Mackenzie Owens, Lindsey Fangman, Alison Prather, Victoria Kaufman, Allie Howland, Anna Meissbach and MaKayla Wagner. The soloists also took part in troupe performances.

Other dancers included Ty Aldridge, Emily Arnold, Andrea Coleman, Ryan Gillihan, Kari Karnes, Kate Karnes, Melinda Landgraf and Ireland Ziegler.

The dancers qualified for the national competition by scoring well in regional competition in Omaha, Neb., in February.

¢Molly Katharine Bunch, Lawrence, was named to the chancellor’s list at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville for earning a 4.0 grade-point average during the spring 2007 semester. Bunch also was named to the dean’s list for the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. She is a freshman studying biology.

¢Taylor Anderson, Lawrence, graduated from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis., on June 10. Anderson received a Bachelor of Arts in English. Anderson served as dorm president and played tuba in the concert band all four years at the university.

Anderson graduated from Free State High School in 2003.

¢Jamie McGovern, Lawrence, was named to the Dean’s List at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash., for ranking academically in the top 10 percent of undergraduates.

She is studying psychology and Spanish, and expects to graduate in 2009. McGovern is a 2005 graduate of Free State High School.

¢Lori Strecker, Lawrence, was named to the President’s Honor Roll for earning a 4.0 grade-point average during the spring 2007 semester at Pratt Community College.

¢Eric Leuthold, Lawrence, received an Associate of Applied Science in information technology from Johnson County Community College in May. He also was named to the Dean’s List for earning a grade-point average between 3.5 and 3.99 during the spring 2007 semester.

He is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society, and is on the National Dean’s List for 2006-07. He plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in information systems technology at Ottawa University.

¢Kimberly Swanson, Mc-Louth, received a Doctor of Philosophy from Indiana University in Bloomington. She graduated in May.

¢Alexander Brunfeldt, Law-rence, was named an honor student at Indiana University in Bloomington for earning a 3.5 grade-point average or higher during the spring 2007 semester.

¢Several students from Lawrence were honored for grades achieved during the spring 2007 semester at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Dylan McClain was named to the President’s List for earning a 4.0 grade-point average. Meghan Shanks, Kristen Longanecker and Jessica Tubbs were named to the Dean’s List for earning a grade-point average between 3.5 and 3.99.

¢Sarah Smith, Tonganoxie, was selected to attend the Kansas electric cooperatives’ Youth Leadership Camp, which was scheduled for July 14-20 in Steamboat Springs, Colo. Smith was representing the Leavenworth-Jefferson Electric Cooperative Inc.

During the camp, students had the opportunity to create a mock cooperative, attend sessions featuring legislative simulations, and visit the Craig generation plant and Trapper Mine.

¢Bryan Spangler, Lawrence, graduated magna cum laude from Virginia Tech on May 11. He received a Bachelor of Science in computer science from the College of Engineering.

¢Katherine Heflin, Lawrence, graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Conn., in June. Heflin plans to attend Stanford University in the fall.

She also was named to the Deans’ List for grades achieved during the spring 2007 term. Choate Rosemary Hall is an independent secondary school.

¢Several area students graduated from Fort Hays State University last spring.

Lawrence students include Cristan J. Gottschalk, Associate of Applied Science in office technology; and Nicole L. Haynes, Bachelor of Science in organizational leadership.

Other area students include Cary L. Dreher, Basehor, B.S. in general science; Joshua E. Callahan, Baldwin City, Bachelor of Business Administration in management; Patrick Morgan Ketter, Lecompton, B.S. in biology; Aubrey W. Hier, Overbrook, Bachelor of General Studies; and Robert M. Sands, Ozawkie, Associate of General Studies. Graduates from Tonganoxie include Adam M. Doran, B.A. in sociology; Denise Jean Gibbens, B.A. in chemistry and B.S. in biology; Shae Ann Hammerland, Associate of General Studies; and Chad J. Welter, B.S. in medical diagnostic imaging.

¢John Brown, Baldwin City, has been named to the honor roll for grades achieved during the spring 2007 semester at McPherson College. He earned a grade-point average of at least 3.55.