Newfane American Legion Post No. 873 reports the American Legion and the Legion Auxiliary will soon be interviewing high school junior boys and girls for the Boys' and Girls' State. Boys' State is at Morrisville State College in Morrisville. Girls' State is at Brockport State College and is during the last week of June.

Sacred Heart Villa School, 5269 Lewiston Road, will hold an open house and registration for interested families of students' pre-K through fifth grade, on Saturday, Feb. 5, from 2 to 5 p.m.

Tony Dovolani from "Dancing with the Stars" will be one of the guest instructors at "Dancing from the Heart," a fundraiser presented by STORM to benefit the Variety Club of Buffalo. The event will be held Feb. 12 at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Buffalo.

The Lewiston Writers' Group is sponsoring a series of short story writing contests that are open to group members and the public.

The Niagara Regional Theatre Guild presents "Broadway In Concert 11 - A Place To Call Home," Jan. 21-29 (Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Jan. 23, at 3 p.m.) at The Ellicott Creek Playhouse, 530 Ellicott Creek Road, Tonawanda.

Edward Town Middle School will be presenting the musical production of "Annie" at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 28 and 29 in the Niagara-Wheatfield High School auditorium located at 2292 Saunders Settlement Road, Sanborn. Tickets are $7 and may be purchased in advance or at the door. Contact Ken Fick at 215-3150, ext. 2610, for more information.

Grand Island High School was the overall winner of the 2011 Tech Wars competition held on Wednesday, Jan. 12, at Niagara County Community College. The Vikings won for the second consecutive year with 49 points, finishing ahead of 2009 champion Lockport, which had 27 final points. Tonawanda City and Williamsville tied for third place with 22 points.

Artpark is seeking local schools, Scout groups, regional artists, and families to create fairy houses for display at Artpark's new "Fairy House Festival" on June 5. The "Fairy House Festival" will feature a tour of fairy houses throughout the woods and gardens of the park, a book signing by children's book author Tracy Kane, art activities and other "natural" fun for families to enjoy. Tickets for the festival are $5 and can be purchased in advance at www.artpark.net or by calling 754-4375.

The Niagara County Community College Art Gallery and arts and media division will present "Fabric of War; Papermaking and Printmaking as Social Engagement" from Jan. 27 to Feb. 26 in the gallery on the Sanborn campus.

Classes will begin in February for the Niagara-Wheatfield Central School District's Continuing/Community Adult Education Program. The program has grown since its inception last year, with 90 course offerings this session, compared to 47 during the fall.

Rocco Landesman, chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, announced Nov. 24 that Niagara County Community College has been approved for a grant of $10,000 to support "Fibers and Content: Papermaking and Printmaking as Social Engagement."

The Niagara-Wheatfield Board of Education continued budget preparations at its Jan. 5 meeting with reports on possible cuts from its elementary schools.

The Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University will begin offering a free docent tour to the public on the third Saturday of the month. The first tour is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 15, at 2 p.m.

The Niagara County Community College Professional Development Committee will hold Professional Development Days for faculty at the college this month.

For this year's Christmas project, the students of St. Peter's Lutheran School, Sanborn, decided they wanted to help those in the local area. Each class collected personal care items, such as soap, shampoo and washcloths, which were sorted and put into men's and women's cloth carrying bags made by staff members. They were taken to local shelters to help those in need.

The Kaegebein Playground Committee has announced that it will hold its second fundraiser for the establishment of a new playground at the school. A Chiavetta's chicken barbecue will take place from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 11, at the school, located at 1690 Love Road.

Niagara University will host its first-ever First Responders Appreciation Day on Sunday, Jan. 9. As part of the celebration, all local police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians are being offered two complimentary tickets to the men's basketball game that afternoon (2 p.m.) between the Purple Eagles and MAAC rival Siena.

"The Best of NU," an all-new set of classes that enlists Niagara University's top professors to present their best two hours on a topic that they would love to teach, highlights the university's winter/spring 2011 schedule of continuing education courses.

This year, for a special holiday treat, the Veronica E. Connor Middle School PTA funded the production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," presented by the Hampstead Stage Theatre Company of New Hampshire. This two-actor traveling show portrayed the traditional story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his interaction with the Cratchit family, as well as the ghosts that change Scrooge's views on others one Christmas Eve.

Two fundraising events at Island schools are scheduled for 2011.

Niagara University's Family Business Center will hold an eighth anniversary celebration and awards reception on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011, at Rich's Renaissance, One Robert Rich Way, Buffalo.

Members of the Lewiston Dance Center were busy over the holidays, taking part in the Village of Lewiston Christmas tree lighting - where students danced outdoors in the falling snow - and performing at the Niagara Falls Fireman's Fund Telethon.

Santa Claus visits with children at the Town of Porter Story Hour earlier this month at one of two pre-Christmas party gatherings held at the Youngstown Free Library.

In an effort to reach as many families in the community as possible, regardless of their economic situation, the Kids Count After School Enrichment Program held at the First Presbyterian Church in Youngstown will lower its rates to $2 per child per day. The new rates will take effect on Jan. 3, 2011.

As she does each year, Grand Island Town Councilwoman Mary Cooke returned to the town's coffers her medical care bonus, which the town offers to those who decline the town's coverage.

The Lewiston Public Library, 305 S. Eighth St., in the Village of Lewiston, announces the following programs, events and activities for the month of January 2011.

Richard A. Zachary II, formerly of Ransomville, was among 34 who graduated from the Missouri Southern Law Enforcement Academy at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Mo., on Dec. 16. Zachary attended the full-time, 18-week course during the day and worked full time at night at the Jasper County Sheriff's Department.

Sacred Heart Villa School in Lewiston announces the following students have been named to its honor roll for the first quarter of the 2010-11 academic year.

Tina Seager's first-grade class greets a special visitor to Colonial Village Elementary School. The children had a photo taken with Santa and received a holiday gift from the Colonial Village Parent-Teacher & Community Group. (photos by Marc Carpenter)

Niagara Charter School's second-grade classes recently exchanged gifts, song and smiles with the residents of Woodlands Senior Village in Wheatfield.

Students from Grand Island High School gave back to their community Tuesday by lending a hand to the Grand Island Neighbors Foundation Christmas food drive.

It's a win-win situation when middle schoolers and elementary students can team up to benefit their larger community.

The high honor, honor and merit rolls for the first marking period at Niagara-Wheatfield Senior High School have been announced.

DiMino's Lewiston Tops has announced the winners of its 2010 Christmas Coloring Contest. Sponsored in part by Niagara Frontier Publications, a variety of prizes were awarded to the top four winners in three age groups.

Students from the Lewiston Dance Center have been very busy this holiday season. The studio is involved in a number of community activities with its newly established Dance Performance Group.

On Saturday, Dec. 4, West Street Elementary School held its second annual Breakfast with Santa.

Robert H. Healy, a 30-year member of the U.S. Air Force, has been named veterans services coordinator at Niagara University.

Time to Dance studio's annual Christmas show and basket auction will be held Saturday, Dec. 18, at the Niagara Falls High School Performing Arts Center, 4455 Porter Road, Niagara Falls.

Lewiston-Porter Middle School announces the following students have been named to its high honor, honor and merit rolls for the first quarter of the 2010-11 academic year.