The University at Buffalo will host the 11th annual Safe Schools Initiative Seminar for law enforcement and schools on Monday, March 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Center for the Arts on the UB North Campus. The event is free, but registration is required.

This year's seminar - "The Role of Leadership in Making our Schools Safe" - will be led by retired U.S. Army Col. Danny R. McKnight, a distinguished and highly decorated veteran who served 28 1/2 years as a U.S. Army Ranger.

McKnight's presentation will highlight the unparalleled commitment and leadership required to be successful when executing operations in the most difficult and severe situations.

Dr. Gary D. Praetzel, the man responsible for establishing Niagara University's College of Hospitality and Tourism Management and forging NU's reputation as a worldwide leader in hospitality training, will retire at the conclusion of the academic year.

Lewiston Police Department officer Scott Stafford and his K-9, Radar, recently visited Miss Lemke's pre-kindergarten class at St. Peter R.C. School. The students learned about making healthy choices, and were excited to see Radar so well-trained.

The Niagara Catholic Jr./Sr. High School's 2014 Mardi Gras dinner and auction recently held at Antonio's Banquet Center was a huge success, raising more than $60,000 for the school. The event included a basket auction (pictured), silent auction, live auction and a dinner.

The Taste of Buffalo presented by Tops is now accepting applications for its annual scholarship program, which supports local high school seniors in pursuit of higher education in the foodservice and hospitality industries. The scholarship awards up to five winners with $1,000 each to be applied toward college education.

While the Winter Olympic Games are happening in Sochi, Russia, classes at Doodle Bugs! Children's Centers are supporting another group of athletes gearing up to compete here in Western New York.

On Thursday, Feb. 13, Niagara Falls High School will host a rescheduling of an education summit to discuss the impact of the Common Core Standards on New York state schools. One of the summit's key speakers will be Dr. Walter Polka, a Niagara University professor and former superintendent of the Lewiston-Porter Central School District.

Sean and Doreen O'Connor, chair couple for the 2014 Niagara Catholic Jr./Sr. High School Mardi Gras Dinner and Auction, stop by to admire baskets and donations put together by Cindy Williams, Patti Rougeux, Jane Macri and Maureen Olson.

This year's "Pathways to Careers" internship partnership involving Mount St. Mary's, Niagara Catholic and Niagara University featured students Mackenzie Lozina and Ryan Prawel, both of NC. The pair is shown with the displays they created and exhibited in the hospital lobby as the final component of their project.

Local author Suzanne Simon Dietz and illustrator Rex Taylor Stewart signed copies of their books in the "Johnnies Adventures" series at The Stone House in Lewiston.

Twelve classmates have joined the ranks of the University at Buffalo's first entrepreneurial boot camp for students, and up to five of them have a chance to win $8,000 in seed funding when they complete it.

Three years of exhaustive research, collaboration and consultation culminated Wednesday with the announcement by the Diocese of Buffalo of the implementation of "Faith in Tomorrow," the strategic vision for Catholic elementary schools.

The Very Rev. Richard J. Malone, bishop of Buffalo, said the diocese and The BISON Fund are collaborating on a plan to fund new scholarships for students who have applied to transfer out of low-performing Buffalo elementary schools.

"We are involved in preliminary discussions with the BISON Children's Scholarship Fund regarding a scholarship program, which could potentially increase Catholic school enrollment and positively affect the future of our elementary schools," Malone said.

Buffalo Sabres captain Steve Ott will make a special visit to the AT&T retail store in the Walden Galleria Sunday to sign autographs and, more importantly, spread the message about the dangers of texting and driving.

Niagara Catholic Jr./Sr. High School Senior students Danielle Rosini, Lauren Preti and Maria Sciarrino, pictured from left, recently represented the high school on the television show "It's Academic."

The Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University announces the next exhibition in the TopSpin Series. "Bethany Krull: Where are the Wild Things?" opens with a reception Sunday, Jan. 26, from 2-4 p.m. The exhibition runs through May 4.

The new year provides a great opportunity to review the first half of the school year and set some new academic goals for the rest of the school year ahead.

We encourage our children to make New Year's resolutions to improve academic performance, but there are plenty of resolutions parents can make that will go a long way toward supporting their children over the second half of the school year.

Assemblyman John Ceretto along with Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb welcomed Jason Cutler and Sarah Jensen, students at Niagara University, to the Assembly chambers on the opening day of the 2014 legislative session.

At one time, Olivia Gonyea was a typical student at Niagara-Wheatfield's Errick Road Elementary School. Then the unthinkable happened. When she was 8 years old, she was diagnosed with a form of cancer called Ewings sarcoma.

On Dec. 4, Starpoint Central School students, in collaboration with a handful of students from Sacred Heart Academy, visited the Sterling House Niagara, a senior living community in Wheatfield. The students brought with them 47 handmade fleece blankets, which they made for the residents over the past two months.

St. Peter R.C. School students in Lewiston decided to give back to families in need during the holiday season. Instead of exchanging gifts among themselves, the students decided to purchase new clothing and toys and household items for families in the area.

The students at St. Stephen School performed their Christmas Concert on Wednesday, Dec. 18, in the parish church.

The Lewiston-Porter Board of Education recognized Ashli Dreher for being named the 2014 New York State Teacher of the Year. Dreher is a special education teacher at Lew-Port, and the first special education teacher to receive the state designation.

Delaware North Companies, a global leader in hospitality and food service with operating companies in the lodging, sporting, airport and gaming and entertainment industries, has established an endowed $10,000 scholarship at Niagara County Community College for culinary and hospitality students.

Recently, the Junior St. Vincent DePaul Club at St. Peter R.C. School in Lewiston, under the direction of Mr. James Allen, collected nonperishable foods for the less fortunate.

Niagara Catholic Students prepared for their Thanksgiving service on Tuesday, Nov. 26. Giving thanks for all that they have in their own lives, the faculty, staff and students collected enough food and turkeys to help 12 families and three local food pantries.

Santa Claus, meet Monte the Eagle.

Jolly Old St. Nick is coming to Monteagle Ridge on Friday, Dec. 6 - St. Nicholas Day, no less - for a holiday-themed community open house.

Houghton College is the first and only college in the eastern U.S. to offer a loan repayment assistance program to all incoming first year students in the 2014-15 school year.

Niagara University presented awards to the fourth-longest tenured president in the institution's proud history and the second-largest hospital system in Western New York during its annual President's Scholarship Dinner at the Seneca Niagara Casino Hotel and Event Center.

The Niagara Catholic Jr./Sr. High School community celebrated Veterans Day with a flag-raising ceremony conducted by members of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve 914th Airlift Wing.

The Most Rev. Abune Berhaneyesus D. Souraphiel, C.M., archbishop of Ethiopia, spent most of Tuesday on the campus of Niagara University.

The Greater Niagara Ballet Co. held its most successful "Breakfast with the Sugarplum Fairy" to date on Saturday. Families packed Antonio's Banquet & Conference Center in Niagara Falls. There, they enjoyed a meal, took pictures with GNBC dancers and bid on a bevy of basket auction items. Young children took part in a dance lesson and heard a holiday story.

Niagara Catholic Jr./Sr. High School began a Chinese language and culture program this school year in collaboration with the Confucius Institute of WNY, University at Buffalo and Hanban Agency in China.

Niagara University's College of Education and SuOn College are co-hosting a training program for 24 Chinese university administrators from Oct. 28 through Nov. 11.

The Castellani Art Museum will host its third annual NU Student Culture Expo with an exhibition of student work from 7 to 9 p.m. Nov. 14.

The Lewiston Community Lions Club's fifth annual peace poster contest was recently held at the Stella Niagara Education Park. The event, chaired by Lion Marlene Craft and Lion's President Ron Craft, boated 58 entries from Stella Niagara, St. Peter's Roman Catholic and St. Peter's Lutheran schools. This year's theme for the contest was "Our World, Our Future."

This past summer, dance instructors from the Lewiston Dance Center and the Grand Island Dance Center were in New York City for the Capezio NYC Dance Teachers Summit.

Halloween is one of the most anticipated nights of the year. AlertID and the National Crime Prevention Council, home of McGruff the Crime Dog, offer tips on how families can stay safe while trick-or-treating.

In honor of Fire Prevention Month, Wee Havens Preschool in Wheatfield had members of both the Adams and St. Johnsburg volunteer fire departments at the school to teach fire prevention and fire safety.

NU's College of Hospitality and Tourism Management held its 13th annual convocation in Alumni Chapel. Sponsored by the Maid of the Mist Corp., the convocation is the college's showcase event, during which it annually honors national and international leaders in the hospitality and tourism industry.

Niagara Catholic Jr./Sr. High School recently held its annual walk-a-thon, "Car Smash," after-walk picnic, and dodgeball games as a kick-off to Homecoming Week. Students in grades 7 through 12, along with faculty and staff, were able to enjoy a rally, followed by a seven-mile walk to raise funds for their school expenses.