Town Talk

March 20, 2008 12:50 pm

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And in this corner ...

On March 17 selectmen unanimously approved (4-0) a license waver application to allow Amateur Boxing Night to take place at the Wyndham Hotel on April 4. The waiver was applied for by Mark Michaud, co-chairman of the Exchange Club of Lawrence Amateur Boxing Night Committee.

The event, which will take place from 7 to 11 p.m., has been sanctioned by the State Boxing Commission.

— Brian Messenger

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It's a jungle out there — all over

Two different versions of "The Jungle Book" have been performed on the stage by students this month, with a third scheduled for May at Phillips Academy.

On March 7 to 9, more than 50 South Elementary School students participated in the South Cooperative Theater's presentation of Disney's "The Jungle Book" at the West Middle School Auditorium.

On March 14 and 15, the Doherty Drama Club performed Rudyard Kipling's version of the classic tale at the Doherty Middle School Auditorium.

In May, more than 30 Phillips Academy students will perform an urban take of the play with their rendition of "Jungal Book."

"It uses street gangs instead of animals," said Phillips spokesman Steve Porter. "There's a lot of choreography and dancing."

After their Andover performance, the Phillips students have plans to perform the play in Scotland as part of an arts festival, Porter said.

— Brian Messenger

Lenten Meals for Lazarus House

Students at St. Augustine have prepared meals for Lazarus House for the past six Fridays as part of a Lenten project to reach out to those in need. While older students served in the school kitchen mixing pasta and chopping vegetables, younger students colored place mats and made little paper baskets filled with pretzels that were given to the children at Lazarus House. Middle school teachers also volunteered several afternoons, shopping for ingredients and planning and preparing the meals.

Easter, the end of Lent, is this Sunday, March 23.

Calling all middle school students

The annual Spring Fling for middle school students will be held Saturday, March 31, at the Greater Lawrence Vocational Technical School from 7 to 9:30 p.m.

All sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade Andover students are invited to this drug- and chemical-free, fun-filled middle school event, which costs $10 per student and is sponsored by Andover's Andona Society. Registration forms and parental permission slips will be available at Andover middle schools and are required.

The evening will be filled with a variety of "flings" to do, including listening to a disc jockey, dancing, swimming, mat-room activities, and door prizes. Pizza, soda, snacks and all activities are included in the admission price. Andona Society members and lifeguards will be in attendance throughout the evening. For more information, visit www.andonasociety.org.

Affordable housing, one home at a time

The completion of Andover's next permanently affordable home, at 94 Cheever Circle, will be celebrated next week, March 26.

Andover Community Trust, a nonprofit organization, has now built four such homes in town. The celebration will take place at noon at the home.

Students earn top (book)marks

Four students from Andover have won a state bookmark contest through Massachusetts School Library Association. Andover librarians and their students will be going to the Boston Statehouse on April 2 for an awards ceremony. The schools that have winning entries are West Middle, Bancroft Elementary and Shawsheen School.