COOKING SCHOOL

Rachael Daylong of College Station will soon attend The Culinary Instute of America. Daylong was recently accepted into the college's associate degree program in culinary arts.

NEW GRADUATE

Ryan Douglas Jones of Bryan was one of 791 graduates to receive a degree during Louisiana State University's 266th Commencement Exercises on Aug. 8. Jones graduated from the College of Arts and Sciences.

FFA AWARD

Kyle Skrabanek of Caldwell has been selected as a national finalist by the FFA in the area of agricultural mechanics repair and maintenance proficiency.

Skrabanek, a 2007 graduate of Caldwell High School and member of the Caldwell FFA, attends Texas State Technical College in Waco, where he majors in diesel technology.

The 19-year-old will compete against three other finalists from across the U.S. at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis in October.

Skrabanek was also the state winner in placement for the American FFA degree and will receive his American FFA degree at the convention.

He is an intern at the Mustang Caterpillar dealership in Bryan.

GARDEN CLUB

A&M Garden Club's opening social was held Aug. 22 at the home of Texas A&M University President Elsa Murano and Dr. Peter Murano.

Pat Boleman and Elaine Cross helped hostess. Club Pesident Jane Cohen greeted 45 members and guests. Norma Jean Stokes arranged the table centerpiece and coordinated refreshments. Eugenia Williams welcomed special guests. Jo Ann Cermin entertained with piano music.

Seed packets were used as name tags and will be donated to the Texas Garden Club Seeds for Life project, helping families in Guatamala, by Kris Walker.

Guests included Eleanor Floeck, the Texas Garden Club Division V trustee from Giddings. Guests from the Thursday Garden Club, Marjorie Norris and Ann Horton, were also welcomed.

Long distance members Cermin of Wichita Falls and Delma Cassero of Hammon, La., attended. Past presidents Idalia Aguilar, Mary Ann Taylor, Cermin, Sally Koestler, Pat Haberstroh, Judy Schafer and Margaret Ann White were recognized and served at the table.

The A&M Garden Club will meet again Sept. 12 at 9:30 a.m., 2nd Friday, Exit Teen Center on Rock Prairie Road. The program will be "Beyond the Window -- Creating Interesting Vistas in Your Yard" by Marlene Gillman, the District 5 director from Killeen.

DANCING QUEEN

Christina Abidin, a former member of the Blinn College dance team, has been selected as a Rockets Power Dancer.

She was one of hundreds of dancers who auditioned for 21 spots on the Houston Rockets' dance team.

Abidin is a graduate of Elkins High School in Sugarland. She is the second dancer from Blinn's 2006-2008 teams to join a professional sports program. Whitney Isleib of Friendswood was chosen to be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.

BRIDGE CLUB

Star Duplicate Bridge Club met Aug. 22 at College Station Conference Center. The winners were:

N/S

1. Joyce England and Jim Hibbetts

2. Lois Fox and Billie Watson

E/W

1. Sue Lee and Carl Ruch

2. Louise Goswick and Peggy Anderson

BETA SIGMA PHI

Marcia Drost, president of the Laureate Alpha Alpha chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, hosted Beginning Day at her home Tuesday. Yearbooks were distributed by Christi Hendricks and reviewed for upcoming cultural programs, service projects and activities. The theme is "Rekindle the Torch of Friendship."

Committee chairs reviewed plans: service, Sherry Kovar; ways and means, Margie Billingsley; social, Teresa Chipman; special awards, Mary Dudek; friendship, Janet Wood; secret sister, Sandra Wood; photos, Connie Moss; courtesy, Dudek; publicity, Billingsley; parliamentarian, Kovar.

A report of the August birthday celebration for Billingsley was given by Chipman. Hostesses for the salad dinner were Chipman, Jane Cohen, Donna Dash, Hendricks and Moss, with Drost as meeting hostess with dessert.

The first meeting of the year will be Tuesday, with Mary Smith as hostess.

Beta Sigma Phi is an international sorority, with educational and cultural programs for members, opportunities for service to others, and members uniting in fellowship and friendship.

SAFETY FIRST

A biology department laboratory under the direction of Robyn Lints is July's Environmental Health and Safety's Safe Laboratory of the Month. The lab was picked because policies for safe handling of sharps are clear, appropriate protective equipment is readily available and there are procedures for decontaminating work surfaces. No violations were noted.

Amigos Del Valle de Brazos/Friends of the Brazos Valley

Amigos Del Valle de Brazos/Friends of the Brazos Valley recently hosted a trip for 55 senior citizens to the George Bush Presidential Museum and Library in College Station.

Transportation was provided by Area Agency on Aging and lunch at Golden Corral was hosted by David and Geneva Garcia, owners of Brazos Valley Home Health Agency.

Among those who attended were Juan and Theadore Gomez, Mary Jane Garcia, Ive and Becky Junek, Tom and Sulema Ramirez, Janie Moreno, Luz Badillo and Benita Chavarria.

NEEDS A HOME

Tank is a male guinea pig, and is fun and easy to handle. He looks a little like a calico cat. Meet Tank and other animals who need homes at the Brazos Animal Shelter (www.brazosanimalshelter.org) at 2207 Finfeather Road in Bryan. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.

APPOINTMENT

Jamie Callahan, associate professor of human resource development, has been appointed associate editor of Human Resource Development Review.

The publication is one of the four top journals representing the field.

Following her three-year term as associate editor, Callahan will assume the role of editor.

GRANTS

The "Aggie 100" program has awarded its first Entrepreneurial Scholars Awards research grants through The Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship at Texas A&M University's Mays Business School.

Three doctoral students and a faculty member were selected for a total of $20,000 in grants.

Gautham Gopal, a marketing doctoral student, was recognized for his proposal "How do early growth strategies affect the performance of start-up ventures? An empirical analysis."

Michael Holmes and Justin Webb, management doctoral students, were honored for their proposal "The relationships between entrepreneurs' psychological characteristics, their behaviors and their performance." Webb was also recognized separately for his proposal "Goal orientation as shaping entrepreneurial processes and firm performance."

Ramkumar Janakiraman, an assistant professor of marketing, submitted a winning proposal called "Tapping into word of mouth effect for new product launch: Insights from a start-up firm."