Students at Freedom Elementary School were rewarded for positive behavior while learning what it means to be an active learner during the school's SOAR Assembly and spirit day Jan. 20. During the assembly, students received prizes for staying on task, sang songs and learned the importance of positive self talk, goal setting and effort.

Veteran traveler Evey Huntington spoke at a luncheon meeting of All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church Women Jan. 20.

The "Hooray! It's a Soiree" event was held at the Longboat Key Club Harbourside Dining Room, to celebrate the opening of the Aging in Paradise Resource Center.

Dr. Gabrielle Vail took the Longboat Key Historical Society thousands of years into the past when she spoke about creation and renewal rituals of the prehispanic Maya at the society's meeting held Thursday, Jan. 20, at the Longboat Key Center for the Arts.

Beachplace residents held their annual welcome back party Thursday, Jan. 20, at the condominium clubhouse.

The Intersections project had its official kickoff celebration at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 20 at Selby Five Points Park. The public art project that has been in the works for over a year finally came to fruition with a total of 12 sculptures located throughout downtown Sarasota.

Hundreds of animal lovers helped the Lakewood Ranch Humane Society start 2011 with a bang during the organization's Kick-Off Bash Jan. 20 at the home of Lou and Ann Marie Marinaccio in The Concession. Guests enjoyed wine, hors d'ouerves, live music and more while raising money for the new animal organization.

Eager readers put on their most comfy nighttime attire and headed to Little Bookworms for the shop's Pajama Party Jan. 20 on Lakewood Ranch Main Street. The party featured a book signing by author Tracey Williams, who read her book, "Go Back to Bed!"

Construction workers began putting on the sails onto the front side of the recently opened Palm Avenue parking garage Thursday, Jan. 20.

Third-grade students at Braden River Elementary School today made a special trip to the zoo without leaving the comforts of their school campus. After researching an animal and creating a diorama of it in its natural habitat, each student shared what he'd learned with children from visiting classrooms and also visited the "zoos" set up in other classrooms to collect data and learn about other animals.