Academics
Kiri Gulko of the Kiev Left-Bank Branch, in Kiev, Ukraine, was among 15 Ukrainian high school students selected to participate in the Presidential Classroom Program 1993 held recently in Washington, D.C. Along with 300 American students, the Ukrainians spent a week learning about politics, economics, law, and human rights in the United States. Kiri, 15, was among the first Ukrainians to join the Church in Kiev. She is active in Young Women and seminary, and is the chorister in sacrament meeting.
Amy Bennett of the Madison 2nd Ward, Madison Wisconsin Stake, was featured on NBC-TV's "Name Your Adventure" program in November as she became "principal for a day" at East High School in Madison, where she is a senior. "I was able to see issues from the teachers' point of view," she said of her nationally televised experience. "It's all about being fair and open minded." Amy talked to students about issues such as attendance, parking and school safety. She also addressed a student assembly about what she learned from the experience.
Tyler Grandil, 20, was elected vice president of the Future Farmers of America Western Region at the National FFA Convention at Kansas City in November. He and the other five national officers will make hundreds of appearances on behalf of the FFA during their term in office. They will meet with representatives of government, business, education and agriculture. Tyler is a sophomore at Arizona State University, majoring in agricultural business management. A convert of less than two years, he is a member of the Lazona Ward, Mesa Arizona Pueblo Stake.
Athletics
Heather Christensen of the Kirkland 4th Ward, Kirkland Washington Stake, recently led the Washington State District 9 Big League Girls Fastpitch team to the World Series championships at Mesa, Ariz. In the World Series, she gave up only three runs in three games and had 35 strikeouts. At Juanita High School, she pitched two no-hitters. She will pitch for Washington State University this spring.
Winston Bascom of the Roundup Branch, Billings Montana East Stake, won the 1993 Montana High School Rodeo Saddle Bronc Championship. He also placed sixth in bull riding and 12th in team roping at the state event.
Mike Domm, a priest in the Brighton Ward, Rochester New York Stake, has been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Secondary Schools Boys' All-America Team. After breaking the Monroe County record for scoring in a career, the mid-fielder for Brighton High School in Rochester also made the All-New York State first team and was the Greater Rochester Player of the Year. He scored 55 goals in league play during his career to set the record. He also plays varsity lacrosse and basketball.
Chad Rice, a priest in the Arlington Heights 1st Ward, Schaumburg Illinois Stake, was named to the Mid-Suburban Chicago All-Area Conference football team as an offensive tackle. As a blocker for Wheeling High School, he graded out at 90 percent efficiency. He also played on defense where he had 17 tackles and two sacks, and was a team captain. In the classroom, Chad is a straight-A student. At 6-foot-4, he is also a mainstay on the Wheeling basketball team. His high school coach praised him for his consistency and said he didn't miss a play on offense or defense all season.
Service
Anne Rudd of the Garden Grove 7th Ward, Garden Grove California Stake, was part of a delegation of nurse midwives participating in the Citizen Ambassador Program in Russia, Romania, and the Czech Republic recently. The group exchanged information on maternal and child health care with counterparts in the countries they visited. Sister Rudd is a certified nurse midwife in California and was trained in England and South Carolina. She also attended the 23rd Triennial International Congress of Midwives in Vancouver, British Columbia, as part of the American Delegation last May.
Ramona Bigger, counselor in the Scranton Pennsylvania Stake Relief Society presidency, was recently honored as National Volunteer of the Year by Veterans of the Vietnam War, Inc. She earned the honor for outstanding service to the organization's Post 51 in Hughesville, Pa. Nominations for the award were received from all 50 states, Canada and Australia. She and her family were guests of the veterans group at the dedication of the Women's Memorial in Washington, D.C., and at a special luncheon where her award was presented.
Missionaries
Robert and Patricia Whiteley of the Hunter's Creek Ward, Orlando Florida South Stake, claim five missionaries serving from their family at the same time. The group includes their mothers and three sons. Their oldest son, Andrew, is serving in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission; second son, Mitchell, is in the Poland Warsaw Mission; and third son, Michael, is in the Germany Dresden Mission. Sister Whiteley's mother, Lucinda Hansen, is serving in the England London South Mission. Brother Whiteley's mother, June Whiteley, is serving in the Texas Forth Worth Mission.
Centenarians
Lucille Frandsen Averett of the Riverview Ward, Emmett Idaho Stake, turned 100 years old on Dec. 4, 1993. She was born in Mt. Pleasant, Utah, the fourth child of Willard Lauritz and Bothilda Hansen Frandsen. She married J. Lavar Averett on Aug. 22, 1914. She attended Brigham Young University where she certified to teach school. Sister Averett now lives in Emmett, Idaho, where her friends continue to include her in Church, Daughters of Utah Pioneers, and senior citizens activities. She has one son, Jack, one granddaughter and two great-grandchildren.
Nora Elizabeth Carter Reed of the New River Ward, New River Virginia Stake, celebrated her 100th birthday last Christmas. She was born to Charlie Floyd and Anna Farley Carter near Pembroke, Va., on Dec. 25, 1893. She married Zack Radford (Jack) Reed in May 1913 and had 10 children. She raised her family on a farm in Virginia. Sister Reed, a convert, was baptized in August 1988. Five of her children are still living. She has 26 grandchildren, 45 great-grandchildren and 24 great-great-grandchildren.
Minnie Curtis Dawson of the Alpine Branch, Pleasant Grove Utah Stake, turned 100 years old on Jan. 9. She was born to Sarah Elizabeth Winward and Heber John Curtis in Payson, Utah, and married Harry Dawson in August 1920. She has three sons, eight grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren. On June 11, 1993, Sister Dawson carried the torch in the Olympiatrics, which had more than 200 participants from throughout Utah. She also has won awards for her poetry and was a nurse until she was 80 years old.
Professional
Richard W. Owens of the Edgemont 9th Ward, Provo Utah Edgemont North Stake, received the Distinguished Service Award from the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) at its 75th Anniversary annual meeting. AFBF Pres. Dean R. Kleckner cited Brother Owens for more than 35 years of service to agriculture as a legislative analyst and administrator with the California Farm Bureau and as chief administrator of the American Farm Bureau. The award ceremony took place during the convention's general session attended by more than 6,000 farmers from throughout the United States on Jan. 11. Brother Owens, an Ogden, Utah, native, graduated from Utah State University and did post-graduate work at the University of California at Berkeley. He retired in 1979 to serve a mission in Hawaii and has since been a consultant to the board of directors of the Utah Farm Bureau. Among his callings in the Church, he has served as a bishop and counselor in a stake presidency.
Education
Bryant E. Rossiter, an associate professor of chemistry at BYU, has received a Humboldt Fellowship in chemistry. He was given the research fellowship for his study of the structure and properties of several species of organometallic molecules using advanced computational and spectroscopic tools. Brother Rossiter and his family will leave in April for Germany where he will spend a year working at the University of Erlangen-Nuremburg. He will also spend part of his time lecturing on his research at different universities in Europe. Brother Rossiter is a member of the Edgemont 20th Ward, Provo Utah Edgemont Stake.
John S. Tanner, an associate academic vice president at BYU, has received the James Holly Hanford Award for the most distinguished book on John Milton published in 1992. The honor was presented by The Milton Society of America at a recent banquet in Toronto. The award winning book was Anxiety In Eden, published by Oxford University Press. Milton is well known for his book Paradise Lost. Brother Tanner has been invited to speak on his award-winning book at Duke University in April. He is president of the Brigham Young University 4th Stake.
