Sounds of the season: Members and friends of the Eudora 4-H club met Dec. 6 to carol at Eudora MedicalLodges. Robyn Kelso submitted the photo.

In the swim: Swimmers representing Ad Astra Area Aquatics from Lawrence, from left, Mary Reed-Weston, Sarah Edwards, Grace McCalla and Emily Venters are pictured at the Level II Swim Meet held Dec. 4-5 in Gladstone, Mo. Patrick Norman submitted the photo.

Pizza al fresco: Bret Schacht, fifth-and-sixth grade teacher at the Prairie Moon Waldorf School, Lawrence, shows the pizza oven built by third- and fourth-graders at the school. Paul Fairchild submitted the photo.

Dino-mite birthday: Madelynn Gaggero, the granddaughter of Rick and Tammy Ziesenis of Lawrence, celebrated her 3rd birthday on Oct. 29. Also pictured with dinosaur Madelynn is her aunt Rachelle Ziesenis, of Eudora.

Tammy Ziesenis

Baker University seniors Eli Jones, center, and Katy Kendrick were recognized as Teachers of Promise during the Kansas Teacher of the Year 2011 State Awards Banquet on Nov. 20 in Wichita. At left, Merrie Skaggs, associate professor of education and chair of the School of Education undergraduate program, joined the Baker students at the banquet.

Merrie Skaggs

Trick-or-treat gang: The Craft and Farney families posed in the Japanese Friendship Garden on Halloween after trick-or-treating on Massachusetts Street. From left are Grace Farney, 7; Melanie Farney; Joey Craft, front, and Ben Farney, both 10; and Jill Craft. Grace, Joey and Ben are students are Schwegler School.

Melanie Farney

Santa’s little helper: Kate Lewis, 5 1/2 months, is ready to help Santa. Her mother, Kristel Lewis of Lawrence, submitted the photo.

Reading connection: Lisa Willard, a former USD 497 student, comes to Prairie Park School every Monday to read to kindergarten and first-grade students. On Nov. 29, she read to Mrs. Humpert’s kindergarten class. The class presented Willard with a book, “It is Not a Box.”

Leslie Campbell

Barons of trivia: Jayhawk Breakfast Rotary Club hosted a Trivia Night fundraiser on Oct. 22 at Alvamar Country Club. The Red Barons won the event. Back row, from are Aaron Blanchard, Christy Blanchard, Dee Weber, Jim Weber and Marguerite Carlson; seated, from left, are Dian Blanchard and Dale Blanchard. Not pictured are Dick Greeno, Dixie Greeno and Lisa Sanborn. Bruce Roberts submitted the photo.

Award of excellence: Gov. Mark Parkinson presented first Governor’s Excellence Awards to disability service providers. Jill Enyart, nominee of Independence Inc., is pictured Nov. 15 with the governor. Meghan Kinley submitted the photo.

5 generations: Five generations, from left, are father and son Travis and Craetyn Farmer and grandmother Judy Farmer, all of Lawrence; great-grandmother Jeanie Frank of Wellsville; and great-great-grandmother Thelma Randel of Baldwin City. Jeanie Frank submitted the photo.

Blue Thunder: The Blue Thunder 16-and-under softball team spent its sixth season exclusively playing tournaments, including the Cowtown Showdown. From left are Taylor Shuck, Amanda Mehl, Brenna Eaton, Mallory McFall, Brian McFall, Kailey Wingert, Allison McFall, Tessa Lieber, Allison Mayer and Bailie Richards. Not pictured are Rachel Kelly, Katie Clancy, Delaney Dieker and Emily Davidson.

Brian McFall

2010 graduates: Cousins Kris Dubach, left, and Josh Montgomery, both May 2010 graduates, are pictured at the Lawrence High School graduation. Dubach graduated earlier from Topeka West High School and Montgomery graduated from LHS.

Dawn Dubach

City champs: The West Junior High School eighth grade football team won the 2010 City Championship by beating all of the other city junior high schools. The photo was taken shortly after winning the city championship against Southwest Junior High School on Oct. 19 at WJHS. Fred Fergus submitted the photo.

From left, Deb Kraushaar and Karla, Ryan and Greg Wessling, all of Baldwin City, attended the Oct. 30 Kansas State football game.

Kenneth Kraushaar

Meatball soccer: The Meatballs, a team in the Kaw Valley Soccer League, U10 Division 2, coached by Randy Masten, left, and Joe Comparato, right, earned second place for the fall 2010 season.

Jonah the jack-o-lantern: Jonah Garrison, 9 months, is the son of Ryan and Erika Garrison, Kansas City, Kan., and the grandson of Dennis and Cinda Garrison, Lawrence.

Beauty and the Beast: Father and daughter Dennis and Allison Waymire, of Baldwin City, pose as Beauty and the Beast. Allison is shown at ages 5 and 14. Dennis Waymire submitted the photo.

Art lesson: Brad Sneed, regional children’s illustrator, visited with all fourth-graders in the Lawrence public schools the week of Nov. 15. Sneed shared the process of illustrating a children’s book on Nov. 15 with Prairie Park students. The presentation was funded by “Adventures in Imagination.” Leslie Campbell submitted the photo.

Sweet victory: The Kansas Women’s Rugby team is pictured Oct. 30 after a 13-0 victory over the Missouri Tigers in Columbia, Mo. Melinda Roeder submitted the photo.

Veritas Varsity Volleyball Champions! The Veritas Varsity Volleyball team played at the state Kansas Christian Athletics Association tournament Oct. 29-30 at Flint Hills Christian school in Manhattan. Veritas, formerly Douglas County Christian School, won state for the first time. Back row, from left, are head coach Kristen Oberzan; Lacy Billings, eighth grade; Kristen Finger, sophomore; Sarah McDermott, sophomore; Teri Huslig, freshman; Ali Dover, sophomore; Ellen Phillips, junior; and assistant coach Mike Bartlow; front row, Brittany Rask, junior; Shereen Fattaahi, senior; Madison Eakin, senior; Madi Bennett, sophomore; and Abi Bartlow, sophomore. Jenn Eakin submitted the photo.

Jazz trio: Lawrence friends and members of the Junkyard Jazz Band, from left, Clyde Bysom, Paul Gray and Bruce Roberts, celebrate Bysom’s 93rd birthday Oct. 21 outside the American Legion where the band plays every Thursday evening.

Bruce Roberts

Now batting: Jackson Rood, the son of Zaq and Trisha Rood of Lawrence, plays ball Nov. 1 on his third birthday. Photo submitted by Trish Rood.

Halloween Fun!: The children of David and Veronica Decker of Lawrence, from left, Bella and Alex, and Gabriel (in front), participated in a kids costume contest Oct. 29 at the Lied Center. Gabriel won the contest with a Lego costume made by his father. Photo submitted by Veronica Decker.

Pit stop: Georgia Orchard of Lawrence tightens lug nuts working as pit crew for a NASCAR racer in October at the Kansas Speedway. Photo submitted by Judy Krueger.

The KU Youth Chorus, led by Debra Hedden, associate professor of music education and music therapy, sings the national anthem Nov. 19 before the KU men’s basketball game.

Dana Landes

Oley Denmark, formerly of Lawrence, is awarded the Distinguished Service Medal & Certificate of Commendation in September by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, where he currently works as a police officer.

Sandi Denmark

Halloween party: Members of Trinity Lutheran Church’s singles group enjoyed a Halloween party at the home of Vicki Julian. From left, are Donna Wanner, Cheryl Olsen, Esther Smith, Cheryl Taylor, Mildred Pickens, Joan Martin, Nancy Reiling, Vicki Julian and Brenda Kappleman. Vicki Julian submitted the photo.

Austin on the Kaw Austin Pearson, 7 months, sits at the Kansas River on Oct. 13 near the Kansas University Row Team facility. Austin is the son of Amanda Pearson, Eudora, and Colby Pearson, Lawrence. Janene Snyder submitted the photo.

Top tractor Stuart Wakeman of the Free State High School Future Farmers of America Chapter placed in the top finals of the 2010 Chevron Delo Tractor Restoration Competition held Oct. 20-22 at the 83rd National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. Wakeman’s project was restoring a 1956 Farmall 300 Propane tractor. Mary Wakeman submitted the photo.

Super trick-or-treater Ben Pierron, “Superman,” 3, sits on the steps after his first trick-or-treating experience. He is the son of Alex and Tracy Pierron of Eudora. Tracy Pierron submitted the photo.