An award-winning author on children's health and nutrition will visit several Wyoming communities in coming months, and the Wyoming PTA is urging parents and teachers to take advantage of this great opportunity.

Dayle Hayes has been actively involved in improving school nutrition environments across the United States, and her presentations in Wyoming are being funded by the Wyoming Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's "Team Nutrition" effort in Wyoming.

The PTA recognizes good nutrition as a key component in creating healthy and productive individuals. Wyoming PTA President Jane Ampe of Casper encourages parents and teachers to take this opportunity to hear Hayes entertaining presentations and positive solutions to everyday nutrition problems.

"As the school districts around the state continue work on their "Wellness" policies we encourage parents to get involved in learning about nutrition and the plans taking place in their local districts," said Ampe.

Hayes' presentations will focus on how we can improve nutrition and physical activity for children at home, at school and in the community, according to an announcement from Team Nutrition project director Jody Bogus in Cheyenne. Hayes will give two presentations in most communities n an evening overview session and full-day session n to allow community members the option of attending one or both sessions.

Continuing education credit is available, Bogus said.

Locations and dates of Hayes' presentations are:

· Cheyenne n April 24

· Rock Springs n May 2-3

· Lander n May 10

· Gillette n May 12-13

· Casper n Oct. 10-12

For more information and to register, contact Jody Bogus, Team Nutrition Project Director, {M7teamnutritionwyo@aol.com, or contact Pat Fetsco at the Wyoming Department of Education at (307) 777-6281.

*WWCC PLANS CAREER FAIR: Western Wyoming Community College's Student Development Center will host the college's annual Career Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday in the atrium. The fair is free to employers and job seekers and is open to the public as well as to WWCC students.

According to director Kim Drane-Nash, the SDC Career Assessment and Placement department has designed this year's fair as a hiring fair rather than an informational fair. Mark Rembacz, Career Assessment and Placement coordinator, reported that about 30 employers have reserved booths for the Career Fair and that other employers wishing to hire full-time, part-time or seasonal workers are encouraged to call. "We have lined representatives of local oil and gas industries, state agencies such as the Wyoming Departments of Corrections and Family Services, federal agencies such as the Bureau of Land Management, local merchants and healthcare professionals," Rembacz said. "Employers at this year's Career Fair should have positions open and should contact either me or Brenda Haskins at 382-1646 as soon as possible," he added.

Students and employers interested in internships are also encouraged to contact either Rembacz or Heather Hardy at 382-1828 in the Student Development Center.

*CHEYENNE YOUTH EARNS EAGLE: Matthew Lantz was honored for attaining the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in the Boy Scouts, recently at the First Congressional Church in Cheyenne.

His scoutmaster and father, Mark Lantz of Troop 216, presented the Eagle Award.

He is the son of Mark and Tammy Lantz of Cheyenne and is the ranking member of Troop 216, sponsored by the Grace United Methodist Men's Club.

He has earned 38 Merit Badges to date and will be presented his first Eagle Scout Palm, which is an award earned only by Eagle Scouts for earning more Merit Badges than required to reach the plateau of Eagle Scout.

He was a member of Longs Peak Council's National Jamboree Troop that participated in the 10-day 2005 National Jamboree at Fort AP Hill, Va., in the summer of 2005.

He is home-schooled and is a member of the Cheyenne Capitals Youth Hockey Bantam "A" state championship team and was picked as a member of Team Wyoming Bantam AA team, which just competed in and placed fourth in the Rocky Mountain District, USA Hockey Finals.

For his Eagle project, Matthew designed and carried out the planning, preparation, and construction of a "People Shelter" at the Nancy Mockler Dog Park at the Cheyenne Animal Shelter. His project was completed with the help of 36 volunteers and involved more than 190 volunteer hours and thousands of dollars of raw materials donated by Capital Lumber. Eagle Scout service projects are a combination of supervision of work as well as actual physical labor.

*WRIGHT HOSTS REUNION: Wright Class of 1996 is planning a 10-year reunion during Wright Days the weekend of Aug. 19, 2006. Contact information may be sent to {M3DIEDRDA@HOTMAIL.COM

or {M3EMYFEY@HOTMAIL.COM.

*JEFFERSON AWARDS ANNOUNCED: The giving spirit of Wyomingites is evident all around us. It's not uncommon to see ordinary people who do extra-ordinary things in communities all over Wyoming.

KCWY, News 13 along with our community partners, Nelico Equipment, Hilltop National Bank, and Wyoming Community Gas are proud to recognize some of those ordinary people in the 2006 Jefferson Awards.

In its second year in Wyoming, nominations came from all over the state. Out of those nominees, four were chosen as the Wyoming winners. The four, along with all of the nominees, will be honored at a luncheon in May. One winner will be chosen as the Wyoming representative to the National Jefferson Awards Ceremony this summer. That representative will be announced at the May luncheon.

The four winners for the 2006 Jefferson Awards are: Lloyd Chaudoin Jr., Casper; Lisa Eades, Casper; Myrna Evert, Casper; and Eric Lofgren, Dayton.

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