Last week was a very special week at the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard. Two wonderful dogs were adopted, the sweet bunny was adopted and the two kittens have an “adoption pending” sign on their cage. But check with us at the shelter because sometimes people change their minds and the kittens may not be adopted. They are the cutest things, very playful and love people. The other animals have been at the shelter for awhile and really do need to find homes.

Dean’s List

The following students were named to the University of Massachusetts Boston dean’s list for the fall 2009 semester: Caitlin Crossland of Edgartown, Sophia Grimm of Oak Bluffs and Alicia Maciel of Vineyard Haven.

Jessica Forend of Oak Bluffs is a member of the Johnson & Wales University dressage team, which has qualified for the International Dressage Association national championship to be held in Laurinburg, N.C. this weekend.

The university finished as reserve champion team for the year in the Northeast A Region, and also had five students qualify for individual competition — including Ms. Forend.

The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation is offering grant funds for eligible organizations located in Dukes County to purchase specialized equipment and/or assistive technology for use by children, youth and young adults up to age 26 with developmental disabilities.

The deadline for the letter of application is June 30. For more information, please visit online thetowerfoundation.org.

Martha’s Vineyard high schoolers Domonique Aaron, Lily Bick, Jess Dupon, Zen Hughes and Jordan Wallace have been named winners is the Promising Young Poets project, sponsored by Island Voices, the West Tisbury poet laureate, the Martha’s Vineyard Cultural Council and Pathways Projects Institute.

Honorable mention goes to Joe Aguilar, Annabelle Hackney, Chelsea Phaneuf, Tonya Sequeira and Oscar Thompson for their very deserving work.

Lyla Arrives

Rachel Dinning and Anthony BenDavid of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Lyla Katharine BenDavid, born on April 11, 2010, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Lyla weighed 8 pounds, 14 ounces at birth. She is welcomed home by big sisters Belle and Lacey.