Lifestyle

The Underwood Oklahoma Home and Community Education Association of Canadian County met recently at a local restaurant with Neta Liebscher serving as hostess.

Vicki Duncan called the meeting to order. Bernita Davis read minutes of the previous meeting, with Ann Ricketts giving the treasury report.

Ricketts presented information on Blessing Baskets, and after discussion of the program, members voted to make a donation to be used to purchase food for families in need.

The Okarche High School Speech Team won its 25th Southwest Regional speech and debate title and advanced 17 students in 28 events to the state contest. Okarche won the team sweepstakes trophy, with Crescent High School placing second and Lawton Academy taking third.

Okarche also swept the top four places in two events and the top three places in two other events.

Area author Dorothea Paulk has won first prize for her short story, “The American Dress” in the Soul-making Keats Literary Competition.

The competition is a literary arts outreach of the National League of American Pen Women.

Paulk will be reading an excerpt from the selection on Zoom on Sunday, April 10 during the awards ceremony.

The event will be available for public viewing a week or so later.

Lamplighters OHCE of Canadian County met recently at a local church.

Joan Herr called the meeting to order and offered opening prayer.

Carol Stine led the flag salute and presented a devotional titled “Floating in Grace.”

Maxine Little read minutes from the last meeting, with Patricia Morrison giving the treasury report.

A thank-you card was read from the sheriff’s department for cookies the members recently furnished.

Herr presented the leader lesson on “Growing Tomatoes in the Home Garden.”

Recognized as Calumet February Students of the Month, from left, Payton Black, Camryn Griffith, Brylee Bone and James Daughety.

Riverside February Citizens of the Month, front row from left, Anderson Childers, Serenity Burdine, Aldo Saldana-Martinez, Destine Gonzalez, Jasmine Gonzalez and Lexi Matias; back row, Jazleen Robinson, Daniel Smith and Mia Matias.

Not pictured: Michael Castanon, Paulina Calzada, Keely Studdard, Theoryn Schultheiss, Rylee Crone and Samuel Powell.

Students from Okarche Junior High’s eighth grade recently swept the top three places in the annual Delta Kappa Gamma essay contest. Izabella Beam was the first-place winner, Ethan Kirby took second, while Easton Roby placed third.

The multi-county essay contest is sponsored each year by the Theta chapter of the professional organization of women educators.

The three will be honored at a reception in Kingfisher on April 9.

Beam’s essay will be entered in the statewide competition. All three are students of Lyndal Westmoreland.

Eight Okarche High School speech students brought home the Class 3A sweepstakes trophy from the Crescent High School Invitational Speech Tournament.

Senior Kenzie Beard placed first in poetry and fourth in original oratory. Senior Marley Hill took second in dramatic interp and original oratory.

BOY – Alexandra Dykens and Taylor Sims of Mustang are parents of a boy, Stetson Wayne Sims, born Feb. 28 at Yukon Integris Canadian Valley Hospital. He weighed 9 pounds and measured 20 inches in length.

Stetson has two siblings, Reagan, 5, and Beau, 1.

Maternal grandparents are Chris and Terri Denny of El Reno and Tim and Kim Dykens of Tulsa. Great-grandparents are Diane Dykens of Altus and the late Arden Dykens.

Campbell Eaton was selected as an Oklahoma Academic Coaches Association 2022 All-Stater.

An Academic Team coach is able to nominate two seniors who have played in at least two OSSAA tournaments.

Campbell competed in the district and area tournaments this year and finished with 86.92 All-State points to place him in the top 36 in the state.

Campbell will compete in an All-State tournament at the All-State Banquet April 9. He has competed in Quiz Bowl for the past two years.