OU School of Art and Art History student Riley Harmon recently received international recognition for his piece entitled, “What It Is Without the Hand That Wields It,” through an article featured in an issue of Rolling Stone Italy, as well as admittance into the highly competitive ArtBots 2008 robot talent show in Dublin, Ireland.

Addressing a national nursing shortage, OBU’s International Graduate School has launched a new master of science in nursing degree program.
The new program has been bolstered by a $2.5 million grant from an anonymous donor.

Dr. Ron Sharp, U.S. government instructor at Shawnee High School, has been included in the 2008 Honors Edition of the Cambridge Who’s Who Executive, Professional and Entrepreneurial Registry.

Tobacco is now officially taboo on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater.

Debra Wilson, director of Shawnee’s Jim Thorpe Academy, will discuss with Shawnee board of education members tonight the possibility of adding to the school’s dress code for the 2008-09 school year.
The board will meet in regular session at 7 p.m. at 326 N. Union.
A proposed draft for the 2008-09 student handbook is included in the board’s agenda, and reads that dress codes “and school uniforms have been used by schools and supported by federal courts as a way to increase student discipline and improve school safety.”
Dress codes and school uniforms “improve the learning environment, eliminate gang attire and competition among gangs and communicates to students that school is a place of learning,” the draft reads.

Shawnee High School senior Laynie Henry is among 54 Oklahoma youth who graduated from the Youth Leadership Oklahoma (YLOK) Class VIII this month.
The youth were selected based on demonstrated leadership in their schools and communities.
Leadership Oklahoma created YLOK with a mission to develop young leaders who feel hope, pride and responsibility for the state’s future.

The New Lima Alumni Association will hold its 51st annual reunion July 25 and 26 in Wewoka.
Festivities will begin with the evening social and dance, which will include a potluck dinner. The dance will be held 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. July 25 at the Wewoka Trading Post, 200 N. Main.

Tri-County area students were honored for academic excellence at the Recognition of Excellence Honors Ceremony held at East Central University in Ada.
Corporate sponsor for the annual event that honors outstanding high school seniors is First United Bank and Trust Company. Education sponsors are Seminole State College and East Central University.

The second grade at Will Rogers Elementary performed the musical production “E-I-E-I-Oops!” about a barnyard with a problem — their cow won’t moo.

Recently, second graders at Will Rogers Elementary learned about how children lived in the days when Oklahoma gained statehood.

On May 22, the students and staff of Jim Thorpe Academy took a field trip to the ranch of Jeri Parker, the math and science teacher at the alternative school.

As an incoming freshman at the University of Central Oklahoma, Jordan Gilles might have to cope with massive tuition increases in each of the four years he is enrolled.

SHAWNEE, Okla.- Five Shawnee, Okla. residents received scholarships from Oklahoma Baptist University’s Warren M. Angell College of Fine Arts this spring.

SHAWNEE, Okla.- Twenty-six Shawnee area residents received bachelor’s degrees during Oklahoma Baptist University’s 2008 Spring commencement May 17 in the university’s Raley Chapel.

Grove School recently took first place at the annual Varnum Scholastic Meet, an event for students in third through sixth grades.

A University of Oklahoma alumnus embedded with U.S. soldiers in Iraq will teach from a war zone for a fall class that will use Web-based video conferencing.

Reaching their reading goal at the Tecumseh Public Library’s Summer Reading Challenge, Catch the Reading Bug, are, from left, Chantel Spencer, Noah Dorrough, John Mauldin, Timothy Dorrough and MaKayla Mauldin.

Local students who attended Boys State festivities the last week of May are pictured from left to right. Front row: Michael Maberry, Shawnee, Justin McKinnon, Bethel, Aaron Newberry, Harrah, James Casey, Bethel, Nick Flesher, Bethel, Matthew Roland, Bethel, Dakota Harris, Prague. Back row: James Bullard, Shawnee, Sean Mallory, Shawnee, Casey Coy, Bethel, Shannon Mallory, Tecumseh, Jim Amerson, Boys State Director, Tecumseh; Drew Davis, Shawnee, Chester Henderson, Tecumseh, Tanner Faulkner, McLoud, and Miles Bacon, McLoud. Boys State is an American Legion program for high school juniors.

Gordon Cooper Technology Center superintendent Marty Lewis, right, presents GCTC practical nursing instructor Darlene Griffith with the 2007-08 Non-Certified Teacher of the Year Award at a recent employee recognition luncheon.