Represents province

DANGAMVURA, ZIMBABWE

Elisha Tafotaona Ndumiyana of the Dangamvura Branch, Zimbabwe Harare Mission, was recently selected by the Zimbabwe government to represent the province of Manicaland as a delegate to the International Youth Village in Japan. Youth from 18 countries are represented at the village during July and August for an exchange of views and ideas through discussion, sports, music, dance and displays. The International Youth Village has been held each year since 1985 to promote mutual understanding and friendship among the youth of various countries.

Top administrator

OAKTON, VA.

Richard L. Brown, first counselor in the Oakton Virginia Stake presidency, has been honored by the General Services Administration for "excellence in administration" at the GSA's sixth annual awards ceremony. He was one of 10 winners selected by a panel of senior federal officials. The award recognizes outstanding achievements in administration by federal managers throughout the federal government. Pres. Brown is controller of the federal government's General Accounting Office.

Outstanding leader

MESA, ARIZ.

Shirley Whitlock, a member of the Lazona Ward, Mesa Arizona Central Stake, was recently honored by the national "United to Serve America" organization and received its diamond award for outstanding leadership and service toward the betterment of America. The same week she was honored by the National Eagle Forum for service to God, family and country. She has served the past 14 years as president of the Arizona Eagle Forum.

Celebrates 100th

YOUNGTOWN, ARIZ.

Earl Poage, a member of the Sun City Ward, Peoria Arizona Stake, celebrated his 100th birthday with family and friends at a party on his birthday. He was born July 15, 1892, in Broken Bow, Neb., to Thomas and Molly Poage. As a young man he traveled around the country doing odd jobs and eventually went to Idaho Falls, Idaho, where he married Iva Elizabeth Gardner in February 1916. They have five daughters, 12 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and 14 great-great-grandchildren. Brother Poage worked for a railroad company as a fireman and then an engineer and was on the company's last steam locomotive when it was retired.

Gold medalist

HONOLULU, HAWAII

Taci LaBatte, 10, a member of the Kaneohe 3rd Ward, Kaneohe Hawaii Stake, was the gold medalist on the balance beam at the United States Gymnastics Federation Regional Meet held recently in Roseberg, Ore. She finished sixth overall in the all-around competition. Tacia won the gold medal in her grade division in Hawaii's Oahu Windward District Physical Fitness Meet for the fourth straight year.

Takes top award

MDANTSANE, SOUTH AFRICA

Dumisane Polo was recently awarded the gold medal in East London, South Africa, in the welterweight boxing division of the Olympic Trials. Dumisane, 19, is a priest in the Mdantsane Branch, South Africa Cape Town Mission. He has been boxing for five years and has not lost a fight since joining the Church in June 1991. He is representing his country in the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

Saves life

EDMONDS, WASH.

Joshua Hansen, 11, a member of the Edmonds 2nd Ward, Lynnwood Washington Stake, recently received an award of merit from Rotary International and the sponsors of the Snohomish County Medal of Valor for saving a baby's life. Joshua was walking near his home when he noticed a parked car with a baby in it. The car was parked on a steep incline as were many others, but after Joshua walked passed the car, he felt prompted to look back and saw the car had begun to roll down the hill. He stopped the car by jumping in, shifting it into park and putting on the emergency brake.

Top athletes

BURLEY, IDAHO

Three young men, members of the Church attending Burley High School, have received state recognition for their athletic ability. Kevin Moreton, a priest in the Burley 4th Ward, Burley Idaho Stake, has been named Division A-2 Basketball Player of the Year for Idaho. Kevin was chosen for the AP All-State 1st Team, the Coaches All-State 1st Team, and the Cross-State 1st teams during both his junior and senior years of high school. He was listed in USA Today as one of Idaho's top five players. Kevin is the third leading scorer in Burley High School history with 1,173 points and holds the record for the most points scored in a game.

Kevin and Jeremy Toner, a member of the Pella Ward, Oakley Idaho Stake, helped Burley High School win the state championship the last two years. Jeremy was also chosen for the All-State basketball team. He was student body president of Burley High School, was named to the All-Conference and All-State offensive and defensive football teams in Idaho in both his junior and senior years and was named Idaho's defensive lineman of the year.

He and Brandon Ormond of the Burley 3rd Ward, Burley Idaho West Stake, were selected by a panel of coaches to represent Idaho in the Australia Bowl Down Under game. Brandon was named to the All-Conference team, the Cross-State football team and the All-State football team.

Fulbright scholar

GRAND FORKS, N.D.

Douglas K. Ludlow has received the 1992-93 J. William Fulbright Scholar Abroad award to travel to Israel to collaborate research with David Avnir at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

The Fulbright Scholar Abroad program is a competitive award program directed by the Council for the International Exchange of Scholars, which allows scientists and engineers from the United States to collaborate in research and to teach with internationally renowned scholars throughout the world. Brother Ludlow, a member of the Grand Forks 2nd Ward and a high councilor in the Fargo North Dakota Stake, is an associate professor of chemical engineering at the University of North Dakota.

Represents territory

TORRENS, AUSTRALIA

Sharon Rackham, 17, a member of the Woden Branch, Canberra District of the Australia Sydney Mission, was among 200 students to represent the Australian Capital Territory at the Pacific School Games held in Darwin, Australia. Sharon won a gold medal in the high jump, a silver in the 100 meter, a bronze in the 200 meter and the 400 meter. Twenty countries participated in the games.

Program participant

COPPERFIELD, TEXAS

Heather Buchanan, 14, was invited to participate in the People-to-People Ambassador program in Russia. During her almost month-long stay, she attended an eight-day youth camp with Russian teenagers to exchange ideas. She is a member of the Copperfield Ward, Caty Texas Stake.

National winner

BOUNTIFUL, UTAH

Sheri M. Petersen, 13, was one of nine national winners in the American Express Geography Competition. She won for her research project about the natural gas pipeline built by the Kern River Gas Transmission Company from southwest Wyoming to southern California that runs through Utah. More than 2,600 students in 6th through 12th grades from 45 states took part in the contest designed to encourage creative problem-solving using geographic principles. Sheri is president of her Beehive class in the Val Verda 1st Ward, Bountiful Utah Val Verda Stake.

Earns first

BLACKFOOT, IDAHO

Jetta Hatch, an eighth grader, earned first place in the state Geography Bee and a chance to compete in the nationals, along with 57 other students from the United States. Jetta advanced to the finals in the nationals where she placed 10th. She is a member of the Wapello 2nd Ward, Blackfoot Idaho Stake.